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Theatrical Cuts vs. Subsequent Releases
"Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival." What was the point?
26-Nov-2009, 4:02 AM
26-Nov-2009 4:02 AM
I never understood the point of this scene at all. The original had a suitably sullen/disappointed Vader making his way back to his ship. Never one for small talk (or pleasantries it seems) he utters "Bring my shuttle." I mean, he has failed the Emperor, unburdened a harsh truth to his son (after cutting his hand off first) watched said son then plunging to a possible death...
At the same time, his leverage is escaping, his son is hanging on for his life (I'm sure Vader could sense he was still alive...) I just find it hard to believe he would really care for his Star Destroyer to stop what they are doing and set up a parade for his return. I mean, if he had come jogging out of the shuttle, shoving the officer out of his way so he could quickly get to the destroyers command centre, then maybe I would have bought it instead of tacking on an unused scene of Jerjerrod (?!?) from Jedi. I have seen people praising this scene as an well used addition to the film. Am I missing some great potential in this shot? What reminded me of this is that the Wookieepedia and EU material have retconned Jerjerrod to have really been present in Empire the whole time.
Also, his voice when he commands his destroyer to prepare for his arrival sounds off to me.
captainsolo
As a kid, I never realized there was a difference. The new scene doesn't fit at all pacing-wise. The line "bring my shuttle" is delivered in such a way that it firmly establishes how pissed off Vader is. (Although if he was just going to get Luke in a few minutes, why should he be so pissed?) "Alert my star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" simply doesn't work in that scene (heard it was leftover dialogue from SW) and the fact that the snippet from ROTJ with Jejerrod is on the end just goes to show how pitiful the thought process was. They put all that time into making a CGI shot of Vader walking up to the shuttle, and then cut to leftovers?
VADER!? WHERE THE HELL IS MY MOCHA LATTE? -Palpy on a very bad day.
“George didn’t think there was any future in dead Han toys.”-Harrison Ford
My review blog: thehificelluloidmonster.wordpress.com
29-Nov-2009 8:14 PM
I've said before that, from a purely filmmaking standpoint, this addition is probably the worst in the entire Special Edition. Yes, there are things that are dumber and more agonizing from a fan standpoint, but, aside from the addition of the Jabba scene, there is no other part of the SE that RUINS THE PACING as much as this. The Falcon is rushing back to save Luke, the music is pumping, the TIEs are closing in... AND THE FILM JUST FUCKING STOPS SO WE CAN WATCH VADER ARRIVE ON HIS SHIP?! Whose crack-addled brain came up with that one?!
There is no lingerie in space…
C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.
doubleofive
7-Dec-2009 9:23 AM
captainsolo said:
"Alert my star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" simply doesn't work in that scene (heard it was leftover dialogue from SW) and the fact that the snippet from ROTJ with Jejerrod is on the end just goes to show how pitiful the thought process was.
Too bad no one ever called them "Star Destroyers" in ANH. And where would he have been arriving from in that movie?
I have no idea where they found the line, but it couldn't have been ANH.
Star Wars Revisited Wordpress / Facebook / Twitter
Star Wars Visual Comparisons WordPress / Twitter
miker71
7-Dec-2009 10:12 AM
They probably just got Peter Serafinowicz (who also voiced Darth Maul) to do his Vader impression. Whoever did the voice, it definitely sounds off and is the most jarring scene in the entire movie because as others have noted, it's just .... all bad.
I'm waiting for this subplot to be re-instated in ANH and get written up as canon for the EU:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtMkXEO2vs8
ChainsawAsh
7-Dec-2009 2:35 PM (Edited)
Too bad no one ever called them "Star Destroyers" in ANH.
Are you sure? I seem to remember Han saying "Star Destroyer" when the Falcon was fleeing Tatooine.
And it's entirely possible that "Alert my Star Destroyer to prepare for my arrival" was taken from a Tantive IV outtake that wasn't used.
I hate the line in its current ESB SE spot, but I've never thought it sounded like anyone but James Earl Jones. I don't know where people are getting that idea.
a trolling bantha
Baronlando
7-Dec-2009 4:29 PM
http://filmsound.org/starwars/starwars-AQ.htm
Burtt says it's from 77. I don't think they say "star destoyer" in the final cut of the movie but there is pre-Empire material like comics and publicity stuff that use the name.
11-Dec-2009 12:43 PM
Same answer he always seems to give. If JEJ indeed dubbed for it, then the scene was shot and made pretty far into the editing stage. What scene, etc? Wouldn't it be in the novelization or comic book, or any of the other scenes from there?
one of these days i'll do a spectral analysis on the voiceprint. everyone i've spoken to says that even if it is JEJ saying the line, it's too high pitched, or off, or something is just not quite right ...
thecolorsblend
What was the point? I would've thought it was clear. George forced that change in there even though it totally conflicts with the tone and pace of the surrounding scenes. He wanted to show Vader travelling on the shuttle to the Star Destroyer, pacing be damned, and the "alert my Star Destroyer" stuff better clarifies Vader's little trip.
"Bring my shuttle" is truer to Vader's character (esp at that moment) though.
All I really want is each film as it was originally seen and heard in theaters; no fixes, corrections, "improvements" or modifications necessary.
The line doesn't sound like JEJ to me. It doesn't sound like Vader does in the rest of the original movie or like the new Vader lines recorded for the new dialogue with the Emperor for the 2004 release.
11-Dec-2009 2:26 PM (Edited)
Is it even JEJ in Episode III? He is uncredited (but he wasn't credited in Star Wars when it first came out, was he?)
For the 2004 Editions the Vader lines from the OT were all "re-modulated" or "cleaned up" to sound the same. Not sure if the 97 line addition was also cleaned up or not, but it clashes at least with how we "know" Vader's voice in ESB proper.
This might explain the difference. And yes, that's JEJ in Episode III. The only part that isn't, supposedly, is where he says "Yes Master," (after "can you hear me," as featured in all those trailers before the movie came out) which is supposed to be Hayden Christiansen's voice heavily modified (ironically, it sounded to me more like Liam Neeson, who of course had his "force voice over" modified in Episode II.. where he says "Anakin, Anakin" which is from Episode I, and then "Nooooo!" which is somebody else trying to do an impression of his voice).
To me it seemed that the Vader line had just been sped up or something to fit that really awkward editing on the SE. It has to be JEJ. Also, wasn't that line in Ep.II Qui-Gon and then a Tusken Raider screaming Noooo?
Bobby Jay
When I first heard the line back in 1997 I immediately thought it was someone else doing Vader's voice for that line. My opinion hasn't changed in the last 12 years, even after hearing Burtt say it was unused dialogue from Star Wars.
It sounds nothing like James Earl Jones.
Vader's voice and Luke's scream are what upset me the most about the Special Editions
Your brain just makes s**t up!
A fate worse than death? Having your head digitally replaced with that of Hayden Christensen!
monkeyjb1988
That, along with Luke no longer saying "You're lucky you don't taste too good", are my least favorite changes. The pacing is ruined with shots of Vader making it back to the Star Destroyer. I mean, we know he's heading somewhere to get Luke, we don't need a play by play.
Timstuff
27-Dec-2009 8:54 AM (Edited)
When Vader said "bring my shuttle," I LOVED that line, because he sounded pissed off. He wasn't even sure if Luke was still alive at that point, so naturally he'd be angry. There are only a few moments in the OT when we see Vader when he's pissed off, and when they happen it's because it's important. I thought it was a shame to get rid of what for me was one of the most memorable ones.
skyjedi2005
The entire special edition was pointless. The restoration was necessary, but the changes and bad added cartoon cgi added nothing and actually take away from the experience. Things i'm for are reducing or removing the garbage mattes or blue screen bleed or fringing.
“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.
Bingowings
Even if Lucas really, really wanted to have the shuttle take off and land on The Executor why change the line?
It's doesn't contradict what we see on screen.
He could still have said "Bring my shuttle" and then walk over to the thing after it landed.
The dialogue change is utter bobbins.
It screws up the mood and doesn't even set up the pointlessly bolted on shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6Dp2OfIT_M
vote_for_palpatine
I imagine George Lucas taking a break from whatever the hell he does these days to look at this thread with his friend Ralph, who is secretly an OUT kind of guy.
Lucas: Hey Ralph, look at this.
Ralph: (reads in a kind of mumble to self) Hey wow, the nerve of that guy. (Ralph doesn't sound convincing, but Lucas doesn't notice)
Lucas: No, no, I think this guy has a point. And you know, I've been meaning to fix that whole "I know" line in Empire anyway -
Ralph: George, I don't think this guy means-
Lucas: (pontificating, oblivious to Ralph's sheepish objection) - See, Darth Vader is the greatest character ever invented in the long history of everything. In that scene, he is shrugging off his failure and reestablishing his ethos - it all relates very closely to Kurosawa and auto racing.
Ralph: (anxious to change the subject) Umm, what's the latest on Red Tails?
Lucas: Never heard of them. So clearly, in my last draft of Empire, I didn't spell out that Vader is again taking control of the situation. I mean, can you blame me, what with having to work with that that limp fish of a nothing film Kersh made? Jeez, the way he did it, it was like Interiors meets Star Trek.
Ralph: (at a loss for words) Hey...uh George...you in the mood for a burger or something?
Lucas: Ralph, can you wait here a while? I'm going to put on some Holst and write the pre-draft for my next draft of Empire.
Ralph: S-sure.
(Lucas leaves via the swinging door and comes back through it as it swings shut with a sheaf of script in his left arm)
Lucas: Go ahead, buddy. Read it. You'll love it - big Star Wars fan like you. Go on! You're the lucky first to read it!
Ralph: (extremely reluctant) "Attention all Imperial milit-"
Lucas: You're doing it wrong! Read the direction, too. And Vader speaks in all caps! Don't forget that.
Ralph: "Vader enters an open area on Bespin. All eyes are on him. He commands the sort of attention usually reserved for Lady GaGa and the Pope."
Lucas: HAH! Topical! I am so funny!
Ralph: "Vader wordlessly sticks out his right hand while looking straight into the picture and someone out of frame hands him a megaphone." They have megaphones in Star Wars, George?
Lucas: I've got design working on the Star Wars equivalent now. Anyway, continue! Come ooooonn! I wanna heeeeeeeear it!
Ralph: "ATTENTION ALL IMPERIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL!"
Lucas: Faster, more intense!
Ralph: "ATTENTION ALL IMPERIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL! NOW HEAR THIS! THIS IS DARTH VADER, DARK LORD OF THE SITH, ONE OF ONLY TWO IN ALL THE GALAXY! I HAVE, AS EXPECTED, BESTED LUKE SKYWALKER IN A LIGHTSABER DUEL AND, RATHER THAN SURRENDER TO ME, SKYWALKER PLUNGED TO HIS APPARENT DEATH; HOWEVER, MY COMMAND OF THE FORCE HAS PRESERVED SKYWALKER FOR NOW - IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CAPTURE HIM AT ONCE! TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THIS, I MUST BE RETURNED TO MY STAR DESTROYER, THE EXECUTOR, AT ONCE! FURTHERMORE, THERE SHOULD BE NO LACK OF PREPAREDNESS ONBOARD THE EXECUTOR WHEN I HAVE ARRIVED THERE." (ruffles through script) George, how long does this go on, anyway?
Lucas: (smiling, pleased with his latest effort) Here's a hint: Who is John Galt?
Want to book yourself or a guest on THE VFP Show? PM me!
Knightmessenger
Gaffer Tape said:
Yeah, it's one of the least talked about alterations but it's really one of the worst changes. It makes you wonder how Lucas was ever successful at all because it demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge over pacing and basic filmmaking in general. The first time I actually watched Empire straight through was after getting the 2004 set and I seem to remember being confused as to why Vaders big ship looked identical to the second Death Star. The film might have well gone to a commercial break. "We interrupt the conclusion of Empire Strikes Back for this paid promotional segment by the Empire." God I wish Nostalgia Critic would just tear into that.
The music editing is really horrible too, it just abruptly goes back to the music when Vader reveals he's Luke's father.
If you have the 1997 version, you can also compare how much blue tinted it was in 2004.
Another Empire edit that bothers me (which no one else points out either). Lando frees Chewbacca who starts choking Lando. Leia says "You think after what you did to Han we're going to trust you?"
In the 2004 audio mix, Chewbacca's growl comes in sooner completely drowing out "trust you" from Leia.
"You think after what you did to Han, we're going to- garrragggaahhh"
Take back the trilogy. Execute Order '77
http://www.youtube.com/user/Knightmessenger
21-Jan-2010 3:23 AM
The Falcon is rushing back to save Luke, the music is pumping, the TIEs are closing in... AND THE FILM JUST FUCKING STOPS SO WE CAN WATCH VADER ARRIVE ON HIS SHIP?!
Oh, come on, Gaff! Jeez, don't you remember how utterly confusing the original version was? Vader says "Bring my shuttle" - first of all, where is that shuttle going? Is he gonna get in it? Is he going somewhere? We don't know! Then, the next time we see him, he's in a STAR DESTROYER!! Not a shuttle, like we had just been led to believe! A GINORMOUS ship that don't look like no shuttle to me! Then again, how would I know in the first place - they don't show the shuttle!! But in the new version he says where he's going and we see the shuttle taking him there! What's not to like? We now have all the information we need!
It's like finally getting to see the Wampa monster feeding while Luke struggled to free himself. Why was Luke hanging there before? Now we know!
vote_for_palpatine said:
I don't remember being confused by the original at all, at 10 years old. You don't need to show every last bit of exposition if it's obvious that Vader got to his Star Destroyer using his shuttle that was brought to him.
I will confess to still not really understanding how Luke's feet became encased in ice. Perhaps we need a scene showing how that happened, too? Oh, I know - I'll use my 10 year old IMAGINATION
Actually, if the whole "bring my shuttle" delivery thing was kept, along with the nice looking matte of him boarding said shuttle, and flying up to the Executor. I think that would actually improve the pacing and give a nice lead-in to that oh so pretty shot of the Falcon escaping Bespin as the dawn breaks behind them. As long as no time is wasted watching him walk out of the shuttle inside the Death Star Executor cutting back and forth doesn't hurt the movie at all, and in fact I think it helps the somewhat rushed feeling the original has at that point. Or maybe not, I don't know. The matte painting of Bespin "in the dark" would definitely have to improve though then.
Ric Olie
21-Jan-2010 9:10 AM (Edited)
miker71 said:
Anyway, VFP makes an excellent point, and I was thrilled to see the new version. It was the way I always thought is should play out after I saw the original confusing version. The only change I would make is that I would have played that part, but I am at least glad to see that Vader and I are kindred spirts.
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Occupy Sydney: protesters assemble at Martin Place
By Kate Ausburn
16.Oct.11
Around a thousand people converged on Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD for the Occupy Sydney protest on Saturday October 15.
Martin Place is home to the Reserve Bank of Australia, across the road from the state Parliament and nearby are many major banks and corporate headquarters.
Protesters spoke out against corporate greed and called for economic justice. Speakers from the crowd spoke about the plight of refugees, and Premier Barry O’Farrell’s industrial relations changes and their impact on public sector workers.
The rapidly expanding coal seam gas (CSG) industry and its environmental and social impact was raised and a vote was taken to fully support the protest against CSG taking part in Martin Place on Sunday October 16 as part of the Lock the Gate National Day of Action to defend water against CSG.
A peaceful camp was set up in Martin Place for the 100–200 people who decided to camp out. It was dismantled after dark by police officers. Riot squad, police rescue and police on horseback were all in attendance alongside regular unformed officers.
Police confiscated tents, some without warning protesters. Despite this around one hundred protesters stayed camped out on the cement in sleeping bags.
One protester locked on to a garbage truck, using a D-Lock around his neck, after police took his belongings. He was cut off by police rescue and arrested.
Police presence diminished and only a few remained amongst the occupy Sydney protesters in the early hours of Sunday October 16.
Protesters enjoyed music, a game of cricket, and a kitchen was set up to feed the camp.
Placards read slogans including ‘Occupy Sydney, not Palestine’, ‘You ask why, I ask why I have to protest’, ‘Robin Hood was right’, ‘You can’t eat money’, ‘We are the one we have been waiting for’, ‘If not now, when? If not us, who?’, and ‘We are the Australian 99%’, sloganised at the Occupy Wall Street protest to point out that the majority of society’s wealth lies in the hands of 1% of the population.
Occupy Sydney is part of the global occupy movement, which started in New York on Wall Street, inspired by uprisings in the Middle East and parts of Europe such as Spain. It is a global movement against economic injustice and other societal inequality.
• See a gallery of photos from Occupy Sydney
• Follow updates on Twitter using #occupysydney hashtag
Here is some mainstream coverage of the first day (and night) of the Occupy Sydney protest:
• Protesters occupy Sydney’s financial hub – NineMSN
• Hundreds of people protest in Martin Place against corruption and corporate greed
• Occupy protesters in Australian cities
• Protesters converge on Sydney – The Wall Street Journal
• Occupy Sydney protester arrested, police seize belongings – SMH
• Sydney ‘greed’ protesters vow to stay put – The Australian
A couple of video wrap-ups by the hard working citizen journos & media team:
The Occupy Sydney police liaison explains what happened when the police came to the protest after dark:
The protester who locked-on to a City of Sydney garbage truck to protest the removal of belongings explains what he is doing before he is removed by police rescue:
Cross-posted from Kate Ausburn.
More by Kate Ausburn
From EnGy on 16 October 2011 at 2.15 am
Chained himself to a garbage truck? Sigh. Not much going upstairs I guess.
From Anonymous on 17 October 2011 at 12.03 am
did more than you i guess
From slowburn on 17 October 2011 at 12.06 am
did more than you though didnt he.
From Dave on 17 October 2011 at 12.22 am
Pay no attention to EnGy, he live in a bubble, quite literally if you look at his website.
Given the breadth and continuity of the Occupy protests (particularly in the US)coupled with the resurgent financial crisis in Europe, I am wondering if people think this will be seen as a defeat for the proponents of neoliberalism and if so will they adapt their tactics but continue to push a similar message?
From john on 6 November 2011 at 5.20 pm
and what is that in English?????
From Notafanoffutility on 17 October 2011 at 9.19 am
What a total waste of time!
Who do they think they’re actually affecting? The only ones being inconvenienced are the Police and security who have to come in for double time pay LOL
Yeah great job!
From Rob on 26 October 2011 at 1.23 pm
All around Sydney people sleep ‘rough’.
Discrimination is rampant in our society.
Don’t be discriminated against.
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Mountaineers Take Two From Pine Manor
Southern Vt.
Pine Manor
Southern Vt. (9-12) 0 6 7 6 1 20 16 1
Pine Manor (2-18) 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 6
2B: Erika Garay; Emily Fleming
3B: Emily Fleming
2B: Chardonai Rose
2B: Emily Fleming; Kirstin Buchan; Hayley McDonald
3B: Shelby Jones
HR: Emily Fleming
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Tough pitching and an explosive offense helped Southern Vt. take both ends of the doubleheader against Pine Manor on Friday afternoon at the Pine Manor Softball Field. The Mountaineers claimed two five-inning victories by scores of 12-0 and 20-1.
After being swept, the Gators record falls to 2-18 on the year and Southern Vt. Improves to 9-12.
Emily Fleming (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and Hayley McDonald (Latham, N.Y.) were big contributors both on offense and in the pitching circle for Southern Vt.
The guests jumped out to an early lead in game one scoring three runs on three hits in the first with Brianne Nichols (Albany, N.Y.) and Kirstin Buchan (Troy, N.Y.) each collecting RBI hits. The damage could have been worse, but Gators starter Chardonai Rose (Fairfield, Calif.) was able to induce an inning-ending double play to limit the damage.
In the second, Southern Vt. kept the bats going. They scored six more times with the big knock coming on an inside the park grand slam by Fleming.
Fleming, who got the start in the circle in game one, was nearly unhittable. She retired the first eleven batters, including striking out the side in order in both the second and third innings. Overall she finished with 10 punch outs as she earned the shutout victory.
The Gators were finally able to get to Fleming in the fourth. Second baseman Ashley Whiteshield (Seward, Alaska) got on with a single to break up the perfect game. Pine Manor would only get one more hit in the contest, a single by Anastasia Walker (West Springfield, Mass.) to lead off the fifth.
Buchan collected three hits for the visitors in game one and drove in three runs. Rose took loss for Pine Manor.
Rose got the start again for the Gators in game two. She got into a bit of a jam early, walking the first two batters she faced. However, the junior hurler was able to settle in and get out of the inning unscathed.
In the bottom of the inning, Pine Manor got its first lead of the afternoon. Sybil Lynch (Hoboken, N.J.) started the inning off with a single before stealing second. Rose then helped her own cause by shooting a double to right field to score Lynch and give the Gators the 1-0 lead.
That lead would not last long as the Mountaineers offense exploded for six runs in the second. They followed that up with seven in the third and six more in the fourth. They tacked on one more in the fifth to finish the scoring.
Fleming was once again one of the top contributors for Southern Vt. as she went 3-for-5 including a double and a triple. She also drove in five runs. Two other Mountaineers, McDonald and Lissa Marie Soler (Yonkers, N.Y.) also had three-hit games.
McDonald earned the win in game two as she pitched the five-inning complete game and struck out nine. Rose took her second loss of the afternoon.
Southern Vt. will try to continue its winning ways tomorrow when it travels to Mitchell for a New England Collegiate Conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Pine Manor will hit the road for the last time this year on Tuesday when it visits Daniel Webster for a two-game set starting at 4 p.m.
Stay up to date will all things Pine Manor Athletics! 'Follow' us on Twitter and 'Like' us on Facebook!
--- #PMCGators ---
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Result for tags: "International Delivery"
By Topic: International Delivery
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Play Date in the Park…
My youngest son-in-law was competing in a triathlon that would last for most of the day.
This was definitely, no place for young babies to be, with the roaring heat upon us.
So, this gave Grammie her “First Date” with the little man! All alone…just the two of us! Be still my heart!!!!
I decided, our first date would be at the local playground…something we would both enjoy.
He met new friends immediately! Everybody wanted to be around him…he was like a magnet.
Did you notice his shirt? I bought it in Seattle when I was at the Space Needle…recognize it?
He found a way to get away from the camera…run under the tunnel! Grammie can’t fit through here.
Okay, maybe this wasn’t just going to be a date for me and him only…smile! The girls loved him and I think it was very mutual.
After he played and played on the playground…we decided it was time to leave.
On the way home, we went to McDonald’s drive-through and bought a dipped ice cream cone to finish the afternoon.
By the time he licked the last drop, sitting in his car seat…his little eyelids closed and that was the end of our first date.
Climbing high, Climbing low,
I’m having so much fun,
I don’t want to go!
~ Barbara Sherman
We sure hope you are enjoying the posts here at Pride in Photos.
If you are gathering a smile or two, won’t you spread the word of our blog to your family and friends?
If you liked this, you will love:
Tags: A date with your grandson, grandparents love, grandson, playground, playland poem, slides, toddler boy fashion, toddler playing on playground
69 thoughts on “Play Date in the Park…”
theamateurcamera on November 12, 2013 at 12:02 am said:
Absolutely gorgeous photos and wonderful memories captured for ‘Little Man’ to look back on in the future 🙂
Pingback: Old World Gondoliers…Little Did I KNOW! | Pride in Photos
1annecasey on August 11, 2013 at 9:41 am said:
Gorgeousness, lovingly captured!
Suzy on August 11, 2013 at 3:53 am said:
And D is for a darling little sweetie. Just too cute.
Dropping by from the ABC Wed prompt.
elizabeththomasphotographyofcapecod on August 10, 2013 at 4:26 pm said:
He is so so adorable. I love his eyes and of course the hat!
niasunset on August 10, 2013 at 5:04 am said:
Great… so lovely too… Blessing and Happiness to you ALL, Thanks and Love, nia
Hazel Anastasia on August 9, 2013 at 4:34 pm said:
Awww… darling cuties! So beautifully captured!
Amy Wagner on August 9, 2013 at 2:57 pm said:
Laurie:
Great pictures. Glad you got to spend some quality time with Nolan.
the Painted Apron on August 9, 2013 at 12:43 pm said:
What a cutie! I can see why he’s a magnet!
daniellajoe on August 9, 2013 at 9:19 am said:
Love this post, now close your eyes for 3 seconds when you open them again he will be a teenager… 🙂
andrea on August 9, 2013 at 5:49 am said:
Her paintings have earned many likes because they are so beautiful.
Have my older articles found themselves in reader myself?
Let work on the images and then choose with liken.
I have many Himmerlbider and I tell much about my life as it was…
I can write Yes, that you for an article in English what I’ve written if you want.
Have fun on my blog.
Wish you a beautiful Friday.
And thank you for visiting nice.
Sincerely Andrea
Linda R on August 9, 2013 at 12:36 am said:
Awww… Your little guy is too cute. I just love that hat. So glad you had a good first date. 🙂
Meagan @ Life Outside of Texas on August 9, 2013 at 12:08 am said:
janxxgeist on August 8, 2013 at 9:41 pm said:
Wonderful pictures of a cute young man! 🙂
Naomikko on August 8, 2013 at 8:05 pm said:
ledrakenoir on August 8, 2013 at 8:03 pm said:
Wonderful captured photos, I just love these amazing attitudes of the little man… 🙂 😉
einfachtilda on August 8, 2013 at 7:28 pm said:
So schöne Fotos ♥ ♥
Pride in Photos Photography on August 8, 2013 at 7:32 pm said:
Amanda @ WIldly Simple on August 8, 2013 at 4:55 pm said:
Cute, cute, cute!
Kim Cunningham on August 8, 2013 at 1:56 pm said:
So sweet for Grammie and Little Man! Sounds like a fun date. He is too precious, and I can see why he is such a lady magnet!
ladyfi on August 8, 2013 at 1:46 pm said:
Oh, he is so cute in that hat!
LB on August 8, 2013 at 12:00 pm said:
Again, such beautiful images! What a fun day!! He is precious… As are the other children.
Tamar on August 8, 2013 at 11:17 am said:
So cute and so fun! I love little bucket hats on toddlers!
Sherry Galey on August 8, 2013 at 9:30 am said:
Your images are fabulous and I love his little outfit – so stylin’! I agree that there’s little better than capturing kids you love at play at the park!
Gallivanta on August 8, 2013 at 8:29 am said:
What a precious, precious first date. Adorable.
deborah on August 8, 2013 at 8:09 am said:
Love the continuation of the fun with your grandson, Laurie! Looked like a beautiful day for a play-date! If I haven’t said it before, he is absolutely adorable!! So how did your son-in-law do in the triathlon?
Pride in Photos Photography on August 8, 2013 at 12:57 pm said:
Deborah, my son-in-law was able to finish the triathlon and beat his time of last year, so he was pretty happy. Oh to be young again☺
Congrats to your son, and yes, I’m hearing you about being young again!! I’ve always wanted to run in a marathon, but now, no way! I am working up to walking a few miles a day, though, so maybe I’ll walk that marathon someday! 🙂
Sonel on August 8, 2013 at 4:33 am said:
That must have been the best date ever Laurie! He is so adorable and the shots are great! He is such a cutie! 😀 *hugs*
Tracy on August 8, 2013 at 3:58 am said:
Love the hat shots, such beautiful eyes and such sharo photos!
Denise Powers Fabian on August 8, 2013 at 1:10 am said:
Laurie – I’m sure he will have plenty of dates in the future!!!!
createdforajourney on August 8, 2013 at 12:54 am said:
What a special treat to have such a fun day with your grandson….He is beautiful and your shots a treasure….
YellowCable on August 7, 2013 at 10:49 pm said:
Love his hat! The picture of him looking back over his shoulder needs to be framed and put on the wall or a desk some where.
I laughed at my reaction at your comment, it had me scrambling to go see which photo you were talking about to frame. LOL! Thank you.
I am sorry, I meant the second picture from the top.
readerwil on August 7, 2013 at 10:19 pm said:
What a lovely date! Very sweet!
Wil, ABCW Team
photowannabe on August 7, 2013 at 9:48 pm said:
Totally delightful.
I especially like the little droplet on his lip.
You have one cutie patootie there, Grandma.
LuAnn on August 7, 2013 at 8:47 pm said:
I love the expressions you capture on little man’s face. That little blonde-haired cutie seems to like them as well. 🙂
Judy @ GrandparentsPlus2 on August 7, 2013 at 8:28 pm said:
Those girls couldn’t help themselves – handsome and a snappy dresser. 🙂
rafaelpradov on August 7, 2013 at 7:42 pm said:
It’s so cute! Really you had a nice day with your grandson! Lovely pics!
Gracie on August 7, 2013 at 7:38 pm said:
Oh this is adorable, Laurie! You made me miss my gandma all of a sudden.
RoSy on August 7, 2013 at 6:52 pm said:
Oh – fun with Gammie!
Gammie time is priceless 🙂
Roger Green on August 7, 2013 at 5:50 pm said:
He’s quite DASHING!
DeDivahDeals on August 7, 2013 at 4:55 pm said:
Adorable – makes me miss my sons when they were this age….why do they grow up so fast? Good luck to your son-in-law!
Rexlin Victor on August 7, 2013 at 4:15 pm said:
Wow, so cute!!! Wonderful shots!!!
Green Door Hospitality on August 7, 2013 at 4:06 pm said:
Too cute!!!!!!!! What a fun day for just the two of you (and of course his many admirers at the park!)
NW Frame of Mind on August 7, 2013 at 3:45 pm said:
I caught the Space Needle t-shirt right away. 🙂 Wonderful photos of a great day! Lisa
lisa5477 on August 7, 2013 at 3:15 pm said:
man is he cute!!! and of course I love your photos Laurie. They are just wonderful!
lensandpensbysally on August 7, 2013 at 3:06 pm said:
You’re building precious moments to store in images and thought.
Amy @ A Desert Girl on August 7, 2013 at 2:42 pm said:
How fun!!! Quite a handsome date you have there.
John on August 7, 2013 at 2:36 pm said:
Sooo adorable Laurie!! A perfect date indeed. 🙂
Amy on August 7, 2013 at 2:27 pm said:
How fun to spend a day with your adorably little guy 🙂 Thanks for sharing these cute pics, Laurie!
lesliebc on August 7, 2013 at 2:25 pm said:
OMG! He is going to be a lady killer when he grows up! Darling boy and Delighful photos.
abcw team
Colline on August 7, 2013 at 2:21 pm said:
A perfect first date. I am sure he enjoyed it as much as you 🙂
tiny lessons blog on August 7, 2013 at 2:03 pm said:
Most adorable pics! Apart from a thinker, he’s a charmer too!
Carver on August 7, 2013 at 1:57 pm said:
Your grandchild is beautiful and it looks like a great date. Carver, ABC Wed. Team
Nikitaland on August 7, 2013 at 1:18 pm said:
Adorable photographs, love them all! My favorite one was under the tunnel.
Mine too…thanks!
hereisandrea on August 7, 2013 at 12:53 pm said:
Such a sweet little guy!
Lisa Gordon on August 7, 2013 at 12:26 pm said:
What a great day for him. And for grandma!! 🙂
Rusha Sams on August 7, 2013 at 12:25 pm said:
Love those solo shots with the hat! Treasures, for sure. http://ohtheplaceswesee.com
Jamie Dedes on August 7, 2013 at 12:03 pm said:
What a little cuties! Lovely day. Lovely pics.
sakuraandme on August 7, 2013 at 11:54 am said:
Hello Laurie!
He is just so adorable! You made me smile and think of my grandsons… they are 3 and 7. I’m having them this Saturday and I love every minute of that 1 on 1 time.
Nite from Oz. Hugs Paula xxx
It is always so nice to see another grandma here and hear about the love of their grandchildren too…thanks for visiting today.
Boomdeeadda on August 7, 2013 at 11:53 am said:
What a little knock-out, and such a fashion statement! It’s a neat idea, the concrete wall with the alphabet at the playground. I haven’t seen that before, mind you I haven’t been to a playground in an awful long time. My favourite was always the merry-go-round but apparently it’s been removed for safety reasons.
EG CameraGirl on August 7, 2013 at 11:34 am said:
megtraveling on August 7, 2013 at 11:29 am said:
These are the cutest pictures!
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Baby, Family, Grandparents, Nolan Michael, Photography, Poems
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Tag Archives: Gabe Elitaeb
A Robin War #1 Review – Teenage Wasteland
TITLE: Robin War #1
AUTHORS: Tom King (story), Khary Randolph, Alain Mauricet, Jorge Corona, Andres Guinaldo, Walden Wong.
PENCILLERS: Emilio Lopez, Chris Sotomayor, Gabe Elitaeb, Sandra Molina. Cover by Mikel Janin.
Robin War is a crossover that kicks off with a teenager, a cop, and a couple of guns.
*tugs at collar* G’aahhhh….
Per the 75th anniversary of the Robin character, we have Robin War, a crossover event that pits the various characters that have worn the mantle of Robin against The Court of Owls. After a showdown between one of the many youngsters acting under the banner of Robin (See We Are Robin) accidentally kills a policeman, Gotham City strikes back at the movement. Anyone even wearing Robin-like attire is subject to arrest, via the “Robin Laws” enacted by a city councilwoman with ties to the Court of Owls. The ensuing conflict will draw the attention of not only Batman (Jim Gordon), but the four young men who worked aside the original Batman as Robin. Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and the current Robin Damian Wayne are headed back to Gotham.
Conceptually, in terms of celebrating the anniversary of Robin, I appreciate this crossover more than Batman & Robin Eternal. Though I’m not sure what it’s long term effects may be, the event itself is concise. It also touches books like Robin: Son of Batman, Teen Titans, Red Hood & Arsenal, and even Gotham Academy. It’s a nice illustration of how widespread Robin’s influence on the DC Universe has been. It also keeps the event contained within the span of about a month, which is nice.
Police brutality and the ethics of law enforcement are topical right now, for obvious reasons. It’s tough to read this book and not think of kids like Trayvon Martin. Especially when we get to the scene where Duke Thomas is arrested for simply wearing red shoes. I doubt they’re going for political commentary with this issue, but they’re certainly playing off that controversy here. Whether that’s tacky or not is subjective, I suppose. Either way, it gives Robin War an impactful opening.
For obvious reasons, Dick Grayson will play a big role here. The cliffhanger implies teases pretty interesting about his future. When we first see him here, he’s wearing a black and white suit that’s so James Bond it’s almost funny. At one point, the Court refers to him as the “Gray Son of Gotham,” so I guess we’re going back to that crap again. There’s also a splash page in which Dick, after getting a summon from his Gotham comrades, jumps out a window. Between the splash and the previous page, his full line is: “At the end of the day, from the beginning of the day…first and always foremost…I am Robin!”
I don’t like this bit. Firstly, the line is terribly redundant. They could have cut a lot of fat there and just had him say, “First and foremost, I am Robin!” Secondly, I’m not sure I appreciate that sentiment. Yes, Dick Grayson was Robin before he was anything else. But he’s been a lot of other things too. What so many modern writers seem to be forgetting about is the independence Dick gained when he broke away from Batman to become Nightwing. He’s loyal to his Gotham family, but he’s also his own man. I get what they’re going for with this line, but it turned me off.
On the flip side, I like how Damian is played up in this issue. He is Robin, after all. He also has some really good reactions to both the Robin movement with Duke Thomas and Jim Gordon acting as Batman. Solicitations indicate he’s staying in Gotham after Robin War, which is a good thing from where I sit.
We have a revolving door of artists on this thing, which is always frustrating. There’s an especially awkward transition when we go from Damian’s confrontation with Bat Cop, to Red Hood and Red Robin appearing on the scene. The styles and the colors just clash. It’s not necessarily the artists’ fault. It’s just a bad transition.
Robin War #1 has its flaws. In my experience, things tend to get a little messy when you have so many people collaborating on a single issue. But generally, I’m interested to see where it’s going. Batman’s apprentices against The Court of Owls doesn’t sound like the worst thing in the world.
Image 1 from io9.com. Remaining images from author’s collection.
This entry was posted in Comic Books/Graphic Novels and tagged Alain Mauricet, Andres Guinaldo, Bat Cop, Chris Sotomayor, comic book crossovers, comic book reviews, comic books, comics, Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson, Duke Thomas, Emilio Lopez, Gabe Elitaeb, Gotham City, Jason Todd, Jorge Corona, Khary Randolph, Nightwing, police brutality, Rob Siebert, Robin, Robin War, Robin War #1 (2015), Robin War #1 review, Sandra Molina, single issue reviews, The Court of Owls, Tim Drake, Tom King, Trayvon Martin, Walden Wong, We Are Robin on 12/04/2015 by primaryignition.
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strategies, tactics, and the lore of eco-choragraphies
Made it to CCCC for two Thursday afternoon sessions: Clay Spinuzzi, Mark Zachry, and William Hart-Davidson discussing text ecologies and workplace writing and Jeff Rice, James Brown, Derek Mueller, Michael McGinnis and David Grant on the choragraphies of composition.
If there's an advantage to presenting in the penultimate sessions (and yes, I'm grasping here), it's that you can be inspired by the sessions you attend before that. So here I am the following morning putting together some of the ideas from yesterday… not in a way that does any justice to these panels, but in a more self-serving manner for my own presentation.
Clay offered a methodological overview of the work he and his co-panelists do in analyzing workplace writing on three different levels: the strategic, the tactical, and the operational. The operational level is an almost unconsicous event level–keystrokes, mouse clicks, etc. The strategic level, as I understand it, points more to institutional-organizational goals, and the tactical is about the activities that workers undertake in between the micro and macro levels. This had me thinking about De Certeau's use of these concepts, of the tactical as a kind of resistant repurposing of strategies by users, consumers, workers, etc. It's like the William Gibson thing: the street finds its own uses for things. And there was some talk in this direction, particularly at the end of the session in the discussion of how workers respond tactically to the kind of views of their own labor made possible by the kinds of research discussed at the panel, which certainly at least has the potential for a chiling panopticism.
I was particularly interested in their switching back and forth between two views of the tactical level. I don't quite remember their terminology this morning, but one view was a kind of causal event chain, largely reported by the writers (e.g. I did this then I did that). The second was a more "ecological" view, which attempted to capture a more ANT-like diagram of the forces at work.
In truth, the only thing these two panels have in common is what is inside my head. The Rice et al panel took up a choragraphical intervention into CCCC history, looking at putatively formative years in the 60-year history. But as one could see at this panel, choragraphy is about a kind of experimental, collaged storytelling where histories get remixed–the personal, the disciplinary, the social, etc. Derek selected 1987 and talked much about North's Making of Knowledge in Composition. That's where the topic of lore arose in the Q&A.
It got me thinking about lore in terms of the tactical and ANT-like ecology. I was also thinking of lore as potentially a choragraphical performance. Of course, lore was fundamentally local, the talk among compositionists in a department office or hallway. Today, locality obviously doesn't work the same way. Choragraphy offers a very different way of thinking about the local and network ecology, which might invent new tactics.
My own presentation, as I've been dancing around here, takes up the concept of computation to ask how computation might shape our ideas of composition in emerging technologies, particularly in relation to mobility and participation literacy. Listening to these presentations has me thinking that I ought to talk some about how social media technologies develop strategies that envelop, anticipate, or capitalize upon tactical responses. That is, the built-in opportunities for customization, mash-ups, etc. really invite users to make their own uses for things. In fact, that level of personal investment is really at the heart of social media success. (Manovich and others discusss this.) Our take on this is somewhat computational in its logic. When we think of different levels–strategic, tactical, operational–I am reminded of Hayles discussing the challenges of explaining emergence from one level of complexity to the next using these computational theories, like Wolfram's cellular automata. We see this with Twitter too, when we try to mine the data and look for patterns, when we assume that new structures of compositions will emerge, new levels of compositional complexity perhaps? I'm not sure.
But I guess for now I'm coming back to what I would see as Hayles' ethic of intermediation, which I think is (again, potentially) choragraphic. If the "regime of computation" is at least in part a "metaphor" and circulates through cultural discourses as makes its way back to the material and what we decide to make, then a kind of networked, choragraphic lore (which takes all those terms and uses them at a slant, I guess) might be a way of grasping at the tactical ecology behind social-mediated composition.
Anyway, that's what I came up with this morning.
Secured Personal Loans San Diego
Rhetoric/Composition
the hacker and the (educational) institution
Another day at CCCC 2009: thoughts on academic bullshit, part I (it never ends)
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AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast
https://podcast.ausa.org/feed.xml
Soldier Today: Army Combat Fitness Test
The Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Daniel A. Dailey discusses the new Army Combat Fitness Test with host SMA (Retired) Ken Preston, VP, NCO & Soldier Programs, AUSA. Why now for a new fitness test? What are the 6 different events that will be assessed, and how can Soldiers prepare?
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs. To share show ideas, please e-mail us at podcast@ausa.org.
The Association of the United States Army is a nonprofit educational and professional development association serving America’s Total Army, our Soldiers, Army civilians, and their families; our industry partners, and supporters of a strong national defense. AUSA provides a voice for the Army, supports the Soldier, and honors those who have served in order to advance the security of the nation. Executive Producer: Nzinga Curry; Co-Producers: LaSherryn Duncan & Carrie Varouhakis; Sound Engineer & Editor: Edward Kobus
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Поехали в Крым > Privacy Policy
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COWSPIRACY: The Sustainability Secret (2014)
Posted: October 22, 2014 in Martha Rosenberg
Tags: agriculture, cows, Cowspiracy, documentary, environment, meat, review
Why Are Environmental Groups Mum on Agriculture asks the new Expose Cowspiracy?
by Martha Rosenberg
It is often joked that even paranoids have real enemies and a case in point is the alarming new documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret. It may be paranoid to suggest that environmental groups ignore the leading cause of deforestation, methane and ocean degradation –animal agriculture–for financial gain. But why won’t Emily Meredith, spokesperson for the industry group, Animal Agriculture Alliance, deny donating to such environmental groups? Twice saying she cannot answer the questions as she looks at an off camera adviser?
It may be paranoid to allege that activists who challenge the cattle industry risk their lives, yet activist nun Sister Dorothy Stang was shot six times outside the town of Anapu, Brazil for doing exactly that. A rancher in Brazil’s Amazon was sentenced to 30 years in prison for ordering the killing.
Directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, Cowspiracy, screened this week by the John Marshall Law School Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Chapter in Chicago, connotes other popular movies like Bowling for Columbine, Super Size Me and An Inconvenient Truth with its blend of entertaining statistics and “gotcha” style interviews.
And some organizations are definitely “got.” When asked about the role of animal agriculture in environmental degradation, Ann Notthoff, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, emits a drawn-out creepy laugh and says she doesn’t know anything about “cow parts.” When asked about the sustainability of any fishing given the huge numbers of unintended species that become “bykill,” Dr. Geoff Shester with Oceana gives director Kip Andersen a lesson in capitalism. The ocean is a “conveyer belt” and fish are constantly replenishing he says. As long as we catch and eat the “interest” and not the “principle,” there is no problem.
A spokesman for Amazon Watch cannot answer what the “leading cause” of deforestation is and hems and haws for excruciating seconds on camera. A spokesman for the Surfrider Foundation acknowledges that animal agriculture might be an environmental problem somewhere but not in California. And director of the Sierra Club Bruce Hamilton’s answer when asked by Andersen about animal agriculture–“What about it?”–is so disingenuous, it becomes the lead-in to the entire movie. Few if any of the environmental groups even cite animal agriculture on their web sites, says Andersen.
Andersen’s interview of California Water Resources Control Board officials was more nuanced. They admit, somewhat sheepishly, that animal agriculture is the top water user in the state but say it is not their “area” and that you can’t change human “behavior.” Andersen tells the officials he doesn’t buy it–telling people to take “shorter showers” and make other water lifestyle changes, is also asking people to change their behavior.
Early in the movie, Andersen says he had been made a passionate environmentalist after watching Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and pledged to bicycle everywhere and take short showers. But then Andersen discovered that animal agriculture was the leading and often undisclosed source of resource degradation and pollution, accounting for a third of the earth’s fresh water usage, most rain forest destruction and the ocean’s growing dead zones. He discovers eating one hamburger uses as much water as two months of showers. Cowspiracy was born.
Environmental organizations that ignore agriculture are not the only groups coming off badly in the movie. Grass-fed beef operations are “even more unsustainable than factory farms,” because they require three times more resources says the movie after a visit to one such farm. The farming couple who say they “love animals” which is why they are in the “meat business” (and whose child hugs the pigs while saying “they are going to be bacon”) reveal grass-fed operations as nothing more than feel-good exercises for their operators.
One spokesperson in Cowspiracy compares animal agriculture to the alcoholic in a family who no one wants to talk about even as the harm spills over into the family, society and onto the highway. Ironically, two representatives of animal agriculture who are interviewed in the film are in less denial than the environmental and grass-fed cattle groups who are shown. There is not enough land available to do “this type of dairying” a dairy manager, surrounded by cows, admits on camera. A dairy CEO makes a similar concession. The world cannot be fed with animal based products, he says.
Despite the film’s name, Cowspiracy addresses industrial fishing and shows disturbing scenes of fish and shark butchery. It shows a very-much-alive dairy cow loaded by several workers onto a front loader, no doubt a “downer,” and the bloody teats of another cow. On a free-range duck operation, the farmer allows Anderson to film the slaughter of two ducks, tame enough to lie on a table awaiting their deaths. The farmer says he was taught to slaughter animals by his father who trained him as a boy to kill his own pet rabbits which, he says, had “names.” “After a while you just learn it is something you have to do,” he tells the camera crew.
Cowspiracy leaves little doubt about the scourge of animal agriculture in the US and the world and includes interviews with Michael Pollan, Dr. Richard Oppenlander, Dr. Will Tuttle, Will Potter, representatives from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and a former board member of Greenpeace. Less clear is the reason for environment groups’ silence about animal agriculture or “cowspiracy.” Could it be the same thing that propels animal agriculture itself–money?
For more about the movie click here Cowspiracy
Martha Rosenberg is an award-winning investigative pubic health reporter who covers the food, drug and gun industries. Her first book, Born With A Junk Food Deficiency: How Flaks, Quacks and Hacks Pimp The Public Health, is distributed by Random House. Rosenberg has appeared on CSPAN and NPR and lectured at medical schools and at the Mid-Manhattan Public Library.
JFC says:
“As environmental science has advanced, it has become apparent that the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future: deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities, and the spread of disease.” Worldwatch Institute, “Is Meat Sustainable?”
“If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetables and grains… the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads.” Environmental Defense Fund
“A 1% reduction in world-wide meat intake has the same benefit as a three trillion-dollar investment in solar energy.” ~ Chris Mentzel, CEO of Clean Energy
Step by Step Guide: How to Transition to a Vegan Diet http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/step-by-step-guide-how-to-transition-to-vegan-diet/
“Inverted Totalitarianism,” Chris Hedge interviews Sheldon Wolin
Johnny Rotten Takes Down Russell Brand
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Category: Literary criticism
It’s hard being a poet in 2020 – David Giles
It’s hard being a poet in 2020
Which is when this will be published
If you have the GUTS to publish it
Which I doubt
Being bitter & twisted
REVIEW – The Liars’ Asylum (Stories) by Jacob M. Appel – Vanessa Braganza
Appel turns his professional interest in the workings of the human mind to a narrative exploration of the reasons we tell lies.
A Corpus Stylistics Study of the Biased Narrative Voice in Jane Eyre – Yifan Zhai
Yifan Zhai is a young critic from Beijing. She is currently pursuing an MA in English Literature in Beihang University, China. She used to be in an exchange program to the St.Mary’s University of Texas, USA, where she developed an interest in studying and criticizing literature. Her focus is reading the classics with new…
Women on the Ward: Implications of Confinement and Collective Identity in Selima Hill’s Lou-Lou – Imogen Shaw
Imogen Shaw is an environmental lobbyist and final year Creative Writing MA student at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her work has appeared in several online and print journals, including The Mays and Blueprint magazine. She is passionate about social advocacy and lives in a London flat with her fiancée and a tenacious family of mice. You can follow…
Frederic Manning and the Greatest War Novel of all Time – Malcolm St Hill
Image: A Star Shell – Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson, 1916 Malcolm St Hill lives in Newcastle, Australia and is a poet, reviewer and independent researcher focused on the literary memory of the Great War, particularly the work of Australian soldier-poets. Frederic Manning and the Greatest War Novel of all Time The Australian poet and…
The Chore of the Text – Robert Boucheron
This essay by Robert Boucheron is also featured in Issue Two of Porridge, available for purchase here. Robert Boucheron grew up in Syracuse and Schenectady, New York. He has worked as an architect in New York City and since 1987 in Charlottesville, Virginia. His short stories and essays appear in Bellingham Review, Fiction International, London Journal…
To what extent do experiences of conception and/or infertility challenge mind/body dualism? – Frances Tuoriniemi
Image: Keith Haring – Fertility, 1983 Frances Tuoriniemi is a final year English and Creative Writing undergraduate student at the University of Birmingham, who will be continuing on to study an MA in Writing at Warwick next year. They particularly enjoy work that plays with color and feels alive, work that moves and shifts to…
The Haunted Present: Using the Past as an Emotional Context – Kat Hausler
Photo by Daniel Wander on Pexels Kat Hausler is a graduate of New York University and Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she was the recipient of a Baumeister Fellowship. Her debut novel Retrograde was recently published by Meerkat Press. She writes and translates in Berlin. The Haunted Present: Using the Past as an Emotional Context In James…
POETRY REVIEW: straya by Paul Summers – Malcolm St Hill
Malcolm St Hill lives in Newcastle, Australia and is a poet, reviewer and independent researcher focused on the literary memory of the Great War, particularly the work of Australian soldier-poets. This is a modified version of a review which appeared in Rochford Street Review in December 2017. straya by Paul Summers (Smokestack Books, 2017) The term…
Witchcraft and the supernatural in the work of Thomas Hardy – Georgia Tindale
Hardy himself describes this fictionalised Wessex as ‘a partly real, partly dream-country’ in his preface to Far from the Madding Crowd. It is this combination of the ‘partly real’ and the ‘partly dream’ which connects Hardy’s supernatural to his Victorian society.
Reconfiguration and Recovery in Brenda Iijima’s Palimptext, revv. you’ll-ution – Heather Sweeney
Image via Max Pixel Heather Sweeney currently lives in San Diego where she teaches writing and yoga. Some of her other work appears or is forthcoming in Bad Pony, Moonchild, The Hunger, La Vague, Bombay Gin, dusie, and Shantih. Reconfiguration and Recovery in Brenda Iijima’s Palimptext, revv. you’ll-ution Because it is difficult to decipher. Artificial…
Intercultural transfer in the poetry of Arun Kolatkar – Nora Selmani
Image: M. F. Husain – Man, 1951 Nora Selmani is an academic marketing executive, co-editor of Porridge Magazine and part-time witch interested in gender and diaspora. Her work has appeared in Dead King Magazine, FEMRAT, Peach Mag, O GOCE, and OCCULUM. She tweets @arbnoraselmani Intercultural transfer in the poetry of Arun Kolatkar ‘Lady if I start a poem in this country it will not…
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Home News and media center recent news Veterans Day Poster & Poem Contest - Paralyzed Veterans of America
Veterans Day Poster & Poem Contest - Paralyzed Veterans of America
Post Date:January 19, 2017
Paralyzed Veterans of America proudly announces the winners of its 13th annual Veterans Day Poster and Poem Contest: second-grader Janie Kim from Frances E. Norton Elementary School in Allen, Texas is the grand prize winner in the poster category, and eighth-grader Kendall Schenck from Captain Nathan Hale Middle School Coventry, CT is the grand prize winner in the poem category.
Paralyzed Veterans will host the students and a family member or guardian in Washington, DC, on Veterans Day, where they will attend the Veterans Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and receive their awards later that day at Paralyzed Veterans’ annual Veterans Day reception. Their grand prize winning entries, along with category finalists for each grade, will also be featured on Paralyzed Veterans’ website.
“We congratulate Janie and Kendall on winning this year’s Veterans Day Poster and Poem contest and thank all of this year’s participants for entering the contest and showing their support for veterans,” said Al Kovach Jr., national president of Paralyzed Veterans. “We broke a record this year with more than 1,500 entries from schools all across the country, and while it was tough to pick just two—our grand prize winners really stood out and captured what it means to celebrate 70 years of service.”
Category winners include:
1-2 Grade: Jolette Izaguirre - Holy Rosary Catholic School Larose, LA
3-4 Grade: Brandon Pang - White Oaks Elementary School Burke, VA
5-6 Grade: Mia Savino - Horace W. Porter School Columbia, CT
7-8 Grade: Whitney Cole - South Fayette Middle School McDonald, PA
This year’s contest theme was, "Celebrating 70 Years of Service." Using their own words, images and creativity, children were asked to show in a drawing or write in a poem how they would commemorate 70 years of veterans service. The poster contest was open to students in grades 1-4, and the poem contest to students in grades 5-8.
Paralyzed Veterans launched the nationwide contest 13 years ago as a way to actively involve the nation’s youth in celebration of Veterans Day and to promote greater awareness of America’s 26 million veterans and the sacrifices they have made to ensure the freedoms we enjoy daily.
View all 2016 poster finalists
View all 2016 poem finalists
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Welcome to our Immigration Knowledge Base
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Home » H-1B Cap Prep » DHS Releases Final Rule Regarding H-1B Cap Petitions
DHS Releases Final Rule Regarding H-1B Cap Petitions
What changes were announced?
On January 30, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the final rule that amends regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions, which we first wrote about here.
The final changes relate to two areas:
1. Electronic Registration: No change for this year’s FY 2020 cap season
This proposed change would require employers wanting to file H-1B cap petitions to register electronically with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for each sponsored foreign national employee in lieu of filing a complete H-1B cap petition upfront. USCIS has announced they will not implement the electronic registration requirement for the FY 2020 cap season. The agency stated it wants to complete user testing and ensure the system and process are fully functional. Therefore, for this year’s FY 2020 cap season, H-1B cap petitions will be submitted in the same process as prior years.
2. Order of the H-1B lottery selection: Change will take effect in this year’s FY 2020 cap season
Currently, H-1B cap petitions filed under the master’s or advanced degree cap (i.e. a qualifying U.S. master’s degree or higher) are selected before the H-1B regular cap (e.g., U.S. or foreign bachelor's degree or foreign master's degrees or higher). The proposed change would reverse that order, namely petitions for the H-1B regular cap will be selected first, and then petitions towards the master’s or advanced degree cap will be selected. USCIS says this change will result in an estimated increase of up to 16 percent in the number of selected H-1B cap petitions for employees with a qualifying U.S. master’s degree or higher.
To read the full rule on the Federal Register, please click here.
How Should You Proceed?
Global Immigration Associates (GIA) can confirm and continues to recommend that employers continue to work on your H-1B cap preparation per usual. As such, clients should be prepared to file H-1B cap petitions the first five business days of April with USCIS as in years past.
Envoy is pleased to provide you this information, which was prepared in collaboration with Ryan Bay, who is the Director of Legal Operations at Global Immigration Associates, P.C. (www.giafirm.com), Envoy’s affiliated law firm.
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Petitioning employers will need to pay a $10 non-refundable fee for each H-1B electronic registration, according to a new rule from USCIS.
H-1B Petitioners May Have To Pay New Fee, According To Proposed Rule
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USCIS Will Resume Premium Processing For Remaining Cap Subject Petitions on June 10
USCIS announced it will resume premium processing for all remaining FY 2020 H-1B visa petitions.
USCIS Reaches Advanced Degree Exemption Cap for FY 2020
On Thurs., April 11, USCIS announced it has completed the selection process to select enough H-1B visa petitions to meet the congressionally-mandated master's cap of 20,000 petitions.
USCIS Hits FY 2020 H-1B Regular Cap
On Friday, April 5, 2019, USCIS announced it has received enough H-1B visa petitions to hit the regular cap of 65,000 for fiscal year 2020.
USCIS Announces Start of FY 2020 H-1B Cap Season and More Important Updates
USCIS announced the start of fiscal year FY 2020 H-1B cap season and additional important updates.
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing for All H-1B Visa Petitions
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would resume premium processing for select H-1B petitions.
In this webinar with Envoy and its affiliated law firm, Global Immigration Associates, you will learn how to support your employees before, during and after the petition process.
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Department of Homeland Security Proposes Changes to H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions
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© Envoy Global Inc
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Tag Archives: Nicolas Winding Refn
Valhalla Rising: Silence Galore
Silence is not the immediate reaction I had to this movie. I was in shock and awe by the brilliant landscapes and brutal style of the film, but not silenced because of some distaste for this movie. You have to be silent in order to soak this movie in. It’s not often that a movie deals entirely with the image presented in order to tell a story. This movie, in a phrase, is old school. This may as well be a badass silent action film. That’s exactly what I took away from it.
And this is all Nicolas Winding Refn’s intent. After having seen (and reviewed) his other
Does this actor never have a left eye?
film, Drive, I don’t think I can get enough of what this Danish director is bringing to the table. With an archaic and visceral feel to this movie, it plays out in a slow manner, but many of the scenes will stand out to you in your mind way after its all been played out. Same thing goes for Drive too.
If I had to guess how many pages the dialogue took up in this film, I’d probably say a total of 5-6 pages. And that’s all it took to portray the characters onscreen. You know One-Eye (Mads Mikkelsen) is a hardass who never found his voice and expresses himself
The brutality of the Danish.
in violent outbursts. You even have a young child actor, named The Boy (Maarten Stevenson) who understands the idea of dramatic timing and delivery in this film. And that’s rare in such a adult themed film. Saying less gives so much more, and that’s what this film knew how to do.
Basic plot, everyone?
So, One-Eye (Mikkelsen) is a slave held in Scotland against his will. He is passed from barbaric tribe to barbaric tribe in order to fight and kill for the honor of the tribe that owns him. He is such a good fighter, that he has to be leashed up in order to set him at the same level as other fighters. Sleeping in a cage all night with little food or contact with others, he befriends The Boy (Stevenson), who shows him the only kindness he’ll ever know.
Upon being switched between tribes, One-Eye uses the almost-prophetic visions in red he receives at the beginning of
Refn and the gang!
the film in order to kill and escape. Kidnapping The Boy, he heads off for freedom. But not before he encounters a roving band of Crusaders looking and itching for a Crusade to wage. With One-Eye and The Boy in tow, the Christians take them on a boat ride to Hell, and eventually the new world.
As I said earlier, the locales are what impressed me most about this movie. Being shot in Scotland, I had little basis for what it actually looked like in a real context, and so this movie works on all levels for Scotland and America. The absence of human life really works well to isolate the feeling of the film, heightening the chances of death and lack of social norms in a clearly barbaric society. No one is safe in this
It doesn’t get more unsettling than this.
film, and it almost makes you feel uncomfortable when people turn on each other for survival.
Mikkelsen, that one-eyed badass from Casino Royale, is just as good in this movie as well. The cast is relatively unknown to me, which really works for this movie. Because who would be recognizable way back in 1000 A.D.? I just wanna give a lot of credit to the special effects and
Picturesque.
make-up people as well in this movie, because I’ve never seen a more realistic head bashing than in this movie. Visually brutal to the point where your eyes bleed. Hardcore shizz.
The overall delivery was right up my alley. Sometimes I’m just in the mood for an artistically brutal and human psyche revealing film. It’ll make people uncomfortable, but it’ll be an unforgettable experience in the end. No real complaints, 8.9 out of 10.
Leave a comment | tags: 1000 AD, absence of human life, adult themed film, America, archaic, badass silent film, barbaric society, barbaric tribes, brilliant landscapes, brutal style, Casino Royale, Christians, Crusaders, Danish director, death, delivery, discomforting, dramatic timing, Drive, eyes bleeding, fight and kill, Hell, human psyche, image to tell a story, isolated, kidnap, little to no dialogue, locales, Maarten Stevenson, Mads Mikkelsen, make-up crew, new world, Nicolas Winding Refn, no one is safe, old school, One-Eye, prophetic and disturbing visions, realistic violence, Red, saying less is more, Scotland, shock and awe, silence, silent, slave, slow play, soak it in, special effects, standout, The Boy, unforgettable experience, unknown cast, Valhalla Rising, violent outbursts, visceral feel, visually brutal, young child actor | posted in Movies
Drive: New and Interesting Filmmaking
I had heard good things about Drive from my film major friends in college before I found this on Netflix. I was hesitant at first, (most kids at my college in the film department have very particular ideas of what good films are. I like what is considered not so good of a film.) but gave it a shot. My girlfriend fell asleep about 20 minutes in (she was tired from work) but I sat up enraptured in what unfolded before me in this film. In a whole new way, Nicolas Winding Refn created a film you wouldn’t normally see ever.
So there’s Ryan Gosling playing The Driver, a quiet and modest stunt driver who has grown up in L.A. on cars. (This is based on James Sallis’ novel, Drive.) Securing Hollywood stunt driver jobs through his friend Shannon (Bryan Cranston of Malcolm in the Middle and Breaking Bad), we see a film about Hollywood within L.A.’s
A reserved driver with pimpin gloves.
Hollywood. Directed by a Danish director, we gain this insight from a foreigner’s perspective in a unique way of directing and cinematography. But, more importantly, this film has got some major production value on it with all the researching and immersed creation that came with it between Refn and Gosling. I was impressed.
A tragically beautiful mother.
So The Driver meets Irene (Carey Mulligan) a tragic and beautiful single mother with a husband in jail. They have a solemn and quiet love affair (no sex or anything like that, Refn didn’t want to waste film time on showing anything related to love… I think…) the two connect. The Driver wants to protect Irene and her son Benicio (Kaden Leos). And then her husband Standard Gabriel (Oscar Isaac) comes back. Getting involved with the wrong people, gangsters on all sides, The Driver has to navigate a world he’s only seen in the movies. And, being a stunt actor in a movie, he’s prepared to make the leap. With a car.
I really liked all the characters in this movie. Plain and simple. I loved Oscar Isaac’s small role in the film. He comes off as this dangerous and irritated character that has a sneaking suspicion at all times. (He reminded me of his twisted
Gotta love Oscar Isaac.
performance in Sucker Punch.) Bryan Cranston played a great broken man in this film who’s trying to look out for others but becomes collateral damage. Ron Perlman was finally given a chance to do a spectacular movie that gave him great lines and a menacing character in this one as well. Looks like Hellboy’s becoming more devilish… And
All of the violence.
one of the standout performances, other than Ryan Gosling, comes from Albert Brooks, voice of Nemo’s dad in Finding Nemo. To hear that voice on such a wicked character was chilling.
But there were a lot of interesting elements in the creation of this movie. The script is about 80 pages, but most of it must have been camera direction and actions, because I would say there’s less than 5 to 10 typed pages of dialogue in the whole film. Ryan Gosling plays such a reserved and quiet character that he never really needs to speak, only act (just like a hired driver would). The first sequence in the film when Gosling is driving the two robbers to their destination was well planned out and quite poetic in its feel and delivery. No dialogue, no need for speech, only action.
Without much dialogue, the film had this feel of tension throughout. You feel tension in the relationships, in the way the business is conducted. And then you get the gunshots. Every once in a while in the film the action builds to this ridiculously tense crescendo where something has to happen. Almost like a jumpy
Spectacular.
scene in a horror movie. And wow, after that first gunshot in the movie, this film really pops off (pun intended). But then it returns to a tension filled lull (still not much dialogue) and you’re just waiting for the next powder keg laden with the straw that broke the camel’s back. It’s agonizing at the same time that it’s so damn interesting!
You get great performances with a great premise delivered more with action than with speech. It’s a unique style you never really see, and I’m glad this did well at film festivals. This reminds me, and I don’t know why, but it makes me wanna watch Refn’s other work, most notably Val Halla Rising, which is now on Netflix. Next review here I come! But Drive is a wonderful film. Superb in all its unusual aspects. 9.5 out of 10.
Leave a comment | tags: 80 page script, action builds, actions speak louder than words, agonizing, Albert Brooks, Benicio, Breaking Bad, broken man, Bryan Cranston, camera direction and action, Carey Mulligan, cars, collateral damage, college, dangerous and irritated, Danish director, Drive, enrapturing film, feelings of tension throughout, film festivals, film majors, Finding Nemo, foreigner's perspective, gangsters, great character development, great cinematography, great premise, gunshots, heard good things, Hellboy, hired driver, Holllywood, horror movie style, husband, immersed creation, interesting elements, Irene, jail, James Sallis' novel Drive, jumpy scene, Kaden Leos, LA, major production value, Malcolm in the Middle, menacing character, Netflix, new and interesting filmmaking, Nicolas Winding Refn, no sex shown, not much dialogue, Oscar Isaac, poetic feel, powder keg, quiet and modest, quiet love affair, research, robbery, Ron Perlman, Ryan Gosling, Shannon, single mother, sneaking suspicion, so damn interesting, son, Standard Gabriel, standout performances, stunt driver, Sucker Punch, superb film, tense crescendo, The Driver, tragic and beautiful, unique style, unusual style, Val Halla Rising, voice of Nemo's Dad | posted in Movies
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Tag Archives: strapped to the teeth
Hot Fuzz: Guns a Blazin’
This movie may hold its place solidly in British Comedy, but this movie has one of the best final action sequences of all time. As a kid I fantasized after watching The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, etc. about busting in on some thugs and being strapped to the teeth. You know that scene I’m talking about:
I’m one of those guys who can make the auto gun noise with my mouth and dived onto my bed while shooting two finger guns through the air. I love all action movies and guns, swords, and martial arts really get my blood flowing. When you have an homage/spoof/comedy movie like this that lets out the little kid in you who fantasized about riding into town on a horse and lighting up the bad guys, you have come to the right spot.
You may not have come to the right spot if you don’t like a bit of British humor… or at least 2 hours of it. If you’re anticipating the final showdown and you have to wade
The Sandford Police Service.
through two hours of well crafted action jokes and situational comedy, that might kill it for you. Not for me.
So this is another in the Cornetto Trilogy from Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, and they just keep getting better. Their next one on the list to end the trilogy is “The World’s End”. Maybe more zombies? Who knows… All I know is that they are fantastic. For the childhood that I had where Star Wars, action films, cartoons, and sci-fi knowledge was a everyday thing, this hits home. Very close to home. And I loved it.
Heaven’s fallen Angel.
Simon Pegg plays Police Officer Nicholas Angel (No. 777, if you didn’t get it already). He is the best on the force in London (he’d rather I say “police service” because it comes off as less aggressive) and is making all the other officers look bad. With the recommendation of all three superiors (Cameos by Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan, and Bill Nighy), Nicholas says goodbye to his former GF (played by Cate Blanchett in a white CSI outfit) and heads to Sandford Gloucestershire. (A fictitious name for a police situation town when running drills/scenarios.)
When Nicholas comes to Sanford, he is blown away by the life of the small town chum. The police station sees no action and Sanford is considered the safest town in England. Headed by Constable Frank Butterman (Jim
Broadbent) and his son Danny (Nick Frost), Nicholas stumbles upon a bunch of “accidents” that could be nothing short of murders. Who is he to suspect? And who is he to trust? And finally, who is he gonna shoot up first?
I saw this movie in theaters after falling in love with Shaun of the Dead, I had to see it the first weekend out. I about died laughing every 15 minutes of the movie (usually more often). This movie has a lot more punchlines per minute than Shaun had, but every bit just as good. They watched over 150 action films to get the script to be just right (insert their own British flavor and Bam!). This movie went to great lengths to be successful, and rightly so. It delivered on all movie going levels. Entertainment. To the extreme.
There are a lot of great British actors in this movie as well. Obviously the buddy buddy duo of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg. You’ll never see two other actors onscreen who seem like they’re two best friends doing exactly what they wanna do.
Lunch. Dat. Shit.
They are living their dream making these movies. As I mentioned before, my idol Steve Coogan had a small part beside Martin Freeman (Tim from the Office) and Bill Nighy, the funniest old British man. The Andes as they were referred to, Paddy Considine (you might recognize him as Ross from The Bourne Ultimatum) and that great famous son, Rafe Spall. He lost a lot of weight and did some growing up to play the other Andy in this film, and I loved him.
This movie has the wit and fast cuts you’d expect from an action film. All the guns, action, and cheesy action comedy (combined with some really clever comedic work) make this one of the best comedies of the 2000’s (right beside Shaun). You won’t see comedies this entertaining and perfect come along that often, and also featuring a former James Bond, Timothy Dalton. It looks like a lot of fun was had with this film (with plenty of homages to other films) and it really is a laughable thrill ride with slangin’ guns. Perfection in a barrel. 9.7 out of 10.
Leave a comment | tags: accidents, action movies, bad guys, best comedy of the 2000's, best final action sequence, best friends, Bill Nighy, blood flowing, British comedy, British humor, buddy duo, cameos, cartoons, Cate Blanchett, cheesy action comedy, Constable Frank Butterman, Cornetto Trilogy, CSI, Danny Butterman, died laughing, Edgar Wright, fast cuts, final showdown, guns, guns blazing, hits home, homage, Hot Fuzz, James Bond, Jim Broadbent, jokes per minute, London, Lord of the Rings, lost weight, Martial Arts, Martin Freeman, murders, Nick Frost, Number 777, Paddy Considine, Police Officer Nicholas Angel, police service, police situation town, Rafe Spall, ride in on a horse, Ross, safest town in England, Sanford Gloucestershire, Sat Wars, sci-fi, Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg, small town life, spoof/comedy movie, Steve Coogan, strapped to the teeth, successful film, swords, The Andes, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Matrix, The Office, The World's End, thrill ride, Tim, Timothy Dalton, well crafted jokes, witty, zombies | posted in Movies
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/ Modified may 14, 2019 1:27 p.m.
Arizona Schools Chief Hoffman to Develop School Safety Plans
The superintendent of public instruction says she'll create a task force aimed at preventing violence on campuses. by Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press TWEET SHARE
A school bus.
PHOENIX — The head of public schools in Arizona said Monday she'll create a task force on preventing violence on campuses after the Republican-controlled Legislature failed to act on the issue.
Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman intends to convene students, law-enforcement, mental health experts, school counselors and others to develop a model school-safety plan they can urge districts to adopt.
The announcement was made at the state Capitol with Republican Sen. Kate Brophy McGee and students from March For Our Lives Arizona, an activist group that emerged following last year's shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.
They described the crafting of a comprehensive look at school safety that goes beyond keeping buildings secure by seeking to identify and help students experiencing depression, anxiety or other mental health concerns.
"Armed guards can sometimes be useful when the first shots are fired, but we often forget that counselors, support systems and other preventative measures can keep violence from happening in the first place," said Jordan Harb, an 18-year-old senior at Mountain View High School in Mesa and a leader of March For Our Lives Arizona.
The students had supported failed legislation that would have created the task force and required school districts to adopt its recommendations.
Hoffman said schools sometimes resist changes due to concerns about costs, but she hopes they can be persuaded to adopt the strategy created by the task force.
"We want to do everything we can with our staff to be there supporting them and helping them implement those changes," Hoffman said.
With one school counselor for every 905 students, Arizona has by far the worst ratio in the nation, according to the American School Counselor Association. The national average is 455.
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has proposed boosting funding for counselors and police officers on campus but has not reached a budget agreement with lawmakers. Last year, the GOP-led Legislature did not take action on an ambitious school-safety plan proposed by Ducey.
Harb said the students haven't given up on a gun-control measures they pushed in the past but are focused on proposals more likely to find success.
"There are many solutions to the problem of violence in our schools that include making it harder for people who are clearly dangerous to get things that maximize their fatalities like weapons," Harb said. "It also includes mental health support systems. We're simply picking our battles."
MORE: Arizona, Education, Kids, News, Public Safety
Arizona schools chief Kathy Hoffman on priorities for 2020 Arizona Teachers Academy gets $15 million boost from state Report: Arizona teaching vacancies continue to rise
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Community Spotlight | Local Public Affairs Radio Program
By Terry Frank
The Community Spotlight Local Public Affairs Program airs on all six of the Media One Radio Group radio stations. The Chautauqua County Executive appears the first week of each month and City of Jamestown Mayor appears the second week of each month. The other weeks of the month feature a variety of community leaders and special guests. The program airs on the following stations at the following times: WJTN - Saturday at 8:45 A.M. | WWSE - Sunday at 7:00 A.M. | WHUG & WKSN - Sunday at 6:30 A.M. | WQFX - Sunday at 5:30 A.M. | WKZA - Sunday at 6:00 A.M..
Community Spotlight for Oct. 13-20, 2019
We resume our election previews this week with our third and final program on the candidates running for Jamestown city mayor. Republican David Wilfong entered the race this past Spring, after current Mayor Sam Teresi decided against running for another term. Wilfong says he thought about running after he had retired from his current job managing a cleaning and maintenance firm out of Olean, NY. Wilfong says he wants to make Jamestown more "business-friendly," noting that it has not been. He feels the city needs more "shovel-ready" sites for businesses that want to expand, or build new, like Naco Trucking. That firm, along with it's parent company, the Stannard Group, is moving to the Mason Industrial Park in the town of Ellicott because it has the space available. Wilfong believes it's time to tear down what's left of the old, abandoned and outdated industrial buildings in the city. He believes it's the best way to help grow the local tax base. He adds that he's also the only person experienced in working on a budget as a county legislator, and hold down taxes. Wilfong is also endorsed by the Conservative Party in his run for mayor.
Community Spotlight for Jan. 13-20, 2020
Part 1 of Retrospect of Mayor Sam Teresi
Our Terry Frank this week begins a two-part retrospect on the long-career at City Hall of former Mayor Sam Teresi. It was part of a long, sit down inview conducted by Terry, Post-Journal City Hall Reporter Dennis Philips, and WRFA-FM News and Public Affairs Director, Jason Sample. During that, Teresi discussed working at the Jamestown High School newpaper, and how an issue about locating a new football field took him to City Hall, where he later worked as an intern, head of the Downtown Jamestown Development Corporation, Dept. of Development Grants Writer, and later Director of Development, up to the time he was elected mayor. Part-Two next week will delve more into his 20 years as mayor.
Community Spotlight for Jan. 5-12, 2020
2019 Year in Review Program
This week, News Director Terry Frank and Noel Blackhall host our annual Year in Review program, looking back on the top dozen stories of 2019. This year, politics was the biggest story with a new mayor in Jamestown, a new State Senator and new County Executive were the big stories. We also look at stories regarding economic development, public safety, and school safety.
Community Spotlight for Dec. 29-Jan. 4, 2019
Jamestown City Councilman Tony Dolce
Our Terry Frank does what's become an annual year in review program with Republican Jamestown City Councilman Tony Dolce. They discuss the outcome of the November election, and it's impact on the council. Republican's will have their first majority in many years come Jan. 1. Dolce discusses his choices for committee chairpersons. They are Kim Ecklund for the Finance Committee, Brent Sheldon for Public Safety, and Democrats Tom Nelson for Public Works, and Vickye James for Housing. We also discuss Monday night's rescheduled public hearing on the proposed annexation of the Board of Public Utilties' Dow St. Substation in Falconer into the city. The controversial plan was recently restarted by lawmakers at the end of November. Tonight's public hearing begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Jamestown High School auditorium. The council's scheduled voting session will be at City Hall at 6 p.m. The New Year's Day inauguration will begin at 12 Noon on Jan. 1 at Jamestown Community College's Scharman Theater.
Community Spotlight for Dec. 22-29, 2019
Representatives of the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County
December 22nd, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:30
This week, our Terry Frank talks with United Way of Southern Chautauqua County Executive Dir. Amy Rohler, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance -- or VITA -- Coordinator Rose Lancione about the current campaign, and start of the VITA Program in early 2020. Rohler says the campaign is a little behind where they usually are, having raised 73.7-percent of their 1.33-million dollar goal. She says they'll be making their push in the next few weeks. We talk with Rose Lancione about the VITA Program, and their effort to get more lower income residents to take advantage of their free program. Person's who don't deal with depreciation or rental properties, and earn less than 56,000-dollars a year are eligible. Last year... the local VITA Program helped just over 800 people reclaimed just over 900,000 dollars in refunds. For more information on the United Way Campaign, or their VITA Program, call 483-1561, or go on-line to uwayscc.org.
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi
Our Terry Frank sits down with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi for the final time as mayor on this week's program, and wrap up some "loose ends" before the end of the year. Teresi talks extensively about the reasoning behind the Board of Public Utilities, and city council's decisions to restart the annexation case involving the BPU's Dow Street Substation in Falconer. The city council voted in November, 8-to-1, to start the effort anew. However, once the new city administration takes office, they will have to decide where the process goes after a public hearing is held this week. Teresi says it'll be held at 7 p.m. in the Robert Lee Scharman Theater at Jamestown Community College. Officials from the village of Falconer, town of Ellicott, and Falconer School District have been invited to be part of the hearing, or they could hold their own. We also discuss matters Teresi is taking care of in the final days of his administration, including a charter change for a dual administration post from City Clerk/Dir. of Administrative Services back to City Clerk/Treasurer. We also look back on Teresi's 20 years in office.
Community Spotlight for Dec. 8-15, 2019
NYS Senator George Borrello
This week, our Terry Frank talks with State Senator George Borrello, who was recently seated formally as the newest member of the state legislature's upper chamber. Borrello says it's been a very busy time, signing onto a number of existing bills, and working on new ones. He says he has put in for several committee assignments for the new year, including two that retired Senator Cathy Young was involved with: Finance and Agriculture. Borrello adds that he's also hoping to land on at least a couple more, including Transportation, Economic Development and Small Business, Local Government, and a newer one: Domestic Animal Welfare. He says he would like the state legislature to consider enacting an Animal Abuse Registry, similar to the one enacted while he was Chautauqua County Executive, nearly two years ago.
Community Spotlight for Nov. 29- Dec. 1, 2019
Girl Scouts of Western New York
Noel Blackhall joins Girl Scouts of Western New York Vice President of Marketing and GSWNY Volunteer Joanne Nelson to discuss volunteerism, their roles and how you can get involved. With several different roles from Troop Leader to Service Projects, volunteers male and female are welcomed to the organization. Girl Scouts "unleashes the power of the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)TM in every girl and shows why Girl Scouts is the best leadership development experience for girls in the world—one that is designed with, by, and for girls." For more information, please visit GWSNY.org.
Community Spotlight for Nov. 24-Dec.1, 2019
Meals on Wheels Exec. Director Barrie Yochum
Meals on Wheels of the Jamestown Area is celebrating it's 50th anniversary this year, and has served more than 4-million meals to local seniors and other shut-ins in the region. Our Terry Frank talks with MOW Director Barrie Yochum about the origins of the program, which began in 1969, and serve three people on it's first day. The program now feeds several hundred in the county. Yochum says they continue to receive their meals from UPMC Chautauqua Hospital from it's facility at Jones Hill. Yochum says some people, who are income eligible, receive free meals, while others have to pay a modest fee for the meals. Yochum says, in addition to contacting them about receiving meals, you can also contact the Chautauqua County Office for the Aging through their NY Connects telephone service.
Community Spotlight for Nov. 17-24, 2019
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi talks with our Terry Frank this week, and gives his impressions of an Election Night he was not part of for the first time in 20 years. He congratulates the winners, and notes that whoever winds up with the majority on City Council, they will have to work together to meet the city's challenges. He talks about the budget process, which resumes on Monday night with a public hearing on the 36.6-million dollar spending plan at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The budget will likely include an additional 150,000-dollars in savings on the city's prescription drug plan. We also discuss the city's Christmas Tree being cut down, and put up on Tracy Plaza for the holiday season.
Chautauqua County Executive George Borello
This week, our Terry Frank talks with County Executive and new State Senator-elect George Borrello to talk both county and state issues. We discuss election night last Tuesday, and the fact he's moving towards being sworn-in and taking his new seat in the next two to three-weeks. Borrello says he's looking forward to it, and says one of the first orders of business will be working with other lawmakers to try and get rid of some of the package of criminal justice reforms approved by the state legislature this year. We also discuss news of Athenex losing 34.8-million dollars in the third-quarter of the year. However... he says the bio-pharmacutical company is on schedule to have it's new facility in the town of Dunkirk up and running by the middle of 2020. We also discuss a possible 3 to 4-billion dollar shortfall in the state's current budget, going into the next fiscal year due to issues regarding Medicaid.
Community Spotlight for Nov. 1-3, 2019
Owen Toale -- Male Breast Cancer Survivor
November 4th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 12:55
This week's program includes an extended presentation of Noel Blackhall's weekly feature -- "Insights with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center". Noel speaks with Owen Toale, a male breast cancer survivor, who dives into the fight for his life. Owen lives in Medina, New York with his wife and keeps his spirits high with the support of his family and a few rounds of golf when he can. You can read more about Owen's story here -- https://www.roswellpark.org/cancertalk/201910/breast-cancer-men-owens-story
Community Spotlight for Oct. 27-Nov. 3, 2019
Chautauqua County Executive, and State Senate candidate George Borello
October 28th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:57
This week, our Terry Frank speaks with the Republican candidate for the 57th State Senate District, Chautauqua Co. Executive George Borrello. Borrello says he wants to keep the seat in GOP hands to keep some kind of firewall between the NYC and Upstate regions. He says there has been a rash of "radical left" legislative items approved since the Democrats have taken the majority in the state legislature's upper chamber. He says he wants to see policy reversals on matters such as the Farmworker's Fair Labor Act, the SAFE Act, and the Women's Health Care Act that allows for abortions up to birth. He says while Austin Morgan says he will bring the western Southern Tier's voice to the majority table in Albany, it will still be drowned out by downstate liberal Democrats.
Democratic State Senate Candidate Austin Morgan
This week, our Terry Frank talks with 57th State Senate candidate Austin Morgan of Freedom, NY, who is a Democrat. Morgan says he is the blue-collar, middle class candidate in the race... having grown up in a family that "had to count pennies." He says it's important to have someone "at the table" when budget-time comes around because he would be in the majority in the Senate. He says he supports changes to improve the Farmworkers Fair Labor Act, and other measures that have hurt the western Southern Tier. Morgan says that, while Republican George Borrello may have more "government experience" that doesn't help when you're in the minority. Morgan is a recent graduate of Cornell University who says it's time to get rid of the "business executives and career politicans in Albany. He's also been endorsed by the Working Families Party in his run for the Senate.
Republican Jamestown Mayoral candidate David Wilfong
Community Spotlight for Oct. 6-13, 2019
October 6th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:25
We had hoped to have Jamestown Mayoral candidate David Wilfong on this week, but, a family emergency arose, and we had a lengthy interview with current Mayor Sam Teresi -- portions of which we have put together for a program. Our Terry Frank and former WJTN Reporter Jason Sample from WRFA-FM ask the questions regarding City Council approval of a new, three-year agreement with 58 city parks and public works employees represented by AFSCME, and, a 12.65-million dollar bonding measure that's part of Teresi's proposed "Smart City Capital Investment" program. Teresi notes that the equipment, purchases, and facility upgrades will be acted on separately, though.
Community Spotlight for Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2019
Libertarian Jamestown Mayoral candidate Andrew Liuzzo
September 29th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:55
Our Terry Frank talks this week with Libertarian Jamestown Mayoral Candidate Andrew Liuzzo, who says his main reason for running is because "I care" about the city he loves, and providing more opportunities for the young people who live here. Liuzzo says he believes this starts with the people living here, and having to be better neighbors to each others. Liuzzo says there are homegrown businesses that are still here, and the potential is there for more of this. He says allowing for construction of pre-fabricated homes may be a way to get the hundreds of empty lots in the city refilled with residences. He has been a business owner, and manager, and worked in occupational rehabilitation services for 18 years before he retired. He's currently an at-large city councilman who is in his first term. Liuzzo announced last February he was running for the Republican nomination, but, was defeated by nominee David Wilfong last June.
Community Spotlight for Sept. 23-30, 2019
Jamestown Democratic Mayoral Candidate Eddie Sundquist
September 23rd, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:35
This week, our Terry Frank begins previewing the upcoming elections in Jamestown and Chautauqua County with Democratic Mayoral Candidate Eddie Sundquist. Sundquist is a Jamestown native, who returned a few years ago to begin practicing law at the firm of Lewis and Lewis. Sundquist says he wants to be elected to move the city forward to what he calls a "21st Century" community. He says that involves using technology to attract new business, industry, and residents. Sundquist says, unlike his opponents, he wants to see more reuse of old vacant commercial and industrial buildings, and he believes that it's best to keep the city under control of local residents, as opposed to a state Control Board. Sundquist says he is concerned that the city will make a decision on the direction it will go before the end of current Mayor Sam Teresi's term, and the next mayor will have to "live with that."
WJTN News Headlines for Sept. 15-22, 2019
Our Terry Frank talks with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi this week with a reflection back on the "9/11" terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and in Pennsylvania. Teresi was finishing up his second-year in office, and recalls the day vividly, and remembers being taken to the emergency command center in the basement of city hall until it was known what was taking place. We also discuss his proposed 13-million dollar "Smart City Capital Improvement" program, which he says is "affordable" for the city, and includes a number of purchases of equipment that are needed for the Fire and Public Works Departments. It also includes a 6.9-million dollar Central Fleet Maintenance Building. The city would borrow about 9.4-million for the program. We also discuss the first-phase being underway in the 325,000 dollar Riverwalk Illumination Project that would include decorative lighting in the downtown area at night.
Community Spotlight for Sept. 8-15, 2019
September 8th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:55
Our Terry Frank talks this week with Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello on a variety of topics, includling this week's film shoot for "A Quiet Place -2" at Barcelona Harbor near Westfield. The film's producers, including Star John Krasinski, have been in Western New York filming portions of the sci-fi thriller. We also discuss two branding and marketing campaigns taking place in the county. One is the "Find Yourself" in Chautauqua County, which talks about the positive aspects of the county for business people, and people looking for a nice place to move to. The other involves the branding and marketing of the county's more than 40-miles of overland trails. We also discuss the Westfield First Responders Memorial and other matters as time allowed.
Community Spotlight for Sept. 1-8, 2019
Board of Public Utilities General Manager Dave Leathers
September 1st, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:30
Our Terry Frank speaks with Jamestown Board of Public Utilities General Manager Dave Leathers about a number of topics, including the recent approval of a new, 15-year extension of the BPU -- and 50 other utilities and cooperatives -- agreements with the New York Power Authority. The hydropower agreement provides that vast majority of the city's low cost power. We also briefly discuss the Fourth Appellate Division's recent denial of the city's annexation case involving the BPU's Dow Street Substation over a technicality. Lower courts had not ruled on that previously, but, the merits of the case. We also discuss Fall Water Main flushing... which takes place in about a month in early Oct., as well as budgeting for the BPU's five divisions.
Community Spotlight for Aug. 23-25, 2019
Jamestown School Superintendent Bret Apthorpe
August 26th, 2019 05:00am | Duration: 14:22
For a back-to-school special, our Noel Blackhall sits down with JPS Superintendent Dr. Bret Apthorpe. The two discuss new personnel changes, goals for the 2019-2020 school year and more!
Local 23rd Congressional Rep. Tom Reed
This week, we high-light comments made by 23rd Congressional District Rep. Tom Reed of Corning. The Republican held his weekly conference call after a week off, and discussed a number of items, but, the main one was gun violence and gun control. Reed, a Republican, says he doesn't want to address an "object," but, deal with the people behind what's going on. He says people who are seriously mentally ill or psychotic and have shown violent tendancies should not be allowed to have a gun. He again pushed back on gun control efforts, including the banning of assault rifles, or high-capacity gun magazines. He also talked about his writing a letter to U-S Attorney General Bill Barr about the need for Felony charges to be brought against people who douse police officers -- as happened twice in New York City recently -- with water or some other liquid or substance.
Community Spotlight for Aug. 9-11th, 2019
In this lighthearted episode of "Community Spotlight", our Noel Blackhall speaks with the City of Jamestown's Mayor Teresi. The pair dive into the emergency demolition of the Arcade Building, what's next for Potter's Terrace, second-quarter sales tax revenues, the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival and more.
Community Spotlight for Aug. 4-11, 2019
August 4th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:55
This week, our Terry Frank talks with Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello about the Summer tourism season being in full-swing... including Chautauqua Institution, the Gerry Rodeo, and the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. He also talks about the impact a year later of the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, which opened on Aug. 1, 2018. We also talk at length about the Harmful Algal Blooms that have returned to Chautauqua Lake, and forced the closing of beaches in Lakewood and Long Point State Park. Borrello also addresses an on-line concern stated at least one person, who was concerned that we are "losing the lake." He believes that's not true, and, says overall it's been a pretty good Summer. We also discuss the start of budget work for 2020. The new budget must be presented to the county legislature by Sept. 25.
Community Spotlight for July 28-Aug. 3, 2019
National Comedy Center Exec. Director Journey Gunderson
July 28th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:58
Two full-weeks with many of the top names in comedy is set to bring in Jamestown and Chautauqua Instition, and our Terry Frank talks with National Comedy Center Director Journey Gunderson all about it. Gunderson also talks about how the Comedy Center has done as it nears it's first-year anniversary on Thurs., August 1. She says the week at Chautauqua with the theme "What's Funny," kicks off Monday morning on the Amphitheater Stage with Tom and Dick Smothers being interviewed on the 50th anniversary of the cancellation of their controversial "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." Later in the week, David Steinberg and Lewis Black talk about the legendary career of the late Robin Williams. The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival returns to Jamestown on Aug. 7-11, and will feature two of the hottest names in stand-up comedy, John Mulany, and Sebastian Maniscalco. For information on Chautauqua events go on-line to ciweb.org... for the festival, go to comedycenter.org.
Community Spotlight for July 21-28, 2019
Gerry Rodeo Spokesman Paul Cooley
July 21st, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:50
Gerry Rodeo Spokesman Paul Cooley joins our Terry Frank this week to preview the upcoming 75th annual Rodeo at the grounds off Route 60. Cooley says the grounds are pretty much ready for action. With the 75th anniversary, he says they have a number of special activities going on... including fireworks each night after the rodeo events, and they'll have a reunion of sorts for past Rodeo Queens. Cooley says they'll also have the annual Kids Rodeo. The rodeo begins on Wed. night, July 31 and continues each night through Sat. Aug. 3rd at 8 pm each night. Cooley says the rodeo will have it's famous Beef Barbecue dinners each night at 5 pm for patrons. He says they also have more vendors this year selling food and other items. For ticket and other information, Cooley says you can go on-line to www.gerryrodeo.org... or call 985-4847.
Our Terry Frank talks at length with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi this week about his administration's handling of Development Director Vince DeJoy's decision to be the principal investor in the new "Jimmy's Hometown Restaurant at the former Friendly's location in Brooklyn Square. Teresi says it was a surprise when DeJoy first came into his office to make sure it would be okay to do. Teresi says they reviewed the city charter, and ethics rules, and found that... since he's investing 155,000 dollars of his own money, and not seeking any support from the city, it would be alright. Teresi adds that the New York City owner of the property had been unable in three months to find anyone else to take it over. We also discuss the fact the Jamestown Jammers now have all the main pieces in place to resume play in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League in 2020. He likes the additions of General Manager Frank Farrell, and Field Manager Jordan Basile.
Community Spotlight for July 8-15, 2019
July 8th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:40
Our Terry Frank talks with County Executive George Borrello this week on his recent victory in the Republican Primary to run for the 57th State Senate District Race... which was fueled by receiving about 92-percent of the vote in Chautauqua County. He also talks about the recent election of Erie County's Nick Langworthy as the new Chairman of the State GOP. Borrello believes Langworthy brings new energy to the party as it looks to get back some of the seat it lost in the State Senate last year. We also discuss development issues, along with what will be the final LECOM Health Challenge Golf Tournament at the Peek 'n Peak Resort in Findley Lake. LECOM will not be back as title sponsor next year, so the county is looking for a new sponsor, as well as partners to help put on the event.
Community Spotlight for June 24-July 1, 2019
Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Director Tory Irgang
June 25th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:45
Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Executive Director Tory Irgang joins our Terry Frank this week to look back on the #GiveBigCHQ day of on-line giving... which raised about 189-thousand dollars for local not-for-profit organizations, and other activities, including presentation of the Axel W. Carlson Unsung Hero Award. We also discuss what scholarships are available to local students, namely Seniors who are now graduating from high school, and looking to go onto college, or technical school.
Community Spotlight for June 16-23, 2019
City matters are in the spotlight this week with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi joining our Terry Frank to talk about the annual meeting of the American Public Power Producers Association in Austin, TX. Teresi says the conference focused on everything from renewables, to the newest in electric cars. He also discussed the recent decision by Stannard Group, Inc., to consolidate it's three operations in the town of Ellicott on 10 to 25 acres of land. Unlike what had been stated by a member of the public at a recent city council meeting, Teresi says finding enough available land, not taxes, was the overriding issue. We also talk about a recent investigation by Teresi, Corporation Counsel Peter Larson, and the Jamestown Renaissance Corp. Zach Agett about the city's Special Use Permit, and how those are handled. They recently addressed concerns by former downtown businessman, Gary Templin, about that matter. We also talk about the effort to develop a kayak launch at the McCrae Point Boat Launch.
Community Spotlight for Jun. 7th-9th, 2019
Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello
June 7th, 2019 09:00pm | Duration: 14:25
The County Executive is in-house this week to speak on the expansion of two local businesses; two new wings of UPMC Chautauqua Hospital; the Hope and Healing Conference of Western New York and more.
Community Spotlight for June 2-9, 2019
Chautauqua Co. Office for the Aging Director Mary Ann Spanos
June 2nd, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:57
This week, our Terry Frank spotlights Older Americans Month in the county -- and nation -- with County Office for the Aging Director Mary Ann Spanos. Spanos says the number of seniors is increasing, and their needs are increasing. She's pleased that Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed to give OFA offices state-wide an additional 15-million dollars to eliminate waiting lists. She says that list had grown to 200 in Chautauqua County. She says the county is geting another 478,000 dollars in state funding. She also discusses their programs for in-home care, and programs to assist caregivers. Spanos adds their annual Senior Day Picnic at Midway State Park will be held on July 19th.
Community Spotlight for May 28-June 2, 2019
Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance Chairman Pierre Chagnon
May 28th, 2019 12:00am
We delve further into the issues surrounding Chautauqua Lake this week with Lake and Watershed Management Alliance Chairman Pierre Chagnon. Our Terry Frank talks with Mr. Chagnon at first about the six-year-old alliance, and it's founding as an umbrella organization that can go after funding to help deal with the invasive weed and algal bloom issues. Chagnon says, during the time it's been together, the alliance has been able to bring in about 6-million-dollars for various lake projects. Those also include stream bank restoration, and other work in the watershed areas to keep nutrients -- namely phosphorus -- from getting into the lake.
Community Spotlight for May 19-26, 2019
May 19th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:50
Our Terry Frank is joined by Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi this week to talk about a number of topics... namely the recently concluded New York State Conference of Mayor's annual meeting in Cooperstown. Teresi say they elected officers, and outlined their agenda for the rest of the state legislative session. He says they would like to see state reimbursements to the 38 communities that the state contracts with to maintain New York roads and highways in those communities addressed. Teresi says that number has remained 70-cents per square yard for the past 32 years. He says Jamestown receives 203,000 a year... but, should be receiving about half-a-million dollars each year. He adds that "Extreme Winter Aid" should also be restored. We also talk about the city taking on a record 140 street and highway, and other capital projects this Summer. Much of that will be funded through the state's Consolidated Highway Improvement Program -- or CHIPS funding. We also talk about the Western New York Regional Economic Development Corporation, or REDC's first meeting of the ninth-round of funding in Fredonia.
Military Makeover feature with Montel Williams
Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi was out of town on business most of the past week... and, with that, our Terry Frank features the recent Military Makeover of the Ashville home of Afghanistan War veteran Cody Willett. Willett applied for a makeover, and he and his family were selected. The show's host, TV Talk Show legend Montel Williams was in town of much of the past 7 to 10 days, and talked with Terry for about 10 minutes about the program, it's goals, and how he is doing with his MS, and stroke over the past year. He also talks with the head of the Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program for veteran's in Chautauqua County, Cindy Reidy. Reidy talks about the program, which is state-funded, and how it has helped local veterans with their transition back to civilian life.
Community Spotlight for May 5-12, 2019
May 5th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:40
This week, our Terry Frank speaks with County Executive George Borrello on a number of topics, including the major effort to clean-up the "weed mass" that was left late last Fall along the shoreline of Burtis Bay in Chautauqua Lake. Borrello says several pieces of machinery were staged early last week, and clean-up should take just over two-weeks. He adds they are also aware of the pilot program involving the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, and a Great Lakes group to put sensors in a couple of spots on the lake that may be at high-risk for harmful algal blooms. He says it's similar to something done in Lake George, which saw a large number of algal blooms at one time. We also discuss a 2-million-dollar state grant being provided to the county to help with treating those dealing with opioid drug addiction. We also talk about what appears to be a more collaborative effort between the Southern Tier, and Jamestown Metro Drug Task Forces.
Community Spotlight for Apr. 26-28, 2019
April 29th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 12:06
Jamestown Public Schools recently adopted a spending plan for the 2019-2020 school year. With that, Dr. Apthorpe sits down with our Noel Blackhall to dive into everything including in the 90.7-million budget. Additionally, a search for a principal for Jamestown High School is close to fruition. Apthorpe discusses how to search has gone and when a new head of academia will be announced.
Jamestown Board of Public Utilities General Mgr. Dave Leathers
April 21st, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:50
This week, our Terry Frank talks with Jamestown Board of Public Utilities General Manager Dave Leathers about a number of topics, including first-quarter performance of the BPU's five divisions. Leathers says they had a good first three months of 2019, adding there were no rate increases included for any of the divisions. He says the earliest they may consider an Electric rate hike would be late in 2020. He says the concluded the two-year, 5.7-million dollar boiler dismantling project on time, and under budget. He adds they are also right about where they expected to be from a budget stand-point regarding legal expenses for the city's proposed annexation of land the BPU's Dow Street Substation is located on in the village of Falconer, near the city line. We also discuss recycling efforts, and where those stand.
Community Spotlight for Apr. 7-14, 2019
April 7th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:50
This week, our Terry Frank talks with Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello on a number of topics, including the recently approved New York state budget. Borrello says, aside from making the 2-percent Property Tax Cap permanent, the spending plan is largely a "shell game..." especially with how Governor Andrew Cuomo deals with Aid and Incentives to Municipalities aid... with much of it supported by Internet sales tax revenues. We also discuss Borrello obtaining enough signatures to run for the state Senate seat recently vacated by Olean's Cathy Young. We also discuss his signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the new Chautauqua Lake Consensus Strategy, and the county's new Economic Development Strategy. Finally, we also discuss moving ahead with a feasibility study of boosting the Barley and Hops industries locally.
Community Spotlight for Mar. 31-April 6, 2019
Jamestown Community College President Dr. Daniel DeMarte
March 31st, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 11:00
This week, our Terry Frank welcomes Jamestown Community College President Daniel DeMarte for the first time to the program. We talk with Dr. DeMarte about the draw of community colleges for him, and his decision to come to JCC after several years at one of the largest community colleges in the nation in Tidewater, Virginia. We talk about the challenge of moving from a program of Continuing Education to Workforce Prepardness and Readiness, along with still declining enrollments at JCC and other 2 year schools in the State University system. We also talk about the state budget, and the need for a new model to support community colleges as opposed to the one now that puts an emphasis on enrollments. DeMarte says he's just asking the state at this point to "fund us at the formula."
Community Spotlight for Mar. 24-31, 2019
Congressman Tom Reed's weekly media call
March 24th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:45
We had no in-studio guest this past week... so we have aired portions of local Congressman Tom Reed's weekly telephone conference call with regional media. Reed speaks at the beginning about a push among House members to have a final vote on the U-S, Mexico, Canada Trade Agreement. Reed says he has personally asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring the measure up for a vote. While some have called it "NAFTA 2.0.." Reed says it's an updated agreement that takes into consideration the way business and farming work now, and accounts for upgrades in computer and other technology. The Corning Republican also talks about the recent meeting in Celoron about ways to make commercial air service viable at the County Airport near Jamestown. He says it was a good meeting, with lots of support for bringing Boutique Air, or some other carrier, in to the facility. He also discusses efforts to get a vote on the expired "9/11" Victims Compensation Fund... and, comments on the recent College Admissions scandal.
Our Terry Frank talks with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi this week about a number of issues, including the decision by State Senator Cathy Young to retire from the Senate. Teresi says it's a big loss for the area, and says he is not, and will not be, a candidate for the Democratic nomination to run. We also discuss to legal matters the city is involved in, first the arbitration case involving the Jamestown Police Department Kendall Club-PBA. The city is appealing the case, which was won by the union recently by a 2-1 vote. A formal appearance in court is coming this week. He also says that court action should begin soon in the city and it's Board of Public Utilities' effort to annex about 4-acres of land it owns in the village of Falconer. We also discuss the Frewsburg Soccer Association signing a two-year lease with the city to use the former Allen Park Ice Rink.
Our Terry Frank speaks with County Executive George Borrello this week on a number of topics, including his recent State of the County Address in which he discussed promoting new collaborations regarding Chautauqua Lake, and economic development. We also discuss new word that the Chautauqua Lake Association is asking the state Dept. of Environmental Conservation to not grant herbicide permits to any lake groups in 2019. We also discuss meetings of the county's new Citizens Advisory Council... and, the new economic development plan at the end of March.
Community Spotlight for Mar.4-10, 2019
Chautauqua Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council Exec. Director Melanie Witkowski
March 4th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:15
With the proposed legalization of recreational marijuana in New York state, our Terry Frank talks with Melanie Witkowski, the executive director of the Chautauqua Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council about the ramifications involved. CASAC officials testified at a hearing in the Buffalo-area regarding the proposal last year, and noted that children's brains are still developing, and, that marijuana use can impact their learning, as well as intelligence. She also pointed out the issues with synthetic, and concentrated cannibus, as well as workplace issues.
Community Spotlight for Feb. 24-Mar. 2, 2019
State Assemblyman Andy Goodell
February 24th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:55
State Assemblyman Andy Goodell speaks with our Terry Frank this week during the President's Day Week break for the state legislature in Albany. We talk about the whirlwind first month and a half in which numerous pieces of legislation were approved. However... in the Democratic-majorities haste, he says there was some legislation that wasn't well-crafted. In fact, lawmakers have had to go back and make some changes to what was approved. Goodell expresses concern over three pieces of legislation in particular, the Child Sexual Abuse Act, the Women's Reproductive Health Act, and pending legislation regarding legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in New York state. He says the Child Sexual Abuse Act is too open-ended for people to go back and claim abuse years later. He also feels the Women's Reproductive Act goes to far in allowing abortions up through the child's birth.
Community Spotlight for Feb. 17-24, 2019
This week, Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi talks in more detail about his decision to not run for a sixth-term as the city's top-elected official. He says it was a personal decision that he discussed a lot with his family. He reiterated, though, that there is still a lot of time left in this year, and plenty to accomplish. One of those items is restoring commercial air service to the Chautauqua County Airport near Jamestown... something he blamed the previous carrier, Southern Airways, for causing due to numerous cancelled flights. We also discuss his trip to the New York State Conference of Mayor's legislative session in Albany... where the proposal to legalize recreational marijuana was the big topic. Teresi says other items included unfunded mandates from the state, and Gov. Cuomo's plan to eliminate local AIM aid to local towns and villages.
February 10th, 2019 05:36pm | Duration: 14:50
County Executive George Borrello joins our Terry Frank to discuss a number of topics, including two regarding Chautauqua Lake. Borrello discusses his meeting with officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding a feasibility study of work that could be done to mitigate flood and invasive vegetation on the lake, along with a recent meeting of the Lake and Watershed Management Agency regarding it's work, and investigation of a possible lake taxing district to provide important funding to deal with it's issues with weeds and algal blooms. We also discuss the recent left-leaning legislation that's been adopted in Albany by the state legislature. Namely, we talk about funding issues for voting reform, and the move to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.
Community Spotlight for Feb. 3-10, 2019
February 4th, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:40
This week... our Terry Frank talks with Executive Dir. Barrie Yochum with Meals on Wheels of the Jamestown-area about a number of topics. Yochum says they try to continue delivering meals, even when the weather is hazardous like last week, to provide seniors with nutritious meals, and social interaction. He says there are two pieces of good news: The first is that Meals on Wheels nationally got a bump in funding in last October's budget deal put in place by President Trump and federal lawmakers. The other is that the waiting list for seniors and other home-bound individuals has been eliminated, thanks to the collaboration of some local foundations and others to help provide more stable funding for the organization. Yochum says they also still need volunteers to help deliver during the course of the year. For more information, he says contact NY Connects... or Meals on Wheels directly at 488-9119.
Community Spotlight for Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2019
United Way Exec. Director Amy Rohler
Our Terry Frank welcomes United Way of Southern Chautauqua County Executive Dir. Amy Rohler to the program for the first time. Rohler is still riding a "high" after the organization met and exceeded their 2018 General Campaign goal of 1.335-million dollars. Rohler says they raised 1,346,780 dollars, most of which will go towards 39 programs at 26 local human service agencies. She says it was exciting... but, adds there was also some stress because it's the first, full campaign she's been part of. However... she praised her staff, and their army of volunteers for helping them raise the goal. She says they are most often asked where the money goes, and if they are affiliated with the national organization. Rohler says, while there is some affiliation... ALL the money raised staying with the organization for it's programs, like the 2-1-1 Referral Service, and their 26 partner agencies.
Community Spotlight for Jan. 18 - Jan 20, 2019
Chautauqua Striders
January 21st, 2019 12:00am | Duration: 14:15
"Chautauqua Striders is dedicated to the mentoring and guidance of youth through education, advocacy and athletics.” That according to their website, and more is discussed in this week's program with Noel Blackhall. In studio, we sit down with Mentoring Coordinator Richard Olson-Walter and Director of Mentoring Erika Swanson Muecke. For more information on their programs and upcoming events visit ChautauquaStriders.org!
View archived episodes from: January 2020December 2019November 2019October 2019September 2019August 2019July 2019June 2019May 2019April 2019March 2019February 2019January 2019December 2018November 2018October 2018September 2018August 2018July 2018June 2018May 2018April 2018March 2018February 2018January 2018December 2017November 2017October 2017September 2017August 2017July 2017June 2017May 2017April 2017March 2017February 2017January 2017December 2016November 2016October 2016September 2016August 2016July 2016June 2016May 2016April 2016March 2016February 2016January 2016December 2015November 2015October 2015September 2015August 2015July 2015
WJTN Headlines for Sat., Jan. 18, 2020
Posted Yesterday At 11:44am by Terry Frank
Two arrested in connection with high-speed car chase in north county... Two men have been arrested for allegedly being involved in leading police in Chautauqua County in a high speed pursuit through ...
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1361 open access dissertations and theses found for:
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1 - 30 of 1361 displayed. Next >
Electron diffraction and interferometry using nanostructures
by McMorran, Benjamin James, Ph.D. The University of Arizona. 2009: 120 pages; 3352633.
Assembly of a large common mount astronomical interferometer
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Design, Analysis, and Optimization of an Interferometer for Extreme Ultraviolet Interference Lithography
by Cole, Kenan, M.S. The George Washington University. 2011: 199 pages; 1502392.
Hot Beats and Tune Outs: Atom Interferometry with Laser-Cooled Lithium
by Cassella, Kayleigh, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley. 2018: 193 pages; 10822165.
Broadband interferometry of lightning
by Stock, Michael, Ph.D. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. 2014: 254 pages; 3684400.
Future Networks of Gravitational Wave Detectors: Quantum Noise and Space Detectors
by Kuns, Kevin A., Ph.D. University of California, Santa Barbara. 2019: 158 pages; 13810824.
Measurement of laser-induced thermo-elastic deformation in an optic using polarization-based lateral shearing interferometry
by Cordier, Mark A., M.S. San Jose State University. 2013: 88 pages; 1533009.
Spatio-Spectral Interferometric Imaging and the Wide-Field Imaging Interferometry Testbed
by Iacchetta, Alexander S., Ph.D. University of Rochester. 2018: 153 pages; 10936092.
Miniaturized fiber modal interferometers and their applications as fiber sensors
by Bo, Dong, Ph.D. National University of Singapore (Singapore). 2015: 167 pages; 10005995.
Optical surface characterization with the structure function
by He, Liangyu, Ph.D. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 2013: 188 pages; 3608294.
Using Mechanical Oscillators for Transduction and Memory of Quantum States
by McGee, Sarah A., Ph.D. University of Colorado at Boulder. 2012: 109 pages; 3527322.
Quantum Imaging and Information
by Dixon, P. Benjamin, Ph.D. University of Rochester. 2011: 113 pages; 3498231.
Retrieval of temperature and water vapor from combined satellite and ground based ultra-spectral measurements
by Jian, Yongxiao, Ph.D. Hampton University. 2013: 156 pages; 3592878.
Milliarcsecond resolution infrared observations of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi and low mass stellar systems
by Barry, Richard Keith, Jr., Ph.D. The Johns Hopkins University. 2008: 275 pages; 3311834.
Magnesium diboride superconducting devices and circuits
by Galan, Elias, Ph.D. Temple University. 2015: 119 pages; 3745867.
Optical sensor design for advanced drag -free satellites
by Allen, Graham Scott, Ph.D. Stanford University. 2009: 162 pages; 3364493.
Development and characterization of an observatory-class, broadband, non-fedback, leaf-spring interferometric seismometer
by Otero, Jose D., Ph.D. University of California, San Diego. 2009: 224 pages; 3368955.
Full Text - PDF (23 MB)
Surface Acoustic Wave Velocity Measurements on Surface-Treated Metals by Laser-Ultrasonic Spectroscopy
by Marines, Alberto Ruiz, Ph.D. University of Cincinnati. 2004: 151 pages; 10857201.
Tunable Reflective Spatial Heterodyne Spectrometer: A Technique for High Resolving Power, Wide Field Of View Observation Of Diffuse Emission Line Sources
by Hosseini, Seyedeh Sona, Ph.D. University of California, Davis. 2015: 122 pages; 3736922.
SiC Thin-Films on Insulating substrates for Robust MEMS Applications
by Cheng, Lin, Ph.D. University of Cincinnati. 2003: 168 pages; 10857159.
Diamagnetism of a supersonic rotating magnetized plasma
by Young, William, Ph.D. University of Maryland, College Park. 2012: 106 pages; 3543635.
Testing the Quantum-Classical Boundary and Dimensionality of Quantum Systems
by Shun, Poh Hou, Ph.D. National University of Singapore (Singapore). 2015: 132 pages; 10006070.
Search for Long-Duration Transient Gravitational Waves Associated with Magnetar Bursts during LIGO's Sixth Science Run
by Quitzow-James, Ryan, Ph.D. University of Oregon. 2016: 195 pages; 10096194.
Nanoscale near-field imaging of VO2 phase transition
by Dunlap, Terrence L., M.S. California State University, Long Beach. 2015: 49 pages; 1600042.
Robust Image-Based Wavefront Sensing
by Zielinski, Thomas P., Ph.D. University of Rochester. 2011: 193 pages; 3478385.
Phase shaping in the infrared by planar quasi -periodic surfaces comprised of sub-wavelength elements
by Ginn, James C., III, Ph.D. University of Central Florida. 2009: 219 pages; 3383690.
Distinguishing signal from noise: New techniques for gravitational wave data analysis
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Fast rate fracture of aluminum using high intensity lasers
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Use of computer generated holograms for optical alignment
by Zehnder, Rene, Ph.D. The University of Arizona. 2011: 333 pages; 3450778.
Visible and mid-infrared optical studies of plasmon and phonon resonant nanoparticles using apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy
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Full Text - PDF (35.6 MB)
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Rewatchability is a Podcast.
Tag Archives: Star Wars
5 DISNEYLAND TV SPECIALS (THAT ARE COMPLETELY INSANE)
by J.M. McNab & Robert Laronde
There’s always been something inherently insane about Disneyland and Disney World— think about it, why would anyone willingly visit a castle owned by a rodent in a land populated mainly by cartoon characters and robot presidents?
The new film Escape From Tomorrow purports to portray a unique vision of Disney World, one that’s dark and surreal. However, in conjunction with this week’s podcast (which is about Disney World in ‘90s sitcoms), we present to you five made-for-television specials that portrayed Disneyland and Disney World as batshit crazy wonderlands as far back as the ‘80s and ‘90s.
5. MICKEY’S 60TH BIRTHDAY (1988)
Most people spend their 60th birthday receiving humorous greeting cards concerning farts and an inability to maintain an erection; beloved character/corporate trademark Mickey Mouse, on the other hand, celebrated in style. In 1988, Mickey’s 60th birthday was marked with the greatest honor any entertainer could hope to receive: a TV movie.
What followed was a strange mix of eighties sitcom character cameos and a dark, Kafka-esque probe into the nature of identity.
Plus a cameo by Burt Reynolds.
For some reason, the wacky romp finds Mickey angering an evil wizard who, in a disturbingly existential twist, steals Mickey’s identity. There’s still a famous cartoon character named Mickey Mouse, but no one recognizes Mickey to be him, everyone just thinks Mickey is some random jerk. It’s kind of like the plot of Philip K. Dick’s Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said.
One thing Philip K. Dick never thought of? Incorporating the cast of Cheers.
Without his identity, Mickey drifts aimlessly through life—and by life, I mean other television shows. Mickey visits the Keatons from Family Ties, and, when they don’t recognize him, he heads to Cheers. That’s right, facing the slightest adversity Mickey goes straight to a bar…
In addition to Cheers and Family Ties, Mickey visits, in what must have been a special treat for the kids, the set of L.A. Law. It’s a nice little advertisement for NBC’s Prime-Time Lineup sandwiched inside the larger advertisement for Disneyland.
Even more disturbing, with Mickey absent for his big party at Disneyland, Donald Duck is thrown in jail for kidnapping Mickey. Remember when these cartoons used to be about fun things like driving steamships? Eventually Mickey reclaims his identity by singing with Phylicia Rashad for some reason.
4. BELIVE YOU CAN… AND YOU CAN (1983)
In 1983, Disney was ready to reintroduce the newly refurbished Fantasyland to the public. But just as Fantasyland had changed, in the almost thirty years since the park first opened, America had also changed. Even that guy from Disneyland’s grand opening was now president of the United States!
Disneyland was where Reagan got the idea for the Star Tours defence system.
Of course, during the Cold War it wasn’t appropriate for Reagan to visit amusement parks– America had stopped believing in believing.
To remedy this problem, and promote their new Fantasyland attractions, Disney produced a TV special called Believe You Can… And You Can. The special featured Heather O’Rourke, The Dick Van Dyke Show’s Morey Amsterdam as well as all your favorite…
“Wait, O’Rourke? Isn’t that the girl from Poltergeist? The one who died?”
Yes, but please don’t interrupt.
The simple story follows Heather, playing herself, who is upset that her family is moving. Her mom says it’s because of Dad’s job, but she’s lying– it’s totally evil spirits again.
Heather is pretty bummed she hasn’t said goodbye to the Disney mascots, who seem to be her only friends. Naturally, Heather’s brother takes her Disneyland one last time. Also naturally, once there he quickly abandons her to mack on his girlfriend over at the Haunted Mansion (presumably because she is a ghost, and Heather’s brother is Woody from Cheers—more on that later).
Sadly, Heather discovers that Fantasyland is mysteriously closed. This is where it gets creepy; the park is completely empty, it’s like the rapture happened and only Heather was left behind.
Suddenly she’s accosted by some kind of demon who’s taken the form of Morey Amsterdam. He begins spouting some nonsense about “believing” that sounds like he’s inducting her into a cult.
Then he offers her a free stress test.
Finally he takes Heather to see her beloved Disney characters, but they all decide that her “believing” isn’t strong enough, so they do what Disney characters do best: they teach her a lesson through song! No, wait, I’m wrong—they put the poor eight-year-old girl on trial and threaten to execute her by decapitation. Seriously.
In this dangerously dystopian Disneyland, anyone can be put on trial at any time apparently. It’s scary. The Witch from Snow White berates Heather while Winnie the Pooh nods in agreement and Mickey Mouse applauds—
Pooh has always been a supporter of the Dark Arts
No lie, this is the scariest infomercial in existence. Am I supposed to want to take my kids here? When is Timmy’s turn to be put on trial?
Even The Country Bears become menacing in this demented freakshow.
Producers may have thought only a horror veteran like O’Rourke would be tough enough to get through filming these horrific events, but couldn’t they have found an actress with a little more charisma? Was Drew Barrymore unavailable?
3. EPCOT Center: The Opening Celebration (1982)
Oh, Drew Barrymore was already in a Disney special. Just a few short months before Believe You Can… And You Can was released, Disney aired this special featuring the OTHER talented young actress Steven Spielberg discovered in 1982. Also Danny Kaye.
The purpose of this special was to celebrate the opening of EPCOT Center. EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) was originally envisioned to be a cutting edge model city and community that Walt Disney would use to test ideas of urban planning. Sounds boring, right? Well, luckily Walt Disney died and his successors were like, “Mm, let’s just build a giant golf ball and some world pavilions.”
We here at Rewatchability regret the sentence “luckily Walt Disney died.”
The two major parts of EPCOT are Future World and World Showcase; the former showing what people from the 1980s believed the future (i.e. the early 2000s) would be like. They were WAY off. For example Danny Kaye tells Drew Barrymore she’ll probably go to high school in outer space. That did not come to pass. It would have been more accurate if he’d said that instead of going to school, Drew would be so high it seemed like she was in outer space. Partial credit to Mr. Kaye.
Woah, do you see a dragon Mr. Kaye or am I just tripping balls?
Drew introduces Danny Kaye to a robot, who introduces them to an imagination wizard, who has a pet dragon, and this is when you start to wonder what was in the brownie your roommate just gave you.
Then we move on to the World Showcase, colloquially known as Stereotype Land– I’m sorry, but Canadians aren’t all Mounted Police Officers and Lumberjacks. Many of us are merely fur traders or log drivers.
We also visit Alex Haley, the author of Roots, who tells us about the Equatorial Africa pavilion (that never actually opened) and a guy who looks a lot like John C. Reilly sings “This Land Is Your Land”– but if that song is true then why do I have to pay admission to get inside?
2. KRAFT SALUTES WALT DISNEY WORLD’S 10th ANNIVERSARY (1982)
Appropriately, this 10th anniversary special is a quality program in the same way Kraft Dinner is a gourmet meal. Beginning with an excruciating musical montage, father Dean Jones rounds up his apathetic family, including son Ricky Schroder, shoves them in an old station wagon bound for Walt Disney World.
Once at Disney World they rendezvous with Aunt Angelique (played by the great Eileen Brennan) who for some unknown reason is caring for a small Asian boy named Bobby who won’t say anything, either because he’s really shy or Stockholm Syndrome has taken effect.
Seriously, the only non-white character is given no lines whatsoever.
Also, for some other unknown reason, Brennan’s character is perpetually wearing a cowboy hat, and instead of staying in a fancy hotel with the rest of the family, she goes camping with Bobby at Fort Wilderness to “give him an appreciation of the old West,”– you know, that time period that was so fun for Asian-Americans.
Doesn’t sound so strange to you? Did I mention the bellboy at the hotel is a manic, smarmy Michael Keaton?
Not only is he smarmy, he actually drops the family’s luggage as he leers at a female guest who walks by. Apparently, despite it’s squeaky-clean reputation, Disney World is mainly staffed by inept perverts.
“Come to Disney World where our friendly staff will mentally undress you.”
Then they sing a bunch more songs while they explore the park, including one where the mother and daughter (along with clerk Michael Keaton who apparently has to work two jobs at Disney World) launch into a tune about buying gifts for all their friends and family in the gift shop. This isn’t a satirical parody of corporate consumerism, someone actually wrote a song about buying shit in a gift shop.
Eventually, the whole family goes out for a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant where, surely, the waiter won’t also be Michael Keaton–
Fuck it, I’m done.
1. DISNEYLAND’S 35th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (1990)
If you were to spend an evening drinking moonshine, consuming expired dairy products, and obsessively watching sitcoms from the eighties and nineties, your ensuing dreams would probably look a lot like Disneyland’s 35th Anniversary Special.
Ostensibly to commemorate the park’s anniversary, while simultaneously advertising its many attributes, the 1990 special features an eclectic roster of entertainers so diverse it’s as if the show was booked by a chimpanzee throwing darts at a 1990 TV Guide.
Like any tolerable trip to Disneyland, this one begins with a visit to a bar–specifically Cheers (again). The popular sitcom’s characters are discussing, not surprisingly, Disneyland. The conversation takes a disturbing turn when the affable barflies begin discussing which Disney character they find the most sexually attractive– The Little Mermaid, Snow White, or Cliff’s contribution, Lady from Lady and the Tramp. You know, the dog.
Perhaps hoping to distract from the lingering unpleasantness, Woody tells everyone a story about the time he visited Disneyland as a child. In a flashback we see an Are You Afraid of the Dark-esque vignette in which Woody rides The Haunted Mansion, and falls in love with a young girl who turns out to be a ghost…
If R.L. Stine scripted an episode of Cheers, this would be it.
Within only ten minutes, this special managed to introduce both bestiality and necromancy into the Cheers universe.
Eventually, Disney CEO/soulless mannequin Michael Eisner introduces Tony Danza as the host. Danza is our guide through a bizarre melting pot of pop-culture icons, the strangest of which is perhaps when he meets C-3P0 and R2D2. Frankly, it`s weird to see any element of the Star Wars universe interacting with Tony Danza– Witnessing C-3P0 address him as Master Tony (presumably because he is, in fact, The Boss) may be one of the strangest moments in television history.
As for THE strangest moment in television history, that occurs when Danza rides the Jungle Cruise. Now, you might assume that this whole special is basically just an advertisement for Disneyland– but you’d be incorrect. If it were, why in God’s name would they include a scene in which Disneyland patrons are casually murdered by animatronic animals. This isn’t a joke, this happens.
First a man falls into the river and is eaten by a crocodile.
Disturbingly, the ride’s operator doesn’t seem to notice or care that one of his passengers has just been brutally killed. Next a woman is strangled by a snake–
Still the operator takes no notice… but when Tony is being strangled, finally the operator responds to the emergency situation in a manner that I can now only assume is standard procedure for all Disneyland employees: by wildly firing a gun into the crowd of families, forcing them to jump off the ship or be killed by an armed madman.
This special is as much of a promotion for Disneyland as Halloween was for kitchen knives. Surprisingly, this upsetting barrage of morally dubious Disney-themed sketches was directed by legendary filmmaker John Landis, and not, say, an illegitimate nephew of Walt Disney who had never made a movie or seen a television show before.
Summing up the rest of the special’s content quickly: the Muppets show up, probably to lighten the show’s “murder-heavy” tone, Jim Varney plays Ernest’s father in the Ernest backstory everyone in 1990 must have been demanding, plus Will Smith (billed as The Fresh Prince) and DJ Jazzy Jeff attempt to permanently eradicate the relevancy of the rap genre with a cover of Hip-Hop pioneer Julie Andrews’ Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Filed under Top 5 Lists
Tagged as Alex Hailey, Believe You Can... And You Can, Burt Reynolds, C-3PO, Cheers, Danny Kaye, Dean Jones, Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland's 35th Anniversary Special, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Donald Duck, Drew Barrymore, Eileen Brennan, Epcot Center: The Opening Celebration, Ernest, Family Ties, Fantasyland, Heather O'Rourke, Jim Varney, John Landis, Julie Andrews, Jungle Cruise, Kraft Salutes Walt Disney World's 10th Anniversary, L.A. Law, Michael Eisner, Michael Keaton, Mickey Mouse, Mickey's 60th Birthday, Morey Amsterdam, Phylicia Rashad, R2D2, Ronald Reagan, Star Wars, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, The Country Bears, The Muppets, Tony Danza, Will Smith, Winnie the Pooh
NEWS: J.J. Abrams set to launch Kickstarter campaign for STAR WARS EPISODE VII
Rewatchability.com has gained exclusive screencaps of J.J. Abrams’ forthcoming Kickstarter campaign for his new Star Wars film, in the mode of the recently successful multimillion dollar Kickstarter campaigns by Zach Braff and Rob Thomas. While it hasn’t gone live on the website yet, you can see the screencaps by clicking the images below:
Filed under Articles
Tagged as J.J. Abrams, Kickstarter, Rob Thomas, Star Wars, Star Wars Episode VII, Zach Braff
Episode 76- Return of Return of the Jedi
On this week’s un-retro episode of Rewatchability, we tease Thursday’s episode (our final entry in our month of Canadian content), plus we talk about the fact that J.J. Abrams is directing the new Star Wars flick, as well as the news that Disney cancelling the 3-D re-releases of Episodes 2 and 3, thus saving Life Day. We also chat about Zero Dark Thirty, the Coen Brothers vs. the Farrelly Brothers, Woody Allen’s Sleeper, and Randy Quaid being denied Canadian citizenship, thus ruining Life Day.
To hear us catch-up on our pop-culture week, download the link below, or better yet, subscribe on iTunes! And be sure to follow us on Twitter!
Check back on Thursday, we’ll have an episode devoted to the Canadian Heritage Minutes, which you can see most of here.
WARNING: the podcast contains strong language and immature subject matter, please be advised.
Filed under Podcasts
Tagged as Coen Brothers, Disney, Farrelly Brothers, Heritage Minute, J.J. Abrams, Life Day, Sleeper, Star Wars, Woody Allen, Zero Dark Thirty
Episode 29- Critters
1986’s Critters is kind of like Gremlins meets Star Wars meets E.T. meets a substantially smaller budget. The titular monsters are essentially Furby-esque toys with a thirst for mayhem. Directed by Stephen Herek of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure fame, the whole thing had a fun B-Movie vibe to it, entertaining ’80s audiences enough to warrant several sequels (the second of which is directed by Rewatchability favourite, Mick Garris). But now, almost 25 years later, does the movie hold up in any way? We’ll let you know if it’s worth Rewatching, and if it deserves “Both Thumbs Up!”
MUSIC: This week’s featured artist is Boys Who Say No
Tagged as Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Billy Zane, Critters, E.T., Furby, Mick Garris, Star Wars, Stephen Herek
Episode 26- Star Wars: Episode 1- The Phantom Menace 3D
It’s back and more extraneously priced than ever! Yes it’s Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, this time in glorious, well not glorious, but it’s in 3D… and this is just the first of six 3-D re-releases for the Star Wars franchise. Despite the reputation it’s earned, we honestly went into this screening with open minds. Did we enjoy Episode 1 the second time around? Why does Liam Neeson keep touching everybody? Was Red Tails George Lucas’ apology for Jar Jar Binks? Why do kids love trade disputes so darn much? We answer these questions and more!
Episode 26- Star Wars: Episode 1- The Phantom Menace
There is some audio glitching at the end of the episode. Our hard drive needs a Midichlorian upgrade. Sorry about that.
Tagged as 3D, George Lucas, Jar Jar Binks, Liam Neeson, Red Tails, Star Wars, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Meance
Episode 16- Star Wars Holiday Special
For the first of our holiday-themed episodes we discuss Star Wars… not the classic film, but the poorly conceived, badly-executed 1978 Christmas special. And by Christmas, I mean Life Day– the annual Wookie celebration of, well, Life I guess. It’s at least notable as being the only Star Wars story co-written by Bruce Vilanch… And for those of you who care so much about whether Han or Greedo shot first, it doesn’t matter, because Greedo’s alive! And he’s hanging out with Bea Arthur!
The Star Wars Holiday Special is clearly terrible, but is it still funny? It used to be the wacky black sheep of George Lucas’ franchise, but after three epically crappy prequels and new needlessly “special” editions of the originals, the Star Wars universe has sadly become a flock of black sheep . Is it better or worse than Episode 1? Is Jefferson Starship the Achilles heel of The Empire? Is Chewbacca a deadbeat dad? Why does animated Han look like Neil Gaiman? We attempt to answer these questions and more!
Next week,Thurs. Dec. 15, we’ll be back with another festive blast of Yuletide nostalgia, whether you like it or not.
Tagged as Bea Arthur, Bruce Vilanch, Chewbacca, Christmas, George Lucas, Greedo, Han Solo, Life Day, Star Wars, Star Wars Holiday Special
TESTING TESTING 123 August 5, 2015
Episode 138- STAY TUNED March 13, 2014
Episode 137- OVERLOOKED SCIENCE FICTION TV March 7, 2014
Episode 136- TITANIC February 27, 2014
Episode 135- COOL RUNNINGS February 21, 2014
Episode 134- ROBOCOP vs ROBOCOP February 13, 2014
Episode 133- THE SANDLOT February 6, 2014
BONUS EPISODE: RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman February 5, 2014
Episode 132- FIGHT CLUB January 30, 2014
Episode 131- EVENT HORIZON January 23, 2014
Episode 130- BLANK CHECK January 16, 2014
Episode 129- GALAXY QUEST January 9, 2014
Episode 128- SCROOGED December 25, 2013
Episode 127- CHRISTMAS IN 1987 December 19, 2013
7 Follow-Ups to Classic Christmas Movies That Ruin the Original December 17, 2013
Episode 126- IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE December 12, 2013
Episode 125- ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS December 6, 2013
6 DIE HARD Rip-Offs That Time Forgot December 4, 2013
Episode 124- DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE November 28, 2013
5 DISNEYLAND TV SPECIALS (THAT ARE COMPLETELY INSANE) November 27, 2013
Episode 123- THE DISNEY WORLD EPISODES November 22, 2013
Episode 122- INDECENT PROPOSAL November 15, 2013
Episode 121- LABYRINTH November 7, 2013
Episode 120- A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET October 31, 2013
5 Things You Might Not Know About EERIE, INDIANA October 29, 2013
Episode 119- EERIE, INDIANA October 24, 2013
Episode 118- CLUE October 18, 2013
Episode 117- DONNIE DARKO October 10, 2013
Episode 116- PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE October 4, 2013
BONUS EPISODE- BREAKING BAD October 1, 2013
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#fridayfeeling https://t.co/NZHdfb2czW 1 day ago
Here's that Joe Pesci rap from the "Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Just For You" we talked about this week.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 2 days ago
#tbt Forget Ken Jennings, Ashley Judd is the GOAT in DOUBLE JEOPARDY! traffic.libsyn.com/rewatchability… #tbt #movies… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 2 days ago
All Rise! Court is in session with MY COUSIN VINNY! Unaged Joe Pesci! Oscar winning Marisa Tomei! Ralph Macchio!… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 3 days ago
#TBT Long before there was fake news, there were TRUE LIES! Jamie Lee Curtis! Arnold Schwarzenegger! Pee tape searc… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 week ago
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The Smartest Thing the Vaccine Concerned Have Done Recently (or maybe ever)
March 21, 2019 Richard Jaffe Comments 13 comments
But first, the dumbest thing the VC do, IMO. I have been very critical of both the tactics and strategic decisions made by the Vaccine Concerned powers-that-be. For example, although I understand the emotions behind them, I think all the lawsuits challenging SB 277 were a waste of time and money.
No court is going to create a constitutional right to a personal belief exemption, or stop mandatory vaccination under the current medical vaccine paradigm. (You all know and hate the paradigm/mantra: vaccines are safe and effective, serious side effects are rare, herd immunity is a thing and vital, and vaccines have saved zillions of lives.)
I think the VC community has it backwards by looking to the judiciary for protection. The judiciary basically enforces medical norms/paradigms, at least when it comes to public health and safety. Judges do not create rights that jeopardize public health according to the accepted state of medical knowledge.
In explaining why every single vaccine rights case has upheld mandatory vaccination and denied a right to a PBE, one of the most prominent thought leaders candidly stated at the recent Physicians for Informed Consent workshop that judges don’t want to make a decision which could cause an infectious disease outbreak. That sums up the futility of attempting to obtain any kind of vaccine relief from judges on direct challenges.
In my view, there are only two viable ways to move things in the VC’s direction. The first is legislation, but even that’s hard in light of the vaccine paradigm.
The good news for the VC is that most states still have either a PBE or a religious exemption. In Arizona, expanding vaccine concerned rights is on the legislative table. The bad news is that there is a renewed effort afoot to eliminate the PBE (recently failed in Washington, still pending in Oregon) and a new concerted effort to eliminate negative vaccine information from the Internet is underway.
Obviously, the best way to change things wholesale is to change the vaccine paradigm.
Beginning last week something surfaced which I think is the smartest and most exciting development in the VC area, maybe ever. I think if played right, it could be the game-changer the community has been searching for.
Here is is:
Rock Star physician Paul Thomas announced on Rock Media Star Del Big Tree’s podcast last week that in response to an Oregon medical board investigation about his public vaccine position, he commissioned an outcome study on his patients. So far, he’s focused on the rates of autism in his pediatric practice. He’s a popular guy and reports seeing 3345 pediatric patients.
Here are the numbers:
CDC published autism rates: 1 in 45
Autism rate in his signature “Vaccine Friendly Schedule 1 in 440
Autism rate in his complete unvaccinated patients
(actual numbers, not rate) 1 in 715
Here is the link to a U tube where Thomas discusses this.
That’s a dramatic difference, but of course, it’s only one pediatric practice.
I’m wondering what the autoimmune disease picture would show with the same stratification? I would speculate that if you take a historical graph of the explosive acceleration of autoimmune disease over the past few decades and plotted it against the graph showing the dramatic increase in the number of vaccines given in the last few decades, there would be a strong correlation. (Or maybe that’s already out there in the VC world.)
Of course, that proves nothing. But then if you take what we have learned over the past decade or so about SNPs/genetic polymorphisms and adjuvants, a causation hypothesis/mechanism of action starts to appear. But that’s just the speculations of a lawyer.
So, what’s needed to help change or challenge the current paradigm?
More data for sure.
Here is my suggestion to the VC thought leaders. Think by example or for strategic guidance, medical and recreational marijuana, and right to try, and for goal purposes, think cancer registries.
Look, it’s clear that the feds aren’t part of the initial solution. Indeed, based on all the conflict, collusion and outright fraud at these agencies, the feds seem to be at the heart of the problem. Same with the main professional organizations. So, they have to be bypassed.
Impossible you say?
Look at the marijuana situation. It’s still federally illegal, but the pot movement bypassed the feds and went right to the states. They are winning the legalization battle, state by state. The feds have largely been marginalized in the medical marijuana field.
Same thing with the right to try. I worked on federal right to try legislation back in the 90’s and got nowhere. (In fairness, we had no money and some were some other problems). In the last few years, the right-wing Goldwater Institute has engaged in a fabulously successful campaign to make right to try the law in most states. The feds came around with its own right to try law last year, but that was only after dozens of states already had the law on their books.
The point is bypassing the federal vaccine mafia in favor of individual states is a plausible and probably better strategy to start to change the vaccine paradigm.
What if what the data Paul Thomas collated was required to be reported under state law? Suppose every pediatrician was required to register autism cases, severe autoimmune conditions and say vaccine status, and maybe even when each condition appeared in relation to vaccination. This is like what happens in state cancer registries, part of the reason for which is to identify cancer clusters. I think within a year or two, things might become much clearer on many fronts.
What if all the data was made public and you could look up a pediatrician’s autism and autoimmune disease rate? We are a society of consumers and consumers are entitled to as much information as possible to make an informed decision about their health care professionals. Why shouldn’t such information become a standard part of shopping for a pediatrician?
In addition, what I’ll call the “Thomas Gambit” should be employed by every pediatrician who comes under attack by a state board for vaccine beliefs or exemption activities. Also, I’m thinking it might be an interesting talking point, to demand that this information be collected and made public from the pro-vax pediatrician talking heads. Sort of a head-to-head comparision. Think there will be any takers?
Anyway, slick move Paul. Keep it up!
Uncategorized, Vaccination Issues
US Stem Cell Co-Defendant Gradel Throws in the Towel; Mediation fails (big surprise)
Breaking News in the US Stem Cell Injunction Case!
13 thoughts on “The Smartest Thing the Vaccine Concerned Have Done Recently (or maybe ever)”
KP Stoller, MD says:
The proposed law to require pediatricians to track Vaxx vs partially vaxx vs non-vaxx ASD rates needs to include all primary care physicians as pediatricians are expunging from their practices those who don’t want to be fully vaxx’ed.
Dr. Thomas has an unusual practice for a pediatrician and what he was able to do may not translate to other practices if for no other reason than those other practices are truncating their populations.
Yes, it’s like keeping out the evidence when one refuses to have Un Vaxxed or Partially Vaxxed Patients.
Janet L Rueger says:
Excellent idea!! and Yes, include all primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and also NDs as some people only see NDs.
Richard Jaffe says:
for sure all pediatric PCPs. Thx!
Chrisann Justice says:
Sounds like a sensible plan. How do we get started on this in our state?
On an emergency basis, Oregon is going to short-circuit the entire experiment by doing away with unvaccinated populations to compare with. Dr. Thomas can make those comparisons under existing law, but not for long. Governor wants all children up-to-date in time for school in the fall. Most parents will do what they have to do.
Anon A Mous Bosch says:
Agreed. My first thought was that “doing away with unvaccinated populations” fever has taken over the press and freedom of choice is fast being made an outmoded and selfish concept. Standing up for principle grows harder by the hour.
Alix Mayer says:
Excellent idea to make these conditions reportable by ped practice. It is akin to assigning an alpha to an investment manager. How much can he or she beat the market?
Thomas’ research is ground-breaking.
Bob sterling says:
It would only take one Oregon senator to work this into the current law or make the proposal public. Good idea.
well that’s pretty interesting!
Daniel Topkis says:
Rick, have you sent this to Del Bigtree and RFK, Jr?
Del’s COO — cat@icandecide.com
RFK, Jr. team — laura.bono@childrenshealthdefense.org
lyn.redwood@childrenshealthdefense.org
Also, do you need to say slick more Dr PAul? Slick sounds like it was sleazy imo. Consider replacing it with nice move or good move.
It was a slick move. The board asked for evidence thAt his alt schedule was better, and he gave it too them right in the kister.
Martha Fitzgerald says:
This is interesting and exciting! I don’t have any other comment, but I’m posting so I will get a chance to sign up to receive more comments and posts.
Leave a Reply to Janet L Rueger Cancel reply
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ODAC Coaches Camp
Tiffey Tallies Pair for Men’s Lacrosse At #14 W&L
#14 Washington & Lee
Randolph-Macon (4-2, 0-1 ODAC) 2 1 1 2 6
#14 Washington & Lee (4-3, 1-0 ODAC) 5 6 2 1 14
G: A.J. Witherell - 3
A: A.J. Witherell - 4
Sv: Jack Taylor - 17
GB: Jack Hodgson - 8
G: Ryan Tiffey - 2
A: 4 Players (#1, #12, #38, #43) - 1
Sv: Chris Cerrina - 13
GB: Chris Cerrina - 5
LEXINGTON, Va. – Randolph-Macon junior Ryan Tiffey (Columbia, MD / Wilde Lake) scored a pair of goals as Randolph-Macon men's lacrosse battled 14th-ranked Washington and Lee Saturday afternoon in both teams' conference opener.
Score: #14 Washington and Lee 14, Randolph-Macon 6
Location/Venue: Lexington, Va./Wilson Field
Records: Washington and Lee (4-3, 1-0 ODAC), Randolph-Macon (4-2, 0-1 ODAC)
The goals came in quick succession in the first quarter. After W&L struck first about 50 seconds into the contest, four goals were scored within three minutes of each other in the middle of the period. W&L added three of the four. In Randolph-Macon's first score, junior Colin DiSesa (Ashland, VA / Hanover) took a shot into the cage for the score off a pass from freshman Derek Marsilio (Harrisburg, PA / Bishop McDevitt).
Later in the first, R-MC got a score from freshman Brandon Smith (Richmond, VA / Douglas Freeman) to cut W&L's lead in half to 4-2. W&L added one before the end of the frame to take the 5-2 advantage into the second period.
W&L got four straight goals to begin the second frame. Tiffey scored his first of the afternoon with 2:24 to go in the second quarter, after a pass from fellow junior Brendan Markovic (Westminster, MD / Winters Mill). The score was followed by another pair by W&L, which took an 11-3 lead at halftime.
The third quarter was marked more by defense as only three goals made it in during the frame. R-MC scored as DiSesa offered a pass to senior Ty Anderson (Chestertown, MD / Kent County), who placed it in the cage for the score. W&L retained the lead 13-4 heading into the final frame.
Tiffey scored his second of the day with an unassisted effort at goal with 6:43 to go in the fourth quarter. W&L added a goal a few minutes later. But R-MC finished strong with a score with 1:17 remaining as brother duo of freshman Luke Pratt and junior Lee Pratt (Winston-Salem, NC / Ronald Reagan) connected for R-MC's sixth goal. Lee sent a pass over to Luke, who placed it in the goal to settle the final score at 14-6.
R-MC's defense showed strong against the Generals. Junior Camden Stramanak (Annapolis, MD / Annapolis) made four caused turnovers, junior Tyler Flora (Mechanicsville, VA / Hanover) added two and seniors Austin Evans (Glen Allen, VA / Glen Allen) and Matt Surock (Baltimore, MD / Loch Raven) as well as DiSesa added one each.
Along with being in goal, senior Chris Cerrina (Ridgewood, NJ / Ridgewood) made five ground ball pickups. Flora added four. Evans and Stramanak each made three ground ball pickups as well.
DiSesa led the team with nine shots. Six of them came on goal. Anderson and Markovic each had five shots as well.
Cerrina made 13 saves in goal for the Yellow Jackets today.
Junior Joe Maranto (Joppa, MD / Fallston) won five of the eight faceoffs he attempted at the X for the game.
Luke Pratt's goal was the first of his collegiate career.
Randolph-Macon next faces Guilford at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 16 at Day Field.
Tue, 05/01 | Men's Lacrosse at Lynchburg L, 24-6 (Final) V | BX | RC
Sat, 04/28 | Men's Lacrosse at Guilford W, 15-9 (Final) BX | RC
Sat, 04/21 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Randolph W, 25-4 (Final) BX | V | RC
Wed, 04/18 | Men's Lacrosse at Shenandoah W, 13-5 (Final) BX | RC
Sat, 04/14 | Men's Lacrosse at Roanoke L, 20-8 (Final) BX | RC
Fri, 04/06 | Men's Lacrosse at Bridgewater (Va.) W, 10-7 (Final) BX | RC
Wed, 04/04 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Methodist (NC) W, 17-5 (Final) BX | RC
Fri, 03/30 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Virginia Wesleyan W, 17-1 (Final) BX | RC | V
Wed, 03/28 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Marymount (Va.) W, 12-1 (Final) V | BX | RC
Sat, 03/24 | Men's Lacrosse at Lynchburg L, 14-6 (Final) BX | RC
Sat, 03/17 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Washington & Lee L, 12-6 (Final) BX | RC
Sat, 03/10 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Hampden-Sydney L, 18-7 (Final) BX | RC
Wed, 03/07 | Men's Lacrosse at St. Mary's (Md.) W, 12-10 (Final) V | BX | RC
Sat, 03/03 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Haverford College W, 5-3 (Final) RC | BX
Sat, 02/24 | Men's Lacrosse at Goucher W, 12-5 (Final) BX | RC
Wed, 02/21 | Men's Lacrosse at #20 Christopher Newport L, 16-5 (Final) RC | BX
Sat, 02/17 | Men's Lacrosse at Catholic L, 15-10 (Final) BX | RC
Wed, 02/14 | Men's Lacrosse vs. Mary Washington L, 14-6 (Final) BX | RC
Tue, 05/02 | Men's Lacrosse at Lynchburg L, 9-5 (Final) BX | RC | V
Sat, 04/29 | Men's Lacrosse at Washington & Lee L, 26-6 (Final) BX | RC | V
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Irish PM Leo Varadkar is frank and spells out to UK PM Boris Johnson why it would be a massive failure to leave the EU without a trade deal
2019.09.09 / Robert Vinet / Comments Off on Irish PM Leo Varadkar is frank and spells out to UK PM Boris Johnson why it would be a massive failure to leave the EU without a trade deal
In their face-to-face meeting in Dubin today, Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar told Boris Johnson that leaving the EU without a trade deal would be disastrous.
It’s notable that it’s again been repeated that the EU has not received any proposals since Johnson became PM in July.
Meanwhile, Johnson attempted to spread the blame and claimed a no-deal Brexit would be a failure that both the British and Irish governments would be responsible for.
Boris Johnson is already refusing to accept responsibility and is attempting to cast blame on others for his projected failings.
Ireland 🇮🇪, United Kingdom (UK) 🇬🇧
BackstopBrexitEUEuropean UnionIrish PoliticsUK Politics
China warned the USA to stay out of the protests after students’ peaceful appeal to “stand with Hong Kong”
Top 10 new vehicles owners keep the longest » List is dominated by Toyotas, SUV’s and sports cars. That sounds about right.
I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
— Diane Ackerman ( Oct 7, 1948 -)
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Stormzy and Gary Neville: How Privilege Works in 21st-Century Britain
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Human Rights Watch Condemn “Unrelenting Repression” in Saudi Arabia
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Israel: How Benny Gantz's Campaign Has Turned State Violence and Dead Palestinians into Political Capital
by Yoav Galai
in All, Middle East, Palestine, Rights, World
RelatedArticles
‘1,364 terrorists killed’. Screen shot of Benny Gantz’s campaign video. YouTube
Yoav Galai, Royal Holloway
Israel goes to the polls on April 9 to elect a new Knesset (parliament) and the most prominent newcomer to challenge the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is Benny Gantz, a “centrist” who, like many before him, draws on his illustrious military credentials as former chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
His Israel Resilience party, recently agreed on a joint ballot with the Yesh-Atid party and recent polls put Gantz in the lead – although this doesn’t necessarily mean he will be able to form a government.
This new “Blue and White” coalition frames Netanyahu as corrupt and driven to radicalisation by extremist partners. With three former IDF chiefs of staff at its helm, it draws on Israel’s militarism and the fact that the Israeli public considers the IDF to be the most trusted public institution, “the corporate custodian of national values” as Stuart Cohen wrote. Its campaign slogan – “Stopping the Madness” – aggressive rhetoric and tough guy photo opportunities suggest it can offer levelheadedness and a new brand of responsible leadership.
But while Netanyahu’s would-be coalition partners include Kahanists – right-wing extremists who advocate the forcible transfer of Palestinians out of the country – Gantz’s coalition offers no commitment to finding a route out of the Israeli-Palestinian impasse and has also ruled out any partnership with the Arab parties. Indeed, Gantz’s campaign seems to be following Netanyahu to the right – and even uses the killing of Palestinians as proof of the former general’s toughness.
Gantz was recently a wartime general, who presided over the 2014 Protective Edge operation in Gaza, during which 2,100 (mostly civilian) Palestinians were killed. B’teslem provides an interactive list of the fatalities on both sides – and the sheer number of children and elderly Palestinians blown up from a distance is staggering.
Gantz’s video.
The indiscriminate nature of the Israeli attacks did not stop Gantz’s earliest campaign video from boasting about the killing of 1,364 terrorists during operation Protective Edge. This statistic is patently false – not because it reflects the IDF’s own count, which contrasts with data compiled by organisations on the ground, but because it includes 428 victims that the IDF itself pronounced “unrecognised” in its count of “terrorists”. It also suggests that dead Palestinians, regardless of their involvement in violent acts, are viewed as political capital in Israel.
The ‘Victory Image’
In an article published in the scientific journal Security Dialogue, I explore the idea of the “victory image” and the role it has played in Israel. The analysis explains how such a cynical mobilisation of a body count is deemed legitimate and even desirable.
Israel is a militaristic society that historically has venerated the battlefield as a place of moral purity, where the best character of the heroic soldier shines through. This is reflected in Israeli culture in general – and Gantz’s recent comparison of his experiences to those of Netanyahu is a case in point:
When I lay in the muddy trenches with my soldiers on frozen winter nights, you left Israel to learn English and practice it at fancy cocktail parties.
In 2006, when the war in Lebanon went awry, missiles were raining down on Israeli cities and Israeli casualties were mounting (although there were 30 times more on the Lebanese side), Israeli generals looked for some evidence of success. They had in mind a “victory image”, a symbolic battlefield photograph that would represent the best values of Israeli identity (honour, bravery, resilience) and indicate that the IDF was winning. Eventually, a victory image was found – of a soldier, muddied and injured, giving the victory sign as he is stretchered away.
During the subsequent Gaza conflict, TV studios, newspapers and the government sought a new victory image. But there was a marked difference between the Lebanon campaign and the attacks on Gaza. While in Lebanon a proportion of the fighting was up close and on the ground, Israel’s Gaza assault was almost entirely an exercise in aerial bombing.
Professor Yagil Levy from the Open University in Israel has shown that the IDF engaged in risk management, reducing efforts to limit Palestinian collateral damage to favour the safety of its own soldiers. Consequently, the pictures that emerged from Gaza were of dead children and devastated neighbourhoods, rather than heroic Israeli soldiers, and were generally not shown in Israel. The search for a victory image was not abandoned, however.
Victory Image 2.0
With this in mind, instead of relying on photographs, the IDF started promoting information visualisations that show positive data in graphic form. Examples are credited to the IDF spokesperson’s office and appear on the websites of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IDF Blog.
Operation Protective Edge by the numbers | IDF Blog
The logic of this transformation is simple. There is no way that images of destruction in Gaza can bring about any sense of achievement. Instead, game-like scoreboards present “victory” in a numerical form. It is an instance of what Allen Feldman termed the “actuarial gaze” that is associated with the “screening off” of collateral damage and a focus on “shock and awe” instead.
Gantz’s video is a perfect example of this. It starts with a note of dramatic music and chants of “Allah hu Akbar”. Next, a number ticker – counting the number of “terrorists” killed –starts running with muted visuals from Hamas in the background. The bodies of adults, wrapped in Palestinian and Hamas flags, are carried through a crowd, with weapons waved in the foreground. It ends with an armed man, his head covered by a balaclava and a ribbon identifying him as a member of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, next to a casket. Then the sound of a snare, reminiscent of a high-explosive blast, coincides with a jump cut into the graphic of the final tally – “1,364 terrorists killed” and the slogan “Only the strong are victorious”, all written in Gantz’s military khaki colour scheme.
We know that Israeli society is militaristic and that generals like Gantz regularly use their martial capital in the political sphere. But here we have something new. The horrific death toll of remote-controlled state violence is transformed by a combination of abstraction and quantification into a positive achievement, a victory image that is used to aggrandise a general-turned-politician as the very example of responsibility, levelheadedness and moderation.
Yoav Galai, Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of International Relations, Royal Holloway
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Yoav Galai
Lecturer at Royal Holloway | Website
Yoav Galai is a Lecturer at the School of Politics International Relations and Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London. His research focuses on the role narratives of collective memory play in International Relations, both in helping define possibilities for action and as the object of policy and on visual politics.
Tags: Benny GantzIDFIsraelOperation Protective EdgePalestineThe ConversationWar Crimes
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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons 4.0 license.
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Rights Groups Condemn UN Plan to Send Refugees to "Rohingya Alcatraz"
Human rights groups have reacted strongly to plans by the United Nations to relocate thousands of displaced Rohingya refugees to a barren and threatened island in the Bay of Bengal. The
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Re-Inventing Radio Research
Conversations towards better research
Archive for the ‘PPM’ Category
In-Car Listening: the Black Hole of Radio Ratings
February 11, 2012 JeffVidler Leave a comment
With all the hand-wringing about new in-dash audio alternatives to radio, it’s amazing that we don’t really know how much time people spend listening to radio in the car.
PPM doesn’t separate in-car listening from other out-of-home listening. And while diaries do break out in-car listening, the recorded “reality” of diary measurement neither matches listener perceptions nor what PPM seems to show, albeit from behind the curtain.
If you ask them, most North Americans will tell you that at least 50% of the time they spend listening to radio is done in the car. But diaries typically show that just over a third of all listening takes place in the car.
Meanwhile, although PPM generally shows the same overall split as the diary for in-home and out-of-home listening, it actually shows higher out-of-home listening on evenings and weekends than the diary. It’s safe to assume that most of this evening and weekend listening is not happening at work, but rather in the car—during the trip to the grocery store or while you take the kids to soccer—those occasions that you’re not likely to recall a week later when you’re filling out a diary. This makes you wonder just how much out-of-home tuning that PPM records during the workday is actually at work listening—and how much represents in-car listening when you’re running errands or going to meetings out of the office that again wouldn’t be recalled or in turn recorded in a diary.
All of this suggests that we should probably be crediting more radio listening to the car than what our ratings systems—or, more specifically, the diary system— have traditionally led us to believe. And, as commuting times grow ever longer, this means the car becomes an even more important competitive arena for radio listening.
Should PPM-rated stations design and target their programming to the in-car listener, and promote usage of listening to their station in the car—much like Lite Rock stations were built for the workplace and promoted to reach the at work listener? And just how should radio react when it comes to sizing up and dealing with the potential impact of Pandora and other new audio alternatives in the car?
We need to add an accurate accounting of in-car listening to the ‘to do’ list of our ratings services—ideally somewhere near the very top.
Categories: Pandora, PPM, Ratings, State of research
So, How Many People Really Tune Out When the Spots Come On?
December 19, 2011 JeffVidler 1 comment
The headline sure is encouraging. According to the Coleman Insights/Arbitron/Media Monitors study, What Happens When the Spots Come On, radio stations hold 93% of their lead-in audience through the average stop set.
But, before you start loading up on long stop sets, there’s something of a devil lying in the details here. When they presented the research, Coleman and Arbitron were careful to note that the 93% doesn’t refer to how many listeners stay tuned throughout the stop set but rather to the overall audience levels prior to and immediately following the break. The actual proportion of listeners who stay tuned through the average stop set is lower than 93%. The problem is we don’t know exactly how much lower.
Radio stations experience a natural audience churn that happens independent of any tune-out triggers. Listeners get in or out of their car, enter or leave the room where the radio is on, or do any number of other activities that begin or end their listening session and have nothing to do with their reaction to what they just heard.
This natural churn is also captured in the results of the Coleman/Arbitron/Media Monitors study. As a result, it effectively dilutes the impact of spots on listeners who tuned in at the beginning of the stop set.
Imagine that we have a radio station with ten listeners tuned in via PPM. After the first spot, one of the ten listeners switches to another radio station while another one ends their radio listening session (let’s say by leaving their car). Meanwhile, still another listener turns on their radio for the first time that day. We now have nine listeners, eight of whom were there before the first spot. (That’s 90% of the number of listeners we had when we started, while just 89% of the listeners still listening to radio are still with us.) Once again, after the second spot, one listener starts their listening session with us, another one ends their radio listening session altogether, while a third listener switches to another station. But, this time, a listener also switches from another station to our station. (Maybe they were running spots too.). All in all, two listeners have jumped on and two have jumped off after the second spot. We still have nine listeners (90% of the overall audience level of when we started), but our station audience now holds just six of the eight listeners—or 75% of those who are still listening to radio.
Of course, this just an example. The amount of natural audience churn and the number of listeners switching to and from one station to another during the stop set is not called out in the research. Jaye Albright, who drills into the granular detail of all things PPM for her clients in Canada using BBM’s minute-by-minute data, tells me she was recently looking at 25-54 switchers to a major market Country station and found it’s roughly a 4-8% “in” and 4-8% “out” in every single minute.
This is not to say the results of the Coleman/Arbitron/Media Monitors results aren’t meaningful. It’s good to know that, regardless of tune-out, overall audience levels stay quite high during the average stop set, even if we should also consider the net effect—how much the audience might have grown if we weren’t running any spots. It’s also helpful to note the differences in audience levels by demo, format and ethnicity—News/Talk, Urban and Hispanic stations for example should be taking these results to the bank.
Coleman, Arbitron, and Media Monitors also quite rightly point out that the study says nothing about the impact of high commercial loads on the brand.
The research partners promise further analyses in 2012. Hopefully, we’ll get more insight into how spots and other content affect not just audience levels but actual switching behavior.
Categories: PPM, radio ads, Ratings Tags: Arbitron, Coleman Insights, Jaye Albright, Media Monitors, PPM
JeffVidler
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Go Media Fix
Harker Research
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Joint Communications
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RAIN (Radio & Internet Newsletter)
Past posts Select Month February 2012 (1) December 2011 (1) November 2011 (2) October 2011 (1) August 2011 (3) July 2011 (3)
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Rosemary and Reading Glasses
Reads Worth Remembering
Index of Reviews by Author
Featured Poems (2013)
Recommended Reading: Contents Under Pressure, by Ellen Prentiss Campbell
February 9, 2016 February 6, 2016 / Carolyn O
A woman facing an unplanned pregnancy while struggling with her relationship with her own parents; a marine biologist who desperately wishes to become a fish; an older woman bidding her beloved country inn farewell; a young mother grieving the loss of her youngest son; wives contemplating the possible ends of their marriages; a little girl desperate to learn how to ride a bicycle to please her institutionalized father: these are some of the characters in Ellen Prentiss Campbell’s exquisite book of short stories, Contents Under Pressure*.
In each of the eleven stories that make up this slim volume, Ms. Campbell balances precise description with unspoken tension; the result is stories that are spellbinding in their realism.
In “Depth Perception,” from which the collection’s title phrase is drawn, a young woman struggles to find the right time to tell her partner that she is unexpectedly pregnant; meanwhile, her adoptive parents’ marriage is a quiet shambles. “Lily operated like a seismograph sensing the shifting plates beneath the surface of her parents’ relationship,” Ms. Campbell writes.
Fractured or troubled marriages appear in several other stores, like “Peripheral Vision,” in which a couple dresses as Jack and Jackie Kennedy for a Washington, DC Halloween party. Behind her mask, Meg wonders if she should leave her husband, and an encounter with a fortune teller doesn’t clarify matters.
The sense of place is strong in all stories; some are set in Washington, others in a small Pennsylvania town in the foothills of the Alleghenies. One of my favorites is “Shade Gardening,” set in Washington in 1962. A young couple, devastated by the death of their young son but holding their family together for the sake of their other child moves into an unusual house just before the start of the Cuban missile crisis. It’s a tender but unflinching portrait of a woman’s grief and resiliency.
Ms. Campbell’s main characters are women and girls from a range of social classes, backgrounds, and ages; I was delighted by the freshness of each story, the graceful writing that makes storytelling look easy, but is in fact the hallmark of a very gifted author. This collection is highly recommended.
I also recommend this gorgeous essay by Ellen Prentiss Campbell, “Creative Defiance,” at Fiction Writers Review.
*I received a copy of this book from the author for review purposes, which in no way affected the content of my review.
Books, Recommended Reading
Contents Under Pressure review, Ellen Prentiss Campbell, short stories, small press books
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13 thoughts on “Recommended Reading: Contents Under Pressure, by Ellen Prentiss Campbell”
Ellen Prentiss Campbell
Thanks! Wonderful to read & see the daffs! My first review! E On Feb 9, 2016 6:33 AM, “Rosemary and Reading Glasses” wrote:
> Carolyn O posted: “A woman facing an unplanned pregnancy while struggling > with her relationship with her own parents; a marine biologist who > desperately wishes to become a fish; an older woman bidding her beloved > country inn farewell; a young mother grieving the loss of her” >
Carolyn O
You’re very welcome, Ellen! The book is outstanding.
Captivating review. Can’t wait to buy book and send copies to special friends.
I hope you will!
whatmeread
Most of these sound like my kind of story, depicting ordinary moments in live, but a marine biologist who wants to be a fish? That sounds different, more like Karen Russell.
It is a bit Karen Russell-like–it’s different from the other stories in that way, but it’s just riveting.
I like that these are all about women and girls. And, I really want to know what happens to the marine biologist who wants to be a fish – I can relate. 🙂
dunaganagain
It’s a great story–I think you’d like the whole collection!
This sounds wonderful. I am in short story mode so I will look this up.
It’s from a small press, so I hope it’s easy to find!
Ellen and I were both members of a group of writers who would share and comment on our work. I read early drafts of many of her stories, including ‘Peripheral Vision’ and the ones about the marine biologist and the girl who wants to learn to ride the bicycle. Ellen is an excellent writer and I am sure everyone will find something to love in this collection.
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Why I Love Parks & Rec, or "O were my Love yon Lilack fair"
"and yet the menace of the years, / finds and shall find me unafraid": RIP Nelson Mandela
"Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee": John Donne, Sexy Poetry, and Making Valentine's Day Fun Again
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Literary Wives: The World's Wife, by Carol Ann Duffy
© Carolyn Oliver and Rosemary & Reading Glasses, 2013-17. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (text and photos) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Brief excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Carolyn Oliver and Rosemary & Reading Glasses with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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Short-Term Upwelling Events Modulate Fish Sound Production at a Mid-Atlantic Ocean Observatory
David A. Mann, University of South Florida
T. M. Grothues, Rutgers University
Sciaenid, Cusk-eel, Passive acoustics, Ocean observatory
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07720
Understanding factors controlling the distribution and reproduction of fishes is crucial for developing ecosystem models of fish populations. Yet, these observations are difficult to make on the same time and space scales as physical forcing events. A hydrophone was used to record fish sound production associated with reproduction at the LEO-15 ocean observatory to determine the relationship between variation in fish calling behavior and oceanographic variation. Sound production was dominated by Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus, weakfish Cynoscion regalis, and striped cusk-eel Ophidion marginatum. Striped cusk-eels called with a crepuscular pattern, with a strong peak at dusk, less sound production during the night, and a lesser peak in sound production at dawn. Sciaenids called mostly at dusk and night. Nine advection events bringing colder waters to the LEO-15 site were correlated with greatly reduced levels of sound production in Atlantic croaker and weakfish on daily time scales. Our results show how ocean observatories with passive acoustics can study tightly coupled physical oceanographic influences on fish behavior on daily time scales.
Marine Ecology Progress Series, v. 375, p. 65-71
Mann, David A. and Grothues, T. M., "Short-Term Upwelling Events Modulate Fish Sound Production at a Mid-Atlantic Ocean Observatory" (2009). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 171.
https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/171
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CES – 3DTV, the Googlephone and slate computing
By Peter Griffin • 10/01/2010
The Consumer Electronic Show was a little humdrum this year, but then it also was in 2008 and 2007, the last year I attended, when the launch of the Apple iPhone at the rival MacWorld conference during the same week really took the wind out of the CES sails (and sales).
In January 2007, Windows Vista was about to launch. Little did the computing industry realise the pain it was in for). On a trip to Microsoft’s snow-covered Redmond, Seattle campus I caught up with a group of Kiwi Microsoft employees who posed proudly around a sign counting down the days to the Vista launch.
Gadget central at CES this year
Window on disaster
While Vista ran like a dream on demo units it came supplied on, the operating system caused no end of problems with people upgrading their computers for two reasons – Microsoft under-estimated the hardware requirements to run Vista properly. Despite what the badge said, many computers sold in the run-up to the Vista launch were anything but Vista-capable.
I had my own nightmare after a few crucial software drivers were incompatible with Vista. That debacle sparked a class action lawsuit. By late 2007 however, the operating system was running very well and Windows 7 was launched late last year with almost universal praise.
Only the launch of the Eee PC, which sparked off the netbook craze and a whole new format for the computer makers to push on consumers, saved the PC industry from total embarrassment in 2007
Its hard to tell what the impact of the Vista disaster was on the computer industry – what it really did was play into the hands of Apple which experienced incredible growth back in 2007 on the back of a revamped line of MacBooks, the launch of the iPhone and the continuing success of the iTunes store.
CES that year was obsessed with wireless HDMI, which allows you to send high definitions from a media player or set top box to your TV set without the requirement for a HDMI cable. It is yet to make it as a mass market product. Flat screen TVs were getting bigger and thinner, with the launch of LED TV screens. The mobile industry was plodding along with Windows-based smartphones and the offerings of Motorola struggling to find its way after the huge success of the Razr.
The Apple effect
How things were to quickly change with the debut of the iPhone. Not only was the hardware a revelation – touch-screen technology and multi-touch on a phone that actually worked, applications like Youtube and Google Maps executed beautifully, smooth integration of music player and phone. About a year later it also kicked off a sustainable model for mobile application development with the arrival of the App Store.
Apple’s innovation really seemed to shake up the entire electronics industry during the course of 2008. RIM came back with touch-screen phones and its own version of the App Store. Palm debuted the Pre. The all-in-one PC, executed by Apple so beautifully in the form of the iMac, was adopted by Dell and HP (the latter in conjunction with New Zealand touchscreen technology developer Nextwindow).
TVs – nowhere to go but down
Meanwhile, the TV industry was struggling to come up with innovations that would compel consumers to upgrade their aging cathode ray clunkers or first generation flat screen models. 2008 was really the year it became obvious plasma screne technology was on the way out and LCD would reign supreme at all sizes. But with most sets now displaying 1080p high definition, delivereing great contrast, brightness and refresh rates, there was little really revolutionary to show off. At tech shows over the last couple of years there has been much talk of OLED screens. I saw some nice prototypes of the technology from Sony in Japan a couple of years ago, but it has been much slower in coming to market than expected.
3D TVs have dominated CES this year, with most of the major manufacturers debuting 3D TV screens and a handful of US broadcasters announcing plans for 3D broadcasts, mainly of sporting events.
But the more exciting development in TV land, is the equipping of TVs to handle internet access – without the need for a separate black box. Several models were on show at CES that have software applications built into them natively and which can receive an internet feed via ethernet or wifi. I’ve been doing this via my PS3 for a couple of years, accessing Youtube on my TV screen and checking Gmail. But it is a relatively clunky experience. If TV makers can integrate popular applications like Twitter and Skype with normal TV viewing and the good old TV remote, the battle for the lounge will really ratecht up a few notches.
Nintendo’s rise from the ashes
I personally gave up gaming in early 2008, quitting my game reviewing gig with the New Zealand Herald as it occurred to me that most of the games I was reviewing were receiving one or two star reviews. My heart just wasn’t in it any more, except when the occasional gem like Grand Theft Auto III came along.
Launched in November 2006, the PS3 was a state-of-the-art gaming system, powered by the grunty Cell processor and featuring a Blu-ray player and all sorts of multimedia functions. Little would the gaming world realise how badly the PS3 would fair against the smaller, nimbler and much more appealing Nintendo Wii, which also appeared in time for Christmas 2006.
The Wii, with its cutesy little white box and Wii remote did two things for gaming – it broke with the traditional game controller model that had reigned since the early 1980s and it made gaming fun for girls. It continues to blaze the trail ahead of both the PS3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
Microsoft’s Project Natal launched at E3 last year and hyped again at CES this year is an attempt to make up some of that lost ground.
Slated for launch
If the iPhone set the tone for innovation over the last couple of years a sleeper hit emerged in the form of the Amazon Kindle. The e-book reader featuring electronic ink and a system of downloading books directly over th emobile network was a risky proposition for Amazon. Ebook readers hadn’t taken off previously. But Amazon had the relationship with publishers and the online sales model. On CHristmas day 2009, Amazon sold more Kindle books than physical books for the first time as new Kindle owners makde their first purchases.
It’s the success of the Kindle that has paved the way for a plethora of gadget makers to introduce their own slate computers and ebook readers at CES this year. The industry is salivating at the prospect of a new format for the market that slots in nicely between laptop and smart phone. If Apple goes ahead and launches a tablet later this month as rumoured, this burgeoning market sector could become huge. The potential is great – with slate-like devices the media industry could potentially revive the premium model it is craving, bundling subscriptions with mobile access charges to clip the ticket as people access their content via the mobile web.
What to make of it all?
CES this year wasn’t an iconic show. Sure, the Googlephone looks great, but Andriod has been around for some time. Even the 3D TVs have been doing the rounds at trade shows for years. There’s a sense however that the electronics industry is innovating again, perhaps relieved to have survived the recession intact and keen to make up for a few years of patchy product delivery.
About Griffin's Gadgets
Griffin's Gadgets is the blog of Sciblogs founder and editor Peter Griffin. His area of interests include technology, science, futurism and science communication. Peter is the founding director of the New Zealand Science Media Centre and a technology commentator for the New Zealand Listener, Radio New Zealand and Newstalk ZB.
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National Audit Office criticises DWP Sanctions
November 30, 2016 suwn
The National Audit Office has just produced a critical report on Benefit Sanctions. Of course they were only looking at sanctions within the official dialogue of getting people into work – where we all know they score very badly. But sanctions were never really about this. After all, there aren’t enough jobs. What the NAO doesn’t discuss is the unspoken agenda, where sanctions have proved very effective in disciplining people on benefits and in helping to create workers who dare not protest about their pay and conditions for fear of ending up unemployed and potentially destitute. You don’t even need to keep sanctioning people at such a high rate to achieve this – just enough to maintain a fear of being sanctioned.
Nevertheless, the NAO’s criticism provides an important tool with which to attack the credibility of this pernicious system – and DAVID WEBSTER has provided a summary of the KEY POINTS:
* The report is generally critical. It uses a ‘traffic light’ scoring system. On sanctions, DWP scores: red 2, red/amber 1, amber 3, amber/green 3, green 0. (Figure 1, p.11, Figure 8 p.21 and Figure 20, p.38)
* A recurring theme is the lack of evidence to support the sanctions regime, and the DWP’s unwillingness to make use of its own data to evaluate it or to collaborate with outside researchers. The report is particularly critical of the DWP’s reliance on ‘international evidence suggesting that broadly some form of sanction has an effect’. (para.23) It repeats the call for a wide review of sanctions made repeatedly by the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee. (para.24)
* Using Work Programme data, the NAO did its own analysis of sanctions’ employment effects. This found that JSA sanctions had a large effect in getting claimants off benefit, but they were as likely not to find work as they were to find it. There was no positive effect on earnings for those who found work.
* The report finds that ESA sanctions actually reduced claimants’ likelihood of working. This bears out the findings of the important report by Catherine Hale, Fulfilling Potential? ESA and the fate of the Work-Related Activity Group (2014).
* The report finds that the rise and fall in referrals over the period 2010 to 2016 cannot be explained by changes in claimant behaviour. (para.13, p.8) This supports the conclusions of my analysis published at www.cpag.org.uk/david-webster, although in other respects the conclusions are different.
* The report comments that sanctions are not rare. It finds that of all people who claimed JSA at any point between 2010 and 2015, 24% were sanctioned, before challenges. (Figure 5, p.16) The only previous published figure of this type (in FoI response 2014-4972) showed that 22.3% of the 8,232,560 individuals who claimed JSA over the five year period 2009/10 to 2013/14 inclusive, were sanctioned, after challenges. After allowing for the pre-/post- challenge difference, these figures are similar (about 10% of sanctions were overturned over these periods). DWP ministers and officials have deliberately and persistently misled politicians and the public by quoting the monthly sanctions rate of around 5% as if it meant that only 5% of claimants are ever sanctioned.
* The NAO report explains why the DWP hasn’t been publishing statistics on Universal Credit sanctions: it hasn’t been collecting them. Only from Sept 2016 has the DWP been recording whether UC decisions relate to sanctions or to other matters. (Note 4, Figure 2 p.13)
* The NAO report does not give statistics on Universal Credit sanctions, but it does show that the sanction referral rate for UC, at 11.7% of claimants per month, is approaching twice what it is for JSA (6.5%) (Figure 2, p.13) This implies that the UC sanction rate is also likely to be double that for JSA. The report also says that decision making for UC sanctions is understaffed, with 42% of UC sanction decisions in August 2016 taking more than 4 weeks while 90% of sanction referrals for other benefits are decided within 5 working days.
* In August 2015 the UK Statistics Authority made recommendations to DWP for improvement of its sanctions statistics and removal of misleading aspects including the misrepresentation of the proportion of JSA claimants who are sanctioned. Very little has happened since and the NAO report urges DWP to get on with implementing the UKSA’s 5 recommendations, which are listed in para.3.5.
* The NAO finds that some Work Programme providers make more than twice as many sanction referrals as other providers within the same geographical area, even though claimants are randomly allocated so that the caseload characteristics are identical for each provider. (para.2.12) It finds that where providers referred more people for sanctions, they had a worse employment performance. On average, the best provider in an area achieved 6% more employment outcomes and its participants received 20% fewer sanctions. (Figure 22, p.42)
* A particularly embarrassing finding for DWP is that it applies sanctions to a similar proportion of referrals from every Work Programme provider, whether they have a high or a low referral rate – in other words, while some providers are making an assessment of whether they should make a referral, DWP is not making genuine assessments of whether claimants should be sanctioned. (para.2.12 and Figure 13, p.29) Not surprisingly therefore, the report also finds that 26% of Work Programme sanctions are overturned compared to 11% of those imposed directly by Jobcentres.
* The NAO estimates that the amount of money not paid to claimants as a result of sanctions (sanction value minus hardship payments made) was about £97m in 2015. On the basis of a straightforward pro rata calculation, this supports the estimate of £332m which I previously made for 2013/14. The difference is due to the big fall in sanctions between 2013/14 and 2015.
* DWP has made no overall assessment of the costs and benefits of the sanctions regime including on other public services and should do so. (para. 3.20)
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2 thoughts on “National Audit Office criticises DWP Sanctions”
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May 09, 2017 · 08:43 pm Updated May 09, 2017 · 10:58 pm
Caste Violence
Uttar Pradesh: Several injured as caste-related violence breaks out in Saharanpur
There are conflicting reports on what triggered the clashes between the Dalit and Thakur community.
At least five policemen, an additional district magistrate and a number of rioters were injured in clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur on Tuesday, after violence erupted in the region for the third time in a month. Six people have been taken into custody, according to Hindustan Times.
There were mixed reports about what triggered the clashes. According to NDTV, violent confrontations began after members of the Dalit community refused to allow a procession to mark Maharana Pratap Jayanti. Their refusal was allegedly in response to upper caste Thakurs having stopped Dalits from holding a similar rally on Ambedkar Jayanti.
Other reports claimed that the clashes broke out after the police cut short a mahapanchayat called by the Dalit community. The mahapanchyat was organised to protest against the police inaction against members of the Thakur community, who were involved in communal clashes last week. The clashes had left one dead and several injured.
While members of the Dalit community torched vehicles and vandalised the Ramnagar Police Post, the police baton-charged and fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Dalits at the site claimed that more than 100 people were injured in the baton-charge, according to the Hindustan Times report.
Saharanpur Senior Superintendent of Police Subhash Chand Dubey said the rioters pelted stones and opened fire on officers using country-made pistols. Chief Minister Adityanath, who was in Meerut, has asked Inspector General (Meerut Zone) Ajay Anand to bring the situation under control.
On May 5, violence broke out in Saharanpur’s Shabbirpur village when upper caste members had organised a procession to commemorate the birth anniversary of Rajput king Maharana Pratap. The Dalit community had reportedly objected to the loud music played during the event. Some reports claimed that a statue of BR Ambedkar was vandalised, while others said the villagers were upset with the Thakurs for allegedly preventing an Ambedkar statue from being installed.
A group of Dalits held a rally on May 6 in Saharanpur city to demand action against the Thakurs. Later, 10 people from the Thakur community and seven from the Dalit community were arrested.
In April, the police had registered two FIRs against BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma and 300 other unidentified protestors, after clashes broke out during a rally organised by BJP members to mark Ambedkar Jayanti. The march was organised without the necessary permissions.
Processions on Ambedkar Jayanti have been banned in Saharanpur for seven years. The locality where the rally was held has a population of Muslims and Dalits and is a communally sensitive area.
caste conflict
Uttarakhand: Dalit man dies after upper-caste men beat him for sitting and eating in front of them
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Behind Closed Doors | 790 KABC
LA Traffic Update
san gabriel boulevard Discussed on KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO
KNX Programming | KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO
Off-Duty Police Officer Shoots Self During ‘Road Rage’ Incident in San Marino
Dark Secret Place | KFI AM 640
Authorities expand search of river for missing woman, son
456 - Die Hard with a Vengeance (with Jon Gabrus)
Mason and Ireland HOUR TWO
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is going to allow cellphone breaks, the guys weigh in. O'Shea Jackson Jr. is now watching Game Of Thrones and calls in and share his thoughts on the series. The guys air a clip of the Late Late Show with James Corden with Kobe Bryant answering a very important question.
Mason and Ireland HOUR THREE
Steve and John get their five questions together it's time for FAST TRACK!!! Tim Hardaway feels he's not in the Hall of Fame because of comments he made about gay people years ago, the guys weigh in. Crosstalk with Brian Kamenetzky.
TCF Ep. 457 - Mark Thiessen
Mark Thiessen has been a photographer with National Geographic since 1990 and on staff since 1997. He is widely published in all areas of the National Geographic Society, including National Geographic magazine, National Geographic Adventure magazine, and National Geographic Traveler magazine. National Geographic books that feature Thiessen's work include Return to Midway, which documents the discovery of the U.S.S. Yorktown, and Baseball as America, a look at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Thiessen has contributed to many articles for National Geographic magazine, including "Monsters of Madagascar" (August 2000), "Russian Smokejumpers (August 2002), "Search for Other Earths" (December 2002), and "Nanotechnology" (June 2006). In 1996, Thiessen began a personal photography project on wildland firefighters that took him to the front lines of wildfires every summer. To better understand the world of this little known subculture, he became a certified wildland firefighter. An award-winning online piece, FireCall, features Thiessen's photographs and interviews with a veteran wildland firefighter. Thiessen was also profiled for an episode of the National Geographic Channel's Out There series.  Resources: Mark ThiessenCharlie Hamilton James Momenta Photographic Workshops Focus on the Story Photography Festival The Candid Frame Newsletter The Candid Frame Alexa Skill Lessons from the Street eBook by Ibarionex Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow The Candid Frame Flickr Pool The Candid Frame YouTube Channel  Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download for iOS. Click here to download for Android Support the work we do at The Candid Frame with contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting patreon.com/thecandidframe or visiting the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via PayPal. You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and Twitter.
Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network
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Chiefs’ QB Alex Smith Helps Raiders Fan In Wheelchair [PICS]
Filed Under:Alex Smith, fan, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, wheelchair
by Cutter Hicks, Sports 1140 KHTK
Sure, the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs are divisional rivals. But who says they can’t help each other out while off the football field?
That’s what happened with Chiefs’ quarterback Alex Smith, who stepped up to help a struggling wife push her husband, who is a wheelchair user, while at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship on Friday.
Their son Kenny tweeted a picture of the event.
My mom was struggling to push my dad (a Raiders fan, obviously) up the ramp at @ACChampionship when Alex Smith stepped in to help 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/pyr1ZPiw8f
— Kenny Dorset (@KDorset) July 15, 2017
Yeah, he came out of no where. My dad didn't even know who was pushing him till they made it to the top Very cool
Someone eventually called him out on Twitter, stating “Maybe you should’ve helped out instead of taking pictures, Kenny.” His response was short and simple.
Maybe I wasn't there, Jake. https://t.co/L5nTi9OQwt
Way to go Alex!
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Huge Sideshow Closes Down Freeway In The Sacramento Area
Filed Under:Donuts, Drifting, Local TV, Sacramento News, sideshow, Sideshowing
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CBS13) — Over the weekend, police had to deal with the largest car sideshow some say they’ve ever seen.
There were two sideshows a few hours apart late Saturday night. The first took place on Highway 50 near Stockton Boulevard, and the second was on the other side of town in south Sacramento. Video obtained by CBS13 shows dozens of drivers blocking part of Highway 50 with their hazard lights on to warn oncoming cars.
The video also shows several cars doing donuts, and at one point, narrowly missing onlookers.
“That’s crazy, I ain’t seen nothin’ like that.”
One man who saw the video says this is the biggest sideshow he’s ever seen, and he’s performed in them.
“It’s ballsy, it’s also kinda crafty, I don’t know how they stopped traffic like that,” he said.
Police say there were about 500 cars involved in the sideshow, with almost 1,000 people watching.
“I think all these guys should have gotten arrested,” said another man.
He says sideshows are dangerous and a nuisance to innocent drivers.
“I think I’d be very upset if I was one of those people in the car, it’s already bad enough with traffic,” the man added.
Fresh tire marks were evidence of another sideshow just South of Watt Avenue, hours after the first incident on Highway 50. Sacramento police say there were about 100 cars at the second show, and aren’t sure if the two are related.
The night ended with an impounded car and an arrest after one driver tried to race away from police. It was a night for officers who say they’ve never been called out to sideshows this big.
Police say they cited dozens of drivers. They say sideshow drivers can have their cars impounded for a month and have to pay thousands of dollars to get them back.
John Konze says:
What is their reason for this illegal activity??? Not in your report, omitted on purpose ???
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BBC Radio 3 broadcasts on the first weekend of EFG London Jazz Festival
BBC Radio 3 will be majoring on jazz during the opening weekend of the EFG London Jazz Festival, with programmes including
Friday 15 November 19:30-22:00 Radio 3 in Concert
Jazz Voice at the EFG London Jazz Festival celebrates singers Cécile McLorin Salvant, Cherise, Corinne Bailey Rae, Judi Jackson, Raul Midón and Urban Flames, performing with Guy Barker and the EFG London Jazz Festival Orchestra. All of them can be seen across the next 10 days at their own shows
Friday 15 November 23:30 – 00:30 J to Z Late…live from the EFG London Jazz Festival
Live from the Royal Institute of British Architects
Jumoké Fashola will be joined by Etuk Ubong, a Nigerian trumpeter who blends jazz tradition with Afrobeat and Highlife. Madison McFerrin performs a solo vocal set and trombonist Rosie Turton plays music from her debut, Rosie’s 5ive
Friday 15 November 01:00 - Saturday 16 November 07:00 Jazz All Night
A special all-night jazz session hosted by Al Ryan including -
01:00 Hermeto Pascoal in concert
01:30 Jazz Fix (Presented by Tina Edwards w/ Stephen K Amos)
02:00 Godfathers of Jazz: Herbie Hancock
03:30 Godfathers of Jazz: Sonny Rollins (presented by Julian Joseph and Tony Kofi)
04:30 New Generation Artist: Rob Luft (guitar) and band
06:00 New Generation Artist: Misha Mullov-Abbado (bass) and his band
06:30 Jazz FM presents…Helen Mayhew in conversation
Saturday 16 November 17:00-18:30 J to Z
Julian Joseph presents Cleveland Watkiss, who shares tracks that have inspired him
Saturday 16 November 00:00-01:00 Freeness
Corey Mwamba presents the best improvised music from the outer edges of jazz and beyond.
Roscoe Mitchell, a founding member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, selects three tracks
OlderListingNewer
LEAP Alumni deliver projects across the country, engaging new audiences
Vote now - Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards 2020
>BBC Radio 3 broadcasts on the first weekend of EFG London Jazz Festival
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Amidst a dismal Maharashtra drought, Seeds of change in Solapur
April 6, 2016 April 7, 2016 SANDRP
Solapur, a chronically drought-hit district in Maharashtra was serviced with more than 200 tankers in 2013-14, even when the monsoon was good. In this drought, there are only 16 tankers plying in Solapur. Drinking water sources have been secured. The district leads the way in Jal Yukta Shivar Program in the state, new avenues of Agricultural credit are opening, options to sugarcane are being developed, errant sugar factories are being fined for polluting drinking water sources…
All this sounds too good to be true in a state where it seems lessons are not being learnt from 3 droughts in past 4 years. But it is happening. These positive stories deserve to be told at a time when overall situation appears dismal..
When I reached Solapur, I was a bit skeptical about Jalyukta Shivar Program, a flagship small scale soil and water conservation program of the Government of Maharashtra. I still have several concerns about the way in which and the scale at which the project is being implemented, but its potential in addressing critical issues, especially when steered by a visionary leadership, is doubtless. In the entire state, Solapur is far ahead in implementation of Jal Yukta Shivar (JYS) works and the major credit of this remarkable feat goes to Collector Tukaram Mundhe and his dedicated team from Water Conservation and Agricultural Department.
Solapur is a land of contradictions. Situated in a chronically drought affected part of the Bhima River Basin (a sub basin of Krishna River Basin), bordering Marathwada, the district has the highest concentration of water guzzling sugarcane and sugar factories in the state. In 2012-13 drought, Solapur had 28 sugar factories and the irony of this concentration in a water stressed area was amply highlighted. However, two droughts later, number of sugar factories only grew to 32 from previous 28.
In this scenario, Collector Tukaram Mundhe staunchly opposed and stopped water release from the Ujani Dam in Solapur (largest dam in the Bhima River Basin) for irrigating sugarcane in Rabi, stating that the project is meant for 8 monthly irrigation and no release can be made for a perennial crop like sugarcane in the face of a severe water crisis looming over Solapur. This was a strong decision which, predictably, led to protests from the politically powerful sugar lobby. Such strong steps have come from few people in the administration so far. In fact from none.
As I was scheduling a meeting with Mr. Mundhe, it was disturbing to hear that his car has been hit by the sand mafia which he has taken on but that did not affect the visit.
JYS is an ambitious program of the Government of Maharashtra, initiated in the times of the past NCP Congress government where erstwhile CM Prthiviraj Chavan played a key role. That said, it was present CM Devendra Fadnavis who grasped the potential of small scale water harvesting and made a veritable movement of this program. JSY consist of a host of on-farm and small scale measures like area treatment and contour bunding, soil and water conservation through continuous contour trenches, gully plugging, nalla bunding, cement nallahs bunds, recharging shallow wells, bore wells and hand pumps, desilting and maintenance of old Minor irrigation tanks, percolation tanks and community tanks and also (and this one is problematic) straightening, deepening and widening of rivers and streams in the state. There are some very valid issues and objections raised about the way JSY is being implemented, that deserves separate discussion.
The government aims to aggressively push JYS in the worst hit places, serviced by tankers, but there is more elaborate eligibility criteria. The stated objective of JYS is to make Maharashtra Drought free by 2019. All of the works done are mapped on an interactive platform by Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre[i], specifically for the Soil and Water Conservation Department. At this point, the MRSC shows that 1,54,177 works under JYS have been completed across the state and Solapur is leading the way in almost all of these works.
Works done under Jal Yukt Shivar in Maharashtra till date
I visited some of the works in late January this year.
I was standing on the banks of the small tank called as Seetabai Talav where Deputy Director of Agriculture Mr. Mane and his team were enthusiastically showing me desiltation work done to increase the capacity of the tank. That much could be seen. But what was done with the excavated silt? In Maharashtra, several large dams like Gangapur and Hathnur are full of silt and the Water Resources Department (WRD) wants to build more dams rather than desilt existing projects as they have no clue what to do with the silt.
Deputy Dir. Agriculture Mr. Mane at the desilted Seetabai Talav Photo: Author
Here, I was taken to a field about 3 kms away, where the silt from Seetabai Tank was used to make a predominantly rocky strata cultivable. Papaya and Drumstick plants were swaying in the wind. Mr. Kedar Jodmote who owns this land says that something like this was unthinkable a year back. More than 2000 hectares of land in Solapur has been made cultivable, using such silt.
We further saw a well recharge project where overflow of an adjacent stream was diverted through a dug channel to a small desilting and recharge chamber, from where overflow was diverted into a well. In keeping with the surrounding, the well was dry, but the farmer hurried by and told us that he could take a corn crop only because of this well.
We also visited a farm where impeccable area treatment was carried out. The farm was outlined by a deep trench and mound which ensured that all the water received by the farm remained within the farm and recharged the area surrounding the farm.
Next to the farm was a small stream which was desilted, widened and deepened and which had a cement nallah bund built across it. The farmer Avdhoot Pujari and Vitthal Khatte told me proudly that their Jowar and fodder crops were saved due to the bund and soil moisture due to area treatment.
Solapur’s Jalyukta Shivar has ambitious target of completing Area Treatment for 100% villages, well recharge in 100% villages, rejuvenating rivers and nallahs targeting most villages, constructing cement Nallah Bunds on streams, desilting and strengthening existing tanks and ponds through people’s participation, covering most of the irrigated area by micro irrigation and taking crucial steps towards a more climate friendly cropping pattern, which is also profitable for the farmers.
In the first stage, 280 villages have been selected which belong to 64 mega watersheds and 1298 micro watersheds. While the rate of implementation and completion of works under this scheme in most other districts of the state remains dismally low[ii], in Solapur more than 26,000 works of the 28,000+ planned works have been completed already! Works costing around Rs 68 Crores haven achieved through peoples’ participation in cash or kind.
Till February 2016, a whopping 1900 works on Compartment Bunding (making trench and mound around farms) and area treatment have been completed, covering an area of about 80,832 hectares, 494 earthen bunds have been erected, 434 farm ponds have been set up, 334 cement nallahs bunds are up, 264 percolation tanks have been repaired. (Note: Data realted to JYS works has been made available by the Collector Office)
Remarkably, 29,926 wells have been recharged so far, 15,503 through JYS and 14,423 from villages which are not in the scheme, 445 Vanrai bunds (bunds made up of filled sand bags) have been set up. Unfortunately, no work has happened about Water User Associations.
The Collectorate claims that 42.66 lakh cubic meters of silt has been removed from various tanks and 2,326 hectares of land has been made cultivable through this.
Silt from tanks being used to reclaim land
About 4531 farmers took part in this work, which holds value of Rs 31.99 Crores. PPP Model for desilting has also been used. Cut off trenches in earthen dams and tanks need repair to avoid seepage and maintain structural safety. About 323 COTs have been repaired and reinstated in the past years. (A trench which is below the foundation base line of a dam or other structure and is filled with an impervious material, such as clay or concrete, to form a watertight barrier.)
The Collector has honored officials who have worked innovatively on well recharge. Mr. Joshi, Agricultural Assistant was felicitated for recharging 112 wells on South Solapur.
Well recharging works Source: Collectorate
Same is the case with Borewell Recharge programs and recharging drinking water sources and hand pumps
Borewell recharge
Compartment bunding or Area Treatment forms the focus area of JYS in Solapur. Of the 100,000 odd hectares of area treatment targeted for 2015-16, work over 80,832 hectares has been completed so far. Like in other efforts, here too officials who undertake innovative and efficient work are openly felicitated.
Continuous contour trench work, which has been completed for over 331 hectares.
CCT Work
Of the 28,266 works undertaken in 2015-16, by February 26,379 works have been completed. Amount spent on this so far is Rs 194.02 Crores.
It is claimed that this creation of new capacity and recharge has resulted in net creation of 46246.33 TCM (46 MCM) of water while and reinstating old capacity through measures like desilting, broadening and deepening of rivers and streams, repairing bunds and tanks, etc., has resulted into a net increase in water availability by 14010 TCM (14 MCM).
Considering the nuances of groundwater recharge, evaporation losses, percolation and final water availability, this figure needs to be checked. However, this does not take away from the fact that impressive soil and water conservation work has happened in Solapur which also includes a strong component of micro irrigation through drip and sprinklers.
The work is very closely monitored by the Collector who has himself measured the depth and height of the compartment bunds set up in villages like Mandrup and Ghodyacha Tandaa. The Collector also conducts regular monitoring and guiding meetings with all officials from the Agriculture Department, in almost all villages! Training Workshops are being conducted in the village as well as block level and felicitation of efficient and innovative officials has become a trend.
While looking at a well recharge Mr. Mane suddenly tells me, “Madam, we feel proud of our work. It is a lot of hard work, but I feel proud at the end of the day.” This is indeed commendable.
In his office Tukaram Mundhe tells us more about his vision for Solapur. He is clear that agriculture will have to be looked at as an agro industry if small holding farmers are to make profit. One of the key component in this context is agricultural credit, which he is pursuing to achieve with great zeal. He talks about how even government institutions are wary of giving credit to farmers, when it is their right. He has been instrumental in ensuring about Rs 5000 Crores Agri. Credit reaches the farmers in 2014-15 and is nearing (when last heard) the Rs 10,000 Crore credit plan for 2015-16, out of which about Rs 2000 Crores is only for micro irrigation. No credit will be forwarded to sugarcane without drip and for Crop Credit of about Rs 5000 Crores, no mortgage will be required from farmers.
He says, “Rather than providing subsidy, making agricultural credit more accessible and transparent for farmers will be important.”
He also talks about the need to demonstrate the profitability of horticulture and vegetable farming, even on a small land holding, if we are to counter the gigantic growth of sugarcane. “Administration, through agricultural credit and forward and backward linkages has a huge role to play here, which is slowly evident in Solapur. In Mangalvedha theer are farms where 0.5 acre land has the facility of Shade Net & grows vegetables like capsicum and is much more profitable than sugarcane, using a fraction of water. In case of forward linkages of fruits and vegetables Solapur is uniquely placed from metros like Hyderabad, Bijapur and Pune. About 250 shade-nets have been installed in various places, I hope this picks up.”
He is very optimistic about well recharge program, having seen excellent results in places like Khadki in Karmala where a recharged borewell came to life after a shower and has been providing drinking water to the village. “Recharging wells only costs about 10,000 Rs. But rural population depends on groundwater, we should not ignore it, in fact it is our biggest ally.”
Same is the case with Malegaon where recharging wells and borewells has assured drinking water supply.
He is possibly the only Collector who has evoked the Groundwater (Management and Development) Act of 2009, fining a sugar industry (Shri Siddheshwar Co Operative Sugar Factory) for polluting and exploiting a groundwater source which is used for drinking. The factory was imposed exemplary fine of Rs 1.5 Crores.
Urban Water Supply
“Urban water supply is more about management than water availability. As a Collector of the perennially dry Jalna, our team could revive an old water supply tank from the time of Nizam with the help of local groups. When I took over in 2011-12, water was supplied to Jalna once in 15 days. That is unacceptable! From there, we worked on water supply efficiency, rotations, etc., to come to ½ hour every three days from 2 hours once in fifteen days and was also able to bring it to ½ hour every day. Urban water supply is more of an internal efficiency and management issue, than a source issue. If we would have waited for water to come from Jayakwadi, we would wait for 10 more years!” Remarkable wisdom indeed, and wish urban water planners all over India were to listen to this and follow it rather than hankering for long distance water mirages.
One of his most remarkable achievements has been the in Solapur where in 2013-14, 212 tankers had to be in service to supply water… this year, even with a dismally low rain (in Monsoon, Solapur has received just 193.9 mm rainfall, less than half that of Rajasthan), the number of tankers is down to just 16 in March 2016!
He attributes this to creating a systematic inventory of water sources, which were many times not on record and repairing and recharging maximum possible structures, which has now made nearly 60 villages and 69 settlements tanker free! “In addition we saw that number of drinking water supply schemes are defunct. There are many reasons behind it, including non-payment of dues. We paid the dues and made sure that maintenance funds flow from National Rural Drinking Water Program. 47 villages have been made tanker free through this. In addition, we have completed languishing schemes on priority and have expanded pipeline network. If we look at the whole picture, the solutions are simple”.
“We have given assurance to the people that administration will provide water, not tankers, and we are trying to do that.”
This sounded too good to be true. I must confess that I was a bit skeptical and talked with some villagers and networks in Solapur. All were unanimous in saying that tanker lobby has been beaten down in Solapur and drinking water is indeed assured. While people still have to spend time in collecting water, this was true when the tankers were plying too.
Mr. Mundhe has been made a Temporary Commissioner of Solapur just for a period of ten days (in which he made sure that a whopping Rs 1 Crore Property Tax was recovered from political heavy weights on his very first day) During this time, he is aggressively looking at fixing leakages and wastages in the pipeline system from Ujani to Solapur. A major repair work has already started.
It is not often that you write about the work of one official. I was unsure. However, I realized that such dynamic and innovative efforts from Mr. Tukaram Mundhe and his team from the administration deserve acknowledgement and huge respect. They hold great potential and seeds of change for a better future.
Mr. Mundhe is being targeted by several groups, ruling and opposition parties and the status quo lobby is clearly unhappy with him. He has been attacked by the sand mafia. Amidst all this, we wish Mr. Mundhe all the very best for the spectacular work being achieved in Solapur and hope this exemplary work continues and spreads in other districts of Maharashtra and beyond. In this time of unprecedented drought across the country, there is a lot that we can learn from the ongoing work in Solapur.
While many of the actions in Solapur are most welcome, this seems to be largely happening due to a few individual officers there and in spite of the state and the central government. Even in Solapur, the district administration could not take effective action to curb sugarcane cultivation and sugar mills operations in these drought times. With these (and some others mentioned above) qualifications and limitations, the steps in Solapur as described above are certainly welcome and worthy of replication.
Parineeta Dandekar
[i] http://mrsac.maharashtra.gov.in/jalyukt/
[ii] http://www.loksatta.com/aurangabad-news/jalyukt-shivar-abhiyan-1220544/
Published by SANDRP
View all posts by SANDRP
Bhima River Basin Jal Yukta Shivar Maharashtra Maharashtra Drought Solapur Sugar Sugar Industry Sugarcane Tukaram Mundhe Ujani Ujani Dam
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21 thoughts on “Amidst a dismal Maharashtra drought, Seeds of change in Solapur”
Vinay Deodhar says:
The Example of Mr. Mundhe should be widely publicised. State Government should use his experience in all other districts..
Sahishnu says:
May a 1000 Tukaram Mundhe’s have similar dedication for serving their people
Surekha Divate says:
Honb.Munde sir’s work achieved in Solapur District is role model for other districts.we are proud of him.
Very excellent coverage of Solapur district JYS.
Shankar Manik Birajdar says:
In every Taluka there are tankers. Every village in Akkalkot Taluka is facing drinking water crisis. Mr Mundhe is an adamant Collector. He is mis leading ànd fooling the State Government. Government spending has been very very negligible. People are forced to buy water from tanker owners. There are no other sources available. This is high time please do not praise him without verifying ground reality. We don’t need misleading Collector. We want Collector works more and talks less. Anyone who believe me can visit Akkalkot and villages in this taluka.
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This is really awesome work. Solapur drought situation is well known to people in Maharashtra but efforts like these will surely change the situation.
The Sugar factories that are being talked about are mostly around the Baramati region and surrogately owned by the Pawar family. I think only because of the BJP govt. support it has been possible to punish these Sugar factories.
Kudos to Mr. Mundhe
patil ganesh tao barshi says:
harish Loungani says:
Mr. Mundhe you are the true Bharat Ratan….. God bless you…
Amol says:
Solapur district is most popular for drought but I wish to Honb. Mundhe Sir this situation will be changed.
Amit Panji says:
Highly appreciated the way he make it possible from his great efforts.
Simply hats off to Mr. Mundhe.
Ranjana Borse says:
Like you every district collector should take interest in water conservation .
nkbhandariwor says:
A very good example and great step towards humanity. i will definately plan to visit and have first hand experince. congrats.
n k bhandari
Sachin Barbade says:
Being from solapur , aware @ work done under leadership of Mr. Munde . Very good officer.Positive Publicity requires so that more will follow his work.Good article. Still lot of villages where commendable job done by locals.Best wishes to Entire team of Mr. Munde. Spread it .👍
The full credit goes to team who really worked for the farmer’s and they are Mr.Munde Saheb and those who worked with him that’s the agriculture team to make the farmer’s look happy. I salute you all.
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yamunajiye says:
Well done Parineeta ji. More such positive stories are welcome in an otherwise very dismal scenario.
Ashok Deshmane says:
Nice work. We are building our farmers next generation.
Giving it back to where it belongs.
Scorching heat, lack of rain, drought is eating up the land and the result, giver of food, health and nutrition are giving up their lives. Hope against hope has given way to dire desperation. These are our farmers and their families, who have been plunged into a darkness and lack the basic needs of life. Nobody extends any respite for the poor families who are fighting a losing battle against the whim of nature.
Visit Snehwan at https://milaap.org/campaigns/snehwan to know more
Pingback: Drought management: Successes in Solapur, India
Chaitanya says:
Excellent and well researched article. Look forward to more from you Ms Dandekar. We need more people like you going to the villages and reporting on the ground realities there. We in the cities cannot afford to be disconnected anymore from what’s happening in our rural areas. Kudos!
akshara says:
laex says:
I simply wanted to write down a quick word to say thanks to you for that wonderful information you are showing on this site.
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Home Scandal and Gossip What caused the Shia LaBeouf Cabaret meltdown?
What caused the Shia LaBeouf Cabaret meltdown?
What caused the Shia LeBouf Cabaret meltdown? (screen grabs)
It seems our collective hero Shia LeBeouf has succumbed to meltdowns of meltdowns as the Hollywood actor took to a series of disingenuous behavior yesterday which included chasing a homeless man around NYC’s theater district, attending a production of Cabaret later that evening in a complete drunken stupor, attacking fellow theater goers, smoking during the show, crying in front of arresting officers, falling on his face as he attempted to evade arresting officers and later spitting at them upon being taken to taken to overnight jail.
Shia LaBeouf reluctantly checks into rehab cause he knew he had to.
Which presents the very awkward question; what exactly is going on with Shia LeBouf, one of Hollywood’s most accomplished actors?
According to TMZ yesterday’s mayhem came to begin circa 1pm when the actor turned up to local bar, the Iguana Club where the actor proceeded to down cocktail after cocktail with no food.
The bartender would tell that the actor was polite, tipped well, along with telling a server that he wasn’t a big soccer fan but wanted to be patriotic because he ‘had Belgian family.’
Having left the bar the Hollywood actor who by now was sporting a torn shirt proceeded to then chase a homeless man (yes kids, some of us have all the fun) around the Manhattan Theater district whilst shocked onlookers tried to make sense of what was going on.
Witnesses would tell it appeared the actor wanted either a bag of McDonald’s food or a baseball cap that the homeless man had. One even had come to believe that the actor must have been shooting a real film scene given the absurdity of the actor’s behavior.
At one point Shia LeBouf was overhead saying: ‘It’s me, Shia.’
From there the disheveled 28 year old actor made his way to a theater production of Cabaret staring Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams where he proceeded to yell obscenities at audience members all the while chain smoking during Cabaret’s first act.
From there the actor took to slapping theatergoers along with even hitting some on the back of the head before going backstage during intermission to slap the behinds of some actors he knew, including Alan Cumming.
Confronted by police officers who by now had been called to restrain the unruly actor, LaBeouf would scream: ‘F*** you… this is f****** b******t… Do you know my life?’
‘Do you know who the f*** I am?’,
As officers took to apprehending the actor who was increasingly acting belligerent, LeBeouf attempted to walk away only to fall flat on his face.
By now in custody, the disorientated actor was taken to the Midtown North precinct where The New York Post reports the actor told officers ‘I’ll f*** you up’ even calling one a ‘fag.’
From there the Transformers star proceeded to copiously spit at officers before being muzzled with a face mask for failing to stop spitting.
The actor would allegedly tell one cop: ‘I have millions and millions of dollars and attorneys… I’m going to ruin your career.’
Which is probably the biggest oxymoron considering that the actor after last night’s outburst may have indeed ruined his own career.
Arresting officers would tell the actor had acted in an agitated manner, was wildly incoherent, smelled bad and had proceeded to lie to them about having served in the military.
Strangely cops told how LaBeouf even began rapping a made-up song, repeating ‘I want to go out. I want to go out.’
Since last night’s buoyant escapades, Shia LaBeouf has come to be charged with criminal trespass, harassment and disorderly conduct. He was processed and released from a holding cell on Friday morning.
Since yesterday’s calamaties,the web has attempted to understand why the former child actor and Hollywood mainstay(at least until recently) who to date has exhibited previous minor meltdowns had the very public meltdown that he had, with many suggesting bipolar disease, addiction, rebellion, existential angst with other media outlets raising the specter of the actor’s reticence with his growing fame, attacks against his artistic integrity, fallouts with fellow actors (Alec Baldwin), theater producers and the actor’s all round general sense of disillusionment with his status as a Hollywood actor, which of course would not make him the first to go by the loony, erratic bin.
A spokesman for LaBeouf has since declined to offer comment on behalf of the actor told the New York Daily News.
Forced to wear the spit shield after spitting at arresting officers.
And then there were these following comments on the web that made me wonder as well:
He got into acting to support his family, lost his way, and is now a nutcase. I don’t envy him nor do I pity him, but I understand the struggle he had before he was famous. Those demons are probably haunting him now as it would for anyone.
Free publicity for a neglected actor?
He’s an addict or alcoholic and needs help
A smug little man who is slowly realizing he just simply is not that good and will never be among the long-term noteworthy in his field. A fact that most of the rest of us in the real world have known for a while.
As you can see they are just PEOPLE like the rest of us, and in many ways filled with more problems that they are better at hiding. In this case, one of his problems got the best of him.
In another, they’re just people under pressure to always be on. They can’t be anonymous in public. People latch on to them to be seen with them, travel in their circle, hope to get into the business or advance their careers, etc.. People use them. How do you really know who your friends are when people see you as a commodity?
While I don’t follow his career, he certainly did seem to become cynical all too quickly and I can understand why.
I hope he gets his life together and stops his spiral of self-destruction. After all, there are people out here who have it far worse off than having to deal with fame.
Shia LaBeouf. Sorry. Doesn’t ring a bell.
hawt bixch
Berryhill High School teacher has threesome w/ student & another woman
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JP2017159020A - Electrosurgical device - Google Patents
Electrosurgical device Download PDF
JP2017159020A
JP2017159020A JP2017002908A JP2017002908A JP2017159020A JP 2017159020 A JP2017159020 A JP 2017159020A JP 2017002908 A JP2017002908 A JP 2017002908A JP 2017002908 A JP2017002908 A JP 2017002908A JP 2017159020 A JP2017159020 A JP 2017159020A
ナフテハール マーノ
Nagtegaal Marno
ジャイラス メディカル リミテッド
Gyrus Medical Ltd
2016-01-12 Priority to GB1600589.4 priority Critical
2016-01-12 Priority to GB1600589.4A priority patent/GB2546278A/en
2016-01-12 Priority to GBGB1600546.4A priority patent/GB201600546D0/en
2016-01-12 Priority to GB1600546.4 priority
2017-01-11 Application filed by ジャイラス メディカル リミテッド, Gyrus Medical Ltd, ジャイラス メディカル リミテッド filed Critical ジャイラス メディカル リミテッド
2017-09-14 Publication of JP2017159020A publication Critical patent/JP2017159020A/en
2020-01-19 Application status is Pending legal-status Critical
230000001112 coagulant Effects 0 abstract 1
238000005520 cutting process Methods 0 abstract 1
238000007789 sealing Methods 0 abstract 1
210000001519 tissues Anatomy 0 abstract 1
A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
A61B18/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
A61B18/14—Probes or electrodes therefor
A61B18/1442—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
A61B18/1445—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
A61B17/28—Surgical forceps
A61B17/29—Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
A61B17/295—Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery combined with cutting implements
A61B17/2909—Handles
A61B18/1482—Probes or electrodes therefor having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
A61B2017/00017—Electrical control of surgical instruments
A61B2017/00367—Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
A61B2017/00371—Multiple actuation, e.g. pushing of two buttons, or two working tips becoming operational
A61B2017/2901—Details of shaft
A61B2017/2902—Details of shaft characterized by features of the actuating rod
A61B2017/2903—Details of shaft characterized by features of the actuating rod transferring rotary motion
A61B2017/2912—Handles transmission of forces to actuating rod or piston
A61B2017/2913—Handles transmission of forces to actuating rod or piston cams or guiding means
A61B2017/2919—Handles transmission of forces to actuating rod or piston details of linkages or pivot points
A61B2017/292—Handles transmission of forces to actuating rod or piston details of linkages or pivot points connection of actuating rod to handle, e.g. ball end in recess
A61B2017/2926—Details of heads or jaws
A61B2017/2927—Details of heads or jaws the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
A61B2017/2929—Details of heads or jaws the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
A61B2017/293—Details of heads or jaws the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft with means preventing relative rotation between the shaft and the actuating rod
A61B2017/2932—Transmission of forces to jaw members
A61B2017/2945—Curved jaws
A61B2017/2946—Locking means
A61B2017/2948—Sealing means, e.g. for sealing the interior from fluid entry
A61B17/32—Surgical cutting instruments
A61B17/3209—Incision instruments
A61B17/3211—Surgical scalpels, knives; Accessories therefor
A61B2017/32113—Surgical scalpels, knives; Accessories therefor with extendable or retractable guard or blade
A61B2018/00053—Mechanical features of the instrument of device
A61B2018/00059—Material properties
A61B2018/00071—Electrical conductivity
A61B2018/00083—Electrical conductivity low, i.e. electrically insulating
A61B2018/00107—Coatings on the energy applicator
A61B2018/00142—Coatings on the energy applicator lubricating
A61B2018/00172—Connectors and adapters therefor
A61B2018/00178—Electrical connectors
A61B2018/00184—Moving parts
A61B2018/00202—Moving parts rotating
A61B2018/00315—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body for treatment of particular body parts
A61B2018/00345—Vascular system
A61B2018/00351—Heart
A61B2018/00571—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body for achieving a particular surgical effect
A61B2018/00589—Coagulation
A61B2018/00601—Cutting
A61B2018/00607—Coagulation and cutting with the same instrument
A61B2018/0063—Sealing
A61B2018/00636—Sensing and controlling the application of energy
A61B2018/00696—Controlled or regulated parameters
A61B2018/00702—Power or energy
A61B2018/0091—Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
A61B2018/00916—Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
A61B2018/0094—Types of switches or controllers
A61B2018/00952—Types of switches or controllers rotatable
A61B2018/1452—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps including means for cutting
A61B2018/1455—Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps including means for cutting having a moving blade for cutting tissue grasped by the jaws
A61B2018/1467—Probes or electrodes therefor using more than two electrodes on a single probe
A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
A61B90/03—Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
A61B2090/032—Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
A61B2090/033—Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin
A61B2090/034—Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin abutting on parts of the device itself
A61B2090/035—Abutting means, stops, e.g. abutting on tissue or skin abutting on parts of the device itself preventing further rotation
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surgical instrument having an end effector mounted on an end of an elongate shaft extending from a handle.SOLUTION: An end effector 14 can implement several different operations such as grasping, cutting, and sealing and/or coagulating tissue, and one of the operations is controlled by a trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism has an actuator, a drive shaft 316, and a flanged component for transferring movement of the actuator to the drive shaft whose movement controls the end effector. The trigger mechanism is configured to enable easy assemblage and also enable maximum control of the end effector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4
Embodiments of the invention described herein relate to electrosurgical devices, and in particular, such that a mechanical blade provides a tissue cutting action and, in conjunction with an electrosurgical electrode, provides a tissue coagulation effect or a tissue sealing effect. The present invention relates to electrosurgical forceps.
Electrosurgical instruments are superior to traditional surgical instruments in that they can be used for coagulation and tissue sealing purposes. One such arrangement according to the prior art is known from US 2015/223870 A1. The document describes an endoscopic bipolar forceps that includes a housing and a shaft, the shaft including at its distal end two clamping members for grasping tissue therebetween. Have Each clamping member is configured to be connected to a source of electrosurgical energy that enables a tissue seal to be achieved for the tissue held therebetween. A drive assembly for moving the clamping member is included in the housing. A movable handle is also included, and movement of the handle actuates the drive assembly to move the clamping members relative to each other. The end effector includes a knife passage and is configured to allow reciprocation of the knife blade therein to permit tissue cutting.
Other prior art arrangements include US 5,730,740, US 5,104,397, US 4,800,880, WO 98/14124, US 2012/0109186, US 5,352,235, WO 2014/074807, US 7,846,161, WO 2008. / 024911, US 5,776,130, US 6,039,733, US 6,179,834, US 7,131,971, US 7,766,910, EP 262859, US 2014/0221999, US 7,083,618, US 2009/0248020, US 2015 / 0209103, US 5,797,938, and US 7,101,373.
Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved surgical instrument having an end effector mounted on the end of an elongate shaft extending from a handle. The end effector is capable of several different actions such as grasping, cutting, and sealing and / or coagulating tissue, one of these actions being a trigger mechanism as described herein Controlled by. The trigger mechanism includes an actuator, a drive shaft, and a flange component for transmitting actuator movement to the drive shaft, the movement of the drive shaft controlling the end effector. The trigger mechanism is configured to allow maximum control of the end effector as well as easy assembly. In particular, the actuator is provided with a collar portion arranged to receive and then hold the component, which component can freely rotate within the collar. In this regard, the collar portion has a keyhole-like arrangement with a wider upper portion and a narrower lower portion, such that the narrower lower portion provides an interference fit against the main body of the component. Width. To assemble the component in the collar, you can first insert the component into the wider upper part and then push down on the main body of the component into the lower lower part, where the component flange is Help the component be held axially in the lower part. Such an arrangement allows easy assembly while allowing the end effector to rotate and maintaining the end effector's responsiveness to the trigger mechanism.
From one aspect, the following surgical instrument is provided. Surgical instruments
A handle,
An elongated shaft extending from the handle;
An end effector positioned at the distal end of the elongated shaft;
A drive shaft in an elongate shaft, connected to an end effector at its distal end and connected to a component in the handle at its proximal end;
A trigger mechanism positioned on the handle and movable between a first position and a second position, the movement of the component from the first position to the second position being a longitudinal direction of the component A trigger mechanism that causes movement, which further changes the end effector from a first state to a second state;
The trigger mechanism includes a portion having first and second continuous holes, the first hole having a dimension such that a component can pass therethrough, and the second hole is configured so that the movement of the trigger mechanism is the component described above. Characterized in that the component is dimensioned to be received in the second bore so as to cause a corresponding longitudinal movement of the component.
Thus, the trigger mechanism and components can be easily assembled without the need for additional structure. When the component is received in the second bore, it maintains sliding to ensure that the movement of the trigger mechanism is transmitted directly to the component and subsequently to the drive shaft and end effector. While rotating freely with the drive shaft. This is particularly important to ensure that the end effector responds to the trigger mechanism movement and that there is no significant delay between the trigger mechanism movement and the end effector state change.
The instrument can also be an instrument that allows the drive shaft and components to be inserted into the first bore when the instrument is assembled, in which case the instrument moves the drive shaft and components with the trigger assembly. An instrument that allows the trigger assembly to be moved relative to the drive shaft and components after they have been inserted into the first hole for movement into the second hole to be positioned therein. It may be.
The component is cylindrical so that it has an outer profile with a circular cross section, in which case the first hole may have a circular cross section that is larger than the diameter of the component. The second hole may also have a circular cross section with a diameter similar to the component.
The component may have a closed circumference so that the first and second holes are contained within the body of the trigger mechanism.
The component may be provided with a flange adapted to rest against the face of the trigger mechanism. Optionally, the component may be provided with first and second flanges adapted to lean against the front and back of the trigger mechanism.
The trigger mechanism may be a single piece plastic molding.
The trigger mechanism may comprise a pivot rod that can pivot about it, the pivot rod being positioned at the distal end of the trigger mechanism above the first and second holes. Good.
From a second aspect, a method is provided for assembling a trigger mechanism for a surgical instrument as described herein. The trigger mechanism is an actuator having a collar portion, wherein the collar is formed of two consecutive holes, the first hole having a larger diameter than the second hole, and an actuator at its distal end. A component having a first flange positioned and a second flange positioned at a proximal end thereof, wherein at least the first flange is smaller than the first hole, and the first and second The flange includes a component that is larger than the second hole, and the method receives the component within the first hole such that the collar portion is between the first flange and the second flange. And the component to receive the component in the second hole, thereby holding the component in the second hole by the first and second flanges. Including a relatively moving relative. As mentioned above, this allows for simple assembly without the need for further structure while maintaining the responsiveness of the instrument to the trigger mechanism.
From a third aspect, a trigger mechanism for a surgical instrument as described herein is provided. The trigger mechanism is a drive shaft connected at its distal end to the end effector, the longitudinal movement between a first position and a second position causing the end effector to move from the first state to the second state. An actuator having a drive shaft and a collar portion, wherein the collar is formed by two consecutive holes, the first hole having a larger diameter than the second hole; A component connected to the proximal end of the drive shaft, having a first flange positioned at the distal end thereof and a second flange positioned at the proximal end thereof, wherein at least a first The flange is smaller than the first hole so that the component can pass therethrough, and the first and second flanges receive the component in the first position and the second in the actuator. As movement between the location thereby enabling the causes corresponding longitudinal movement of the drive shaft thereby causing longitudinal movement of the components, including greater than the second hole, and components, a.
The trigger mechanism can therefore be easily assembled without the need for further structure. Once the component is received in the second bore, it maintains sliding to ensure that actuator movement is transmitted directly to the component and subsequently to the drive shaft and end effector. It can rotate freely with the drive shaft.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.
1 is a side view of an electrosurgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of a handle of an electrosurgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrosurgical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clamping mechanism shown in an open configuration of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clamping mechanism shown in a closed configuration of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clamping mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3 shown in a closed configuration with tissue clamped therebetween. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the clamp mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a clamp mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. 8a to 8f are views showing the assembly of a part of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 9a and 9b are cross-sectional views of a portion of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 10a to 10c are views showing blade guide parts of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIG. 4 is a view showing latch parts of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. It is the figure which showed the blade angle adjustment part of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 13a and 13b are cross-sectional views of the blade angle adjustment part of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 14a and 14b are views showing blade angle control wheel parts of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 15a and 15b are diagrams showing the rotational movement of the blade angle control wheel of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 16a to 16d are views showing the rotational movement of the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3 showing a wiring path. 18a and 18b show further details of the electrical wiring path used in the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIG. 4 shows further details of the electrical wiring path used in the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. 20a and 20b are side views of a part of the cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another part of the cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a partially transparent perspective view of a part of the cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. 24a to 24c are views showing a part of the cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 25a to 25c are cross-sectional views of the cutting mechanism and the clamping mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 26a and 26b are cross-sectional views showing the operation of the latch mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 26c and 26d are cross-sectional views showing the operation of the latch mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 26e and 26f are cross-sectional views showing the operation of the latch mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. It is the graph explaining the cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 28a and 28b are diagrams illustrating a cutting mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument in FIG. 29a and 29b are views showing blade angle adjusting parts of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a part of the clamp mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a cutting mechanism and a clamping mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a cutting mechanism and a clamping mechanism of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. It is the figure which showed the blade angle control wheel part and electrode control switch of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. It is the figure which showed the blade angle control wheel part of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIGS. 35a and 35b are views showing the handle of the electrosurgical instrument shown in the figure held by users having different hand sizes. 36a to 36c are views showing the rotational movement of the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. FIG. 4 is a view showing a rotational movement of a blade angle control wheel of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. It is a schematic perspective view of an example of an end effector. FIG. 39 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the end effector of FIG. 38. FIG. 39 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the end effector of FIG. 38. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative end effector. FIG. 42 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the end effector of FIG. 41. FIG. 42 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the end effector of FIG. 41. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of an alternative end effector. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electrosurgical system including a generator and an instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 4 is a further view showing latch parts of the electrosurgical instrument of FIG. 3. 47a to 47e are views showing a distal end of a cutting blade used in the electrosurgical instrument of FIG.
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. An overview of the entire embodiment is first described, followed by a detailed description of that particular aspect.
1. Overview of Instrument Configuration FIG. 1 shows an electrosurgical instrument 1 according to an example of the present invention. The instrument 1 includes a proximal handle portion 10, a distally extending outer shaft 12 away from the proximal handle portion, and a distal end effector assembly 14 attached to the distal end of the outer shaft. Including. The end effector assembly 14 may be, for example, a pair of opposing clamping parts arranged to open and close, and includes one or more electrodes arranged on or as the inner surface of the opposing clamping part. These electrodes, in use, have connections for receiving electrosurgical radio frequency (RF) signals for tissue sealing or coagulation. The clamping portion is further provided with a slot or other opening in the opposing inner surface through which a mechanical cutting blade or the like can project when actuated by a user. In use, the handle 10 is operated in a first manner by a user to clamp tissue between the clamps 14 and in a second manner to supply RF current to the electrodes to coagulate the tissue. The The clamping part 14 may be curved so that the active components of the instrument 1 are always visible. This is important in blood vessel sealing devices used for human body surgery that interferes with the user's device vision during use. The handle 10 may be actuated in a third manner by the user to cause the blade to protrude between the clamps 14 and thereby cut the tissue clamped therebetween. Once the required cutting and sealing is complete, the user can release the tissue from the clamp 14.
The handle 10 includes a casing 20 formed of two clamshell moldings 300, 302, as shown in FIG. 2, which operates and rotates the clamping part 14 as well as tissue. Contains all the components needed to solidify and cut. The clamshell molding in the assembled device is welded ultrasonically once the internal components are assembled inside. The handle 10 activates a clamp handle 22 for clamping tissue between the clamps 14, a trigger 24 for cutting tissue, and an RF supply to the electrodes in the clamps 14 to coagulate the tissue. And a switch 26 for stopping and a rotating wheel 28 for rotating the clamping part 14 to reach the tissue from different angles. Therefore, the configuration of the handle 10 is such that the instrument 1 and all its functions can be operated using one hand, and all mechanisms for operation are easily accessible.
FIG. 3 illustrates all the features of the instrument 1 that are required for the instrument 1 to perform its function, including those contained within clamshell moldings 300, 302 of the casing. In order to clamp tissue between the clamps 14, a clamping mechanism 22 is used to activate the clamping mechanism. The clamp handle 22 further includes a collar 304 that includes a hinge 306 that functions as a fulcrum for the clamp handle 22 to rotate. For example, the hinge 306 may be two outwardly facing pins that fit within a corresponding molding 308 that is integral with the clamshell molding 300, 302 so that the clamp handle 22 is Provides a fixed point for rotation. The clamping mechanism further includes a collar molding 310, a spring 312 and an inner molding 314, all mounted along the drive shaft 316, as further illustrated by FIGS.
The collar 304 includes a keyhole-shaped hole 318 in which the color molding 310 is seated. The hole 318 has a larger diameter at the top than at the bottom, and the collar molding 310 is positioned to sit within the bottom of the hole 318, as shown by FIG. 8a. Upon assembly, the collar molding 310 is easily placed in the larger portion of the hole 318 so that the collar 304 sits between the two flanges 800 and 802, as shown by FIGS. Passed. As shown by FIG. 8 d, the collar 304 is then pushed upward to engage the smaller portion of the keyhole-shaped hole 318 with the collar molding 310. When the hinge 306 is connected to the hinge molding 308 in the casing 20, the collar molding 310 is held in the lower portion of the hole 318 and can freely rotate in the hole 318.
As shown in FIG. 6, the collar molding 310, the spring 312 and the inner molding 314 cannot be moved axially beyond the projection members 600, 602. Held between. In this regard, the protruding member 602 at the proximal end of the drive shaft 316 is compressible to allow the drive shaft 316 to be passed through the passage 604 at the proximal end of the inner molding 314. The drive shaft 316 is forced through the passage 604 until it reaches the opening 606 where the protruding member 602 is released from compression so that it is flush with the wall of the drive shaft 316. On the contrary, the projecting member 602 is connected in a fan shape so that the crossing of the projecting member 602 exceeds the diameter of the passage 604 and is pressed against the wall of the opening 606. As a result, the drive shaft 316 cannot be reversed in the passage 604 and is thus fixed in place.
The distance between the protruding members 600 and 602 is such that the spring 312 is at least partially compressed between the collar molding 310 and the inner molding 314. This pre-compression is important to ensure that an appropriate clamping load is applied when the clamping mechanism is activated, as will be described in more detail below. Both the color molding 310 and the inner molding 314 include cavities 608,610 for the spring 312 to extend and enter. Specifically, a significant percentage of the length of the color molding 310 contains the spring 312. This arrangement allows a longer spring 312 that is important to ensure that the spring 312 does not reach its contact length in use.
The body of the drive shaft 316 is in the outer shaft 12, and the distal end of the drive shaft 316 is connected to both the distal end of the outer shaft 12 and the clamping portion 14. The drive shaft 316 moves axially within the outer shaft 12, and it is this axial movement that moves the clamping part 14 from the open position to the closed position, as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5a. For example, the drive shaft 316 is coupled to the clamping portion 14 by a driving pin 400 in the cam slot 402 so that the movement of the driving pin 400 in the cam slot 402 causes the clamping portion 14 to move between an open position and a closed position. Move between. The coupling between the drive shaft 316, the outer shaft 12, and the sandwiching portion 14 is such that the rotational motion of the drive shaft 316 is transmitted to the outer shaft 12 and the sandwiching portion 14.
The outer shaft 12 and the drive shaft 316 are connected at a further point by a shaft molding 320. The shaft molding 320 is seated in the socket 322 of the casing 20, thereby coupling the outer shaft 12 to the casing 20. The outer shaft 12 is attached to the shaft molding 320 by any suitable means such as, for example, a snap-in cooperating with a corresponding notch 902 in the shaft molding 320, as shown in FIG. 9b. The drive shaft 316 is formed as shown in FIG. 10a.
Is passed through the body of the shaft molding 320 through a hole (not shown) corresponding to the cross-sectional “T” shape. The shaft molding 320 is arranged so as to be freely rotatable in the socket 322. For example, the shaft molding 320 may include cylindrical flange features 904 906 that rotate within concentric mating surfaces 908 910 provided within the clamshell molding 300 302. Thus, the shaft molding 320 rotates with the drive shaft 316, which further transmits this rotational motion to the outer shaft 12 and the clamping part 4. The shaft molding 320 thus functions as a rotational and axial guide for the drive shaft 316.
The clamp handle 22 includes a latch 324 arranged to cooperate with a latch molding 326 seated within the proximal end 328 of the casing 20. The latch molding 326 may be formed, for example, by a molded pin 330 that is integral with either of the clamshell moldings 300, 302, as shown by FIG. 3, or simply, as shown by FIG. It may be held in place by any suitable means, such as by a molded wall 1100 that is integral with the molding 300. When the clamp handle 22 is moved toward the casing 20 to close the clamp 14, the latch 324 enters the casing 20 through the opening 1102 and latches so that the clamp handle 22 can be held in this position. Engage with molding 326. As shown in FIGS. 26a-f, the latch molding 326 includes a bi-directional spring 1104 and a cam path 1106 for the latch 324 to traverse along. As shown in FIG. 46, the latch mechanism also completely overrides the latch mechanism with an override component 4600 that allows the user to manually release the latch 324 when the latch 324 stops. A lockout component 4602. Override component 4600 and lockout component 4602 may be provided on latch molding 326 or may be integral with the inside of the casing.
As described above, the handle 10 further includes a rotating wheel 28 that is arranged to enclose the inner molding 314. In this regard, the rotating wheel 28 and the inner molding 314 have interlocking members 1200, 1202 as shown by FIG. These engagement members 1200, 1202 rotate together while the rotating wheel 28 and the inner molding 314 allow axial movement of the inner molding 314 within the rotating wheel 28, as can be seen in FIGS. 13a-b. To be combined. Accordingly, rotation of the rotating wheel 28 causes rotation of the inner molding 314 which in turn causes the drive shaft 316 and the collar molding 310 to rotate. For stability, the rotating wheel 28 includes a cylindrical surface 1204 that slides rotationally on an inner mating surface (not shown) that is integral with the clamshell molding 300,302.
In order to allow the clamping part 14 to be rotated by the user, the casing 20 has two openings 332 and 334 through which the corrugated portion 336 of the rotating wheel 28 protrudes. The two openings 332, 334 are opposed to each other on each side of the handle and are trapezoidal. Specifically, the trapezoidal hole has parallel sides orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the handle, and these parallel sides have one side longer than the other and the longer side is the hole. The shorter side is at the rear end of the hole. The corrugated portion 336 is appropriately tilted so as to comfortably fit the user's thumb or other fingers. In this regard, the corrugated portion 336 is cut at a fixed angle with respect to the plane of rotation, as shown in FIGS. Specifically, the angle of the inclined portion of the corrugated portion is desirably substantially equal to the angle of the outer casing in the area of the rotating wheel 28.
The rotating wheel 28 also includes at least one stop member 1500 for limiting the degree of rotation, as shown in FIGS. The stop member 1500 interacts with stoppers 1502 and 1504 that are integral with the casing 20. As the rotating wheel 28 is rotated, the stop member 1500 is blocked by the stoppers 1502, 1504, thereby preventing further rotation. For example, the stoppers 1502 and 1504 may limit the rotation wheel to 270 degrees of rotation. Similarly, the shaft molding 320 includes a stop member 1600 that interacts with stoppers 1602, 1604 that are integral with the casing 20, as shown by FIGS. Stop member 1600 of shaft molding 320 and its respective stoppers 1602 and 1604 are radially aligned with stop member 1500 of rotary wheel 28 and its respective stoppers 1502 and 1504 so that rotation is limited to the same extent. . In short, the radial point where the stop member 1500 on the rotating wheel 28 is blocked as the rotating wheel 28 is rotated is the same as the radial point where the stop member 1600 on the shaft molding 320 is blocked. For example, in FIGS. 15b and 16a, the clamping portion 14 is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the neutral orientation (shown in FIG. 16b). This freedom of rotation means that the user can grasp the tissue from various angles without having to rotate the entire instrument 1.
As described above, two intrusion protections, for example on a small printed circuit board (PCB) 338, can be used to activate and deactivate the RF signal that is sent to the electrodes in the clamp 14 through any suitable circuit configuration. A switch button 26 such as a switch is provided. As shown in FIG. 17, a PCB 338 is connected to a connection cord 1700 for receiving RF output from a generator (not shown), as well as one for supplying RF current to the electrodes in the clamp 14. The other for the active electrode and the other is connected to electrical wiring 1702, 1704 for the return electrode. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 a-b, the wires 1702, 1704 are routed under the shaft molding 320 before entering the inner cavity 1802 of the shaft molding 320 from the guide slot 1800 and proceeding through the outer shaft 12. And wrapped around. By wrapping the wires 1702, 1704 around the shaft molding 320 in this way, the wires 1702, 1704 are maintained in a compact configuration to allow easy assembly while allowing the drive shaft 316 to rotate. . In this regard, the wires 1702, 1704 are unwound and rewound with the rotation of the drive shaft 316. Also, one of the clamshell moldings 300 is arranged in two series to accommodate wiring contacts 1904, 1906 that connect the active wiring 1702 and return wiring 1704 to the wiring 1908, 1910 of the intrusion protection switch 338. Molding pockets 1900, 1902 are included. Opposing clamshell molding 302 includes corresponding rib features (not shown) for retaining contacts 1904, 1906 in pockets 1900, 1902. As a result, the two wiring contacts 1904, 1906 are longitudinally separated so that only one contact can pass through each pocket 1900, 1902, thereby providing a physical barrier between each contact 1904, 1906 and the wiring. Provided. This prevents the risk of wiring insulation damage caused by the contacts 1904, 1906 while protecting the contacts 1904, 1906 themselves from any fluid that may enter the casing 20 via the outer shaft 12.
Looking at the cutting mechanism, a blade 340 for cutting tissue clamped between the clamps 14 is provided in a central runway 342 that runs along the length of the drive shaft 316. A mechanism for actuating the blade 340 along the runway 342 and between the clamping portions 14 is operated through the trigger 24. The trigger 24 operates a drive assembly formed by a trigger molding 344, a blade drive molding 346, a blade collar molding 348, a tension spring 350 and a blade molding 352. The drive assembly is disposed between the shaft molding 320 and the handle collar 304 of the clamping mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 20a-b, the drive assembly functions as an offset slider-crank mechanism so that the force exerted by the user on the trigger 24 on the axial movement of the blade molding 352 along the drive shaft 316. Converted, the movement further drives the attached blade 340.
As shown in FIGS. 21, 22, and 23, the blade molding 352 is positioned to sit within the blade collar molding 348. As shown in FIG. 22, the blade collar molding 348 includes a lip 2200 that engages a groove 2202 around the blade molding 352. As shown in FIG. 23, the blade molding 352 has a “T” shaped hole 2300 for receiving the drive shaft 316 and the blade 340. The blade molding 352 further includes an internal cutout 2100 as shown in FIG. 21 for the proximal end of the blade 340, the blade end 2102 being easy to assemble as demonstrated in FIGS. To a shape that matches the internal cutout 2100 of the blade molding 352. The blade molding 352 is rotationally isolated from the blade collar molding 348 so that these two moldings can rotate concentrically. As a result, the blade molding 352 can rotate with the drive shaft 316.
As described above, the clamping unit 14 may be curved. In order to allow the blade 340 to be pushed along this curve while still maintaining sufficient cutting ability, the frictional force of the cutting blade 340 through the curved track must be minimized. I must. The frictional force is the product of the friction coefficient of the blade 340 in the runway 342 and the force resulting from the bending that the blade 340 exerts on the wall of the runway 342. This frictional force may cause the blade 340 to bend along the runway 342, for example, by adding a low friction coating on the side of the blade and / or the blade remains rigid in the direction of the cutting force. It may be reduced by selectively weakening and gradually changing the flexibility of the distal end of the blade. Selective weakening can be achieved, for example, by providing one or more holes 354 at the distal end, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 47a-c, or as shown in FIG. It may be provided by gradually changing the thickness. Alternatively, as shown by FIG. 47e, a patterned laser cutting portion 4712 or a chemically etched portion at the distal end may be used to control the bending stiffness over the length of the blade, such a cutting portion. The spacing between may be constant from the distal end to the proximal end or may increase gradually.
In use, blood and tissue may accumulate in the distal end of the instrument 1. Specifically, blood and tissue can clog the blade 340 within the drive shaft 316. Accordingly, the distal end of the drive shaft 316 may include cutout portions 1000, 1002 to reduce the surface area of the drive shaft 316 where blood and tissue accumulate and become clogged, as shown in FIGS. For example, the cutout portion is such that the distal end has two sidewalls without a supporting base, or the distal end includes a supporting base and a branched sidewall. It's okay.
2. Instrument Operation Now that the overall configuration of the device has been described, the overall operation of the electrosurgical instrument 1 in use will be discussed. Thereafter, a more detailed description will be given regarding the configuration and operation of certain aspects of the apparatus.
As described above, the handle 10 of the electrosurgical instrument i) clamps tissue between the clamps 14, ii) latches the clamps in place (if the user desires) iii ) To send an RF signal to the electrodes in the clamping part 14 to coagulate the tissue clamped between the clamping parts 14 and iv) to cut the tissue clamped between the clamping parts 14 The blades 340 are arranged so as to be fed between the sandwiching portions 14. The handle 10 can also rotate the clamp 14 to allow the user to clamp tissue at various angles without having to rotate the entire handle 10. The result is that the tissue between the clamps can be sealed before being cut with the same electrosurgical instrument or simultaneously with being cut with the same electrosurgical instrument. Furthermore, these effects can be achieved by the surgeon operating the instrument with one hand.
2.1 Clamping mechanism To clamp tissue between the clamps 14, the user moves the clamping handle 22 toward the proximal end 328 of the casing 20 until the latch 324 engages the latch molding 326 in the casing 20. Hold on. This movement causes the drive handle 22 to pivot about its hinge 306 as shown by FIGS. 8e-f and presses the end of the collar 304 against the flange 800 as shown by FIGS. 4 and 5a. The collar molding 310, the spring, and the inner molding 314 are then pushed along the drive shaft 316 in the proximal direction. As described above, the inner molding 314 is attached to the drive shaft 316 through the protruding member 602. Thus, as the inner molding 314 is pushed back in the axial direction, the drive shaft 316 is also moved in the axial direction, which drives the pin 400 in the cam slot 402 of the clamping part 14 and thereby the clamping. The part 14 is closed. Therefore, the load from the drive handle 22 is transmitted to the drive shaft 316 through the spring mechanism of the collar molding 310, the spring 312, and the inner molding 314.
As shown by FIG. 5b, when the tissue is clamped between the clamps 14, the spring 312 serves to limit the force on the tissue. After the collar molding 310, the spring 312 and the inner molding 314 stop moving in the axial direction, if the collar 304 continues to push the flange 800, the compression force applied to the spring 312 will eventually cause the spring 312 to collar. A compression force threshold is reached at which compression begins between the molding 310 and the inner molding 314. As the spring 312 further compresses, the drive handle 22 can be driven to the latched position without exerting additional force on the clamped tissue. In short, the load on the drive handle 22 is no longer transmitted to the drive shaft 316 and is effectively absorbed by the spring 312. Therefore, the spring 312 ensures that an appropriately sized load is transmitted to the clamping unit 14. Without the spring 312, actuation of the drive handle 22 continues to increase the load transmitted to the drive shaft 316 and subsequently to the clamp 14 and tissue. This can lead to tissue mechanical damage as the user grasps the drive handle 22 to engage the latch 324.
As described above, the cavities 608, 610 in the collar molding 310 and the inner molding 314 function in concert to allow for a larger spring 312. This allows for a longer spring travel distance and prevents the spring 312 from being fully compressed to its contact length in use. If the spring 312 reaches its contact length, the spring will no longer absorb the load exerted by the drive handle 22 and the force will be transmitted back to the clamping part 14.
2.2 Latching mechanism When tissue is clamped between the clamping parts 14, the clamping part 14 engages the latch 324 on the drive handle with the latch molding 326 inside the casing 20, as shown by FIGS. It can be locked in the closed position by combining. As the latch 324 enters the casing 20 through the opening 1102, the latch 324 engages the latch molding 326 and pushes the molding 326 down in the casing 20, thereby extending the spring 1104. As shown in FIGS. 26b-c, the latch 324 runs up on the side of the cam path 1106 until it reaches its maximum position. At this point, the drive handle 22 can no longer be compressed, and the spring 1104 has a latch 324 that fits into the “V” shaped pocket of the cam path 1106, as shown in FIG. In addition, the latch molding 326 is pulled back into the casing 20 so as to hold the sandwiching portion 14 in the closed position.
In this latched position, the user's hand is free to manipulate other functions of the instrument 1 as discussed below.
In order to release the latch 324 from the casing 20 and open the clamping portion 14, the user grasps the drive handle 22 toward the casing 20, as shown by FIG. Must be released from the pocket. The force of the spring 1104 pulls the latch molding 326 further within the casing 20 so that the latch 324 travels in the opposite direction on the side of the cam path 1106 and exits the opening 1102, as shown by FIGS. increase. The latch molding 326 then returns to its original position within the casing 20.
2.3 Cutting mechanism While the nip is in the closed position, the user may need to cut the tissue clamped in between. To cut tissue, the blade 340 is driven between the clamps 14 by actuation of the drive assembly.
The drive assembly is a three pivot arrangement that functions as a slider-crank mechanism. As shown by FIGS. 25b-c, as the user pulls the trigger 24 back toward the casing 20, for example, a corresponding molding that is integral with the clamshell molding 300, 302 shown in FIG. The trigger 24 moves the trigger molding 344 by lever action about the pivot point A fixed to the casing 20 by the outward pin 358 connected to the object 356. This urges the pivot point B connecting the trigger molding 344 and the drive molding 346 to its central position, thereby causing the blade collar 348, the blade molding 352, and the blade 340 to be clamped tissue. Are driven along the drive shaft 316 with a sufficiently strong force that the blade 340 can cut. In this regard, the load on the trigger 24 is transmitted to the blade collar 348 and the blade molding 352 through the trigger molding 344 and the drive molding 346. As the pivot point B moves beyond its center to its extended position, the speed at which the blade collar 348 and blade molding 352 are driven along the drive shaft 316 accelerates, thus increasing the force of the blade 340. Thus, the force that the blade 340 cuts into the tissue is increased without the user exerting additional force on the trigger 24.
Shaft molding 320 serves as a stop point for blade collar 348 and blade molding 352. Therefore, the pivot point B always remains above the other two pivot points A and C with respect to the drive shaft 316.
Upon actuation of the trigger 24, the force exerted on the trigger 24 pulls so that the tension spring 350 extends along the same plane as the drive shaft 316 to allow axial movement of the blade collar 348 and blade molding 352. It is large enough to overcome the compression force of the spring 350. Upon release of the trigger 24, the tension spring 350 compresses again to retract the drive assembly to its original position. In this regard, the tension of the tension spring 350 is strong enough to retract the blade 340 through the thick tissue without requiring user intervention.
2.4 Shaft rotation In use, the user may need to reach the tissue from various angles without having to move the entire instrument 1. Therefore, it is advantageous that the clamping part 14 can be rotated relative to the handle 10 by the rotating wheel 28. This is particularly beneficial when the clamping part 14 is on a curved track as shown in FIGS. As described above, the rotating wheel 28 is coupled to the inner molding 314 through the mating members 1200 and 1202 such that the inner molding 314 rotates with the rotating wheel 28. Since the end of the drive shaft 316 is connected to the inner molding 314, the drive shaft 316 also rotates, and this rotation continues to rotate the clamping portion 14 at the opposite end.
In order to facilitate this rotational movement without interfering with the operation of the clamping mechanism, the color molding 310
Are rotationally isolated within the handle collar 304 such that the collar molding 310 also rotates with the drive shaft 316. Similarly, the blade molding 352 is rotationally isolated within the blade collar 348 so that the drive shaft 316 can be rotated without interfering with the operation of the cutting mechanism.
In order to transmit the rotational motion to the outer shaft 12, the shaft molding 320 is rotationally isolated within its socket 322. As described above, the shaft molding 320 functions as a rotation guide so that the rotational movement relative to the shaft 316 along the entire length of the instrument 1 can be controlled. In addition, the active wiring 1702 and the return wiring 1704 are disposed in the casing 20 so as to prevent damage to the wirings 1702 and 1704 as a result of the rotation of the component. As described above, the wires 1702, 1704 are wrapped around the shaft molding 320 to allow the degree of rotation of the drive shaft 316. As a result, the wires 1702 and 2704 are unwound and re-wound as the shaft molding 320 rotates.
2.5 Electrode Activation While the sandwich 14 is in the closed position, the user may wish to coagulate and seal the tissue clamped therebetween. To do this, the user uses the switch button 26 at the top of the casing 20 to initiate activation of the electrode. The switch button 26 is appropriately arranged so that the user can easily access the button 26 while using the device with one hand. At this time, an appropriate RF signal is sent to the electrodes in the clamp 14 to coagulate and seal the tissue. The RF signal may be a pure waveform or a mixed waveform depending on the desired effect.
Having outlined the overall configuration and operation of the device, the following is a more detailed description of the configuration and operation of specific aspects of the device.
3. Clamping Mechanism Assembly and Operation As described above, the proximal handle portion 10 of the electrosurgical instrument 1 can be used in one aspect of the distal end effector assembly 14 between the first state and the second state. Including a first mechanism for actuating to move. For example, the end effector assembly 14 may be a pair of opposing clamping parts 14 arranged to open and close. The mechanism used to trigger the movement of these clamping parts 14 is a so-called clamping mechanism comprising a drive handle 22, two barrel moldings 310, 314, and a spring 312 compressed between them. Yes, the drive handle 22, moldings 310, 314, and spring 312 are all mounted along an elongated bar 316 extending between the clamp 14 and the handle 10, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5a-b. Is done.
As shown in FIG. 8a, the drive handle 22 includes a collar 304 in which the collar molding 310 sits. The collar 304 includes a hole 318 shaped like a keyhole or figure eight. Thus, the hole 318 is formed by two consecutive holes 804, 806, with the top hole 804 having a larger transition diameter than the bottom hole 806.
The color molding 310 is a cylindrical or barrel-shaped component having two flange portions 800, 802 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The diameter of the proximal flange 800 is larger than both the upper hole 804 and the lower hole 806. The diameter of the distal flange 802 is smaller than the upper hole 804 and larger than the lower hole 806.
During assembly, the color molding 310 is first inserted into the upper hole 804, as shown by FIGS. The distal flange 802 is easier to pass through because it is smaller than the upper hole 804, whereas the proximal flange 800 is sufficient to prevent the collar molding 310 from passing completely through the upper hole 804. It may be a size. As shown by FIG. 8 d, the collar 8304 is then pushed up to engage the lower hole 806 with the collar molding 310.
Once assembled, the collar molding 310 remains in the lower hole 806 of the collar 304 and is positioned so that its two flanges 800, 802 are on either side of the collar 304 as shown in FIG. 8e. Since the lower hole 806 has a smaller diameter than both flanges 800, 802, the color molding 310 cannot be removed by simply pushing the color molding 310 through the lower hole 806. Conversely, the body of the collar molding 310 between the two flanges 800 and 802 has a slightly smaller diameter than the lower hole 806. Accordingly, the collar molding 310 sits in the lower hole 806 with sufficient looseness to allow rotational movement.
As can be seen from FIG. 8e, the longitudinal distance between the two flanges 800 and 802 is slightly greater than the thickness of the collar 304 so that the collar 304 sits tightly between the flanges 800 and 802. Only. This ensures that the movement of the drive handle 22 is transmitted directly to the collar molding 310 and subsequently to the other components of the clamping mechanism. This is particularly important to ensure that the clamping part 14 reacts to the movement of the drive handle 22 and that there is no delayed reaction between the actuation of the drive handle 22 and the movement of the clamping part 14.
Once the color molding 310 and drive handle 22 are assembled, the remaining components can be assembled.
The drive shaft 316 is an elongate bar with one or more protruding members 602 positioned at its proximal end, as shown in FIG. The protruding member 602 is a flexible tab that opens in a fan shape from the surface of the drive shaft 316. In short, the protruding member 602 can be deformed so as to be pushed so as to be flush with the surface of the drive shaft 316, but returns to its original position when the resistance force is released. This allows the drive shaft 316 to be easily threaded through all components of the clamping mechanism during assembly, as will now be described.
The color molding 310 has an internal cavity divided into two parts. The first part is a narrow passage or slot 607 for receiving the drive shaft 316 and the distal end of the collar molding 310 is a cross-sectional “T” shape of the drive shaft 316 as shown in FIG. Is included. The diameter of the passage 607 is only slightly wider than the diameter of the drive shaft 316 so as to provide a sliding fit. Upon insertion of the drive shaft 316, the protruding member 602 is crushed flat to allow the drive shaft to be pushed through to the end.
The second part is a chamber 608 that is large enough to accommodate one end of the spring 312. Chamber 608 can span any suitable percentage of the length of color molding 310. For example, the length of the chamber 608 may be on the order of 25% of the length of the color molding 310, or may extend to 75% of the length of the color molding 310.
The chamber 608 is formed so that when the projecting member 602 reaches the chamber 608 as the drive shaft 316 is passed through the color molding 310, the projecting member 602 expands and returns to its original configuration. It is much larger than the passage 607.
The assembly comprising the color molding 310 and the drive handle 22 is the color molding 310.
Is pushed along the drive shaft 316 until it reaches the second set of protruding members 600. These protruding members 600 have a wider travel than the opening 311 on the color molding 310 to provide a hindrance to prevent the color molding 310 from proceeding further along the drive shaft 316. Therefore, the protruding member 600 is sufficiently rigid so that the color molding 310 does not come out of the protruding member 600 when any force is applied to the protruding member 600 or when the protruding member 600 is pushed inward. Must.
The drive shaft 316 is then passed through the center of the spring 312. Preferably, the spring 312 has a diameter that is only slightly larger than the drive shaft 316 to provide an interference fit between the spring 312 and the drive shaft 316. The spring 312 is then pushed along the drive shaft 316 until the end of the spring 312 fills the color molding chamber 608.
Inner molding 314 is a cylindrical or barrel-shaped component having an internal cavity divided into two sections. The first area is a chamber 610 in which one end of the spring 312 is received such that the spring 312 is partially wrapped by the collar molding 310 and the inner molding 314. The second area is a narrow passage or slot 603 for receiving the drive shaft 316. The passage 603 is divided into two parts 604, 606. The first portion 604 of the passage is shaped to allow the drive shaft 316 to be threaded, and the flexible tab 602 is flattened flat as the shaft is threaded. Thus, the diameter of the first passage portion 604 is only slightly wider than the diameter of the drive shaft 316 so as to provide sliding. The sliding of the drive shaft 316 in both the color molding passage 607 and the inner molding passage 603 means that the driving shaft 316 is securely held in place. This improves the stability of the drive shaft 316 within the casing 20, which is particularly important to ensure maximum control of the end effector 14.
The second passage portion 606 provides a shoulder 605 into which the protruding member 602 can extend. Thus, as the drive shaft 316 passes through the passage 604 and enters the second passage portion 606, the flattened protruding member 602 opens in a sector and returns to its original uncompressed position. Once the protruding member 602 engages the shoulder 605 of the second passage portion 606, the drive shaft 316 cannot be pulled back within the first passage portion 604, so that it is retained within the inner molding 314. The Thus, the diameter of the second passage portion 606 must be large enough that the protruding member 602 can extend beyond the diameter of the first passage portion 604. In order to achieve this snap-type connection, only one side of the drive shaft 316 requires a protruding member 602.
This snap connection is such that any axial movement of the inner molding 314 is transmitted to the drive shaft 316. Similarly, any rotational movement of the inner molding 314, for example by a rotating wheel 28 formed around the inner molding 314, is transmitted to the drive shaft 316.
Thus, to complete the assembly of the clamping mechanism, the drive shaft 316 simply allows the collar molding 310, the spring 312 and finally the inner molding until the protruding member 602 snaps into the second passage portion 606. It is passed through the object 314.
When assembled along the drive shaft 316, the collar molding 310, the spring 312, and the inner molding 314 are arranged such that the spring 312 is partially encased by the collar molding 310 and the inner molding 314. By providing a collar molding chamber 608 and an inner molding 314 chamber 610 that can accommodate a significant portion of the spring 312, a longer spring 312 can be obtained without running out of additional space within the handle 10. It becomes possible to use. Therefore, the larger the color molding chamber 608 and the inner molding chamber 610, the longer the spring 312. Further, the distance between the projecting members 600 and 602 is such that the end of the spring 312 is the end wall of the collar molding chamber 608 and the inner molding chamber 610 so that the spring 312 is initially pre-compressed when installed. It means that they are compressed by 612 and 614, respectively. This is important to ensure that an appropriate load is applied to the clamp 14 when the handle 22 is moved to activate the clamping mechanism.
Also, the inner molding 314 may be enclosed in a further barrel molding, such as the rotating wheel 28 shown in FIGS. Here, the inner molding 314 rotates with the rotating wheel 28, but within the internal cavity 1300, between a first position as shown in FIG. 13a and a second position as shown in FIG. 13b. It can move freely in the axial direction. Accordingly, the rotation of the wheel 28 rotates the inner molded product 314, and further rotates the drive shaft 316 and the sandwiching portion 14.
Once all the components are assembled, the drive handle 22 can be mounted inside the casing 20. In this regard, the drive handle 22 is connected to the casing 20 at its hinge 306. For example, the hinge 306 may be two outwardly facing pins that mate with a corresponding hinge molding 308 that is integral with the clamshell molding 300, 302. This provides a fulcrum around which the drive handle 22 can rotate.
Thus, the above arrangement provides a mechanism for actuating the end effector assembly 14 that can be easily and safely assembled without the need for additional components.
In use, the user grasps the drive handle 22 toward the proximal end 328 of the casing 20, thereby rotating the drive handle 22 about its hinge 306. In doing so, the collar 304 is pressed against the proximal flange 800, thus moving the collar molding 310 in the longitudinal direction. This longitudinal movement causes the spring 312, inner molding 314, and drive shaft 316 to return toward the proximal end of the handle portion 10, as shown by FIG. Since the drive shaft 316 is connected to the clamping unit 14 by an arrangement including, for example, the pin 400 and the cam slot 402, the clamping unit 14 is moved from the open position to the closed position. Therefore, the load from the drive handle 22 is transmitted to the drive shaft 316 through a spring mechanism composed of the color molding 310, the spring 312, and the inner molding 314. This spring mechanism is particularly important because it serves to limit the force exerted on the tissue clamped between the clamping portions 14.
As the drive handle 22 is squeezed, the collar molding 310, the spring 312 and the inner molding 314 are moved so that the inner molding 314 is fully closed, as shown in FIG. 5a. It continues to move axially until it reaches its furthest proximal position or as shown by FIG. 5b until the clamp 14 can no longer be closed due to the tissue 500 clamped therebetween. In the latter case, the drive handle 22 is not fully actuated and is held in place by the latch 324. Subsequently, as the user squeezes the drive handle 22 and the collar 304 is pressed against the flange 800, the compressive force applied to the spring 312 will eventually cause the spring 312 to move with the collar molding 310 as can be seen in FIG. A compression force threshold is reached at which compression begins with the inner molding 314.
As the spring 312 further compresses, the drive handle 22 moves to the clamped tissue 50.
It can be driven to the latch position without exerting any additional force on zero. In short, the load on the drive handle 22 is no longer transmitted to the drive shaft 316 and is effectively absorbed by the spring 312. Therefore, the spring 312 ensures that an appropriately sized load is transmitted to the clamping unit 14. Without the spring 312, actuation of the drive handle 22 continues to increase the load transmitted to the drive shaft 316 and subsequently to the clamp 14 and tissue 500. This can lead to mechanical damage to the tissue 500 as the user grasps the drive handle 22 to engage the latch 324.
Thus, pre-compression of the spring 312 is important to ensure that the spring 312 bears the handle 22 as soon as the inner molding 314 reaches its axial limit. Similarly, a longer spring 312 allows a longer spring travel distance so that the spring 312 is not fully compressed to its contact length in use. If the spring 312 reaches its contact length, the spring 312 will no longer absorb the load exerted by the drive handle 22 and the force will be transmitted to the clamping part 14 again.
In order to hold the nip 14 in the closed position, the latch 324 on the drive handle 22 is engaged with a latch molding 326 inside the proximal end 328 of the casing 20, as shown in FIGS. There must be.
As shown in FIG. 11, the latch molding 326 is a single unitary component that includes a body portion 1108, a spring element 1104, and a cam path 1106. The proximal end 328 of the casing 20 has parallel walls 1100 that define a passage 1110 in which the body portion 1108 sits. As will be described later, the width of the passage 1110 is such that the body portion 1108 is held in the passage 1110 but can slide up and down in the passage 110 when in use. In this regard, the latch molding 326 is made of a low friction material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to allow the body portion 1108 to slide easily without sticking in the passage 1110. It is preferable. For additional stability within the passage 1112, a molding pin 330 may be provided in the casing 20 that engages a cam slot 331 provided on the body portion 1108 as shown in FIG. Match.
The spring 1104 is positioned at the end of the body portion 1108 and is arranged to bias the body portion 1108 in the passage 1110 toward the distal end of the casing 20. The spring 1104 may be of any configuration, for example, the spring 1104 may be arcuate or looped as shown in FIG. Cam path 1106 is a shaped protrusion formed on body portion 1108. The cam path 1106 includes a first cam surface 1110, a notch 1114, and a second cam surface 1116 to form a “V” shaped molding.
The latch 324 is formed by an arm 1118 extending from the bottom of the drive handle 22. The arm 1118 has a pin 1120 positioned at its end, which is suitable for traversing the cam path 1106.
In use, the latch 324 enters the casing 20 through the opening 1102. The pin 1120 engages the latch molding 326 so that the body portion 1108 is pulled down in the passage 1110 and thereby the spring 1104 is extended. As shown in FIGS. 26b-c, the pin 1120 runs up the side of the first cam surface 1112 until it reaches the apex of “V”. At this point, the drive handle 22 can no longer compress and the spring 1104 pulls the body portion 1108 back into the passage 1110 so that the pin 1110 enters the notch 1114, and as shown in FIG. The drive handle 22 is held in the compressed position and the clamping part 14 is held in the closed position.
Thus, what the user must do to latch the drive handle 22 is to actuate the drive handle to the fully compressed position, wait for the pin 1110 to fit into the notch 114, and then release the drive handle 22 Only. In this latched position, the user's hand activates the cutting mechanism using the trigger 24, rotates the clamping part 14 using the rotating wheel 28, or uses the electrode 26 in the clamping part 14 using the switch 26. Other functions of the instrument 1 can be freely operated, such as actuating.
In order to release the latch 324 from the casing 20 and open the clamping part 14, the user must hold the drive handle 22 toward the casing 20 once again. This releases the pin 1120 from the notch 1114, as shown by FIG. As the pin 1120 exits the notch 1114, the force of the extended spring 1104 causes the body portion to move up the side of the second cam surface 1116, as shown by FIGS. 1108 is pulled back in the passage 1110. As the pin 1120 reaches the bottom of the second cam surface 1116, the body portion 1108 is further pushed up in the passage 1110 so that the pin 1120 can exit through the opening 1102. The body portion 1108 then returns to its original position within the passage 1110.
Thus, what the user must do to release the drive handle 22 is to be able to grip the drive handle 22 toward the proximal end of the casing 20 and then return the drive handle 22 to its original open position. Just make it.
The latch molding 324 may also include an override button 4600 integrally formed on the body portion 1108, as shown in FIG. 46, wherein the pin 1120 automatically disengages from the notch 1114. Engaged to change the position of the cam path 1106 to release the drive handle 22. Therefore, even if the latch mechanism does not function for some reason, the user can release the drive handle 22 to open the clamping unit 14.
A lockout bar 4602 may also be integrated with the body portion 1108 to allow the user to fully release the latch mechanism, which locks the body portion 1108 manually within the passage 1110. Is movable between a first position and a second position. When the lockout bar 4602 is in the first position, the body portion 1108 is in its normal position, and thus the latch mechanism operates as described above. The user may then move the lockout bar 4602 to its second position, whereby the body portion 1108 is moved upward in the passage 1110 and thus the pin 1120 is moved to the second cam surface 1116. Can only be traversed along, thus preventing engagement with the notch 1114.
It will be appreciated that the latch mechanism may be suitable for many end effector assemblies. For example, such a latch may be provided on the trigger 24 for the cutting mechanism to hold the cutting blade 340 in the operating position.
When the latch 324 is released, the drive handle 22 can be returned to its original position. In doing so, the collar 304 releases the load on the proximal flange 800 and pushes the distal flange 802, thereby pulling the collar molding 310 back to its original axial position. As a result, the spring 312, the inner molding 314, and the drive shaft 316 are also pulled back in the axial direction, which further causes the clamping part 14 to return to the open configuration.
4). Cutting Mechanism Assembly and Operation Next, various additional features and aspects relating to the structure and operation of the cutting mechanism will be described. As described above, the proximal handle portion 10 of the electrosurgical instrument 1 includes a second mechanism for actuating further aspects of the distal end effector assembly 14. For example, the end effector assembly 14 may be a pair of opposing clamping portions 14 and a blade 340, where the distal end of the blade 340 is used to cut the tissue clamped between the clamping portions 14. It arrange | positions so that it may slide between the parts 14. FIG. The mechanism used to trigger the movement of the blade 340 disposed in the central runway 341 of the drive shaft 316 is a so-called cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism includes a drive arm 2000, a blade drive molding 346, a blade collar molding 348, a blade molding 352, and a tension spring 350, all of which are combined and shown in FIGS. 31 and a three-pivot slider-crank mechanism as shown in FIG.
The drive arm 2000 is formed of a trigger 24 and a trigger molding 344. The trigger 24 is a finger grip member for operating a cutting mechanism, and the trigger molding 344 has a “C” -shaped side profile and A collar having a hole 364 through which the drive shaft 316 is passed. The point where the trigger 24 and the trigger molding 344 meet provides a pivot point A about which the drive arm 2000 is rotated. This first pivot point A is fixed to the casing 20 by, for example, outward pins 358 that connect to corresponding moldings 356 that are integral with the clamshell moldings 300,302.
The distal end of the drive arm 2000, ie the end of the trigger molding 344, is pivotally connected to the blade drive molding 346 to form a second pivot point B. The blade drive molding 346 is an “H” shaped frame having two parallel arms and a tension between them. Thus, the parallel arms of the blade drive molding 346 are pivotally connected to one end of the trigger molding 344 by, for example, outward pins 366 and mating connectors 368. Even at the opposite end, the parallel arm of the blade drive molding 346 is pivotally connected to the blade collar molding 348 by, for example, an outwardly facing pin 372 and a mating connector 370 to provide a third pivot point. C is formed.
As shown in FIGS. 21-23, the blade collar molding 348 is a cylindrical or barrel component having a chamber 2104 in which the blade molding 352 sits, and the blade molding 352 is a blade collar molding. A cylindrical or barrel-shaped component having a body 362 that fits inside the chamber 2104 of the object 348. The blade molding 352 further includes a flange 360 having a larger diameter than the chamber 2104 so that the flange 360 abuts the distal lip 2200 of the blade collar molding 348, as shown in FIG. Thus, the flange 360 ensures that the correct end of the blade molding 352 acts on the blade collar molding 348.
The body 362 provides a small groove 2202 around it so that the distal lip 2200 can provide a mating shoulder so that the blade molding 352 and the blade collar molding 348 are coupled through a snap-on connection. Is done. The distal lip 2200 mates with the groove 2202 to hold the blade molding 352 within the blade collar molding 348 while allowing the blade molding 352 to rotate freely within the chamber 2104. Therefore, the blade molding 352 and the blade collar molding 348 can freely rotate concentrically.
Once the blade collar molding 348 and the blade molding 352 are assembled, the blade 340 can be connected, as shown by FIGS. In this regard, the blade molding 352 includes a “T” shaped hole 2300 that is shaped to receive both the blade 340 and the drive shaft 316, as shown by FIG.
The proximal end of the blade 340 includes a tab feature 2102 that extends beyond the overall contour of the remaining portion of the blade 340. In short, the proximal end of blade 340 is not in the same axial plane as the rest of blade 340. As shown in FIG. 24c, the body 362 further includes a recess 2100 in which the tab 2100 is held. To allow assembly, the proximal end of the blade 340 is cut at a first point opposite the tab 2102 to provide a beveled edge 2400 to provide a recessed portion 2402. , At a second point adjacent to tab 2102. Thus, the proximal end of blade 340 has an “L” shaped profile.
To assemble the blade 340 into the blade molding 352 and into the blade collar molding 348, the blade 340 has a tab 2102 and a beveled edge 2400 of the blade molding 352, as shown in FIGS. In order to be able to be inserted into the internal cavity 2404, it faces the “T” shaped hole 2300 at a constant angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the instrument 1. The blade 340 is then pulled down to be collinear with the longitudinal axis so that the tab 2102 can be pushed into the recess 2100, as shown by FIG. 24c. Thus, the tab 2102 is effectively hooked to the shoulder 2406 of the blade molding 352, thereby retaining the proximal end of the blade 340 within the internal cavity 2404.
The drive shaft 316 may then be passed through the “T” shaped hole 2300 and the blade 340 is received in the central runway 342 as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. Thus, longitudinal movement of the assembly of blade collar molding 348 and blade molding 352 along drive shaft 316 moves blade 340 along runway 342.
To complete the blade trigger assembly, a tension spring 350 extends between the blade collar molding 348 and the drive arm 2000, for example, by hooks 2002, 2004.
In use, the user pulls the trigger 24 back toward the casing 20 to pivot the drive arm 2000 about the first pivot point A, as shown by FIGS. In doing so, the second pivot point B is pushed forward in the distal direction, which causes the drive molding 346 to move the assembly of the blade collar molding 348 and the blade molding 352 along the drive shaft. To push. The load on the trigger 24 is therefore transmitted to the blade collar molding 348 and the blade molding 352 through the trigger molding 344 and the drive molding 346. Since the proximal end of the blade 340 is held within the blade molding 352 as described above, the blade 340 along with the assembly of the blade collar molding 348 and the blade molding 352 along the central runway 342. To slide. Because the blade molding 352 is rotationally isolated from the blade collar molding 348, the drive shaft 316 is also rotated without interfering with the operation of the cutting mechanism.
The functionality of the mechanism is required at the beginning of movement of the blade 340, when the user's finger is stretched and not so strong, and also to penetrate the force of the spring 350, friction in the runway 342, and thick tissue. Optimized so that many forces, such as forces, can provide superior mechanical advantages at the end of the movement of the blade 340 acting against the movement of the blade 340. As can be seen from FIG. 27, a constant force is applied to the trigger 24 by the user. The mechanism converts this trigger force into an initial high blade 340 force, which decreases as the blade 340 is moved along the runway 342 and as the blade 340 reaches the clamping portion 14. Increase again. Thus, as shown by FIGS. 28a-b, the blade collar 348 and blade molding 352 are driven as the pivot point B moves from its retracted position to its extended position such that β> 90 degrees. The speed moved along the shaft 316 accelerates, resulting in an increase in the force of the blade 340. Thus, the mechanism can move the blade 340 with sufficient force to effectively cut the tissue clamped between the clamps 14 without requiring the user to apply additional force to the trigger 24.
In addition, the cutting mechanism may need to push the blade 340 along the curved clamping portion 14, which increases the frictional force acting against the movement of the blade 340. The frictional force is
This is the product of the friction coefficient of the blade 340 in the runway 342 and the force resulting from the bending of the blade 340 on the wall of the runway 342.
To reduce this frictional force, the lateral flexibility of the distal end of the blade may be gradually changed. Such gradually changing flexibility is realized, for example, by selectively weakening the blade 340 so that the blade can bend along the runway 342 while maintaining rigidity in the direction of the cutting force. May be. Selective weakening may be provided, for example, by providing one or more holes or slots 354 at the distal end, as shown in FIG. 47a. Such holes may be constant or variable in size or shape depending on the degree of flexibility required. For example, in FIG. 47b, two consecutive holes 4702, 4704 of different sizes are provided, with the larger hole 4702 providing greater flexibility than the smaller hole 4704. As another example, in FIG. 47c, three holes 4706, 4708, 4710 of different sizes and shapes are provided, with the largest hole 4706 being the furthest away so as to provide additional flexibility to the most distal region. Is in place. Selective weakening may be achieved by gradually changing the thickness of the blade 340 so that the distal end of the blade 340 is a beveled end 4700, as shown in FIG. 47d.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 47e, a patterned laser cutting portion 4712 or a chemically etched portion at the distal end may be used to control the bending stiffness over the length of the blade, such a cutting portion. The spacing between may be constant from the distal end to the proximal end or may increase gradually.
Preferably, the blade 340 is divided into at least three regions with different flexibility. For example, a distal region, a middle region, and a proximal region, where the distal region has greater flexibility in the lateral direction than the middle region, and the middle region has greater flexibility than the proximal region. For example, as shown by FIG. 47a, the distal region may be formed with a beveled end 4700 to provide the greatest degree of flexibility, and the intermediate region provides a relatively low flexibility. In order to do so, the hole 354 is formed, and the proximal region is formed in a rod-like shape that is filled to provide even less flexibility. In a further example illustrated by FIG. 47b, the distal region includes a large hole 4702 to provide the greatest degree of flexibility, and the middle region is smaller to provide less flexibility. Including the hole 4704, the proximal region is again a solid rod with the least degree of flexibility. Thus, the distal region, middle region, and proximal region may be realized using any suitable combination of the selective weakening described above.
A further way to reduce the frictional force due to the curved runway is to add a low friction coating on at least one side of the distal end of the blade 340. For example, the blade is made of a low friction material or anti-adhesion material, such as PTFE composite or other low friction polymer composite using, for example, physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes. May be coated.
5. Drainage holes Next, various additional features and aspects regarding the structure of the drive shaft 316 will be described. As described above, the drive shaft 316 is an elongate bar having a “T” shaped cross section, as shown by FIG. 10a. The drive shaft 316 includes a slot or runway 342 along its length that is suitable for receiving a more elongated member such as the cutting blade 340 used in the cutting mechanism described above. In use, the cutting blade 340 slides along the length of the drive shaft 316 so that the distal end of the cutting blade 340 can be driven between the clamping portions 14 to cut tissue clamped between the clamping portions 14. Be made.
Over time, blood and tissue may accumulate in the distal end of the instrument 1, specifically towards the length of the outer shaft 12 and drive shaft 316. This accumulation of blood and tissue can clog the blade 340 within the drive shaft 316 and reduce the functionality of the instrument 1, particularly the cutting mechanism. To counter this, the distal end portion of the drive shaft 318 reduces the contact area between the drive shaft 316 and the blade 340, thereby reducing the surface area that can clog blood and tissue. Is cut out.
These cutouts may be holes, such as the elongated windows 1000, 1002 shown in FIGS. 10b-c, such that the distal end of the drive shaft 316 includes a supporting base and a branched sidewall. The cutout portion may extend to the base of the drive shaft 316 such that the distal end includes a branched sidewall and an open bottom. In order to maximize the amount of drainage allowed by these holes 1000, 1002, these holes preferably exceed 50% of the depth of the drive shaft 316.
Thus, these holes 1000, 1002 provide a drainage path between the central runway 342 and the outside of the drive shaft 316.
6). Rotating Wheel and Switch Next, various additional features and aspects regarding the operation of the thumb wheel (also referred to herein as the rotating wheel) 28 will be described. A thumbwheel 28 is provided to allow the user to rotate the outer shaft 12 with the end effector assembly 14 mounted thereon. However, in order to reduce space and thereby create a more compact instrument, the internal volume 1300 of the thumb wheel 28 also provides a moving space for the inner molding 314 that forms part of the aforementioned clamping mechanism. Used to provide. Such an arrangement provides a more compact mechanism.
More particularly, the rotating wheel 28 (also referred to herein as a thumb wheel) is a plastic tooth-like wheel having a plurality of corrugated portions 336 positioned about its outer diameter. Thus, the thumbwheel 28 has the appearance of a tooth and has a corrugated cutout that is arranged to ergonomically receive the user's thumb. In this regard, as shown in more detail in FIGS. 13a, 13b, and especially FIG. 14a, the corrugated portion is generally closer to the user at the distal end, generally at the distal end, farther from the user. It is angled with respect to the rotational surface of the thumbwheel in use so that it is a slightly frustoconical shape wider than at the distal end. Each corrugated portion 336 extends from the distal end to the proximal end of the thumbwheel and is curved or saddle-like shaped to receive the user's thumb in use. As shown in detail in FIG. 14a, the angling of the corrugated portion 336 to make the rotating wheel 28 frustoconical generally corresponds to the angle of the body of the instrument. In FIG. 14a, the dashed line shows the angling of the waveform 336 around the end of the wheel 28, which is relative to the angle of the outer wall of the instrument at a point around the wheel and especially in front of the wheel. It can be seen that it is tangential to the angle of the part. Such an arrangement in which the angled waveform at the outer edge of the rotating wheel matches the angle of the instrument wall around the wheel provides a comfortable and ergonomic design that can be easily manipulated by the surgeon.
Regarding the number of corrugations 336 around the outer diameter of the wheel 28, as shown in one embodiment, eight corrugations are evenly distributed around the outer diameter of the wheel. In other embodiments, a smaller or larger number of waveform portions may be used, for example, a small number such as 6 or 7, or a large number such as 9 or 10. If a larger wheel 28 is used, a larger number of corrugations 336 may be included, and conversely if a smaller wheel is used, the number of corrugations may be smaller. In this regard, it is usually desirable that the actual size of each corrugated portion 336 remain the same because it is ergonomically selected so that the corrugated portion can comfortably receive the user's thumb.
As shown in FIG. 2, with respect to the positioning of the thumb wheel 28 within the instrument, the rotating wheel or thumb wheel 28 is oriented vertically below the switch 26 and is, for example, a longitudinal direction defined by the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft 316. It is separated from the thumbwheel in a direction perpendicular to the direction axis. Specifically, the hand switch 26 rests directly on an axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and through which the thumbwheel 28 also passes. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 14a and 14b, the switch 26 is relatively large and extends from one side of the upper surface of the instrument to the other side above the thumbwheel. The switch 26 is actually curved and generally conforms to the curved upper surface of the outer wall of the instrument and bulges, grooves, or on its outer surface to help the user capture and push the switch with his thumb. Has other raised protrusions. The surface area of the switch 26 is relatively large, exceeding 3 cm 2 or even exceeding 5 cm 2 . This provides a large surface area to allow its ergonomic actuation by the user. The vertical orientation of the switch 26 directly above the thumbwheel 28 also allows ergonomic operation. As described elsewhere in this document, the switch 26 operates to cause the supply of an RF coagulation signal to the end effector for use in coagulation of tissue located within the end effector.
Regarding the ergonomics of the switch and thumbwheel, FIGS. 35a and 35b are two photographs of different users with different sized hands, respectively. As shown in the figure, the relatively large surface area switch 26 is easily operated at the same time that a user with a different hand size operates the clamp handle 22 (and blade trigger 24, if necessary). be able to.
Returning to FIG. 12, as described above, the thumbwheel 28 has an internal cavity 1300 in which the inner molding 314 is received during use. As described above, the inner molding 314 includes an inner molding chamber 610 having a T-shaped cutout portion 1208 therein through which the drive shaft 316 passes as described above. To be fastened. The inner molding 314 snaps into the inner cavity of the wheel 28 and, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 29a, 29b, around the outer edge of the cylindrical inner cavity 1300 of the thumb wheel 28, the inner molding. A flange 1206 is provided to hold the inner molding 314 in place in the cavity once 314 is inserted into the cavity. An engagement member 1200 is also provided in the internal cavity 1300 of the thumb wheel 28 and interacts with a corresponding engagement member 1202 provided along the outer periphery of the cylindrical inner molding 314. Each interlocking member 1200, 1202 is a respective ridge that lies circumferentially adjacent along the inner surface of the cavity 1300 when the thumb wheel 28 and the cylindrical inner molding 314 are properly rotationally aligned with respect to each other. Includes stepped parts. Each interlocking member 1200, 1202 is provided such that the cylindrical inner molding 314 can slide from end to end within the internal cavity of the wheel 28 but not rotate within the wheel 28 in use. Instead, the interlocking members 1202, 1200 that interact with each other function so that the inner molding 314 rotates with the rotating wheel 28 as the rotating wheel 28 rotates. Thus, the rotational torque applied to the rotating wheel 28 by the user 28 is transmitted to the inner molding 314 and then to the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft 316 carrying the end effector. 29a and 29b show the inner molding 314 inserted into the inner cavity of the thumb wheel 28 and how the inner molding 314 can slide axially within the inner cavity 1300 of the wheel 28. FIG. Is explained.
FIGS. 13 a and 13 b also show in more detail how the inner molding 314 can move within the internal cavity 1300 of the wheel 28. As described above, the drive shaft 316
Is passed through a T-shaped hole 1208 in the inner molding 314 and fastened through a snap-on protruding catch or latch member 602 provided at the end of the drive shaft. In short, the latch or catch member 602 is a resilient metal tab that is received through the T-shaped hole 1208 in the inner molding 314 and then into the second passage portion 606 of the inner molding forming a cavity. The second passage portion 606 allows these resilient tabs to spring open, thus fastening the drive shaft within the inner molding. The inner molding 314 is then pushed into the internal cavity of the thumb wheel 1208 and held in place by the snap-on tab 1206 as described above. The inner molding, as shown in FIG. 13a, hits the inner surface of the distal wall of the wheel 28, or at the opposite end of its movement, a tab 1206 at the distal edge of the wheel. May move axially within the internal cavity 1300 so as to impinge. Thus, the inner molding 314 is allowed some sliding in the axial direction within the cavity of the thumb wheel 28, which controls the force applied by the user to the material contained within the clamping portion, as described above. Is necessary as part of the mechanism to do.
The snap-fit nature of the inner molding 314 within the internal cavity of the thumbwheel 28 greatly improves device assembly, making the device assembly much easier and therefore less expensive. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 33, in order to position the thumbwheel within the casing, the outer wall 1310 distal of the thumbwheel 28 is concentric with a support inner wall 1320 provided as a protrusion from the casing of the device. There is a lineup. This also allows easy and accurate assembly and positioning of the wheel 28 in the casing.
7). Drive Shaft Rotation Control As described above, the shaft 12 having the end effector 14 thereon allows the end effector to be moved to a desired rotational position for tissue cutting and coagulation. However, the wiring connection to the end effector is placed under excessive strain from a shaft that is extremely rotated in one direction so that the wiring does not wind up, twist, or experience excessive strain. For this purpose, a mechanism for controlling the rotation of the shaft 12 is required, and in particular, a mechanism for limiting the amount of rotation and thereby preventing excessive strain on the wiring is required. Also, providing a positive control of the rotation of the shaft 12 improves the ergonomic experience of the instrument in use and enhances the user's perception quality.
In one embodiment, an arrangement as shown in FIGS. 15a and 15b and FIGS. 16a-d is used to provide rotational control of the shaft. Referring to FIG. 15, here the thumbwheel 28 is provided with a corrugated portion 36 on its proximal surface (i.e., the rear-facing surface facing the user), slightly from the proximal surface. A ring 1506 protruding in the direction of the wheel 28 is arranged concentrically with the axis of the wheel 28. In use, the ring 1506 is placed on the guide stoppers 1502 and 1504, and these protrude from the inner surface of the outer casing and protrude upward so as to contact the outer periphery of the ring 1506. The stoppers 1502 are smaller than the stoppers 1504 because of their positioning on the casing relative to the axis of the ring, but the stoppers 1502, 1504 both have angled guide upper surfaces 1510, 1512 (see FIG. 15a), respectively. These upper guide surfaces contact the outer peripheral surface of the ring 1506 to form part of the thumb wheel, which supports and guides the thumb wheel in its rotation.
In addition, in order to provide a guide function, the stoppers 1502 and 1504 also function as stop members to prevent rotation of the thumb wheel beyond the angular position of these stoppers. In this regard, the ring 1506 is provided with a rectangular stop protrusion 1500 extending radially therefrom. As the thumb wheel 28 is rotated, the stop protrusion 1500 moves to the respective stop surfaces 1514, 15 of the stoppers 1502, 1504.
16 hits. The stop surface is angled to be parallel to the stop protrusion when the rectangular stop protrusion 1500 is positioned at an angle that strikes the stop surface.
Stop protrusions 1502, 1504 arranged as described above are arranged and length to provide a known amount of wheel 28 rotation from stopper 1500 to stopper 1502. In the presently described arrangement shown in FIGS. 15a and 15b, the stoppers 1502, 1504 are positioned spaced on the casing to allow the thumbwheel to rotate 270 degrees from stop to stop. Is done. The amount of rotation can be changed slightly by increasing or decreasing the distance between the stoppers, and accordingly, the stoppers are designed so that the wheels and stoppers can still meet substantially vertically, with the guide surface and The length and angle of the stop surface are adapted. For example, the stopper may be positioned and shaped to provide an angular rotation of the wheel from 250 degrees to 300 degrees.
The above describes the rotational control applied to the thumbwheel (and then to the shaft through the thumbwheel). Figures 16a-d show a further rotation control mechanism acting on the shaft using a shaft molding 320 at the opposite shaft end. Here, the shaft molding 320 is provided with a rectangular stop member 1600 protruding therefrom. The inner surface of the outer casing is further provided with respective molding stoppers 1602, 1604, which stop each parallel stop surface facing the rectangular stop member 1600 at each angular position of the shaft molding 320. It is shown in the form of a step structure that provides a stop surface. In the example shown in the figure, the molded stoppers are positioned on the casing and each stop surface is placed on a stop member to allow 270 degree rotation of the shaft 12 carrying the end effector from stop to stop. Let 1600 face you. In other embodiments, the molded stoppers 1602, 1604 provide a greater or lesser amount of rotation, such as, for example, 180 degrees to 360 degrees, or more preferably 250 degrees to 300 degrees, or most preferably 270 degrees. In order to do this, the stop surface may be positioned to face the stop member 1600 at other rotational angular positions of the molding 320.
Respective rotation control mechanisms provided on the thumb wheel 28 and the shaft molding 320 may be provided independently of each other. That is, in any particular embodiment, both of these rotation mechanisms need not be provided, and only one or the other may be provided to provide rotational control of the shaft. However, from the standpoint of device operation and perceived quality, both rotation control mechanisms are provided in the same device and aligned to stop rotation at their same point in either direction of rotation. It is advantageous. Such an arrangement means that the rotation of the shaft stops independently at both ends of the handle portion 10 and it is very likely that the user will be forced to undesirably further shaft rotation beyond the tolerance limit represented by the stop. It becomes difficult to.
36 and 37 show an alternative rotation control mechanism. FIG. 36 again shows the shaft molding 320, where the molding is provided with a ring 3220 on which a main rectangular stop member 3202 projects radially therefrom and a ring. And auxiliary position marker members 3204, 3206, 3208 positioned at substantially equiangular intervals, preferably at orthogonal positions, are mounted. The auxiliary position marker members 3204, 3206, 3208 constitute small raised protrusions that are not large enough to strike the stop surfaces 3212, 3214.
Stop surfaces 3212, 3214 are provided as an integral molding on the outer casing, where they are positioned to allow shaft molding 320 to be rotated 180 degrees. In this regard, stop member 320 strikes stop surfaces 3212, 3214 to prevent further rotation of the shaft molding at both poles of the rotational range. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 36a-c, the shaft molding 320 bearing the shaft 12 is rotated 180 degrees to allow the end effector to be rotationally positioned as required. Good.
Also provided is a resilient protrusion 3216, which has a substantially triangular cross-section plastic protrusion protruding upward from the stop surface 3214 forming molding such that its tip contacts the outer peripheral surface of the ring 3220. Including. An auxiliary position marker in the form of a small raised protrusion is pressed against the tip of this resilient protrusion as the shaft molding 320 rotates, with the corresponding protrusion passing through the distal end of the resilient protrusion. To be out of its rest position to make it possible. The effect of this action is that some user feedback is provided in the sense that the user must apply additional force to rotate the mechanism and pass the raised protrusion through a rotational position that contacts the tip of the resilient protrusion. Is to provide. This is because sufficient force must be provided to deflect the tip of the resilient protrusion and allow the raised protrusion to pass through the tip. The result of this is that the user perceives the increase in force required to rotate the shaft and pass the rotational position of the raised protrusion, so the user is intuitively aware of the shaft and hence the end. Suggestions regarding the rotational position of the effector are provided. Such a tactile feedback mechanism thus allows a user-friendly and easy device operation.
FIG. 37 shows the corresponding thumb wheel 28 for the mechanism of FIG. Here, the thumbwheel is also provided with a respective small stop arranged orthogonally at 90 degree intervals around the thumbwheel. To provide tactile feedback similar to that of the shaft molding 320, a mechanism protruding from the casing, similar to the resilient protrusion 3216, may be provided. In such an arrangement, tactile feedback regarding the rotational position of the shaft is provided from both ends of the handle, thus improving the user's device perception.
8). Wiring Next, various additional features and aspects regarding wiring within the handle 2 will be described. As described above, two signals on a small printed circuit board (PCB) 338, for example, are used to activate and deactivate the RF signal for actuating the electrodes in the end effector assembly 14 through any suitable circuit configuration. A switch button 26 such as an intrusion protection switch is provided. As shown in FIG. 17, the PCB 338 has a connection cord 1700 for receiving RF output from a generator (not shown), as well as, for example, one for supplying RF current to the electrodes in the clamping unit 14. The other for the active electrode and the other is connected to electrical wiring 1702, 1704 for the return electrode.
At the time of assembly, wirings 1702 and 1704 from the electrodes are drawn in parallel to the drive shaft 316 so as to go back on the outer shaft 12 to the shaft molding 320. As shown in FIG. 9 b, the shaft molding 320 is a cylindrical or barrel-shaped component having an opening 912 at the distal end for receiving the outer shaft 12. The outer shaft 12 is attached to the shaft molding 320 by, for example, a snap-on tab 900 that cooperates with a corresponding notch 902 in the shaft molding 320. Therefore, if the shaft molding 320 rotates, the outer shaft 12 also rotates with it. The shaft molding 320 further includes a further hole 914 at the proximal end, the hole 914 having a “T” shape to receive the drive shaft 316, the drive shaft 316 being a shaft mold. It extends through the inner cavity 1802 of the object 320 over the length of the outer shaft 12. Thus, the drive shaft 316 can slide within the shaft molding 320 and within the outer shaft 12, however, the rotational movement of the drive shaft 316 is directed to the shaft molding 320 and subsequently to the outer shaft 12. Communicated.
As shown in FIG. 18 a, the electrode wiring 1702, 1704 is drawn from the internal cavity 1802 through an opening 1800 in the wall of the shaft molding 320 before being wrapped around and around the body 1804 of the shaft molding 320. . By wrapping the wires 1702, 1704 around the shaft molding 320 in this way, the wires 1702, 1704 are compact so that the wires 1702, 1704 are prevented from interfering when the rest of the instrument 1 is assembled. Is maintained in the correct configuration. Further, winding the wires 1702 and 1704 around the shaft molding 320 means that the wires 1702 and 1704 are drawn and short-circuited as the shaft molding 320 rotates with the drive shaft 316, and the wiring 1702 is rotated with the rotation. , 1704 is unwound and rolled again. Specifically, by winding the wirings 1702 and 1704 in this way, a maximum rotation of 270 degrees is possible as will be described with reference to FIGS. 15a and 15b and FIGS.
The electrical wires 1702, 1704 are then delivered along the top of the casing 20. In this regard, one of the clamshell moldings 300 is arranged in two series to accommodate wiring contacts 1904, 1906 that connect the active wiring 1702 and return wiring 1704 to the wiring 1908, 1910 of the intrusion protection switch 338. Pockets 1900, 1902 are provided. Accordingly, all electrical wiring 1702, 1704, 1908, 1910 is routed in and around the pockets 1900, 1902 such that only one contact 1904, 1906 is accommodated within each pocket 1900, 1902. Wiring routing is assisted by guide portions 1912, 1914, 1916 that direct a set of wirings 1702, 1910 around the peripheries of pockets 1900, 1902. In each pocket, the active wiring 1702 is aligned with the wiring 1908 in the longitudinal direction, and the return wiring 1704 is aligned with the wiring 1910 in the longitudinal direction.
As a result, the two wiring contacts 1904, 1906 are separated longitudinally so that only one contact can pass through each pocket 1900, 1902, thereby providing a physical barrier between each contact 1904, 1906 and the wiring. Is provided. This prevents the risk of any wiring insulation damage caused by the contacts 1904, 1906 themselves.
The wires 1702, 1704, 1908, 1708 all enter their respective pockets 1900, 1902 through small openings 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924 in the pocket walls. Preferably, the dimensions of the holes 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924 are such that only one electrical wiring can pass through. The opposing clamshell molding 302 also includes a corresponding rib mechanism (not shown) for holding the contacts 1904, 1906 in the pockets 1900, 1902 so that a substantially sealed housing can be formed. This is due to the permeability of the pockets 1900, 1920 to protect the contacts 1904, 1906 from any fluid that may travel through the outer shaft 12 and into the casing 20, resulting in a short circuit in the contacts 1904, 1906. It is important to minimize
9. End Effector Assembly An example of an end effector assembly that may be used in the apparatus will now be described. It should be understood that the examples described are given for completeness and that other designs of end effectors may be used in the instrument as long as they can be driven by the drive shaft 316. It is. In short, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific end effectors described herein, and other designs of end effectors may be used.
38 to 44 show examples of instruments in which a conductive stop member is disposed on one or both of the sealing electrodes. Referring to FIG. 38, the end effector, generally designated 3801, includes an upper clamping portion 3802 pivotally connected to a lower clamping portion 3803 about a pivot axis 3804. A flange 3805 is present at the proximal end of the upper clamping part 3802, while a flange 3806 is present at the proximal end of the lower clamping part 3803. The flanges 3805, 3806 are such that movement on the proximal and distal sides of the drive pin 3808 (by a drive mechanism (not shown)) pivots the clamping portions 3802, 3803 between an open position and a closed position. Each has a slot 3807 through which the drive pin 8 passes.
A metal shim 3809 exists on the inward surface of the upper holding portion 3802, while a metal shim 3810 exists on the inward surface of the lower holding portion 3803. When the clamps 3802, 3803 pivot to their closed positions, the metal shims 3809, 3810 are in close proximity to each other to grasp tissue (not shown) therebetween.
The upper shim 3809 has a generally planar surface with the exception of a longitudinal groove (not visible in FIG. 38) over its length. The lower shim 3810 has a corresponding groove 3811 that accommodates the longitudinal movement of the cutting blade (not shown) in the shims 3809, 3810. The lower shim 3810 is also provided with a plurality of metallic stop members 3812 that are disposed along the length of the shim and located on either side of the groove 3811. Stop member 3812 will now be described in further detail with reference to FIGS.
Each metal stop member 3812 is constituted by an upper dome of stop element 3813 which is encased by an insulating member 3814 so that the insulating member encloses the stop element 3813 and isolates it from the rest of the shim. . Each insulating member 3814 and stop element 3813 is positioned in a corresponding hole in the shim 3810 such that the upper portion of the insulating member forms an insulating ring 3816 surrounding each stop member 3812.
When the clamps 3802, 3803 are moved to their closed positions (as shown in FIG. 40), the stop member 3812 contacts the upper shim 3809 and between 20 and about 350 μm between the upper and lower shims. Maintain a separation of (0.00079 inch to about 0.014 inch). In use, electrosurgical voltage for coagulation is supplied between the shims 3809 and 3810, and the separation between the shims ensures effective sealing of the tissue grasped between the clamping members 3802 and 3803. . On the other hand, since the stop members 3812 are electrically isolated so that they do not carry the same potential as the rest of the shim 3810, electrical shorts between the shims are avoided. The metal stop member 3812 is rigid and allows for consistent separation of the shim surface while monitoring the potential of the stop element 3818 to detect when the stop element 3813 contacts the upper shim 3809. However, it is practical in that it can give an indication that the clamping portion is closed.
FIGS. 41-43 illustrate an alternative arrangement in which a metallic stop member 3812 is mounted directly on the lower shim 3810 without providing an insulating member surrounding the stop member. In this arrangement, an insulating member 3817 is provided on the upper shim 3809 to correspond to each stop member. In this way, when the sandwiching portions 3802 and 3803 are closed, the insulating member 3817 ensures that there is no electrical short between the upper shim 3809 and the lower shim 810. A metallic stop member 3812 ensures that proper separation between the clamping members is maintained while electrosurgical energy is applied to seal the tissue grasped between the clamping parts.
Finally, FIG. 44 shows a further alternative arrangement in which the metal stop member 3812 is again mounted directly on the lower shim 3810. In this arrangement, a metal anvil 3818 is placed opposite each stop member, and each anvil 3818 is surrounded by an insulating member 3819 to isolate it from the rest of the upper shim 3809. When the clamp is closed, there is metal-to-metal contact between the stop member 3812 and the metal anvil 3818, and again, the anvil isolation avoids an electrical short between the shims 3809 and 3810. Is guaranteed. Again, the potential of each metal anvil can be monitored to detect when each metal anvil bears the potential of the lower shim, suggesting that the clamp is closed.
10. Electrosurgical System Referring now to FIG. 45, the instrument 1 in use is assumed to be connected to an electrosurgical generator 4500 having a controllable radio frequency (RF) source therein, the radio frequency source being the end of the instrument 1. An RF coagulation signal is generated that coagulates or seals the tissue when applied through the effector electrodes. The electrosurgical generator 4500 is for enabling the generator to be turned on and off, and for allowing the instrument 1 being controlled to be powered with the RF coagulation signal, respectively. Control input switches 4504 and 4502. In these regards, the electrosurgical generator 4500 is conventional.
The instrument 1 is connected to the generator 4500 by a control and power line 4506 in use. The control and power line is to allow the RF signal to be supplied to the end effector of the instrument 1 through the aforementioned internal wiring and to instruct the electrosurgical generator to output the RF coagulation signal to the instrument 1 Includes a separate control line to allow control signals to be received from the switch 26 of the instrument 1. In use, the surgeon activates the generator through on-off switch 4504 and uses button 4502 to select the signal strength for coagulation or sealing produced by the internal RF source. During surgery using the instrument, when an RF signal for sealing or coagulation is required at the end effector, the surgeon switches on the instrument 26 to control the generator to generate such a signal. And the generated RF signal is then passed through the electrical line 4506 to the end effector. In short, pressing the switch 26 in use causes the RF coagulation or sealing signal to be applied to the appropriate electrode contained within the end effector.
11. Summary Accordingly, in view of all of the above, embodiments of the present invention are advanced electrosurgical forceps instruments that allow easy and ergonomic one-handed operation by a user and provide end effector rotational flexibility And controlling the force applied by the end effector to the grasped tissue to prevent excessive force from being applied, while still allowing the grasped tissue to coagulate or seal by electrosurgery Provided is an electrosurgical forceps instrument that enables simple mechanical cutting simultaneously. In addition, the instrument is designed to be simple and low cost to build while providing a compact instrument through efficient use of the space available within each internal activation mechanism.
Various further modifications to the above-described embodiments, whether by addition, deletion, or substitution, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to provide further embodiments, and these further embodiments are , Each of which is intended to be covered by the appended claims.
A surgical instrument,
A drive shaft within the elongate shaft, the drive shaft connected to the end effector at a distal end thereof and to a component within the handle at a proximal end thereof;
A trigger mechanism positioned on the handle and movable between a first position and a second position, the movement of the component from the first position to the second position being a longitudinal direction of the component; A trigger mechanism that causes directional movement, which further changes the end effector from a first state to a second state;
The trigger mechanism includes a portion having first and second continuous holes, the first hole being dimensioned to allow the component to pass through, the second hole being a movement of the trigger mechanism. Surgical instrument characterized in that said component is dimensioned to be received within said second bore so as to cause a corresponding longitudinal movement of said component.
The surgical instrument according to claim 1,
The instrument is a surgical instrument wherein the drive shaft and the component can be inserted into the first hole when the instrument is assembled.
The surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein
The instrument is configured to move the drive shaft and the component into the second bore so that they are positioned therein for movement with the trigger assembly. A surgical instrument, which is an instrument that can be moved relative to a component after it is inserted into the first hole.
The surgical instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The surgical instrument is cylindrical, such that the component has an outer profile with a circular cross section.
The surgical instrument, wherein the first hole has a circular cross section that is larger than the diameter of the component.
The surgical instrument according to claim 4 or 5,
The surgical instrument, wherein the second hole has a circular cross section with a diameter similar to the component.
The surgical instrument has a closed circumference such that the first and second holes are contained within the body of the trigger mechanism.
The surgical instrument wherein the component is provided with a flange adapted to rest against the face of the trigger mechanism.
The surgical instrument is provided with first and second flanges adapted to lean against the front and back surfaces of the trigger mechanism.
The surgical instrument is a single piece plastic molding.
The surgical instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The surgical instrument comprises a pivot rod that is pivotable about the trigger mechanism.
The surgical instrument according to claim 11,
The surgical instrument wherein the pivot rod is positioned at a distal end of the trigger mechanism above the first and second holes.
A method of assembling a trigger mechanism for a surgical instrument comprising:
The trigger mechanism is
An actuator having a collar portion, wherein the collar is formed of two consecutive holes, the first hole having a larger diameter than the second hole;
A component having a first flange positioned at its distal end and a second flange positioned at its proximal end, wherein at least the first flange is smaller than the first hole; The first and second flanges are larger than the second hole; and
Receiving the component in the first bore such that the collar portion is between the first flange and the second flange;
Receiving the component in the second hole, whereby the collar is relative to the component such that the component is held in the second hole by the first and second flanges. To move to
A method comprising:
A trigger mechanism for a surgical instrument,
A drive shaft connected at its distal end to an end effector, the longitudinal movement between a first position and a second position changing the end effector from a first state to a second state A drive shaft,
A component connected to the proximal end of the drive shaft, having a first flange positioned at the distal end thereof and a second flange positioned at the proximal end thereof, wherein at least the first One flange is smaller than the first hole to allow the component to pass through, and the first and second flanges receive the component in a first position and a second position of the actuator. A component that is larger than the second bore so that movement between and a second longitudinal movement of the component can be caused thereby causing a corresponding longitudinal movement of the drive shaft;
A trigger mechanism comprising:
A surgical instrument comprising a handle and an end effector,
A surgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the handle includes a trigger mechanism for moving the end effector between a first state and a second state.
JP2017002908A 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electrosurgical device Pending JP2017159020A (en)
GB1600589.4 2016-01-12
GB1600589.4A GB2546278A (en) 2016-01-12 2016-01-12 Electrosurgical device
GBGB1600546.4A GB201600546D0 (en) 2016-01-12 2016-01-12 Electrosurgical device
JP2017159020A true JP2017159020A (en) 2017-09-14
Family Applications (12)
JP2017002910A Granted JP2017170116A (en) 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electrosurgical device
JP2017002908A Pending JP2017159020A (en) 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electrosurgical device
JP2017002907A Granted JP2017159019A (en) 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electrical surgical device
JP2017002904A Granted JP2017200563A (en) 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electric surgical device
JP2017002906A Granted JP2017164485A (en) 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electrosurgery device
JP2017002901A Granted JP2017196389A (en) 2016-01-12 2017-01-11 Electric surgical apparatus
Family Applications After (10)
US (13) US20170196633A1 (en)
JP (12) JP2017170116A (en)
CN (12) CN107019556A (en)
GB (10) GB201600546D0 (en)
IE (12) IE20170007A1 (en)
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2017-01-10 IE IE20170006A patent/IE20170006A1/en unknown
2017-01-11 JP JP2017002910A patent/JP2017170116A/en active Granted
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2019-11-20 A621 Written request for application examination
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WO1997002543A1 - Processing of long messages in a process card - Google Patents
Processing of long messages in a process card Download PDF
WO1997002543A1 PCT/EP1995/002606 EP9502606W WO9702543A1 WO 1997002543 A1 WO1997002543 A1 WO 1997002543A1 EP 9502606 W EP9502606 W EP 9502606W WO 9702543 A1 WO9702543 A1 WO 9702543A1
volatile memory
PCT/EP1995/002606
Walter Hänel
1995-07-05 Application filed by International Business Machines Corporation filed Critical International Business Machines Corporation
1995-07-05 Priority to PCT/EP1995/002606 priority Critical patent/WO1997002543A1/en
238000000034 methods Methods 0 abstract description title 5
230000015654 memory Effects 0 abstract claims description 106
239000000872 buffers Substances 0 abstract claims description 20
238000007781 pre-processing Methods 0 abstract description 2
238000004364 calculation methods Methods 0 description 1
230000002349 favourable Effects 0 description 1
230000002085 persistent Effects 0 description 1
230000002035 prolonged Effects 0 description 1
G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
G07F7/08—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means
G07F7/10—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means together with a coded signal, e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
G07F7/1008—Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
G06Q20/30—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices
G06Q20/34—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
G06Q20/341—Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
G06Q20/355—Personalisation of cards for use
G06Q20/3552—Downloading or loading of personalisation data
G07F7/0806—Details of the card
G07F7/0833—Card having specific functional components
G07F7/084—Additional components relating to data transfer and storing, e.g. error detection, self-diagnosis
A message received by a processor card (10) is written by a processor unit (30) into a writable, non-volatile memory (60), such as an EEPROM (60) and stored therein before its right of access to the processor card (10) is checked by the processor unit (30). As the storage locations in the writable, non-volatile memory (60) have a freely definable data size, within the limits of the total data size of the writable, non-volatile memory (60), messages containing data of whatever length may be checked for right of access and processed. Messages received from the outside by the processor card (10) may be either directly or indirectly stored in the non-volatile memory (60), for example after being first stored in the writable, volatile buffer memory (40) and if required pre-processed. Pre-processing may for example consist in determining the address of the storage location in which the message should be processed. Since the right of access for writing into the writable, non volatile memory (60) must first be checked before the message is further processed, storage in the writable, non-volatile memory (60) is a temporary storage and its final memory location is not yet determined. The invention is useful for communications by means of processor cards. For a device of whatever type to communicate with a processor card, the device sends a message to the processor card, the message is received by the processor card (10) and processed according to the disclosed process.
PROCESSING LONG MESSAGE IN A PROCESSOR CARD
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing messages in a processor card having a processor unit and a writable, non-volatile memory in which a permission to access a message on the processor card before further processing of the message must be checked. The invention further relates to a method for communication with the processor card.
As data carrier cards or smart cards are portable cards today, mostly in about in credit card format and preferably made of plastic or metal, designated by an integrated therein electronic chip. Unlike simple memory cards (which are called memory chip cards or memory cards known) have intelligent data carrier cards or processor cards (also multi-functional chip cards, or smart cards called) next to a storage area its own processor to control the on-chip the data carrier card stored data. This allows better protection of data and results in improved functionality of the processor cards. Simple memory cards generally allow only one writing and reading of data. about intelligent processor cards have also still generally above functions for structuring, localize, manage and protect the data. The increasing mainly because of increased security against counterfeiting use of processor cards extends to a variety of applications. Applications processor cards, so applications that require the communication of any device with a processor card can be cashless payment, identification processor cardholder data storage or the like, for example.
To prevent unauthorized access to data, the processor card, the appropriate access permission must first be established before a data access. serve as a method for checking the access authorization könnem eg authentication, for example, a MAC (Message Authentication Code) or an identification number PIN (Personal Identification Number), or encrypting the data. The authorization must be detected before data can be effectively overwritten. The authentication is a measure by which the authenticity of subjects and objects to be detected. In most cases, is a symmetric encryption algorithm such as DES (digital encryption standard), or an asymmetric encryption algorithm, such as a public key algorithm used.
Fig. 1 shows the schematic structure of a processor board 10. The processor board 10 communicates with the outside world, here represented by any device 15, which may for example be a card reader, a computer or the like, an I / O port 20 connected to a is connected to processor unit 30. Fig. The I / O port 20 is the interface to the outside world of the processor card 10 and forwards received messages or other information from the outside world to the processor unit 30 on. Also, messages or information the processor card 10 via the I / O port can be passed to the outside world 20th
The processor unit 30 is connected to a nonvolatile writeable memory 40, a non-volatile non-writable memory 50 and a likewise non-volatile, writable memory, however, 60th The volatile memory 40 is generally carried out as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and is to be referred to below as RAM 40th The non-rewritable, non-volatile memory 50 is preferably in today's processor cards 10 as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and executed will be referred to as ROM 50th Accordingly, a PROM (programmable read-only memory) or the like can be used. The non-volatile but rewritable memory 60 is performed in processor card 10 primarily as EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and is to be referred to as EEPROM 60th
Volatile memory such as the RAM 40, differ from the non-volatile, such as the ROM 50 or the EEPROM 60, characterized in that is lost in the volatile memory, the memory content after removal of the supply voltage, while the storage content in the non-volatile memory even after removal maintaining the supply voltage. Not writable memory such as the ROM 50, receive a fixed programming (z. B. by burning) that can not be changed. Rewritable memory such as the RAM 40 or the EEPROM 60 can be changed by the processor unit 30 in its memory content by write operations, wherein the number of possible write operations is generally limited by their lifetime. Volatile memory generally have significantly lower access times (about a factor of 1: 10,000) as a non-volatile memory and are therefore preferably used as a fast memory for the processor unit 30. Fig.
In the region of the ROM 50 an operating system 55 of processor card 10 is preferably housed as a fixed programming. However, the operating system 55 may also, at least partially, be stored in the EEPROM 60 contains programs for the processor board 10 which control the execution of programs and processes, the distribution of resources to the individual user programs and the maintaining of the mode in the processor card 10 and monitor. The memory area in the RAM 40 is divided during operation of the processor card 10 into a used by the operating system 55 of processor unit 30 as a buffer memory region 70 and a region 80 which can be used for the operation of programs on.
In the EEPROM 60 data can be stored and read again from this by the processor unit 30. Fig. The EEPROM 60 has for this purpose generally has a portion 90 with a file system and a region 100 without a file system. In the region 90 with file system are a plurality of files (files) 110, preferably arranged in a tree structure. The files 110 are accessible via a root directory 120, which is also preferably a
has Contents of created files 110th The data width of each file 110 may be freely defined when creating a file by the processor unit 30, as part of the overall length of the EEPROM 60. Furthermore, access conditions to each of the files 110, as are defined eg a pure Lese¬ or a pure writing, or a combined read / write access. In this case, a write access to one of the files 110 through a Authentifikationssverfahren (described below), such as. B. be protected by a checksum using a MAC. In which file or files the plurality of files 110 a message is to be stored, or which of the files to have a message Access is available as an information either in the message itself or the processor unit 30 knows eg due to previous messages, the appropriate location , A message can thereby each, preferably self-contained, unit of information from a message source to a message sink, where the processor card 10 is transported w ill.
Each of the files 110 is again in a variety of individual records (records) split, which are in a process-engineering context. The records form within a file, a logical unit and should preferably be written in whole or read. The area 100 with no file system is provided for storing persistent data of the operating system 55 and has random access (random access).
When the processor card 10 from the outside world through the I / O port 20 receives a message, it will be written first, before further processing by the processor unit 30 in the area 80 of the RAM 40th For authentication of the message, and thus to check the access authorization to the processor board 10, the message preferably contains an additive which shows that the message from a particular address and has not been altered en route from this address to the processor card 10th As such an addition, the MAC is now preferably used which contains a checksum to verify the access authorization, eg for a read or write access and can check. Other authentication methods, such as those listed above, be applied by analogy.
Only when the access authorization is checked by the processor unit 30 and is positively confirmed, the message can be further processed by such. B. is copied from the RAM 40 into the EEPROM 60 by the processor unit 30 or moved. In this process, it is understood that each individual, arriving in the processor card 10 message must be checked for access authorization before it can be further processed. However, the message must generally fully available because, as with the use of the MAC, the access authorization only if the complete message, ie the entire message data set can be checked.
Since the memory area of the RAM 40 is generally very small (eg., 240 bytes) and is also reduced by the use of the operating system 55 area 70, there is only a very limited storage area (e.g. for the reception of messages in the region 80. for example, about 64 bytes) left. Accordingly messages to be processed by processor cards 10 (64 bytes at the moment) must not exceed a certain maximum data size. Longer messages must be broken down into smaller, which due to the special security conditions and the associated method for determining the access authorization, such as the
Authentication method, with processor cards 10 carries in communications to an extension of the communication times.
An example of a possible communication between the outside world and the processor card 10 may be the following message: "Write to File No. X in the record number Y, the data DATA, which is available as an access permission MAC Z..." The aim is DATA represent any data sequence. In the EEPROM 60 of the card 10, a key is stored, in accordance with ANSI X9.9 or X9.19, allows along with the data DATA a review of the MAC, such as ANSI. The processor unit 30 first writes the message into the area 80 of the RAM 40 and checks upon complete receipt of the message, based on the MAC Z and the data DATA permission of the message for a write operation. Is no authorization or has permission condition z. B. are not met due to a transmission error, an abort by the operating system 55 of processor card 10. Can takes place an authorization for a write access the message on the processor card 10 through the message, however, be detected, the message by the processor unit 30 in a for this is write access provided written file 130 of the plurality of files 110, wherein the writing can be carried out as either a rewriting or overwriting existing data in the file 130th After a successfully completed write operation, the processor unit 30 is the back as feedback to the outside world by means of the I / O ports 20 again. The entire process corresponds to the definitions according to ISO / IEC 7816th
The problem with this way of communication between the outside world and the processor card 10 is the one that the message may possibly not be completely written into the RAM 40 due to the limited data size, and further that an authorization must be verified first before a write access can be effected or may.
The invention has the object of providing a communication with a processor card to enable largely independent of the data size of the receivable from the processor card messages. The object of the invention is solved according to the independent claims.
According to the invention an incoming message in a processor card by a processor unit in a writable, nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM, written and stored before the message is verified by the processor unit with respect to their access authorization to the processor card. Since spaces in the rewritable non-volatile memory in their data size, can be freely defined in each case as part of the total data size of the writable, non-volatile memory can be checked for their access authorization so messages with almost any large data size of the processor card and are processed with it. Thereby the depth in the processor card from the outside world news, for example, after the messages were either in the writable non-volatile memory immediately or only indirectly previously stored in a writable volatile memory and possibly preprocessed to be stored. A preprocessing may be taking the address of the location in which the message is to be processed here, for example. Since the access permission for a write operation in the writable non-volatile memory prior to further processing of the message has yet to be verified, the storing is carried out in the writable non-volatile memory in the sense of a temporary storage, wherein the final position is not yet specified.
The invention is used for communication with Prozessorkartem. The communication of any device having a processor card is accomplished by sending out a message to the processor board by the device receiving the message by the processor card and processing the message according to one method of the invention.
The necessary instructions for the inventive processing are preferably stored in the operating system of the processor card.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are found in the dependent claims.
Description of the Drawings
For further explanation of the invention are described with reference to the drawings in the following embodiments. Components with the same functionality are denoted by the same reference numerals. Show it:
1 shows the schematic structure of a processor card. and FIG. 2-4 embodiments of the invention.
Furthermore, should with regard to the simpler understanding of the writable, volatile memory 40 again as RAM 40 and the rewritable, nonvolatile memory 60 again called EEPROM 60th However, the invention is not limited to these embodiments of the memory.
In a first embodiment (Fig. 2) storing the incoming message is carried in a latch 140 in the area 100 of the EEPROM 60, which is located outside the region 90 with file systems. After storing the message in the buffer 140, the processing unit 30 checks the access authorization of the cached message such. B. by the MAC is recalculated. No valid access authorization before, the message processing is aborted and the cached message can be overridden by a subsequent. Could the access authorization are detected, however, the message is copied or from the buffer 140 in the time allotted for the storage of the message file 130 of the plurality of files 110 moved. After storing the message in the file 130 feedback according to the above takes place.
In this first embodiment with most used today is writable, non-volatile memories, such as EEPROM 60 to ensure that the intermediate storage area 140 for. B. after a certain number of performed write cycles (about 10,000 to 100,000) is moved to a different location of the region 100, since these writable non-volatile memory elements allow only a certain number of write accesses to a memory location, and so on reaching the end of life of a memory cell can be a loss of data occurs.
Also to be considered in the first embodiment in that. is the copy action of the message from the buffer 140 to the final location of the message in the file 130 in use today save over other operations, such as writing or reading in the RAM 40 or reading in the EEPROM 60, relatively time-consuming (about 10,000 times). Therefore, preferably only those messages which can not be received directly in the RAM 40 due to their size data latched in the latch 140th This can be achieved, for example, that the incoming message from the processor unit 30 first (sequentially) is written into the RAM 40th When rewriting of the available storage amount of the RAM 40, the stored there portion of the message in the buffer 140 is copied and the remainder of the message now stored directly in the buffer memory 140 and appended possibly the copied from the RAM 40 of the message.
Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention. Such files of the plurality of files 110, the data record length exceeding the size of the region 70 used as buffer memory, or where such a crossing is expected to now have a local cache 150, 160, etc. on. Is already the address of the file 130 to which the incoming message is to be stored, the incoming message will be stored directly into the local cache 160 of the file 130th The checking of the access authorization of the message is now performed by the processor unit 30, according to the above, with the data stored in the local cache 160 message. Is the address of the file 130, in which the message is to be stored, to be announced upon receipt of the message, the message is first read into the RAM 40th The reading takes place at least until the address is fixed. In the currently used communication protocols is determined that the address for a storage of the message can be found, for example, within the first 4 bytes of the message, if there is an address.
Accordingly, the necessary for the recognition of the address of the message could be enrolled in the optional for the second embodiment buffer 140 first.
In the currently available rewritable, non-volatile memory 60, a write access as already indicated above, many times slower than a write access to a volatile memory 40. However, the current communication protocol for communication with the processor card 10 requires a specific writing speed for reading of the message or for contiguous portions of the message so that certain write access times must not be exceeded at least for the associated parts of the message. Otherwise, the communication is interrupted with the processor card 10th Since this required minimum possible write speed of most currently available rewritable, non-volatile memories 60 can not be complied with, and in part will be well below that messages can not be enrolled directly into the writable non-volatile memory 60 here. To be able to perform communication, the contiguous parts of the message are read first in the nonvolatile memory 40 and copied from there into the appropriate buffer as the buffer 140 or the local cache 150, 160, and so on.
The apparatus and method according to the second embodiment so reduced at approximately the same access frequencies on each file 110, the danger of using only a portion, such. B. of the latch 140. This is particularly in the use of multi-functional processor card with a variety of different applications, each application in at least one file is stored, is advantageous. If the local cache 150, 160 of the applications of the multifunctional processor card such. by B. destroyed by reaching the end of life of some memory cells, so other applications are not affected and can still be used on.
In a third embodiment, the corresponding local cache 160 is itself defined as a file 130, or a portion thereof, and not the content of the respective local cache 150, 160, etc., copied or moved to the identification of the access authorization to the appropriate location within the file 130 , If the file 130 created for example as a linked list, as are the pointers that define the locations of the individual records, swapped accordingly within this list. However, the records are in a way that they are provided with a record number, only the record numbers simply must be replaced accordingly. In other words, the areas of the individual local cache are classified on a successful write access to the corresponding file of the plurality of files 110 in this third embodiment, and defines a different location of the corresponding file as the new local interim memory. Fig. 4 shows such an arrangement. In the local cache 160 of the file 130 the message write permission of the message was written first and, after successfully completed authentication found. The old local cache 160 is now integrated into the file 160 and a new section 160 'of the file 130 as a new local cache 160' of the file defines the 130th
The third embodiment with a redefinition and incorporating the respective local cache in the corresponding file allowed in relation to the complete copying of the complete message, or parts thereof, of one of the latch in the corresponding position of the file a drastic partly reducing the access time for writing. For example, a write access time of 100 bytes X 10 ms / 4 bytes = 250 ms is required for a message with a data size of 100 bytes and an access speed of 10 ms per byte 4 for writing the data into the EEPROM 60th In the event that only pointers must be reversed, as additional writing time for the reassignment of the pointers in the linked list at a data width of a pointer of about 4 bytes further 10 ms write time per hand, totaling more 20ms are necessary. 2 also write access from a total of 20 ms are correspondingly for the case that the record numbers need to be replaced and a record number each has about 4-byte data size, required.
Conventional verification of the access authorization of a message in the RAM 40, and subsequent storage in the EEPROM 60 requires at least a write operation of the entire message in the RAM 40 and a write operation of data to be stored in the EEPROM 60. In contrast, requires the inventive checking the access authorization in accordance with the first and second embodiment, at least a write operation of the entire message in the EEPROM 60, and another write operation, the data to be stored also in the EEPROM 60. the checking of the access authorization in accordance with the third embodiment requires equally at least a write operation of the entire message in the EEPROM 60 but the additional writing to the EEPROM is limited to the 60 needed to redefine the records data.
In the available today storing the write operation in the EEPROM is about 10,000 times slower than the writing operation in the RAM, so that as the write operation in the EEPROM 60 substantially determines the total write time. However, when communicating the days of setting up the connection and authentication and security check must still be included with each message. Has a message, as in the conventional verification of access authorization with long messages are broken down into a number of individual sub-messages, this time for establishing the connection, authentication, security check falls etc for every single part of the message and must be factored in to the communication time , Without consideration of these times for the connection setup, etc. thus in today's memories for the first and second embodiment, the total write time compared to the conventional verification of the access authorization exclusively in the RAM 40. doubled In the third embodiment, however, the total writing time is prolonged, depending on the ratio of data size required for renaming the message size, only a few percentages. In terms of overall communication time (times for call setup + total write time) for checking the access authorization of a message, however, these values fall more favorable for the embodiments of the longer messages. In particular, the third embodiment proves to be particularly advantageous here.
the different ways of checking the access authorization will be illustrated by an example: a 100-byte message to a processor card with
Write access speed of 10 ms per 4 bytes are for writing the data into the EEPROM 60 and lμs per 4 bytes for writing the data into the RAM 40, processed. Since the write times of the data in the RAM 40 do not contribute significantly to the total write time of the message, they can in here roughly calculation performed omitted. For identification of records 4 bytes are necessary and the entire message to be stored in the EEPROM 60th a) The conventional checking the access authorization of the message so applicable, would take about 250 ms total access time. b) For the first and second embodiment of the invention, about 2 x 250 were for checking the access authorization of the message ms = 500 ms total access time is required. c) For the third embodiment of the invention, however, would be for checking the access authorization of the message, only about 250 ms + 10 ms = 2 x 270 ms total access time is required.
This is the third embodiment from the theoretical time for conventional Checking your authorization, but for long messages can no longer be applied in many cases, only an addition of required access time of 8%, although the almost arbitrarily long messages completely in the EEPROM can be processed 60th In contrast, processing of the present invention reduces the total processing time for long messages, as these are fully customizable and need not be broken down into parts.
It is understood that in all embodiments, the incoming message need not be written directly in the writable non-volatile memory 60th For many applications, it is much more meaningful, or it may even be necessary (see above) that the message, or just parts of it, first read into the volatile memory 40 and from there into the appropriate buffer as the buffer 140 or the local cache 150, 160, etc. can be copied or moved. Related parts of the message should preferably always be stored either directly in common to the writable non-volatile memory 60 or in the nonvolatile memory 40 or the writable non-volatile memory 60 is latched. Preferably, the processor board 10 before the beginning of a communication a request, for example according to ISO / IEC 7816-3, to dividing the message into individual message segments, said processor card 10 notifies the available maximum memory space of volatile memory 40, or a standardized value used becomes. Since times slower at the present store the write access to an EEPROM about 10,000 as the write access to a RAM, plays a temporary intermediate storage in the RAM 40 is only a minor role.
The inventive processing is generally controlled by the operating system 55 of processor card 10 and controlled. The operating system 55 preferably includes all elements needed to defiance of the invention statement, for example in the form of microcode or the like.
1. A method for processing a message in a processor card (10) having a processor unit (30) and a writable, non-volatile memory (60), a permission to access the message on the processor card (10) is verified before further processing of the message, characterized in that the message before the checking of the access authorization in the writable non-volatile memory (60) is stored.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the processor card (10) incoming message in the writable non-volatile memory (60) is either stored directly or indirectly, where the indirect storage in the sense of a temporary storage performed, and a final memory address is not yet determined.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the message or parts thereof, is latched before the verification in the writable non-volatile memory (60) in a writable volatile memory (40).
4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the message before the checking in the writable non-volatile memory (60) in the writable volatile memory (40), including a memory address out is preprocessed.
5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the message in a buffer memory (140) in a region (100) of the writable non-volatile memory (60), which is located outside a region (90) with a file system, is temporarily stored;
after storage of the message in the temporary memory (140) the processor unit (30) checks the access authorization of the temporarily stored message; and
when a valid access authorization, the message is copied from the buffer (140) in one, intended for the storage of the message file (130) a plurality of files (110) or moved.
6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the for the intermediate storage (140) allocated memory area after a certain number of write cycles carried to another location of the region (100) is laid.
7. The method of claim 5 or 6, characterized in that only those messages that are not directly in the writable volatile memory, because of their data size (40) can be received, are temporarily stored in the buffer (140).
8. The method according to any one of claims 5-7, characterized in that the incoming message from the processor unit (30) first in the writable volatile memory (40) is written (when overwriting of the available storage amount of writable volatile memory 40) of the (in the writable volatile memory 40) copies stored portion of the message in the buffer (140) and the remainder of the message now directly (in the latch 140) is stored.
9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the processor card (10) for those files of the plurality of files (110) the data record length exceeding the size of a buffer memory (70) of the writable, volatile memory (40), or in which to accomplish this is to be expected, with a local cache (150, 160) are provided, characterized in that
at recumbency the address of a file (130) into which the incoming message should be stored, the incoming message directly in the local cache (160) of the file (130) is stored; and
checking the access authorization of the message in the local cache (160) the stored message from the processor unit (30) is performed;
10. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the message is first read into the writable volatile memory (40) when the address of the file (130), in which the message is to be stored, on receipt of the message still is not known, and this happens at least until the address is fixed.
11. A method according to any one of claims 5-10, characterized in that the contiguous parts of the message first read into the volatile memory (40) and from there into the appropriate interim memory (140, 150, 160) is copied.
12. The method according to any one of claims 9-11, characterized in that the region of the local interim memory (160) in a successful write access to the file (130) belongs to the plurality of files (110) and another location of the corresponding file ( 130) is defined as the new local interim memory (160 ').
13. A method according to any of claims 9-12, characterized in that the respective local cache (150, 160) is defined by the identification of the access right even as a file (130), or as a portion thereof.
14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the file (130) is designed as a linked list with pointers which define the locations of the individual data records, characterized in that to redefine the respective local interim memory (150, 160) as a file ( 130), or as a part region thereof, the pointers are correspondingly interchanged within the list.
15. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the data sets present in a way that these are provided with a data set number, characterized in that to redefine the respective local interim memory (150, 160) as a file (130), or as portion thereof, the data record numbers are exchanged accordingly.
16. The method according to any of claims 9-15, characterized in that in the local cache (160) of the file (130) is first written the message after successfully completed authentication of the access authorization of the message is detected, and the old local interim memory ( 160) incorporated into the file 160 and a new region (160 ') of the file (130) as the new local interim memory (160') of the file (130) is defined.
17. The method according to any one of claims 5-16, characterized in that the message or also only parts thereof, first to the volatile memory (40) is read, and from there into the appropriate interim memory (140, 150, 160) copied or moved become.
18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that contiguous parts of the message always either directly together, in the writable non-volatile memory (60), stored, or either in the volatile memory (40) or the writable, non-volatile memory (60), are temporarily stored.
19. Use of the method according to any preceding claim for communication with a processor board (10).
20. A method for communication of a device (15) having a processor card (10) comprising the steps of:
Sending a message to the processor card (10) through the apparatus (15);
Receiving the message by the processor card (10); and
Processing the message according to a method according to the claims 1-18.
21, processor card (10) having a processor unit (30), a writable volatile memory (40) with a buffer memory (70), and a writable, non-volatile memory (60) having a plurality of files (110), wherein an access authorization a message on the processor card (10) is verified before further processing of the message, characterized in that in the processor card (10) for those files of the plurality of files (110) the data record length exceeding the size of the buffer memory (70), or where this is to be expected, a local cache (150, 160) is provided.
22, processor card (10) having a processor unit (30), a writable volatile memory (40), non-writable a non-volatile memory (50) and a writable, non-volatile memory (60), wherein the non-rewritable, non-volatile memory (50) includes an operating system (55), characterized in that the operating system (55) comprises means for processing a message by a method according to the claims 1-18.
PCT/EP1995/002606 1995-07-05 1995-07-05 Processing of long messages in a process card WO1997002543A1 (en)
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Tag Archives: Terror-Rama 2: Prom Night
Theater Around The Bay: An Interview With Colin Johnson
In honor of STICKY ICKY, opening May 23rd, we’re interviewing writer/director Colin Johnson about this latest joint.
Give us your elevator pitch for yourself- WHO IS Colin Johnson?
CJ: It depends on how long I had in the elevator. If we went all the way to the top floor, I feel I’d have enough time to do an interpretative dance displaying my many passions for film, theater, storytelling, writing, directing, performing and editing, and my experience with many notable enterprises, including SF Olympians, SF Playground, SF Fringe, SF Shotz, San Diego and New York Comic-Con, Image Comics and Awesome Theater. The dance would be tasteful but provocative; informative but challenging. If we were only going up one floor, I’d just reach my hand out and say, “come with me if you wanna have a great time making some weird art”
And this isn’t your first time at Theater Pub, is it?
CJ: I have been playing with the good folks at TP for the past three years or so. Or maybe 4. When was the last Pint-Sized at Cafe Royale? That was when I started. I’ve done like 5 or 6 shows in various capacities.
What keeps you coming back?
CJ: The challenge of setting a piece of theater amidst an open, functioning, busy bar. It’s harder than it looks, and a great many types of shows that would flourish in a traditional venue have struggled with the format. It forces you to be blunt, loud, fast and not rely on tech elements or, to a degree, audience engagement. I tend to go into a show as if I’m entering a combat field with my platoon, but like in elementary school, where the imagination was running wild and role-playing was cool (because that’s what we essentially still do, we are the role-playing holdouts from childhood). X factors will be flung at you left and right and you have to duck and dodge to pull it together. Theater Pub harkens back to the days without polite theater etiquette, where performers and crew members need to be on their toes to overcome any and every obstacle that the outside world will throw at them, from passing sirens to drunk idiots at the bar. It keeps them present and focused, but also flexible. They also let me do pretty much anything I want.
Tell us more about Sticky Icky- what can we expect?
CJ: You can expect a loud, fast, funny romp through classical zombie-film tropes and tireless research from my years of being a high-functioning pothead. We got the archetypes, we got the paranoia, the in-fighting, the snacks, the doomsday radio broadcasts, the external menace, and even a couple original songs.
What’s got you most excited about this project?
CJ: The idea of uncoordinated, easily-distracted-yet-dangerous and relentless antagonists was too funny to pass up. It was actually developed as a feature-film several years ago in Eastern Washington State, a place where you either smoked or you HATED THOSE DIRTBAG HIPPIE NO-GOODNICKS. It was originally much more violent and dealt with marijuana legislation and its respective sides. Over the years, it has remained on the back burner, mutating into whatever avenue suited it best. When I was asked to come back to Theater Pub this year, I wanted to make a serious, intense play. But then I remembered my dormant idea for Sticky Icky and giggled the way a selfish blowhard laughs at his own shit.
Needless to say, it’s a play now, and although it doesn’t try to take itself seriously anymore, the overriding themes of both sides of the debate being equally stupid for different reasons is still very much there.
Marijuana has a colorful history as a subject in film and theater- any influences you wanna point to?
CJ: Most of the direct references come from the horror genre — John Carpenter (The Thing, Assault on Precinct 13, Prince of Darkness) and, of course, George A. Romero were major influences, as were numerous smaller, stranger zombie movies (Shaun of the Dead, Pontypool, 28 Days Later, Undead). In our play the weed is used more as a catalyst in the style of Danny Boyle’s genre-busting classic, only instead of blood or saliva transmission, it’s second-hand smoke (invisible of course due to indoor smoking laws). That said, it’s much closer in tone to Reefer Madness or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (I love idiots screaming over each other). The plot is horror, the dialogue and performances are comedy.
Should or should not people show up to this stoned?
CJ: It definitely wouldn’t hurt if folks got a bit blazed. Unfortunately, there won’t be an intermission to “freshen up”. I promise no one will be bored. We want to create the illusion of chaos, so stoned lightweights should maybe sit a bit farther back from the action.
Let’s say they do- what food served at the bar do you most recommend?
CJ: I’m a devoted pulled-pork guy. And the fries are perfect to keep you going when you’re rocking a long day.
And for the non-stoners in the house- what beverage?
CJ: I’m a pretty no-frills drinker. I like beer and whiskey. My little brother turned me onto whiskey-gingers, those are good. If I’m working I’ll drink the Kolsch or Tecate (the classy stuff). If my wits are not needed as much, I’ll usually go for an IPA.
Any shout-outs for stuff going on in the Bay Area?
CJ: Be sure to check out the SF Shotz shows, performed (usually) the second Wednesday of each month at Pianofight. Six new five minute plays, fully produced. Good rowdy fun. Also Loud and Unladylike has a great lineup this year! As does Olympians! And Best of Playground! Also Saturday Write Fever is always a good bit of creative cardio! The Circus Center is doing crazy cool stuff in their Cabaret Series and various showcases. Jaw-dropping. So much good stuff. All the freakin’ time. Very alive and well. (insert uplifting San Francisco song. Maybe the Foxygen one)
And what’s next for you?
CJ: I got a full slate coming up. I wrote a new show for Longshotz (the one-act offshoot of Shotz) that’s opening in early June. I will also be guest-producing the regular Shotz performance on June 8th. I have a few original short plays being published in August. In October I’ll be directing Terror-Rama 2: Prom Night for Awesome Theater at Pianofight. And I’m lobbying for a big directing gig in December that would expose me to a whole new style of performance. Fingers crossed. I’m also currently producing a web series in collaboration with the new Clown Conservatory. My partner in that endeavor and Director of the Conservatory, the immensely talented Sara Moore, is featured in Sticky Icky as the salty barfly Donelda.
Don’t miss STICKY ICKY- opening at Theater Pub on Monday May 23rd!
1 Comment Posted in Theater Around The Bay Tagged Awesome Theater, Cafe Royale, Circus Center, Clown Conservatory, Colin Johnson, Comic-Con, Danny Boyle, Foxygen, George A. Romero, Image Comics, John Carpenter, Longshotz, Loud and Unladylike, marijuana, Pint-Sized Plays, PlayGround, Reefer Madness, San Francisco, San Francisco Fringe Festival, San Francisco Olympians Festival, Sara Moore, Saturday Write Fever, SF Playground, Shotz, Sticky Icky, Terror-Rama 2: Prom Night, Theater Around The Bay, Weed, Zombies
Theater Around The Bay: The Great Blog Recap of 2015 Part II
Today we bring you three more annual round ups from three more of our core blogging team: Ashley Cowan, Will Leschber, and Dave Sikula! More tomorrow and the Stueys on Thursday!
The Top Five Thank Yous of 2015 by Ashley Cowan
1) You’re inspirational, Molly Benson
Aside from the incredible PianoFight mosaic we all continue to marvel at each time we’re in its proximity, you’ve managed to continue bursting through the creative scene while balancing parenting a small child (which I’ve personally found to be an incredibly difficult thing to do). You’re acting, you’re lending your voice to various projects, you’re making art, and you’re out there inspiring me to keep trying. So thank you and please keep it up!
2) You’re so great to work with, San Francisco Fringe Festival
2015 was the second year I had the chance to be a part of the SF Fringe Festival alongside Banal+ with Nick and Lisa Gentile, Warden Lawlor, Dan Kurtz, Tavis Kammet, and Will Leschber. (And this year, Eden Davis and Katrina Bushnell joined the cast making it even stronger!) Now, I always love working with this dynamic bunch but this time around, I was returning to the stage after a two year hiatus and straight off of having a baby and returning to work full time. Thankfully, everyone was so flexible and kind that when I had to leave a show immediately after my performance (skipping the other pieces in the lineup and curtain call) to relieve our babysitter, I was greeted with support and understanding. It made all the difference so thank you again.
3) You trusted me to be a 90’s (Rose McGowan inspired) teenager, Anthony Miller
Last year when I had to back out of TERROR-RAMA, I was pretty crushed. I don’t totally know how I lucked out in getting a second chance with this October’s reading of TERROR-RAMA 2: PROM NIGHT but oh, man, I loved it. After feeling a bit rusty and uncomfortable in my post baby body, Anthony Miller and Colin Johnson let me play this sexy queen vampire 90’s teen. And I had the best time. Anthony’s script is truly hilarious and under Colin’s direction, the reading was a great success. But I was also left with that electric, “yes! This is why I do this!” feeling after I had the chance to be involved and for that, I’m super grateful. Thank you, Anthony. And thank you Rose McGowan.
4) You Made Me Love Being an Audience Member Again, In Love and Warcraft
One of my theatrical regrets from this past year was not singing praises or appropriately applauding creative teams when I had the chance. In this case, I didn’t really take the opportunity to give a shout out to all involved in Custom Made’s recent show, In Love And Warcraft. I was unfamiliar with most of the cast but, wow, they were delightful. The script was smart, sweet, and funny (and totally played to my nerdy romantic sensibilities) and the whole thing came together into such an enjoyable theater experience. I had such fun being in the audience and invited into a world of warcraft and new love. Thank you, thank you.
5) You Make Me Feel Tall and Proud, Marissa Skudlarek
In our two part Theater Pub blog series, Embracing the Mirror, Marissa and I uncovered new heights. Or, really, uncovered the heights that had been there all along and allowed us to kind of honor them. I’m so thankful that Marissa suggested this collaboration because the topic allowed me to reconnect with tall actress friends from my past while reevaluating my own relationship to my height. Plus, getting to do it with Marissa was a treat in itself. So thank you, Marissa for continuing to positively push this blog forward and allowing me to stand next to you!
Top Five 2015 Films That Should Be Adapted Into A Stage Play by Will Leschber
Hi all! Since I spend most of the year trying to smash together the space between theater and film, why not just come out with it and say which bright shining films of 2015 should end up on our great stages here in San Francisco. So here are the top 5 films of 2015 that should be adapted to a San Franciscan stage production…and a Bay Area Actor who’d fit perfectly in a key role!
Now, since my knowledge of the vast pool of Bay Area creative performers isn’t what it used to be, lets just get fun and totally subjective and pull this recommendation list from a single show! And not just a single show… a single show that Theater Pub put up… AND I was in: Dick 3… Stuart Bousel’s bloody adaptation of Richard III. Yeah, talk about nepotism, right? Booyah… lets own this!
5) Room
This film adaption of the acclaimed book by Emma Donoghue would fit easily into a restricted stage production with the cloying enclosed location in which most of the action takes place. It’s a moving story dictated by creative perspective and wonderful acting, things that shine onstage. Brie Larson owns the film’s main performance but it if a bay area actress could give it a go, I’d love to see Jeunée Simon radiate in this role. Her youthful energy, subtle power, and soulful spirit would kick this one out of the park.
4) Steve Jobs
Regardless of the Aaron Sorkin lovers or haters out there, this film is written like a three-act play and would work supremely well on stage, as it does on screen. It’s talky and quick-paced as long as you keep up the clip of lip that the script demands. The perfect pairing to tackle this towering role of Steve Jobs and his “work wife” Joanna Hoffman (played respectively by Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet) would look excellent cast with Jessica Rudholm as Steve Jobs (Jessica is an unbelievably powerful performer and can command any room she steps into…perfect for Jobs) and Megan Briggs as the Joanna Hoffman character: resourceful, smart and can stand up to powerful chest-puffing men. Done!
3) Mistress America
This buoyant film by Noah Baumbach follows a New York pseudo-socialite, Brooke, embodied perfectly by Greta Gerwig, who has to fall a bit from her idealized youthful 20s phase of life towards something a bit more….self-realized…aka adulthood. At times a situation-farce houseguest comedy, and other times a story of searching for self discovery, the themes would read equally beautifully on stage. The second lead in this film is a bright-eyed, I-know-everything-in-the-world college freshman named Tracy, who befriends our beloved Brooke character. It’s a dual journey. Allison Page has more confidence than all the college freshman I know. She’d play the crap out of that! And for the main Greta Gerwig part… this is a hard role to fill with quirk and empathy, so I’d say let’s give Sam Bertken a shot at it! Sam as a performer has the whimsy of a confident yet lost late-20-something, but the charm and determination to persevere with her/his quirk intact.
2) Spotlight
This journalistic procedural which chronicles the story behind the Pulitzer-winning newspaper story of sexual abuse and the Catholic Church would be a heavy sit. But the story is powerful, the characters are true, and the setting lends itself to small scale theater. To play the stalwart Spotlight department newspaper lead editor, played by Michael Keaton in the film, lets go with Carl Lucania who’d give the role a nice imprint. AND to boot, the Mark Ruffalo character (who is the shoulder of the film, in my opinion) would be handled wonderfully by Paul Jennings. These two have the exact performing skills to juxtapose unrelenting determination and quiet, frustrated fury which fit perfectly for this story.
1) Inside Out
Now I hear you…animated films with complex imaginary landscapes and vistas filled with old memories might not immediately scream stage production. But if The Lion King, King Kong or even Beauty & the Beast can do it, I know some insanely talented set designers, costume designers and lighting specialists could bring this world to life. More importantly, the themes of passing away from youthful phases of life, how hard and lonely a childhood transition can be, plus learning that life isn’t simply divided into happy/sad/angry/scared memories. The complicated reality is that our selves and our memories are colored with a mad mix of many diverse emotions and characteristics. Coming of age with this palette of imagination would be glorious on stage. And who better to play the central character named Joy, than the joyful Brian Martin. He just adorable…all the time.
Five Things I Learned on My Last New York Trip by Dave Sikula
1) “Traditional” Casting Is Over
Well, not totally, obviously, but as Hamilton showed (among so many other things), anyone can play anything. I’m old enough to remember when musicals had all-white casts, then, little by little, there would be one African American male and one African American female in the ensemble, and they always danced together. Gradually, you began to see more and more people of color in choruses, and they were now free to interact with anyone. Now, of course, pretty much any role is up for grabs by any actor of any race or gender – or should be. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see an Asian female eventually playing Hamilton himself. Whether this – and the other innovations of Hamilton – percolates into more mainstream fare remains to be seen, but it’s certainly to be hoped.
2) A Good Director Can Make Even the Most Tired War-Horse Fresh and Vital
For my money, there aren’t many major playwrights whose work has aged more badly than Arthur Miller. Yeah, Death of Salesman is still powerful, but the rest of the canon isn’t faring so well. Years and years ago, I saw a lousy production of A View from the Bridge, and even then, it struck me as obvious, tired, and dull. Ivo van Hove’s production, then, had a couple of hurdles to overcome: 1) it’s a London import, and 2) it’s, well, it’s A View from the Bridge. Van Hove’s 2004 production of Hedda Gabler (surely one of the worst “important” plays ever written) was enough of a revelation that I wanted to see what he could do with this one, and boy, did he come through. Tough, powerful, and visceral, it’s nothing so much as what we hear Greek tragedy was so good at. It was so good, I’m anxious to see his upcoming production of The Crucible, and see if he can make another truly terrible play interesting.
3) Even a Good Director Can’t Make a Tired Old War-Horse Work
In 2008, Bartlett Sher directed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, a show I’d seen too much and from which (I’d thought) all the juice had long since been squeezed. By digging deep into the text and back story, though, Sher and company were able to make it vital, exciting, and relevant. Flash forward to last year and the reunion of some of the band to remount The King and I, another show whose time has all but passed. Despite breathtaking sets, more delving into two-dimensional characters by very good actors (Hoon Lee and Kelli O’Hara are doing superb work in the title parts), and marvelous staging, it just sits there. The problem to these tired old eyes is that musical dramaturgy of today doesn’t always fit well with that of the early 1950s, and the show itself just has too many fundamental flaws to work anymore. It’s a pity, because a lot of time and effort is being expended in a futile effort to make the unworkable work. In the words of Horace, “The mountain labors, and brings forth … a mouse!”
4) There Is No Show So Bad That No One Will See It
We’ve dealt with the awfulness of China Doll before. Despite barely having a script and offering audiences little more than the chance to watch Al Pacino alternately get fed his lines and chew scenery, it’s still drawing people. Sure, that attendance is falling week by week, but last week, it was still 72% full and took in more than $600,000. Running costs can’t be that much (two actors, one set), but even with what imagines is a monumental amount being paid Mr. Pacino, it’s probably still making money. If I may (correctly) quote the late Mr. Henry L. Mencken of Baltimore: “No one in this world, so far as I know – and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me – has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
5) It’s Still Magical
Despite the heavy lifting of New York theatre being done off- and off-Broadway and regionally, there’s still something that can’t be duplicated in seeing a really good show on Broadway that has a ton of money thrown at it – especially one you weren’t expecting anything from. I went into shows like An American in Paris or Something Rotten or – especially – Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 knowing next to nothing about them and came out enthralled and invigorated by what writers can create and actors can do. In the best cases, they give me something to shoot at. (And in the worst, multiple lessons on what to avoid … )
Ashley Cowan is an actress, playwright, director and general theater maker in the Bay Area, alongside writer/actor husband, Will Leschber. Dave Sikula is an actor, writer, director and general theater maker in the Bay Area who has been in plays with Ashley and Will, but never both at the same time.
Leave a comment Posted in Theater Around The Bay Tagged Aaron Sorkin, Al Pacino, Allison Page, Anthony Miller, Arthur Miller, Ashley Cowan, Banal+, Brian Martin, Brie Larson, Broadway, Carl Lucania, China Doll, Colin Johnson, Custom Made Theatre Company, Dan Kurtz, Dave Sikula, Dick 3, directors, Eden Davis, Embracing The Mirror, Emma Donoghue, flops, Greta Gerwig, Hamilton, hits, Horace, In Love And Warcraft, Inside Out, Jessica Rudholm, Jeunee Simon, Joanna Hoffman, Kate Winslet, Katrina Bushnell, Lisa Gentile, Marissa Skudlarek, Mark Ruffalo, Megan Briggs, Michael Fassbender, Michael Keaton, Mistress America, Molly Benson, Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Nick Gentile, Noah Baumbach, non-traditional casting, Paul Jennings, PianoFight, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Room, Rose McGowan, Sam Bertken, San Francisco Fringe Festival, San Francisco Theater Pub, Spotlight, Steve Jobs, Stuart Bousel, Tavis Kammet, Terror-Rama, Terror-Rama 2: Prom Night, The Great Blog Recap of 2015, Theater Around The Bay, Warden Lawlor, Will Leschber
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➤ 1980, The year the Blitz Kids took their first steps into the headlines
Uncannily setting the pace for the New Romantics: Kim Bowen attends a party dressed as Queen Elizabeth I at the dawn of 1980, accompanied by actor David Claridge in an even bigger ruff. (Photograph © by Ted Polhemus/PYMCA)
◼ “WHAT WILL YOU BE WEARING IN THE 80s?” This was the question posed by Steve Strange – the greeter on Tuesday nights at the Blitz Club since it opened in Covent Garden in February 1979. He was announcing the theme of the one-off costume party he was throwing at Witchity’s in Kensington High Street. At the dawn of a new decade, as co-founder of a unique London phenomenon, an elite club for under-21 posers, he was challenging the Blitz Kids to play at futurology. Tuesdays at the Blitz were, according to St Martin’s School of Art wordsmith Perry Haines, “like a cherry on the bland fashion cake”. His college contemporary Iain R Webb enthused about “a little gang who still had that edge of not fitting in – people being different the same way”.
Followers of Rusty Egan’s electro-diskow music, which he pioneered as the Blitz Club deejay, came to Witchity dressed as shiny robo-futurists. Stepping from another Tardis, however, the Queen of the Blitz Kim Bowen decided to come as a full-blown Gloriana – Good Queen Bess herself, in a high stiff Tudor ruff and huge layered court gown. Lo! The Pose Age was well and truly declared open. During the Blitz Club’s first mould-breaking year media coverage had been zero to minimal. Then in one regal gesture, the New Romantics were only a tabloid headline away from being born. And the media floodgates opened.
Kim, a fashion student who dropped out from St Martin’s along with her bestie Lee Sheldrick at Easter 1980, said of Witchity long after: “We were in fancy dress that night, however. We were planning on making a film with Molly Dineen and [the actor] David Claridge and I had rented these outfits. We didn’t walk around like this: our other outfits were more personal, more individual, more creative.” Kim shares an important insight here: fancy dress for a Blitz Kid was not the same as creative dressing up. One of the “outfits” Kim was soon walking around in was an exceedingly long length of surgical bandage, as you can see below.
Some say Steve’s futurology party took place on New Year’s Eve 1979; my Evening Standard report on 4 Feb puts it at the end of January, having been billed as an 80s Ball. In the January weeks between the two, Chris Sullivan, another St Martin’s fashion wag, split the ranks by opening a rival poser club-night in the cellars of the St Moritz restaurant in Soho for what he has called “the more alert end of the Blitz crowd” – in other words, the hardcore fashionistas. Almost simultaneously, the theatrical costumier Charles Fox in Tavistock Street sold off its stock in a closing-down sale which instantly inspired a tidal wave of retro mania in clubland.
Until then, fabulous Blitz Kid looks had been imaginatively shaped from charity shops and the ex-army surplus store Laurence Corner. Iain Webb, these days a fashion editor of long-standing, reported in a review of We Can Be Heroes: “Suddenly a host of medieval knights, Victorian ladies, swooning maidens and swarthy noblemen could be found knocking back the snake-bite or Pernod-and-black at the bar of the Blitz.”
Core Blitz Kids captured at the Blitz by Derek Ridgers for the Sunday Times Magazine, April 1980. . . Back row in the Covent Garden club, George O’Dowd, Vivienne Lynn, Chris Sullivan, Theresa Thurmer. Front, Kim Bowen and one of Steve Strange’s favourites called Steve in the zhooshed riah. Picture by Derek Ridgers
Webb continues: “This ragbag of clothes became the visual soundtrack to our lives. A few designer labels flourished, namely PX [a boutique that boasted Steve Strange as a sales assistant and, later, milliner Stephen Jones in the basement], Willy Brown’s Modern Classics and, of course, Vivienne Westwood (who along with Malcolm McLaren had already styled the punks and now pirates). And then there were the new breed of wannabe designers such as David Holah (who dressed both men and women in his cheap and vaguely Grecian muslin chemises) or Melissa Caplan, who clad Toyah Willcox and the Spandau Ballet boys in tabards and tops that tied you up like a mad person (after bondage pants, anything made sense).
“There was also Judith Frankland who helped fashion the monochromatic religious looks that Bowie hijacked, after a visit to the Blitz [in July], for his Ashes To Ashes video. The circle was complete. The followers had costumed their hero and the asylum was up for grabs.”
A new appetite for retro sounds also kicked in. Initially St Moritz’s music evoked interwar Berlin cabaret but, as a backlash to the Blitz’s electro-diskow, this was quickly augmented by glamorous Hollywood soundtracks and Sinatra, not to mention Joel Grey’s hit stage musical Cabaret. As lush tunes, wing-collared dandyism and corseted vamps spread through UK clubland, “New Romantics” was of course the last phrase on anybody’s lips.
Christenaed by the Daily Mirror: the headline that created the Blitz Kids epithet in March 1980
“ The competition pushed you on, especially Lee Sheldrick. At the Warren Street squat you might change what you were going to wear EIGHT TIMES on a Tuesday to try to outdo everyone else
at the Blitz ” – Stephen Linard, fashion student
Doyennes among the Blitz Kids in 1980: Kim Bowen and Stephen Linard stamp themselves on that week’s zombie leitmotif. (Photographed © by Derek Ridgers)
Linard’s Alternative student show gives
Goths their archaic name
St Martin’s Alternative Fashion Show 1980: Stephen Linard’s “Neon Gothic” collection worn here by Myra in lace hat and Michele in skullcap both by Stephen Jones
St Martin’s Alternative Fashion Show 1980: Stephen Linard’s “Neon Gothic” collection modelled by his most stylish friends with Lee in white as a space-age pope
St Martin’s Alternative Fashion Show 1980: Stephen Linard’s “Neon Gothic” collection modelled by George, Fiona and Julia
Stephen Linard sporting a wooden cross by Dinny hall and the rabbinical outfit that caught Bowie’s eye in July 1980
❏ Pushing the boundaries of excess at St Martin’s School of Art was fashion student Stephen Linard, an outrageous character who yearned to be the star of every street or room he graced. Each year second-year students organised an unofficial Alternative Fashion Show but in May 1980, when it was coordinated by Perry Haines, the college’s resoundingly prim middle-class students were eclipsed after Linard sent out his sensational “Neon Gothic” collection – a stylish collision of Space 1999 meets liturgical Gothic meets the masonic livery displayed in shops which served the Freemasons’ Hall just along the street from the Blitz.
When the lights went up on these elegant black garments – modelled by his startling friends from the Blitz Club [above], strutting to the Human League’s newest release, Empire State Human – the audience erupted in cheers. Here were the then unknown George O’Dowd sporting a soar-away postpunk mullett atop sharp grosgrain suit with dog collar, Michele Clapton and Myra Falconer wearing risen-from-the-dead pallor and emphatic eye sockets beneath shaven heads, along with Fiona Dealey and Julia Fodor (today a Princess), all of them cutting stark silhouettes in strongly tailored vestments. All were accessorised with religious motifs and emanated a curious holocaust chic.
Finally, all in white as what Linard calls a “space-age pope”, came Lee Sheldrick, the gifted eminence gris behind so many other students’ creations. Modelling a white silk grosgrain suit with cardigan-style flared back and straight-cut trousers, Lee had also shaved his head bald the week before to become the embodiment of Nosferatu the Vampyre. It was no coincidence that Werner Herzog’s film of that name had been sweeping Europe for the past year. This moment can surely be claimed as the catalyst that consolidated a look and a name for the UK’s nascent Goth music scene that had been gestating through the post-punk vacuum. Yet neither of its main representatives, Siouxsie and the Banshees, nor Bauhaus – whose debut single Bela Lugosi’s Dead had been lurking in the independent UK charts for months – laid claim to the G word, in much the same way nobody else ever admitted being a “New Romantic”.
Only as 1980 matured did Andy Gill at the NME weekly music newspaper apply the word “Gothick” to a Bauhaus review. [For the definitive history of Goth visit Pete Scathe’s enduring website.]
Klaus Kinski as Count Dracula in Werner Herzog’s 1979 film. . . Blitz Kid Lee Sheldrick reincarnated for Linard’s Neon Gothic fashion show, 1980
Linard himself had been posing around in clerical collar and crucifix emblems, and the week after the Alternative show a third image-led club-night was launched at Hell in Covent Garden with this invocation on its invitation: “You are invited to burn in Hell – demoniacal dress is desired.” This time Steve Strange presided as The Pope with Christos Tolera as The Devil and Julia as Morticia.
Almost immediately a second strong collection of black pseudo-ecclesiastical gowns added power to the Goth trend with Judi Frankland’s designs for the Ravensbourne College degree show at the Café Royal. Judi was probably the craziest of all the Blitz Kids (a competitive accolade, this) who was so obsessed with the habits of nuns and The Sound of Music in particular that she adapted these silhouettes in a glamorous evocation of the 50s in black and white taffeta, brocade, velvet and satin.
By a lucky coincidence, one of these outfits caught the eye of David Bowie on his most famous visit to the Blitz Club on 1 July 1980. Not only were four Blitz Kids including Steve Strange recruited to provide the chorus two days later in his music video for Ashes to Ashes, being shot on the beach at Hastings by director David Mallet, but also three out of the four wore Judi’s degree-show creations with hats by Fiona Dealey and Richard Ostell. Most spectacular was the black wedding dress worn by Strange and crowned with a Stephen Jones head-dress and veil made of stiffened lace on a metal frame.
These kids, these clubs, these events and that video have each become icons of the movement which by the ninth month of 1980 the weekly music magazine Sounds finally endorsed with its huge headline: The New Romantics.
Bowie’s chorus at Hastings, July 1980: Paused on the beach during filming of Ashes to Ashes, from the left, Steve Strange, Darla Jane Gilroy, Judi Frankland and Elise Brazier keeping warm in a mac. When they got back to London, they all went clubbing at Hell
Artist as ready-made, always slightly askew
Individualists: Melissa Caplan and legendary spike, with Myra Falconer in white face. (Picture © by Derek Ridgers)
❏ THE CULTURAL MAGAZINE TITLED ZG was launched in 1980 by St Martin’s tutor Rosetta Brooks, to monitor a rapidly evolving landscape. In it she observes: “The loss of mainstream has given the impression of a culture of ghettoes. . . Self-consciously borderline activities have grown up which aim to work between ‘styles’. . . The consumption of a fashion image is no longer the simple identification with the lifestyle to which one aspires. It is tending to become a symbolic articulation of one image in relation to many images.”
On its centre pages ZG surveys the “cinematic stereotypes” of what it headlined as Blitz Culture. It pictures Linard’s “Neon Gothic” collection and observes: “There is something priestly (almost saintly) about the dedication with which the inner circle bear the burden of style. Steve Strange’s Polaroid [fore-runner of today’s selfie] may have been elevated to the status of instrument of ordination but he can’t resist handing it round to his flock.”
Rosetta compares self-consciously styled poses to “street theatre ultimately extended into continuous performance as a post-punk embodiment of Gilbert and George in one person (the individualist).” Each poser, she writes, is a ready-made. “For the poser it is not so much the style of appearance which in itself is important, eg, achieving a perfect 50s revival look, but that the overall ‘look’ is ambiguous, even askew.”
“ Each poser is a ready-made ”
She pinpoints a sign the poser is giving to the world: “What I’ve always called the gap between intention and effect. . . Something is ironic [about] the fact that what you intend never comes out like you intend it. The poser makes this gap his/her point of attraction. . . and perhaps the poser represents Angela Carter’s beautifully exaggerated definition of style as ‘the presentation of the self as a three-dimensional art-object to be wondered at and handled’.”
Oh yes, Guy Debord’s burgeoning “society of the spectacle” re-ignited by the 1980s rapidly became meat and drink to the theorists and semioticians such as Roland Barthes, whose paeon to nightclubbing makes a brilliantly considered read elsewhere at Shapers of the 80s.
Roland Barthes: Le philosophe leaves his lecture hall to seek enlightenment…
through clubland
Update posted on 7 September 2014
❏ THIS ONLY KNOWN VINTAGE FOOTAGE of the original Blitz Kids turning their club into a fashion runway in its heyday was discovered while Spandau Ballet were researching their documentary biopic Soul Boys of the Western World, being released in the UK in October 2014. Most of the black-and-white stills in this sequence were taken by Shapers of the 80s. The highlight is the horde of Blitz Kids descending on Sloane Square station to board a Circle Line underground train [also seen in the video above] to celebrate Steve Strange’s 21st birthday in May 1980, alighting at those stations on the line which had bars on their platforms at that time. Plus ça change.
August 1980: St Martin’s graduate Iain R Webb organises No Sacrifice, a modest runway show for art-school refusniks such as Melissa Caplan. Here at Chelsea’s Chenil Gallery her Pallium Products are modelled by Blitz Kids Myra Falconer, John Maybury and Lee Sheldrick. (Photo: Mick Hurd)
Handy links to the era of the New Romantics
✧ Steve Strange’s page at Facebook
✧ Rusty Egan at Facebook
✧ Princess Julia at Facebook
✧ George O’Dowd at Facebook
✧ The indefatigable Ultravox
✧ Duran Duran, bless
✧ 21 albums later, Depeche Mode stake their own claim to the Universe
✧ Sade, the band
✧ Stephane Raynor’s photos of PX at Facebook
✧ All-Bowie search here at Shapers of the 80s
✧ Danilo Monzillo’s exhaustive Blitz Kids compendium
Les incroyables: Greg Davis, Stephen Linard, Clare Thom, Lee Sheldrick and Fiona Dealey on the town 1981. © Shapersofthe80s
TAGS – New Romantics, Blitz Kids, Blitz Club, London, posers, Swinging 80s, Kim Bowen, Julia Fodor, Steve Strange, Rusty Egan, Chris Sullivan, Perry Haines, Iain R Webb, St Moritz, Stephen Linard, Michele Clapton, Clare Thom, Lee Sheldrick, Fiona Dealey, Melissa Caplan, Stephen Jones, Judith Frankland, Greg Davis, Myra Falconer, Christos Tolera, John Maybury, Willy Brown, George O’Dowd, Toyah Willcox, Spandau Ballet, Sade, Richard Ostell, David Claridge, Stephane Raynor, Rosetta Brooks, David Mallet, Klaus Kinski, Charles Fox, Derek Ridgers, Goth, video
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The 11 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix Right Now
Posted 2018/02/05 7367 0
Sci-fi is arguably the best genre in the entire cinematic arena.
1. Cloud Atlas
Actors (Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent) take on multiple roles in an epic that spans five centuries. An attorney harbors a fleeing slave on a voyage from the Pacific Islands in 1849; a poor composer in pre-World War II Britain struggles to finish his magnum opus before a past act catches up with him; a genetically engineered worker in 2144 feels the forbidden stirring of human consciousness, and so on. As souls are born and reborn, they renew their bonds to one another throughout time.
2. V for Vendetta
Following world war, London is a police state occupied by a fascist government, and a vigilante known only as V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressors of the world in which he now lives. When V saves a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) from the secret police, he discovers an ally in his fight against England's oppressors.
3. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
When gigantic robots attack New York City, "Sky Captain" (Jude Law) uses his private air force to fight them off. His ex-girlfriend, reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow), has been investigating the recent disappearance of prominent scientists. Suspecting a link between the global robot attacks and missing men, Sky Captain and Polly decide to work together. They fly to the Himalayas in pursuit of the mysterious Dr. Totenkopf (Laurence Olivier), the mastermind behind the robots.
4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Former scientist Galen Erso lives on a farm with his wife and young daughter, Jyn. His peaceful existence comes crashing down when the evil Orson Krennic takes him away from his beloved family. Many years later, Galen becomes the Empire's lead engineer for the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, the Death Star. Knowing that her father holds the key to its destruction, Jyn joins forces with a spy and other resistance fighters to steal the space station's plans for the Rebel Alliance.
5. Okja
For 10 idyllic years, young Mija has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja - a massive animal and an even bigger friend - at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when family-owned, multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where an image-obsessed and self-promoting CEO has big plans for Mija's dearest friend. With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission.
6. Turbo Kid
In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, an orphaned teen (Munro Chambers) must battle a ruthless warlord (Michael Ironside) to save the girl (Laurence Leboeuf) of his dreams.
7. Metropolis Restored
This influential German science-fiction film presents a highly stylized futuristic city where a beautiful and cultured utopia exists above a bleak underworld populated by mistreated workers. When the privileged youth Freder (Gustav Fröhlich) discovers the grim scene under the city, he becomes intent on helping the workers. He befriends the rebellious teacher Maria (Brigitte Helm), but this puts him at odds with his authoritative father, leading to greater conflict.
8. *batteries not included
Frank (Hume Cronyn) and Faye Riley (Jessica Tandy) are an elderly New York City couple living in a depressed part of town. There, they run a diner as well as an apartment building, which is home to a poor but friendly group of people. One day, Frank and Faye learn that a property developer wants them to sell the apartment. When they refuse, their diner is vandalized. However, Frank, Faye and their tenants are aided by mysterious flying saucers, which help them repair the diner and fight back.
9. The Road
America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wander through this post-apocalyptic world, trying to keep the dream of civilization alive. They journey toward the sea, surviving as best they can on what they can scavenge, and try to avoid roving gangs of savage humans who will turn them into slaves, or worse.
10. Armageddon
When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) determines the only way to stop it is to drill into its surface and detonate a nuclear bomb. This leads him to renowned driller Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), who agrees to helm the dangerous space mission provided he can bring along his own hotshot crew. Among them is the cocksure A.J. (Ben Affleck), who Harry thinks isn't good enough for his daughter (Liv Tyler), until the mission proves otherwise.
11. Embers
After a global neurological epidemic, those who remain search for meaning and connection in a world without memory. Five interwoven stories explore different facets of life without memory in a future that has no past.
TAGs: Cloud Atlas, V for Vendetta, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Okja, Turbo Kid, Metropolis Restored, *batteries not included, The Road, Armageddon, Embers
Movies in this articles
Cloud AtlasPlay now
V for VendettaPlay now
Sky Captain and the World of TomorrowPlay now
Rogue One: A Star Wars StoryPlay now
OkjaPlay now
Turbo KidPlay now
Batteries Not IncludedPlay now
The RoadPlay now
ArmageddonPlay now
EmbersPlay now
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US-Russian Deal on Syria Ceasefire: 'A Diplomatic Victory for Both Sides'
© REUTERS / Kayhan Ozer/Pool
Russia Versus ISIL in Syria (618)
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201602241035253055-russia-us-cessation-hostilities/
The breakthrough deal on cessation of hostilities in Syria inked by Russia and the United States is a "very positive" development, which shows that Moscow and Washington are capable of "agreeing on something," international relations scholar Pami Aalto told Radio Sputnik.
The agreement, expected to come into force on February 27, is a "diplomatic victory for both sides" since Russia and the United States need "good news to tell for the sake of domestic politics," the director of Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on European Politics and European-Russian Relations at the University of Tampere added.
Aalto also mentioned that the deal was partial since the agreement does not cover terrorist groups like Daesh and al-Nusra Front. Terrorist organizations "could use this opportunity to boost their own plans and make military advances in Syria. This is potentially a highly destabilizing possibility," the analyst noted.
© AFP 2019 / AMC / FADI AL-HALABI
'Moderate' Move: Free Syrian Army Partly Refuses to Participate in Ceasefire Deal Without al-Nusra Front
This scenario is possible, but unlikely due to the fact Moscow and Washington will continue their multinational operations against Daesh and other militant groups designated as terrorists by the United Nations.
Aalto further said that the best way to proceed would be "to have UN-approved troops to be on the ground in Syria in order to collect information, oversee the implementation of the agreement and confirm that things actually go as the agreement stipulates."
The expert added that a monitoring mission would unlikely be approved in the near future.
© AFP 2019 / MOHAMMED AL-KHATIEB
A Syrian man runs for cover as smoke rises from buildings nearby following a reported bombing attack, Aleppo, Syria (file photo)
The agreement has largely been hailed as a major step towards resolving the deadly Syrian conflict. The deal will help to create "conditions for launching a long-term political process through a broad inter-Syrian dialogue in Geneva, under the auspices of the UN," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement.
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev called it a "useful step in the right direction," while US Senator Ed Markey noted that US-Russian cooperation on implementing the deal "would be a wonderful new addition to the dialogue so we could begin to deescalate the overall military activity" in Syria.
Unexpected: Turkey's Attacks on Syrian Kurds 'Bring Russia and US Closer'
Aleppo Advance: How to Defeat Daesh and Avoid New World War
'I Am Happy': Steinmeier Lauds Russia-US Ceasefire Deal on Syria
Syrian Ceasefire: Why Situation May 'Spin Out of Control'
cessation of hostilities, diplomatic victory, deal, ceasefire, Syrian conflict, Daesh, Syria, United States, Russia
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Property Tax (Valuation by Gross Receipts for Port Facilities) (Amendment) Order 2005
Published in Subsidiary Legislation Supplement
on 24 Mar 2005
Enacting Formula
1 Citation and commencement
2 Amendment of paragraph 2
Get Provisions
Whole Document
Published in Subsidiary Legislation Supplement on 24 Mar 2005
Search within Legislation
No. S 147
Property Tax Act
(Chapter 254)
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6A of the Property Tax Act, the Minister for Finance hereby makes the following Order:
Citation and commencement
1. This Order may be cited as the Property Tax (Valuation by Gross Receipts for Port Facilities) (Amendment) Order 2005 and shall be deemed to have come into operation on 31st March 2004.
Amendment of paragraph 2
2. Paragraph 2 of the Property Tax (Valuation by Gross Receipts for Port Facilities) Order (O 2) is amended —
(a) by inserting, at the end of paragraph (f) of the definition of “port facility”, the word “and” ;and
(b) by deleting paragraph (g) of the definition of “port facility”.
Made this 22nd day of March 2005.
LIM SIONG GUAN
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Finance,
[MF(R) R42.6.03 Vol. 3; AG/LEG/SL/254/2002/l Vol. 1]
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Sewell & Kettle Lawyers
Insolvency Advisers
Debt Agents
Qualified privilege
Qualified privilege is a defence which operates to exempt the maker of a statement from liability for a defamation claim. Its operation facilitates free communication in certain relationship scenarios where the maker of a statement has a legal, social, or moral duty to speak freely, and the listener has an interest in receiving the information. For example, references for job applicants, answers to police inquiries, and discussions between teachers and parents, and employers and employees are protected by qualified privilege. The test for its application is more than a mere relationship however – the statement needing protection must relate to the business at hand.
Qualified privilege is available whether or not the statement made was true, as long as the maker believes its truth and the relevant relationship exists.
The defence of qualified privilege cannot be used if it is proved that the statement was motivated by malice.
More knowledge?
Level 2, 255 Castlereagh Street
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A Short History of Alice
Alice Luker is the founder and director of Style in Sri Lanka. She was born in Ascot, England and has been visiting Sri Lanka since she was 13 years old.
2004 was my first encounter on this beautiful island. My family and I embarked on a conventional tour by van across the island, from Colombo to Kandy, along the historic ‘cultural triangle’ (Sigyria & Dambulla, Pollunaruwa and Anaradnapura), along the South East coast in Yala National Park for a safari and finally at UNESCO hertiage site, Galle Fort. We also visited a tea plantation, batik factory, gem museum, spice garden, turtle sanctuary, elephant orphanage on the way…you name it, we probably did it!
In 2005 I was truly devastated to hear about the Tsunami, with so many family friends affected and people we met along the way who would have no doubt been affected, some likely killed. I will never forget switching on the news (I was back home in the UK) to see Galle bus station, where we had been only months prior, completely submerged; buses precariously floating in the town centre whilst locals sought safety.
At the time, I was studying a GCSE in Citizenship, with the practical assignment to carry out a community project via fundraising. Myself, 2 others from the class and a group of volunteers hosted an array of children’s games and bottle tombola at a local Mayday Fair in the UK, altogether raising £800. As my family and I had booked a trip to Sri Lanka for the summer holiday, the group entrusted the funds to my mother and I to help those affected.
With funds to hand, we travelled to the North East coast (the East was most affected by the Tsunami) and Valachennai, simultaniously affected by the horrific onslought of civil war. We visited an orphanage for children of all ages who lost both parents, often other family members too, in the Tsunami. We gifted each child a new pair of shoes, clothes and school equipment as well as a new sewing machine, carom board (traditional Sri Lankan game) and sports equipment for all to share.
We were accompanied by an army major during our visit, staying overnight in a military bungalow- sandwiched between 2 vans to protect us whilst driving after dark in an area badly affected by the Tamil Tigers. It was a surreal but life changing experience, making me realise the true value and importance of life, love and community.
2007: 2 years later my Mother and I visited Sri Lanka again, having continued fundraising at the Mayday Fair with a substantial piggy bank of funds to drive numerous projects.
Hopping on the overnight train from Colombo to Trincomalee, we initiated a weekly fun club/ English class for local children, using the remaining money to rebuild a school playground.
2009: With the fun club in full swing, we hosted a party for the kids with snacks and games. My brother, training to be a primary school teacher at university, also came and hosted an english class with games, songs and interactive activities which they loved. The smiles beaming on their faces at the end of the day were priceless!
2011: Fast forward a few years, the fun club came to an end as it was hard to maintain without being there to oversee. 6 years after the Tsunami we felt we achieved our goals- to make a difference to as many people as possible, especially the future generation.
Utilising my skillset in Fashion Photography (graduating from University this year with a First Class Hons in Media Studies) I delved into travel photography. Looking back, it wasnt photography so much which inspired these trips, more so in following my heart to return.
The below shot is a self portrait at Jetwing Beach in Negombo.
October was my second visit of 2014 as the official photographer of the British Airways’ ‘Sri Lanka Tuk Challenge’; a cultural adventure with an infusion of charitable activities on a coast to coast tuk tuk journey from Negombo to Passikudah.
Highlights included a team building day at Pollunaruwa cricket stadium for school children, the ‘feed a family’ task where we ventured offroad to buy and donate local groceries to an underprivileged family and visits to local schools.
After the tuk tuk challenge my mother and I stayed an extra week to spend time with friends. Although years had passed since our fundraising, some money still remained from our mayday fair ventures and we donated a portion to Galle based charity ECSAT, supporting children with special needs.
In February 2015 I visited Sri Lanka once more with my boyfriend. Although we enjoyed the 2 week trip, we decided to go our seperate ways soon after, having spent 4 years prior together. It was a moment of realisation, unsure of where I wanted to head in photography as the fashion scene in London didn’t seem to be making me happy.
With newfound time and energy once invested in someone else, I was naturally encouraged to rethink what I wanted in my own life and decided to utilise both into the launch of Style in Sri Lanka; a modest, passion led personal travel blog sharing my love for the people and places across Sri Lanka. I didn’t know how successful it was going to be but felt it was making a positive impact on a country which has given and taught me so much and decided to venture on.
Although I launched the Instagram page in March 2015, It wasn’t until September that I had the opportunity to return to the country. The content I had been posting was a combination of photos from all the years travelling since 2004, combined with photographs of trips to Sri Lankan supermarkets in London, homecooking and travel memorabilia (batiks, wooden spoons, tericotta pots, kandian drums etc) at my family’s house in the UK. I chose a Sri Lankan theme for my 25th birthday party primarily to provide more content for my blog.
Here we are in 2017. I feel honoured in the continued and ever evolving success of Style in Sri Lanka. There’s quite honestly nothing I enjoy more than sharing my experiences to inspire not only potential, future and current travellers all over the world but also a new era of forward thinking Sri Lankans, international expats, not to mention Sri Lankans living abroad seeking a nostalgic buzz. 10 years after the end of the civil war, Sri Lanka is in high prosperity and I feel overjoyed to be embraced in the midst of it.
Thank you and Ayubowan (may you live long).
Shanaka Rajapaksha says:
Hello..,
Nice to meet you true Instagram and so interesting your artical about your experience and what you done for my country and for my people.great job and wonderful your and your family.so happy to see your photos and amazing your artical about your all visit and all the experience in my country.thank you again and congratulations..!
Best Regard’s..!
Ceylon island Team
Shanaka Rsjapaksha.
Mahzoon says:
I read up your article from your first visit in 2004 -2016. I have no words how to thank you
for what you have done to the under privileged. It’s a great honour to be associated in what ever you intend doing in future.
Please get in touch on your next visit
May God Bless you always.
Isthuthi
M.Mohideen
Naswar says:
Hi Alice.
It’s really interesting how you started and the things you have done so far. After going through sucha wonderful explanation It will be honor to be in touch with whatever you are doing in the future . This make me proud to be a sri Lankan.
Allah bless you
And keep it up the good work .
Andrea Pereira says:
I just wanted to say that you and your family are such amazing souls! Thank you for everything that you all have done. 🙂
Wish you much happiness, love and positivity.
Style in Sri Lanka says:
That is so kind Andrea, thank you for your heart warming comment. Wishing you the same,
Tharun says:
Merry Christmas. It has been 12 years since you got know about Sri Lanka.
valli thangarajah says:
hi Alice how can I contact you for a chat, I am a journalist
Kiri says:
Hi Alice!
I always love to see my Nation via your photos.its a different view you know..by the way I’m from Jaffna..you wrote some nice articles about my town also..Thank you! Next time you visit Jaffna, If you have time for a coffee 😊?
Leave a Reply to Naswar Cancel reply
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Tag Archive: travel
After Schock scandal, House curtails wasteful spending with disclosure and open data
by Matt Rumsey
The House moved forward with new rules on how lawmakers spend taxpayer dollars on auto mileage, air travel, office decoration and more.
Travel in the shadows: House reports omit key spending details
by Jacob Fenton
For years, the U.S. House of Representatives has published fewer details about how members spent taxpayer dollars than the law specifies.
Unraveling Perry’s air travel using FEC disclosures
Earlier this month the New York Times revealed that Texas Governor and Republican presidential nominee-hopeful Rick Perry often uses the private planes of businesspeople — some long-time donors — to travel the country for free for various political events and even lobbying.
The use of the plane is legal under Texas ethics guidelines but it obviously raised some questions. A Perry spokesman said the governor was trying to save tax dollars. After the stories, Perry disclosed to the Federal Elections Commission some new travel-related campaign expenses — eight of them totaling more than $227,000, all travel costs.
Under FEC guidelines, candidates have ...
House disbursement data for 2010 now online
by Anu Narayanswamy
We’ve released a cleaned up version of the House disbursements data that covers the first quarter of 2010, during which the House spent more than $339 million on salaries, expenses and equipment.
Last month we aggregated and analyzed all the data in the statement of disbursements, which the House started publishing online in a PDF format in December 2009, showing for the first time the private firms that do the most business with the House.
To make this data useful, the Sunlight Labs team had to parse the information in the PDF so it could be searched, sorted and ...
In six months, House offices spent $673 million on salaries, equipment, expenses
Jun 9, 2010 5:46 pm
In the final month of fiscal year 2009, House committees and offices went on a shopping spree, spending more than $60 million left in their budgets before it disappeared. More than $12 million went towards purchasing computer hardware, which could include new laptops and desktops.
According to a Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group analysis of six months of congressional spending data released by the House Clerk's Office, House members and various committee offices spent more than $673 million in the last half of 2009 on salaries for staff, travel and outside vendors, who help with everything from tracking constituent information ...
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Filed under: affect, Affect Theory, emotion, Mood, Ordinariness, potentiality, psychoanalysis, queerness, sexuality, supervalent_thought, Theory of this Blog, writing
Today I ran without music. When I run this way my head boils out, matter shooting everywhere like water on hot oil. Phrases reach me and mostly move away before I can trap and extend them into actual thoughts. Bracketed matter calls for its due. Anger nudges wonder aside and has its own road rage. Connections appear and fade and I get excited and amnesiac. I mourn people and wonder how so and so is doing. I think about sex (but then I always stumble). I move between flat apprehension and hooking up well enough with the thought that I can sometimes get back home in time and make some notes.
The hardest thing is to brainstorm with oneself. Brainstorming is the skill I use in classrooms to get everyone in counterpoint, if not in sync, but it’s different to coordinate minds that work at different speeds in order to make some material commonly held. Brainstorming is my genre of jouissance in collegiality and friendship too, the work of staying in the conversation in real time that takes place when everyone’s alive enough to focus and then unfocus– to riff. The work of tracking oneself, though, when the ordinary compartmentalization breaks down enough to interrupt a habit of mind, requires a different rhythm of and skill for attentiveness. This general thought is the magnetizing rod for all of the non-sovereign unraveled, deflated, erupted, dispersed, and recessive material that will become Detachment Theory.
Someone encountering me mid-brainstorm might suggest cultivating a practice of mindfulness. That practice suggests a spreading out of focus toward a gentler absorptive apprehension, a calmness with what’s in front of an inner sense that lets in the world around it. Or we could turn to Bollas’s phrase, “evenly hovering attention,” to describe the best way to take in what’s spinning around. Someone else might suggest that this intense burst of material is really about working through a blockage. I have always resisted the deliberateness of the concept of “working through” and think of it with greater derision than it deserves. The concept of working through is too attached to a formal notion of event. So, no doubt my resistance to “working through” is an attachment to an event that I am protecting from being important. But…
But the kind of free dissociation I began by describing is like dream material that appears like fireflies at the wrong time of day. When the brain breaks out into ten songs at once it’s as though I’m going on someone else’s joyride. It’s like when your brain can’t shut up when you’re trying to sleep. Only going running with my brain, I’m not trying to sleep, or trying to organize anything, just trying to witness and remember the matter of dehiscence.
I began wondering about this: if this material is made up of the neural offshoots that make dreams, are these affective memories? Sometimes it sure seems like that. But what would saying that entail methodologically for thinking about nonsovereign ideation? I crawl around my archive.
I love psychoanalysis, but I don’t fetishize narrative memory. Thinking about the symptom as sublimated or masked memory is more interesting; and more still are the uncanny performances that enact memorial affect without memorial content. I love phenomenology but I don’t believe that the senses are mainly the past’s mystic writing pad (see Bergson, Matter and Memory). They are also making happenings that have not yet taken form as events. That’s my queer theory commitment speaking, too, which trains me always to see form as a placeholder that might partly express a promiscuous or incoherent desire or a desire whose scene has not yet been built. Sometimes memory is doing some work, what Heather Love and Carolyn Steedman would think of as the sexual past’s unfinished business emerging in the present of an identity that negotiates life as the shadow of delegated, tangled desire. But that’s just one vector. Each of these sentences must entail some future reading.
Now that I think of it, I actually wrote a book about memory: The Anatomy of National Fantasy sees nationality as an effect of what the law does to develop mnemotechnologies, technologies of memory that people are trained to take in intimately for forming what feel like fundamental attachments, and what happens when official memory comes into contact with what develops in the everyday through other kinds of being-structuring identification. With its official prosthetic memories, the nation can only aspire to saturate the scene of collective sociality that it never fully controls (props to Allison Landsberg). But the kinds of commitment one builds with intimates–friends, neighbors, strangers–are not only about the was, the will have been, or the disciplines of ideology. They’re also surprising, not just sublimating. All focus presumes an unfocus for which we need to develop peripheral vision: or peripheral attention.
I do not much dwell in memory. I don’t remember fun times in the past to assure myself that life has been worth it, and I don’t try to learn from the crap times to become a better person. I very rarely hold grudges. I don’t act ethically because eventually the present will be a memory of which I want to be proud. I don’t believe that a backward glance produces better wisdom than trying to capture what’s around me; nor that the pedagogy of the past provides a prophylactic against impulsive or the usual stupidity. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it’s a bog. Usually memory takes the form of a question I’m holding open, a question that humbles me. I have never been nostalgic for what’s fading, faded, lost just because it once had an impact. Memory is material for making openings, not scrapbooks. Because to me what’s important is the presence of what I know, and everything I know is in a different temporal arc from everything else I know. Memory is the name for one temporal arc in knowledge, but not more sanctified. I am thinking ahead of myself here, I realize.
When I began this entry I thought it was on brainstorming, and brainstorming was to provide a part two of thinking about mood as lag, as the atavism of the unconscious and the nervous system that keeps you from the present: mood was the past reducing you to the affective trace of history. This entry was to take up Joan’s suggestion from the last post to think with the Heideggarian thought about mood as both memory and the projection of sensemaking that saturates the atmosphere. But I got distracted, because I was brainstorming with myself and need still to gather it all back up to make a nice form for knowledge. But the problem is still unraveling, shooting off its mouth: and I am writing a paper on something else,what was it? Oh: happiness.
Technorati Tags: memory,writing,thinking,brainstorming,nationality,sexuality
Oh: happiness. Your brainstorm here remind me of another storm, not of history or its angel, but of happiness and its angel.
Walter Benjamin (who liked Bergson’s Matter and Memory but wrestled with it in parts [see his Baudelaire essay], and who never ran with music but did like to sit too close to the bands when at clubs) has this second angel, what Gershom Scholem called ‘a personal angel’ that represented the secret self and ‘whose name nevertheless remains hidden’… I love this bit from Benjamin (which struck me as I read your words above):
“… On that road to the future along which he [Benjamin’s ‘personal angel’] came, and which he knows so well that he can traverse it without turning around. He wants happiness — that is to say, the conflict in which the rapture of the unique, the [‘once only’] new, as yet unlived is combined with that bliss of the ‘once more,’ the having again, the lived. This is why he can hope for the new in no way except on the way of the return home, when he takes a new human being along with him.”
Anyway, there was resonance for me with your words and Benjamin’s second angel …
Comment by Greg August 30, 2009 @ 12:52 pm
That’s fantastic. But where can I find it? Do you have a cite, or a pdf?
Comment by supervalentthought August 30, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
That’s the thing. I still haven’t unpacked all of my files (which were a tangle already) after a house move last fall. I was quoting a footnote from my own essay ‘Banality for Cultural Studies’ since I can find my own writing! But key references are, I think: Gershom Scholem’s _On Jews and Judaism in Crisis: Selected Essays_’ and ‘Agesilaus Santander (Second Version) in the 2nd volume of Benjamin’s collected writings 1927-1934 on Belknap/Harvard Press, pp.714-715 (though an earlier translation in a Gary Smith collection on Benjamin is the one I prefer).
Comment by Greg August 30, 2009 @ 2:32 pm
[…] First Tweet 3 hours ago jessicahalem Jessica Halem Highly Influential you should be reading @lberlant's blog: https://supervalentthought.com/2009/08/30/brainstorm/. view retweet […]
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Hi! Just to pick up one tiny thread here, I’m very struck by your saying that you’re interested in “the presence of what you know” rather than, for example, the fading afterimage of past intimacies or once-living thoughts. I’ve often heard you talk about “thoughts” in a way that eg empiricist sociologists don’t, and I’m wondering, how would you characterize the relation between “knowledge” and “thought” in this piece? To my maybe overly durkheimian ear, ‘knowledge’ sounds like the social precipitate of thinking, the representation of an already-had (or maybe still in process but provisionally codified) thought that is impersonal and circulates beyond us, whereas thinking sounds like, you know, not a thing but an ongoing process that happens mentally and sometimes produces (legitimated) “knowledge” and sometimes doesn’t. As if knowledge were social, and thingish, and thought were processual, and individual. But I don’t think that’s the distinction that you’d go by in this piece and I’m interested to see how you’re tacitly remapping the relation between these terms.
If by thought we include everything that happens in thinking, all the tumult of mental action that you describe everywhere between running to teaching, then I get the sense that in this piece you cast knowledge as having a kind of valuable *presence* that thought broadly speaking lacks, because, you’re saying, one’s thoughts are prone to slide into registers of the unproductive, the half-absent, the fleeting, the retrospective hazards of nostalgia, all these things that interfere with those temporal arcs by which knowledge can lead to a future or at least to a fully attentive presence. Here knowledge travels on temporal arcs that may have their own small coherences but that don’t add up to the overall scattered temporality or incoherence of thinking at large. And here the social is something other than the repository of finished thoughts that get codified and externalized as ‘knowledge’; I guess if anything sociality figures here as the default case of (classroom) intellectual exchange, and solitary brainstorming is really more like an extension of this default intersubjective case, where the other — whose thoughts one is facilitating — happens to be oneself. So thinking is not a secret moment of internality that later yields externalizable knowledge, but is rather a scene where the effervescence of collective knowledge-making gets internalized and the self struggles to focus on the attendant blur? Is that approximately what it is for “bracketed matter to call for its due”? Doesn’t feel like a very good gloss, but I’ve been writing lately about how futures are internal to knowledge-making and so that part of this post really resonates. Are you going to elaborate more on “nonsovereign ideation”? It would be great to hear more about knowledge and power and the politics of thinking on this account of things…
Comment by eli August 31, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
Wow, Eli, I am still working on the comments from my last post but this is so great I wanted to say something here, at least a little. Nonsovereign ideation is a central scene of this whole project! (Although I guess I’ve been focusing not just on ideation but on the affect of lost sovereignty, which is a different thing.) See the “Looking for Mr. Wright” previous post, for ex. But you may want to separate the sexual (or limerence) from the thoughtful. Anyway, basically, I think you’re right about the thought/knowledge distinction here. What I mean by “knowing” is what Bollas talks about in the “unthought known.” (Which is slightly different than what Rumsfeld talked about as the “unknown known” but not as different as DR would wish.) So you’re right that the distinction of your first paragraph isn’t the one I’d go for and my interest is in thinking as the activity of tracking and elaborating. Then, the known isn’t a controlled space of finished thought at all, but the calmer reflective space of being in the room with all that material that can never be organized fully but requires a form to move it somewhere. The form might be rhizomatic or it might be a program: that depends on the aim and force of the opening you’re trying to create and the social costs of that opening (which is a way of talking about the knowledge-power relation).
Ok, back to my paper. I have been reading Kristen Ross’s book on 68 and wondering what you thought of it, btw. What I would do if I were writing on how futures are internal to knowledge-making is to detail the future, figure out whether what’s being pointed to is way *over there*, immanent, or imminent. Merci.
Comment by supervalentthought September 1, 2009 @ 11:48 am
Hi Super V,
I learned about your website at a great birthday party last night in Hyde Park. Was talking to a very cool woman (“L”), and she might have been your alter ego. She said something about not being able to write really well, and we all pretty much dismissed that since there is some big evidence to the contrary.
Your above post has some real gems, both in ideas and some memorable lines. “When the brain breaks out into ten songs at once it’s as though I’m going on someone else’s joyride.” That is delightful. And I love the idea that ethical behavior is not something to put up on the wall like a trophy. I think ethical behavior (most events to the contrary) is available to us because it comes to us naturally. It’s what large brained mammals do on their good days.
The memory part of this post is fascinating. “Memory is material for making openings, not scrapbooks.” As Omar might say on “The Wire”: Indeed. Or “…usually memory takes the form of a question I’m holding open, a question that humbles me.” I admire people who can put memory in a place where it doesn’t interfere with “…the presence of what I know.”
It reminds me of part of my conversation with L. She was talking about a recent workout where she nailed a big round number on the leg press machine, and then said that the next day it hurt so much she couldn’t believe it. And we both agreed, well, shit that never happened when we were young. Oh, well….
But what if a memory is like that soreness, that lactic acid that comes on its own terms in its own time, and takes its sweet time before the micro torn muscle fibers repair themselves. And we’re surrounded, meantime by all the All Americans who say, “Suck it up, work it out.” (As in no quarter given, none accepted.)
And there’s the frightening Irish form of memory, the O’Neill kind that dovetails tightly with the whole Catholic “veil of tears” ordeal. All the Popes of my lifetime have been busy constructing that veil out of fucking titanium, and they want all the world to share it.
And then there’s all the forms of institutional memory, which you allude to in your posts. I am reading “The Given Day,” by Dennis Lehane. He wrote “Mystic River,” and multiple episodes of “The Wire.” I just started it, and at the beginning Babe Ruth (yeah, that Babe Ruth) ends up playing some baseball with a team of African American professional ball players he sees
having a game next to where the Babe’s train has stopped for a few hours. All is going well until some of the other white players start to come by and things immediately go downhill from there. Lehane writes this about one of the white ball players: “Big hands, though, a flattened nose and axe-head shoulders, the man all hard boxy angles. Had eyes Luther had seen before in the white poor–spent his whole life eating rage in place of food. Developed a taste for it he wouldn’t lose no matter how regular he ate for the rest of his life.” That reminds me a bit of some of the political meetings we have witnessed about “health care.” (All concerned about that health care. Yeah, right.)
That’s a good argument for putting memory into perspective, which you are really putting out there. Lehane is a helluva writer, and so are you Super V. Be well,
Bill D.
Comment by Bill Doyle September 5, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
After reading the post, I began to comment before reading the comments already posted, and now I am hesitant and hope that I’m not repeating Eli’s questions. But I think there’s enough nuance that I’m still not sure of the answer.
Basically, I’m curious about the distinction between not the activity or process going on in your head while running – ‘thought,’ as Eli put it – but between the stuff itself (maybe ‘affective memory’) and the nationalist affects you’re thinking of in relation to The Anatomy of Fantasy. In other words, what is the difference between the ‘materiality’ of the affects popping up during a run and the ‘materiality’ of national narratives that are more easily discerned as social, external, or whatever upon reflection?
For me, I’m sort of curious, I suppose, about the ways in which I sometimes think about national fantasy and national ideology as sort of contained sentiments that get plugged into us, and though I recognize that we don’t always realize how messy those affects are, at some fundamental level I imagine the ability to distinguish them from whatever else is floating around in my interior, affective thought. As if I can distinguish Bush’s story from ‘my own.’ Again with Eli, I don’t imagine you would note this distinction quite this way, particularly when I’ve oversimplified to distinguish only two types of affect, but I think you get my essential point.
I’ve just begun Teresa Brennan’s “The Transmission of Affect,” and can’t help but still be hesitant about the absolute production of affect across the board, particularly when thinking about the kind of unrelenting, unimaginable, and uncontainable affects you’re perhaps talking about that pop up when you go running. I’d even be ok, I suppose, with an acknowledgment that there are some affects whose origin and purpose we don’t know, as long as I didn’t have to agree that we could determine the origin and purpose (or at least the ‘nature’) of every single affect. When affects are produced that aren’t only contrary to the state or other discourses, but contrary to those contrary to the state, somewhere in left field, as it were – are they always wholly predetermined and produced? Is constructivism really that capacious?
Comment by matt September 5, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
Matt, I don’t think your rendition of Brennan is what she says. She’s not saying that we can always find the origin of every affect.But she does make a claim about the foundational fantasy, which is a structure more than an origin. The main thing is that we are trained to invest what’s enduring in life in ideologemes (the Anatomy of National Fantasy part but also everything I’ve ever thought about heteronormativity and normativity as such) but that the practices of attachment that constitute the thick space of the ordinary make things up too, shifting the ideologemes but also producing their own folds of being in the world, some of which become reliable (scenes of investment and intensity that you can return to or that begin to “color your moods.”).
Comment by supervalentthought November 23, 2009 @ 10:24 am
found you on Elizabeth Hanscom’s site, your intro pulled me into Brainstorm and now my head hurts, I will follow your blog, thank you for writing and remembering
Comment by dianne gross-giese November 17, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
[…] I’ve always been a casual fan. Convention life isn’t for me. Sweaty people dressed in garbage bags breathing my air and crowding into my space. I remember when Buffy the Vampire Slayer was winding down – I’d found Buffy’s abhorrence of eternal return fascinating – my interest was so apparent that someone I never even talk to – my mother – thought to send me a copy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale which I never got around to reading. It was a moment when “shippers” were writing their homoerotic fanfiction and posting it to the net. In the abstract (by which I mean “sort of thinking about it, but not”) it was all really interesting, except I could never bring myself to actually read the stuff. I was fascinated in the kind of way in which fascinated means talking about it but not really paying attention to what you’re really talking about (relatedly, Supervalent Thought just posted a smart entry on brainstorming that gets to the root of what brainstorming can do for you). […]
Pingback by An Experiment in Fandom « The Heart Is An Organ That Pump Blood December 15, 2009 @ 8:05 pm
[…] you,” catch you off guard, at a later time. The posts also depict my unfinished thinking with Lauren Berlant, Edward Said, Paul Gilroy, and Raymond Williams. The links embedded in each post are citations […]
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Close Explore Grow Our Own
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Cold War American Light Tanks Cold War Thai Armor
Light Tank Stingray
1 Comment on Light Tank Stingray
USA/Thailand (1984) Light Tank – 110+ built
A tracked stingray with a deadly venom
Naming a tank after a fish could seem strange, but given the appearance and characteristics of the model, it made sense. First off, the fast and sleek Myliobatoidei sting is lethal for its potential prey, but the wedgy look of both the turret and hull also contributes to this relation, which was essentially a commercial catch name. In relation to the family of air-transportable, fast light tank program like the HSTV/HIMAG (1978-82) it had the same light prismatic hull and light aluminum alloy hull. However, it reverted to torsion bar suspensions instead of hydropneumatic ones.
Developed as a private venture by Cadillac Gage, now the Textron Marine & Land Systems division, however it was not intended to compete for the future replacement to the M551 Sheridan (later developed as the much better protected M8 AGS Buford) but for the export market, perhaps after the success of the M41 Walker Bulldog. The Stingray, however, will not match the company’s expectations, as only a hundred was sold to the Royal Thai Army.
Superb view of a Thai Stingray in ops
Development (1983-87)
To make it competitive, this model was less technologically advanced than the HSTV but relied on as many existing components of other American armored fighting vehicles as possible to keep costs down. The emphasis was naturally given to mobility and armament, to the detriment of armour, in a classic light tank/cavalry pattern. So it was able to match MBTs but relied on speed and its own maneuvering capabilities to evade or out-flank MBTs.
Cadillac Gage studies were launched in 1983, and the first prototype was delivered in August 1984, but developments were resumed while it was offered for export and demonstrated. One particular was its turret which has exactly the same turret ring as the M551 Sheridan/M41 Walker Bulldog and was designed as an upgrade for these models.
Main characteristics and recognition points are its well-sloped glacis plate (the driver’s hatch is located in the upper part), plus two slight steps to the raised engine compartment. Vertical walls and back plate, exhaust outlet in the upper part of it. The center turret has a characteristic pointed front and sides slope inwards. There is a turret basket at the rear. Two banks of height smoke grenade dischargers are located on either side of the turret for concealment.
The three-men standalone turret is electro-hydraulically powered came with a manual backup. There are duplicate turret controls for the commander and gunner, and day/night sights. The gunner’s two-axis stabilized day/night thermal imaging system is provided by Hughes Electronics. Protection is only ensured about armor-piercing, 14.5mm HMG fire. However additional applique armor is also proposed.
Stingray in field speed trials
The low recoil force (LRF) version of the British Royal Ordnance L7 105 mm rifled gun was its main asset, sharing most of its ammunition with NATO stocks. It came with a two axis stabilization system, eight ready rounds, with 24 rounds stored in the hull. Reloading is manual. There is a coaxial standard NATO 7.62 light machine gun with 2400 rounds and an anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on right side of turret roof cal.50 (12.7 mm Browning M2HB) with 1,100 rounds in store.
The initial powerplant was a standard-issue Detroit Diesel Allison 8V-92TA 535 hp (399 kW) engine, but the serial model(for the Thai Royal Army) was a liquid cooled turbocharged 2 stroke V-8 diesel engine which developed 550 hp (410 kW).
550 hp (410 kW)
Suspension either side has six small road wheels with idler front, drive sprocket rear and three track-return rollers, no side skirts.
Stingray during the Ecuador tank competition – Source: Diego Hernan Ferreiro
Rare photo of the Bulldog Stingray prototype.
The Stingray in service
The Royal Thai Army announced the purchase of 106 Stingrays in 1987, and deliveries took place between 1988 and 1990. No more orders were placed. The Stingray also competed, heavily modified, in the AGS competition but lost to the FMC/UDLP/BAE Close Combat Vehicle Light program (AGS Stingray). Another variant called the AGS Sheridan married the hull of a Sheridan with the turret of the Stingray. It also competed in the same program but with the same outcome. Instead, the M8 AGS (Buford) largely based on the Stingray but with the main emphasis being put on protection. It was chosen for production in 1997 but ultimately the program was canceled and later replaced by the supposedly cheaper M1128 Mobile Gun System
The Stingray II (1996)
Since then the model was entirely redesigned by Textron in the late 1990s as the Stingray II. This model was given an improved and modernized digital fire-control system and target-engagement system (hunter-killer, improved first hit cap. on the move, Raytheon HIRE day/thermal night sight, improved commander sight), NBC protection, GPS nav, laser warning system, exhaust smoke screen device, and superior mobility.
Its main armor was improved to resist AP 23 mm autocannon rounds but it also came with an enhanced applique armor kit which can be installed in a couple of hours and provide extra protection from RPGs and shaped-charge warheads. It was also tested and proposed with a LAV-105 turret. Heavier, its top speed was reduced to 66 kph. It has met no success on the export market yet.
Links/sources
The Stingray on wikipedia
The M8 AGS on wikipedia
The Stingray II on army-guide
Stingray specifications
Dimensions 9.3 x3 x2.7 m (366 x117 x106 ft)
Total weight, battle ready 22.6 tons (45,200 Lbs)
Crew 4 (driver, commander, gunner, loader/radio)
Propulsion Detroit V-8 Diesel Allison 8V-92TA 535/550 hp lq TD
Suspension Independent trailing arm torsion bars
Range 480 km (300 mi)
Armament L7A3 105 mm rifled, 12.7mm roof, 7.62mm coaxial MGs
Armor 25mm max (0.9 in)
Total production 110-112 in 1984-1990
Various references from the web
Another view of the same Stingray in Ecuador, well stuck in mud – Source: Diego Hernan Ferreiro
Thai Royal Army Stingray, dark grey-green livery
Thai Royal Army Stingray, camouflaged livery.
← 59-Patton (Fake Tanks) → ZSU-37
1 reply on “Light Tank Stingray”
TTesays:
The camo painting is temporary, only for the exercise time in some year. You can note that it looks like the acrylic paint for the building or sort of that easily removed and the pattern is just simplistic. The fire control computer ( or laser range finder ?) has been replaced with the more modern and accurate one in the recent years.
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Russian fighter aircraft pilots sharpening piloting skills over Black Sea
More than 15 aircraft are involved in the event
Su-27SM fighter jets
© Alexei Pavlishak/TASS
SEVASTOPOL, June 7. /TASS/. The pilots of 15 Su-27SM3 and Su-30M2 fighter jets from Russia’s Southern Military District are sharpening their skills of flights over the Black Sea, the District’s press office reported on Friday.
"The flight personnel of the Southern Military District is undergoing training on the premises of the composite aviation regiment based in the Krasnodar Region. Overall, more than 15 aircraft that have arrived from various aerodromes of the Southern Military District are involved in the event," the statement says.
Russian Pacific Fleet's submarines attack 'enemy' vessel during drills
During seven days, the crews will be studying the specifics of piloting over the water surface, the procedure of interaction with search and rescue teams, flashing code signals and the skills of beacon-based navigation.
"Immediately during the flights, the pilots will be practicing the elements of simple and complex maneuvering, flights along the designated route at medium and low altitudes over the water surface, including at nighttime," the Southern Military District’s press office said.
During the training, the flight personnel will also practice the skills of using individual rescue means, in particular, the survival vest jacket and the naval rescue suit.
At the concluding stage of their training, the pilots will practice bombing against naval targets at specially equipped ranges.
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Turns Out Men Buy Things From Instagram Ads More Than Women
Adam Rowe April 10th 2017 4:30 pm
Instagram is likely the most popular social media platform for marketers and advertisers currently. Marketers' posts on the network have more than doubled since 2013, and in 2016 alone, ads jumped 22 percent over the year prior. The visual-and-mobile-focused site offers a direct, niche connection to specific audiences, which makes it great for targeting demographics.
I assume all the ads will eventually turn into a disadvantage for brands, and marketers will have to move on to another platform or method, but that hasn't happened yet. And until it does, here's a rundown on the lessons we can learn from the way that ads on Instagram trend.
Men Go for Instagram Ads More Than Women
Here's my favorite fact, pulled from a study by Influence.co that scraped the 2,100 most-liked posts with the “#ad” hashtag and sent a follow-up survey to analyze their effectiveness. Men rated Instagram ads as more persuasive than women rated them across six different verticals.
They rated fashion ads a 2.7 out of 5 and give electronics ads 2.4, TV/Movie ads 2.2, food/drink 2.2, health and wellness 2.3, and beauty a 2.2. Women gave the same verticals similar but slightly lower ratings: 2.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.2, 1.9, and 1.9, respectively. That's right, when it comes to fashion or beauty advice, men turn to Instagram.
Senior Citizens Are More Influenced Than Younger Ones
Also from the survey: The most easily persuaded were those in the 65-74-year-old crowd, while those 45-54 years of age came in second.
“The largest user base on Instagram is under the age of 30,” Influence.co noted, “But our study revealed participants aged 65 to 74 were actually the most influenced by promoted posts on the platform. Baby boomers make up the smallest percentage of Instagram users, but their influence level is higher than any other age group.”
Portrait Photos Are the Most Popular Ad Format by Far
The majority of the popular photos marked “#ad” on Instagram were portraits.
As the study puts it: “While some snapshots feature product-only framing, almost 69 percent of Instagram promotional photos showcase a portrait-style product view – which may include a prominent backdrop and other embellishments.”
Fashion Is the Biggest Ad Vertical
Of the six verticals I mentioned earlier — fashion, electronics, TV/Movie, food/drink, health and wellness, and beauty — fashion is the most successful across the board. Though the study doesn't explain why, I've written on the topic before. Instagram makes it easy, allowing select retail outlets like Kate Spade, JackThreads and Warby Parker the ability to put a shopping icon in their posts.
If this new study's data holds, I expect the move should be very popular among 65-74-year-old men.
Read more about optimizing social media for your business at Tech.Co.
@AdamRRowe
Adam is a writer at Tech.co and has worked as a tech writer, blogger and copy editor for the last decade. He's also a Forbes Contributor on the publishing industry (and Digital Book World 2018 award finalist) and has appeared in publications including Popular Mechanics and IDG Connect. When not glued to TechMeme, he loves obsessing over 1970s sci-fi art.
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Tag Index / Showing 1 - 20 of 25 results for “e-commerce”
Amazon IS Santa Claus
By David Kirkpatrick | December 22, 2016, 11:53 AM | Techonomy Exclusive
The decades-long process of Amazon taking over consumer product sales continues this holiday season with the company's dominance achieving daunting levels. The online retailer expects its peak shipments volume this year to be 10% greater than last year. In New York City, the superintendents in apartment buildings have been struggling this season to contain the huge mounds of online-ordered boxes. More
Global Tech Security & Privacy
Rhetoric Eases, but Troubles Remain in Alibaba Piracy Spat
By Doug Young | February 3, 2015, 12:08 PM
After reaching a fever pitch last week, rhetoric in the high-profile spat over piracy between e-commerce giant Alibaba and one of China’s main business regulators appears to be softening as the two sides move towards a compromise. The latest headlines say Alibaba and the State Administration For Industry And Commerce (SAIC) have joined hands to fight piracy, marking a sharp toning down of the angry rhetoric that was flying for much of last week. More
Detroit’s Chalkfly Brings Social Good to Office Supplies
By Wayne Lam and Adam Ludwig | August 26, 2014, 3:58 PM | Techonomy Exclusive
Andrew and Ryan Landau attended rival universities in Michigan, then left the state after graduation to pursue jobs at Google and IBM. But the pull of home, and the prospect of being part of a burgeoning entrepreneurial renaissance, brought the brothers back to Detroit to launch an innovative e-commerce company. Chalkfly, their fast-growing two-year-old office-supply e-commerce company, lets users donate 5 percent of each sale directly to teachers. Andrew calls the chance to work with his brother and be part of Detroit's revitalization an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. More
E-Commerce Global Tech
E-commerce Empowers Southeast Asia’s Local Brands
By Will Greene | May 12, 2014, 10:21 AM | Techonomy Exclusive
As online marketplaces and e-commerce services grow in sophistication, small retailers worldwide gain access to new business opportunities that boost local economies and give more choice to consumers everywhere. Even in Southeast Asia, where e-commerce markets remain underdeveloped, local brands see opportunity to achieve national, regional, or even global scale. A few recent initiatives highlight the possibilities. More
E-Commerce Mobile
eBay’s Devin Wenig on Retail in a Post-Mobile Age
Techonomy Video | April 28, 2014, 10:23 AM | Techonomy Exclusive
With mobile connectivity more and more ubiquitous, could we be entering a post-mobile age? eBay's Devin Wenig thinks so, and says it will increasingly define the global marketplace. "The physical and digital worlds are coming together in incredibly interesting ways," Wenig told us at a recent Techonomy dinner salon in San Francisco. Retail is turning stores into virtual shopping and shipping centers, said Wenig, while platforms like Uber and Airbnb use tech to link data to the physical world. The fear that online retailers like eBay could decimate physical retail is being upended, according to Wenig. Instead, small merchants and service providers are learning to use tech and data to broaden their distribution and become more competitive. "Some call it collaborative consumption, some call it the merger of physical and digital. Whatever you call it," said Wenig, "the change ... has been astounding." More
NetEase Moves into U.S., Vipshop Tries Russia
By Doug Young | March 21, 2014, 10:02 AM
Two of China’s leading Internet companies are taking their first baby steps outside their home market, with word that online game maker NetEase is moving into the U.S. and fast-rising discount e-commerce firm Vipshop is tying up with a Russian partner. The pair are joining China’s “big 3″ Internet firms, Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent, in making recent moves outside their home market, as each looks for new growth opportunities. All of these companies also want to convince the world that they can compete in the real world outside their own highly protected and heavily restricted home market. More
Alibaba, Baidu’s Li Mount High-Stakes U.S. Forays
By Doug Young | February 13, 2014, 12:23 PM
Two of China’s biggest Internet names are making interesting new moves into the tough U.S. market, with word that Alibaba has launched an American e-commerce website and Baidu founder Robin Li is helming a major new Hollywood animation studio. Both moves look cautious but relatively well conceived, even though each carries a degree of risk due to intense competition in the U.S. e-commerce and animation sectors. Still, I have to admire both companies for at least trying, even if their chances of success could be around 50-50. More
Southeast Asia E-Commerce Surge Boosts Region
By Will Greene | February 6, 2014, 9:55 AM | Techonomy Exclusive
E-commerce companies moved hard into Southeast Asia in 2013. Armed with innovative strategies and lots of funding, global giants and local startups raced to promote online retailing in a region where brick-and-mortar stores still dominate. Their efforts will bring more than just convenience to tens of millions of net-enabled consumers. They’ll also boost living conditions and create opportunities for a new generation of ambitious entrepreneurs. More
Analytics & Data E-Commerce Partner Insights
How Businesses Get ROI from Social Sharing
Contributed by [24]7 | January 10, 2014, 10:52 AM | Techonomy Exclusive
Social-media-savvy businesses are turning their best customers into direct sales forces online. By leveraging the social networks of their biggest brand advocates, retailers can extend the reach of their product promotions. It’s word-of-mouth advertising at a massive scale. Some companies have been using this “social sharing” approach for several years to build brand awareness and drive sales. Until lately, though, such initiatives were hampered by unsophisticated methods for managing and engaging customers as well as tracking return on investment. Now, new tools and apps are available to develop a smart social sharing strategy that enhances customer experience while providing true ROI data based on sales conversions. More
E-Commerce Media & Marketing Partner Insights
What Shoppers Want: In-Store Shopping with Online Services
Contributed by Cisco | December 5, 2013, 8:29 AM
If the electronic commerce predictions of the late 1990s had come true, today's average 18-year-old may never have known what it was like to step in a store or participate in the whirl of shopping as millions of Americans will this holiday season. By today, he or she would have a phone or computer permanently attached to their hand, and anything they would need or want would be ordered online and then delivered directly to them. Who knows? Maybe some products were going to be transported—like Star Trek. But, we all know that has not come true. More
E-Commerce Partner Insights
M-Shoppers Redefine the Mobile Shopping Experience
Contributed by Dell | December 4, 2013, 9:40 AM
Mobile-assisted shoppers (m-shoppers) used to strike fear into the hearts of retailers. Armed with a handy mobile device, a savvy consumer could easily compare prices on the Internet and find the best deal available. Brick-and-mortar doomsayers called it the end of their world. How could a business compete with that? But hold on. All the Doomsday speak may have been a bit premature. According to new research from the Columbia Business School and Aimia, a global leader in loyalty management, m-shopping may ultimately provide a retailing asset in two distinct areas. More
E-Commerce Techonomy Events
Shutterstock’s Jon Oringer on Data, Disruption, and Network Effects
By Jon Oringer | November 11, 2013, 12:30 PM | Techonomy Exclusive
At its core, our stock photography agency, Shutterstock, is a technology company. Forty percent of our nearly 300 employees are technologists—programmers, product specialists, and data scientists. People all over the world depend on us every day for images, videos, and instruction, or as a source of income for licensing their own creative work. But we’re essentially in the business of building two-sided marketplaces that are driven by network effects. Our business leverages data and network-effect mechanics to disrupt and grow. More
Business E-Commerce Global Tech
Baidu Eyes Group Buying With Nuomi
By Doug Young | August 14, 2013, 12:23 PM
Barely a month goes by these days without rumor of a new acquisition target for Baidu, which suddenly seems anxious to buy up major assets in its bid to diversify beyond its core search business. The latest rumors say Baidu is close to a deal to purchase Nuomi, the group buying unit of social networking leader Renren. As one of China’s most profitable Internet companies, Baidu is hoping to take advantage of low valuations of Chinese Internet firms, many of which are running low on cash and have had trouble attracting interest from foreign investors. More
E-Commerce Finance Global Tech
Alibaba Turns to Travel as Profit Zooms
By Doug Young | July 19, 2013, 10:20 AM
Too much money isn’t always a good thing, as it often pressures companies to put that money to work even when good investment opportunities are limited. Baidu demonstrated that reality earlier this week with its purchase of an online app store that had little relationship with its core online search business, and now Alibaba is showing similar tendencies with its investment in an online travel services website. In Alibaba’s case, the new investment comes as the e-commerce leader posted a record second-quarter profit, and as it prepares for a blockbuster IPO that increasingly looks like it will take place in Hong Kong. More
Tencent, eBay in Potent Partnership
By Doug Young | July 3, 2013, 3:01 PM
After its first attempt to develop the China e-commerce market failed miserably nearly a decade ago, US Internet giant eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) is making some smarter moves this time around by choosing better partners and also by building up its business more gradually. In the company’s latest China development, media are reporting eBay has formed a new joint venture with Chinese Internet giant Tencent (HKEx: 700). At the same time, separate reports are saying that eBay may fail in its bid to become the first foreign licensee to offer electronic payment services in China. More
eBay’s Paypal: China Payment License in Sight
By Doug Young | June 20, 2013, 10:50 AM 1 Comment
China’s regulators have never been known for moving fast on anything, and that case seems to apply even more when it comes to allowing foreign players into emerging markets like third-party payment services. More than two years after China began awarding licenses for its domestic companies to offer such, foreign companies are still waiting for equal rights in the lucrative domestic market. But now US e-commerce giant eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) is saying it could soon become the first foreign licensee to enter the market, providing both a big opportunity, but also a major challenge, as it seeks to catch up to Chinese rivals with more than a two-year head-start. More
Google Rethinks China E-Commerce
By Doug Young | June 3, 2013, 9:48 AM 2 Comments
Six months after abruptly shuttering its China-based e-commerce search business, global Internet titan Google is reportedly rethinking that decision with plans to re-enter the market. The decision looks like the latest acknowledgement by Google that China is simply too big to ignore, following its high profile shuttering of its China-based general search business in 2010 after a spat with Beijing over censorship. If this latest story is true, the next logical question might be whether we could see Google return to the general China search market, where competition is suddenly starting to heat up after years of dominance by market leader Baidu. More
Alibaba’s Logistics Gamble: Difficulty Ahead
By Doug Young | May 30, 2013, 11:14 AM
Say the word “logistics” in any conversation and you’ll almost inevitably put anyone listening to sleep. But the concept is hardly a boring one in China’s hyper-competitive e-commerce space, where industry leader Alibaba has just announced a massive 100 billion yuan ($16.3 billion) plan to build up its logistics network over the next few years. To me this plan looks like a direct response to similar recent moves by e-commerce names like Jingdong, Tencent, and Amazon, which are aggressively building logistics networks with an aim of reducing delivery times to two hours or less. More
Qihoo, Alibaba Tie-Up Set For Turbulence
By Doug Young | May 24, 2013, 9:30 AM
A sudden rush to form new partnerships on China’s Internet is creating some interesting new tie-ups, including the latest one that is seeing e-commerce leader Alibaba join with security software firm Qihoo 360 in the e-commerce search space. This new pair-up actually seems relatively minor, with Qihoo using Alibaba’s specialized eTao search engine to power e-commerce searches on Qihoo’s own so.com general search site. This kind of tie-up isn’t all that uncommon in search, where portals and other companies that want to include a search function on their home page often license a third party’s engine like Google’s or Baidu’s for the job. More
Tencent, Walmart Heat up China E-Commerce
New moves from Internet giant Tencent and global retailer Walmart are turning up the competition in China’s e-commerce wars, which are quickly becoming a contest to see who can outspend whom. Both of these latest initiatives look quite pricey, especially Tencent’s move that will see it roll out an ultra-fast product delivery program. WalMart, meantime, is pouring big money into a campaign to build a new in-house clothing brand for its recently acquired Yihaodian online store. The current trends are a bit worrisome, as they indicate no near-term easing in China’s e-commerce price wars that have raged for about two years now. More
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RT @techonomy: Only 15 percent and 10 percent of @Facebook and @Google's AI workforces, respectively, are women. The numbers are even more… about 3 mins ago by Greg Jenkins
Only 15 percent and 10 percent of @Facebook and @Google's AI workforces, respectively, are women. The numbers are… https://t.co/NRDgFAT9Yb about 5 mins ago by Techonomy
RT @ProgressIsComin: @soledadobrien I think it's you that is the liar. Also, not very well informed because Bernie is right. Try reading so… about 20 hours ago by Jabari Morris #RealProgressives #MMT #Insist 🌹
Seattle’s economy is booming, thanks partly to tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon. https://t.co/6Md7S9NBpe about 20 hours ago by Techonomy
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Meredith Salisbury
Adrienne Jane Burke
Ann Babe
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Reliance Jio offloads towers to settle Government bill
Telecoms disruptor Reliance Jio has been forced to sell its tower assets to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for approximately $3.55 billion.
While Reliance Jio is not feeling the pinch as painfully as its competitors, the business is facing a significant financial outlay to settle a spectrum fees dispute which has been on-going for more than a decade. With 25,215 crore Rupees (c.$3.551 billion) in compensation for the tower infrastructure business, Reliance Jio should be in a healthier position, albeit a bit lighter on assets.
“We are pleased to enter into this long and strategic relationship with Brookfield, which is one of the largest and most respected managers of infrastructure assets globally,” said Mukesh Ambani, MD of the Reliance Industries group.
“We are confident of Brookfield’s abilities to manage this large portfolio of high-quality infrastructure assets and further enhancing value creation opportunities. This transaction demonstrates the belief of global investors in the potential of India’s digital opportunity.”
Although the disposal of assets, or at least 100% ownership of said assets, is not an entirely comfortable position for the telcos to be in, it is becoming increasingly commonplace around the world, for a variety of reasons.
Telefonica has been playing with the idea of an IPO or partial sale of its tower infrastructure business unit, Altice has recently sold off 49.99% of its newly separated wholesale business and Vodafone created its own standalone tower business mid-way through the year. These are examples of asset divestment, though it is to fuel the expensive jobs of 5G and fibre broadband. The India situation is of course slightly different, though it has the telcos frantically searching for additional cash.
An argument over the total amount telcos owed for spectrum fees came to a conclusion in recent weeks, with the courts ruling in favour of the Government. Unfortunately for the telcos, this means over a decade of licence fees, interest and missed payment penalties will now have to be settled. For Bharti Airtel it has meant asking the Government for relief, Vodafone Idea have threatened to shut the whole business down and Reliance Jio is offloading its tower business to Brookfield.
While annual licence fees for spectrum are common place, such lengthy legal cases to dispute them are not. In a healthy regulatory environment, the telcos complain but generally accept the prodding and poking of authorities. Considering the friction which is being witnessed between the telcos and authorities in India, this is anything but a healthy situation. Whether it is charging too much for spectrum, favouring certain telcos or mis-managing termination regulation, the Indian landscape is quickly turning into a farce.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Indian Government are slowly killing off competition and sleep-walking the country towards a monopoly.
Tags: Brookfield, Divestment, India, Jio, Reliance Jio, Tower Infrastructure
Indian Supreme Court rejects telcos appeal over government bill
China Mobile reportedly chasing cloud JV with Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel
Indian telcos are ‘cap in hand’ in front of Government
India risks US wrath after Huawei thumbs up
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EMU Home
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Students Admissions to EMU Pastry and Bakery Associate Program Begins
Published Date: Friday, 2 August 2019
Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) continues to grow by launching new programs that are to start student admissions in 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Fall Semester. The Higher Education Planning, Accreditation and Coordination Council (YÖDAK) and Turkish Republic Council of Higher Education (YÖK) approved Pastry and Bakery associate program of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management will start student admissions in the upcoming academic semester.
2-Year Program
During the two-year education, the Pastry and Bakery Associate Degree Program provides students with the opportunity to pursue a career in various fields from classic to modern pastry and artisan bread making, as well as the new trends in the world of pastry and bakery. The program, which is a first in our country, prepares students for the sector with a wide range of courses in addition to basic pastry and bakery courses in accordance with international standards as well as elective courses.
Pastry Chefs of the Future
The aim of the Associate's Degree Program in Pastry and Bakery is to education future pastry chefs who can present samples from national and international desserts, pastries and similar products which are candidates for pastry chefs in the food and beverage sector. It is among the objectives of the program to contribute to the increase in the number of qualified and educated personnel who are lacking in the field of bread making and bakery, which is very popular today. In this respect, a training program is offered to raise students' analytical thinking and communication skills and to encourage them to be creative and researcher in a way that enables them to grow as managers who are equipped with the skills and skills that can produce and develop and apply knowledge.
Students who successfully complete the Associate Degree Program of Pastry and Bakery are awarded with the title of "Pastry and Bakery Technician". Graduates will have the qualifications required by the sector and will be preferred primarily by enterprises such as accommodation establishments (hotels, motels, holiday villages and similar), restaurants, cafes, patisseries and bakery companies.
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Campaigning to create a fairer society, a stronger economy and opportunity for everyone in Stockton, Billingham, Thornaby, Eaglescliffe, Yarm, Ingleby Barwick and the surrounding villages
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End to rough sleeping plan
Brendan Devlin, Liberal Democrat candidate for Stockton South has condemned the rise in rough sleeping throughout the UK, and has deep concerns about both rough sleeping and also those who have no permanent roof over their heads in Stockton.
Announcing the plan, Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said:
"The Conservatives are sitting on their hands, failing to protect the most vulnerable people in society. They haven't built enough social housing, their benefit cuts have made poverty worse, and they blocked Liberal Democrat efforts to repeal the cruel, Dickensian law that criminalises people just for sleeping rough."
Brendan Devlin supports all of the measures and adds that he has concerns about those on Teesside who have new refugee status, but only have 28 days to find somewhere to live, as well as find a job. He says "I applaud the Lib Dem move to extend the time that they have to make a new life, and contribute to our society, by giving them 56 days instead of the 28 to find housing and work."
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Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report
C. H. Wang, W. Y. Hsu, H. W. Wang, W. Y. Su, J. H. Chian, J. K. Lin
Subglottic hematoma or hemorrhage has been reported following blunt or penetrating trauma to the larynx; however, phonotrauma has been rarely reported. In May 1993, we had an unusual experience of an old man presenting hoarseness and shortness of breath after a loud shout. Indirect laryngoscopy showed a solid gray mass about 2 cm in diameter over right subglottic area and it occupied more than half the airway space. Having performed tracheostomy and laryngomicrosurgery, the histopathological diagnosis was proved as organized hematoma. The mechanism, anatomy and treatment of subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma were discussed.
Journal of the Otolaryngological Society of the Republic of China
phonotrauma
subglottic hematoma
Wang, C. H., Hsu, W. Y., Wang, H. W., Su, W. Y., Chian, J. H., & Lin, J. K. (1997). Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report. Journal of the Otolaryngological Society of the Republic of China, 32(1), 103-107.
Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report. / Wang, C. H.; Hsu, W. Y.; Wang, H. W.; Su, W. Y.; Chian, J. H.; Lin, J. K.
In: Journal of the Otolaryngological Society of the Republic of China, Vol. 32, No. 1, 1997, p. 103-107.
Wang, CH, Hsu, WY, Wang, HW, Su, WY, Chian, JH & Lin, JK 1997, 'Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report', Journal of the Otolaryngological Society of the Republic of China, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 103-107.
Wang CH, Hsu WY, Wang HW, Su WY, Chian JH, Lin JK. Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report. Journal of the Otolaryngological Society of the Republic of China. 1997;32(1):103-107.
Wang, C. H. ; Hsu, W. Y. ; Wang, H. W. ; Su, W. Y. ; Chian, J. H. ; Lin, J. K. / Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report. In: Journal of the Otolaryngological Society of the Republic of China. 1997 ; Vol. 32, No. 1. pp. 103-107.
@article{9f4fd06f04b74e53b23bba6f0f56d23c,
title = "Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report",
abstract = "Subglottic hematoma or hemorrhage has been reported following blunt or penetrating trauma to the larynx; however, phonotrauma has been rarely reported. In May 1993, we had an unusual experience of an old man presenting hoarseness and shortness of breath after a loud shout. Indirect laryngoscopy showed a solid gray mass about 2 cm in diameter over right subglottic area and it occupied more than half the airway space. Having performed tracheostomy and laryngomicrosurgery, the histopathological diagnosis was proved as organized hematoma. The mechanism, anatomy and treatment of subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma were discussed.",
keywords = "phonotrauma, subglottic hematoma",
author = "Wang, {C. H.} and Hsu, {W. Y.} and Wang, {H. W.} and Su, {W. Y.} and Chian, {J. H.} and Lin, {J. K.}",
journal = "Journal of Taiwan Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery",
publisher = "臺灣耳鼻喉科醫學會",
T1 - Subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma - Case report
AU - Wang, C. H.
AU - Hsu, W. Y.
AU - Wang, H. W.
AU - Su, W. Y.
AU - Chian, J. H.
AU - Lin, J. K.
N2 - Subglottic hematoma or hemorrhage has been reported following blunt or penetrating trauma to the larynx; however, phonotrauma has been rarely reported. In May 1993, we had an unusual experience of an old man presenting hoarseness and shortness of breath after a loud shout. Indirect laryngoscopy showed a solid gray mass about 2 cm in diameter over right subglottic area and it occupied more than half the airway space. Having performed tracheostomy and laryngomicrosurgery, the histopathological diagnosis was proved as organized hematoma. The mechanism, anatomy and treatment of subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma were discussed.
AB - Subglottic hematoma or hemorrhage has been reported following blunt or penetrating trauma to the larynx; however, phonotrauma has been rarely reported. In May 1993, we had an unusual experience of an old man presenting hoarseness and shortness of breath after a loud shout. Indirect laryngoscopy showed a solid gray mass about 2 cm in diameter over right subglottic area and it occupied more than half the airway space. Having performed tracheostomy and laryngomicrosurgery, the histopathological diagnosis was proved as organized hematoma. The mechanism, anatomy and treatment of subglottic hematoma following phonotrauma were discussed.
KW - phonotrauma
KW - subglottic hematoma
JO - Journal of Taiwan Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
JF - Journal of Taiwan Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
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Tönnies is a family company that is active at several levels of the food industry. The international company operates in eight divisions, has approximately 16,500 employees, and in 2018 generated annual revenue of EUR 6.65 billion.
The Tönnies Group comprises eight divisions in which Tönnies is active around the world: Meat Pork, Meat Beef, Convenience, Ingredients, Logistics, Sausages, International and Central Services.
Meat Division
Convenience Division
Ingredients Division
Logistics Division
Sausages Division
Central Services Division
Tönnies recognises its corporate responsibility towards people, animals and the environment and continually works towards balancing economic trade, sustainable development and social responsibility.
Sustainability dialogue
Sustainability Issues
Animal Protection during the Slaughter Process
Animal Welfare in Animal Husbandry
Protection of resources
Healthy nutrition with meat
Climate protection in animal husbandry
News & Dialogue
Dialogue with you is important to us. Here you can find the right contact partner for different issues and contact them directly.
Hygiene and safety instructions
Agrarblog
Our responsibility and that of the producers.
Start Responsibility Sustainability Issues Animal Welfare in Animal Husbandry
We require that the animals that we slaughter and process be kept and raised in a reasonable manner. At Tönnies we support our producers in ensuring and further developing animal welfare and animal protection in husbandry.
At Tönnies we support our producers in ensuring and further developing animal welfare and animal protection in husbandry. We work in close collaboration with them so that they address the right issues and find common approaches to finding investments in husbandry that also benefit farmers.
Dr. Wilhelm Jaeger
Director of Agriculture Department
Important key figures
Animal welfare contact partner for producers
On average in 2018 one German farmer fed approx. 135 people; in 1990 it was 69*. Farmers today work in a much more productive way. At the same time, consumers also expect that quality products be available at a fair price and around the clock.
Farmers have to produce large quantities of top-class products, ensure species-appropriate husbandry of more and more animals, and regularly invest in their husbandry in order to fulfil statutory requirements.
At Tönnies we support our producers in mastering these tasks and remaining sustainable.
No one agricultural company is like another. In recent years, we have developed different husbandry, feed and management systems. In animal husbandry, there is no one ideal solution that is suitable for all.
For the same reason, no husbandry system is good or bad per se. Detailed, animal related observation over the life of the animals is crucial. In all programmes and improvements started and implemented by Tönnies in collaboration with our producers, the focus is thus on careful observation of the individual animal.
Animal welfare measures must be considered as a whole. Improvements in animal husbandry can generally relate to breeding, rearing, fattening, husbandry, feeding and transport. However, changes in one area can have implications for the subsequent areas.
Four central factors for greater animal welfare
Four key factors are important for our producers and us at Tönnies so that we can successfully achieve animal welfare improvements in husbandry. These four factors are important screws that we turn together with our producers – for greater animal welfare in husbandry.
Animal welfare improvements in collaborative production can only be guaranteed if a common approach is adopted by the persons involved. Tönnies thus also accepts responsibility in this regard.
Animal welfare improvements must draw on scientifically verified criteria – Tönnies Research is working intensively on this with an annual budget of approx. EUR 300,000.
Animal welfare improvements that exceed statutory standards cost money. The majority of this money should go to the producers – to thus set suitable incentives for producers.
The data on the ante and post mortem checks recorded by veterinarians and inspectors can be used to draw comprehensive conclusions on the welfare of the animals. The Tönnies Agriculture department uses this information to develop criteria and improvements in husbandry and searches for solutions with producers.
Increased animal welfare by transparent labelling of husbandry systems
In cooperation with German trading companies, in 2018 Tönnies introduced a label for husbandry systems for meat (more information at www.haltungsform.de). Since then, consumers can see on all packaging and at the deli counter how the animals were housed, whose meat we eat.
It is important that the consumer be able to easily and directly identify from which kind of husbandry system an animal originated. The now consistent form of labelling in the German retail industry — (1) Animal Housing, (2) Animal Housing Plus, (3) Outdoor Environment and (4) Premium— provides transparency for consumers.
Tönnies offers meat from all four husbandry systems. Now it is time to increase the demand for meat from the better husbandry systems. With the help of a common and consistent style of labelling, the overall level of animal husbandry could be increased. Therefore, we are committed to bringing the entire basic range of pork which is marketed in the German food retail trade into the husbandry system (2) Animal Housing Plus.
Further programmes at level (3) Outdoor Environment and level (4) Premium will complement this approach to cater to the demand for more comprehensive animal welfare programmes. A statutory determination or even legal requirements around the labelling of husbandry systems would be even better. For this reason, Tönnies is actively participating in the initiative of the German Department of Agriculture to implement a federal animal welfare label. This label could be another step towards an obligatory husbandry label for all marketing channels in Germany.
In 2019, further negotiations for the Initiative Tierwohl’s next phase, which commences in 2021, are being conducted. Tönnies is committed to ensuring that meat from farms which are members of the Initiative Tierwohl be widely available and consistently labelled as meat of the type (2) husbandry system (Animal Housing Plus).
1. Animal welfare improvements in collaborative production can only be guaranteed if a common approach is adopted by the persons involved. Tönnies thus also accepts responsibility in this regard.
All agents in the value creation chain are obliged to observe animal welfare
The RFID-UHF ear tag stores information from birth to slaughter
In the 21st century, food is produced collaboratively. To ensure and finance better animal welfare, all agents in the value creation chain must participate.
Tönnies interacts with the partners in the value creation chain with the aim of bringing together the often different goals in the area of animal welfare to one common denominator. Tönnies is in contact with the retail industry in particular with regard to how animal welfare programmes are marketed and monetarised. Farmers can and will only improve animal welfare when they receive the financial resources that they invest in husbandry back as profit.
Many agents are involved in the improvement of animal welfare, including farmers, the meat industry, science & research, NGOs, associations, the food industry etc. As a result, sometimes it takes more time than we would like for animal welfare improvements and incentive systems to be put into action and the products to become available in participating stores.
2. Animal welfare improvements must draw on scientifically verified criteria – Tönnies Research is working intensively on this with an annual budget of approx. EUR 300,000.
Tönnies Research for better animal welfare in practice
Tönnies Research helps to further research animal welfare criteria for livestock husbandry and to develop recommendations for practice. Both the work supported by Tönnies Research and external work produce valuable findings.
For example, in recent years, many projects have been carried out on the topic of ‘tail-biting’ by pigs. To this end, amongst others, Tönnies Research organised a workshop on tail biting with project managers and scientists from different disciplines. Most work relates to the keeping of fattening pigs.
Scientists and practitioners at the Tail Biting Workshop
Selected findings from the workshop
Very different factors can contribute to tail biting. The risk factors and the solutions for individual companies are thus differentiated per site.
In force-ventilated full or partial column systems, the criteria of manipulable material, feeding, water supply and animal health play a significant role.
Observation by the livestock owner is key to best dealing with tail biting: if the problem is recognised promptly, it is possible to intervene early and introduce measures to make structural changes.
The (nutrition) physiological factors of the development of necrosis have been underestimated until now. Tönnies Research will thus provide greater support to work that focuses on the link between intestinal health and tail biting.
3. Animal welfare improvements that exceed statutory standards cost money. The majority of this money should go to the producers – suitable incentives must be set for producers.
Animal Welfare Initiative has been in existence since 2015
Initiative Tierwohl exceeds legal standards
Producers face the greatest expense for improvements in animal welfare in husbandry. They must be paid if they improve their animal husbandry in excess of the legal standards.
For example, producers should be confident that an investment such as the new construction of a modern stall will pay off year after year. This is only the case if the retail industry permanently pays higher purchase prices for particular animal welfare improvements and if the consumer is also willing to pay more for these labelled products.
Initiative Tierwohl shows that remuneration on the basis of measures implemented by the farmer can bring about change.
Initiative Tierwohl strives for nationwide implementation
Tönnies is the founding and development partner of Initiative Tierwohl. Initiative Tierwohl, which was started in 2015, is a collaboration between farmers, the meat industry, animal protection organisations and the food industry. The central goal is to make an offer to as many farmers as possible in order to implement improved animal welfare practices as extensively as possible.
Within the framework of the initiative, participating retailers have committed to pay EUR 0.625 (since 2018) to the initiative per kilogram of pork and sausage sold. This generates approx. EUR 130 million every year which remunerates the famers for the animal welfare improvements.
As of the start of 2018, based on their own data, Initiative Tierwohl had recorded 4,000 pig-husbandry companies with approx. 26 million pigs that have benefited from the animal welfare measures.
More information: www.initiative-tierwohl.de
Key figures Initiative Tierwohl
4. The data on the ante and post mortem checks recorded by veterinarians and inspectors can be used to draw comprehensive conclusions on the welfare of the animals. The Tönnies Agriculture department uses this information to develop criteria and improvements in husbandry and searches for solutions with producers.
Official slaughtering inspection for complete diagnostic data on animal welfare
Official veterinarians and meat inspectors within the region examine every animal slaughtered by Tönnies. The goal is to establish the health condition and well-being of the animals when they arrive at the site and the condition of the animals on the slaughter line.
The slaughter line is used to examine the carcases and internal organs. All diagnostic data is collected, analysed and archived in the Agriculture Department at Tönnies. The recorded diagnostic data enables detailed conclusions to be drawn on the well-being of the animals during the holding period.
A veterinarian will examine the health of the pigs on arrival
This data is a good indicator of the animal’s welfare
Healthy joints are an indication that a pig is being kept appropriately. However, if there is joint inflammation, this can be a sign that the animals are moving too little and lying down too much or that injuries have been sustained and germs have penetrated the joints. The data documents any injuries.
Integrity of tail
If the animals bite each other’s tails, this is a sign of stress. This can be caused, for example, by food jealousy, a lack of hygiene or being held in cramped conditions. Optimal husbandry is no guarantee that this behaviour will not occur. However, good hygiene and grain quality, sufficient space at the feeding stations, and activity options help to ensure the integrity of the tail.
Integrity of ears
Ear biting is also a reaction by the animal to stress. Similar factors to tail biting can contribute, such as food jealousy, a lack of hygiene, being held in cramped conditions and the like. The official inspections thus also check whether the ears of the animals show injuries. This is recorded in the data.
Like many of us, fattening pigs can also have respiratory infections. Often these can be recognised on the slaughter line even after the infection has healed. To reduce infections, careful control of the stall climate is particularly important. The key task is to ensure a comfortable temperature for the pigs in the stall. Ammonia residue from the animal manure can also affect the respiratory passages. For this reason, the respiratory organs are carefully observed during the meat inspection.
In pigs, a healthy intestine is essential for digestion, for the high efficiency of the animal, but also for the immune system. Approx. 70 per cent of the antibodies created by the body are released by the intestinal mucosa. If the intestine is not healthy, the risk of illness increases. It is thus the responsibility of farmers to ensure that the pigs maintain balanced intestinal flora.
The liver data often includes important information on any infestation of the liver with illnesses such as worms. Worms are not a health risk for the animals; however the efficiency of the animal is reduced and thus often its growth during fattening. Deworming at the start of fattening is thus a standard remedy during fattening. The liver data is documented in detail by Tönnies.
The parameters are analysed for every animal and systematically evaluated. The data is fed back to the agricultural companies, specifically in the case of noteworthy evaluations. These form the basis for advice to the companies on permanently improving animal welfare. The companies also receive the corresponding infrastructure from Tönnies with internet-based data response and reporting systems for the individual company.
Our next goals
A key challenge is the integration of scientific results into breeding. This is all about breeding robust, resistant pigs with good meat quality.
The further development of our current husbandry system towards alternative animal-friendly husbandry systems which meet the sensitivities of the animals is a significant task for the future. Tönnies already has a clear timetable for approaching this task. First initiatives are promising. Husbandry systems which provide pigs with separate functional areas to fulfil their needs have already been put into practice in the so-called ‘Fairfarm’ concept.
Pilot and niche projects of new husbandry systems have meanwhile grown into mainstream concepts, in particular the Outdoor Environment pen. In cooperation with our partners we are working on spreading these concepts. For the stall of the future.
We are working on the same concepts concerning piglet production. In this regard we are running a large-scale project with pens that enable sows to run free as well as to group-suckle piglets.
However, none of this will work without increased demand for meat from husbandry systems that exceed statutory obligations. Hence, we are working on developing a transparent husbandry label. The retail sector provided the beginning. Now it is important that the husbandry system (2) Animal Housing Plus become the standard offering in all German grocery stores. There is nothing preventing the integration of these criteria with already developed concepts for a federal animal welfare label.
Finally, other marketing channels also need to participate, or statutory obligations for a comprehensive husbandry label must be developed.
How can you observe individual animals that you slaughter?
This occurs using modern technology, with help from farmers, veterinarians, etc. Strict regulations also require us to record and document this data. We thus collect, archive and analyse data on health, growth, veterinary inspections and so forth; for example, blood value data and the use of antibiotics. With pigs, this is carried out via the ear tags which store important data and – if required – this data can be exported. We thus further develop our cooperation with farmers and can track our raw materials for retail stores and consumers.
What happens if you identify that tail biting occurs with unusual frequency in a company?
We regularly send the diagnostic data on the animals to our farmers. They then know that we are aware of the situation in the stall. If particular limits are exceeded, the producers often come to us themselves and ask for advice. We look for causes on site with our farmers and discuss ways to improve the situation. Then we observe whether the values in the diagnostic data have improved.
What is the most important task when working with the producers?
We are primarily business partners and have economic interests. However, we both gain the most from the partnership if we understand the goals of the other and work towards these goals. For us at Tönnies, this means: the farmer must benefit from the improvements in stall management just as much as we do. We also need a clear distribution of roles: the farmer knows best what happens in his or her stall and decides what to change. We support them where we can.
Dialogue is important to us. So we would like to hear your questions and respond to the issues that concern you. Write to us!
Our contact partner Dr Wilhelm Jaeger, Director of Tönnies Agriculture, answers your relevant questions here. In the case of similar questions, we group the answers together.
Animal Protection during the Slaughter ProcessFood safetyAnimal Welfare in Animal HusbandryProtection of resourcesEmployerHealthy nutrition with meatAntibioticsClimate protection in animal husbandryOthers
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About Tönnies
The Tönnies Group is a family company that is active at several levels of the food industry. The international company operates in eight divisions, has approximately 16,500 employees, and in 2018 generated annual revenue of EUR 6.65 billion. The core business of the company, which was established in 1971, concerns the slaughter, butchering, processing and refining of pigs, sows and cattle.
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Panda Express Orange-Flavored Chicken Reduced-Fat
By Todd Wilbur
Score: 5.00. Votes: 1
In stock (1 item available)
Andrew J. C. Cherng lived in China, Taiwan, and Japan before he came to the United States to study mathematics at Baker University. After graduation in 1973, Andrew used his extensive education and business savvy to open an Asian restaurant in Pasadena with his father; Master Chef Ming Tsai Cherng. Southern Californians went crazy for Andrew's Panda Inn and its cutting-edge menu that blended the styles of Szechwan and Mandarin cooking.
Today the chain—now called Panda Express—includes more than 320 units in thirty-two states and is famous for the addictive fried chicken dish with the tangy orange sauce. We can re-create this dish using a baking technique to avoid the fat that's unavoidable when frying.
Serving size–1 sliced chicken breast
Total servings–4
Calories per serving–400 (Original–580)
Fat per serving–12g (Original–30g)
Source: Low-Fat Top Secret Recipes by Todd Wilbur.
This recipe is available in
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced water chestnuts
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 rounded teaspoon chopped green onion
2 teaspooons arrowroot
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
1/2 cup ice water
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 cup self-rising flour
Vegetable cooking spray
Restaurant/Brand
1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients—except the cornstarch and arrowroot—in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir often while bringing mixture to a boil. When the sauce reaches a boil, remove it from heat and allow it to cool a bit, uncovered.
2. Slice the chicken breasts into bite size chunks. Remove exactly 1 cup of the marinade from the pan and pour it over the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or other container that allows the chicken to be completely covered with the marinade. The chicken should marinate for at least a couple hours. Cover the remaining sauce and leave it to cool until the chicken is ready.
3. When the chicken has marinated, preheat your oven to 475 degrees F.
4. Combine the cornstarch with arrowroot in a small bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until the cornstarch and arrowroot have dissolved. Pour this mixture into the sauce, and set the pan over high heat. When the sauce begins to bubble and thicken, cover and remove it from heat.
5. Beat the ice water and egg together in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, combine the flour and salt.
6. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with a generous coating of oil cooking spray.
7. First dip each piece of chicken into the four, then into the egg mixture, and finally back into the flour. Arrange the coated chicken pieces on the baking sheet. When all of the chicken is positioned on the baking sheet, spray a coating of the oil cooking spray over the top of the chicken.
8. Bake the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes or until it begins to brown on top. Turn the oven up to high broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the chicken has browned and has a crispy coating.
9. As the chicken cooks, reheat the sauce left covered on the stove. Stir it occasionally.
10. Pour the chicken into a large serving dish. Cover it with the thickened sauce. Stir gently until all of the pieces are well coated.
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Kelly pellegrino
This is spot on! Tastes the exact same as the chain.
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Chick-fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup
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KFC Extra Crispy Fried Chicken (Improved)
Texas Roadhouse Rolls
Annual TSR Club
Maggiano's Beef Tenderloin Medallions
Monthly TSR Club
Top Secret Steak Rub
Score: 4.76. Votes: 17
Chipotle Mexican Grill Barbacoa Burrito
Menu Description: "Spicy, shredded beef, braised with our own chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano."
The original Mexican dish barbacoa was traditionally prepared by cooking almost any kind of meat goat, fish, chicken, or cow cheek meat, to name just a few, in a pit covered with leaves over low heat for many hours, until tender. When the dish made its way into the United States via Texas the word transformed into "barbecue" and the preparation changed to incorporate above-ground techniques such as smoking and grilling. The good news is that we can recreate the beef barbacoa that Chipotle has made popular on its ginormous burritos without digging any holes in our backyard or tracking down a local source for fresh cow faces. After braising about 30 pounds of chuck roasts, I finally discovered the perfect Chipotle Mexican Grill barbacoa burrito copycat recipe with a taste-alike adobo sauce that fills your roast with flavor as it slowly cooks to a fork-tender delicacy on your stovetop over 5 to 6 hours. Part of the secret for great adobo sauce is toasting whole cumin seeds and cloves and then grinding them in a coffee grinder (measure the spices after grinding them). Since the braising process takes so long, start early in the day and get ready for a big dinner, because I've also included clones here for Chipotle's pico de gallo, pinto beans, and delicious cilantro-lime rice to make your burritos complete. You can add your choice of cheese, plus guacamole and sour cream for a super-deluxe clone version. If you prefer chicken burritos, head on over to my clone recipe for Qdoba Grilled Adobo Chicken.
Source: Top Secret Recipes Unlocked by Todd Wilbur.
Panda Express Mandarin Chicken
This dish from the rapidly growing Chinese food chain satisfies anyone who loves the famous marinated bourbon chicken found in food courts across America. The sauce is the secret, and it's quick to make right on your own stovetop. Fire up the barbecue or indoor grill for the chicken and cook up a little white rice to serve on the side. Panda Express—now over 700 restaurants strong—is the fastest-growing Asian food chain in the world.
Update: Recently, Panda Express took this item off their menu and replaced it with Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. The only way to enjoy this now Dead Food is to clone it.
Source: Even More Top Secret Recipes by Todd Wilbur.
P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef
Menu Description: "Quickly-cooked steak with scallions and garlic."
Beef lovers go crazy over this one at the restaurant. Flank steak is cut into bite-sized chunks against the grain, then it's lightly dusted with potato starch (in our case we'll use cornstarch), flash-fried in oil, and doused with an amazing sweet soy garlic sauce. The beef comes out tender as can be, and the simple sauce sings to your taste buds. I designed this recipe to use a wok, but if you don't have one a saute pan will suffice (you may need to add more oil to the pan to cover the beef in the flash-frying step). P. F. Chang's secret sauce is what makes this dish so good, and it's versatile. If you don't dig beef, you can substitute with chicken. Or you can brush it on grilled salmon.
Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur.
Panda Express Orange Flavored Chicken
This delicious crispy chicken in a citrusy sweet-and-sour chicken is the most popular dish at the huge Chinese take-out chain. Panda Express cooks all of its food in woks. If you don't have one of those, you can use a heavy skillet or a large saute pan.
P.F. Chang's Chang's Spicy Chicken
Menu Description: "Lightly-dusted, stir fried in a sweet Szechwan sauce."
The delicious sweet-and-spicy secret sauce is what makes this dish one of P. F. Chang's top picks. Once the sauce is finished all you have to do is saute your chicken and combine. You'll may want to cook up some white or brown rice, like at the restaurant. If you can't find straight chili sauce for this recipe, the more common chili sauce with garlic in it will work just as well.
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
In early 1985, restaurateur Rich Komen felt there was a specialty niche in convenience-food service just waiting to be filled. His idea was to create an efficient outlet that could serve freshly made cinnamon rolls in shopping malls throughout the country. It took nine months for Komen and his staff to develop a cinnamon roll recipe he knew customers would consider the "freshest, gooiest, and most mouthwatering cinnamon roll ever tasted." The concept was tested for the first time in Seattle's Sea-Tac mall later that year, with workers mixing, proofing, rolling, and baking the rolls in full view of customers. Now, more than 626 outlets later, Cinnabon has become the fastest-growing cinnamon roll bakery in the world.
Source: More Top Secret Recipes by Todd Wilbur.
Score: 4.88. Votes: 211
Wendy's Chili
Dave Thomas, Wendy's late founder, started serving this chili in 1969, the year the first Wendy's opened its doors. Over the years the recipe has changed a bit, but this Wendy's copycat chili recipe is a great version of the one served in the early 90s. Try topping it with some chopped onion and Cheddar cheese, just as you can request in the restaurant.
Click here to see more amazing Wendy's copycat recipes.
Source: Top Secret Recipes by Todd Wilbur.
York Peppermint Pattie
At his candy factory In York, Pennsylvania, in the late 1930s, Henry C. Kessler first concocted this minty confection. The York Cone Company was originally established to make ice cream cones, but by the end of World War II the peppermint patty had become so popular that the company discontinued all other products. In 1972 the company was sold to Peter Paul, manufacturers of Almond Joy and Mounds. Cadbury USA purchased the firm in 1978, and in 1988 the York Peppermint Pattie became the property of Hershey USA.
Other chocolate-covered peppermints were manufactured before the York Peppermint Pattie came on the market, but Kessler's version was firm and crisp, while the competition was soft and gummy. One former employee and York resident remembered the final test the patty went through before it left the factory. "It was a snap test. If the candy didn't break clean in the middle, it was a second." For years, seconds were sold to visitors at the plant for fifty cents a pound.
Olive Garden Breadsticks
Anyone who loves Olive Garden is probably also a big fan of the bottomless basket of warm, garlicky breadsticks served before each meal at the huge Italian casual chain. My guess is that the breadsticks are proofed, and then sent to each restaurant where they are baked until golden brown, brushed with butter and sprinkled with garlic salt. Getting the bread just right for a good Olive Garden breadstick recipe was tricky—I tried several different amounts of yeast in all-purpose flour, but then settled on bread flour to give these breadsticks the same chewy bite as the originals. The two-stage rising process is also a crucial step in this much requested homemade Olive Garden breadstick recipe. Also check out our Olive Garden Italian salad dressing recipe.
Romano's Macaroni Grill Chicken Scaloppine
Menu Description: "Chicken breast, mushrooms, artichokes, capers & smoked prosciutto in lemon butter with pasta."
Mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and prosciutto in a creamy lemon butter sauce surround sauteed chicken breasts and angel hair pasta for this unique and satisfying take on a traditional dish. This clone ranks in the top three most requested recipes on my hit list from the 227-unit Romano's Macaroni Grill. The successful Italian chain is part of the Brinker group of restaurants that controls several other high-profile casual eateries including Border Mexican Grill, Maggiano's, and Chili's.
Chick-fil-A Carrot and Raisin Salad
The secret to cloning this chicken chain's popular carrot raisin salad lies in proper carrot shredding technique. A standard shredder, like the type you might use to shred a hunk of cheddar cheese, creates a coarse shred that makes the salad taste much too "carroty." Instead, find yourself the type of fine shredder that is often used for Parmesan cheese. Sure, it'll take a little more elbow grease to reduce 5 or 6 carrots to ultra thin strips, but I guarantee you'll end up with a superior finished product that will help you forget all about the extra effort.
Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp
Menu Description: "Tender, crispy wild gulf shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce."
Bonefish Grill proudly refers to this appetizer as the "house specialty." And why not, it's an attractive dish with bang-up flavor, especially if you like your food on the spicy side. The heat in this Bang Bang Shrimp recipe comes from the secret sauce blend that's flavored with chili garlic sauce, also known as sambal. You can find this bright red sauce where the Asian foods in your market—and while you're there, pick up some rice vinegar. Once the sauce is made, you coat the shrimp in a simple seasoned breading, fry them to a nice golden brown, toss them gently in the sauce, and then serve them up on a bed of mixed greens to hungry folks who, hopefully, have a cool drink nearby to mellow the sting.
Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Wings and Sauces
Menu Description: "Here they are in all their lip-smacking, award-winning glory: Buffalo, New York-style chicken wings spun in your favorite signature sauce."
Since Buffalo, New York was too far away, Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery satisfied their overwhelming craving in 1981 by opening a spicy chicken wing restaurant close to home in Kent, Ohio. With signature sauces and a festive atmosphere, the chain has now evolved from a college campus sports bar with wings to a family restaurant with over 300 units. While frying chicken wings is no real secret—simply drop them in hot shortening for about 10 minutes—the delicious spicy sauces make the wings special. There are 12 varieties of sauce available to coat your crispy chicken parts at the chain, and I'm presenting clones for the more traditional flavors. These sauces are very thick, almost like dressing or dip, so we'll use an emulsifying technique that will ensure a creamy final product where the oil won't separate from the other ingredients. Here is the chicken wing cooking and coating technique, followed by clones for the most popular sauces: Spicy Garlic, Medium and Hot. The sauce recipes might look the same at first, but each has slight variations make your sauce hotter or milder by adjusting the level of cayenne pepper. You can find Frank's pepper sauce by the other hot sauces in your market. If you can't find that brand, you can also use Crystal Louisiana hot sauce.
Boston Market Meatloaf
In the early 90's Boston Chicken was rockin' it. The home meal replacement chain's stock was soaring and the lines were filled with hungry customers waiting to sink their teeth into a serving of the chain's delicious rotisserie chicken. So successful was the chain with chicken, that the company quickly decided it was time to introduce other entree selections, the first of which was a delicious barbecue sauce-covered ground sirloin meatloaf. But offering the other entrees presented the company with a dilemma: what to do about the name. The bigwigs decided it was time to change the name to Boston Market, to reflect a wider menu. That meant replacing signs on hundreds of units and retooling the marketing campaigns. That name change, plus rapid expansion of the chain and growth of other similar home-style meal concepts sent the company into a tailspin. By 1988, Boston Market's goose was cooked, and the company filed for bankruptcy. Soon McDonald's stepped in to purchase the company, with the idea of closing many of the stores for good, and slapping Golden Arches on the rest. But that plan was scrapped when, after selling many of the under-performing Boston Markets, the chain began to fly once again. Within a year of the acquisition Boston Market was profitable, and those meals with the home-cooked taste are still being served at over 700 Boston Market restaurants across the country.
Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken
Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken and Biscuits has become the third largest quick-service chicken chain in the world in the twenty-two years since its first store opened in New Orleans in 1972. (KFC has the number-one slot, followed by Church's Chicken). Since then, the chain has grown to 813 units, with many of them overseas in Germany, Japan, Jamaica, Honduras, Guam, and Korea.
Cayenne pepper and white pepper bring the heat to this crispy fried chicken hack.
Auntie Anne's Pretzels
The first Auntie Anne's pretzel store opened in 1988 in the heart of pretzel country—a Pennsylvanian Amish farmers' market. Over 500 stores later, Auntie Anne's is one of the most requested secret clone recipes around, especially on the internet. Many of the recipes passed around the Web require bread flour, and some use honey as a sweetener. But by studying the Auntie Anne's home pretzel-making kit in the secret underground laboratory, I've discovered a better solution for re-creating the delicious mall treats than any clone recipe out there. For the best quality dough, you just need all-purpose flour. And powdered sugar works great to perfectly sweeten the dough. Now you just have to decide if you want to make the more traditional salted pretzels, or the sweet cinnamon sugar-coated kind. Decisions, decisions.
KFC Buttermilk Biscuits
In 1991 Kentucky Fried Chicken bigwigs decided to improve the image of America's third-largest fast-food chain. As a more health-conscious society began to affect sales of fried chicken, the company changed its name to KFC and introduced a lighter fare of skinless chicken.
In the last forty years KFC has experienced extraordinary growth. Five years after first franchising the business, Colonel Harland Sanders had 400 outlets in the United States and Canada. Four years later there were more than 600 franchises, including one in England, the first overseas outlet. In 1964 John Y. Brown, Jr., a young Louisville lawyer, and Jack Massey, a Nashville financier, bought the Colonel's business for $2 million. Only seven years later, in 1971 Heublein, Inc., bought the KFC Corporation for $275 million. Then in 1986, for a whopping $840 million, PepsiCo added KFC to its conglomerate, which now includes Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. That means PepsiCo owns more fast food outlets than any other company including McDonald's.
At each KFC restaurant, workers blend real buttermilk with a dry blend to create the well-known KFC buttermilk biscuits recipe that have made a popular menu item since their introduction in 1982.
Outback Steakhouse Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie
This recipe makes the same size appetizer serving that you get in the restaurant. That's only 6 shrimp—enough for me, but what are you guys having? Thank goodness the remoulade sauce and the shrimp seasoning formulas yield enough for a bigger serving, so you can grill up to a pound of shrimp with this recipe. Find bags of frozen uncooked shrimp that have been peeled, but with the tails left on.
KFC Honey BBQ Wings
Once a regular menu item, these sweet, saucy wings are now added to the KFC menu on a "limited-time-only" basis in many markets. So how are we to get that sticky sauce all over our faces and hands during those many months when we are cruelly denied our Honey BBQ Wings? Now it's as easy as whipping up this KFC honey BBQ wings recipe that re-creates the crispy breading on the chicken wings, and the sweet-and-smoky honey BBQ sauce. "Limited-time-only" signs—we laugh at you.
How about some famous coleslaw or wedge potatoes? Check out my collection of KFC clone recipes here.
Just like the pro chefs use. A secret blend of herbs and spices that will make your homemade steaks taste like they came from a famous steakhouse chain. All-natural. Contains no MSG or preservatives. Great for anyone who likes a truly amazing steak.
Top Secret Steak Rub is created by Food Hacker Todd Wilbur who has spent the last 30 years reverse-engineering popular menu items at the most-loved restaurant chains across America. By identifying the herbs, spices and other ingredients that make great restaurant food taste so good, Todd created this custom Top Secret Steak Rub to help you make restaurant-style steaks at home. All it takes is just a few shakes. Then cook the steaks your favorite way.
7-ounce bottle. Money back guarantee. Kosher certified. Gluten-free.
You may also like Top Secret Chicken Rub, Top Secret Fish Rub.
Includes eight (8) 79¢ recipes of your choice each month!
Del Taco Crispy Fish Taco
The number two Mexican fast food chain nicely duplicates the delicious fish tacos you'd find in coastal towns south of the border: two corn tortillas wrapped around a fried halibut fillet that's topped with cabbage, fresh salsa, and a creamy "secret sauce." It's practically impossible to eat just one—they're that good. And, thanks to the availability of breaded frozen fish sticks in just about every market, a home clone is stupidly simple. If you can't find crispy halibut sticks in your local store, the more common breaded pollock will work just fine here. You can also use frozen fish portions that are grilled if you're not into the breaded (fried) stuff. The real recipe at Del Taco comes with two thin corn tortillas, but sometimes the only available corn tortillas in consumer markets are the thicker ones. If that's the case, you'll need just one per taco.
El Pollo Loco Creamy Cilantro Dressing
Sliced chicken breast, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo, tortilla strips, and cotija cheese make up El Pollo Loco's Caesar Salad, but it is the fantastic creamy cilantro dressing that gets the raves. Simply combine these basic ingredients in a bowl and you'll soon have more than 1 cup of the delicious dressing cloned and ready to pour over any of your home salad creations.
Olive Garden Tiramisu
Menu Description: "The classic Italian dessert. A layer of creamy custard set atop espresso-soaked ladyfingers."
In Italian, tiramisu means "pick me up" or "cheer me up." And when you taste the delicious combination of mascarpone cheese (sometimes referred to as Italian cream cheese), cream cheese, ladyfingers, espresso and Kahlua it will be hard not to smile. So get out your double boiler for the egg yolks (a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water will also do) and get some ladyfingers (ladyfingers are miniature cakes about the size of two fingers side-by-side). You can either make your own espresso, use extra strong coffee as a substitute, or, next time you're at Starbucks, order up a quadruple shot of espresso to go.
Cheesecake Factory Miso Salmon
Menu Description: "Fresh salmon marinated in miso and baked. Served with a delicious miso sauce, snow peas and white rice."
Presented beautifully on top of white rice and surrounded by sake butter sauce is a baked salmon fillet that tastes like candy. Miso is a salty fermented soy bean paste that combines well with sweet brown sugar and sake for a syrupy marinade that makes salmon taste so good that even salmon haters will devour it. Look for red miso in a refrigerator in your market. You can also find it in Asian markets and some health food stores. After cooking up your marinade, you should allow the salmon fillets to soak in it for up to six hours, so start this dish early in the day and plan to scarf out at dinnertime. The cool presentation starts by pressing cooked rice into a lightly greased 5-inch ramekin or small cake pan, and then turning it out onto the center of your serving plate. Add a moat of sake reduction sauce, a few steamed snow pea pods, and you will have re-created a dish that looks and tastes exactly like the number one fish dish at The Factory.
Roadhouse Grill Baby Back Ribs
Menu Description: "Our award-winning Baby Back Ribs are slow-roasted, then basted with Jim Beam Bourbon BBQ Sauce and finished on our Mesquite grill."
When your crew bites into these baby backs they'll savor meat so tender and juicy that it slides right off the bone. The slow braising cooks the ribs to perfection, while the quick grilling adds the finishing char and smoky flavor. But the most important component to any decent rack of ribs is a sauce that's filled with flavor, and this version of Roadhouse Grill's award-wining sauce is good stuff. I ordered the ribs naked (without sauce) so that I could see if there was any detectable rub added before cooking and I didn't find anything other than salt and a lot of coarse black pepper. So that's the way I designed the recipe, and it works.
Cheesecake Factory White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake
Menu Description: "Our creamy cheesecake with chunks of white chocolate and swirls of imported seedless raspberries throughout. Baked in a chocolate crust and finished with white chocolate shavings and whipped cream."
Heres how to recreate a home version of the cheesecake that many claim is the best they've ever had. Raspberry preserves are the secret ingredient that is swirled into the cream cheese that's poured into a crumbled chocolate cookie crust. Yum. No wonder this cheesecake is the number one pick from the chain's massive list of cheesecake choices.
P.F. Chang's Chang's Spare Ribs
Menu Description: "Wok-seared with Chang's barbecue sauce."
One of the most popular eats on P. F. Chang's appetizer menu is the Chinese spare ribs that arrive slathered with Asian-style barbecue sauce. The Asian flavor comes from the addition of sweet hoisin sauce to a fairly rudimentary barbecue sauce formula. Chang's menu says these ribs are spare ribs although they appear to be much smaller, more like baby backs. You can certainly use either for this recipe, just be sure to trim the ribs first, since the restaurant version is lean, clean ribs with no extra meat or fat hanging off. There are several ways to cook pork ribs—P. F. Chang's boils theirs first, then fries them. After that, the ribs are tossed with the sauce in wok and served piping hot. A serving of these ribs at the restaurant is 6 individual ribs, but since a full rack is as many as 12 ribs, this recipe will make twice what you get in a serving at the bustling bistro chain.
Joe's Stone Crab Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Joseph Weiss was living in New York with his wife and son when his doctor told him he would need a change of climate to help his asthma. He journeyed to Miami, Florida in 1913 and discovered he was able to breathe again. He quickly moved his family down South and opened his first restaurant, a little lunch counter. Joe's restaurant business exploded in 1921 when he discovered how to cook and serve the stone crabs caught off the coast. Joe boiled the meaty claws and served them chilled with a secret mustard dipping sauce. Today only one pincer is removed from each stone crab, then the crab is tossed back into the ocean where it will regenerate the missing claw in about 2 years. The stone crabs, in addition to several other signature items, made Joe's a Miami hotspot, and these days Joe's restaurants can be found in Chicago and Las Vegas. Here is my take on Joe's amazing giant crab cakes, which are made from lump crab meat, and served as an appetizer or entree at the restaurant. Of course, you can't clone a Joe's crab dish without cloning the secret mustard sauce, so that recipe is here too.
Here are some more clone recipes of other popular dishes from Joe's Stone Crab.
Hooters Buffalo Chicken Wings
Menu Description: "Nearly world famous. Often imitated, hardly ever duplicated."
"Hooters is to chicken wings what McDonald's is to hamburgers," claims promotional material from the company. True, the six fun-loving Midwestern businessmen who started Hooters in Clearwater, Florida, on April Fool's Day in 1983 chose a classic recipe for chicken wings as their signature item. But while some might say it's the buffalo wings that are their favorite feature of the restaurant, others say it's the restaurant chain's trademark Hooters girls—waitresses casually attired in bright orange short-shorts and skin tight T-shirts.
Today there are over 375 Hooters across the United States serving more than 200 tons of chicken wings every week. The original dish can be ordered in 10-, 20-, or 50-piece servings; or if you want to splurge, there's the "Gourmet Chicken Wing Dinner" featuring 20 wings and a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne, for only $125. To further enhance the Hooters experience when you serve these messy wings, throw a whole roll of paper towels on the table, rather than napkins, as they do in the restaurants.
Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes by Todd Wilbur.
Applebee's Honey Grilled Salmon
Menu Description: "Flame-grilled Atlantic Salmon with Applebee's Honey Pepper Sauce served with a side of almond rice pilaf, seasoned vegetables and toasted garlic bread."
It's all about the sauce. This sweet, tangy and slightly spicy sauce goes perfectly with salmon, but can also be used on chicken or ribs. Just be sure to watch the sauce closely as it cooks in case it starts to bubble over. If it sounds like I'm speaking from experience, you're right—oh, what a beautiful mess I made on one attempt. So, cook the sauce slowly, and watch it closely as it thickens. If it gets too thick, you can always add a bit of water to thin it out. I suggest serving this salmon with almond rice pilaf as they do in the restaurant. You can find a good clone recipe here on the site.
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
For two years after the first Olive Garden restaurant opened in 1982, operators were still tweaking the restaurant's physical appearance and the food that was served. Even the tomato sauce was changed as many as 25 times. It's that sort of dedication that creates fabulous dishes like this popular soup. It blends the flavors of potatoes, kale, and Italian sausage in a slightly spicy chicken and cream broth.
You've got the soup recipe, how about creating your own bottomless Olive Garden House Salad and Breadsticks? Find more of my Olive Garden clone recipes here!
El Pollo Loco Flame-Broiled Chicken
El Pollo Loco, or "The Crazy Chicken," has been growing like mad since it crossed over the border into the United States from Mexico. Francisco Ochoa unknowingly started a food phenomenon internacional in 1975 when he took a family recipe for chicken marinade and opened a small roadside restaurante in Gusave, Mexico. He soon had 90 stores in 20 cities throughout Mexico. The first El Pollo Loco in the United States opened in Los Angeles in December of 1980 and was an immediate success. It was only three years later that Ochoa got the attention of bigwigs at Dennys, Inc., who offered him $11.3 million for his U.S. operations. Ochoa took the deal, and El Pollo Loco grew from 17 to more than 200 outlets over the following decade.
Benihana Japanese Fried Rice
The talented chefs at Benihana cook food on hibachi grills with flair and charisma, treating the preparation like a tiny stage show. They juggle salt and pepper shakers, trim food with lightening speed, and flip the shrimp and mushrooms perfectly onto serving plates or into their tall chef's hat.
One of the side dishes that everyone seems to love is the fried rice. At Benihana this dish is prepared by chefs with precooked rice on open hibachi grills, and is ordered a la cart to complement any Benihana entree, including Hibachi Steak and Chicken. I like when the rice is thrown onto the hot hibachi grill and seems to come alive as it sizzles and dances around like a bunch of little jumping beans. Okay, so I'm easily amused.
This Benihana Japanese fried rice recipe will go well with just about any Japanese entree and can be partially prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until the rest of the meal is close to done.
Outback Steakhouse Honey Wheat Bushman Bread
Along with your meal at this huge national steakhouse chain, comes a freshly baked loaf of dark, sweet bread, served on its own cutting board with soft whipped butter. One distinctive feature of the bread is its color. How does the bread get so dark? Even though this recipe includes molasses and cocoa, these ingredients alone will not give the bread its dark chocolate brown color. Commercially produced breads that are this dark—such as pumpernickel or dark bran muffins–often contain caramel color, an ingredient used to darken foods. Since your local supermarket will not likely have this mostly commercial ingredient, we'll create the brown coloring from a mixture of three easy-to-find food colorings—red, yellow and blue. If you decide to leave the color out, just add an additional 1 tablespoon of warm water to the recipe. If you have a bread machine, you can use it for kneading the bread (you'll find the order in which to add the ingredients to your machine in "Tidbits"). Then, to finish the bread, divide and roll the dough in cornmeal, and bake.
Chili's Chili Queso
Menu Description: "Our appetizing cheese dip with seasoned beef. Served with warm tostada chips."
Take your chips for a dip in this top-secret Chili's skillet queso copycat recipe that comes to your table in a small cast iron skillet along with a big bowl of tortilla chips. A popular recipe that's been circulating calls for combining Velveeta with Hormel no-bean chili. Sure, it's a good start, but there's more to Chili's spicy cheese dip than that. Toss a few other ingredients into the saucepan and after about 20 minutes you'll have a great dip for picnic, party, or game time.
Now, what's for dinner? Check out my other Chili's copycat recipes here.
Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli
No one is sure exactly which restaurant invented toasted ravioli, but we do know the dish originated in St. Louis sometime in the 40s. Olive Garden's delicious take on the appetizer can be cloned with ease using one of several varieties of pre-made raviolis carried in just about any supermarket. It's best to use the fresher raviolis found in the refrigerated section, but you can also use frozen ones in this copycat toasted ravioli recipe; you just have to let them thaw first before breading them. The original Olive Garden toasted ravioli recipe has a beefy inside, but you can use any ravioli that tickles your fancy including chicken, sausage, vegetarian, or cheese. As for the breading, find Progresso brand Italian style breadcrumbs. Contadina is another popular brand, but their version is much too salty for a good clone.
Now you've got that appetizer going, what's for dinner? Try more of my Olive Garden copycat recipes here.
Olive Garden Italian Salad Dressing Fat-Free
We love to eat salad because it seems so healthy. But add just a couple tablespoons of salad dressing and you've gone form no fat to lots of fat, before your main course has even hit the table. If the salad dressing is delicious, as is Olive Garden's, you might be pouring on more than just a couple tablespoons. Here's a way to eliminate the fat grams from the dressing, but keep all the flavor.
We'll take out the oil, and add dry pectin to thicken the dressing, along with more water than used in the original version of this recipe. We can add a decent amount of Romano cheese and a single serving of the dressing still comes in a under 1/2 gram of fat. Add some vinegar, a little corn syrup and lemon juice, some spices—mission accomplished.
Serving size–2 tablespoons
Total servings–11
Calories per serving–42 (Original–90)
Fat per serving–0g (Original–8g)
Source: Top Secret Recipes Lite by Todd Wilbur.
Carrabba's Chicken Marsala
Menu Description: "Fire-roasted chicken breast topped with mushrooms, prosciutto and our Florio Marsala wine sauce."
To reverse-engineer this big-time favorite entree, I ordered the dish to go, with the sauce on the side, so that I could separately analyze each component. After some trial and error in the underground lab, I found that recreating the secret sauce from scratch is easy enough with a couple small cans of sliced mushrooms, a bit of prosciutto, some Marsala wine, shallots, garlic and a few other good things. Cooking the chicken requires a very hot grill. The restaurant chain grills chicken breasts over a blazing real wood fire, so crank your grill up high enough to get the flames nipping at your cluckers (not a euphemism) for this Carrabba's chicken marsala recipe. If your grill has a lid, keep it open so you can watch for nasty flare-ups.
Click here for more of your favorite dishes from Carrabba's.
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage
Before he became America's sausage king, Jimmy Dean was known for crooning the country hit "Big Bad John." That song came out in 1962 and sold more than 8 million copies. His singing success launched a television career on ABC with The Jimmy Dean Show, where Roy Clark, Patsy Cline, and Roger Miller got their big breaks. The TV exposure led to acting roles for Jimmy, as a regular on Daniel Boone, and in feature films, including his debut in the James Bond flick Diamonds are Forever. Realizing that steady income from an acting and singing career can be undependable, Jimmy invested his show-biz money in a hog farm. In 1968 the Jimmy Dean Meat Company developed the special recipe for sausage that has now become a household name. Today the company is part of the Sara Lee Corporation, and Jimmy retired as company spokeman in 2004.
This clone recipe re-creates three varieties of the famous roll sausage that you form into patties and cook in a skillet. Use ground pork found at the supermarket—make it lean pork if you like—or grind some up yourself if you have a meat grinder.
K.C. Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce
Even though it's now owned and produced by the Clorox Company, Original K.C. Masterpiece barbecue sauce is the same as when it was first created in good ol Kansas City, USA. This is the sauce that steals awards from all the other popular sauces on the market. Now it's sold in a variety of flavors. But this is the clone for the original, and you'll find it very easy to make. Just throw all of the ingredients in a saucepan, crank it up to a boil, then simmer for about an hour. Done deal. And just like the original Masterpiece, this stuff will make a work of art out of any of your grilled meats, or burgers and sandwiches, and as a dipping sauce or marinade.
Menu Description: "A house specialty full of baked potatoes and topped with Cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions."
The thick-and-creamy texture and rich taste of Tony Roma's best-selling soup is duplicated with a little flour, some half-and-half, and most notably, instant mashed potatoes. Give yourself an hour to bake the potatoes and around 30 minutes to prepare the soup. Garnish each serving with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions, and then humbly await your due praise.
Popeyes Red Beans and Rice
I first created the clone for this Cajun-style recipe back in 1994 for the second TSR book, More Top Secret Recipes, but I've never been overjoyed with the results. After convincing a Popeyes manager to show me the ingredients written on the box of red bean mixture, I determined the only way to accurately clone this one is to include an important ingredient omitted from the first version: pork fat. Emeril Lagasse—a Cajun food master—says, "pork fat rules," and it does. We'll could get the delicious smoky fat from rendering smoked ham hocks, but that takes too long. The easiest way is to cook 4 or 5 pieces of bacon, save the cooked bacon for another recipe (or eat it!), then use 1/4 cup of the fat for this hack. As for the beans, find red beans (they're smaller than kidney beans) in two 15-ounce cans. If you're having trouble tracking down red beans, red kidney beans will be a fine substitute.
Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake
Menu Description: "Our famous Original cheesecake recipe! Creamy and light, baked in a graham cracker crust. Our most popular cheesecake!"
Oscar and Evelyn Overton's wholesale cheesecake company was successful quickly after it first started selling creamy cheesecakes like this clone to restaurant chains in the early 1970's. When some restaurants balked at the prices the company was charging for high-end desserts, Oscar and Evelyn's son David decided it was time to open his own restaurant, offering a wide variety of quality meal choices in huge portions, and, of course, the famous cheesecakes for dessert. Today the chain has over 87 stores across the country, and consistently ranks number one on the list of highest grossing single stores for a U.S. restaurant chain.
Baking your cheesecakes in a water bath is part of the secret to producing beautiful cheesecakes at home with a texture similar to those sold in the restaurant. The water surrounds your cheesecake to keep it moist as it cooks, and the moisture helps prevent ugly cracking. You'll start the oven very hot for just a short time, then crank it down to finish. I also suggest lining your cheesecake pan with parchment paper to help get the thing out of the pan when it's done without a hassle.
This recipe is so easy, even a 2-year old can make it. Check out the video.
Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
Menu Description: "Chicken breast tenderloins sauteed with bell peppers, roasted garlic and onions in a garlic cream sauce over angel hair."
This dish is a big favorite of Olive Garden regulars. Chicken tenderloins are lightly breaded and sauteed along with colorful bell peppers and chopped red onion. Angel hair pasta is tossed into the pan along with a healthy dose of fresh scampi sauce. If you're cooking for two, you can prepare this dish for the table in one large skillet, saving the remaining ingredients for another meal. If you're making all four servings at once, you need two skillets. If you can't find fresh chicken tenderloins (the tender part of the chicken breast), you can usually find bags of them in the freezer section.
P.F. Chang's Oolong Marinated Sea Bass
Menu Description: "Broiled and served with sweet ginger soy, baby corn and spinach."
Grab a couple half-pound sea bass fillets (not too thick), whip up a simple marinade and you're on your way to cloning one of the most beloved dishes at America's fastest growing Chinese bistro chain. The marinade is made with only six ingredients so you'll have that done in no time. If you can't find oolong tea, you can use green tea. Loose tea is best, but if you can only find bags, that's okay. One teabag contains 1 teaspoon of tea, so you'll just need half of a teabag for this recipe (in fact, the recipe still works even without the tea). You will need to plan ahead for this P.F. Chang's oolong marinated sea bass recipe, however, since the fish must marinate for 5 to 7 hours. Once the fish is marinated, fire up the oven to bake it, then finish it off under the broiler. Saute some spinach, garlic, and tiny corn for an optional bed that makes the dish indistinguishable from the real thing.
Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese
It's time to clone America's best-selling brand of instant macaroni & cheese. This recipe is for the "Deluxe" variety of this popular product—that is, the one that comes with an envelope of thick cheese sauce, rather than the dry, powdered cheese. I think the "Deluxe" version, with its two-cheese blend, is the better tasting of the two. Now, with this Top Secret Recipe, you can make creamy macaroni and cheese that tastes like Kraft's original at a fraction of the price of the real thing.
Starbucks Peppermint Brownie
Here's a great one for the holidays, or anytime you want, really. It's a mint chocolate brownie with peppermint buttercream frosting on top and creamy chocolate frosting on top of that. And to simplify the cloning process, we start with a common fudge brownie mix. By changing the required ingredients listed on the brownie mix box and modifying some steps, we can improve on the finished product. Rather than oil, use a stick of melted butter in your brownies for a richer, better flavor. And cook the brownies at a slightly lower temperature so that they come out moist and chewy. Since this recipe is for peppermint brownies, add just a bit of peppermint extract to the batter. The peppermint brownies from Starbucks have red and white frosting drizzled lightly across the top. To duplicate this easily you can buy premade red and white colored frostings that come in little cans with tips included.
Check out my other Starbucks copycat recipes here.
LongHorn Steakhouse Prairie Dust
Peruse a menu at one of the 270-unit LongHorn Steakhouses located throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and you'll find this seasoning blend on battered onion petals, spicy fried shrimp, pork chops, and steaks. Just combine these eight common ingredients in the comfort of your home, and you will have quickly cloned a versatile seasoned salt that can be added to everything that needs flavor, from steaks to chicken to seafood. It's also good sprinkled over eggs, burgers, even popcorn.
Applebee's Baked French Onion Soup
It may not be listed on the menu, but this is Applebee's most ladled soup each and every day. Just be sure you have some oven-safe soup bowls on hand before you jump into this clone, since you're going to pop the dish under the broiler to brown and melt the cheese on top. Under the gooey melted provolone of the original version you get from Applebee's is a unique round crouton that's made from bread that looks like a hamburger bun. So that's what we'll use for our clone. The round shape of the bread is perfect for topping this Applebee's French onion soup recipe.
SheKnows Media – Food
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What doesn't Keesmaat know about rent control?
Mayoral candidate Jennifer Keesmaat addressed realtors at a forum on Wednesday. (Antonella Artuso, Toronto Sun)
Self-described affordable housing champion Jennifer Keesmaat did not appear to know that private condos in the province are now covered by rent control.
Katya Whelan, a real estate agent with Right at Home, asked the Toronto mayoral candidate why Ontario has a lower rent control rate than “more socialist” British Columbia, complaining that it’s almost impossible for someone who purchases a condo as an investment to recover the cost with a 1.8% annual rent increase.
“This is a critical question about rent control and the fact that our condo market for quite some time has been acting as the de facto rental market because many of those units are purchased by investors and then rented out and they’re not covered by any kind of rent control,” Keesmaat said after a speech to the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB), as real estate agents tried to correct her from the floor.
Ontario’s former Liberal government extended rent control to all private rental units across the province in May 2017 — a move that responded to complaints of skyrocketing rents but which critics say came at the cost of more rental construction.
Keesmaat did not seem familiar with this legislation, Whelan said.
“She said, ‘No, they’re not covered,’ and I said ‘Yes, they’re covered,’” Whelan noted.
Mayoral contenders Keesmaat and John Tory attended a forum Wednesday arranged by TREB where they laid out their visions for the city, in particular affordable housing and transit.
At the end of their speeches, moderator and Newstalk 1010 host John Moore and TREB members asked questions.
Tory was grilled over the municipal land transfer tax (MLTT), a uniquely Toronto tax that drives up the cost of home purchases.
Moore asked Tory if the MLTT would continue if he were re-elected.
Mayor John Tory, who’s seeking re-election, addressed realtors at a forum on Wednesday. (Antonella Artuso, Toronto Sun)
The mayor wouldn’t agree to axing the tax, but said he was committed to keeping increases to the rate of inflation.
“We are just not in a position at the moment when it comes to meeting the needs of the City of Toronto to build transit and to help with affordable housing and to help with child care, and things like that, to talk about a tax reduction,” Tory said.
Tory did pledge to keep property increases to the rate of inflation or lower for a four-year term of office.
Keesmaat said she did see problems with the MLTT, including it acting as an inhibitor to movement in the city, and she would look at other options.
In particular, Keesmaat said, Toronto should be able to keep a greater share of its own wealth that is currently siphoned off by the provincial and federal governments.
Keesmaat has said she will release a costing for her platform, but hinted she is looking at tax increases — possibly property tax hikes for those who can afford a little more and also a tax on empty residential properties.
Her goal is to create 100,000 units of affordable housing that would allow middle-class people to live and raise families within the city, she said.
Tory said his own commitment of building 40,000 affordable housing units in 12 years is far more realistic.
election platform
TALKING TAXES: Toronto City Council kicks off budget debate
Rosedale Valley homeless camp dismantled
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The Rise of “Virtue-Based Buying”
November 6, 2019 The Fashion Consumer Consumer Insights 00:29:13
Hermes understands that natural dyes work just as well as synthetic ones, without damaging the environment. However, a lot of industry folk are skeptical about this belief, including Keith Recker when he was first approached about it during his time at Saks Fifth Avenue.
The Psychology of the Luxury Consumer
October 30, 2019 The Fashion Consumer Consumer Insights 00:46:52
YouGov is one of the largest consumer research groups in the world. In this very special episode, we interview Cara David, Managing Partner responsible for the Affluent Perspective Global Study – YouGov’s comprehensive annual report into the affluent population and how they buy luxury items (among other things).
Authentically Selling “Heritage”
Tom Smarte was a family-run hatmaker founded in the late 18th century in Devon, England. Yet after the fourth Thomas Smarte died in the First World War, the brand lay silent until 2013 when Allon Zloof decided to revive it. As a designer hatmaker himself, he knew what needed to be done to bring the brand back.
Creating a New (Fast-Growing) Market Segment
October 9, 2019 The Fashion Consumer Consumer Insights 00:26:47
Lululemon, Ralph Lauren, Levi’s – Gary Lenett has worked with the largest brands in the industry but 6 years ago, after three decades in the denim business, he wanted something different. That was the start of DUER, a fast-growing “adventure-ready apparel” brand based in Vancouver, Canada.
Selling to the Silent Majority
It’s an often-overlooked segment of the market. But the silent majority, in the words of our guest Jennifer Mackey-Mary, can represent a good opportunity for certain fashion brands willing to make the effort to serve them.
The “Accidental” Luxury Brand
September 25, 2019 The Fashion Consumer Consumer Insights 00:24:59
An overheard comment prompted artist and sculptor Rosemary Goodenough to print 150 copies of her work onto silk scarves. That simple act launched a luxury brand that has become something of a hidden gem for consumers who want something you can’t find in every luxury retailer.
The Case for Gender Fluid Fashion
Gender diversity often makes people uncomfortable. But it’s important both from a societal viewpoint as well as in strictly business terms. To help us better understand this topic, we welcome Joshua Williams, assistant professor at Parsons and a founder of QueerCut, a marketplace for queer shoppers.
Maurice Mullen on 30+ Years in Fashion and Luxury
Maurice Mullen has spent more than 30 years in the media business, working on titles including Elle, Red and the Evening Standard where today, he’s the Head of Luxury…
Lessons Learned from Doing (Almost) Every Job in Fashion
August 21, 2019 The Fashion Consumer Consumer Insights 00:28:42
She’s been a model, art director, CEO and worked in retail. She’s produced fashion films and is a media personality and lifestyle contributor. In fact, there are few things…
How to Stand Out in a World of Brand “Sameness”
With 17 years experience, Elaine Mensah uses her expertise in the worlds of communications, fashion, tech and entrepreneurship to help her clients elevate their presence and position in the…
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About The Fashion Consumer
The Fashion Consumer offers fresh ideas and insights to better understand the ever-changing fashion consumer.
Each week, we reach thousands of marketing professionals – from the most innovative startups to storied heritage brands – from interns to the C-Suite.
“Authenticity” as a path to fashion brand success January 15, 2020
“Positive Fashion” and the Happy Color January 8, 2020
Beauty in the Age of “Perfect” AI Models January 1, 2020
How Fashion Consumers Buy Today December 25, 2019
Copyright 2020 The Fashion Consumer. All rights reserved.
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Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Chris Klein, Julie Hagerty, Anna Faris
Roger Kumble
Adam "Tex" Davis
"Just Friends" Review
Some friends are just friends. Others you get to see naked.
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon have received much applause and critical praise for their performances in "Walking the Line" and for the fact they did their own singing in the film. Well, hold the presses, as "Just Friends" features its own duo of celebrity singers in Anna Faris and Chris Klein, who both do their own fair share of singing in this low-brow yet oddly endearing comedy.
The film centers around Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds), a one-time high school loser, whose attempt at graduation to reveal his true feelings to his long-time best friend, Jamie Palomino (Amy Smart), ends miserably when his yearbook signing falls into the wrong hands and he ends up humiliated at Jamie's graduation party. When we first meet Chris, he resembles yet another of cinema's loveable losers. He's the overweight guy with a goofy haircut, silly grin yet warm heart. He's the kind of guy who ends up best friends with the best looking girl in the school, but she inevitably dates the jock or some other class success story. Reynolds, a classically handsome actor with a sort of nice guy charm and presence, dons a fat suit and obvious facial augmentations to portray Chris during these years but also does a wonderful job of portraying Chris in such a way that it's easy to see why Jamie adores him.
The script for "Just Friends" is a step above the usual script for a film such as this one. Writer Adam "Tex" Davis covers his bases, and while character development is often skeletal, it's far above what is usually found in films like "Just Friends." In this case, the high school experience is a wonderful set-up for the future. In reality, neither Jamie or Chris respond appropriately here, but neither do they respond badly. Jamie, in particular, is affectionate, warm and accepting of Chris' revelation under the awkward circumstances even though it is obvious she does not have the same feelings towards Chris. These early scenes work because of a marvelous chemistry between Reynolds and Smart, and Smart's wonderful ability to dig beneath the surface of her character and reveal her not just as the beautiful girl outside, but her inner beauty as well.
Chris immediately leaves town, becomes a successful radio executive, loses weight and becomes transformed into a handsome, successful and athletic "player." However, he's forced to confront his past during an unexpected New Jersey stop while he's attempting to sign Samantha James, a "pop" star with limited talent, limited boundaries, limited values and limited personality. As portrayed by Anna Faris, Samantha is over-the-top hilarious and Faris steals nearly all her scenes, especially when Chris' brother begins entertaining her so Chris can re-visit Jamie.
The visit becomes almost a revenge fantasy for Chris, as he flaunts his new self in an attempt to, in essence, get the revenge bang from Jamie. Of course, nothing goes as planned leading to a series of increasingly funny hijinks as everything goes wrong for Chris.
Reynolds nails the part of Chris, because he's able to balance that desire for revenge, those feelings of finally being "good enough" and yet still express all those past insecurities and feelings. When another high school loser who also had feelings for Jamie enters the picture (Chris Klein) with the same idea of revenge Chris finally starts to learn his lesson BUT is it too late?
Everyone here is perfectly cast, including the normally comatose Chris Klein as Dusty. Klein plays both the acne ridden, stuttering loser in high school and the charming, seductive EMT and all-around good guy both quite perfectly (almost too perfect). Likewise, both Reynolds and Smart are marvelous and Smart, in particular, shows so much depth in what could easily have been a caricature role that you long for her to be happy and it's hard not to wonder if even the "good" Chris is really good enough for her.
In supporting roles, Julie Hagerty is back in a marvelous appearance as Chris' mother doing what she does best...the demure, goofy but oh so loving role that allows her to be constantly subtle and funny.
"Just Friends" is directed by Roger Kumble, who helmed two "Cruel Intentions" films and has proven adept at balancing sincerity, sarcasm and, well, cruelty. Indeed, especially in the last third of the film the pratfalls and physical comedy become a tad too meanspirited and several of the situations, most notably that with Dusty, resolve too abruptly to really be believable. Christopher Marquette, as Chris' brother, and Stephen Root, as the label president, also make funny appearances in the film.
The film's cinematography aids the mood nicely, and the editing is done quite nicely with several nearly perfect camera shots in the film offering unique, funny scenes.
The glory of the film, for me, lies in the balanced humanity of the script. Everyone here is remarkably human, and none (possible exception being Dusty) is truly portrayed in a bad light. Jamie has matured, changed and makes bad choices along the way. Likewise, Chris ran away, possibly when Jamie needed her best friend most. The script, which has the inevitable positive resolution, nonetheless makes positive statements about friendship, attraction and chooses inner beauty over external, emotional attraction over physical attraction.
In terms of the singing of both Klein and Faris? Both are severely lacking in the vocal department, and the entertainment value lies more in the "William Hung" neighborhood than the Johnny and June Carter Cash neighborhood. Closing credits will offer an extended version of the opening lip-syncing appearance by Chris. Unfortunately, it is played a tad too quiet to be funny or effective. The full version of Faris' singing "Forgiveness" is much more effective and a nice close to the film.
I never thought I'd say this about a Ryan Reynolds film, but "Just Friends" is thought provoking and it makes me want to talk about it. "Just Friends" is not a perfect film, but it's an unexpectedly enjoyable film featuring fine performances from Amy Smart, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Klein and Julie Hagerty. A smart script, solid direction and a solid heart will add up to an enjoyable date movie during the holiday season.
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NB, News, Politics
Posted by Shauna Chase
New Brunswick — A right to information request by The Manatee has revealed that New Brunswick was originally slotted to receive a new area code of 425. No reason for the change was given when news broke Tuesday about the province’s second area code of 428, but some political watchers have speculated that beginning with 425 would make it too easy to mock Premier Brian Gallant when it was converted to letters.
“For example, when translated to letters, 425-526-8277 would be GAL-LAN-TASS,” said an anonymous member of a watchdog group, “and the number 425-526-8789 becomes GAL-LAN-TSUX. If this had gone through, Gallant would never have heard the end of it.”
Tory MLAs cried political interference in the legislature and demanded the resignation of every member of the Liberal party, but were overheard outside the chamber lamenting the lost opportunity.
Gallant himself offered a solution. “If that’s the way the Tories want to be, trying to score political points any possible way… they can feel free to call the CRTC and complain,” said the premier. “I believe 727-278-9789 is the number,” he said, walking away laughing.
Our reporter looked into it, and the number Gallant gave us translates to: PCP-ART-YSUX.
new area code
Newer Post‘The Fog 2’ to be filmed in Saint John
Older PostTidal turbines a potential risk to pool noodles, NB residents say
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Food for Thought, Humour, Inspirations, Post A Day 2013, This is Life
The Forgotten Art of Insulting
March 12, 2013 tvaraj Leave a comment
When provoked, many people, yell out a few vulgar and insulting phrases, feign an angry look, and think that’s the end of it. However, like any other art, insulting requires highly specific skills and talents, but many underestimate that. The art of insulting is a skill only a few can master.
First step for the most successful insult requires creating a formidable gap between the person who insults and the bearer of the insult. When the former raises the voice it has the opposite effect in this respect because most likely the object of the insults will reciprocate using the same weapon, namely, raising the voice, resulting in a face-off between two shrieking baboons, both appearing equally ludicrous.
If one of the warring parties decide not to let themselves be drawn into the verbal contest and departs quietly, it would amount to humiliating the other. Only Idiots see this retreat as a victory, but the opposite is true. It is the superior who retreat because their eyes look at matters of greater importance than involving themselves in a skirmish with a gang of barbarians hollering at the top of their voice for a strategically unimportant molehill.
In order to create a formidable gap, one should not insult with the blunt power of the sword, but like an artist should use the sublime elegance of the brush. Since every angry word count as proof of the other’s helplessness, one should speak mildly and softly as a civilized person would and instantly swipe the weapons from the opponent.
It is better to offend with an open expression of politeness, friendliness, and charity. Some of the best insults are seemingly mild words, but augmented with a superior sarcastic smile. By the way, irony is an essential ingredient for a successful insult and like a low-flying stealth bomber remains invisible to enemy radar.
True insult is a product of creativity and subtlety, and not a string of random references to sexual organs and excrement. The best insult has a simple quality. It not only insults the victim, but also as an ultimate humiliation, renders him superficial. It must convey a compliment, but truly should mean the opposite.
Woulter Parr, a renowned critic was a master in the art of insulting. In the last paragraph of his review of one of K. Horvath’s plays he wrote:
“This is no play to be lightly shoved aside, but one that deserves to be thrown with great force. The stage set was lovely, but the actors kept standing in front of it. It was a performance in which all of the actors clearly and intelligibly articulated their lines, alas. Kitty Becker, in the lead, exploited the whole range of emotions from A to B. One would have to have a heart of stone not to watch her suicide at the end of the play without bursting out laughing. I never forget a face, but in the case of Kitty Becker I’m happy to make an exception. Giving Hands is the type of play that gives failure a bad name. The only original idea about art ever to come from Ms. Horvath’s pen had to do with her superiority as a writer in relation to writers greater than she. First God created the idiots. That was just practice; afterwards he created Ms. Horvath. It was an act of mercy that God allowed Mr. Habold Sicx and Ms. Horvath to marry, thus making two people unhappy instead of four. You don’t need to see the explanatory hand gestures or Ms. Horvath to be fully convinced by this.”
The Effect of Humour on Insult Between Chesterton and Shaw (tvaraj.com)
Lost art of the insult (telegraph.co.uk)
Shakespeare Insults (nosweatshakespeare.com)
The Art of Insulting (facebook.com/theartofinsulting)
My favorite insult (oup.com)
Get Ridiculed by the Shakespeare Insult Wallet from NeatoShop (Video) (complex.com)
Why Do People Insult Others? (ginaeleescott.wordpress.com)
Art of InsultingFood for ThoughtHorvathHumorInsultinsultingKitty BeckerThe Forgotten Art of InsultingThis is lifetvaraj
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Cancelled TV Shows (lists)
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The Expanse: Cancelled by Syfy; Season Four to Be Shopped Elsewhere
by Cindy McLennan, May 11, 2018
(Photo by: Rafy / Syfy)
In a bit of a shocker, The Expanse TV show has been cancelled by Syfy. Although there will be no season four on the NBCUniversal-owned cable network, financier and producer Alcon Television Group plans to shop The Expanse to other buyers. News of The Expanse cancellation broke overnight, and early speculation is that Amazon — where the series is said to do well — might be a logical place to dock the Canterbury.
A Syfy drama, based on the science-fiction novels by James S. A. Corey (the pen name for authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck), The Expanse stars Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Dominique Tipper, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham, Shawn Doyle, and Frankie Adams. The story unfolds 200 years in the future, in a colonized galaxy, when two strangers are caught up in a vast conspiracy. The Expanse also has a large stable of recurring players like Ted Atherton, Jonathan Whittaker, and Chad L. Coleman, which in season three also includes Nadine Nicole, David Strathairn, and Elizabeth Mitchell.
The Expanse: A Look at the Ratings
The third season of The Expanse kicked off on April 11th and is averaging a 0.18 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 570,000 viewers. Compared to season two, although it is currently down by 2.22% in the demo, it is up by 1.46% in total audience. While those numbers seem microscopic in comparison to the big broadcast networks, they’re not the bottom of the barrel for Syfy TV shows. At the moment, The Expanse is Syfy’s fourth-best demo performer. In terms of total viewers, it ranks seventh out of 14 scripted Syfy TV series.
Syfy’s decision not to continue The Expanse seems to come down to money. According to reports, the cabler’s deal only gives them first-run, linear rights. In this age of DVR-delayed viewing and streaming binges, that is less than ideal.
Cancelled by Syfy, Producers to Shop Season Four of The Expanse to Other Outlets
Here’s more on The Expanse cancellation and the show’s future, from Deadline.
The current third season of The Expanse will be the space drama’s last one on Syfy. The cable network has decided not to renew the show for a fourth season, with the last episode slated to air in early July. Alcon Television Group, which fully finances and produces the critically praised series, plans to shop it to other buyers.
“The Expanse transported us across the solar system for three brilliant seasons of television,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “Everyone at Syfy is a massive fan of the series, and this was an incredibly difficult decision. We want to sincerely thank The Expanse’s amazing cast, crew and all the dedicated creatives who helped bring James S.A. Corey’s story to life. And to the series’ loyal fans, we thank you most of all.”
The Expanse is one of the most well reviewed sci-fi series on TV, with the current third season scoring 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (vs. 95% for Season 2 and 76% for Season 1.)
The cancellation decision by Syfy is said to be linked to the nature of its agreement for the series, which only gives the cable network first-run linear rights in the US. That puts an extraordinary amount of emphasis on live, linear viewing which is inherently challenging for sci-fi/genre series which tend to draw the lion share of their audiences from digital/streaming.
The Expanse‘s Live+3 linear ratings started with 581K among adults 18-49 and 1.378M total viewers in Season 1. Season 2 slipped to 457K in 18-49 & 1.05M total; Season 3 to date is running just below the Season 2 averages, at 400K and 1 million, respectively. That is below the performance of Syfy’s top dramas, The Magicians and Krypton, as well as comedy Happy! but in line with a number of co-productions on the network.
“We are very disappointed the show will not be returning to Syfy,” said Alcon Entertainment co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson. “We respect Syfy’s decision to end this partnership but given the commercial and critical success of the show, we fully plan to pursue other opportunities for this terrific and original IP.”
More about The Expanse Cancellation by Syfy
Allow me to make two personal observations on The Expanse. First of all, my son — who is graduating from high school soon and will be studying aerospace engineering in college — loves The Expanse. Being well-acquainted with his taste in television, this speaks volumes to me about the quality of this program. One viewer’s opinion means nothing to Syfy or to any potential buyer, but it tells me The Expanse deserves a television home. Personally, I hope it’s at Amazon or Hulu, because we already pay for both, and baby needs a new pair of shoes (and by “shoes,” I mean tuition, room and board).
Secondly, I wonder about Syfy’s relationship (and now, its deal) with Alcon. In addition to writing news pieces, I do advance work for articles we publish for both new series and new season premieres, including show pages, ratings posts, Vulture Watch articles, and Viewer Votes polls. One of my tasks is to find images. Do you see the photo of Ted Atherton as Dr. Strickland and Leah Madison Jung as Mei, at the top of this article? It is the only season three episodic photograph available from Syfy on the NBCUniversal press site.
The next “newest” photos are PR appearance shots from Comic-Con International: San Diego, in July of 2017. The most “recent” photos prior to that are gallery photos from January of 2017 and August of 2015. Those dates are not typos.
Syfy is usually quite good about putting up current images on the press site, including episode photos, so it has always been both frustrating and puzzling to me, that it is so hard to come by current photos for The Expanse. They do put photos on the Syfy.com show page, but photos loaded to the press site are our preferred source and come with credit information, etc. and are usually available in advance.
I had wondered if there was some reason Syfy wasn’t making PR materials for this show readily available and figured maybe they just didn’t want to use resources to do so. Now, after having read the above report on their first-run, linear rights, I wonder if they’re restricted from doing so.
I’ll likely never get an answer to this, but I thought the lack of photos was worth mentioning. It seems to me it either speaks of a lack of faith in the project, a lack of concern about it, or it says something about their relationship and/or deal with the production company.
What do you think? Are you a fan of The Expanse TV series? Are you disappointed Syfy has cancelled it? Do you think it will be renewed for a fourth season, elsewhere? Sound off, in the comments.
More about: The Expanse, The Expanse: canceled or renewed?, The Expanse: ratings
The Expanse on Syfy: Cancelled or Renewed for Season Four?
The Expanse: Season Three Ratings
The Expanse: Season Three Viewer Votes
The Expanse: Is the Syfy TV Series Cancelled or Renewed for Season Three?
The Expanse: Season Three Trailer and Premiere Date Released by Syfy
The Expanse: Season Three; David Strathairn Cast in Key Role
The Expanse: Season Two Ratings
The Expanse: Season Three Renewal for Syfy Series
The Expanse: What’s New in Season Two?
The Expanse: Sneak Peek of Season Two Premiere Released by Syfy
The Expanse: Season Two Trailer Released by Syfy
The Expanse: Showrunner Foresees at Least Five Seasons
The Expanse: Season Two Renewal for Syfy Series
The Expanse: Episodes 1–4 Released on Syfy.com and On Demand
The Expanse: Syfy Series to Debut Online
The Expanse: Syfy Orders New Thriller Series
Sell it to Apple…
Ron G
Amazon you NEED to save this brilliant show. After investing three years in following these characters and a gripping plot, it needs to continue. I lost faith in SYFY after they cancelled Dominion, and I guess I still haven’t learned not to fall in love with a great show.
Brett Joseph
I am currently disabled and watch a lot of television probably 12 to 16 hours daily the expense is one of my favorite shows as I believe myself to be a good critic and a big fan of sci-fi it’s one of the top shows .. was also surprised of the cancellation of dark matter over killjoys which was renewed I preferred dark matter over killjoys and would’ve thought the decision to be opposite. I’m sure the different deals and the rangement’s business wise had something to do with that because it could not have been about which show was… Read more »
Such a shame! IMHO, the best long story arc sf show since the BG reboot or perhaps Babylon 5. Let’s hope that one of the streaming networks picks it up!
jim villare
I love this show and it is the top syfy show out right now
In my opinion SYFY severely dropped the ball here. I will never understand the mentality of SYFY as they always seem to drop great shows for lesser ones. It’s like they are either trying to keep a reputation for “B” movie quality, or they are just afraid to “spend money” on quality to gain viewers. Either way I am disappointed in the leadership of SYFY and hope that The Expanse is picked up by Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon. Actually I don’t care who as long as I can buy the next seasons on iTunes I’m good!
Sad, that SYFY is cancelling The Expanse – but not really surprised – there really isn’t much in the way of good Science Fiction shows on SYFY – I got started on the series on Amazon – it wasn’t till this season I started to get SYFY and actually I set my DVR to “tape” it so I can watch it at my conscience – I’ve totally dropped the whole setting aside time to make sure I catch a show when it is aired – and I grew up in the era before VCRs – if they say they are… Read more »
Knowing that first-run, linear rights, is not advantageous for their market, why would SyFy have entered into such a poor deal? Seems like either the execs at SyFy blew it by not negotiating better terms at the start, or Alcon blew it by not offering better terms.
Regardless of blame, it now seems clear SyFy will cancel a well rated show, so why would a producer even bother shopping a new series to SyFy?
Really the best sci-fi television out there. Most of the technology seems plausible and the story is entertaining, so from a realism standpoint, it’s refreshing. As well the characters are fantastic. I’ve read all the books and know the story gets a little crazy, but it should be on TV. It’d be a shame if Amazon, Hulu, or someone else didn’t pick it up.
Melissa Adler
Omigosh!!! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! NETFLIX PICK THIS UP! I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO THIS SHOW EVERY WEDNESDAY WHEN AIRS. It has substance that is if high quality. Great actors! I mean it could be even greater without all the censorship!!!! Oh please! I love this show!
I think Syfy has lost an opportunity to have a really well written series, where the quality of acting and directing is equal or better than anything on tv and as good or better as current science fiction movies. I really hope it is picked up elsewhere, I will pay to watch this show.
Vote Up1-1Vote Down Reply
Love it too! Hope NETFLIX picks up. They already have the past seasons
I’m not really surprised that The Expanse was cancelled on Syfy. It’s the best thing since Battelstar Galactica and if it is picked up elsewhere, I just hope they don’t follow BG’s lame season finale. I’ll be a loyal fan as long as it lasts; unless they kill off Amos.
Spoiler alert, Amos does not die in the books and continues to kick ass.
Sad, sad decission! Hope that other network will continue this higly ingenious series: WE LOVE IT!!!
Jamie L Reid
Very disappointing to hear this has been cancelled. I’m hoping Amazon or Netflix will pick up for season 4 and beyond
The show had a lot of problems, one being budget crazy high. He canceled like this isn’t surprising. But many people like myself that this was gonna last. You just can’t trust networks. What are their hub a show is if it’s way over budget as this one was, there’s no point of doing it.
Believe it , it was really a bad show.
neonaidus
It was actually an excellent show. But thanks for your opinion.
Ty for thought but really it wasn’t that good. If so it still be on
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News > WEEKEND OF TRUSOX GOALS INC. ROBBEN & SISSOKO
WEEKEND OF TRUSOX GOALS INC. ROBBEN & SISSOKO
FOOTBALL, ROBBEN, PREMIER LEAGUE
There were a lot of TruSox Goals this weekend, as the international break came to a close this week.
All four goals scored at Selhurst Park on Sunday were scored in TruSox on Sunday, as Crystal Palace were 3-1 victors over Liverpool.
Rickie Lambert puts the Reds ahead after only 90 seconds, slotting home from Lallana's lofted through ball, but Dwight Gayle struck back soon after, slotting home the rebound as Bolasie's shot crashed off the post.
Joe Ledley put Palace 2-1 ahead, before Mile Jedinak's wonderful free-kick put the game beyond Liverpool.
Arjen Robben scored a wonderful chipped effort for Bayern Munich this weekend, as they ran out 4-0 winners over TSG Hoffenheim.
Robben, fresh from his 2 goal haul against Latvia for Holland in the week, ensured Bayern stretch their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to 7 points.
Also in the Bundesliga, Ceyhun Gulselam was on target for Hannover 96, but it wasn't enough for them to be defeated 3-1 by Bayer Leverkusen.
Havard Nordtveit also found himself on the scoresheet for the second game in succession after his goal for Norway, scoring Gladbach's only goal in their 3-1 defeat to Frankfurt.
In the Premier League, Moussa Sissoko was again the match-winner for Newcastle United, as the captain struck the only goal in their 1-0 victory over QPR.
The result puts the Magpies up to 4th place in the Premier League, with 5 wins from their last 5.
Wilfried Bony put Swansea ahead against Premier League champions Manchester City, but it wasn't enough for the Swans to get anything from the game, eventually going down 2-1.
Bony beat the offside trap and beat England goalkeeper Hart for his 5th Premier League goal of the year.
Stoke City's Jonathan Walters scored a diving header as they were defeated 2-1 by previously bottom club Burnley.
Jake Livermore was on target for Hull City against his old club, but was unable to prevent defeat as a late Tottenham comeback meant they left Humberside with all three points.
Napoli's Jonathan de Guzman scored his team's third goal, only to see Cagilari score a late equaliser, as they were held 3-3 at home.
TAGS: FOOTBALL, ROBBEN, PREMIER LEAGUE
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ISSUE CONTENTS
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The first issue of The Racial Imaginary’s website centers around constructions, deconstructions, and visualizations of/around whiteness, white identity, white rage/fragility/violence, and white dominant structures. We have envisioned this as a mobile space to be periodically updated with new work.
We have gathered here work by scholars, MFA students and cohorts, theater artists, photographers, sound artists, painters and multimedia artists, poets, and essayists in order to create a matrix of interconnected work, both new and previously shown, that interrogates one of the most toxic ideological strongholds threatening our collective survival.
The Institute begins with a focus on whiteness because we believe that in our current moment whiteness is freshly articulated: the volume on whiteness has been turned up. Whiteness as a source of unquestioned power, and as a “bloc,” feels itself to be endangered even as it retains its hold on power. Given that the concept of racial hierarchy is a strategy employed to support white dominance, whiteness is an important aspect of any conversation about race. We begin here in order to make visible that which has been intentionally presented as inevitable so that we can move forward into more revelatory conversations about race. Our first project questions what can be made when we investigate, evade, beset and call out bloc-whiteness.
We hope that these materials provide a platform for conversation, organization, and new work.
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Balloons, an Innocence, and Its End:
Some Whiteness at the NYC Women’s March, January 20, 2018
The one-year anniversary Women’s March was all the things you read in the Guardian or The New York Times — energized, midterms-focused, etc. — at least as far as I could tell from where I was in New York City. It was crowded. There was a lot of standing around on 72nd St., for instance, to be let through barricades onto the official march route. There were lots of homemade signs, some recognizable from last year, some clearly new, some with Hamiltonlyrics. There was some shivering, but not too much. There was trouble sending messages and posting photos due to overloaded circuits, there was talk about bathroom breaks, there were power bars and dried mango.
The group I was with from my neighborhood in Queens was mostly white and mostly women — not overwhelmingly, but mostly. (Me: one of the white women.) We mostly didn’t really know each other. We met in front of a Famiglia Pizzeria near the subway and E, the white woman leading us, brought a big bundle of hot pink helium balloons on which had been written the name of our neighborhood and “Resist!” People tied them to wrists and backpacks and even a hairdo with bright pink gift-wrap ribbon. The balloons made the subway ride in feel like a party and were brilliant for helping us keep track of each other in the eventual crowds. A few eventually got loose and flew beautifully in the bright blue sky over Central Park.
Besides balloons, E, who wore a bright pink thick-knit pussyhat with lipstick to match, brought signs. Hers, in white type against a black background, read: “This nice white lady has had enough of America’s racist BS!” and had a pink arrow pointing down. The reverse said something like, “Ever wonder what you’d have done about slavery, the holocaust, civil rights? You’re doing it now!” The sign she’d brought for a mutual friend, T, who is also white, read, “When I’m not marching, I’m taking a knee. Black lives matter.” The flip side said, “The revolution will be intersectional AF.” I don’t think of either E or T as all talk. I’m sparing you all caps, but much of each sign’s text was, as befits a sign, all caps.
All day, for me and E and T and another white woman (D?), the people with whom I talked the most — talked, and pointed to signs, and joined in chants, and followed along in thought and attention all day — for us, all day, there was talk and thought about race. Attention to race and racial politics is now, if it wasn’t before (as it wasn’t so much at the Women’s March last year, as far as my bus to DC was concerned, anyway), a thrumming part of our conscious and subconscious attention and was, on Saturday at the march, one of the unspoken (if also spoken) organizing principles of our collective awareness. There is a longing to see, to know, to do and say and think the right things, an urgent longing that borders on anxiety, but isn’t, at least not that day, because it’s a happy day, we have balloons, and it’s a good march.
As we were standing around on 72nd Street, a Southeast Asian woman in our group, N, noted that the “immigrants are welcome here” chant, which we had just been hearing, is irritating. It feels patronizing and off-base, since the people chanting are almost certainly immigrants too, she said. Once we were moving, an older white woman holding a “Humanitarian Judaism” sign caught up to ask T what “intersectional” meant (as in, “the revolution will be intersectional AF”). We started to say and a young black woman behind us jumped in, friendly, helpful, adding to our explanation. Did she know what “AF” means, T asked the Humanitarian Judaism woman? That she got; smiles. Smiles all around, affirmations that it’s always good to ask. The woman’s quick offer to explain Humanitarian Judaism did not get taken up: I think we thought we knew, and we may well have, but anyway the crowd moved and we drifted apart.
T and I have been talking again about pussyhats. She’s teaching an art history course on craft and craft movements, which of course if you think about it for a minute are very political, and has been rereading all the pussyhat stuff from last year in anticipation of trying to talk about the hats again this coming week. She’s wearing a red beret; I am hatless. I wanted a pussyhat last year, but never found the chunky-knit, dusty-rose one I thought I could live with, and the critiques kind of shushed the desire. Back at the march, one of our small group volunteers that she wouldn’t have thought anything about the “immigrants are welcome here” chant if N hadn’t said something. The things we know and the things we think we know and the things we know we don’t know but don’t know how not to know, don’t know how to be without knowing.
Earlier in the day, I send pictures of us on the subway to friends. I send a friend who is black the subway pictures and also another that I take later. I secretly hope the pictures will prove that the march is not racist. The picture that I take later is of a middle-aged black woman holding a Dr. Seuss cat-in-a-hat image with the verse: “I do not like your racist fans / I do not like your twitter hands / I do not like your bigotry / Nor your Nazi sympathy / I do not like you in our lives / I do not like you, Forty-Five.” The woman is wearing a black pussyhat with white whiskers, and in my picture she’s smiling; a free hand holds a take-out coffee cup. I broke ranks to catch up with her, to ask if I could get a picture of her and her sign. Earlier, I carefully compose a picture of our group on the subway: there’s my white friend T, displaying the taking-a-knee sign; she’s flanked by P, a Latino man we’ve just met, and by L and H, a white woman and her young biracial son. I make sure they are all in the picture. I think of Marvin Lemus’s satirical “DVRSE App: Black Friends When You Need Them” video promo. The app inserts pictures of black people into your photos, making (white) you look more “cultural” and “interesting,” and winning you social points on Instagram and dating apps, improving chances of grad school admission. (It’s very good and very funny.)
I know I’m doing this, trying too hard to prove something, but I don’t stop myself. I think about it later. I liked the march; it made me ebullient. It comforted me, excited me, affirmed me. I wanted to share all this, to share my liking, with my friend, but I didn’t want her to think my liking was racist. My friend is a smart woman, and she also knows from women’s marches, so in reality of course I am not proving anything to anyone. This is my own psychic need, my own eddy, my own effort to confuse myself so I can push ahead and like unabashed. But I know full well women’s marches can be kind of racist, not in KKK-rally ways but in liberal, white, middle-class ways, unintentionally-intentionally exclusionary ways, false-universalizing ways, alienating-environment-creating ways: “immigrants are welcome here” ways, ways that go gung-ho on hats but don’t think about hair, that rally around pink but don’t consider how the aesthetics, meanings, resonances play outside white minds, ways that reclaim vulgarity but forget that public vulgarity is not universally fun and comfortable, and that then, online and elsewhere, when reservations are raised or complaints are made, refuse to take in, preferring to eddy-up, to muddy, to defensively self-confuse. I know, I think.
I smile, with rue. I feel silly and I sigh. I don’t want anything that comforts, excites, or affirms me to be racist, not even a little. Writing the words I feel it again; I kind of laugh, I shake my head, I feel nauseous: gah. The longing for innocence — the longing to have everything that comforts, excites, or affirms me be good and pure — the longing would be endearing if it weren’t so stupid. I wonder: is endearingness along with stupidity built into chagrin? I think about the concept of chagrin a lot, for all kinds of reasons. Anyway, Collette has a line somewhere that likens forcing bulbs to destroying innocence, and clearly approves both. I quoted the line, or my mangled memory of it, to a boyfriend once as I crushed an eggshell: I wanted more from him, he who was fairly chaste. Besides chagrin, I think a lot about whiteness as willful ignorance, faked innocence. I smile ruefully, and hope my friend who is black didn’t pay attention to what I was up to, though she is a smart woman. I hope our temporary pink balloon sorority, my thoughts, and all the talking and thinking and attending of the day, will help me quit my own hard-wired longing for innocence, which is to say ignorance — my longing for myself as pure good, which is to say not of this world, not even girlish pink but white as the driven snow.
About Jennifer Uleman
Jennifer Uleman is an associate professor of Philosophy at Purchase College (SUNY). Her BA is from Swarthmore College and her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Kant scholar (and author of Cambridge University Press’s 2010 An Introduction to Kant’s Moral Philosophy); she writes and teaches on race, gender, photography, classical logic, and Hegel, among other things; she is currently at work on three projects, one of which is a book on whiteness. Her work has received support from the NEH and the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), and she is the recipient of a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She lives in Jackson Heights, Queens.
This piece was originally published on Medium.
Susan Bee
Charles BernsteinNext
Because no sphere of life is untouched by race, the Institute gathers under its aegis an interdisciplinary range of artists, writers, knowledge-producers, and activists. It convenes a cultural laboratory in which the racial imaginaries of our time and place are engaged, read, countered, contextualized and demystified.
Design: Flyleaf Creative | Development: Medium Rare Interactive Inc.
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Endless Knot
May 24, 2013 July 22, 2013 / nojl
Not to be confused with The Endless Not.
“The Eternal Knot” redirects here. For the 2001 classical album, see Adiemus IV: The Eternal Knot.
One common form of the Endless Knot
More decorative
More complex form seen on ca. 400 year old Chinese lacquerware dish.
The endless knot or eternal knot (Sanskrit: Shrivatsa; Tibetan Dpal be’u) is a symbolic knot and one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols. It is an important cultural marker in places significantly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism such as Tibet, Mongolia, Tuva, Kalmykia, and Buryatia. It is also sometimes found in Chinese art and used in Chinese knots.
1 Interpretations
2 Endless knots in other cultures
The endless knot has been described as “an ancient symbol representing the interweaving of the Spiritual path, the flowing of Time and Movement within That Which is Eternal. All existence, it says, is bound by time and change, yet ultimately rests serenely within the Divine and the Eternal.”[citation needed] Various interpretations of the symbol are:
Eternal Love and Friendship
The Endless knot iconography symbolised Samsara i.e., the endless cycle of suffering or birth, death and rebirth within Tibetan Buddhism.
The inter-twining of wisdom and compassion.
Interplay and interaction of the opposing forces in the dualistic world of manifestation, leading to their union, and ultimately to harmony in the universe.
The mutual dependence of religious doctrine and secular affairs.
The union of wisdom and method.
The inseparability of emptiness (shunyata) and dependent origination, the underlying reality of existence.
Symbolic of knot symbolism in linking ancestors and omnipresence (refer etymology of Tantra, Yoga and religion) (see Namkha.)
Since the knot has no beginning or end it also symbolizes the wisdom of the Buddha.
Endless knots in other cultures
See 7₄ knot for decorations or symbols in other cultures which are topologically equivalent to the interlaced form of the simplest version of the Buddhist endless knot.[1]
Ashtamangala (also known as Eight Auspicious Symbols)
Eternal return
Indra’s net
Islamic interlace patterns
Khachkars – Armenian knotwork
Knot theory
Namkha
Oseberg style
Solomon’s knot
Three hares
Trefoil knot
Turk’s head knot
Endless Knots, Undefined
Buryatia, Chinese knotting, Endless, Endless knot, Kalmykia, knot, Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism, Tuva, Wikipedia
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Daniel Garber (American, 1880 -1958) →
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Fresh pics: recent Crenshaw/LAX Line construction
by Steve Hymon , May 5, 2017
Work on aerial structure near Aviation Blvd. and 111th street.
Concrete curing for the tunnel walkways on the northern section of the project under Crenshaw Boulevard.
Pouring of concrete for the bridge over the 405.
Deck construction begins to take form on the bridge over La Brea Avenue.
Installation of flooring rebar for underground segment near 60th Street.
Grinding of welded rail for placement near Century Blvd. and Aviation Blvd.
Installation of rebar at the location of the future Hyde Park station.
Rail assembly near Century and Aviation.
Rail placement continues along the alignment.
Rail welding taking place on at-grade section adjacent to Florence Avenue.
Reinforcement installations for the foundation of elevators at Century and Aviation boulevards.
Surface finishing of the bridge structure over La Brea Avenue.
Concrete placement for the multi-purpose emergency walkway on aerial structure near the junction with the Green Line.
Above are some photos taken over the last several weeks of work on the Crenshaw/LAX Line, the 8.5-mile light rail line with eight new stations that will run between the Expo Line and the Green Line. Metro is planning to open the project in the fall of 2019.
A later project will add a station at Aviation and 96th Street that will serve as the transfer point to the future LAX people mover that will have three stations serving airport passenger terminals. That station — also known as the Airport Metro Connector — will serve trains on the Crenshaw/LAX Line, the Green Line and many Metro and other muni buses.
The $2.058-billion project is funded mostly by Measure R, the half-cent sales tax increase approved by L.A. County voters in 2008.
Here is map of the Crenshaw/LAX Line:
Categories: Projects
Tagged as: Crenshaw/LAX Line, El Segundo, Hyde Park Station, Inglewood, LAX, light rail construction, Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport, Measure R, projects, South Los Angeles
Five things to know about Metro’s proposed $6.1-billion budget for coming fiscal year
Here are the first two More to Explore winners
Bliss says:
Hey Steve, can you explain the odd, double height nature of the bridge over the 405?
Will one direction of travel run on top of the other, as opposed to side by side? Or is it like a path for emergency access?
Milliontown says:
It is my understanding that the exisitng rail bridge is being used as a support for the falsework of the new bridge. Eventually, after construction, the old bridge will be demolished and the new bridge will be the only one left. Steve, If I have this wrong, let me know.
Ooops, looks like it will stay in place! My mistake
Morris Warren says:
Hi Bliss,
Looks like three (3) levels!
I am also mystified!
MikeF says:
IIRC the contractor is using the old Santa Fe bridge to support the forms for the new bridge. I don’t remember if the old bridge will be removed after completion …………. Steve?
Steve Hymon says:
Hey everyone —
I’ve asked the project team to answer your question — I’m not sure off the top of my head. I did find this rendering in the environmental study for the project: http://media.metro.net/projects_studies/crenshaw/images/FEIS_FEIR/2.0_Alternatives_Considered.pdf on page 2-26. Looks like regular rail bridge, albeit new one.
I’ll leave follow-up comment after I hear back from team.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
As for the 405 bridge, the old bridge will remain after the new one is completed. It is being considered for use as part of Inglewood’s active transportation plan but nothing has been decided as for its use.
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G-men Raid G Street Marijuana Grow-Op in Oakland
TJ Green
The DEA and Oakland police tag-teamed a marijuana grow operation overnight, deploying flash-bang grenades, arresting 11 people, confiscating two pit bulls, over 1000 plants, and several weapons. Police allege the warehouse grow was also a distribution center, and was not related to medical marijuana.
This comes on the heels of the recent raids on Oaksterdam University, and several other businesses owned by legendary cannabis activist Richard Lee. Oaksterdam U had been a source of great pride for the medical marijuana community, as a symbol of the movement’s genuine purpose of advocacy through education. Adding to the confusion and hypocrisy is the recent approval by the City of Oakland of four additional large-scale cultivation centers in the city.
Over 30 officers participated in the raid--Oakland police were on point, with the DEA holding their leashes as usual. The Oaksterdam raids prompted tremendous public outcry including demonstrations, and statements by local leaders criticizing federal interference with medical marijuana. Authorities assert last nights raids were unrelated to medical marijuana, but that will not likely diminish the anxiety felt by the medical marijuana community in Oakland in the face of continued attacks on cannabis.
According to KTVU, Oakland police remained on the scene early Thursday morning. It is unclear if more arrests are yet to come, or if this is part a larger plan to dismantle the Oakland cannabis economy. Either way, the marijuana community will not take this lightly in Oakland.
Check back for further updates on this story as it unfolds.
oaklandraidDEAoaksterdam
Oaksterdam University Raided By The Federal Government
Oaksterdam Raid Leaves More Questions Than Answers
Steve DeAngelo Speaks Out About Raid At Oaksterdam
California City To Host Nation's 1st Medical Marijuana Street Fair
Washington Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Raided By DEA
DEA Raids Colorado Marijuana Laboratory
Medical Medical Patients Protest Raids On Washington State Dispensaries
Update On The Care By Design Raid
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WA women bag gold in thrilling final
Courtney Fowler and Russell McKinnonPilbara News
Thursday, 9 April 2015 11:40AM
Camera IconWA captain Kylie English shoots for goal. Credit: Courtney Fowler
WA and NSW struck gold in the Australian Country Water Polo Championships at the Karratha Leisureplex on Saturday.
This year's championships featured eight teams representing WA, NSW, Queensland and the Australian Defence Force.
WA collected the women's gold medal match, in an absolute nailbiter against a strong Queensland side.
The match was tied at one, two and three in the first quarter and then four in the second period before Queensland went one up at the long break.
However, Queensland squandered a 6-4 lead early in the third period before losing 10-8 to the undefeated WA team.
Local Karratha players Anouska Angove and Kate Kalajzich did their hometown proud but the standout player in the final was undoubtedly Bunbury veteran Kylie English, the former World Cup champion and Australian captain.
Amanda Russell, the driving force for the Queenslanders, was named the tournament MVP after an aggressive final and her week-long effort.
In the women's bronze-medal final, the NSW/WA Composite team beat the Australian Defence Force 20-5. Composite captain Jackie Morrison's hat-trick in the opening quarter helped her to five for the match and Karratha's Alex Dobbin scored three goals for the winning Composite side.
The undefeated NSW men's side smashed WA in the gold medal play-off 20-9.
NSW had the match in hand at half-time with a 9-3 margin and shot out to 20-9 with four of WA's goals coming in the final quarter.
Karratha stars Justin Angove and Nigel Kroonstuiver both had a strong performance for WA, however it was not enough to catch up to an unbeatable NSW side.
NSW player Daniel Robinson scored nine goals, a tournament high, and finished as the leading scorer for the week with a tally of 37.
Tournament MVP Daniel Lawrence also scored five goals for the winning side.
The men's bronze medal went to ADF 10-8 over WA Gold, in a match that had WA coming back to level several times in the final quarter.
WA led at the quarter 2-0, but ADF had the 4-3 half-time lead and 6-5 at the final break.
WA levelled at 6-6 and 8-8 at 3min. 18secremaining, but in the end just missed out on the bronze after two quick goals put ADF in the lead before the final whistle.
The KWPA will host the WA State Country Water Polo Championships in March 2016.
Hungry Ewan wakes from hibernation in stylePremium
Tigers grab early bragging rightsPremium
PilbaraNewsSportWA News
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Hillary Clinton’s secrets of state went straight to China – but who cares? 5
The Daily Caller reports that top officials in the FBI were reliably informed that the Chinese received nearly all the emails of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton through their hackers in the US – and decided to do nothing about it:
A Chinese-owned company operating in the Washington area hacked Hillary Clinton’s private server throughout her term as secretary of state and obtained nearly all her emails …
The Chinese firm obtained Clinton’s emails in real time as she sent and received communications and documents through her personal server …
The private server she insisted on using had been prepared by Chinese experts to send Chinese agents copies of whatever emails she received and sent.
The Chinese wrote code that was embedded in the server, which was kept in Clinton’s residence in upstate New York. The code generated an instant “courtesy copy” for nearly all of her emails and forwarded them to the Chinese company …
The Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) found that virtually all of Clinton’s emails were sent to a “foreign entity”,Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican, said at a July 12 House Committee on the Judiciary hearing. …
And did the FBI not find out that this was happening?
They knew. They were told. Over and over again.
Two officials with the ICIG, investigator Frank Rucker and attorney Janette McMillan, met repeatedly with FBI officials to warn them of the Chinese intrusion, according to a former intelligence officer with expertise in cybersecurity issues, who was briefed on the matter. …
Which FBI agents in particular were told?
Among those FBI officials was Peter Strzok, who was then the bureau’s top counterintelligence official. Strzok was fired this month following the discovery he sent anti-Trump texts to his mistress and co-worker, Lisa Page. Strzok didn’t act on the information the ICIG provided to him, according to Gohmert.
Gohmert mentioned in the Judiciary Committee hearing that ICIG officials told Strzok and three other top FBI officials that they found an “anomaly” on Clinton’s server.
The former intelligence officer who spoke with TheDCNF said the ICIG “discovered the anomaly pretty early in 2015″.
“When [the ICIG] did a very deep dive, they found in the actual metadata—the data which is at the header and footer of all the emails—that a copy, a ‘courtesy copy,’ was being sent to a third party and that third party was a known Chinese public company that was involved in collecting intelligence for China,” the former intelligence officer told TheDCNF. …
What of the State Department? Did no one there know what was happening?
Department of State Inspector General Steven A. Linick and then-ICIG I. Charles McCullough III scrutinized Clinton’s server in 2015.
McCullough told Congress in July 2015 that her emails contained classified material. … The two IGs asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether the classified information was compromised …
So the State Department IGs asked the DOJ to investigate.
So did the FBI, it transpires:
The FBI issued a referral to the Justice Department in July 2015. The bureau warned that classified information may have been disclosed to a foreign power or to one of its agents.
“FBIHQ, Counterespionage Section, is opening a full investigation based on specific articulated facts provided by an 811 referral from the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, dated July 6, 2015 regarding the potential compromise of classified information,” a July 10, 2015, FBI memo stated.
An 811 referral informs the FBI of classified information that was potentially released to a foreign power or agent of a foreign power.
“This investigation is also designated a Sensitive Investigative Matter (SIM) due to a connection to a current public official, political appointee or candidate,” the memo stated.
And what did the DOJ do about it?
Then-FBI Deputy Director Mark F. Giuliano sent a follow-up memo on July 21, 2015, to President Barack Obama’s deputy attorney general, Sally Yates, about two conversations he had with her about the criminal referral.
“On 13 July 2015 and 20 July 2015, I verbally advised you of a Section 811(c) referral from the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community received by the FBI on 06 July 2015. The referral addressed the mishandling of classified information on the personal e-mail account and electronic media of a former high-level us Government official,” according to the FBI memo, which was hand delivered to Yates.
And, the implication is, Sally Yates decided to do nothing about it.
Nothing has been done about it. Nothing.
(Hat-tip for the report to our reader and commenter Jeanne)
Posted under corruption, Crime, Treason by Jillian Becker on Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Tagged with Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, FBI Deputy Director Mark F. Giuliano, Frank Rucker, General Steven A. Linick, Hillary Clinton, I. Charles McCullough III, Janette McMillan, Lisa Page, Peter Strzok, Rep. Louie Gohmert
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Home Market
The biggest deal of the January transfer window
by TBE
in Market
As Premier League clubs scramble to make all important reinforcements while the transfer market is open this month, a much bigger deal is afoot and should finally be signed today in the White House. The phase one agreement between the US and China sees the latter pledge $200 billion in additional purchases of US goods over a two year period. Off the back of an 18-month long trade war, President Trump will undoubtedly carry this as a trophy into his re-election campaign. However, markets are not fully convinced. Asian stocks closed lower and Europe has had a subdued open this morning after US Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin said US tariffs would remain intact until phase two of the agreement. Some key issues were not resolved in phase one including China’s subsidies for its state-owned enterprises as well as their cumbersome cybersecurity regulations which have hampered progress for US tech firms in the country.
Plant aficionado Snoop Dogg helps Beyond Meat rally
Beyond Meat extended its 2020 gains yesterday after news broke that via Snoop Dogg’s Dunkin’ partnership, there will be a plant-based Beyond D-O-Double G sandwich featuring a Beyond patty. This year’s 58% rise in the share price is a welcome reprieve for investors who had seen the stock capitulate 68% since July in a post IPO crash. Whilst there is still a long way to go to get back to 2019 highs, partnerships with McDonalds and Subway among others will give shareholders some hope that a turnaround is on its way.
Feast and famine in first set of big bank earnings
Three major banks – JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo – reported Q4 earnings on Tuesday. JPMorgan posted post-financial crisis profits of $8.5bn, with earnings per share of $2.57 comfortably ahead of analysts’ $2.35 estimate. The profits were driven by positive consumer sentiment underpinned by a strong US economy, which overcame interest rate cuts last year that typically hamstring bank margins. Citigroup also posted double-digit earnings growth, propelled by similar trends. JPMorgan’s stock closed the day 1.2% higher, and Citi finished 1.6% higher. At the other end of the spectrum, it was another painful quarter for Wells Fargo, which is still dealing with the hangover of its fake account scandal. Profits halved, in part due to a $1.5bn litigation bill for the quarter. The banking giant’s share price closed 5.4% lower, and at $49.30 is around 25% lower than its peak over the past five years. This setback comes after a 25% gain since August 2019.
Elon Musk closes in on mammoth payday as Tesla soars
Tuesday on the whole was a mixed day for US stocks, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both posting negative sessions and the Dow Jones Industrial Average eking out a 0.1% gain. Delta Airlines rose 3.3% after beating earnings estimates, with its earnings per share figure coming in 21% above consensus estimates. Lower fuel prices, increased revenue per mile, and increased demand all contributed to the earnings beat. Under Armour also had a big day, boosted by the news that hedge fund Lone Pine Capital had taken a 6.7% stake in the firm. Tesla’s run up continued, with a 2.5% gain, taking its market cap close to the $100bn mark where Elon Musk’s mammoth share-based pay package begins to kick in. Among the 100 largest Nasdaq stocks, it was medical devices firm Boston Scientific that brought up the rear, with a 6.2% share price drop after posting a disappointing sales update.
S&P 500: -0.2% Tuesday, +1.6% YTD
Dow Jones Industrial Average: +0.1% Tuesday, +1.4% YTD
Nasdaq Composite: -0.2% Tuesday, +3.1% YTD
Under fire housebuilder Persimmon sees revenues dip
In a busy day for UK markets there have been a score of updates this morning from names including housebuilder Persimmon and FTSE 250 energy group Tullow Oil.
Persimmon, which has come under fire for building sub-par homes, has reported a fall in group revenues of 2.4%, but said this is down to its “customer care improvement plan” which has been implemented to improve building standards.
Looking ahead to the 2020 spring season, Persimmon – which also announced a board member was stepping down – said it is in a strong market position. “The Group has a nationwide outlet network and a range of attractive house types available at affordable prices across the UK regions, supported by high quality land holdings and a conservative balance sheet,” it said. With shares up 40% in the last six months, Persimmon’s update will be watched closely by investors.
Meanwhile Tullow reported its strategic review is now taking place, with the group trying to “improve operational efficiency”. Shares are up over 4% at the time of writing which will be little consolation to investors who have held the stock since September last year, who have suffered a decline in excess of 70%
Games Workshop earnings boost takes five year return past 1,300%
UK stocks edged out a positive day on Tuesday, as investors wait and see how today’s signing of the phase one US-China trade deal in Washington pans out. NMC Health’s short-seller related rollercoaster continued, with its share price increasing 6.5%, however, the company’s stock is still down close to 50% over the past month. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, Vodafone and energy firm Centrica were three of the FTSE 100’s other biggest risers, with gains of 3.9%, 3.4% and 2.5% respectively. In the FTSE 250, Games Workshop led the way with a 9.2% share price pop after reporting that pre-tax profits for the first half of its financial year had jumped by 44%. Over five years, the firm has now delivered a share price increase of more than 1,300%.
FTSE 100: +0.1% Tuesday, +1.1% YTD
FTSE 250: +0.2% Tuesday, -0.6% YTD
Bank of America: Following rivals JPMorgan, Citi and Wells Fargo, Bank of America will report its Q4 earnings on Wednesday. Wall Street expects BofA earnings to come in marginally below the same quarter a year ago. The firm has been pushing to integrate its consumer banking, robo-adviser and wealth management services in recent years, encouraging referrals between business lines. Analysts will be watching closely for the influence of BofA’s investment banking arm on the numbers in the quarter, which were a major support in its last quarterly report as they came in well above expectations.
Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs had a big 2019, outpacing the S&P 500 with a 40% plus share price rise. This week, JMP Securities analyst Devin Ryan raised his rating on the firm to an “outperform” due to the transformation it is currently going through. “Goldman Sachs is in the early stages of one of the most meaningful transformations within financial services,” he said. Goldman’s turnaround has included a push into consumer banking, increased transparency and a new focus on technology. The average 12-month price target on Goldman Sachs stock is $259, versus its $245.66 Tuesday close price, they will update the market today.
Associated British Foods (ABF.L): Most notably known for being the owner of high street giant Primark, ABF will release their Christmas trading figures tomorrow. Some retailers such as M&S disappointed with their updates last week, can Primark buck the trend? There is also the other side of ABF’s business in food and sugar which in the past have disappointed but were offset by strong Primark performance.
Others to watch: Charles Schwab, BlackRock, US Bancorp, Kinder Morgan, Pnc Financial Services
Crypto corner:
A near 10% gain for Bitcoin yesterday pushed the price up to a peak of $8,800, continuing its breakout from the 6 month downward channel. We would now want to see some higher lows for the move higher to be convincing
SEC issues IEO warning
The SEC released an alert, warning investors about the risks of initial exchange offerings (IEOs). The report urges investors to approach with caution as they may involve false promises of high returns. They also point towards the fact that the offering could be considered a security, drawing parallels with their assessment of initial coin offerings (ICOs).
Bitcoin SV rockets on Craig Wright claims
Craig Wright has claimed he has received the keys to access an $8.9 billion crypto fortune known as the Tulip Trust. This consists of the bitcoin that Wright and his partner David Kleiman mined together. Kleiman passed away in 2013 and since then there has been a legal challenge from Kleiman’s estate for half of the trust. Now with access to the trust, many are speculating that the case with the Kleiman estate will be settled, and that Wright’s share could make it’s way into Bitcoin SV which he is an advocate of.
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When they were young: Sarah Silverman on Community Auditions
Posted by Sean L. McCarthy | Oct 31, 2008 | Uncategorized |
If you saw Jimmy Kimmel Live last night, then you already know that Sarah Silverman appeared as one of Kimmel’s guests, and it was their first time together on the TV since they had broken up and gotten back together. So they made some awkward panel chat to let us all in on the joke. Which led to a lot of discussion of Silverman’s childhood interest in musical theater, playing Annie at 11 in New Hampshire, and her early TV performance on the Boston show, Community Auditions, in 1985. Yet another twist in this comedy duo’s ongoing surprise video sessions. Relive that all here (you can also watch full episodes on ABC’s video...
Harry Shearer brings the merry band of pranksters to Tribeca
Harry Shearer and his band, The High Value Detainees, will perform their first New York City concert Saturday, Nov. 1, at the new 92YTribeca. Shearer gave new interviews to Gothamist and New York magazine. They both focus on the music and Shearer’s politics. But for my money, as a journalist in the comedy business, Shearer has provided some fascinatingly funny stuff with his access to raw footage from TV news feeds on My Damn Channel. Shearer’s "Found Objects" series shows you how TV news anchors such as Katie Couric and Dan Rather have acted when they thought the cameras weren’t rolling, as well as some titters courtesy of Mike Huckabee and Ann Coulter. His most recent effort, The Final Silent Debate, culling together the many moments in which Barack Obama and John McCain had to wait for their on-camera cues....
Looking for funny Halloween videos?
Yes, dear readers and lovers of laughter, tis the season to be Halloweening…so, what. You want to see something funny that’s in costume or something? Comedy.com has determined these are the 13 funniest Halloween videos on the Web. And three of them feature stand-up comedians: Patton Oswalt, Greg Behrendt and Larry David. Or why don’t you just visit Funny or Die today and check out the home page’s "editorial picks." If you’re visiting after Halloween, you’ll have to take that extra step of typing "Halloween" into the search field. I know, I know. So much work for your typing fingers. But if you’re looking for a comedian talking about what it’s like to be an adult on Halloween, well, the first bit that sprung to my mind was Lewis Black. Candy corn? This YouTube clip, which is all audio, btw, will refresh your memories…(and since it’s Lewis Black, I must remind you that his language probably is not safe for...
David Alan Grier begs: “Be cool, black people!”
Posted by Sean L. McCarthy | Oct 30, 2008 |
With less than a week to go before Election Day, David Alan Grier used his platform as host of the new Comedy Central program, Chocolate News, to beg black people to be cool and not blow it for Barack Obama. It’s a tricky thing, playing off ugly stereotypes whilst also mocking them. Does Grier pull it off here? Watch and weigh...
Results, second semi: 2008 New York’s Funniest Stand-Up
There was a tie! We don’t know what that means, other than the fact that six more stand-up comedians made it into the finals of the 2008 New York’s Funniest Stand-Up contest, instead of five, and they are: D.C. Benny, Geno Bisconte, Hailey Boyle, Jordan Carlos, Myq Kaplan and Mike Vecchione They join the other semi’s "winners," Nate Bargatze, Esther Ku, Julian McCullough, Reese Waters, and Stone & Stone in the finals, to be contested Nov. 5 at Carolines as part of the New York Comedy Festival. My notes: Amid a ton of distractions in my personal life that are not the least bit comedic (well, I suppose in time, tragedy will equal comedy), I managed to see most of the second semifinal, and got to Stand-Up NY just as a run of solid performances had the crowd (half house) rolling. So I missed the winning sets of Geno Bisconte and D.C. Benny. Although did anyone really doubt that D.C. Benny would make the finals, considering how long he has been part of the city’s comedy scene? Of those I saw who didn’t advance, I thought Jermaine Fowler and Liz Miele made strong cases for themselves, while Taylor Williamson showed promise. One of the things Williamson has learned already about living in NYC: "Just because you’re homeless does’t mean you can’t have cats." Also: Pretty women on the subway...
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The Crucial Voice of the People
Shining Light on the Truth
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Assessing the Cornerstone of U.S. Education Reform
Education’s Missing Ingredient: What Parents Can Tell Educators
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Replace NCLB: Now Called the Every Student Succeeds Act
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Understanding the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
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Topics in Education
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Tucker Education-Labor System Plan & Report Card
Accountability: It Wasn’t More Tests That We Needed
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JFK’s Lessons for ESEA Reauthorization
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ESEA Then & Now
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How Laws are Created: Congress’ Role in Destroying the Republic
Posted on January 14, 2019 by Victoria M. Young
Congress’s role in governing our republic includes the responsibility to create necessary and proper laws within the authoritative boundaries of constitutional powers. But the current process by which a bill becomes a law desecrates the Founder’s ideals. The “institutional defenses” built into the constitution have been eroded by the malicious use of deception and disregard for ethical principles.
“The most significant danger old republics like ours face is not the sudden assault of an aspiring autocrat but the slow erosion of their cultural and institutional defenses.” The Fall of Rome and the Lessons for America
Here’s How A Recent Data Bill Went Through Congress
“Laws begin as ideas” so they can come from any of us, ideally. But in today’s reality, it’s more likely a special interest group will solicit one of our representatives to move their proposal into law. Enter (in this case) the technology industry — through the Data Summit and the Data Quality Campaign that was launched in 2005.
By 2008, Idaho was the last state in the nation to have a longitudinal data collection system “that provides individual level student data across multiple years from grades K through 12 and into postsecondary education.” (Report to the Idaho Legislature)
With the Great Recession holding the country’s attention, both the Bush and Obama administrations loosened a major privacy law allowing expansion of data collection and its use in “research” on a Human Capital Development Data System.
FERPA: Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
Acceptance of federal stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, Recovery Act) served as an incentive for completion of the project to collect, share, and link student data between agencies and across states.
FERPA has yet to be changed back to requiring parental notification and consent to share student data.
One strategy used to put these data collection systems in place was to NOT have open discussions or public debates.
State Longitudinal Data Systems Best Practices included “EFFECTIVE” Communications. In this case that means NOT allowing “open forums.” It means communicating the right message.
The “do not engage” practice moved the project along at the state level. Next up was federal legislation, which requires the kind of broad support that only money can buy these days.
The messaging needed to be just right. The “best practice” of not exposing an idea to too many people, or too much scrutiny, was taken to the next level — to both houses of congress with both political parties involved. The adoption of a federal data consolidation bill began by asking for a commission to study the idea. It was approved by a Voice Vote.
They were only asking for a study to be done. … No big deal.
A Voice Vote means there is no record of individual votes.
Three Months Later, The Report Was Released
D.C. Think Tanks and other organizations rejoiced! The public remained uninformed.
It didn’t take long for the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking bill to emerge.
Note: Senator Patty Murray mentioned “federal agencies” — plural. This is no small deal. This is huge!
The response?
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill under suspension of rules —by Voice Vote!
That was on November 15, 2017 —2017 pre-holidays —and Twitter lit-up in protest.
Throughout the holiday season education activists watched for movement of the bill in the Senate. Pre-Christmas had become a favored time for education bills to quickly become law. This time nothing happened. Had it died in committee? NOPE!
DECEMBER 19, 2018….2018.…real close to Christmas….and it passed by Unanimous Consent — the Senate’s version of a Voice Vote (no roll call, no individual record).
December 20, 2018 —Back to the House.
DECEMBER 21 —the Friday before Christmas with a Lame Duck Congress at 4:14 PM—the House did a roll call vote TO SUSPEND THE RULES. The bill known as HR4174 (FEPA – Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking) officially passed both houses of congress. But the story doesn’t end. Congress recessed.
The bill did not go immediately to the president’s desk. If it had and he did not sign it within 10 days, this bill would have been killed by what is called a “pocket veto.” But if Congress is in session and the president does not sign the bill within 10 (working?) days, it becomes law.
JANUARY 2, 2019 —FEPA HR4174 (sister to Washington Sen. Murray’s S.2046) went to the president’s desk.
Today is January 14th. My senators are not answering their phones at 4:14 PM. Nor is the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee (the one that slipped this bill out of committee a year after activist had eyes on it).
Is this acceptable?
We might expect some bad behavior from the liars in the House, but Senators should act with more integrity.
So, WHAT’S In The BILL? Better question: What is not in the bill?
The public is being told that the recommendations made by the FEPA Commission were followed. They were not. Data privacy recommendations were ignored.
“The Commission’s recommendations for improved data access and strong privacy protections rely heavily on the establishment of the National Secure Data Service [NSDS]. … The Commission envisions that the National Secure Data Service will operate an effective and efficient service that can be held accountable by policymakers and the American public.” The Promise of Evidence-Based Policymaking
Here is what the public should have heard debated.
“Even where data has been de-identified it is still possible to combine certain data sets with others to determine extensive amounts of personal information.”
“…there are real challenges to ensure that the creation of the NSDS does not create a centralized repository of data on Americans, like the proposed National Data Center which was broadly opposed by the public and led to the enactment of the Privacy Act.” Electronic Privacy Information Center
It is a sad day for the republic.
When it comes to Open Government, the Sunlight Foundation asked this about a Trump White House.
“Congress is the ultimate watchdog. Will Congress provide aggressive oversight?”
If Congress is the ultimate watchdog, the republic is in deep trouble.
Consider This & Share
This entry was posted in American Education Wars, Politics and tagged American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Bill Gates, Data Quality Campaign, Family Educational Rights and Student Privacy Act (FERPA), FEPA, Foundation for Evidence-Based Policymaking, HR4174, Idaho, Patty Murray, pocket veto, President Bush, President Obama, President Trump, S2046, Speaker Paul Ryan, State Longitudinal Data Systems, Sunlight Foundation, voice vote by Victoria M. Young. Bookmark the permalink.
4 thoughts on “How Laws are Created: Congress’ Role in Destroying the Republic”
victoriamyoung on January 14, 2019 at 8:38 PM said:
The president signed the bill into law today.
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Victoria M. Young victoriamyoung1@gmail.com
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Tag Archives: The Wasp
Avengers Assemble – A Long Way from Home
Ahoy, readers! Ar ye ready to sail in uncharted waters? Avast! It is time we be spinning tales of those famed heroes from Earth, the Mightiest of Champions – the Avengers!
You will see why I played around with the pirate lingo when we reach the end of the post. 😉 Normally, piratical speech is not my thing. It is used way too much these days for effect – or as a form of mockery for pirate tales – which means it tends to irritate me. So when one of Avengers Assemble’s episodes played around with the vernacular, I had to grit my teeth from time to time. It was either that or cover my ears, and since I wanted to keep track of the story, I put up with it.
The first episode we will discuss aired before Christmas of 2017. Titled “New Year’s Resolutions,” it starred Tony, Cap, Howard Stark and – at long last – Peggy Carter, voiced by Haley Atwell herself. Yay…!
Mostly. Sorta. Kind of.
Okay, okay, I had major problems with Peggy’s portrayal in the cartoon. The writers had her showing Steve up too much and generally did not let her be the Peggy I saw and enjoyed in Captain America: The First Avenger. I am guessing this has something to do with her depiction in her own series, Agent Carter, which leaned heavy on the Femi-Nazi and light on the story/character.
From what little I know of the series Agent Carter, Peggy came across as an angry, “let-me-prove-I’m-just-as-good-as-the-men” character, something which was certainly not the case in The First Avenger. It was more than a little sad to see her get short shrift in this episode, which I had been looking forward to viewing for some time. Peggy had her moments here, but they were few and far between.
Thankfully, “New Year’s Resolutions” was not all bad news. The interplay between Tony and Howard in this episode almost made up for Peggy’s disappointing deportment. We actually got to see the younger Stark bond with his father WITHOUT being a total brat or jerk about it. It was an unexpectedly sweet touch to what otherwise would have been a depressing, watered-down show.
Speaking of pluses, watching the four beat Kang was pure fun. And Arno Stark got to show up as Tony’s descendant rather than his hidden, younger brother. There was no Arno-should-have-been-Iron-Man stupidity here, for which I am very thankful. Although I must admit, I would have liked to have heard the thirtieth century Stark toss out a zinger or two, just to show the genes had not faded over the millennium between him and Tony.
All of this is to say that “New Year’s Resolutions” is an episode worth watching, despite its substandard treatment of Peggy Carter. Now if Marvel would just do what I asked and give the Avengers an adventure that took place on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, showing the team celebrating the holiday, I would know we were making some progress here. (No, I am not holding my breath while waiting for them to do that.)
Next we come to “The Eye of Agamotto, Parts 1 & 2.” By a stroke of good fortune, I got to see Doctor Strange before these episodes came out. Strange has never been anywhere near my Favorite Marvel Characters’ list, so the film and his appearance in the shows served more as filler material than anything else for me. But the fact that I got to see the movie meant I was prepared for Strange’s changed look; prior to the movie, he had long hair in Assemble. It is now shorter and much more practical.
Part 1 one of “The Eye of Agamotto” showed the Avengers – Cap, Hawkeye, Falcon, Black Panther, and Carol Danvers – defending a SHIELD storehouse from HYDRA agents. Well, mostly defending it. The bad guys got away with whatever magical doohicky they wanted, but Cap and Panther succeed in tracking it down.
Unfortunately, said gem is already in the hands of Strange’s arch nemesis, Baron Mordo. (The artists did a good job making him look like his film counterpart.) This is Panther’s first encounter with a bonafide sorcerer, but he handles himself pretty well here. We also see him getting calls from his little sister, Shuri, who has to ring him up for Wakandan business at the most inopportune times. It gets so bad that he shunts her calls to voicemail.
So when she shows up on his and Cap’s six unannounced, it nearly ends in disaster. Declaring that “no one puts [her] on voicemail,” Shuri insists on tagging along for the adventure, triggering the traps Mordo set up with a bracelet gizmo she designed herself. She has to help T’Challa and Steve best Mordo after the latter uses a spell to steal Cap’s powers.
T’Challa does well in this episode and so does Steve – for the most part. While I enjoyed seeing Shuri at long last, the writers could not resist plugging the “girl power” motif during this adventure. It was not simply annoying, it was Matronizing, and obviously so. I can handle Shuri having a list of degrees which nearly circles the world, but that should not be what makes her interesting. She comes from a culture of warriors, people! For Pete’s sake, her brother’s personal bodyguard corps is made up entirely of women so that peace can be maintained among Wakanda’s tribes. I do not think they have any of our “problems” with “women’s representation.”
In this episode, Shuri is used to pantomime the idea that “brains beat brawn” – especially if they are female brains to men’s brawn. No, Marvel writers. No, no, no, and no. Women are not physically strong enough, as a general rule, to overpower men, yes. Having Shuri outsmart Mordo was great, yes. But if you want her to be T’Challa and Cap’s equal, show her not as a snobby, easily offended young woman looking down her nose at them, but as a young woman who can roll with the punches when she cannot dodge ‘em. The writers did not do that properly here, which rankled. Badly.
Other than this irksome theme, we got a good show which demonstrated the strength of Cap and Panther’s friendship, and which showed Steve being his usual, gracious self. It also put the spotlight, however briefly and dimly, on Shuri, which is great. All in all it was not a bad romp. It could have been better, but it was not bad.
Part 2 of “The Eye of Agamotto” was very entertaining, and it made up for the lousy element in Part 1. Following their previous adventure, Cap and Panther bring an odd sorcerer back to Avengers’ Compound after he tells them he needs to see Stephen Strange. We only see them doing this after a cute exchange between Hawkeye and the Hulk, as the archer is busy going through receipts for the damage Big Green dealt out – accidentally or on purpose – while doing his job. (I am surprised the piles of receipts were not bigger and taller.)
Strange arrives at the Compound while this is going on, launching an attack against Cap and Panther while they are trying to land. It takes him awhile, but he eventually manages to explain that he was not shooting at them per se. Whatever or whoever is with them has some bad magic which is making the Eye of Agamotto that Strange wears go bonkers.
Turns out, the man Cap and Panther met at the end of the last episode is Agamotto himself. He’s come back to get his eye (guess what the Eye of Agamotto is in Assemble, readers), and casts a spell which knocks down Cap, Panther, Hawkeye, and Kamala Khan. At the same time they get knocked out, evil shadow duplicates of them appear to attack Strange and the Avenger who depowered to avoid getting magicked – Hulk/Bruce Banner.
You will want to see this episode for the ending alone, readers. It is a hoot, a scream. About halfway through I was laughing so hard that it is amazing I could keep up with the dialogue for this show. I mean it – this episode was pure, undiluted fun! Strange and Hulk even became friends by the end of the show. Bonus points!
After these episodes came the first four “Secret Wars” installments which gave the season its name. The first episode here was “Beyond.” At the start of the show, the Avengers arrive in Central Park when a glowing crack appears in the ground. Then they try to fall back as it widens and white light erupts from it. Seconds later (as far as anyone can tell), the team wakes up in a desert at night. Right on cue, Avengers Tower rises out of the sand next to them. Naturally, they go inside to see if this is really their old home, finding it is and that everything inside is in perfect working order.
During their investigation, they also find an uninvited guest. Having spread a feast on the table for them, he invites them to sit and chow down while he explains everything. No one sits down, of course, or starts eating. They just demand to know who this guy is and what the Sam Hill he has done to them.
For those new to the Marvel universe(s), this unwelcome guest is the Beyonder. He is far different from the Beyonder I met in the 1990s. That Beyonder was not a sick, twisted megalomaniac – at least, I did not think he was. I do not know what he is/was like in the comics, so I cannot say how true his appearance in either series is to the original material, but the Beyonder in the ‘90s was a sight nicer than this guy. Another difference here, aside from his personality, is that this version of the Beyonder uses advanced technology for his little experiment. In the ‘90s he was some cosmic magician who could snap his fingers and do almost anything he wanted.
You are probably getting the idea that I was expecting to see the Beyonder this season. I certainly had a suspicion he would appear; the ‘90s “Secret Wars” arc of the Spider-Man TV series was one of my favorites. Like the original Star Trek episode The Savage Curtain, the animated ‘90s “Secret Wars” saw the Beyonder send Spider-Man to an alien world that had never known evil. The Beyonder introduced some of the worst villains from Earth to this world, then dispatched Spidey to choose a team of superheroes to stop the bad guys, proving once and for all whether good was really stronger than evil.
Secret Wars – ’90s Style!
Spidey and his team won, of course, but it was this storyline which made me expect to see the Beyonder in Assemble. I was looking forward to seeing him again, though in light of the 2015 sham “Secret Wars,” I was worried about what would become of our heroes in the cartoon. Now I see that I should have been worried about the Beyonder, too. But maybe he was originally an evil super genius bent on satisfying his curiosity at all costs, making this portrayal of him a return to the norm. I don’t know which it is, though, so I will leave this subject alone now.
Anyway, after pinning our heroes to the walls with his tech, the Beyonder explains that he has taken pieces from different worlds and dimensions to create a new planet he calls Battleworld. (Battleworld comes from the 2015 “Secret Wars” and, from what little I know of that travesty to comicdom, Beyonder’s description here sounds about right for that Battleworld as well.) Like in the ‘90s, he is apparently trying to determine here whether good or evil is stronger.
The big problem with his plan in Assemble – aside from the fact that he took everyone from Earth, Asgard, and every where else without a by-your-leave – is that the longer the separated chunks are away from their homeworlds/dimensions/what-have-you, the more unstable those realms become. So, if the pieces are not returned to their proper places (and fast), the whole universe/multi-verse is going to explode and die. Not a pretty picture for our heroes, to be sure.
“Beyond” sees the team spread out to learn the layout of Battleworld and begin finding a way to put everything back together again. The particular part of Battleworld where Avengers’ Tower is situated is called Egyptia. Why it is called this I do not know, unless there is another realm/dimension/thing out there called Egypt. So far, Egyptia just seems to be a distorted Egypt from Earth.
Back to the show; Cap and Widow are the ones reconnoitering Egyptia. Finding a pyramid in the middle of the dunes, they go to investigate and run into a bunch of sand mummies/zombies. Things look grim for the home team but, luckily, the wandering super genius known as Iron Man drops in to save the day. The Beyonder took part of the dimension he was trapped in for his Battleworld. That part of the “planet” is called No-Tech Land, presumably because most modern machinery does not work there. This allows Tony to reunite with his friends, and the high jinks and battles ensue before he, Cap, and Widow rejoin the rest of the team at the Tower.
“Underworld” is the follow-up episode, and it begins with Loki raining on the reunion by declaring he wants to join the Avengers because the Beyonder wrecked Asgard for his little experiment. Predictably, the answer to Loki’s request is a lot of lightning bolts, repulsor blasts, arrows, and punches – none of which land, sadly. “Capturing” him, Thor, Tony, and Hulk learn that Loki is the one who told the Beyonder Earth’s location, giving them more reason to be angry at him. But since parts of Asgard are now mushed into Battleworld, and because Loki has personal knowledge of the Beyonder, Tony states that they need him and the four head out to New York City.
The reason this episode is called “Underworld” is because NYC is under a rock – literally. When Beyonder ripped it off of Earth, he put the city underground. And beneath New York, he put a bunch of Asgardian rock trolls. So when the Avengers show up, they have to defend the New Yorkers who were transported along with their city from the rock giants.
Loki does his whining “why-do-we-have-to-save-the-humans” routine, but turns into a big help when the Enchantress shows up. He almost sacrifices himself to fix the Bifrost, which is underground with New York, but Thor stops him and they escape. Then the Beyonder shows up and Hulk jumps at him to do his smashing gig –
…Only for the Beyonder to split the Hulk and Banner personalities into two people with his tech. Did not see that coming, and I have to say, it worries me. Bruce came out the worse for wear either before or after 2015’s “Secret Wars.” I am pretty sure he went nuts, and I know who “killed” him (you are in so much trouble for that, by the way, Marvel writers), so I worry that we will see something similar in Assemble. If what I think may happen does occur, then the “writers” running Marvel are in even BIGGER trouble with me.
Aside from this one worrying point, this show was a hoot. Hulk had the most fun here at Loki’s expense, and the only thing I want more than to see Hawkeye finally give the Trickster what he deserves is to watch Hulk pick on him. As for Loki turning “hero,” I predict that that will not last long. There may be a little good in Loki, but the problem with that is it is too darn small a piece of good. The bad outweighs the good, and while the Trickster of Asgard may be an open and shut case of “hope over experience,” I believe the Avengers should temper hope with sense by keeping their hands close to their weapons.
Next we have “The Immortal Weapon.” This episode was good, clean fun, and it actually gave me something I have been begging the writers for since the series started: a new hero. Iron Fist at last makes his debut in Avengers Assemble here. Though he is voiced by the same actor from Ultimate Spider-Man, Iron Fist is unquestionably an adult in Assemble. It was nice to see him again; he got short shrift from season three of Ultimate Spider-Man onward, and it is good to have him back in the spotlight no matter how briefly he appears.
Anyway, among the many things the Beyonder stole from Earth was K’un-Lun. But unlike New York, K’un-Lun is above ground and it is peaceful. Everyone is going about their daily business as if nothing has changed, puzzling Falcon and Black Panther, who have been sent here to pick up an item to repair the destroyed Bifrost. Things get even more confusing when the two explain to Iron Fist that they need Heimdall’s sword to help rebuild the Bifrost and set everything right. For no apparent reason, Danny attacks the two, stating emphatically that they cannot take the sword.
Neither Avenger listens when Iron Fist repeatedly states that taking the sword will unleash a great evil. So both are surprised when Falcon retrieves the weapon and Dracula pops out of the stone where it was embedded. (Nice sword in the stone reference, Marvel jerkfaces.) Turns out, Danny could not explain why the sword had to stay put because Dracula cursed him so that he could not say his name, period, in relation to anything. If anyone had asked Iron Fist about Bram Stoker’s novel, it is likely that Danny would not have been able to name the book because of the curse.
But Falcon and Panther, who have been having the “I’m-not-a-kid-anymore/I’m-a-king” argument from the start of the show, did not stop to put two and two together. Danny gets a really good scene when this argument starts back up again, putting one hand to his face and shaking his head, before telling the two to knock it off and get their act together. Tension is added to the show when the three learn of a familiar alien substance that has bonded to Dracula to make him immune to sunlight. The vampire king plans to find more of these familiar substances to make an army of daywalker vampires, but our heroes put the kibosh on the plan.
Really, this episode was nigh flawless. I had no real reservations while watching it or after it ended. It was a fun caper with no dark portents for the future of the series, and it gave all three heroes a chance to shine brightly for a change. This one earns a big, wholehearted “YAY!” from this viewer.
Finally, we have “The Vibranium Coast.” This is the show which gave vent to the piratical turns of phrase you encountered at the beginning of this post, readers. Ant-Man and Kamala Khan are headed to the Vibranium Coast – the one part of Battleworld, so far, which does not appear to be related to Earth at all – to pick up the Vibranium Tony and Loki need to rebuild the Bifrost and fix everything.
Scott is nervous about the job, feeling the pressure of not messing the mission up royally, while Khan continues to be her annoying, useless self. She misidentifies a pirate ship as Atlantis or another place, and the first misidentification should not have popped out of her mouth. For Pete’s sake, even on Battleworld, Atlantis would have to be under water. Most Atlanteans cannot breathe air or stay on land for long periods of time, and so far, the Beyonder has not demonstrated a desire to wipe out the populations of the places he steals all in one go. If they die over time, he will shrug it off, but the fact that NYC and K’un-Lun still have inhabitants shows he wants live specimens for his “experiment,” not cities full of dead bodies.
But we digress. Scott and Khan’s jet is shot out of the sky by the ship and the two are picked up by Typhoid Mary, who lays on the pirate act and lingo real thick. I have to say, my first introduction to Typhoid Mary did not make me like her. She reminds me too much of Harley Quinn, the Joker’s sidekick from DC Comics. Whether that is the intention of the writers or not, the fact is that her resemblance to the Joker’s apprentice wins her no favors with me.
Despite this, Typhoid Mary actually made this zany episode palatable for me. Having Red Skull and Crossbones playing pirates makes them seem silly, until you are faced with the even crazier Typhoid Mary. After her, anything else out of the ordinary looks mild. Her part in the story took the edge off the foolishness of seeing Red Skull be called “Dred Skull,” the master of the “Dred Skull Sea.” 😉
Ant-Man did not do badly in this show, which was a real improvement over his first four episodes this season. He got to be smart, manly, and funny without compromising his character or his masculinity. That alone would make this episode worth watching, but with Typhoid Mary’s craziness thrown in the mix, I suggest you check out the show for the laughs, too. There is also a GREAT scene at the end which had me in fits because it was so perfect. You should definitely watch this episode, readers. It is FUN!
However, despite this glowing review, I must admit that I had my usual problems with Khan here. The writers are working overtime to make her appeal to viewers, and it is not helping. Aside from a few verbal mistakes, Khan does not trip or fall flat on her face the way a normal rookie would in this show. Scott’s and the other Avengers’ care for and kindness to her are great for them, but it does nothing to make Khan more appealing or enhance her part in the series.
If you put Inferno or Firestar or Spectrum in her place in “The Vibranium Coast” as the new rookie on the team (no matter their age), it would work better because the writers would not be bending over backwards to make the audience love them the way they are for Khan. Seriously, everything they do for Khan is pure political pandering, and it shows. Somehow, in this episode, she is the only Avenger present who knows how to use swords, all because her parents let her take fencing lessons?!?
That does not fit with what little I remember reading about the concept behind Khan’s creation. There it was stated that her parents are terrified of letting her anywhere near a boy her own age, forget an adult man. So why would they suddenly let her take fencing lessons? In fact, why is she even allowed out of the house in normal clothes? Shouldn’t she be wearing something more traditional? And why not let her use her powers or natural skills to duck and dodge swordstrokes? If she is so great, then why do the writers have to give her the simple, Feminista out of, “And she can fence, too!”?
The more the writers set her up to be an uber woman settling into her place in the Avengers, the less interesting she becomes, just like her namesake. Khan adds nothing to the Marvel universe(s) or Assemble.
Dust was more interesting because she was actually allowed to make mistakes, worry about her traditional upbringing and her career as an X-Man, and learn to stretch her wings. Khan is not allowed to even voice such fears or problems in the show; she has no vulnerabilities – other than a penchant for geeking out when she meets a famous hero/villain – and it makes her dull as dishwater. She is useless, plain and simple, and she is getting on my nerves.
I do not expect the Marvel writers to change Khan and make her more interesting, readers. I expect them to double down on her portrayal with a vengeance. They cannot be wrong, while we peons are always wrong and should hate ourselves for it. (Bah.) If they want to think that way and try to financially survive while they are doing it, then they can knock themselves out. Nothing anyone says to the contrary will stop them.
This leads to my final points. For the most part, as is obvious from this article, I enjoyed these episodes. However, the higher you fly, the farther you can fall. It is quite possible that whatever comes next will be an absolute disaster for fans of the true, the good, and the beautiful who love not only Assemble, but Marvel in general. We could end up with a serious mess on ours hands when the next installment of Avengers Assemble: Secret Wars rolls around.
We could just as easily rise to new heights with only little pinpricks of annoyance (and irritating, politically correct sham characters) to bother us from here on out. While I hope for that, I intend to try and follow my own advice to the Avengers about Loki: be prepared for experience to trump hope again. When it comes to mortal man, experience is something to be remembered, even when hope begs for “just one more chance” to get things right.
I have my keyboard ready, Marvel. I am still watching you. Mess up, and expect to see me say something about it. Because if you play “the heroes and heroines are actually villains and the villains are heroes” card too much more, you will go out of business. I do not want that for you, but you are sure acting like that is what you want. Do not think I will avoid speaking my piece about it. You should know me better than that by now. 😉
‘Til next time, readers – Avengers Assemble!!!
This entry was posted in Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, TV Shows and tagged 1990s, Agamotto, Agent Carter, Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Arno Stark, Atlantis, Avengers Assemble, Baron Mordo, Battleworld, Beyonder, Black Panther/King T'Challa, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, children's animated tv shows, Christmas, Crossbones/Brock Rumlow, Dracula, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Haley Atwell, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Hope Van Dyne, Howard Stark, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Iron Fist/Daniel Rand, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Kamala Khan, Kang the Conqueror, Loki, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, marvel tv shows, New Year, Peggy Carter, pirates, Red Skull, Shuri, Spider-Man, Stephen Strange/Dr. Strange, superheroes, superpowers, supervillains, The Wasp, Thor, Thor Odinson, TV series, TV Shows, Typhoid Mary, Vision on February 23, 2018 by The Mithril Guardian.
Avengers Assemble: Secret Wars – Rescuing the Heroes
It is not usual for me to review Avengers Assemble in bits and pieces. Previously, the closest I came to doing that was with season three of the series. And that was because the showrunners and writers did not air the episodes one after another – not on a regular basis, at least.
This is what they are doing again now, but with longer breaks between installments. Remember, readers, “Avengers No More” came out in August. It is now October, and they have aired eleven other episodes only in sporadic chunks over the course of two months.
Personally, I find this irritating. I do not know enough about television schedules to say why Disney XD is splitting the series up like this; maybe it is to make room for shows from other series that air on weekends. The timetable seems to have no rhyme or reason, though, and that always drives me a little crazy.
Since I did a review of “Why I Hate Halloween,” I will not include that episode in this post. Although I will say that it is definitely one of my favorite installments in this series so far, and it seems to have been set before the Avengers were teleported across the Marvel universe. I say this because (spoiler alert), in “The Once and Future Kang” we find one of the Avengers has been transported into the future. And he has subsequently aged.
By this episode, the Avengers’ B Team has been keeping Earth safe while Dr. Jane Foster searches time and space to find the original Avengers. In “The Once and Future Kang,” she tells the B Team that she has discovered their locations. In order to rescue the team, however, she has to send the Mighty Avengers after them. The way they will return is by using a “tether” – a device that acts as a teleporter – to pull themselves and the Avengers back to the present time and place.
Jane does this after the B Team has had to stop a monster from destroying the Statue of Liberty. She accidentally brought said creature to NYC when working on the devices to bring back the Avengers. And while I still do not like her, I admit that watching Carol Danvers rescue a deaf girl from the Liberty torch was a good scene. Yes, I still think she is useless, but the fact is it was a good scene.
Anyway, “The Once and Future Kang” shows Wasp and Vision teleported to the future to rescue the Avenger trapped there. They do not know who it is, but they know who is running the place – Kang. They soon learn that the Avenger they are after is none other than Falcon, now twenty years older than he was when the cabal transported him out of the present time.
My main problem with this episode is: what’s his mom going to say? Sure, it is cool to have a Falcon who looks and sounds like Anthony Mackie’s film counterpart. But what in the world is Sam’s mother, who is alive in the Assemble universe, going to say about his rapid growth? One day he was a seventeen/ninteen year old kid going to college. Now he is suddenly an adult. Both she and the Avengers missed his transition from boy to man, meaning there should be a period of adjustment needed on all sides.
This is not the first time Marvel has pulled such a stunt, of course. In the X-Men comics, Colossus’ baby sister was kidnapped by an interdimensional bad guy who trained her in his arts and her powers for six or seven of his dimension’s years. But for the X-Men, seconds passed between Ilyana Rasputin/Magick’s disappearance and reappearance. She vanished as a frightened six year old and returned as a scarred, yet bright and chirpy, thirteen year old girl.
Colossus, as you might imagine, had a hard time wrapping his head around this. I am having a similarly hard time wrapping my head around Falcon’s transformation. It is not that I do not like him – I think Falcon is a really cool hero. It is just the whole idea of sending someone off into the future (or another dimension), and bringing them home at an older age which gets me.
Other things to like about this episode were Vision and Wasp. Vision, as usual, stole at least half of the show without really trying. And it appears that Wasp has finally lost that chip on her shoulder. Hooray!
There is also the fact that we got a glimpse of Kang’s face beneath the blue mask he wears, showing he grew older, too. I may have a hard time reconciling my heroes’ accelerated ages, but when it comes to the bad guys, I rarely have any sympathy for them. Kang does not get any tears from me.
Next on the list is “Dimension Z.” Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man, gets sent to rescue an Avenger from what is apparently 1930s New York. This version of the city is under the thumb of Arnim Zola. Here, Scott finds three of his teammates: Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Widow. He helps them escape Zola’s HYDRA goons and they take him to their hideout, explaining that they are not actually in the 1930s when they get there. (Whew! I had had enough time travel at that point, anyway!)
Zola captured the gang early on, but they escaped and have been trying to free the people of Dimension Z from his control ever since. This has not been easy because Zola has the people wired with cybernetic implants. If they disobey him, he fries them. This also rules out using an EMP to fry him. That certainly is convenient, isn’t it?
The episode is a good one for Hawkeye. Although he plays around with the 1930s New York accent and slang, it’s less of a joke this time and more him trying to lighten the mood. Widow is usually aggravated by his period repartee, but she slips a couple of times and uses the lingo herself, showing his attempts to cheer everyone up aren’t wholly failures. Cap does not seem to mind the fun Hawkeye and Widow have with the jargon either way, which is nice.
Despite her fussing, Widow comes through the show with flying colors, too. While growling at Hawkeye for his attempts at humor, she works well with him here. This is a far cry from their earlier team-ups in the series, which had her constantly bickering with him when they were on a mission. She gets to give Scott a “suck it up and have some confidence in yourself” pep talk as well, which is in keeping with her character.
Scott does nicely here, as compared to previous episodes in season four which present him as a bumbling, fumbling fool. (No, I am not counting “Sneakers” when I talk about those shows.) He gets to prove his brains and his heart, which is a pleasant change from the writers’ earlier treatment of him.
Captain America does not, sadly, get by nearly so easily. For some bizarre reason, the show writers decided to reference Marvel’s HYDRA Cap fiasco in “Dimension Z.” Though Cap is freed of the HYDRA influence fairly quickly, and while I can see how having him under Zola’s spell serves the episode’s plot, I really wish that the writers had not done this to him. Bad enough they have to demean me and other readers by mistreating him in the comics; when they start messing with him in their other media, I become even less amused.
With this caveat out of the way, I have to say Steve did not do terribly outside of this event, which literally was not his fault. The whole reason Zola wanted him in Dimension Z was so he could highjack Steve’s body; doing this would mean he would not have to rely on those mechanical bodies we have seen him using thus far in the series.
At first, Steve resisted Zola’s attempts. But he and Hawkeye were captured together, so Zola zapped Clint to make Cap stop fighting him. While I still do not approve of the HYDRA Cap reference, I have to admit, this scene hit me right in the “feels.” It showed the brotherly affection between the First Avenger and Hawkeye, who stubbornly insisted Steve not surrender despite the fact that another zap would have killed him.
In a way, this scene bridged the gap between the original – and better – comics and the new ones today. I only wish the writers would show these relationships between the Avengers more often in Assemble. It is truly inspiring.
T’Challa got sent after the Hulk in “The Most Dangerous Hunt,” which was actually more fun than I was expecting. Transported to Asgard, Panther finds Hulk being hunted for sport by Skurge the Executioner. Using a magic crystal in the head of his axe, the Executioner can control Banner’s transformation. When Banner gets too tired to run, Skurge says a spell to make him the Hulk. When the Hulk gets within a hair of smashing him, the Asgardian hunter speaks a counter spell which makes him Banner again.
The whole yo-yo effect has left Bruce terrified. He has been in control of his power for so long now that not being able to change at will scares him more than his previous, involuntary transformations did. It is actually kind of nice to see Banner this vulnerable; before we only saw his distaste for becoming the big guy, period. Since the writers have allowed him to control the change, it adds a new dimension to his character.
Only one thing in this episode really annoyed me. This was Hulk returning to his old baby speech pattern for most of the adventure. While I doubt I will have much of a problem with it in Thor: Ragnarok, here it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I guess it was because it made Hulk sound more like a beast than a person – which was the point. Skurge considered him nothing more than an animal, after all, not a fellow sentient being.
Panther came out of this show very well, too. He got to demonstrate his intelligence, his honor, and his heart. We also got to see what he is like when enraged, since Skurge was able to reverse the spell and use it on T’Challa. No one understands wrath like Bruce does, and watching him assist the suddenly helpless Black Panther was a great moment.
I have to admit, though, that I did not see the Hobbit reference coming. Really, Marvel writers? Stealing from Tolkien now, are you? Too bad you won’t study him rather than pilfer from the surface of his work. Maybe if you actually learned from him, your comics would be entertaining again.
“Under the Spell of the Enchantress” was not quite as torturous as I thought it would be, mostly because by the end, Thor got to be Thor. I still find Captain and Miss Marvel to be awful, flat characters, but having the Son of Odin break Amora’s spell when he saw Miss Marvel in danger was a good scene for him. I think the reference to Frozen might have been a bit much, though.
Thor’s characterization was just as good in “The Return.” Here we learn that Loki orchestrated the events of “Avengers No More.” We also see that he is now suddenly taller and has more brawn here than he did in prior episodes. By the way, fellow writers, what the Sam Hill is up with that five o’clock shadow you gave him?
Anyway, this episode was pretty good. Though no one seemed the least bit phased by Falcon’s age, which felt a little off, the story was quite the pick up from the season’s earlier fare. Cap got his shield back and Hawkeye actually got to figure out how to save the day – using an idea this author had considered five or so minutes before the crisis point of the show arrived, no less. 😉
Thor, as I said, shined in “The Return,” but so did Vision. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that Loki badly underestimated him. Scott got to notice an important fact, which Miss Marvel unsurprisingly missed and dismissed, while Jane Foster was allowed to be the super genius she is. And she did not even have to leave her apartment to do it. I really hope they do not give Mjolnir to her. It would spoil her part in “The Return” so badly.
Finally, I have to say that I enjoyed the various nods to Thor: The Dark World in this show. The film itself did not have a great plot and got bad reviews for it. I liked Dark World nonetheless, mostly because I never go to a Marvel movie to watch the bad guys. I go to see the heroes, and I thought the second Thor movie did right by them. Watching the writers tip their hats to it was fun.
On the whole, I was more impressed with these five episodes than I was with four of the ones I reviewed previously. But as I said in my post on “Why I Hate Halloween,” now is not the time to become complacent and think Marvel is cleaning up its act. Certainly, these recent shows offer us fans some hope that the company will value our patronage more than PC grandstanding. But now is not the time to bank on such an assumption.
Part of the reason I say this is Loki’s gleeful warning at the end of “The Return.” “Strange things are coming,” he tells Thor’s back when the Prince of Asgard leaves the detention center. Tony still has not come home yet, and the writers here did nod to the HYDRA Cap debacle. I find these small instances in the show more than a little worrisome.
So we are not out of the woods. These are hopeful signs and, if unaltered by the future, I could say they were a turning point. But the future is not the present. Therefore, I advise caution before commitment, as well as the firm hope matters will change for the better.
But to quote Aragorn, son of Arathorn, the only thing we can do now is say, “We shall see.”
Avengers – Assemble!
This entry was posted in Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, TV Shows and tagged Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Avengers Assemble, Black Panther/King T'Challa, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, children's animated tv shows, Colossus/Peter Rasputin, David Kaye, Disney TV Shows, Disney XD, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Jane Foster, Kang the Conqueror, Loki, Magick/Ilyana Rasputin, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, marvel tv shows, Ms. Marvel, Roger Craig Smith, Skurge, The Enchantress/Amora, The Wasp, Thor, Thor Odinson, Travis Willingham, Troy Baker, TV Shows, Vision, Wasp, X-Men on October 27, 2017 by The Mithril Guardian.
Avengers Assemble’s Secret Wars – I Am Not Impressed
Forgive the deep sigh, readers, but after Avengers Assemble’s satisfying third season I did not expect to begin tearing into the show’s writers again. I never seem to learn my lesson about these people.
Avengers Assemble is taking a dive into the current comics’ attempt to rewrite reality through its “All New, All-Different” character roster. Now I have absolutely no problem with the addition of Black Panther, Vision, and Ant-Man to season four’s character lineup. I have already stated that I wanted them on the team, so actually having them here is great. But I was surprised and saddened at this series’ depiction of the Wasp. Since I have already listed my issues with the two Marvels elsewhere, I will not go into that here.
The two-part introductory episode “Avengers No More” began well enough. In this installment we had our wonderfully forged team of interesting, fun, beloved heroes trying to rescue Tony Stark from whatever dimension Dr. Strange sent him to last season.
We also got to meet this universe’s Jane Foster, who did quite nicely during her debut. The hint that she and Thor know each other from a prior time, not to mention the romantic spark which passes between them in the first episode, was a nice touch. Hawkeye and Panther trading quips was a great throwback to the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and I had hoped we would get to see them do it more often.
There was only one thing which bothered me in this episode, and that was Thor’s fixation on protecting his teammates. It seemed to be a bit overplayed; the writers looked like they were trying to give him PTSD or something. At the very least, I would say they were a tad too heavy-handed with this aspect of the show.
The second half of “Avengers No More” is where I had A LOT of problems. Panther came through the show with flying colors, naturally, and Vision is always fun to see. I actually rooted for the Enchantress when she tangled with Captain Marvel, but I was not happy with Scott Lang’s reduction to the team joke. I enjoy his quips and his fun-loving attitude, but the man is NOT stupid. He can get touchy-feely from time to time, not to mention be serious when the situation calls for it. The episode “Sneakers” proved this.
But it seems that the writers have decided that if they cannot make Hawkeye the class fool, they will do it to Scott Lang instead. Newsflash, people, we do NOT want our heroes to be fools of any kind. We do not mind it when they make mistakes, or goof up, or when they occasionally pull pranks. They are human and we like to see them behaving like real human beings do.
What is going on here, however, is none of the above. One of the reasons that this overdose of juvenility on Ant-Man’s part does not work is because it is so utterly inhuman (pun intended). No one who is that goofy can last in a position of authority, power, and danger for very long. To make us try to believe that they can will not work because the world will not let it work. Sooner or later, it will beat the truth into us that humor and goofiness has its place – and that place is not in the middle of a firefight.
Wasp (Hope Van Dyne)
My other problem is with the Wasp. Originally, I looked forward to having her in the series; Janet Van Dyne is one of my favorite Marvel heroines. She has been since EMH. So although this Wasp is her daughter, Hope, I thought she might at least come close to the fun, cheerful character Jan was in Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I had also thought to see her come into the series perfectly synchronized with her partner, Scott Lang.
Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)
What I got instead was a character with a chip on her shoulder, determined to dominate the man who should be her colleague. As in “Prison Break,” Hope has realized that no one can or is holding her back except herself. However, she still comes across as hard nosed, grim, and anti-social. This prevents her from connecting in any meaningful way to Scott, something I have faint hopes of seeing as the season progresses.
More to the point, readers, this is not the Wasp I enjoy watching. Hope is not her mother, and I respect that difference. But I will not accept a character which is so obviously designed to carry a grudge against the world in general and her teammates in particular. I do not want or need that kind of negativity.
To tell you the truth, I find the difference in her deportment in this series puzzling. From what I saw of Hope in the Ant-Man film, she was not angry with her father because he would not let her use the suit. That was part of it. Most of the reason she was angry at him was because he would not tell her what had actually happened to her mother; he shut her out of his life after Jan’s disappearance, and this is what made her so angry with him.
By this point, Hope should have no reason to carry her anger into Assemble. While she has thrown out some good zingers in the show (not counting the ones at Ant-Man’s expense), the fact is that Wasp was never an “I am Woman, hear me roar!”-type character. Even in the film, there was none of the “Girl Power!” motif to be found in the axe she ground against Hank Pym.
Her dad wanted to keep her safe, both because he loved her and because she was the living link he to the wife he could not protect. Kevin Feige went to the trouble of specifically saying that Hank did not think Hope couldn’t handle the power of the Ant-Man suit. Feige said the reason Hank would not let her use the suit was because he did not want to lose his only daughter as he had his wife. There was no “holding Hope back” in the mission statement; there was only “shield Hope at all costs.”
Is this impractical? Yes, but any mother or father worth her or his salt will have that kind of reaction regarding their child/children. It is how they handle it which may need work or may deserve praise.
Also, my heart hit my shoes when the phrase “All New, All-Different” was used in the second half of “Avengers No More.” In the comics the “All New, All-Different” tagline is shorthand for “let’s make the elites and critics happy and who cares if we alienate our loyal, paying fanbase while we do it.” This has led to Captain America being reworked as a Nazi/Fascist and many other equally destructive “rewrites” to well-beloved heroes and heroines.
Marvel, as I have said elsewhere, is no longer run by people who want to build up the characters and tell good stories with them. It is managed by those who have an unhealthy and destructive agenda which they are now trying to force feed us through the cartoons.
This must make you wonder why I bothered to watch the next five episodes of season four. Aside from the fact that it is good to know what the other side is doing, I have already invested a lot of ink/pixles in reviewing the series Avengers Assemble for you. If I were to stop now I would fail you, my audience, as well as myself. No one said I have to watch the season or like it, but my duty seems clear to me here: I started reviewing this series and so it behooves me review it to the finish, whatever that may be.
I must admit to disliking most of the episodes which follow “Avengers No More.” Not only do these shows avoid telling us where the original Avengers are, they essentially try to sell us a silk purse made from a sow’s ear. For instance, “The Sleeper Awakens,” wherein the Avengers’ B Team has to face down the Red Skull, is only saved by Vision.
When the newbies move into Black Panther’s ambassadorial mansion, their headquarters for the season, Ant-Man suggests Vision get a pet calculator after the android makes a comment about his large pet ant. Scott comes to regret this proposal when Vision reprograms one of Red Skull’s robots to think for itself and asks if he can keep it for a pet.
The byplay between Vision and “Skully” is the only saving grace for the show. Panther has to pull the rest of the weight for the episode while Scott is allowed some helpful hints. But in the end, the only reason to watch “The Sleeper Awakens” is Vision.
As for “Prison Break,” watching that show was nothing short of pure torture. It started out on a good note, with Wasp promising to take down Captain Marvel in a ping-pong match. While I would still like to see that happen, the rest of the episode was nothing less than “I am Woman, hear me roar!” pandering.
The major battle in this installment takes place in the Vault, a high security supervillain prison built into a mountain. Yelena Belova, now going by the moniker Crimson Widow, attacks and tricks the B Team into taking her to the prison. This is so she can get rich by freeing the villains held there.
Once inside, she takes down her escorts – Danvers and Wasp – before freeing Zarda and Typhoid Mary. Danvers and Wasp come to and then have an insipid heart-to-heart, during which Hope admits she thinks everyone in the universe is trying to hold her back. The only thing which was even mildly entertaining here was watching Zarda throw Danvers around. Why?
During “Prison Break” there was no sense of tangible threat to the heroines. We knew going in that Zarda would get beaten by Danvers; just because the writers and animators let her get kicked around first didn’t change that fact. We also knew that Crimson Widow and Typhoid Mary were going to lose. Danvers was the big stone around the show’s neck, but the second biggest was the chip on Hope’s shoulder.
Her “daddy/Scott/the Avengers held me back” speech was moronic. She is new to the gig, so the Avengers either did not know about her or they wanted her to get some more experience under her belt before they gave her a call, the same way you have to have something on your resume before you send it in to get a high-paying job. Scott could not hold Hope back, up, or down if he tried, and we already discussed the fact that her father was not holding her back from her full potential at the beginning of this post. It was blatantly obvious in “Prison Break” that the only thing holding the Wasp back was Hope Van Dyne.
And I am sorry, but the contest between Captain Marvel and Zarda was not worth getting excited about in any way. They are two macho women who like to punch down people/walls/buildings, and hearing Zarda list Danvers’ myriad false praises to the skies almost made me physically sick.
If the writers had pitted an actual heroine such as Mockingbird, Lady Sif, the Scarlet Witch, Spectrum, Firestar, or even She-Hulk against Zarda, I would have been more interested. But a struggle between equally strong opponents when the outcome can never be in doubt is a boring way to spend an episode.
Some of you are now doubtless shouting at the screen, saying, “How can you say that Zarda and Danvers are equally strong opponents, Mithril?! Zarda’s an immortal from Utopia – she’s even more powerful than Thor! How can you say that Danvers, who only has Kree DNA bonded to her body, is Zarda’s equal?!?”
My response: Oh, give me a Hulk-sized break!!!! First, we do not know if Zarda is more powerful than Thor. Her Sledge of Power operates on a different principle than Mjolnir does. It takes more power to be worthy than to be strong or “powerful,” readers. Zarda will never be able to lift the hammer for the simple reason that all her strength and prowess does not make her worthy. It just makes her a good bully.
Also, remember that Danvers and Zarda are both narcissistic, they both have more muscles in their upper bodies than between their ears, and there is no way in Nick Fury’s underwear drawer that the writers would ever avoid letting Danvers K.O. Zarda. We knew that going in because the big, flashing neon sign screaming “Girl Power!” was melting our eyes from the minute that Wasp and Danvers first clashed with Belova in Panther’s mansion. This told us everything we needed to know about the plot and the outcome of the episode before we were ten minutes into the show.
Now the reason that I say having Sif fight Zarda would have been more interesting is because Sif is not a Femi-Nazi. She made it into Asgard’s warrior corps on her own merit; she is interesting, vulnerable, and fun. And, what is more, she would never have let Zarda throw her around like a ragdoll just so she could look cooler when she finally flattened the Princess of Utopia.
Spectrum (Monica Rambeau)
Put Spectrum up against Zarda, and you have the potential for a good to great fight. Monica Rambeau can become intangible and fire energy beams from her hands, not to mention turn her own body into a beam of light or energy. She is a former cop and a member of the New Orleans Harbor Patrol. She maintains her own patrol boat for this reason, she has spunk, and she has her weaknesses. Are you telling me she couldn’t handle Zarda? She could take her down without strain or sweat if she wanted to do so!
If you threw the Scarlet Witch at the Princess of Power, she would be dancing to keep up with Wanda’s skillful, smart attacks. Firestar is a mutant capable of flight and generating heat/fire blasts from her hands. You think she couldn’t have handled Zarda in an interesting way and still beaten her? Yeah, right!
Firestar (Angelica Jones)
Heck, putting Zarda up against She-Hulk would have been more interesting. While Jennifer Walters’ alter-ego barely escapes the Strong Female Character stereotype, the fact is that she is no pushover and she is (rarely) bland. A fight between her and Zarda would have at least been attention worthy; the fight between Danvers and the Princess of Power was so dull that I barely glanced at more than a few scenes of it.
Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse)
But for my money, setting up a match between Mockingbird and Zarda would have been the ultimate catfight. Bobbi Morse has no superpowers (or she should not). A normal woman with extensive hand-to-hand combat and SHIELD training, I would have loved to have seen Mockingbird wipe the floor with Zarda by continually outsmarting her.
But the writers did not go for smart, just as they did not go for classy. And they certainly did not set up a battle between equally deadly foes. “Prison Break” was nothing but a root-for-us-because-we-are-strong-women piece with Marvel-ous window dressing. It was a rigged match from the start that meant absolutely nothing because it had no stakes, which gave the audience zero satisfaction when the conflict finally ended. The chip on Wasp’s shoulder made her defeat of Belova just as tedious.
Things did not improve overmuch in “The Incredible Herc.” I do not know if Marvel’s Hercules has always been this much of a nitwit, but color me unimpressed with his exploits in this chapter. This is a shame because I like the mythical stories about Hercules. I am also a fan of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys with Kevin Sorbo. Show this character (or Sorbo) any disrespect and you sink in my estimation.
Another irritating thing in this episode was watching Captain Marvel and Black Panther vie for leadership of the B Team. It is not that I cannot see this fight occuring; I can totally see Danvers trying to wrest control of the team from Panther. What I cannot see is Panther claiming “male privilege” to secure his position.
This is obviously the point behind his words when he says “I am a king!” during the debate over who should be leader of the Avengers’ B Team. The fact is that Panther is not a better leader than her for the reason that he is a king or due to the fact that he “sees the big picture.” He is the better leader because he is actually capable of analytical thought and all she wants to instinctively do is smash obstacles to pieces while taking all the glory from the battlefield.
My ability to swallow his respect for Captain Marvel, whom the writers have set up in Cap’s place in the series while he is bopping around the multi-verse, is nil. Danvers is a loose cannon, just like Hercules, but with far less charm and value. The writers think they can keep the message they want her to bear and not lose her while doing it.
But the fact is that this will not work. It never has. This is why she was never allowed to “take center stage” before. Danvers melts in the spotlight, demonstrating spectacularly to the audience that the Feminist claims she embodies are nothing more or less than lies.
This is something Marvel’s previous writers knew and which they did not allow to happen. But Marvel’s new writers have bought the lie hook, line, and sinker, leading them to try and amp up the power behind the broadcasting system. So they are surprised that people have continued to tune out the message, leading them to try to increase the power to the circuit so they can get the “necessary” attention.
It will be interesting to see their reaction when the whole thing self-destructs in their collective face.
I managed to miss the first few minutes of “Show Your Work,” readers, but the truth is that there was not much to miss. The episode was nothing less than an attempt to make Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan look good, and you cannot make a token character look good any more than you can make pyrite real gold.
Not once during this installment did Khan show any real vulnerability to Taskmaster’s supposed charm. Her claim that she saw through his charade from beginning to end also defeated the purpose of the entire subplot between the two of them. Other characters might have pulled it off, but because of her flawed design, Khan is completely incapable of making her emotional reactions look real – even when she geeks out while meeting a new hero/heroine.
Besides, in Ultimate Spider-Man, Taskmaster did not show near this much interest in or respect for any of the kids he encountered. The one-eighty degree turn he does in this episode for Ms. Marvel’s benefit absolutely smacks of politically correct condescension on the part of the writers.
Taskmaster is not a nice guy, readers; he respects nothing and no one. He fights and kills for cash, and he would keep doing it until the Earth blew up underneath him. Whoever he is/was under that skull mask, he is a ruthless murderer bent on getting as much money and pleasure out of his job as he can. Softening him up for Khan’s benefit is nothing short of patronization toward the audience on the part of the show’s writers.
Khan’s statement to Taskmaster that “Reboots are all the rage right now” was another demerit for the show in my book. A reboot, as I understand things, is supposed to revive a television series and its characters in a fresh way for a new generation. They do this by tweaking the original stories and characters, not by fundamentally rewriting them and their universe.
This means there is nothing fresh or good in the “reboots” Marvel has been feeding us since 2015. If we can have the ancient myths, the Tales of King Arthur, and The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood retold to us over and over and over again with just a few minor changes to the original platform, then what makes Marvel’s writers think we cannot handle the same thing in regard to their heroes?!?!
Vision was the only bright spot in this show, and he did not save it. Duct tape would not have been able to save this episode. Wasp still had a visible chip on her shoulder here, Scott was made to look the fool again, and Panther was not allowed to really flex his leadership muscles. As a result, “Show Your Work” earns one big, long, drawn-out “Booo!” from this viewer.
Now “Sneakers” was actually a good chapter because it played to T’Challa’s strengths and Scott was allowed to be more than the team pratfall. The two had to work together to save Wakanda from Baron Zemo (strange how I knew his redemption in season three would not last).
They did it in an interesting way and, while Scott did not come out of the battle totally free of juvenile “humor,” he did not play the useless waste of skin the writers made him appear in the earlier episodes. Vision also had a cameo or two which lent vigor to the show and the dialogue. All of this made “Sneakers” the only one of the five premier installments for Secret Wars worth watching.
So far, I am more than a little frustrated with Avengers Assemble’s season four. I had a sense it would disappoint – the title Secret Wars was the giveaway. And the retitling of the series’ fifth season (Black Panther’s Quest) does not inspire confidence in the upcoming period, either. How can it be Avengers Assemble if Black Panther is the lead – or possibly the ONLY – character in the series at this point?
None of this is to say that I would not love to see him in season five. T’Challa is one of the best, most well-developed and intriguing characters Marvel has, and I enjoy watching him. But I do NOT want to see more of T’Challa at the expense of Cap, Hawkeye, Hulk, Black Widow, Falcon, Iron Man, and Thor. I want to see him fighting alongside them, learning with them, and integrating into their team. A Black Panther and Avengers team up, or a Black Panther plus his Avenging sidekicks storyline, will not deliver on this.
With the arrival of new villains such as Skurge and the Enchantress, I would also like to know why we cannot have more heroes and heroines added to the Avengers’ roster in this series. I am still waiting for the appearance of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, everybody. And I would like to have Spectrum, Bucky Barnes, Mockingbird, War Machine, Firestar, Lady Sif, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and many others appear here as well. Having Songbird and at least one or two of the Thunderbolts return would be great, too, as would the reappearance of Inferno.
And seriously, why do we not have the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and other Marvel heroes weaving in and out of this series? Just what is wrong with that idea? No one ever seemed to have a problem doing it before. Why the hesitation now?
The Marvel Universe is – or was – a dynamic and varied place with plenty of amazing characters to enjoy. The fact that the writers will now build stories using only the critically “sanctioned” heroes and heroines (often with a liberal twist) is assinine. It limits them as storytellers; they have gone from “going where no man has gone before” to “going where no one wants to go.”
It is a weak, stupid move, and it is hurting them just as much as it is hurting their audience. But Marvel’s current writers and hierarchy won’t stop doing this – not in short order, anyway – which means we are going to suffer along with our heroes through mile after mile of relativist swampland until the people in charge clean up their act.
This seems like a sour note to end a post with, doesn’t it? I will not end a post on a sour note if I can help it, so here goes with the positivity: things can be repaired. New, good stories can be told using the same great characters. The continual retellings of the ancient myths, the stories about King Arthur and Robin Hood, prove that you do not need to “get with the times” to have relevant heroes, heroines, and stories, readers. A good story, well told, with great characters is all you need to entertain/instruct an audience.
One of these days, someone at Marvel is going to figure this out. Or they will hire someone who knows this. Or they will be bought out by someone who knows it and who will hire people who know it. Eventually, the tide will change, the trash will be swept out, and the house will be refurbished.
We just have to hold out until that happens. We have to hold on to the characters and stories so we can clean up the mansion and put everything to rights again at some point in the future. So, rather than say, “Make mine Marvel no more!” I will say this –
Avengers – ALWAYS!!!
This entry was posted in Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, TV Shows and tagged Ant-Man/Scott Lang, Avengers Assemble, Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes, Black Panther/King T'Challa, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Bumper Robinson, Captain America, Captain America/Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, Carol Danvers, Crimson Widow, Disney TV Shows, diversity in Marvel Comics, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Firestar/Angelica Jones, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Hope Van Dyne, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Kamala Khan, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, Marvel Female Superheroes, marvel tv shows, Mockingbird/Bobbi Morse, Ms. Marvel, Princess of Power, protagonist girl characters marvel, Red Skull, Roger Craig Smith, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, Spectrum/Monica Rambeau, Taskmaster/Tony Masters, The Hulk, The Wasp, Thor, Thor Odinson, TV Shows, Typhoid Mary, Vision, Wasp, women in Marvel Comics, Yelena Belova, Zarda on September 14, 2017 by The Mithril Guardian.
Spotlight: Strong Women – A Return to the Question
We had met as equals, rarely a good thing in such matters, for the woman who wishes to be the equal of a man usually turns out to be less than a man and less than a woman. A woman is herself, which is something altogether different than a man. – (Emphasis added.)
This quote is from The Walking Drum, written by Louis L’Amour. While Mr. L’Amour is best known for his Western fiction, the truth is that he wrote a great many other stories as well. He served in World War II and “yondered” much of his early life. He was many things and he saw many things. The Walking Drum is a novel he wrote – and it is set in the twelfth century.
Why start a post off with this quote? Because it is a timely admonition. A woman ends up being less than herself when she is trying to be something she is not. And yet we have no end of “experts” proclaiming that women are equal to men. It makes the observant wonder just what they are selling.
The research I did for the post “Offended, Insulted, and Not Shutting Up” is what got this article rolling. And before anyone asks, no, I have not shifted my position on Marvel’s decision to make Jane Foster the latest version of “Thor.” It is a stupid decision which they will soon learn is not helping them.
My research into the opinions of others regarding “Thorette” allowed me to find comments and articles that expressed what I have thought for some years. They were not all as delicate in their statements as I would have been but, to borrow a line from Mr. Spock and the Vulcans, that is part of the wonder of living in a world of “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.” With this research tumbling around in my head, I began to think not only about “Thorette” but about what the intelligentsia says we are to praise in the female characters being created these days.
This brings us back to the question I asked in the previous “Strong Women” post. Just what makes a strong woman? Looking at “Thorette,” it seems safe to say that many writers and artists think a woman is only strong when she has an above-normal muscle structure. This sort of physique also happens to look good in some form of armor-plated swimsuit or underwear, which conveniently guarantees a male audience of some size. (These are probably not the guys a girl should accept the offer of a date from, by the way.)
Being a curious observer, I have a question to ask the writers and artists at Marvel and elsewhere. Do they know how many female fans Carol Danvers has? Do they know how many women are in Thundra and “Thorette’s” fan clubs? Has anyone taken a poll of female Marvel fans to ask them what they think of these characters – not to mention what they think of all the other heroines on Marvel’s roster?
If Marvel were to poll its female fans, I believe that they may get answers like mine. For instance: I have never liked or admired Carol Danvers. And I cannot seriously contemplate Thundra, a character from an alternate dimension where women are the dominant sex, without stifling the reflexive urge to throw up. She has to be one of the few characters Marvel has created which I find utterly repulsive. I know and prefer her only as a convenient villainess.
My opinion of Jane Foster/“Thorette” is well documented. Jane Foster has been warped and nearly destroyed as Marvel’s writers, editors, managers, et al attempt to gain fashion and political points from her “new look.” But what they fail to comprehend – or perhaps to admit – is that she looks horrible!
Now, does everyone feel this way about these characters? Hardly. But in my humble view, these female characters do not appeal enough to be worth any kind of money. Judging by “Thorette’s” anemic reception and the letters Marvel received about Carol Danvers years ago, I do not think I am that alone in disliking them.
What kind of female characters, then, impress me? Allow me to pull out another quote from Mr. L’Amour to illustrate my answer:
A man you can figure on; a woman you can’t. They’re likely either to faint, or grab for a gun, regardless of consequences. – from Chancy
These are the kind of women who fascinate me, and whom I wish to emulate. Remember, fainting can easily be faked. How is a man to know a real faint from a false one without putting himself in danger? Louis L’Amour’s female characters are like this. They are iron-willed women who have bones of steel. They can handle a pistol, a rifle, or they can use some other object as a weapon.
You will not find any of L’Amour’s female characters holding up stages, taming broncos, or riding the range as cowgirls, it is true. But you will find women in his stories that are leading cattle drives, managing ranches, and defending their homes from Indians or bandits. And plenty of his women are quite happy to back up their men in a fight by holding a shotgun on the group of ruffians looking to make trouble. The women in L’Amour’s novels of seafaring and in his football stories are no different. Admittedly they do not carry guns in the vicinity of a football game, but they are just as determined and forceful as the frontier women who were their ancestors, in spirit if not in fact.
What does all of this have to do with Marvel? The comic book company already has a Rolodex of formidable heroines. To name a few, there is the Wasp, the Black Widow, Mockingbird, Wanda Maximoff, Silverclaw, Jean Grey, Rogue, Storm, the Invisible Woman…. The post “Offended, Insulted, and Not Shutting Up” has a more comprehensive list, if you would like to learn of more heroines in Marvel’s Universe(s).
The fact is these women can all hold their own in a fight. Yes, these characters have an extra asset of some kind during combat. Mockingbird and Black Widow have extensive hand-to-hand combat training, while Storm, Rogue, and Jean Grey have mutant powers. Many other female characters within the Marvel brand also have superpowers. But a pistol or a rifle is an asset, too, and no frontier woman who wanted to survive would shun either weapon because it was not natural to her. It was often the only thing standing between her and harm – or death. You respect that kind of tool; you do not toss it aside.
So do any of these Marvelous assets cheapen who these women are as characters? No, they do not. Nor do they enhance their characters; they are simply stand-ins for the rifles, pistols, or the various weapons women have used throughout the centuries. Sometimes they are even extensions of the abilities women have always had: intelligence, mental agility, and outright strength of will.
As a result one never knows just what any of these heroines are going to do in a given crisis. One can never know just how they are going to play the game, how they are going to react to the villain’s bait. They may play on his arrogance or they may pretend to be simpering, frightened damsels. Whatever they do it is bound to be interesting and exciting, for the simple reason that it has the potential to be totally unexpected.
Carol Danvers or Thundra, in comparison, can always be counted on to hammer at a problem until it goes away. Why is this so? It is so because they are women who are less than women. The writers have decided to make them something they are not. As a result, they have personalities that are as stilted as a puppet’s limbs, making them very uninteresting.
The other heroines do not have this built-in handicap. They are women who are not afraid of being women. This means that they do not think like the men around them. This gives them their edge in a battle. It is not their superpowers, skills, or weapons. It is who they are as people, as women.
When these heroines are safely captured, they are often deemed by the villains as no longer a threat because they cannot use their powers, kung fu, or technology. With Danvers or Thundra this is usually a true assessment. They are not used to thinking outside the box – or thinking much at all, from what I have seen. In a pitched battle they simply react. This makes them relatively easy for their opponents to overcome or dispatch.
Many of Marvel’s other heroines, however, never stop thinking. They are always watching, listening, assessing, and working out a plan of some sort. If the only possible plan they can make is to wait for back up, then that is what they have to do. Their male counterparts have experienced similar crises, though you will not hear these mentioned by very many critics. If they could survive the wait and not be diminished by it, then why can’t their female counterparts?
From Marvel to DC, from Star Trek to Andre Norton’s Witch World series, from Star Wars to Howl’s Moving Castle and its sequels, there is no end of proof that women can be as bold and brave as the men in their lives – and they can be as bold without compromising their womanhood.
This is what modern writers, filmmakers, and artists no longer consider. In fact they are actively running away from this truth because it has become passé to portray a woman as she actually is. Instead a fictional heroine must be displayed as something other than a woman. You go to the theaters to see the latest films and most of the women in these movies have no problem cutting off men’s heads or disemboweling them. Not only do they have no physical problem doing it, which many of them should, but they also have no moral qualms about doing it.
The Wonder Woman movie out next year promises to be a case in point. I was once a big fan of Wonder Woman. This was not because of her strength or because of her Lasso of Truth. No, I liked her because of these things and the fact that she was still a woman. Throughout her adventures with the JLA, Diana learned to respect and like her male teammates, to appreciate their abilities and welcome them as friends. Later series even had her dating Batman!
But recent rewrites by DC Comics have turned Wonder Woman into a bloodthirsty man-hater. It is true that in the coming film she is going to fall in love with Steve Trevor (portrayed by Chris Pine). While she is doing that, though, she will also be happily carving men to pieces and telling women that being secretaries is the equivalent of slavery. You would think she came from an alternate universe and not an island inhabited by Greek warrior women.
All of this detracts from the real power of women. By portraying a woman as what she is not, these writers and artists are not elevating women. They are demeaning and demoting them.
The fictional heroine who easily encapsulates what a real warrior woman can and should be is Éowyn of Rohan from The Lord of the Rings. Secretly joining the Rohirrim’s army as it marches to battle in Gondor, she is the one who defeats the Witch-king, the leader of the Nine Ringwraiths or Názgul. Merry, taken into Gondor by her when she wore the guise of a male Rider, helps her with a well-placed sword-thrust. But it is Éowyn who ultimately strikes the fatal blow and wins a great victory in the glorious Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Still, many Feminists go into apoplectic fits over Éowyn’s role in The Lord of the Rings novels despite her amazing display of courage and fighting skill. Why? They do this because Éowyn leaves war behind forever when she decides to accept Faramir’s proposal of marriage after recovering from her battle with the Witch-king. That particular passage reads thus:
Then the heart of Éowyn changed, or else at last she understood it. And suddenly her winter passed, and the sun shone on her.
‘I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun,’ she said; ‘and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.’
The thing Feminists do not understand – or the thing which they absolutely refuse to accept – is that Éowyn’s triumph in battle does not define her. She did an amazing, wonderful thing, which most other people could never accomplish. Her decision to marry Faramir does not render her defeat of the Witch-king any less; rather, her decision to marry is the reward she earned in that fight.
Éowyn’s part in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields does not define her identity, and most Feminists want that stereotype to define and limit her. This is most of Éowyn’s own problem in the trilogy until she falls in love with Faramir. Up to that point, she believes that battle will give her satisfaction. Poisoned along with Théoden by Wormtongue’s whisperings, in her confusion and slow descent into despair Éowyn decides that only death in battle will give her a chance at glory and renown.
Now, readers, the fact is that death is not a fulfillment of life. It is the end of life, and if you ally yourself with death, you are allying yourself with the Enemy.
In Minas Tirith – originally named Minas Anor or ‘Tower of the Sun’ – Éowyn finally comes to see that battle is not where she can be most useful when she is at last confronted by Faramir’s genuine love for her. Being a warrior is not her calling, although she can certainly wield a sword as well as any man. Her vocation in life is being a woman, a wife, and eventually a mother.
Through Éowyn the author of the trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien, demonstrates that a woman is not made by her fighting ability. She is distinguished by her will, her womanhood and – if she is lucky – by her motherhood. “For the hand that rocks the cradle is that hand that rules the world.” Mothers shape their children, daughters and sons both. These daughters and sons will grow up to change the world through the things they do, the things they create, and the children they bring into the universe.
Modern media has largely forsaken this understanding of womanhood at the behest of the Hegelian/Nietzschean complex, the modern incarnation of Sauron. There has been a war going on for the past century or three which most have not paid heed to. This has led to nothing but a lot of pain for women, who have been persuaded as a group to throw away the knowledge that they once possessed. Their honor is their womanhood and it is our societal honor to know them as such.
This is why I have taken issue with Jane Foster’s identity change, not to mention the identity change of several other formerly male characters. This is why I have written two posts on strong women. It is an attempt to remind women of what we truly are and what we can actually achieve. For when women stop valuing themselves as women, society stops valuing them as well, and then that society sooner rather than later treats them like chattel.
ISIS does this on a daily basis. Slave traders and sex traffickers rely on such attitudes to do “business.” The shout of “I am Woman, hear me roar!” has led to nothing but pain and sorrow for millions of women. They have chosen to debase themselves. This means they are no longer worthy of special respect and value to men. For if women do not value themselves as women, as potential wives and mothers, then why should men?
Does all this mean that a woman cannot fight? Pshaw. Éowyn fought, did she not? It is not possible that she forgot how to swing a sword after marrying Faramir. She simply did not make a living fighting – and for the record, neither did he! The heroines of Marvel Comics fight; the women in Star Trek and Star Wars fight. The will to fight is the influential factor. Just ask the mothers and wives who grabbed a gun to help defend against Indian raids or bandits back in the Old West! Or those that defend themselves and their families similarly today.
But if a woman wants to make a career as a warrior, she cannot try and be the equal of the men. This can never be, for the simple fact that no amount of human interference – psychological or scientific – can overwrite what she is. And if a woman decides she wishes to be a “shieldmaiden,” then she had better be prepared for what could happen to her on the field of battle. Torture, the loss of life and limb, rape – these are just some of the risks which I can see ahead of a female soldier. An enemy who does not value life – and there are many of those today – can be abominably creative in the management of prisoners. Just ask Dean Koontz.
Does all this mean that I believe a woman should not be prepared to fight? Civilization is a very, very fragile construction. One small thing goes out of whack and entire nations fall to their knees. Women definitely need to know how to defend themselves. They have always needed to know this.
But what women need to relearn is that it is not battle which will define them. Battle does not define a man, so how can it define a woman? A man or a woman is defined by who and what they are. A man is defined by his manhood, a woman by her womanhood. That is all there is to it.
This is not weakness. It is not slavery. Knowing who and what you are is not a defect; it is a strength. Being proud of being a man or a woman is what gives one the will to fight, to protect oneself from those who do not appreciate you for who and what you are. Muscles, weapons, skills – these are the tools. They are not the determining factors. We, men and women, are the weapons.
Until writers at Marvel, DC, Star Trek, and elsewhere figure that out, though, we will have to endure continuous watered-down portrayals of heroines in many stories. Until these “artists” ask themselves, “What really makes a strong woman?”, they will continue coming up with the wrong answers.
Readers, I will give Mr. L’Amour the last word on this subject:
She’ll stand to it. There’s a likely craft, lad, and one to sail any sea. You can see it in the clear eyes of her and the way she carries her head. Give me always a woman with pride, and pride of being a woman. She’s such a one. – from The Warrior’s Path
Amen, readers. Amen!
This entry was posted in Essay, Spotlight! and tagged Amazons, Andre Norton, bandits, Batman, Black Riders, Black Widow, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff, Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, Carol Danvers, Chancy, Chris Pine, DC Comics, Dean Koontz, Death, dying, Eowyn, Essay, Faramir, female superheroes, female warriors, feminism, feminists, Gal Gadot, Greece, Greek, Han Solo, Hegelian/Nietchzean complex, Howl's Moving Castle, Indian, Indians, insult, Jane Foster, Jane Foster/Thor, Jean Grey, JLA, Justice League of America, Louis L'Amour, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, Marvel Female Superheroes, Merry Brandybuck, Minas Anor, Minas Tirith, Mockingbird, Mockingbird/Bobbi Morse, offend, Old West, Princess Leia Organa Solo, Rogue, Rohan, Scarlet Witch, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Scarlett Johansson, shieldmaiden, Silverclaw/Maria Santiago, Spotlight!, Star Trek, Star Wars, Steve Trevor, Storm/Ororo Munroe, superheroes, superpowers, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Nazgul, the Nine, The Ringwraiths, The Scarlet Witch, The Walking Drum, The Warrior's Path, The Wasp, The Witch-king of Angmar, Thor Odinson, Thor/Jane Foster, Thorette, Thundra, Tower of Guard, Tower of the Sun, warrior women, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Western novels, westerns, Witch World, woman, women, Wonder Woman on October 19, 2016 by The Mithril Guardian.
Book Review – Marvel Masterworks #3: The Avengers
Well, readers, we are back in the wonderful world of Marvel, as Stan Lee and his friends originally wrote it. Get ready for a jaunt into the Marvelous, original mainstream Marvel Universe!!! Here is the review for Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers, Vol. 3!!
As with Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers, Vol. 2, this book contains a collection of original comics from the early 1960s. There are ten issues in this book in all – plus an introduction straight from Stan “The Man” Lee’s pen. The language in these comics is better, in some ways, than it is today.
Now when I say “the language is better,” I am not referring to these old comics’ lack of profanity. That is certainly a point in these stories’ favor, but it is not the main point. What I mean is that the vocabulary used by the characters herein is wider and makes allusions to the classics. This means that the characters not only convey precisely what they mean to each other, and thereby to the readers; it also allows them to give the readers lessons in world history, myth, etc.
Yes, there is a great deal of contemporary slang in the stories in this book. But there is a great deal of contemporary slang in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, too, and only a few boneheads want to complain about that. The comics are not perfect, but they are better in several respects than today’s comics. The stories in this volume are real stories, the characters are really who and what they look like, and the artistry is well-done.
Is it quite as good as today’s artistry? Allow me to answer that with a question. Are comic books about art, or are they about story? Illustrations for a comic book should be high quality, of course. But if the art is the only thing in the comic book which is good, then the comic book is not worth very much, other than as a tableau showing off the artist’s talent.
The writers of the modern comics are more focused on the fleeting fads of the world than on good storytelling. The artists for the comics want to make a splash rather than help to tell a good story. The parts are all trying to get the credit for the same cake, and in the process they are destroying the recipe. This means that the finished product comes out looking more than a little unappetizing.
So, readers, we have to read these old stories. We have to learn the recipes in this volume. Because when the wannabes are finally driven from the kitchen, guess who is going to have to come in and clean up the mess. That is right – we are. And if we do not know how to bake the cakes, then we are going to make messes as big as this one which is about to blow up in Marvel’s collective face.
Below is a description of the comics that can be found in this Masterworks volume. Some details are missing, but that is intentional. A lot is getting mentioned here in order to whet your appetite for the main course. For those who would rather not do anything other than smell the aroma of the bread, then you had better stop reading right…now. Because, without further ado, here is the description I promised –
WARNING: Spoilers follow!!!
In this volume, you will watch as Captain America and his “new Avengers” – Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch – are handed their first defeat. Tricked into damaging property by the Enchantress and accused of trying to elbow out the newest hero on the block, Power Man, the Avengers are forced to disband. And the ever-antagonistic Hawkeye is only too willing to lay the blame on Captain America!
However, Steve Rogers is not ready to let the Avengers’ torch gutter and die. While his team searches for new, legit work, he sets out to prove they were set up in “The Road Back!” He succeeds, naturally, and the Avengers are reinstated as heroes. But the team is rocked by another surprise when Cap throws in the towel and strikes out on his own!
Following this catastrophe, Hawkeye finds that leading a team is not as easy as he thought it would be. Wanda misses Cap’s presence along with Quicksilver. Even Hawkeye privately admits that he regrets Cap jettisoning free of the team – especially as the twins prove they are not that easy to order around.
Meanwhile, having found work training a boxer, Cap is making a living on his own for the first time since awakening from the ice. He likes the work but soon discovers that he cannot close his eyes without seeing his team. He misses them as much as they miss him.
Unknown to our four heroes, they are being watched. From his domain in the far future, Kang the Conqueror decides that the Avengers are finally vulnerable to his revenge! He kidnaps Hawkeye, Pietro, and Wanda to the 30th century and holds them captive…
But Kang has an audience besides us, for once. He is in the last remaining kingdom which he does not rule. No, this little postage-stamp nation is run by Princess Ravonna and her father. Both consider Kang to be evil and they despise him, Ravonna making no secret of the depth of her contempt for the Conqueror. Kang, though he rants against her, admits that he is unwilling to destroy the kingdom – because Ravonna has conquered his heart without half-trying!
Hearing on the radio about the Avengers’ disappearance, Cap makes tracks for the Mansion. Discovering that Kang is responsible for his friends’ abduction, he challenges the 30th century genius to transport him to the future as well. With Ravonna watching, Kang is only too happy to oblige…
And from here, it is all-out war, as Kang finally decides that he will take Ravonna and her kingdom by force!
After their adventure in the 30th century, the Avengers are lured to Latveria in the issue entitled “Enter…Dr. Doom!” Eager to challenge the Fantastic Four again, Doom wants a trial run before he squares off with Reed Richards and his family. He gets more exercise than he was bargaining on when the Avengers prove to be as mighty as the Four – maybe even mightier!
Next ish, the Avengers receive a distress call from founding member the Wasp. She tells them that Attuma has captured her and plans to destroy the surface world. He has built a machine which will induce tremors in the earth, causing tsunamis and floods which will destroy the human world. Once that is done, the Ghengis Khan of the undersea world plans to march onto what was once dry land to claim it as his own!
This plan goes about as well as you would expect. The Avengers whip Attuma, destroy his machine, and set him back several thousand sea-dollars, only to arrive home to another crisis. This one again involves the Wasp, who made it to the Mansion but has since disappeared!
Unable to stand losing her, Hank Pym returns to active duty on the team, taking the name “Goliath” in order to help find the love of his life. The Avengers soon meet with Wasp’s abductor: Tanaleer Tivan. Better known to most as “The Collector,” he captured the Beetle and decided he wanted a superhero team for his collection as well. His target: the Avengers!
The team breaks out of this problem and hits another snag. In rescuing the Wasp, Pym stayed giant-size too long. Now he is trapped at ten feet tall – and hating every minute of it.
Things go from difficult to worse in no time. Hawkeye is over-the-moon ecstatic when Cap tells him SHIELD has heard that Black Widow is alive and is returning to the U.S. He then gets angry when Steve points out that the Communists would only release her if they had managed to brainwash her again.
Unwilling to forget his love for Natasha, Hawkeye leaves the Mansion to find her. He does indeed meet up with the Black Widow – plus Power Man and the Swordsman! Natasha then reveals that she has been put back under the Reds’ control, and she wants Hawkeye to rejoin her in their service.
Well, Hawkeye still cares about Natasha, but he is not willing to join the Commies for her. Luckily, Cap was afraid the whole thing was a trap and dispatched Wasp to monitor the situation. She speeds back to the Mansion, but does not return until everyone else is captured. Only she and Goliath are still free to fight…
The last story sees Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch taking a leave of absence from the Avengers. Also, with Cap’s permission, Hawkeye takes on Widow and her stooges solo. He manages to best the Swordsman, his old mentor, but Power Man is not going to be nearly as easy to defeat….
Meanwhile, Hank Pym is desperately searching for a way to return to normal size. Hearing about an old colleague who has disappeared in South America, he heads there to find him in the hopes that the man can help reverse his condition. Instead, he finds a “Frenzy in a Far-Off Land!” ready and waiting to jump him!
Readers, I hope I have not spoiled these stories too much for you. I know they are “retro” and probably of interest to very few of you. With Marvel’s recent alterations, which they are hailing as the new Modern, most of you probably do not care to learn where the heroes we have seen on the big screen for the last decade and a half started.
But I believe that we need these stories now more than ever. Yes, they are kooky and silly, with a dash of weird in the bargain. They will not appeal to everyone; least of all will they appeal to Marvel’s blind Hierarchy of Seneschals.
Still, they are the germ of the stories we have now. Without them we would not have Chris Evans playing Captain America, or Robert Downey Jr. doing a bang-up job as Tony Stark. The cast of the films owe their careers to these characters, and to forget where these fictional heroes came from is just plain bad. It means we are forgetting ourselves with them. If our memory only goes as far back as yesterday, we will never be able to make a future.
Marvel is so determined to build a shiny “modern” future that it is rewriting its past, and not in a healthy way. The bosses at Marvel can make whatever changes they want. But in the end, they cannot change the past. They cannot change us. And that will be their undoing, not ours.
If we forget, however – if we allow what we have learned and remember to be wiped away – then we will be undone. By learning where Marvel came from, the company can one day be cleaned up and put back on the road to goodness and then greatness. This book will help us in that.
If we let it…
Avengers Assemble!
This entry was posted in Book Reviews, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories and tagged "mainstream" Marvel Universe, Ant-Man/Hank Pym, Book Reviews, books, Captain America, Captain America/Steve Rogers, comic books, comics, Goliath, Hawkeye, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, Marvel fans, Marvel Female Superheroes, Marvel films, Marvel Masterworks, marvel tv shows, protagonist girl characters marvel, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Scarlet Witch, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Stan Lee, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Scarlet Witch, The Wasp, Thor, Thor Odinson, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne on September 15, 2016 by The Mithril Guardian.
Book Review: Marvel Masterworks #2: The Avengers
Come on, readers – you knew it had to happen at some point! I am a Marvel fan. Of course I would get around to acquiring a Marvel book!
Actually, I have several. 🙂 The particular book which I am describing here, Marvel Masterworks #2: The Avengers, is one of my favorites. Marvel Masterworks are books which contain a certain number of original comic book stories within them. And in this case when I say original, I mean original! Marvel Masterworks #2: The Avengers contains ten stories – issues 11 through 20 – of the Avengers’ first adventures from 1964-65.
WARNING: MAJOR spoilers ahead!!! Read on at your own risk!
Inside this volume, true believers, you will find – Captain America! The Invincible Armored Iron Man! The Mighty Thor! Ant-Man and the Wasp! All in their original costumes and settings, with the quirky tools and fantastic adventures that could only be dreamed up by Stan Lee and his friends during the early 1960s!
Yeah, I just borrowed Stan Lee’s introductory style of the time. So what? 🙂
Okay, so the first story is issue eleven of the Avengers, or The Avengers #11, December 1964: “The Mighty Avengers Meet Spider-Man!” A sinister enemy watches the team from the far future. Kang the Conqueror, still smarting from his last defeat at the hands of the Avengers, is determined to have his revenge. But how shall he get it?!
Painstakingly, he searches the past for someone – anyone – who would be powerful enough to defeat our heroes. Finding such a person, he makes a robot duplicate and sends it back in time to fight the Avengers who have to deal with the confusing situation of a nefarious duplicate of the good guy they know. Who is the robot a duplicate of, you ask? None other than our friendly neighborhood webslinger, Spider-Man!
The next story is “This Hostage Earth!”, and we see on the first page that Ant-Man is greatly agitated. His ants are telling him that someone below ground is trying to destroy the Earth! However, none of the other Avengers take his warning seriously. He is upset because the ants are telling him something is wrong?! How silly!
Even Wasp and Cap do not listen to Hank. In an angry huff, Ant-Man shrinks down to investigate the matter himself –
And finds Mole Man has a created a machine which will induce tremors on the Earth’s surface. If the governments above do not heed his demands, Mole Man will make the surface world uninhabitable!
Next ish (ish is short for issue, non-comic readers 😉 ), we find our heroes lured into a trap by Count Nefaria. The villainous count is more than a little miffed that the team has been ruining his Maggia operations stateside. As part of the plan, Nefaria frames the Avengers as power-hungry tyrants who want to take control of the world! The team manages to stop him and clear their names but, in the process, Wasp is injured and left on the brink of death!
In “Even Avengers Can Die!”, the team races against time to find the one doctor on Earth who can save their only female teammate. They are truly desperate; even the Mighty Thor. This is because even his mortal alter ego, Dr. Don Blake, magnificent physician that he is, does not have the expertise to save her!
Then, in issue #15, Baron Zemo and his Masters of Evil – the Enchantress, the Executioner, the Melter, and the Black Knight – spring a trap on the team. Kidnapping Rick Jones, Zemo lures Captain America to his South American base while the rest of the Avengers remain behind to fight the Masters. Then, in “The Old Order Changeth!”, Cap and Rick Jones work their way back to the States. In the meantime, Thor goes back to Asgard for a “Trial of the Gods.” After he leaves, Iron Man, Wasp, and Giant-Man realize they are plum tuckered out. They need a break from Avenging or they will be wrecks by the end of the year!
So they call for new heroes to step up and take their places on the team. Many apply but only three are chosen: Hawkeye, a former enemy of Iron Man, is chosen to join the team. Not long after, twins Pietro and Wanda Maximoff are accepted as members of the team. Once enemies of the X-Men, the siblings known as Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch now seek redemption as part of the Mighty Avengers!
In “Four Against The Minotaur!” Cap and his new teammates head out to the desert to find the Hulk in an attempt to build up their strength. Cap learns some of the limits and characteristics of his new recruits along the way. He has little trouble managing the twins but finds Hawkeye mouthy and as hard to control as an unbroken bronco. Despite this, Cap feels Hawkeye will make a splendid Avenger – once his rough edges are smoothed over! Meanwhile, in a separate part of the desert, Bruce Banner appears to die after a fight with the Leader.
The next ish shows us the fictional communist country of Sin-Cong, which is run by a ruthless Commissar. In a plot to show how strong the Commissar is, the Communists lure the Avengers to Sin-Cong for a “demonstration.” Trying to get a job with SHIELD, Cap is eager to answer the call – as is the ever-belligerent Hawkeye. Soon the Avengers are fighting the Commissar. But all is not as it seems and when the “weakest” Avenger, Wanda Maximoff, goes up against him, the Commissar gets more than he bargained for!
The last two issues in the book introduce us to the Swordsman, Hawkeye’s former mentor. Arriving one day at Tony Stark’s mansion – which is on loan to the Avengers – the Swordsman is greeted, ah, “warmly” by the Maximoff twins. The man escapes after a furious Cap reveals the Swordsman is wanted in a number of countries for theft!
But Cap has something else on his mind, too. He has applied to SHIELD, but Fury has not yet answered his letter, and he does not understand why. What Cap does not know is that his letter is on a desk in a decoy office Fury set up for HYDRA to watch. The director of SHIELD has not even laid his eye on the letter! (How it ended up in the decoy office is another mystery, readers!!!!)
Sadly, the note makes its way to the Swordsman, who uses it to trap Steve. Things get hairy when Cap’s three young friends track the two down, but the New Avengers are equal to the task and the Swordsman’s plot is foiled. Then the Mandarin takes a hand in the matter, and manages to get the thief accepted by the Avengers through some masterful trickery. But the Swordsman is only there to plant a bomb in their headquarters, to be detonated remotely by the Mandarin when Iron Man (the Mandarin’s arch-enemy) returns to the team!
However, the Mandarin eventually decides he is tired of waiting and tells the Swordsman he will be activating the bomb ahead of schedule. The scoundrel has to make a choice: leave the Avengers to die, or save them – even if doing so incurs the wrath of the deadly Mandarin!
I would say that issues 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and 20 are my favorite stories in this book. All the comics in this book are, to those of us born in this late age, rather kooky and silly at first, second, and even third glance.
Perhaps that is not a bad thing, and I do not think I should cast aspersions on the past. If anything, this difference in eras shows not only how far we have come (or fallen, as the case may be), but how much our current storytelling in Marvel Comics has declined. Sure, we can tell great stories without resorting to fancy “image projectors” or suspended animation tricks and such things as we find in these stories…
But the modern stories in Marvel Comics lack the cheerfulness, flair, and optimism which characterize the company’s older stories in copious, startling amounts. The old stories are positive, chipper, and see the future as a bright road leading to a better tomorrow. The new stories – not so much.
As a last note, one of the things about “Even Avengers Can Die!” that I love is on the end page. There, the Watcher comments that many men have prayed for the Wasp’s recovery, adding that “the power of prayer is still the greatest ever known” in the universe. And the end caption for the last panel on the page in this issue adds, “Let us now leave the Avengers! Strong men should not be seen with tears in their eyes! Nor should they be disturbed as they lift their faces heavenward, in solemn, grateful thanksgiving!”
I really, REALLY miss those kinds of statements – not only in our modern comics, but in all our current stories. This is what makes “Even Avengers Can Die!” one of my favorite original comics in the book.
Readers, if you someday decide it is worth a look, I hope you enjoy this volume of original comics as much as I do. And if you are totally uninterested not only in this book but in Marvel Comics in general, well, I hope you found at least a little happiness and sunlight in this post. That will satisfy me as much as anything else would.
This entry was posted in Book Reviews, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories and tagged 1960s, Ant-Man/Hank Pym, Baron Zemo, Book Reviews, books, Captain America/Steve Rogers, comic books, Count Nefaria, Don Heck, Donald Blake, Giant-Man/Hank Pym, Hawkeye, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Hulk/Bruce Banner, HYDRA, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Kang the Conqueror, Marvel, Marvel Comics, Marvel Comics' Characters and Stories, Mole Man, Nick Fury, Peter Parker/Spider-Man, prayer, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Rick Jones, Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff, SHIELD, Spider-Man, Stan Lee, the Mandarin, The Swordsman, The Wasp, Thor, Thor Odinson, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, X-Men on April 29, 2016 by The Mithril Guardian.
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Sub Projects
DigTib
AIEB
The Current State of the TIB
Timothy E. Gregory, Review of TIB 1, Speculum
Late Roman Bridge, Northern Greece (TIB 11, P. Soustal, M. Popović, 2004)
Jean-Michel Thierry, Review of TIB 2, Byzantinische Zeitschrift
Byzantine Castle of Lentiana and Ottoman Külliye (K. Belke, TIB 13, 2007)
Hans Ditten, Review of TIB 3, Byzantinoslavica
Sardis West of Modern Salihli, Lydia (TIB 14, A. Külzer, 2013)
Klaus-Peter Matschke, Review of TIB 4, Deutsche Literaturzeitung
Ottoman Bridge called Kadin Most in Nevestino, Bulgaria (TIB 16, M. Popović, 2007)
Valerij P. Stepanenko, Review of TIB 5, Vizantijskij Vremennik
The Old Town of Budva, Montenegro (TIB 17, M. Popović, 2016)
Krasimira Gagova, Review of TIB 6, Bulgarian Historical Review
Kaunos and its Marshy Harbour (TIB 8 und TIB 18, F. Hild, 1994)
THE LONG-TERM PROJECT TABULA IMPERII BYZANTINI (TIB)
Research on the Historical Geography of the Byzantine Empire at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna is conducted by the Tabula Imperii Byzantini (TIB). This renowned project was accepted by the Union Académique Internationale in Brussels in 2015 (Project 87), and at the same time included into the scheme of Long-Term-Projects at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, based on independent excellent international evaluations. The TIB carries out systematic research in the historical geography of the Byzantine Empire, from the beginning of the 4th century to the mid-15th century. The aim of the project is to create a historical atlas of the Byzantine space from Late Antiquity to the Early Modern period.
Individual regions are represented on maps on a scale of 1 : 800,000. A separate accompanying volume provides the results of further research in each region. Each volume contains detailed introductory chapters on geography and climate, borders and territorial designations, history, administrative history, church history and monasticism, traffic routes, economy and demographic trends. The main part of each volume consists of an alphabetical catalogue of all toponyms, hydronyms etc. that were known in Byzantine times. Also included are the historical places, whose historical names are unknown, but for whose existence there is (or there was) archaeological evidence. Written sources (from Late Antiquity to Early Modern Times) and archaeological materials elucidate the history of individual places, along with brief descriptions of monuments, both those that are known to have existed and those that are still preserved. The aforesaid results are enriched by systematic field research in order to verify, modify or complete the information of the sources.
Since 1986 new methods have been included into the scholarly work of the TIB, namely: studies of Palaeo-climate and settlement theories (for example the modified "Central Place Theory"), as well as the regular use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) during field missions and surveys. Digital Humanities, e.g. in the form of Historical Geographical Information Systems (HGIS), further contribute to the analysis and interpretation of the research data.
Tib Map Application
Our TIB Mapviewer (Web Application) is online!
Please feel free to browse and test it! It features selected data from the TIB Balkans deriving from its sub-projects and is work in progress. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact: Mihailo.Popovic@oeaw.ac.at
https://data1.geo.univie.ac.at/projects/tibapp
Ljubomir Maksimović will speak at the 3rd HistGeo Lecture in Vienna on "Byzanz verstehen – und der Fall des (mittelalterlichen) Serbien".
Andreas Külzer will participate in the International Workshop "North Meets East V", Hamburg, 23–25 October 2019. He will speak about "Von erstaunlichen und weniger erstaunlichen Lagen: die Küste Westanatoliens und Ihre Häfen in Portulanen und Seekarten des 13. bis 15. Jahrhunderts."
Contact/Impressum:
Austrian Academy of Sciences
Institute for Medieval Research
Division of Byzantine Research
Hollandstraße 11-13
1020 Vienna, Austria, Europe
+43(1)51581 - 3444
tib@oeaw.ac.at
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Google+ opens to businesses
12 Nov 2011 • 1 min read
[](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7gitWNipuL4/Tr60SHVpB6I/AAAAAAAAAMU/aBYqe_1rg3M/s1600/qwi.jpg)
Google Inc’s new social networking service has opened its doors to businesses to create special webpages, a move that could entice visitors to spend more time on the website and help Google match the offerings of rival Facebook. The so-called Google+ Pages allow corporate brands and businesses to set up a special page within Google’s social networking service. Google said that 20 businesses, including Toyota, Pepsi and retailer Macy’s, have set up special pages on the Google+ social network, and that any organization will soon be able to join as well.
Until now, only individual users have been able to sign up for Google+. Businesses are increasingly using online social services, such as Facebook, to reach new customers and to cement relationships with loyal customers through special offers and promotions.
Google, the world’s No. 1 search engine, has signed up more than 40 million users on Google+ since it introduced the service in late June. But Facebook dominates the social networking market with more than 750 million users.
The new Google+ business pages will be accessible from Google’s Web search engine, as well as from within the Google+ social networking service. Google said on Monday that users who type the plus symbol in front of a business’ name, such as “+Pepsi,” when conducting a search on its search engine, will be directly connected to the business’ special Google+ page.
Google said this so-called “direct connect” feature is currently available for a limited number of pages, but that “many more are coming.”
Adobe Admits: Apple Won, Flash For Mobile is Done, HTML5 is the Future
Adobe developer relations lead Mike Chambers has posted a lengthy explanation of why the company decided stop development of the mobile browser version of Flash. The response comes as the health of the entire Flash ecosystem is in doubt. Adobe announced that Flash Player
Pankaj 14 Nov 2011 • 2 min read Last updated on 17 Jun 2019 • 2 min read
Microsoft software bug linked to "Duqu" virus
[](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CAcy0_qwVWA/TrnrQVR0xhI/AAAAAAAAAMM/tn0XVF1SITA/s1600/microsoft_2.jpg)Microsoft Corp said hackers exploited a previously unknown bug in its Windows operating system to infect
Pankaj 9 Nov 2011 • 1 min read Last updated on 18 Aug 2018 • 1 min read
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Scott Lewis / Flickr
Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Amazon will expand its Georgia presence by launching a new fulfillment center in Newnan. Jan. 18, 4:02 PM
Christy Barker, director of educational programs at the Biblical History Center in LaGrange, spoke at the Newnan Carnegie Library about archeological digs in Israel. Jan. 18, 1:24 AM
Cynthia Lourie, an occupational therapist at EnABLE Home Solutions LLC, spoke with the Newnan Parkinson’s Support Group on fall prevention and home safety. Jan. 18, 1:21 AM
During its work session on Monday night, Grantville Mayor Doug Jewell announced the city council will hold an election for the city’s mayor pro tem at its Jan. 23 meeting. Jan. 18, 1:19 AM
When Newnan resident Joe Mezzatesta turned 40, he wanted a hobby that was meaningful. Jan. 18, 1:16 AM
The Coweta Board of Environmental Health inspects all Coweta restaurants, schools and businesses that serve food several times each year. Jan. 18, 1:14 AM
Alleged abuse of special needs students investigated
Two employees who accused each other of mistreating special education students have been placed on administrative leave while the allegations are being investigated. Jan. 18, 3:54 PM
Arbor Springs Elementary School fifth-grade students showed the Coweta County Board of Education what they have learned about circuits at their monthly meeting Tuesday. Jan. 17, 2:43 PM
A Newnan attorney and mother says the significance of having a woman of color serve as mayor pro tem should not be underestimated. Jan. 17, 5:54 PM
The deadline to apply for superintendent of the Coweta County School System is Feb. 4. Jan. 17, 5:58 PM
The Cancer Treatment Centers of America is offering a free six-week support group for children whose parents or grandparents are fighting cancer. Jan. 17, 9:05 PM
City of Newnan officials held two public meetings last week to receive input on the proposed sports and entertainment district. Jan. 17, 9:08 PM
Work on the addition at the Nixon Centre has slowed due to the rainy weather over the last few weeks. Jan. 17, 9:11 PM
The drop-in meeting will be at the Peachtree City Library from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 17, 9:05 PM
Court: Part of 'Obamacare' invalid, more review needed
a federal appeals court ruled that the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that Americans carry health insurance is unconstitutional.
Report slams Georgia spending against tobacco as inadequate
Tobacco industry backs raising purchasing age
CTCA nurses receive prestigious DAISY Award
Red icon warns consumers of nursing homes with abuse records
Flu activity is extremely high in Georgia
A burning need to create
Fire may draw a crowd, but firefighter Jim Murphy can paint one.
Newnan native receives "Outstanding Civic Service Leadership" award
Eagle Scouts to be recognized at FUMC this weekend
Life through a different lens
Christmas program delivers joy to captive audience
‘We've come a long way, baby’
Thank you, readers
You are the future of newspapers
The Newnan Times-Herald announces single-rate copy increase
Profits or Constituents
Small business owners deserve unequivocal support from elected officials
Ferguson Cast a Pro-Russia Vote
Hamman wins Coweta County Spelling Bee
It was “camouflage” and “embroidery” for the win as Lee Middle School’s Chase Hamman claimed the Coweta County Spelling Bee title Thursday.
2019-20 Honor Rolls - Second Term
Dual enrollment ‘Option B’ info session Jan. 29
Divine Nine Leadership Program participants study government
Poverty, health issues can limit student success
PBS KIDS Writers Contest open to grades K-3
Alex McRae
Words matter. And a single word is the reason I’ve backed away from one of today’s hottest health fads.
Miss Pearl
Ask Miss Pearl
“Miss Pearl,” aka Colleen Sprayberry, is one of Newnan's leading authorities on modern etiquette. Jan. 16, 12:48 PM
Toby Nix
Circumstances and conclusions
According to my internet search, “serendipity” is defined as “the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.” Jan. 17, 7:20 PM
W.J. Butcher
Unite through the narrow gate
Perhaps a little meddlin’ keeps us between the lines. Jan. 14, 6:44 PM
John A. Tures
Is Mohammed Really A Top Ten Boy’s Name In America And Europe?
This is evidence once again of another viral story, designed to elicit an emotional response. Jan. 13, 3:59 PM
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Apple preps iPad Apple Card app for August launch, ends Barclays rewards
Jeremy Horwitz@horwitz August 2, 2019 6:53 AM
Apple's titanium Apple Card.
Image Credit: Apple
Now that the Apple Card‘s launch is officially imminent — coming in August, as confirmed this week by Apple CEO Tim Cook — the company is reportedly planning to quickly address one of the credit card’s most obvious shortcomings: its dependence on an iPhone. While Apple executives proudly touted the Card’s iPhone-based sign-up and credit management process at an event in March, they didn’t say how those processes would work on other devices.
For the iPad, Bloomberg reports that the answer is a standalone Apple Card app, which will make up for the fact that Apple’s tablets don’t have the multi-card-managing Wallet app found on iPhones. References to the Apple Card app have been spotted hidden within beta versions of iOS 12.4, and newly released terms and conditions specify that the Card account requires either an iOS or iPadOS device, pointing to near-term availability of the standalone iPad software.
The standalone app is likely to include quite a few features, beyond allowing iPad users to sign up for the Card. Apple’s official web pages for Apple Card depict a robust collection of iPhone tools for visualizing and managing credit card spending, a dial-based payment calculator, and payment scheduling features. Full OS-level integration with Maps and notifications means individual transactions can be identified by location and alerts sent for both common and “unusual activity” transactions, all features that would logically be available to iPad users, as well.
As the company prepares to spin up Apple Card services, it’s also winding down rewards for its prior offering with Barclays, which included a $50 Apple gift card as a new customer signing bonus and three points per dollar spent, redeemable for Apple merchandise. Both of those bonuses have ended, giving Apple fans reasons to prefer the upcoming Apple Card instead.
The Apple Card is promising Daily Cash, an automatic 3% rebate on Apple Store purchases with 2% or 1% rebates from other vendors, depending on how the card is used. Additionally, the Card will enable some customers to sign up for financing plans for certain purchases — a prior Barclay benefit — and to carry a revolving balance.
Thus far, Apple and new partner Goldman Sachs haven’t announced any sign-up bonuses for the Apple Card, which is expected to see significant early interest due to the iPhone integration and promises of payment convenience, as well as relaxed credit-worthiness standards. Full support for the Card is believed to be baked into iOS 12.4, which was officially released on July 22 ahead of the new service’s launch.
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3 Ways My Long-Distance Relationship Is Preparing Me for Marriage
Being apart sucks, but sometimes it can bring you closer than ever.
Gabriella Patti
I love plans and order and for everything to fall into place at the “right” time. But I’ve learned, much to my surprise and delight, that you can’t always choose the timing for when you meet the right person.
I met my boyfriend at the end of my first year of college. I was heading to Washington D.C. for a summer internship; he was heading to Chile to work and study Spanish. Putting our fear of long distance romantic misery aside, we decided to take a risk and date anyway. From the get-go, we committed to 7 months of living in different places and, as with many ambitious pairs, we have done more long distance since. All combined, we've been apart a full year over the course of our three years together. That means that for 12 months we have grown as a couple through Skype, different time zones, and completely different lives.
At first glance our situation may seem less than ideal, but I am grateful for our sometimes-LDR because it has equipped us with the skills we need to go the distance—to get to marriage. The lessons we learned from afar are numerous, but here are three that I believe will play a dominate role in our future life together.
01. All that talk turned into deeper emotional intimacy
On numerous occasions, I can recall my mom telling me that my dad was her soft place to land. It was my parents' strong friendship that allowed them to be vulnerable. For my boyfriend and I, all those FaceTime chats and emails allowed us to grow in this type of emotional intimacy, rather than falling into the trap of making physical intimacy our default.
Ellie Lisitsa at The Gottman Institute discusses the concept of emotional attraction as being attracted to your partners heart, mind, and dreams and valuing them for who they are what they believe. "While you may be sexually attracted to your partner’s physical appearance, developing deeper emotional attraction will make these feelings much stronger," says Lisitsa. Marriage expert Dr. John Gottman explains that regular conversation and lots of questions helps you explore your partner's love map, their interior life made up of all their hopes and dreams. Our love maps are always evolving, and questions and quality conversation keeps us updated on every new twist and turn.
Lisitsa explains that emotional attraction to your partner is in large part determined by how you communicate. "Emotional attraction (and transitively, sexual attraction) grows when you feel your partner is listening to you, respecting and accepting your perspective, and expressing genuine care," Lisitsa said. Thanks to our LDR, my boyfriend and I have strong emotional attraction. We want to hear about each other's boring days, or be the first person we turn to when we want advice, or as my mom puts it, a soft place to land. I think that's a pretty good place to start a lifetime together.
02. All that confusion led to good communication.
One thing people dread the most about long distance is all that inevitable confusion and miscommunication over little things that, if you were in person, would have been a non-issue. I never realized that healthy communication was something I needed to improve until my relationship presented the challenge of being primarily held over Skype and text. There was no room in our relationship for my assumptions and silently hurt feelings. I had to learn how to effectively tell him what I meant, felt, and wanted. In fact, certified Gottman therapist Zach Brittle says that learning to tell your partner what you want is one of the most important things to learn before you get married.
Communication from hundreds of miles apart can be messy, but long distance taught me how to be attuned to his emotions and feelings without the benefit of being physically in the same place. I was forced to be better at texting and to fully use my words because actions and body language were not always there. Furthermore, we relearned the art of the conversation. We learned to take time to talk about the important serious issues, but would also tell each other the seemingly unimportant anecdotes from our day or our silliest of thoughts.
03. The lack of date nights inspired commitment to quality time.
One of the hardest things to adjust to was how to make real time for one another. We realized early on that we couldn’t coast through long distance relationship without being intentional about our time. This might be one of the most difficult parts of long distance, because simple logistics often make it hard to stay in touch.
From the beginning of our relationship, we committed to having a date night every Friday. In our blossoming LDR romance, we didn't have the opportunity to try a new restaurant or go to a live concert. Instead, we got creative; we took online quizzes at the same time and would share our results; we would both buy the same food and “eat dinner” together; we watched movies in tandem while on Skype, and got competitive with the games on our phones. Even if we did these activities during other nights of the week, we both knew that Friday was special, and set aside for the purpose of just being with one another.
How is this preparing me for marriage someday? Bill Doherty, professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Minnesota, says that a big part of staying happy in marriage is being intentional about not taking one another for granted. Verily contributor Peter McFadden says that making time for daily undistracted communication helped save his own marriage. In fact, almost every night, my own parents sit down over homemade cocktails and talk about their days. Even if it is short, this time is valuable; it has kept them on the same page.
This shared commitment to quality time helped us to learn new things about one another and gave us opportunities to continue to fall in love with each other. It's a habit we cultivated dating long distance and one I know we will continue to prioritize in the daily grind of married life too.
Photo Credit: Britt Rene Photography
Marriage PrepLong Distance Relationships
5 Ways Long-Distance Dating Can Be Great Preparation for Marriage
Yes, being apart sucks, but some of the challenges can make your relationship stronger.
By Sarah Reynolds
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Long-Distance Love
He sounds too good to be true? Look twice.
By Hana Mikkelsen
Announcing My Engagement on Facebook Taught Me Something Important About Marriage
This was so much more than just an avalanche of emojis.
By Monica Gabriel Marshall
The 6 Phases of a Long-Distance Relationship and How to Survive Them All
Take heart! This is just a phase.
By Kate Zickel
Dating Unscripted
How All Relationships Prepare Us For Marriage
Love is learned in romantic and non-romantic relationships.
By Marissa Mullins
Helpful Strategies For Staying Close in a Long Distance Relationship
Regardless of your proximity now, everyone’s relationships will go long-distance at some point.
By Megan Geraghty
3 Myths About Marriage I Honestly Believed
Don’t let these little sayings fool you.
These Long-Distance Relationship Problems Don’t Always Matter as Much as You Think
By Chloe Mooradian
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Village Portland @ Lents
neighborhood news & community engagement
Tonight’s LNA election
September 27, 2016 Andrew Wilkins
A possible upside to the controversy surrounding camps along the Springwater Corridor and Lents Neighborhood Association board: more neighbors are stepping up to serve.
This election is the first time in recent memory that there are multiple candidates for a single position, according to the Lents Neighborhood Association official Facebook page.
Big issues impacting Lents mentioned by candidates and brought up online are: growth / zoning; transportation; how to handle other /future homeless camps in Lents; whether Lents will be the home to new sanctioned homeless camps; and transparency and inclusion online and in meetings.
You have to be present to vote, and the elections will be held at the Lents Seventh Day Adventist Church (8835 SE Woodstock), Tuesday, Sept. 27th @ 7 pm. To vote, you must live, own a business, or run a non-profit in the neighborhood (Lents boundaries).
Jennifer Young, nominations committee chair, reached out to all the candidates for bios. (They can be found on the LNA Facebook page under Visitor Posts in the right column, sixth box from the top.) She wrote that if a candidate if a bio wasn’t included they either declined to participate or didn’t respond.
Nominees for LNA Board positions:
Vice Chair: Michael Collins, Amir Alexander Assasnik
Public Safety: Robert Shultz
Land Use: Cora Potter, Kyle Kuhn
Secretary: Joanne Rees (Luchini)
Treasurer: Ray Hites
At Large: Krista Dennis, Dominique Price, Evelyn O’Connor,
Autumn West, Jennifer Young
Young, who is also running for an at-large seat, said she and other neighbors are concerned that while ballots will be issued at the beginning of the meeting, candidates introductions (and nominations for write-in candidates) won’t be until later in the meeting.
Young said she’d rather have candidate introductions and floor nominations at the beginning of the meeting.
She and other neighbors also were upset Randy Schroeder, a candidate for Public Safety Chair, was left off the official ballot and the agenda wasn’t published with sufficient notice which she says is one week.
She said LNA Chair Judy Low (whose seat isn’t up for re-election) hasn’t been responding to questions about the election, and that some neighbors are organizing to remove her as chair. I also reached out to Low last week to talk about the election, but she didn’t respond.
Young had a lot more to say about why she is running and what she wants to do, but I only included her comments about what she sees as problems with the election process, speaking as the nominations chair.
Each Portland neighborhood association is its own independent non-profit organization that writes its own election rules, said Brian Hoop, ONI Community & Neighborhood Involvement Center program manager, but the City provides support and technical assistance through the Office of Neighborhood Involvement.
Homeless residents of Lents do have the right to participate in the board elections, according to Hoop, a decision based on a consensus of neighborhood coalition leadership. Residents without proof of residency will simply have to attest in writing that they are a resident of Lents, a policy confirmed by tonight’s meeting agenda.
ONI’s Paul Leistner will attend the meeting to outline the role of neighborhood organizations and answer any questions, Hoop said.
Hoop said that while publishing the meeting’s agenda late might not adhere to ONI’s best practices, after a reading of the rules, he said it wouldn’t qualify as grounds to invalidate the election.
According to the bylaws, terms for board members is two years.
Change is most definitely coming to Lents, especially with Portland’s population growth and new Comprehensive Plan now completed. The City looks to its NAs to provide guidance on all kinds of issues, and hopefully the engagement of Lents neighbors will continue— even when the election is completed and the citywide spotlight has moved on.
← The City of Portland’s crime reporting blackout
Last night’s LNA election results →
2 thoughts on “Tonight’s LNA election”
High School Lackey says:
Biased much?
andrewtaylorwilkins says:
Not at all. Can you try a little harder to make your point?
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License Changes Mean More TFS 2015 Feature Flexibility
Changes in licensing allows anyone with the basic CAL to get access to features that were available only to premium subscribers.
By Michael Domingo
Team Foundation Server 2015 wasn't released with the rest of the products earlier this week, but there have been a few developments on TFS as it makes its way to being feature complete. Earlier this week, Microsoft's Brian Harry blogged about some of the licensing changes that affect the types of services that will be made available.
For one, there have been changes to specific Agile Project Management features -- agile planning, chart authoring, team rooms, and the Web-based test experience from within the test hub -- that allow for those features to be used with a basic TFS CAL. "Many features that were only available if you purchased VS Premium with MSDN, VS Ultimate with MSDN or Test Professional with MSDN are now available in the TFS CAL," writes Harry.
The Visual Studio Test Professional Subscription licensing has also been tweaked, in which VS Online user can now use Test Professional for $60 per month. Harry wrote that user feedback showed some popularity for allowing users to get at Test Professionals "full set of testing capabilities, including lab management, rich data collectors." At some point, Harry wrote, the changes will filter down so users can take advantage of those testing features using on-premises TFS 2015.
Two non-licensing changes might also have some impact on TFS users. One is the integration of Team Explorer UI into the suite, which means it can no longer be used stand-alone. It has the potential to impact "non-developer users who want to use our Office integration capabilities," he wrote. "As such, in the TFS 2015 Update 1 timeframe, we will create a new installer that has just the Office integration and related components (without the Team Explorer VS shell). Until then, I'd recommend non-developers continue to use Team Explorer 2013."
The other new change is storyboarding, which will be added to TFS 2015 at Update 1; meanwhile, that feature is now available in Visual Studio 2015 Community Edition.
There are a number of other changes affecting TFS 2015 and VS 2015 that Harry details in his blog here.
You Tell 'Em, Readers: If you've read this far, know that Michael Domingo, Visual Studio Magazine Editor in Chief, is here to serve you, dear readers, and wants to get you the information you so richly deserve. What news, content, topics, issues do you want to see covered in Visual Studio Magazine? He's listening at mdomingo@1105media.com.
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Analysis of GitHub C# Code Reveals Most Popular NuGet Packages, Tabs vs. Spaces, More
By David Ramel
Perhaps answering the tabs-vs.-spaces indentation question forever, a developer has used Google's BigQuery analytics tool to investigate all things related to the C# programming language in GitHub's vast trove of open source code projects.
To get the most pressing question out of the way first: It's spaces over tabs by a wide margin.
Moving on to perhaps more practical findings, the most often used NuGet package is Newtonsoft.Json, used -- as the name suggests -- for working with JSON data. Some developers find it especially useful for wrestling with the results of a REST API call to get the returned JSON response in whatever format is needed, such as a string array to populate a ListView.
Those findings and many more were published last week by London-based C# jockey Matt Warren -- a Microsoft MVP who contributes to the BenchmarkDotNet project -- in a post titled "Analyzing C# code on GitHub with BigQuery."
[Click on image for larger view.] Top NuGet Packages (source: Matt Warren).
"Just over a year ago Google made all the open source code on GitHub available for querying within BigQuery and as if that wasn't enough you can run a terabyte of queries each month for free!" he said in last week's post.
"So in this post I am going to be looking at all the C# source code on GitHub and what we can find out from it. Handily a smaller, C# only, dataset has been made available (in BigQuery you are charged per byte read), called fh-bigquery:github_extracts.contents_net_cs and has:
5,885,933 unique '.cs' files
792,166,632 lines of code (LOC)
37.17 GB (37,174,783,891 bytes) of data
Which is a pretty comprehensive set of C# source code!"
Following are some of his findings.
Nearly 83 percent of files (4.6 million total -- those with more than 10 lines starting with a tab or a space) use spaces for indentation. This has been covered before, with a Stack Overflow analysis even resulting in the claim that developers who use spaces make more money than their tabbing brethren. A larger BigQuery analysis of even more GitHub code (way beyond just C#, to the tune of 1 billion files) also showed a developer preference for spaces.
Json.NET is the clear winner in the most-popular-NuGet package contest, found in an analysis of "packages.config" files with 104,808 entries. Newton.Json was first with a count of 45,055 entries, followed by Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure (16,022) and Microsoft.AspNet.Razor (15,109). In fact, after Newtonsoft, all other leading packages came from Microsoft until jQuery at No. 10 (10,646 entries).
The most prevalent "using" statement included at the top of a C# file (after weeding out those that come in automatically with every new project and are unlikely to be removed by many developers) is for using System.IO (a count of 407,848), followed by System.Collections (289,867) and System.Reflection (218,369). NUnit.Framework is No. 1 among those that aren't System, Microsoft or Windows namespaces, followed by UnityEngine and Xunit:
[Click on image for larger view.] Top Using Statements (that aren't System, Microsoft or Windows namespaces) (source: Matt Warren).
The most widely thrown Exception is ArgumentNullException (a count of 699,526), followed by ArgumentException (361,616) and NotImplementedException (340,361).
There are 218,643 files (out of 5,885,933) that have at least one usage of async or await in them.
90 percent of the repositories (with C# files) have 95 files or fewer. 95 percent have 170 files or fewer and 99 percent have 535 files or fewer.
The top three largest repositories, by number of C# files, are: https://github.com/xen2/mcs -- C# components of the Mono project -- (23,389 files); https://github.com/mater06/LEGOChimaOnlineReloaded -- server for LEGO Legends of Chima Online! -- (14,241); and https://github.com/Microsoft/referencesource -- .NET Reference Source -- (13051).
The most popular repository with C# code in it is, ironically, a Google repository: https://github.com/grpc/grpc, which contains code from different languages for using Google's gRCP library for its open source remote procedure call (RPC) system. With 11,075 stars and 237 files, it beat out https://github.com/dotnet/coreclr -- the .NET Core runtime, called CoreCLR -- (8,576 stars, 6,503 files) and https://github.com/dotnet/roslyn -- the .NET Compiler Platform -- (8,422 stars, 6,351 files).
Read Warren's post to find data on the most popular C# class names, most common file names, how many lines of code are in a typical C# file, preference for functional code (measuring use of Lambda operator) and more.
David Ramel is an editor and writer for Converge360.
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Myfp
Finding the 'meaning of life' may be key to staying healthy into old age
Alexandra Thompson
Elderly people with "purpose" tend to be healthier. [Photo: Getty]
Finding the “meaning of life” may be key to staying healthy into old age, research suggests.
Scientists from the University of California, San Diego, looked at more than 1,000 people between 21 and over 100 years old.
They found the over 60-year-olds with “purpose” were in better shape both physically and mentally.
Contentment in the way life has played out is thought to motivate elderly people to better look after themselves.
READ MORE: Tai chi could be the secret to staying fit into your nineties
The UK life expectancy was 79 for men and 82 for women in 2017, according to the Office for National Statistics.
While good health allows many to live well into their seventies and beyond, everything from heart disease and cancer to dementia and arthritis becomes more common with age.
The scientists set out to uncover whether finding the meaning of life could affect wellbeing.
“When you are young, like in your 20s, you are unsure about your career, a life partner, and who you are as a person,” study author Dr Dilip Jeste said.
“You are searching for meaning in life.
“As you start to get into your 30s, 40s, and 50s, you have more established relationships, maybe you are married and have a family, and you are settled in a career.
“The search decreases and the meaning in life increases.
“After age 60, things begin to change.
He added: “People retire from their job and [may] start to lose their [sense of] identity.
“They start to develop health issues and some of their friends and family begin to pass away.
“They start searching for the meaning in life again because the meaning they once had has changed.”
READ MORE: Going vegan in your seventies could ward off disease
To learn more about the impact of this, the scientists analysed participants of the Successful Aging Evaluation.
The participants completed a “meaning in life” questionnaire, which asked whether they identified with statements like, “I am seeking a purpose or mission for my life” or “I have discovered a satisfying life purpose”.
Their physical and mental wellbeing, and cognitive status, was also assessed.
Results, published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, show the participants were most likely to have “discovered” the meaning of life at 60.
While health declined with age, it was better in those who felt their life had purpose.
These individuals also reported improved mental wellbeing. Those that were searching for meaning, however, had worse cognitive function.
READ MORE: Playing board games could keep you sharp into old age
“The medical field is beginning to recognise meaning in life is a clinically relevant and potentially modifiable factor, which can be targeted to enhance wellbeing and functioning,” study author Dr Awais Aftab said.
Dr Jeste will soon research whether other personal attributes - like wisdom, loneliness and compassion - affect a person’s quest for meaning.
“It's an exciting time in this field as we are seeking to discover evidence-based answers to some of life's most profound questions,” he said.
“We also want to examine if some biomarkers of stress and ageing are associated with searching and finding the meaning in life.”
#myfp
#health-editorial
#health-wellbeing
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Prince Andrew Drove to Sandringham for Face-to-Face Meeting with Philip and Charles After TV Interview
People 6 December 2019
Prince Andrew met his father Prince Philip and brother Prince Charles for talks amid the ongoing fallout from his disastrous Nov. 16 interview.
Their family meeting took place at Sandringham, where Philip has been staying at the estate’s Wood farm.
Charles visited for several days of meetings and to see his 98-year-old father after his own recent tour of New Zealand, Solomon Islands and India. Charles, 71, was away when Andrew took part in his interview with the BBC about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The meeting of the three senior royals over a light lunch took place on December 2, as the royal family braced itself for the follow-up interview that evening by Virginia Giuffre on BBC’s Panorama. Giuffre says she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions while being trafficked by Epstein, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre | Alexander Koerner/Getty; Today
Andrew, 59, announced in November that he is “stepping back” from his royal roles in the wake of the scandal. It soon emerged that Charles, who was on his royal tour at the time, had been consulted by Queen Elizabeth about the decision. Prince WIlliam, 37, was also involved.
From left: Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Prince Charles | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; John Phillips/Getty; Tim Rooke - Pool/Getty
The meeting at Sandringham has been portrayed by The Sun, which first reported the visit, as a showdown with Andrew, following his withdrawal from public life. Soon after, Giuffre told PEOPLE in a statement that it didn’t go far enough.
RELATED: 7 Biggest Bombshells from Prince Andrew’s ‘No Holds Barred’ Interview About Jeffrey Epstein
“Prince Andrew’s recent interview and his subsequent action to withdraw from public life is welcomed news. It is a positive first step towards taking responsibility for his actions,” Giuffre’s attorney Sigrid McCawley told PEOPLE.
Prince Andrew with BBC interviewer Emily Maitlis | BBC/Mark Harrison
“However, basing his decision to step away from his duties due to his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is only a half truth. He clearly had a long-term association with Ghislaine Maxwell who we maintain was Epstein’s co-conspirator and played a central role in devastating the lives of countless women.”
Andrew told BBC’s Newsnight, “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady [Giuffre], none whatsoever. It just never happened.”
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Ukoriginal
Graves of about 50 'high-status' Romans discovered in Somerset
Yahoo News UK 7 January 2020
The remains were found at Somerton, near Glastonbury (Wessex Archaeology)
The graves of dozens of “high-status” Romans have been discovered in Somerset during building work for a new school.
The remains of more than 50 adults and children were found in Somerton, near Glastonbury, buried with ornaments including a pot containing a chicken wing and a piece of carved bone.
According to archaeologists involved with the dig, the graves are more grand than simple Roman graves – indicating that the individuals buried were of high status.
They cited the position of one woman’s skull which indicated her head may have been resting against a pillow.
A small coin from the reign of the Emperor Vespasian was also found at the site (Wessex Archaeology)
Jewellery was also found in the graves as well as a coin dated to the time of Emperor Vespasian, who ruled from around 69-79 AD.
Tiny nails were also found at the bottom of a lot of the graves, indicating these people were buried in hobnail boots.
The structure of many of the graves was also said to be unusual, with many having been sealed with stones which were used to create roofs.
Steve Membery, an archaeologist and member of the South West Heritage Trust, told The Guardian: "This site is a significant discovery. The individuals were evidently of some status.
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"Most graves in Roman Britain are pretty much a rectangular cut with someone laid on their back.
"They’ve actually built these graves. There’s been a lot more care taken over these."
Mr Membery said he believes the people buried at the site may have worked at a nearby Roman villa.
Archaeologists think a large estate may be undiscovered nearby as an outhouse and a barn associated with it have been found.
Experts will now carry out DNA analysis on the individuals to try and work out why they were buried at Somerton.
---Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK---
#ukoriginal
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Independent News & Views from Ukraine
Slava Ukraini !!
Ex-Ukraine prosecutor said he was told to back off probe of Biden-linked firm, files show
Posted on October 3, 2019 by RedSquareMaidan 4 comments
Ukraine controversy brings focus to Hunter Biden’s background. New questions over Ukraine dealings by former Vice President Joe Biden’s son.
The fired prosecutor at the center of the Ukraine controversy said during a private interview with President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani earlier this year that he was told to back off an investigation involving a natural gas firm that was linked to Joe Biden’s son, according to details of that interview that were handed over to Congress by the State Department’s inspector general Wednesday.
Fox News obtained a copy of Giuliani’s notes from his January 2019 interview with fired Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin in which he claimed that his “investigations stopped out of fear of the United States.”
“Mr. Shokin attempted to continue the investigations but on or around June or July of 2015, the U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt told him that the investigation has to be handled with white gloves, which according to Mr. Shokin, that implied do nothing,” the notes from the interview stated. The notes also claimed Shokin was told Biden had held up U.S. aid to Ukraine over the investigation.
Shokin was fired in April 2016, and his case was “closed by the current Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko,” according to the notes. Despite his claims, Shokin, on both sides of the Atlantic, had been widely accused of corruption. But Biden’s role is back in the spotlight after Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry over Trump’s efforts to convince Ukraine to look into Biden’s actions.
Biden, who has been seeking to unseat President Trump in 2020, once famously boasted on camera that when he was vice president and spearheading the Obama administration’s Ukraine policy, he successfully pressured Ukraine to fire Shokin who was the top prosecutor at the time. He had been investigating the founder of Burisma Holdings, where Hunter Biden had a lucrative role on the board.
However, Shokin, at the time, according to the interview, was investigating Mykola Zlochevsky, the former minister of ecology and natural resources of Ukraine — also the founder of Burisma. Hunter Biden was appointed to the board of the firm, which Shokin claimed was an appointment made by Zlochevsky “in order to protect himself.”
The interview purportedly conducted by Giuliani took place on Jan. 23, 2019 at an office on Park Avenue in New York City. Shokin was interviewed over the phone, and interpreters were used — one in Ukraine and one in New York, according to the notes obtained by Fox News. In a statement to Fox News after this report was first published, Giuliani said the details were gathered before Biden announced his presidential run and the allegations were brought to him.
“I explored them as part of my duty as an attorney to show that the crimes committed, were not by my client, but by Democrats. I was not seeking to investigate Joe Biden. I was not investigating Joe Biden,” Giuliani said. He also confirmed that he brought the documents to the State Department, saying that he was disappointed they had not been investigated. “Maybe they will now,” he said.
The new documents were shared with Fox News by sources familiar with the “urgent” briefing held by State Department Inspector General Steve Linick on Wednesday.
Linick gave a closed-door briefing on Ukraine to aides from the Senate committees on Intelligence, Foreign Relations, Appropriations and Homeland Security, as well as aides from the House committees on Foreign Affairs, Intelligence, Appropriations and Oversight. The briefing lasted over an hour and took place in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon.
Linick shared a file with those who attended the briefing, containing multiple folders with the Trump Hotel logo on them. Inside the folders were notes from an interview conducted by Giuliani in January 2019 with Shokin, as well as Lutsenko. Another folder contained news clips, as well as several timelines about investigations related to Burisma.
A State Department spokesman on Wednesday confirmed to Fox News that the “relevant” materials Linick shared with Congress “were provided by the Department to the Inspector General on May 3, 2019 for his review and for such action as the Inspector General deemed appropriate.”
Linick told aides in the meeting that he received the package of information in the spring but did not know the sender. Linick sent it to the FBI because it included allegations of improper activities in Ukraine that were outside of his jurisdiction, according to sources familiar with the meeting. Last week, though, Linick was given permission by the FBI to share the files with Congress and said they were relevant to the congressional interviews being conducted, according to sources.
Meanwhile, the sources also shared pages of the Shokin interview with Fox News which revealed that in February 2016, prior to his firing, there were warrants placed on the accounts of “multiple people in Ukraine.”
“There were requests for information on Hunter Biden to which nothing was received,” Shokin said, according to the notes. “It is believed that Hunter Biden receives a salary, commission plus one million dollars. There were no documents or information on Hunter Biden, and Mr. Shokin stated he was warned to stop by Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt.”
The notes add that “President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko told Mr. Shokin not to investigate Burisma as it was not in the interest of Joe and/or Hunter Biden. Mr. Shokin was called into Mr. Poroshenko’s office and told that the investigation into Burisma and the Managing Director where Hunter Biden is on the board, has caused Joe Biden to hold up one billion dollars in U.S. aid to Ukraine.”
Shokin then told Giuliani, according to the notes, that “in or around April of 2016” Poroshenko “told him he had to be fired as the aid to the Ukraine was being withheld by Joe Biden.” Biden reportedly threatened to withhold $1 billion in critical U.S. aid if Shokin was not fired.
Shokin also claimed, according to the notes, that Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch denied him visa travel to the U.S., and claimed it was because “she is close to Mr. Biden.”
Meanwhile, Trump is facing a rapidly escalating House investigation after an intelligence community whistleblower filed a complaint regarding his call with Zelensky, claiming he had solicited a foreign power to help influence the 2020 presidential election.
Democrats have claimed that the Trump-Zelensky call revealed a quid pro quo, saying Trump tied his request to investigate the Bidens to military aid. Trump reportedly even ordered his staff to freeze nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine a few days before the phone call with Zelensky, a detail that fueled impeachment calls.
However, the call transcript did not show Trump explicitly mentioning the aid as a bargaining chip.
One source told Fox News that prior to the “urgent” briefing Wednesday, it was reported that Linick would discuss alleged retaliation against those State Department officials ahead of their depositions, but the source told Fox News that Linick said that there had been no complaints of retaliation filed with his office.
tagged with Ukraine
RedSquareMaidan
After the media-biased hype passes and after the lawyers get involved and facts appear, once again we see who the real culprit is that was threatening aid to Ukraine. It is always the corrupt and the immoral that make projection their method of operations.
scradge1
The Bidens are crooks. So are the Clintons. So are the Trumps. As far as Ukraine is concerned, all are equally bad and all threaten Ukraine. Trump hates Ukraine and Giuliani is a Putin loving turd; one of many who have been hired by Trump.
All this talk about Ukraine lately, and nobody is talking about the Russian occupations. Now politics is involved which is the last thing Ukraine needed in my opinion.
The very last thing. You are right redders. The American public have a very negative view of Ukraine and no understanding of the terrible threat they face from the most evil dictatorship since Stalin/hitler got together. No thanks to the Dems or GOP.
Here are the most up to date figures on US aid that I can find:
$3bn to Israel and $500 to Ukraine. Israel is threatened by savages yes, but not by a huge military power. Surely it would be reasonable to at least match the contributions made to Israel and stop giving money altogether to shit countries such as Pakistan, which gets $800m? Britain also gives away staggering amounts to shithole countries that hate us: we give an amount that is equivalent to almost half of our armed forces budget to overseas aid. Most of the beneficiaries have little of no democracy, whereas of course Ukraine is a functioning democracy. Pakistan, one of the worst countries in the world, is able to spend $billions on its nuclear programme!
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The Big DayAugust 3rd, 2019
The big day is here!
Communist Party of Ukraine addresses open letter to the Ukrainian and Russian peoples
UKRAINE’S Communist Party published an open letter to the peoples
Russia Says It Will Return Captured Naval Ships to Ukraine on Monday
Russia will return three captured naval ships to Ukraine on
Aksyonov accuses the US of organizing water blockade of Crimea
Sergey Aksyonov, head of the annexed Crimea, wrote on Facebook
German Chancellor speaks in favor of holding Zelensky-Putin talks on Donbas
Merkel wishes to see progress in the implementation of the
U.S. at OSCE: Elections in ORDLO should be held after withdrawal of Russian forces
Elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas should be
https://www.ukrinform.net/block-lastnews
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Shorts, Films, Warner Bros. shorts,
Warner Bros. Cartoons
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies shorts
Blue Ribbon shorts
Elmer Fudd shorts
Directed by Bob Clampett
Homer A. Flea shorts
Homer A. Flea
1940s shorts
1943 shorts
Leon Schlesinger Studios
Looney Tunes shorts
Best Short Academy Award winners
An Itch in Time
Short Information
Merrie Melodies (Blue Ribbon)
Production No.:
Reel No.:
Homer A. Flea with Elmer Fudd
Bob Clampett (Credited as Robert Clampett)
Warren Foster
Robert McKimson (Credited as Bob McKimson)
Carl W. Stalling
MPAA No.:
Daffy - The Commando
Puss n' Booty
An Itch in Time is a 1943 Warner Bros. cartoon in the Merrie Melodies series, directed by Bob Clampett and starring Elmer Fudd and a dog which looks very similar to, if not a modified Willoughby the Dog.
It is the only Elmer cartoon from 1943 to remain under copyright; the others, To Duck or Not to Duck and A Corny Concerto, are in the public domain. However, only the Blue Ribbon version is copyrighted; the original version is considered public domain.
Elmer Fudd is laughing while lounging in his easy chair and reading his comic book, his dog comfortably nearby sleeping in front of the fireplace. All is peaceful until a flea comes bouncing by. (The flea is dressed in a farmer's-type outfit with a big sombrero and is carrying a satchel with the name "A. Flea" on it). He gets out his telescope and spots the dog. (We see a big shot of the dog's butt and the flea whistles in excitement, screaming "T- Bone!" He then sings, "There's food around the corner; there's food around the corner!") The flea then begins to find a suitable portion of the dog for him to eat or work on, which in turn bothers the dog and then begins to scratch and bite the flea. Elmer soon notices this and threatens to give the dog a bath if he witnesses him scratching again. The dog makes his promise. The flea still searches for meat and uses pickaxes, jackhammers and even explosives while the dog tries to withstand the suffering pain, but finally yelps and runs around. After that Elmer advances on the dog, and gets a hold of him after the dogs says' Oh no, not that!...' and we heard a door bang but the dog still holds on the doorknob. However, the flea manages to get on Elmer, causing him to scratch, and the dog proceeds to carry Elmer and give him a bath. He promptly slips on a soap bar on the floor and lands in the kitchen sink. The flea soon carries the two away on a plate, singing 'There will be no more meatless Tuesdays for me...' And then a cat witnesses it and says, 'Now I've seen everything!' and commits suicide by shooting himself with a pistol.
Throughout the film, Elmer is reading a Bugs Bunny/Porky Pig comic book.
A. Flea's repeated song was covered by Green Day (with drummer Tre Cool singing the song which contains some slight lyric changes).
The voice of A. Flea is uncredited and was provided by Sara Berner, except for the character screaming "T-Bone!" which was done by Mel Blanc. Blanc also performs the voice of the dog. As usual, Arthur Q. Bryan is the voice of Elmer.
After the flea's pile of dynamite goes off, the dog scampers around the room on his hindquarters, barking in pain, until he stops sharply in mid-run, looks at the audience and says, "Hey, I'd better cut this out, I may get to like it!", then resumes. This gag was deliberately written to see if it would be removed by the Hays Office. Surprisingly, it remained in the cartoon unedited.
There is one brief moment on the cover of Elmer's comic book when Porky's mouth is opened and closed.
A. Flea would make another appearance in 1947's A Horse Fly Fleas, directed by Robert McKimson, in which the "A" in the flea's name is revealed to stand for "Anthony".
In the 1995 Turner "dubbed version" (and presumably other TV prints), Elmer's shirt appeared greenish (similar to the shirt color of his prototype Egghead). The restored version on DVD shows that the shirt was originally blue.
On a Cartoon Festivals VHS, this cartoon has the 1939-1940 Merrie Melodies opening music playing over the 1947-1948 WB opening shield and Blue Ribbon titles plastered over the original opening rings, like the tape series' a.a.p print of "Daffy Doodles".
The end gag where the cat shoots himself after seeing the flea carry Elmer and the dog on a platter has been cut on most TV airings, particularly on Cartoon Network (excluding The Bob Clampett Show broadcast), Boomerang, TNT, and TBS. While the older transfers (oldest a.a.p. prints on syndicated TV channels and then the Cartoon Festivals tape prints on the Turner networks) edit the scene out with a fake "iris-out", the 1995 dubbed version seen on Cartoon Network and Boomerang in the United States uses a fake dissolve to the dubbed version outro card.
VHS - Viddy-Oh! For Kids Cartoon Festivals: Elmer Fudd Cartoon Festival Featuring "An Itch in Time"
Laserdisc - The Golden Age of Looney Tunes, Vol. 2, Side 5: Bob Clampett
DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 3, Disc Four
Blu-Ray, DVD - Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 2, Disc 2
An Itch in Time at the Internet Movie Database
An Itch in Time at The Big Cartoon DataBase
1930s (Egghead)
Egghead Rides Again • Little Red Walking Hood • Daffy Duck & Egghead • The Isle of Pingo Pongo • Cinderella Meets Fella • A-Lad-In Bagdad • A Feud There Was • Count Me Out • Johnny Smith and Poker-Huntas • Hamateur Night • A Day at the Zoo • Believe It or Else
Elmer's Candid Camera • Confederate Honey • The Hardship of Miles Standish • A Wild Hare • Good Night Elmer • Elmer's Pet Rabbit • Wabbit Twouble • The Wabbit Who Came to Supper • Any Bonds Today? • The Wacky Wabbit • Nutty News • Fresh Hare • The Hare-Brained Hypnotist • To Duck or Not to Duck • A Corny Concerto • An Itch in Time • The Old Grey Hare • The Stupid Cupid • Stage Door Cartoon • The Unruly Hare • Hare Tonic • Hare Remover • The Big Snooze • Easter Yeggs • A Pest in the House • Slick Hare • What Makes Daffy Duck? • Back Alley Op-Roar • Kit for Cat • Wise Quackers • Hare Do • Each Dawn I Crow
What's Up Doc? • Rabbit of Seville • Rabbit Fire • Rabbit Seasoning • Upswept Hare • Ant Pasted • Duck! Rabbit, Duck! • Robot Rabbit • Design for Leaving • Quack Shot • Pests for Guests • Beanstalk Bunny • Hare Brush • Rabbit Rampage • This Is a Life? • Heir-Conditioned • Bugs' Bonnets • A Star Is Bored • Yankee Dood It • Wideo Wabbit • What's Opera, Doc? • Rabbit Romeo • Don't Axe Me • Pre-Hysterical Hare • A Mutt in a Rut
Person to Bunny • Dog Gone People • What's My Lion? • Crow's Feat
1970s-present
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Bunny • Box Office Bunny • Blooper Bunny • Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers • Daffy's Rhapsody
Shorts (1929-1939):
Warner Bros. Cartoons • Looney Tunes • Merrie Melodies
Looney Tunes/Spielberg universe
Animated series: The Bugs Bunny Show • Tiny Toon Adventures • Taz-Mania • Animaniacs • The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries • Pinky and the Brain • Freakazoid! • Road Rovers • Histeria! • Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain • The Cat&Birdy Warneroonie PinkyBrainy Big Cartoonie Show • Baby Looney Tunes • Duck Dodgers • Loonatics Unleashed • The Looney Tunes Show • New Looney Tunes
Films: Bugs Bunny: Superstar • The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie • The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie • Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales • Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island • Daffy Duck's Quackbusters • Space Jam • Wakko's Wish • Tweety's High-Flying Adventure • Looney Tunes: Back in Action • Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas • Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run
Animated series: Batman: The Animated Series • Superman: The Animated Series • Batman Beyond • Static Shock • The Zeta Project • Justice League • Teen Titans • Justice League Unlimited • The Batman • Krypto the Superdog • Legion of Super Heroes • Batman: The Brave and the Bold • Young Justice • Green Lantern: The Animated Series • Teen Titans Go! • Beware the Batman • DC Super Hero Girls
Animated films: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm • Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero • The Lego Batman Movie • Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders • Batman vs. Two-Face
Animated series: What's New, Scooby-Doo? • Tom and Jerry Tales • Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue! • Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated • The Tom and Jerry Show • Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! • Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs!
Direct-to-video film series: Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island • Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost • Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring • Tom and Jerry: Blast Off to Mars • The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age SmackDown! • The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania!
Other TV series
Detention • ¡Mucha Lucha! • Xiaolin Showdown • Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island • Baby Blues • Right Now Kapow • Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz • Bunnicula • Green Eggs and Ham • Unikitty! • Waynehead • Ozzy & Drix • Mike Tyson Mysteries • 3 South • Mad • Johnny Test • Firehouse Tales • ThunderCats • ThunderCats Roar
Other original films
Theatrical: Quest for Camelot • The Iron Giant • Osmosis Jones • The Lego Movie • Storks • The Lego Ninjago Movie
Direct-to-video: Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.! • ¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico • Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown
Films, distribution only
Gay Purr-ee • The Incredible Mr. Limpet • Treasure Island • Oliver Twist • The Nutcracker Prince • Rover Dangerfield • Thumbelina • A Troll in Central Park • The Pebble and the Penguin • Cats Don't Dance • The Fearless Four • The King and I • The Scarecrow
Retrieved from "https://warnerbros.fandom.com/wiki/An_Itch_in_Time?oldid=33384"
Warner Bros. shorts
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DOD authorization includes time, materials compromise
The compromise National Defense Authorization Act includes a measure that allows Defense Department agencies to continue using time-and-materials contracting, but puts new burdens on contractors.
The House passed the compromise bill Dec. 13, and the Senate is considering it now. The Senate's original legislation had further restricted time-and-materials contracting.
Under the compromise version, created in the usual conference session to harmonize House and Senate legislation, DOD contracting officers can ask contractors to provide price data before issuing task orders. Currently, contractors must provide that information when they first compete for a contract, but not when they compete for task orders under a contract they hold.
Larry Allen, president of the Coalition for Government Procurement, said the compromise measure is good news for DOD and for Defense contractors. Time-and-materials contracts, in which the contractor bills the government based on the actual time spent and materials used, rather than a fixed cost, are a popular means for agencies to buy services.
Because contractors already produce price data, that burden is acceptable, Allen said. The legislation "doesn't require the government to ask for it, but it allows the DOD contracting officer to ask for it," he said. "It is more intrusive than has been done in the past."
If the Senate passes the compromise version of the bill and President Bush signs it, its provisions could become effective early next year, Allen said.
Technology journalist Michael Hardy is a former FCW editor.
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Passport Season 28 Episode 6 | 52m 9s
In the 1950s and early '60s, a small band of high-altitude pioneers exposed themselves to the extreme forces of the space age long before NASA's acclaimed Mercury 7 would make headlines. Though largely forgotten today, balloonists were the first to venture into the frozen near-vacuum on the edge of our world, exploring the very limits of human physiology and human ingenuity in this lethal realm.
The Evolution of High-Altitude Exploration
Milestones in Balloon Travel
High-Altitude Balloon Innovation
Interview with Joseph Kittinger
Episode Links
Space Men website
American Experience website
Program Transcript
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Funding for Season 28 of American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS stations. Additional funding for Space Men provided by The Yawkey Foundations.
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The United States Air Force brought men up 19 miles, testing the limits of human endurance
S28 Ep6 | 52m 9s
The Mine Wars
Go inside the coal miners' bitter battle for dignity at the dawn of the 20th century.
S28 Ep2 | 1h 52m 12s
Space Men Preview
Before man could step on the moon, we had to take a giant leap. Premieres 3/1 on PBS.
A Ring-Side View of the Heavens
In 1957, David Simons rose a record-breaking 101,500 ft. above Earth. Premieres 3/1 on PBS
Testing Mankind's Limits
John Paul Stapp tested the limits of human physiology. Premieres March 1 at 9/8c on PBS.
Space Men Chapter 1
Before NASA's rockets, a team of explorers took to the skies in balloons. Premieres 3/1
A New Frontier
Since 1783 balloonists risked their lives attempting ever-higher altitudes. Premieres 3/1.
Project Manhigh
Dr. Stapp's team hoped to fly a man to over 100,000 ft. above Earth. Premieres 3/1 on PBS.
Clip: S28 Ep6 | 2m 5s
The Road to Apollo
Take an immersive journey through Apollo missions 1, 8 and 11. As Americans moved through the sixties and reflected on the challenges ahead, many began to wonder: What exactly was it going to take to beat the Soviets to the moon?
Launch interactiveLaunch interactive
More History ShowsRight
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Whitney Share A Peaceful Video For Their Languid Alt-Country Single ‘FTA’
Derrick RossignolFacebookTwitterMusic News Editor
It’s been a minute now since Whitney dropped a new album. Their latest, their debut record Light Upon The Lake, came out in 2016. The gears appear to be turning, though, as the band has just shared a video for the new song, “FTA.”
Even though it’s a short track, it takes its time building up. The song is mostly instrumental, save for the falsetto vocals that creep in near the end of the two-and-a-half-minute track. Before that, the song is carried by fingerpicked acoustic guitar before the introduction of light drumming and a soothing slide guitar line. It’s a fine continuation of the intimate and catchy standard they set on Light Upon The Lake, and one that teases a promising sophomore effort.
Speaking of which, a new album definitely could be on the way soon. Back in February, they tweeted, “Whitney announce sophomore effort ‘WeamDreaver,'” then they followed that joke up with, “This is just a dumb joke but in all seriousness the record is 100% recorded with a title that we took seriously.” The band also previously said of progress on the new record, “We’re just making sure that it’s every bit as powerful as the last one.”
Whitney announce sophomore effort “WeamDreaver”
— Whitney (@whitneytheband) February 16, 2019
This is just a dumb joke but in all seriousness the record is 100% recorded with a title that we took seriously https://t.co/lA9jWZAVja
Watch Whitney’s video for “FTA” above.
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I try not to hate. But I do hate experiments on animals. Reading a dying girl’s account of her last months, and the things which sustained her, I came across this story. It was an experiment on animals, and horrible though it was, it gave me food for thought, and some real joy, as it did her.
Healthy laboratory rats were being injected/ infected with cancer, in order to test a cure, but the researchers were puzzled that one batch of rats remained healthy. Investigating the rat’s life cycle to discover why they were immune to cancer, they asked the laboratory technician looking after them what their routines were. He told that them before he fed each rat, he couldn’t resist cuddling and stroking them.
So, these intelligent, lovely creatures, experiencing love, were able to resist deadly infection. I’ve thought a lot about love since, and what it means and how it manifests itself in all creatures and all forms of life.
It’s that time of year here, when the calves have been born, and their mothers demonstrate the same sort of mother love that our supposedly superior species do too. When the calves are born, the mother cow washes them and nuzzles them, and the washing and nuzzling and warm contact – love – is vital to keep them alive and anchor them in this world. The mothers feed them, and they nurture them. And when the calf is taken from them after a few days, depending on the farmer’s routines or whims, they grieve terribly, their bellows of pain echoing across the fields.
Thanks to this annual ordeal we are able to enjoy milk and butter and cheese, and thereby keep up our calcium levels and build strong bones. Being human is a terrible dilemma, where compassion is at war with what we perceive to be our needs or our enjoyment.
The intelligence and life force in everything around us is a constant miracle to me. I read today that plants, which all have their own individual scents, emit a warning smell to all plants around them when they’ve been attacked by a snail or an insect nibbling a morsel out of a leaf. And though all plant species have their unique scent, this warning scent they send out is the same for all different species… an amazing, intelligent and altruistic response to danger… Could Kant argue against altruism in plants as he did in human beings? I think not, there’s no advantage to a plant to warn fellow plants of all kinds, that they should beware… it must be pure love…
Loving plants! I think of trees, how scientist have discovered that the biggest, mother tree, apparently communicates with other younger trees around her, via fungi spores, and how dying trees send their energy along the spores to other healthy trees, a legacy of love from a dying tree.
And getting back to snails, the enemy of gardeners, and delicious delight to gourmets – we under-rate their feelings and intelligence as we do every other living thing except ourselves. I’ve been re-reading Elizabeth Luard’s book about bringing up her family in Spain and Provence, a medley of recipes and rich experiences.
A carnivore as well as afficionado of the bull fight, she unashamedly ate what the local people eat, with no scruples. So in the Languedoc, she and her children gathered snails by the bucket full, and then starved them for a few days on just a few herbs like thyme and rosemary, to clear their digestive system. But snails ain’t stoopid!
She described countless mornings coming downstairs into the kitchen, to find the snails had banded together in a concerted effort, lifted the bucket lid and escaped. ‘Snail break-out!’ she’d call and the household would tumble downstairs to search for the clever little gastropods.
Snails are altruistic too. I once read of two snails being observed in a garden with very poor pickings for a snail. One of them was sick, and the other seemed to abandon it by climbing the garden wall and finding a healthier environment down below. But he came back and accompanied the sick snail to greener healthier pastures. Which leads me to believe that snails can communicate with each other, and feel kindness and responsibility to a fellow snail! Maternal mother snails lay their eggs in little clumps, and visit them regularly until they hatch.
Though it seems amazing to read of solving the riddles of outer space, I find the incredible miracle of life on earth even more amazing, and I know that at this moment, our understanding of it is only scratching the surface of all that is underfoot and all around.
For so long homo sapiens has claimed superiority over all the earth’s creatures, and not just those who read Genesis which tells us we have dominion over all creatures… Buddhism seems to be one of the few creeds which honours other forms of life. While so-called philosophers like Descartes have encouraged mankind to ignore the feelings of animals and given us carte blanche to treat them as though they are mindless unfeeling machines.
Yet the beauty, the intelligence, the goodness, the love and the life in the whole of creation, is, it seems to me, reason for admitting that all creatures are equal in the sight of the Creator, the Source, or whatever we want to call the First Cause. (Reading of the way women are treated in some countries and some cultures, I feel the same about them too.)
One of the most powerful images of love is that of Christian the lion, racing down the African hill-side to leap into the arms of the two men who had brought him up, to hug them and lick them. The men had bought him from Harrods, and he lived with them in London until they were able to re-wild him as a teenager, with the help of George Adamson. It was a dreadful wrench to leave him in Africa and return to London, and they went back to visit him a year later. Christian saw and recognised them from afar, and crying and making heartfelt noises, tore down the hill to be re-united with the people he loved.
Sometime later, when they returned again, Christian had a wife and cubs, and led his two former guardians into the wild to meet them. The two men sat there quietly all day in the hot sun among the rocks with Christian and his wife and children, the very picture of Edward Hicks’ painting of ’The Peacable Kingdom. ‘
Over the years our family lived with fifteen rescued dogs, three at a time. They were all breeds, two afghans, boxer, cavalier King Charles spaniels (six), borzoi, labrador, bull mastiff, salukis. We also had several dogs who were ‘chosen’, not rescued, and much as I loved them, there was a particular quality about the love our rescued dogs gave us… it was as though they never forgot their past, and were utterly devoted to us who were their new owners. It always seemed wrong to say we owned them – we cared for them.
The gifts of love they gave us meant that the house seemed always to be brimming with love and fun, the same sort of love and fun which fills a house with toddlers in it. And when I read of experiments when different bowls of rice are treated to indifference, or interest – one ignored, the others greeted – and the subsequent decay of the ignored rice, and flourishing health of the others, it sends a powerful message.
It tells me that love is behind all life. Indifference is the opposite of love and is a killer. But love gives life, and health and hope. Scientific experiments have shown us that the observer can change the behaviour of what is observed, so maybe loving thoughts are as powerful as loving deeds. Maybe the rats would have survived the experiments supposed to make them ill, if they had just sensed and felt that the lab technician loved them.
This thought encourages me to use that lovely mantra: ‘may only love prevail’, in all circumstances, even when someone has stolen my parking place or overtaken me dangerously! Love your enemies said a great Teacher… I think I begin to understand what He was talking about.
I also love food… and for many of us cooking is a tangible way of loving our loved ones. I’m always looking for new ways to cook for my loved ones, and the other day hit the jackpot with a super-easy way of cooking organic chicken thighs…saute in butter and set aside. Pour a glass of wine into the pan, a generous teaspoon each of Dijon mustard and whole grain mustard. Boil them up, add a cup or more of cream, heat it, and pour over the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in a moderate oven for half an hour or until tender.
We ate it with plain boiled rice and spinach – it was good. With the one piece left and some of the leftover cream, I made quick cream of chicken soup for a light lunch the next day, while Himself enjoyed something more substantial.
I added a chopped leek sauted in butter, some garlic, and half a tin of condensed chicken soup. With a chicken stock cube, boiled and whizzed smooth, a dollop of cream and some nutmeg, it was a treat. As Orson Welles advised “Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”
Filed under animals/pets, cancer, consciousness, cookery/recipes, love, spiritual, uncategorised, Uncategorized
Tagged as animals, buddhism, cancer, christian the lion, elizabeth luard, environment, food, love, snails, trees
T Our home in the forest
This is the last instalment of my autobiography before I resume my normal blogs
I asked the Salvation Army’s Missing Person’s Bureau to find my mother when I was nearly fifty. It took them three years, and when they did, I immediately flew to London to see her.
We met on neutral ground at the Tate Gallery, and sat on a leather bench in front of a masterpiece. I have no idea what the picture was, but the pattern of the red brocade wall- covering surrounding it is stamped on my memory forever. We stayed there for hours until the gallery attendant gently told us they were closing, and then we paced the Embankment trying to catch up on a lifetime.
In the end we never did bridge the gap of that lost time as she only seemed to remember the good times we had had, while I remembered the bad times, but what I learned about her broke my heart over and over again. Her father had left before she was born, and two stepfathers died of cancer.
When she was eight months pregnant with my younger sister she lived through the angst of waiting for her husband to return at Dunkirk. He didn’t. He escaped two weeks later. Two years after this, when he returned to do his officer training she became pregnant again, and gave birth to that child on her own as well.
And now, she met a farmer from the Channel Islands, who was working on Pluto – Pipe- Line Under the Ocean, a top -secret invention to supply fuel to the armies at D-Day. They planned to marry when the war was over and take us children to live on his family farm. There was an accident and he was killed. My mother was pregnant, and in despair she fled.
She couldn’t afford to keep the baby, adopted her, emigrated to Australia to start a new life, and eventually re-married a man she’d met on the voyage out. Back in London she had a daughter with her new husband, and when that baby was a few months old, this man went into a sanatorium with TB and when he recovered, never returned to her and their child.
She brought up that child alone, and became an efficient civil servant. On her retirement she sold her house in order to move and buy a house near her sister. Shopping for a new sofa, she learned from the hushed gossip in the local shop that her solicitor had hanged himself after embezzling all his clients’ money including hers.
She had a few thousand pounds left, which she blued on a trip to China, to fulfil at least one life’s dream. She had whiled away the long lonely years by learning Chinese, attending cookery classes, playing chess and listening to opera. And when I met her, she was living in a council retirement flat. She was a gentle, refined woman, and never at any time when I met her at intervals before her death, made any complaint about her life; and though she was sad, she was never bitter.
After a forty-year silence, I met my stepmother again too. And the weeks I now spent in her company were amongst the happiest in my life. All the dislike, hostility and coldness she had shown me had dropped away. And all the hurt and pain and anger I had felt at being rejected also dissolved. The love between us was so complete and miraculous, it felt as though we had transitioned to the next plane of being, when we see each other clearly, and recognise the love and beauty of each other’s soul.
My father died fifty years ago. He shaped the person I am today. Back from the war when I was aged ten, he used to stop at a second- hand book stall set up by his bus stop on Friday nights. There he chose his old favourites for me, like Lord Lytton’s ‘The Last Days of Pompeii,’ and ‘Harold’, Kingsley’s Westward Ho and my very favourite – read and re-read – Hypatia, the Greek woman philosopher and mathematician who came to a sticky end, thanks to men! Then there was David Copperfield and so many others.
When we moved to Catterick, he shared the books he was reading then, which included Sir Nigel and the White Company, Conan Doyle’s historical romances set in France in 1366, C.S. Forester’s Hornblower Books, and Napier’s History of the Peninsula Wars. And every night, when I’d finished my homework, he read aloud to my eleven- year- old self from H.M. Trevelyan’s ‘English Social History,’ setting up my fascination with history.
Still eleven, he taught me the value of money and compassion. Sitting at the dining table I had suggested my stepmother buy some sheepskin boots because her feet were cold, “they only cost five pounds,” I blithely chirruped.
“Look out of the window,” my father ordered. A worn working man with a deeply-lined face and shabby clothes covered in grime from a building site, was dragging tiredly past. “That man earns five pounds a week to feed his family”, my father grimly pointed out, and lectured me on extravagance in words that would have profited Marie Antoinette.
Later in Malaya, when I was sixteen, and we entertained the Indian quarter -master to tea with his wife in her colourful saris, and I had to give them my books on the Royal family who they loved, he demonstrated tolerance and the opposite of racism.
Back in England in the mid- fifties, he taught me to accept homo-sexuality at a time when it was scarcely mentioned. I commented on a strange man on the bus who wore a brown striped suit with flared trousers, a wide brimmed brown felt hat and thick makeup. He laughed, told me he was a wonderful old ‘queen’ and was such a punishing boxer that no-one dared jeer at him.
He demanded respect for all his soldiers, telling me they’d fought through the war, were bringing up families on a pittance, and were fine decent people. Like Abou Ben Adhem, he ‘loved his fellow men.’
Later when I was twenty-one, he suggested that my outlook was a bit narrow, and that I should read The Manchester Guardian. Back then it had a reputation for fine writing, tolerant humane values, and wide culture. I became a sensible feminist, reading Mary Stott on the women’s pages, learned about good food, enjoyed witty TV criticism, discovered avenues of musical appreciation, and acquired a burning social conscience, which cut me off from all my family and many of my friends!
When he retired from the army at forty-five he commuted/cashed up his army pension to pay for his youngest son’s expensive schools, and so condemned himself to working to support his family for the rest of his life. But he died in 1968 at fifty-four.
I wonder if anyone will remember me, fifty years after I am dead? At the moment, I am far from dead, and know that he would have loved to know what risks I have taken to live my life as fully as I can and to be able to love as deeply as I do now.
When I began blogging, I inadvertently stumbled on an unusual blog when I was looking for some poetry I’d enjoyed. When I left a comment on this rather beautiful blog, which was not poetry, the writer replied with such courtesy that I was enchanted. In the science fiction writer Robert Heinlein’s words – I ‘grocked’ him. Which meant I felt I knew him, and recognised him, and understood him at a very deep level.
We began ‘following’ each other, and our comments reflected a mutual admiration. My new follower wrote exquisite remarks on my blogs, but when a rather malicious stalker I’d attracted from the day I first began writing, began sneering at my “followers massaging my ego,” I feared that he might recognise the underlying message of love in the sensitive, perceptive words my new friend wrote on my blog. I feared that my stalker’s spite could spoil this friendship.
So I wrote to my friend, suggesting that we write privately instead, to avoid any unpleasantness. Two years and two thousand letters later, my friend – now my love- left his country, his home of forty- five years, the job he loved at a world-famous observatory, his family, and his friends and came to begin a life with me.
I read recently:”I don’t think genuinely falling in love is negotiable. The heart goes where the heart goes. Age has nothing to do with it.” This is true – he’s much younger than me, cherishes me the way I’ve never been cared for before, we share the same spiritual values, and revel in a life of love and freedom.
Like me, he had left behind not just his home, but most of his assets too, so we looked for a place where we could afford to live, that would give us the environment we both wanted. It was waiting for us. Just as out of over eighty million bloggers we had found each other, so we discovered the perfect place that we could not only afford, but which turned out to be a haven of beauty, peace, and community.
We bought a tiny one room log cabin set on forty acres of covenanted podocarp forest, where we look across a valley like an amphitheatre and gaze up to our own mountain. We listen to our streams tumbling over rocks below, and hear birds singing from the dawn chorus in the morning to the moreporks/owls through the night. Our property is home to various almost extinct species of frog, lizards, geckoes, to more than three hundred species of butterfly and moths – or lepidoptera as I’ve learned to call them – and to rare plants and trees. People come from the universities and world-wide societies to study these precious vanishing species in this time of the sixth great extinction.
Our neighbours, hidden in the forest, have a shared environmental commitment to keeping the sprawling hills and ranges free of pests and to nurturing the creatures who’ve made their homes here for milleniums. These neighbours come from all walks of life – an architect, a musician, zoologist and landscape professors, a geologist and several engineers, a restauranteur, a painter, a therapist and others. They are all nationalities, Swiss, English, Australian, Belgian, Dutch, Maori, Russian, Mongolian, American.
Behind our high wrought iron gates, we share a civilised social life, and work together to preserve the forest. On our property, we’ve extended our original tiny dwelling, planted fragrant flowers, created architectural flights of steps, made melodious bells from diver’s tanks, re-cycled doors and windows and other found objects, and live a blissful life of creativity and harmony.
I wake in the morning and look out of the window to where the dawn shines gold on the peak of the mountain. I turn to my love and whisper, “the sun is on the mountain.” And another day begins of a quiet mystical life of love and beauty.
I love Indonesian food, and a friend gave me a little booklet of recipes years ago. One page in particular is stained and dog-eared… with the recipe for sambel goreng telor on it – this means eggs in coconut milk.
For two people hard boil four eggs, cut them in two and put in a deep dish. Fry a chopped onion, and when soft add tomato, clove of garlic, half a red pepper, a table spoon of brown sugar and salt to taste. When they’re soft, add half a cup of coconut milk, heat and pour over the eggs. Delicious with plain boiled rice.
Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death.
We entreat for them all thy mercy and pity and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion, gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us ourselves to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful.
Albert Schweitzer, doctor, humanitarian, writer, musician, organist and organ restorer
Filed under animals/pets, army, bloggers, british soldiers, cookery/recipes, environment, happiness, life and death, spiritual, sustainability, The Sound of Water, Thoughts on writing and life, uncategorised, Uncategorized
Tagged as Albert Schweitzer, animals, blogging, conservation, D-Day Pluto, food, Indonesian food, lepidoptera, Malaya
Aliens, Narnia and our dog, Murphy
My latest devouring passion (perhaps passions keep you alive and hungry for the fascination and excitement of life!) is for films about aliens… I especially love the ones with encounters between them and us… those with peace and a desire to communicate.
The film ‘Arrival’ sparked this unlikely interest, and I’ve watched it several times, and have been working backward from ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still’, in which Keanu Reeves played the solemn and idealistic alien, ‘ET’ of course, and my favourite, ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. At the end of any film I’ve watched, I then go into a frenzy Googling the cast, reviews, and interviews with directors and any other interesting facts, etc.
When watching ‘Close Encounters…’ again last night, I registered for the first time the dead decoy carcases of sheep and cattle. I noticed too, the tortured dog entrapped in a crude home-made gas mask by his owner, who was trying to sell animal gas masks at the crowded railway station crammed with evacuees. I put aside my disquiet at the killing of the sheep and cattle in order to immerse myself in the mystical, magical encounter with the space-ship and its aliens.
But in my researches afterwards, my misgivings returned. Reading Spielberg explaining that before disguising a group of local school children as the child aliens he had tried to use an orang-utan encased in a silver lycra suit and roller skates strapped to his feet upset me dreadfully. The poor creature undid the skates and crawled back to its owner, so Spielberg had to switch to using children.
As usual, my heart turned over at the idea of using an animal for the purposes of entertainment and causing it distress and discomfort. Not as bad as bull fighting obviously, or as bad as the experience of the tiger in ‘The Life of Pi’. This glorious creature became the victim of the very people who were supposed to be looking after him, and nearly drowned because his keepers were so pre-occupied with the affair they were enjoying.
I’m been suspicious of the use of animals in films ever since the makers of Narnia had wanted to use our magnificent bull mastiff. We had taken Murphy – a rescue dog – to the vet, who was impressed with his splendid mastiff good looks. The vet told us that the makers of the film Narnia were on the look- out for big, handsome bull mastiffs like this. They needed six apparently.
We thought about it, desultorily, and finally asked what it would involve. It would have meant gentle, devoted Murphy – who’d cried with relief all the way home from a ‘Club Med for Critters’ where we’d left him for a weekend once – going away for training for six weeks. And what would the training be, we asked. He would learn to snarl and growl and spring upon people on demand, we learned.
We were absolutely horrified. While he would be pining, and wondering why he had been taken away from us, Murphy’s gentle, friendly nature would have been warped for the purposes of film makers who obviously would not have his best interests at heart. How would they teach a friendly courteous animal to snarl and growl and attack, I wondered, appalled.
Since learning about this, I’ve been very conscious of the way film-makers seem to lack a conscience about how animals are used on set. I no longer believe those PC disclaimers: ‘No animal has suffered any cruelty in the making of this film.’ Certainly, the carnage, when over a hundred horses were killed in the making of Ben Hur, would not be tolerated today, but what constitutes cruelty is entirely subjective…
I cried my heart out over Old Yeller, like most of my generation, my best friend and I mopping up our blotched mascara in the ladies cloakroom after the film… but I sometimes wonder now, after our experience with Narnia , how Old Yeller was trained when he had to snarl and growl before rabies set in…
Lassie is another story, with his waving tail and cheerful demeanour. The most fascinating thing about him is that his character is based on a true story, and on the heroism of a real Lassie.
Wikipedia tells us that writer Nigel Clarke in the “Shipwreck Guide to Dorset and South Devon”, gives the original Lassie story. Half collie, Lassie was owned by the landlord of the Pilot Boat, a pub in the little sea-side town of Lyme Regis. On New Year’s Day in 1915, the battleship “HMS Formidable” was torpedoed by a German submarine off Start Point in South Devon, with the loss of more than 500 men. In a storm that followed, a life raft containing bodies was blown along the coast to Lyme Regis. The owner of the Pilot Boat offered his cellar as a morgue.
When the bodies had been laid out on the stone floor, Lassie found her way down amongst them, and began to lick the face of one of the victims, Able Seaman John Cowan. She stayed beside him for more than half an hour, nuzzling him and keeping him warm with her fur. To everyone’s astonishment, Cowan eventually stirred. He was taken to hospital and went on to make a full recovery. He visited Lassie again when he returned to thank all those who had saved his life.
The sinking of the ship was a severe blow and when RN officers heard the story of Lassie, and what she did to rescue Cowan, they told the story again and again to anyone who would listen, as it was so inspirational and heart-warming. The story travelled to Hollywood and Lassie and the generations of Lassies who followed her, became one of the immortals. Hers is a feel-good story, as also was the real- life filming of Babe.
In this film, there were six trainers acting as department heads, supervised by an American trainer, and assisted by over fifty-seven animal handlers from the United States, Australia and New Zealand. It took a year and a half of training, and six months of filming to make the film. Wherever there was any violence or an incident in which an animal might suffer discomfort, animatronic models were used; and the pigs were so clever that animatronic models were hardly used in their scenes.
The filming of Babe was a triumph for the humane treatment of other creatures. Interestingly, James Cromwell, who played Farmer Hogget, who was already a vegetarian, became a vegan after making it. Many children, including my granddaughter, stopped eating bacon after seeing this film… And when we remember how often the word ‘pig’ is used in such derogatory ways, it was beautiful and heart- warming that pigs were portrayed at last as the intelligent and loveable creatures that they are.
I’ve strayed a long way from aliens, but I like to think that the noble alien in ‘The Day The World Stood Still’, who came to save the planet, but not the undeserving people, would approve of this film, realising that humans are changing, that they can cherish all life, and not just our own species. (They can even give up eating bacon!)
Technology update. I discovered that my extraordinary overload of e-mails was a file I didn’t know existed, and it contained every blog I have ever received, plus every like, comment, follower, since May 2012. There were nearly ninety thousand, and I’m down to just under seventy- three thousand, deleting them in chunks of fifty which is the best ‘they’ will let me do.
Four fascinating bloggers used to send between five and twenty blogs a day each, which was one reason for the huge back-log… but now at least I know what I’m up against and try to clear between five hundred and a thousand every day … time consuming especially when a title leaps out at me, and I simply have to stop and read it. I’m back as far as December 2015, so you can imagine what a task I still face…this may explain my tardiness in sometimes getting back to you… but nil desperandum.
Not much in the fridge, except the makings of courgette and feta fritters, a favourite for us both. First, grate two large courgettes and put them to drain on kitchen paper. I’m using leeks at the moment instead of onions, so cut half a leek in four lengthways and chop it. Gently fry the leek in olive oil. In a large bowl mix the leeks, grated courgettes, two beaten eggs, a crumbled packet of feta (about 225 gr) two tablespoons of flour, lots of salt and pepper, and plenty of chopped parsley and fresh thyme. Drop tablespoonfuls into hot olive oil, and slightly flatten, turn when brown on one side, and then drain on kitchen paper while you cook the rest.
Sometimes I use coriander instead of parsley and thyme, sometimes nutmeg. We eat the fritters with chilli jelly or sweet chilli sauce, or beetroot relish, with salad – and hot buttered rolls for hungry people. This amount of fritters is enough for three greedy people or four reasonable people!
You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know. William Wilberforce who campaigned against slavery and cruelty to animals.
Filed under animals/pets, consciousness, cookery/recipes, films, history, love, spiritual, Thoughts on writing and life, uncategorised, Uncategorized, wild life
Tagged as aliens, animals, babe, films, lassie, life, space, technology, The life of Pi, tigers
Man and animals caught in the net of life and time
Wenka was born on the 21 May 1954, which makes her sixty- three years old this year. She has been in prisons and endured forms of torture, as well as abandonment, much grief and loneliness, throughout her whole life.
She was born in a laboratory in Florida and taken from her mother the day she was born, to be used in a vision experiment which lasted seventeen months. Wenka was ‘only’ a chimp and thus could be used and has been used for the cruel purposes of men all her life.
After the experiment she was sold to a family in North Carolina. Four years later, instead of finding an animal refuge for their pet, they returned her to the Yerkes National Primate Research Centre, as she was supposed to be too big to handle.
Since losing her family – because undoubtedly she would have felt they were – she has been used for experiments ever since – alcohol use, oral contraceptives, aging, and cognitive studies. She has also given birth six times, and I have no information about her babies. Researchers obviously didn’t take these opportunities to study chimp maternal behaviours, feeding techniques etc. And they obviously didn’t study grief in Non- Human Primates when deprived of their babies either.
Chimpanzees tend to be used repeatedly over decades, rather than used and killed as with most laboratory animals. But researchers lament that one of the disadvantages of using non- human primates is that they can be difficult to handle, and various methods of physical restraint have to be used. (Researchers also shorten the term to NHP, which makes these intelligent, feeling creatures sound like a tool or non- human object)
Yes, I would resist researchers /torturers, since I have 98.8 per cent the same DNA as these almost human creatures, which is why they are used for research and called non human primates. A ‘gentle-man’ (I use the word sarcastically) from the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Centre writes that scientists may be unaware of the way their research animals are treated, and this could have an effect on their results. He doesn’t say that it would be fear or despair skewing the results.
This scientist, called Reinhardt, writes instead, of ‘uncontrollable methodological variables’, and goes on: ‘Numerous reports have been published demonstrating that non-human primates can readily be trained to cooperate rather than resist during common handling procedures such as capture, venipuncture, injection and veterinary examination.’
Reinhardt then lists common restraint methods as: squeeze-back cages, manual restraint, restraint boards, restraint chairs, restraint chutes, tethering, and nets. He also suggests using the drug ketamine, which I know from recent personal experience in the helicopter on the way to hospital (see a previous blog) paralyses you and causes terrifying hallucinations. When you’ve survived those, you come to, and find you can think clearly, and therefore know you’re paralysed and can do nothing to defend yourself or even turn your head, which is also a terrifying experience.
In the US 65,000 non- human primates were used for experiments in 2012 – a figure which has remained the same since 1973. The latest figures for the UK are 2,202 non- human primates used for experiments. But no licences have been issued there for experiments on great apes since 1998. Many countries are now working towards protection for these creatures so near to us in intelligence and all emotions – which is why they are used for experiments of course.
The Great Ape Project (GAP), argues that great apes (gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos) be given limited legal status and the protection of three basic interests: the right to live, the protection of individual liberty, and the prohibition of torture.
In 2008 Spain became the first country to extend these rights to great apes, ‘torture’ which includes medical experiments will be outlawed, while imprisonment – as in circuses, or for films – is also banned. Hurray! Austria, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK are all now working to ban experimenting on primates, which includes great apes, chimps, gibbons and all the other varieties used in what some scientists believe is unreliable testing. The EU has also had strict guidelines on animal testing since 2013.
At the moment great apes are the most protected, with too many other species of non- human primates still fair game for people/researchers who will never say their work is ended, that their experiments have now proved/discovered all that they wanted to know, and thus talk themselves out of a job. I used to love reading in the newspaper the results of experiments which reveal different characteristics in people, until I suddenly realised that to find out these results, animals had to have been used.
That’s when I began to research the use of animals in experimentation, and the facts are hideous. Millions of animals other than non- human primates are used for cruel and useless experiments every year in the US, by drug or chemical companies and others who have no interest in the well- being of the tragic creatures born in captivity, tortured with cruel experiments, and then killed.
We have become the Non-Humane Primates.
Charles Darwin held that animals had the same emotions as human beings. Years ago I read an article in Time magazine which quoted instances of animal intelligence, and their capacity for emotion. At the end, it dismissed the whole idea, in spite of the last conclusive example, a talking parrot.
The pet parrot was being left at the vet for treatment and it cried out as his owner left, ‘please don’t leave me – I’ll be good’. The article did not explore the various strands of this cry – the parrot’s immediate understanding that he was being left, as well as his promise to be good – which is the response of many small children when left in hospital or when their parents die, or leave. They believe it is their fault.
Many will have seen the Youtube videos of Christian, the huge lion, rushing a year later, to put his arms around his owners who had brought him from London and freed him to live in Africa; or the lion behind bars in a zoo, trying to cuddle the woman who had saved him five years before.
Most people who have lived with animals know the depth of their love, loyalty, kindness. Animals nurture their offspring, and do not neglect or abuse them. They do not lie or betray (unless they’ve been badly treated) and therefore can be said to live lives of integrity that many human beings fail to do. And we feel free to treat them in the unspeakable way that we do.
Nature writer Henry Beston says it best: ‘We need another and a wiser and perhaps more mystical concept of animals. Remote from universal nature, and living by complicated artifice, man in civilisation surveys the creature through the glass of his knowledge and sees thereby…. the whole image in distortion,
‘We patronise them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate in having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear.
‘They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow travellers of the splendour and the travail of the earth.’
When will we begin to honour and respect our fellow travellers, who too often never get to savour the splendour of the earth?
Nothing much in the cupboard, except bacon, spinach, mushrooms and opened noodle packets with the chicken stock packet used for other purposes. So, lots of noodles to use up.
Chopped the bacon and fried it in a little olive oil and some butter for the taste, added the mushrooms, grated a courgette in for thickening, and then added cream, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg plus a chicken stock cube. When the cream had bubbled and thickened, I added torn leaves of spinach – subtle way of getting vegetables into those who don’t like them.
Towards the end, I cooked the instant noodles, and then served them with the cream mixture over and some grated parmesan. A good lunch.
I believe deeply that children are more powerful than oil, more beautiful than rivers, more precious than any other natural resource a country can have.
Danny Kaye Comedian
He also said: Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.
Filed under animals/pets, consciousness, cookery/recipes, life and death, life/style, Thoughts on writing and life, uncategorised, Uncategorized
Tagged as animal cruelty, Animal testing, animals, chimps, food, Henry Beston, lions, non-human primates, uk, us
A tearful (sob) tale !
If I’m going to cry I want it to be when I’m laughing. I think that may be one of my favourite pleasures, to laugh till I cry… but it’s not something that can be planned… such moments seize us out of the blue, and swoop down without any warning. And then it’s bliss…I love it – having laughed my way not just to good health but to aching sides and streaming eyes.
Tears come more easily to some than others… my tear ducts are the sort that let me down and embarrass me constantly… it was about the only thing I had in common with Princess Diana, being neither blonde, rich, thin, Royal or any of the other things she was…. but she cried easily… she cried waving goodbye to her fiancée when he flew off to NZ for a couple of weeks, she cried, bless her, when the band played God Bless the Prince of Wales on her honeymoon, and she cried among other times, when she was complimented on her work on the day her separation was announced. By contrast her sister-in-law Princess Anne has only gone on record crying once… when she waved farewell to any more cruises on the royal yacht Britannia as it was de-commissioned.
The tough and the strong are sometimes tempted to despise we weaker vessels, and that’s when tears are so humiliating, if we forget that some of the sweetest moments in life, and the most memorable, are those which move us to tears. Tears are one of the things that make us human beings – though I have watched that heart-breaking video when an elephant who had been starved and beaten for fifty years was finally freed, and he wept – rivers of tears slowly trickling down his wrinkled old grey cheeks -and I wept too.
So yes, tears reveal us as feeling human beings… and though times of hormonal change… those teenage years, pregnancy, post-natal months, menopause, depression, even the wrong medical drugs can cause unexpected floods of tears, nevertheless, tears should not be sniffed at. A baby’s tears are his only means of showing his hunger, hurt, fear, anger, discomfort, insecurity and other problems…. but as we grow older and find less direct forms of communication, tears assume a different place in our lives.
They still mark emotions like fear, misery, anger, grief, hurt, but as we grow older – joy too. So why does our culture sneer at tears and try to train children not to cry, with the jeer: ‘cry baby’ or ‘softie’ being an allowed insult in the playground or even worse: ‘don’t be such a girl’.
When I landed in New Zealand in the middle of winter many years ago, my luggage two small children, tears of fright flowed behind my huge black sunglasses in spite of all my efforts at control. And there have been many other moments since when tears marked unforgettable moments of joy and sorrow… including watching first my children, and then my grand-children’s nativity plays… I cried when I watched my tall, skinny thirteen year old son walking away from his childhood into ‘big’ school, head and shoulders above the others his age… at my daughter’s wedding, and my grandchild’s christening… a perfect watering can.
‘Don’t cry when you say goodbye to us’, my eight year old daughter had said before they took off across the world to see their father. So I smiled and waved, and tried to pretend tears weren’t coursing down my cheeks in great rivers. Later, the exquisite voice of Joan Sutherland singing in concert brought tears to my eyes and to many others. Few of us could define what these involuntary tears were triggered by but they were precious, and the moments memorable. I’ve heard other great singers in person including the incomparable Kathleen Battle, but none of them drew that spontaneous tribute.
When my first baby was born the midwife who delivered her did so in floods of tears… she said she always cried when a baby was born. Now, tenderised by life, I know what she means. I only have to see a new born to feel those tears start gushing. It’s hard not feel embarrassed or humiliated by these ever-ready tear ducts.
I am famous in the family for beginning to cry in the cinema at the beginning of a film. As the credits went up on the film ‘The Young Winston’… the traditional ride of the Adjutant on his white horse, up the flight of steps to the library at the end of the Passing- Out Parade at Sandhurst filled me with such nostalgia for my military childhood that I was lost at the first frame.
And I remember lingering in the cinema loo mopping my eyes with my best friend as we tottered out after Disney’s ‘Old Yeller’ (about a Labrador) had ended, ravaged with tears and nearly blinded with clogged mascara. I can go to a funeral of someone I hardly know, as a courtesy to a family member, and become a tearful wreck… not quite sure whether I’m crying in sympathy with those who are really mourning, whether tears are contagious like yawns, or whether I’m touching into old and forgotten griefs.
In the end it’s animals who really pull the heart-strings and have provoked so many gallons of tears I could fill buckets with them … I was ten when I wept over the shooting of the ponies in the film ‘Scott of the Antarctic’… blow the men dying heroically in the snow, it was the ponies I cried over. The deaths of our fifteen or more rescued dogs and a cat was always a tear- streaked nightmare over the years, and it isn’t just me who’s reduced to an emotional wreck by animals.
On one particular personal growth course, a man who had remained unmoved by harrowing moments supposed to break down our innermost defences, went home one night to find his precious bull terrier fighting for her life, and losing it in child birth. The next day, as he told us all about his beloved ‘Maggie’, he dissolved into heart- broken sobs, as did all the women and most of the strong men in the room. Loved animals in distress can make even the toughest weep.
Broken with grief, this man was then able to do the inner work he had come for, the tears had dissolved his emotional barriers, and he became a softer, kinder, warmer person overnight. So in spite of the superiority of those who have well controlled tear ducts, it does seem that weeping is good for the soul, even though it’s terrible for the complexion. Doesn’t seem to matter whether we’re weeping from laughter or weeping from grief, or weeping from any other emotion, tears seem to loosen us up.
Yet mostly, tears don’t seem to come in the moments of great crisis… then the mind is focussed. Shock and intense attention keep us icy cold, functioning unhampered by anguish or emotion… so maybe tears are a bit like Wordsworth’s definition of poetry: emotion recollected in tranquillity, but in the case of tears: emotion when there’s time for it. I rather treasure the words of Kahlil Gibran, who puts tears and laughter into perspective, as ever… that they are both – in the pompous self-mocking phrase of a friend – part of ‘life’s rich pageant’!
Gibran says: “I would not exchange the laughter of my heart for the fortunes of the multitudes; nor would I be content with converting my tears, invited by my agonized self, into calm. It is my fervent hope that my whole life on this earth will ever be tears and laughter.”
So weepers of the world – unite! Hang onto your sodden tissues, and leave off your mascara. Don’t feel intimidated by the stiff upper lips or cold embarrassment of stronger mortals, our ability to cry at the drop of a hat means that we’re living, breathing, sentient beings,
Yours tearfully…
A friend for supper on a cold winter’s night meant that I wanted to spoil her with comfort food, and what more comforting than blackberry and apple crumble?
I had the apples, and a tin of blackberries, though I prefer fresh or frozen, and also often use boysenberries instead. I tipped the cold, cooked sliced apples and the blackberries into a pie dish, with plenty of juice, and sugar to taste; then the crumble was spread on top, baked in a moderate oven for forty minutes, tested with a knitting needle to make sure the crumble was cooked, and served with cream… delicious and she loved it.
The trick is the crumble… eight ounces of flour, four ounces of cold butter, grated and mixed with the flour, six ounces of brown sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, and two ounces of ground almonds. Mixed altogether, it only takes a few minutes to prepare, and not much more to eat!
All children long for recognition and acceptance of their essence – secretly so do most adults. The insistent question inside all of us is: do you see me, not only my body, but my essence; the gifts, potential, needs, wounds, character and quality of soul that shape me individually?
Professor Richard Whitfield
Filed under animals/pets, army, babies, british soldiers, consciousness, cookery/recipes, family, films, food, happiness, humour, love, princess diana, royalty, self knowledge, spiritual, Thoughts on writing and life, uncategorised
Tagged as animals, food, Joan Sutherland, Kahlil Gibran, Kathleen Battle, laughter, Scott of the Antartic, spiritual, tears, The Young Winston
When the cows come home
The cows were lined up by the fence as I drove to a halt by the stop sign and orange traffic cones. Lovely chunky brown and white ones with thick white curls on their foreheads.
They were curious, and interested… this small hiccup on the road was a break in the monotony of their lives in a field hemmed in by fences. Back in the mists of time they would have roamed free, grazing, not just on boring green grass, but also on a variety of herbs and other grasses they were drawn to in order to maintain their good health. They reminded me of when I was staying with my best friend in the Forest of Dean in England. We were crossing a field to get to the Forest for a long walk.
The notes of a flute floated across the meadow, and then we saw a ring of cows –in fact every cow in the vicinity – gathered around the tree from whence came the music. Black Friesians. A man was sitting in the tree playing to them… a delicious eccentric – and after an intriguing exchange – my friend was mystified by the idea of a man playing music to cows, we carried on down to the Forest. I was fascinated… the cows confirmed all I had ever wondered about them. They were so curious and fascinated themselves, they couldn’t tear themselves away from the tree and the new sounds.
The definition of curiosity is a desire to learn and acquire knowledge… and how often do we credit cows with these qualities? When we want to describe someone disparagingly, who is slow, we call them bovine, and the dictionary definition of this word is being ‘slow and un-intelligent like cows and cattle.’
I think of the Welsh farmer who was gored by his bull, and fell to the ground unconscious, his leg broken. When he recovered consciousness, all his cows were spaced in a ring around him, protecting him from further attacks. As he began to drag himself to the gate at the edge of the field, his cows moved with him, keeping him safe. Faced with an emergency they had never encountered before, they solved it efficiently and cooperatively. What an example of goodness, intelligence, and can I say it – humanity? We credit mankind with humanity as though it was something unique to mankind… though sometimes one wonders what has happened to humanity in today’s world.
The dictionary defines humanity as having the qualities of compassion, brotherly love, kindness, understanding, consideration, mercy, generosity, sympathy, goodness… I find that all these words could be applied to the actions of these cows in protecting their owner… plus two more, intelligence and imagination.
In New Zealand we have an annual country custom called calf club day. Every year a child on a farm is given a lamb or a calf to nurture and train, and on calf club day they all bring their pet lamb or calf to school, and parade them and they are judged – most obedient, prettiest etc. When I was asked to judge, I couldn’t and gave everyone a ribbon … and then the next day, life is turned on its head for these gently reared and nurtured creatures.
The lambs go off to market in a trailer to be sold and eaten, the calves get turned out into the field with all the others. Once as we walked past a herd of jerseys grazing peacefully, admiring their long lashes and silky coats, one of them broke away from the herd, and ran towards us. As we talked to her and stroked her, we sighed – someone’s pet calf we murmured.
And so, lonely, missing her childhood companion, she was doomed to the monotony and heartbreak of a cow’s life – doomed to breed and produce a calf every year, doomed to have it torn away from her within a few hours or days, doomed to give up her milk and live her life in boredom and sadness. The sound of a cow bellowing in anguish when her calf has been taken from her, and the pitiful cries of the calves as they get used to being parted are part of the nightmare of country life.
Not to mention the terrified male /bobby calves lying in crates by the farm gate waiting to be gathered up in a cattle truck and after long hours of being thrown around the truck, ending up at the meatworks… I haven’t been able to eat anything with gelatine ever since I discovered how we get it… much of it derived from the skin and bones of calves… and hidden even in products like yogurt to bulk it up and make it creamier.
This is the reality of modern farming many will say, and so it is…. and yet organic farmers show how it can be done differently, keeping calves with their mothers, and still getting milk from the cows. Remembering that cows are not milking machines, but intelligent, loving consciousnesses could make a difference perhaps to the lives of millions of creatures who share this planet with us… and who as sentient beings, need the same protection and consideration that all life deserves.
My heart stopped at the pictures the other day of a woman matador in the South of France, holding aloft in gleeful triumph the ears of the magnificent bull she had just killed in torment, its blood running down her hands. Killed in torment to give so-called humanity some fun…
Yes, creatures have a different consciousness to human beings, and yet also share many of the same emotions… but since we have established – in the words of the Bible – ‘dominion over all creatures’ so we also have the responsibility to make sure that life for the creatures who give us life, is not also hell on earth.
‘We need another and a wiser and perhaps a more mystical concept of animals’ wrote the great writer on the natural world, Henry Beston… ‘Remote from universal nature and living by complicated artifice, man in civilisation surveys the creature through his own knowledge… and the whole image in distortion. We patronise them for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate in having taken form so far below ourselves.
‘And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow travellers of the splendour and the travail of the earth.’
Many years ago a group was formed in Wales, calling itself Women for Life on Earth… I like to think that we could all be un-official members of this wonderful sounding circle of goodness.
Sometimes I just need a quick and easy something to give guests at morning coffee time, or to cheer up a soup meal. These cheese muffins do the trick. I always have grated cheese ready in the deep freeze, so with a heaped cup of grated cheese, and another of self raising flour, I add a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper, and mix it all with one egg and three- quarters of a cup of warm milk. Spoon the mixture into greased muffin tins – I use tiny ones- and these take fifteen minutes in a 200 degree oven.
O servant, where dost thou seek Me?
Lo! I am beside thee.
I am neither in temple nor in mosque: I am neither in Kaaba nor in Kailash:
Neither am I in rites and ceremonies, nor in Yoga and renunciation.
If thou art a true seeker, thou shalt at once see Me: thou shalt meet Me in a moment of time.
Sufi poet Kabir, translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Filed under animals/pets, food, kabir, kindness intelligence, rabindranath tagore, spiritual
Tagged as animals, Consciousness, cows, food, Kabir, rabindranath tagore, spiritual
Storms of Delight
I awoke to the roaring of a savage sea hurling itself onto the rocks below. The window is always open so that I can hear the sea.
Looking out, it was a grey wolf sea, with a steel-grey haze obliterating the islands that hover on the horizon. White capped rollers raced in across cruel grey and glacier- green water, and when the waves hit the rocks spilled over in sheets of white foam blowing high in the air. Low tide is almost more spectacular than high tide, because the water hits the rocks instead of flowing over most of them.
Later, I put on a hood and jacket and walked out into the storm. The wind was thrashing the trees and making much the same sound as the roaring sea. First I walked to the garden of some friends overlooking the little harbour. It’s usually like a shining green jewel set deep in high rock and forested walls. It was calm, the only sign of the storm being the muddy-looking water.
These friends own the goats and are away overseas for some weeks, so I pocketed the lemons lying under the tree. It was only a little tree, but had been so nurtured and well fed, that where one lemon would normally hang, between five and ten weighted down each fragile branch. The scent of the blossom still growing swirled round the tree before flying in the wind.
As I walked down their long drive, between two rows of palm trees, three little speckled red hens came running out of a nearby garden, and solemnly picked their way behind me in single file. I felt like turning round to stroke them, but they weren’t keen on this. The way they followed me reminded me of Konrad Lorenz’s imprinted geese, and I hoped these little hens weren’t busy imprinting themselves on me. They gave up in the end, and returned home to where their supper was awaiting them in the hands of a pretty girl in a cream poncho.
Strolling back in the flying rain I walked down the cul de sac to say hello to the three goats, and give them a little leafy, twiggy treat. Robert, the grumpy old billy- goat, would keep dropping his mouthful in order to snatch the little darlings’ twigs from their mouths. So I had to do a dodgy dance to try to fend him off while the babies managed an uninterrupted munch for a few minutes.
As I turned round to come home, I heard a piteous whine. It was Zeb, the black and white pointer who lives opposite the goats, and sometimes escapes to come and see me. She had her head to the fence, hoping I’d come and say hello to her too. Of course I did, and while I was doing so, Kate, her owner, came out and asked if I’d like some new-laid eggs. Would I? So when Zeb and I had finished our tete- a- tete, I returned home the delighted carrier of six fresh eggs.
I laid them carefully with the glowing yellow lemons on the garden seat at the top of the steps, and continued my wander in the storm. We live on a tiny peninsula sticking out into the sea, our house facing one way, and on the other side of the little neck of land, the old village graveyard faces out to sea in the other direction. Beneath spreading trees, it holds the graves of the earliest settlers in this place, and the latest inhabitants.
I walked on the wet grass between the graves, heading for the end of the cemetery where it ends in a deep crevasse where the sea throws itself against this neck of land. Here I look down on a flat rock fifty feet below. The seas crash over it in rough weather, or lap against the sides on calm days, revealing tempting still green depths and white rock below the waterline, where I’d love to swim if I could get down there. Today it was almost invisible beneath thick sheets of green water swirling over it and spumes of foam flying through the air.
As I stood looking down here, as I so often do, I realised that every time I come here, I think of Pincher Martin, and William Golding’s description of hell. Pincher Martin scrabbling desperately to escape the raging seas, and clinging onto the slippery rock and slipping back down again into the tormenting cauldron of murderous waves… over and over again … not a pleasant remembrance, and one I try to banish, but it always comes back … just as I never see the spire of Salisbury Cathedral, in the flesh or in pictures, without thinking of Golding’s ‘The Spire’ and his painful story of spiritual disintegration. Thank goodness I’ve avoided reading ‘The Lord of the Flies’, as I know I would be tormented by that too.
Today, the wind crashing through the old pohutakawa trees – which were probably growing here when my hero, Captain James Cook sailed past in 1769 – was bringing down lots of small twigs and gnarly broken branches. When they’re dry they’re wonderful to start the fire with, and the peasant in me can’t resist gathering bundles. This was a successful foray and I returned home with a big armful of wet branches and twigs to dry out in the garage. Pohutakawa trees grow to the size of a good oak tree, and have dark green, hard, crunchy leaves all the year round. They’re sometimes called the New Zealand Christmas tree because at Christmas they’re smothered in flaming red blossom, and here, where the whole coast is ringed with them, they are a unique sight.
And so back home to a blazing log fire, with the haunting and tender sounds of Handel’s opera Julius Caesar still ringing through my head. I went to see it for the second time in three days yesterday, five hours of it, and would see it again – and again, if it was available. Today I Googled Caesar and Cleopatra, since I only knew of Anthony and Cleopatra. And yes, Handel hadn’t messed around with history, Caesar and Cleopatra had had a love affair, she had borne his only son, and she stayed with him in Rome until his assassination.
So well before her alliance with Mark Anthony, she had loved Caesar, and he her.Knowing this made the exquisite songs of their love affair in opera seem even more poignant.Cleopatra inveigled her way into Caesar’s presence rolled up in a carpet, and in the opera sang a song of enchantment for him. I read somewhere that Cleopatra’s glorious song to Caesar: “v’adoro pupille” (I adore you, eyes,) is the most seductive love song ever written. I can believe it. In Natalie Dessay’s version she didn’t seduce, she poured out her heart. It was beautiful.
And this life seems so beautiful too, with all its gifts and grace notes, allusive thoughts and memories, the stormy seas and wild winds, the hens and the goats, the centuries of music and aeons of love, the lemons, the eggs and the firewood!
The pantry was bare. So I made a treat I haven’t made for years – cheese aigrettes. All I needed were things like eggs, flour, and grated Parmesan which I always have in the deep freeze. So into a saucepan went two oz butter and half a pint of water. When boiling I added 4 oz flour and stirred hard until the whole mixture was coming away from the sides of the saucepan, leaving it clean.
Off the heat I mixed in 3oz Parmesan and two egg yolks, beating them in separately. Add salt and pepper, and then fold in the stiffly whisked egg whites.That’s the easy part. When the mixture is cold, drop small rough pieces, about a teasp size or bigger, into hot fat. Don’t fry too quickly or the outside will brown before it’s cooked inside. But if the fat is too cold, the aigrettes will become greasy. It takes about four minutes for each batch to cook.
Fish them out with a slotted spoon onto some kitchen paper to drain, and serve with grated parmesan sprinkled over, and a dash of cayenne pepper. With salad, they’re crunchy, filling and delicious.
Life, for all its agonies of despair and loss and guilt, is exciting and beautiful, amusing and artful and endearing, full of liking, and of love, at times a poem and a high adventure, at times noble and at times very gay; and whatever (if anything) is to come after it, we shall not have this life again.
From Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay English novelist 1881 – 1958
Filed under books, cookery/recipes, culture, environment, great days, happiness, life/style, literature, love, spiritual, The Sound of Water, Thoughts on writing and life, Uncategorized, village life
Tagged as animals, Cleopatra, Handel, Julius Caesar, Natalie Dessay, Opera, recipes, spiritual, storm, village life, William Golding
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September 28, 2013 3:29PM PT
Film Review: ‘The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet’
Jean-Pierre Jeunet brings high 3D style and plentiful imagination to his adaptation of the acclaimed Reif Larsen novel.
By Jay Weissberg
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Helena Bonham Carter, Judy Davis, Callum Keith Rennie, Kyle Catlett, Niamh Wilson, Jakob Davies, Rick Mercer, Dominique Pinon, Julian Richings, Richard Jutras, Mairtin O’Carrigan, Michel Perron, Dawn Ford, Harry Standjofski, Susan Glover, James Bradford. (English dialogue.)
In a satisfying confluence of source material and director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet brings his signature abundance to bear on the richly stuffed adventures of Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet, Reif Larsen’s pint-sized Montana whiz kid whose genius gets him to the Smithsonian. “The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet” is the perfect 3D vehicle and Jeunet takes full advantage, offering a feast of amusing visual flourishes suited to the book’s playfulness. As with “Hugo,” however, guessing the target audience will be tricky. An Imax 3D French rollout in mid-October could help the Weinstein Co. gauge how to market their yet-to-be-dated Stateside release.
Campaign strategists will need to figure out whether the kid protag and the pic’s visualization of a precocious child’s vivid imagination jive with the very adult expletives used by Judy Davis’ Smithsonian undersecretary, Ms. Jibsen. Given the repeated cuss words, it’s likely the producers are hoping for a mid-teen and older crowd, though the question arises whether post-adolescents will want to watch a movie about a gifted 10-year-old. The answer, hopefully, will be at least a tentative “yes,” since “Spivet,” despite some tonal problems, delivers much pleasure.
The book’s protag is two years younger in the movie, and quite a few other changes have been made to harness Larsen’s wide-ranging, free-spirited novel for coherent screen consumption. Copper Top Ranch is home to the Spivet family, an eccentric and oddly matched bunch headed by dad Tecumseh Elijah (Callum Keith Rennie), a dead ringer for the monosyllabic Marlboro Man sans mustache, and mom Dr. Clair (Helena Bonham Carter, notable), a distracted entomologist. Their three kids are teen Gracie (Niamh Wilson), obsessed with beauty pageants, and twin sons Layton (Jakob Davies) and T.S. (Kyle Catlett, making his feature debut).
Popular on Variety
With its big open skies, wood-paneled study, old-fashioned telephone and rudimentary toasters, Copper Top feels like a throwback to mythical 1950s Western perfection, but like most everything else here, it’s a construction of a past inserted in the present. This is how the Spivets want to live — at least everyone but Gracie, who longs for cell-phone reception. Then one day Layton is accidentally killed when a gun goes off in the barn, and the family structure breaks down: T.S. believes he’s to blame, convinced his father (never hands-on with the kids) hates him. Even Mom retreats into herself, so when the little genius gets a call saying his perpetual motion machine is being recognized by the Smithsonian, he packs a suitcase and heads to D.C.
The train ride across America allows Jeunet to showcase U.S. pride, where purple mountains majesty and quaint Victorian Main Streets draped with stars and stripes testify to the country’s grandeur (though “Spivet” was actually shot in Canada, apart from a few second-unit establishing shots). Once in Chicago, T.S. hitches a ride and makes it to the Smithsonian, where the self-aggrandizing Ms. Jibsen (played by Davis with a touch of an Anna Wintour parody) is only too delighted to use his tender age for added publicity.
The tension here should come from T.S.’s misguided sense of culpability and his literal running away from dealing with those feelings, but Jeunet isn’t quite in command of these elements and the description of what really happened in the barn is too rushed to make the necessary impact. Ditto the father character, meant to be remote yet surely not without some presence. Though there’s plenty of heart here, and the warm feelings are genuine, their depth rarely breaks out of the cartoonish — a bit more Wes Anderson and a little less “Amelie” would have increased the emotional tenor.
Nevertheless, Jeunet does a fine job bringing so many elements together, showcasing his inescapable liveliness with moments of delight, such as a brief “Inside Gracie’s Cortex” fantasy, or T.S. imagining himself at the literal crossroads between the Mountain of Lies and the Prairie of Truth. Remaining true to the spirit of the book, Jeunet decorates the screen with diagrams, pictures and text, almost in a Peter Greenaway/”Tulse Luper” way, with the addition of 3D. Not since “Hugo” has three-dimensionality been used so inventively; unsurprisingly, the films share stereographers in the exceptionally talented Demetri Portelli, whose feel for pictorial planes is miraculous. Rather than seeming cheesy, each element thrown, swept or blown toward the camera induces smiles of surprise.
Canada’s magnificent landscapes do just fine masquerading as U.S. territory, with the areas around Copper Top Ranch especially golden, like a dream imagining of the fruited plains. Occasionally scene arrangements feel slightly off, as if Jeunet couldn’t bear to cut a few sequences and so dropped them, like unnecessary flashbacks, into places they don’t belong. Denis Sanacore’s score hits the spot.
Film Review: 'The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet'
Reviewed at San Sebastian Film Festival (closer), September 27, 2013. Running time: 105 MIN. Original title: "L’extravagant voyage du jeune et prodigieux T.S. Spivet"
(France-Canada) A Gaumont (in France)/Weinstein Co. (in U.S.) release of an Epithete Films, Tapioca Films, Filmarto, Gaumont, France 2 Cinema, Cross Creek production, with the participation of OCS, France Televisions. (International sales: Gaumont International, Paris.) Produced by Frederic Brillion, Gilles Legrand, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Suzanne Girard. Executive producers, Francis Boespflug, Tyler Thompson.
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Screenplay, Jeunet, Guillaume Laurant, based on the novel “The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet” by Reif Larsen; dialogues, Laurant. Camera (color, widescreen, 3D), Thomas Hardmeier; editor, Herve Schneid; music, Denis Sanacore; production designer, Aline Bonetto; costume designer, Madeline Fontaine; sound (Dolby Digital), Jean Umansky; sound design, Selim Azzazi; supervising sound editor, Gerard Hardy; 3D stereographer, Demetri Portelli; visual effects supervisor, Alain Carsoux; 3D engineer, Ben Gervais; assistant director, Christophe Vassort; casting, Lucie Robitaille.
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We’re not going back to sleep
Mar1 by weegingerdug
The Scottish public will wake up to the SNP eventually, is the soothing mantra that the Unionist commentariat tell themselves so they can get to sleep at night. Soon, soon, it’s just around the corner. Won’t be long now. Won’t be long. Hush now Daily Mailster and don’t cry. It won’t be long until Scotland returns to the fold like the good sheep we want them to be. They’re mad cultists, those Scots, say the establishment Westminions as they pray for salvation by a Messiah who delivered Scotland into EVEL. They lie tossing and turning, praying for redemption.
But they have no gods and their precious few heroes sold their souls for an ermine robe and a seat on the board. Stop listening to the spin say the spiders casting webs of lies. Wake up to the SNP, wake up to the SNP, count the Labour sheep and dream. Do as you’re told. Do what we say. Listen to your betters far far away in a place that’s not parochial and inward looking like you are. Now watch this display of royal pagentry. Coo at the photie of Willnkate’s baby. This is the UK, you’re privileged to be a part of the best non-nationalist nationalism the world has ever seen. Watch the Dave and Boris show, Punch and Judy puppets fill the press while the crocodile of capitalism devours your future. Michelle Moan has a peerage, she’s one of yours, why are you not grateful.
And this, this miserablist vision of narrow prospects and greedy avarice, is the best it’s ever going to get. This is the UK. It’s never going to change. It ate your grandparents and it will eat your children. Be obedient. Be humble. Defer to the lords and ladies. That’s how the UK works, that’s how it’s always worked. That’s what makes Britain grate your nerves.
We woke up from the nightmare. We were asleep years ago, when we were soothed by the fairy stories and somnolised by the lullabies of Labour, as a nation went sleepwalking off a cliff into the chasm of despair. Just one more General Election, just one more Labour majority, and our numbers would come up in the lottery of life. Tony Blair swore it was true. It was a restless sleep, a fevered dream, enchanted by the magic of lies. The only numbers we see are the numbers of the dead in illegal wars, the numbers of the increasing debt, the numbers sanctioned, the numbers going hungry as they trudged to the food banks, that’s winning the lottery of Westminster life means.
We woke up in the summer of 2014 and we’re not asleep any more. We’re alive and awake to the confidence tricksters, the false promisers, the perverters of hope and destroyers of the future who abandoned Scotland in the cold dead vacuum of vowter space. Our eyes are open, our minds alert, our feet stand firm under an open Scottish sky, and the landscape lies before us for the taking. We didn’t go away that depressing September day, it wasn’t a defeat it was a pause for breath, a taking of stock, a call to redouble our efforts, the alarm bell that woke a nation. The 19th of September 2014 was the day that half of Scotland said – Naw, I don’t think so. Your card is marked. Yer tea is oot.
The people who call for Scotland to wake up to the SNP are the same ones who want us to return to our slumber. The want us to surrender to passivity, to accept powerlessness and revel in impotence. They have no answers, no solutions, just the constant cry that the SNP is bad. They call on us to cringe more, complain about Gaelic signs and Scottish news programmes, be the co-dependent in their addiction to power as a route to preference and privilege and enrichment for the few. The only strategy they have is the vain hope that by convincing people that the SNP is as shite as they are that we’ll return to their self-serving embrace.
They miss the point. We all know that the SNP has its shortcomings. We are not blind. We are not asleep. But we want transformation and change, an escape from the politics of poverty of hope and beggaring of aspiration. The SNP can deliver that. Why vote for Labour or the Tories’ promise to reshuffle Westminster’s stacked deck when you can vote for a whole new game with a new pack of cards. When the gemme is a bogey you don’t vote for those who want to keep playing by the same unfair rules. Why vote for mitigation and paying twice to make up the shortfall for Westminster’s Tory cuts when we can vote for a fair game.
Devolution was supposed to be a means for Scotland to forge its own path within the UK, not a sticking plaster on the stumps left of the legs that Westminster has cut from beneath us. The only choice they want you to have to is vote Tory to cut your own throat, or vote for Labour to hold you down while the Tories cut your throat. That’s British democracy. Progressive can only mean progress along the path that Westminster decides, the British Parliamentary Road to Socialism that ended in the despair of Blair. But Scotland is hacking its way through the uncharted growth of self-determination, and with every step we take we see a vision of a better country come more sharply into focus. So clear we can touch it, beautiful and shimmering in the light of imagination. All things are possible when you forge your own path, free from the blinkers of those who ride on our backs and whip us. We are climbing the mountain to a better life, and we’re doing it ourselves.
There’s another tsunami coming in May. Another wave of wakefulness to wash away the lies, another ocean of awareness to drown the deceit. We’re awake. We are alive. We’re terrifying the Westminions and keeping them awake at night.
And we’re not going back to sleep.
BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE Barking Up the Right Tree has now been published and is an anthology of my articles for The National newspaper. You can submit an advance order for the book on the Vagabond Voices website at http://vagabondvoices.co.uk/?page_id=1993
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65 comments on “We’re not going back to sleep”
Absolutely bloody brilliant, inspiring and resolve stiffening stuff.
Bravo! Paul, bravo!
eddjasfreeman says:
What jimnarlene said. You’re right: we’re awake now, and we’re not going back to sleep. The Establishment still haven’t realized this, that much is obvious. I shall now go and practice being an uppity Jock.
Almost poetic. Gie that dug a bone!
Andrew Macnair says:
Great writing as ever. Keep these articles coming!
Do they seriously think that we are going to vote for Kezia (who wouldn’t come third in a Kezia Dugdale lookalike competition if there were four candidates) JaBa the But, Ian Gray, Anas Sarwar, Jim Kelly, Neil Findlay, or Ruth Tank Commander ‘fair crack of the whip’ Davidson, Murdo Fraser, Alan Johnston, Prof Tompkins and Jackson Carlaw, or Oor Wullie, Tavish the Scott, and , no sorry, can’t think of the names of any of the other 3 Lib Dem hopefuls?
The Branch Offices were deliberately crammed with Third Division politicos, failed councillors, in an effort to diminish the stature and quality of the Holyrood Administration. It has now come back to bite them in the bum. The SNP Administration id far from perfect, but they are moving in the right direction. Self Determination for Scotland.
May 2016, then on to May 2017, before Labour Councils tie us into 20 year binding Arms Length contracts with their cronies, and cousins, are the next milestones on the way to nationhood once again..
I favour 2018, for the Final Push…Unless of course Indignant, of Solihull, and There will Always Be An England , of Oxford vote to leave the EU in June….
Superb!! Well shared!
Saor Alba says:
Magnificent Paul. Inspiring stuff once again. Heartfelt thanks.
Colin Webster says:
The voice of freedom on the winds of change
Like Rip Van Winkle many Scots have awoken from their long slumber only to find their rifle rusty and rotten, their dog missing and most everyone they knew dead and gone.
Rip Van Winkle also discovered that King George III no longer ruled and that the United States was now an Independent country.
Amazing what you might find once you open your eyes and wake up.
Craig Evans says:
Very well said; given the latest comments from certain ennobled Lords, they do still think we button up the back!
Very inspiring, thank you. 🙂
Superb! A very crystalline summation of where things are at and yes, inspiring.
Brilliant description of British “democracy”. A joy to read. Thank you, Paul.
My goodness me you have an amazing way with words. Excellent.
lanarkist says:
Fantastically uplifting and empowering!
After three hundred years of power napping we have lots of energy now!
arthur thomson says:
Great stuff mate. How I and others feel. Thank you for putting it into words.
Thomas Barrowman says:
Powerful, poetic and inspiring. One of your best yet, Paul, and one I’ll come back to when I need uplifted. Thank you.
Steve Asaneilean says:
Super piece once again Paul – an excellent exposure of the affront that passes for democracy in the UK.
On September 18th 2014 almost one half of Scotland did that which, according to the myth, could not be done – we prised hope out of Pandora’s box for the whole world to see.
That kind of awakening cannot be put back in the box.
Yes, it will take time, courage and patience but “it’s coming yet for a’ that”.
macart763M says:
I think there was a profound change on that day, a mind shift in the population. I think Paul is right on the money, we do see the SNP warts and all, the difference being that what we see we do not find anywhere near as offensive as what we found in the other parties who have had control over the lives of generations of Scots.
Better yet, the public have found that they can now use their politics and politicians to achieve a desired result, to affect their own lives and circumstance. On September 19th, 2014 the Scottish electorate discovered that through the process of the referendum they had become empowered and that no party, no politician was beyond their judgement.
Those affected in this way are no longer inclined to blindly follow the lead or legislation of a self entitled political class used to an unchallenged parliamentary sovereignty. The blind and the deluded of party politics and the media insist that its all party political strategy on the part of the SNP, conning a vulnerable and intellectually challenged (cough) public.
I wonder if the truth is beginning to dawn on some of them? That in fact its a motivated, politically aware and determined electorate who are directing a political party willing to oblige that electorate.
Now if anything is guaranteed to give establishment politicians sleepless nights… it would be the thought of their very grumpy employers insisting they return to public service. 🙂
Who’d have thought that in a democracy ordinary voters might actually want to be heard?
david agnew says:
It was a profound shift. Labour foolishly politicised the referendum, thinking the yes vote could never get higher than the SNPs then 20% share of the vote. But the issue was bigger than that, and crossed party boundaries. Having identified themselves so completely as the parties of Union, where were these people of yes going to go, if not the SNP.
Even now, they simply cannot comprehend the magnitude of the error they made. Making empty threats and demands of yes voters to give up and then getting angrier when it falls on deaf ears. They have not the first clue as to how to repair the bridges they so recklessly burned. They don’t know how to reach out to yes voters anymore. The bettertogether campaign ensured that can never happen. They can wrap themselves up in Union jacks. Put up all the bunting they want. Have silly banners declaring themselves as United Scotland in Union. At the end of day, they can’t go back nor can they go forward. They won barely and it cost them too much.
It was the argument they never wanted to have. They did not want folks to consider banal unionism in the cold light of day. Its that awkward moment when you realise that what you thought was a “settled” will turns out to be only half and the other half is just as settled in their conviction that the union should end.
Keeping Scotland in the UK cost them the relevance of British politics in Scotland. Amazingly the unionist parties and by extension the UK media, have simply not got around to realising a simple truth. This need for independence is bigger than the SNP. It was never about the SNP. It was never about Sturgeon or Salmond’s ego. They are seen as the vehicles for change. It also helps that they are seen as competent in government.
Insulting the electorate has never been a clever move. But not understanding what it is you are actually fighting is far worse.
Your last two paragraphs says it all David.
macart763 says:
I reckon by this point the movers and shakers, the thinkers, are aware of the catastrophe they have brought upon themselves. The rank and file however appear blissfully unaware in their party political tribalism, still focussed on their narrow world view of politics and how it should be practiced. Yet still, they have no answer, no resolution to their problem. They cannot reach us, for they cannot undo what they have done, or unsay what they have said. They have left themselves with nowhere to go but onward in their own self destructive narrative.
If this year and next go as expected however, the penny should drop with a resounding ‘KLANG’ for all parties involved.
Martin Heritage says:
Spot on Paul. Top stuff. . . .
andygm1 says:
John Edgar says:
The Telegraph revealed today that DC and The Senior Tory Toffs are going to cull the local Tory associations, I assume UK wide, make them merge and strip the chairmen/women of powers. This is to curb dissent in the ranks of the anti EU associations. I wonder if this has filtered through to BBC Scotland and that they are asking the Tories north of the Tweed for comment. It looks like the Senior Toffy Tories see their local members as mere forelock-tugging oiks who have to do what they are told. What with EVEL and culling in the ranks, are the Tories north of the Tweed now feeling “better together with pooling and sharing”. Or do they still not see the English elephant in the room? Perhaps the sole Tory Secretary of State for Scotland is not aware of this either? “First the Tories came for the Unions, and their local members said nothing, and then they came for them!”
I don’t think Tories are aware of anything.
Morningside Muppet Murray is off to Canada, to see how they do it—well fancy that–Keir Hrdie wanted Scotland to have Dominion Status, just like Canada, though I doubt if Mr Murray is interested in Keir Hardie.
What he might be interested in, however is
a.-Cameron stuffing even more of his Cronies into the Lords.
b.- Cutting back the number of MP’s from Scotland, Wales and N England and increasing those from southern England.
c.- Passing legislation to curb the ability of the Unions to fund and support Labour.
d.-Increasing control of the BBC—the news might as well be the David Cameron Show.
The Morningside Muppet may think he has a sinecure for life, but he should look at the way the winds blowing, as should the rest of Scottish Labour—-they will be out of power for good, if the Tories have their way.
Keir Hardie had the answer—-Home Rule, which is now called independence.
hettyforindy says:
Albawoman says:
Thank you once again excellent almost lyrical writing.
Just finished chatting to twenty three year old niece who lives with her partner and young son in very pleasant social housing in Surrey. She tells me that her rent could be raised to £1,200 per month from its present £600.pm.
This she tells me is part of ‘Pay as you Grow ‘ policy from the Tory government. Orwellian or what!
That sounds like a tory plan to remove social housing from the low/middle earners and either sell it off and/or rent to the very wealthy. Greedy, lying, scheming immoral barstds. Maybe people should be asking who it was that paid for the housing to be built all those years ago, it most certainly was not the tory party and their pals.
Outstanding Paul. 🙂
xsticks says:
“There’s another tsunami coming in May. Another wave of wakefulness to wash away the lies, another ocean of awareness to drown the deceit. We’re awake. We are alive. We’re terrifying the Westminions and keeping them awake at night. And we’re not going back to sleep.”
I have to admit to having a snooze now and again 😉 Inspirational stuff MR Kavanagh. Hat doffed. Again.
The Scottish Play says:
‘Their precious few heroes sold their souls for an ermine robe’ ..then fly. and mingle with the. epicures.
‘We’re alive and awake to the confidence tricksters, the false promisers, the perverters of hope and destroyers of the future who abandoned Scotland in the cold dead vacuum of vowter space. Our eyes are open, our minds alert, our feet stand firm under an open Scottish sky, and the landscape lies before us for the taking.’
Tha thu dha-rìribh!
scotsvote2014 says:
May 2016 will hopefully be a resounding success for Scotland’s only political party (exc Greens) but I really can’t wait for 2017 and the destruction that will hopefully be wrought on local authorities. If we can get local authorities humming like the Scot Gov we can really get some traction on real, tangible changes. Local devolution and local taxes. One thing at a time though 🙂
SNP x2 in May.
douglas clark says:
That was gob smackingly articulate in a way no Yoonionist has ever been.
If I ever falter, if I ever waver, I will come back and read this. And all doubts will be cast aside.
Did I mention it was really, really good?
If you ever wondered…. | Whispers from the Darkness on the edge of town says:
[…] …why politically, I am the way I am? Well this post by wee ginger dug, pretty much nails it. We’re not going back to sleep […]
Aye, an eloquent summation of how it is and a complete delight to read Paul…that’s it, right there. We’re gonnae run the bastards oot of office and literally show the world how it’s done…Scots style.
OK the SNP get a majority in May then what ? , we have today Scots & English Lords ( Vermin in Ermine) as they are better known Questioning the Settlement agreed between the Scottish & English Governments for that’s what it is ,a more or less a English Government in an English Parliament , we are only there to observe and make up the numbers it’s a pointless exercise , even Mrs Thatcher pronounced when the Scots send a majority of MPs to Westminster that are not in favour of the Union the game’s up , why are we not making preparations to leave ? , firstly by replacing all the heads in the Civil Service ,the Courts and Legal profession ie all associated Government departments that look upon Westminster as their ultimate masters and the Scottish Government who we vote for as more or less an irrelevance , look how many UK Government Ministers have refused to appear before Committees in the Scottish Parliament they don’t give a F/K about our Parliment even refusing to make it Permanent by yet again voting down the proposal , what will it take for these brain dead idiots who voted NO and stole the future from so many Scots kids to just once consider others rather than their own selfish interests .
Black Rab says:
Nice. I Love it.
Good comment. It will either happen gradually, or, very spontaneously, with all that comes with that. Would still not be surprised if wm try to dismantle Holyrood when the SNP gain even more seats. They will say it’s a security issue, tanks sent in.
Hopefully it won’t come to that, lots to play for with our election, though I am sure those S of the border will be saying, what election? They will get a shock when their gravy train hits the brake sharp, and takes the much more forward looking route, on the newly laid down track, all paid for by the Scottish people.
Then it will be bye bye to the dysfunctional, bullying so called union.
punklin says:
“vowter space”- genius! Thank you.
carthannas says:
Air leth sònraichte! Brilliant, thanks
Sandy Thomson says:
One of your very best. We are all privileged to have you on our side.
MI5 Troll says:
Brilliant,that really is biting the balls of their project fear. Keep chewing Dug!!
Excellent piece, thanks again Paul. No time yet to read comments, always a joy, but whenever I think of Labour, especially in Scotland, I think to myself, Labour, keeping Scotland poor since…
Tinto Chiel says:
Paul, you manage to articulate feelings most of us, in our rage and frustration, simply struggle to. This post, and your demolition of the HoL and Forsyth in today’s National, deserve the widest possible audience: tonight’s Reporting Scotland perhaps?
How aboot Naw?
Whenever I am subjected to this apology for a programme in someone’s house or in a pub, I think, “If the French had had television in the Forties, this is what Vichy Vision would have looked like.”
Some superb comments on here too (the usual suspects: you know who you are). Inspiring.
“If the French had had television in the Forties, this is what Vichy Vision would have looked like.”
Brilliant, wish I’d have thought of that. Just sums up the whole quisling, Uncle Tom, parcel o rogues etc meme in one elegant sentence.
TheBabelFish says:
Reblogged this on The Babel Fish and commented:
Eloquent and passionate. If you harboured any doubts that some of the best writing these days is coming from the new media, this piece, perhaps the best yet, from one of the Babel Fish Blog’s favourite fellow bloggers, will put them to rest. Enjoy.
Brian Fleming says:
Aye, it is possibly the best yet, and that’s saying something. Tremendous writing.
thomaspotter2014 says:
Another Scotland is possible….and soon.
AYEMAN says:
“This is the UK. It’s never going to change. It ate your grandparents and it will eat your children.”
Absolute brilliance from The Dug! It sums up 300 years of Scotlands’ place in this “equal” union and is horrifyingly accurate when you consider the disproportionate casualty rates suffered by Scots who served in both World Wars.
You should copyright this Paul before some entrepreneur makes a fortune putting it on mugs, t-shirts, keyrings, car stickers etc.
Sue de Nymme says:
Paul, that is a superb piece of writing.
We now have nine weeks to sway the undecided and the disillusioned, and create a definitive and unstoppable Holyrood. I will be in the Largs SNP Office on Saturday to volunteer for whatever is needed.
Dinna_fash says:
Didn’t read all the comments so sorry if this has already been posted
Debate on Human Rights Framework: Scotland
http://tinyurl.com/jcluqyx
Possibly the most important debate concerning Scotland to date
jdman says:
And THIS is why…. this is why we remain, and these words should be hammered into every thick-headed no’er in Scotland until they get the message,
That’s why they keep me muzzled and on a chain, in case I get my hands on one of those,…. those …lovely people who exercised their right,
TO FUCK MY COUNTRY UP!!!!!!
Sorry I lost it there,
I’m ok
NOWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
maxstafford60093 says:
I know, John. I share that rage.
I had another explosion of anger last night when I learned that after its closure, the plant at Ravenscraig was dismantled, crated up and sold to China to produce the best quality steel in the world there instead of Lanarkshire. No hard evidence as yet provided by seeing as they were able to keep McCrone buried for 40 years, I absolutely believe it. Little Mo is about to pick up the iron and banjo psycho Trevor with it!
Alex Beveridge says:
Just catching up. Busy, out campaigning. For me, once again, it’s summed up by seeing Michael Fallon, U.K Defence Minister, telling us uppity jocks this morning that the next generation of Trident at Coulport/Faslane is going ahead, and the we should all be grateful for the “thousands” of jobs it’s going to bring to the local area. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there supposed to be a vote at Westminster before this matter can be decided?
It’s this arrogance that leaves me fuming, especially where weapons of mass destruction are concerned. For this obscenity to be on my doorstep, which in the case of an accident would render a huge swathe of Scotland uninhabitable for generations, and cause millions of deaths, is unacceptable. And yet we are stuck with it, despite most Scottish people wanting nothing to do with it, probably for the foreseeable future.
When we do gain independence, the removal of Trident should be our first priority, because I don’t want my great-grandchildren growing up in the shadow of such a dangerous obscenity.
Wonderful article. We will not go back to sleep, although Anas Sarwar is going to do his best to make us nod off.
Labour destroyed itself in he bitter together campaign, I read Joe Pike’s book recently and I had no idea of the extent of the input of Brian Wilson to Darling’s campaign. A very bitter and twisted individual who despises the country he was born in.
A brilliant quote about our grandparents, I am damned sure this corrupt entity isn’t going to have my children as well.
Deely Cumming says:
Brilliantly written words from the heart.
We are most assuredly not going back in any confined or shackled vault to appease punch n judy…
Fae B19 WOF
Graham Laidlaw says:
Brilliant words of wisdom,i’m nearly in tears,beautiful.
I’m almost ashamed to admit that it took me 67 years to wake up, but wake up I did, in 2014, and I’m wide awake still. I’m amazed by just how clearly I see now. I shook my family awake too, and we all voted YES, and all voted SNP in May. We will do so again this year.
It’s thanks to powerful blogs like this that momentum has not been lost.
Flower of Scotland says:
Inspirational read from you. Not feeling great but this made me feel so much better!
Your blog is on my bookmarks tab, but I missed this until someone posted in Wings comments. So here is my reply there:
‘superbly insightful, laying the truth bare for all but the truly unsaveable to see.
Up there along with Alan Bisset and Jimmy Reid and employing that undefinable yet discernible and seemingly peculiarly Scottish poetic style where in metre and cadance the rhyming of truth takes precedence.’
Would just add, it should have been in the National IMO.
Now where is that donate button?
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The iceberg and the lifeboat
Jun25 by weegingerdug
The usual blog article begins after this message while the annual crowdfunder is running. Sorry for the intrusion. Your support for the Wee Ginger Dugfunder is immensely appreciated. All donations large and small are welcome, yet if you are unable to donate that too is fine. Everyone will continue to enjoy full and unfettered access to all the contents of this blog.
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If you ever needed evidence about Boris Johnson’s poor judgement, you only had to learn that he’s selected Ross Thomson as his Scottish campaign manager and advisor on Scottish matters to have your worst suspicions amply confirmed. Actually, if you needed evidence about Boris Johnson’s poor judgement, you must live in some alternate universe where Boris Johnson is an artificial life form created from the very best genes of Mahatma Gandhi, Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, and Bez from the Happy Mondays. In this universe he’s an artificial life form created from an abandoned mattress, a bin fire, and an Eton education.
Boris Johnson is a politician who has as many enemies within his own party as he has outwith it. There are already rumours and threats that his premiership could end up as the shortest on record, and Conservative remainers are lining up to tell the media that they might consider voting down a Boris Johnson government. There are legions of Conservatives MPs who long for nothing more than getting close to Boris Johnson, just so that they can knife him in the back, or even the front. Michael Gove is the least of his worries. When, Carrie Symonds permitting, Boris Johnson becomes the next Prime Minister, he’s going to want to ensure that he’s surrounded by people he can trust.
One Scottish Tory MP has supported Boris like a demented fanboy since the very beginning. He’s been seen hanging about outside rooms where the man he stans is speaking in the hope that he’ll be noticed. There’s been no one more faithful to the Borisocracy than Ross Thomson, unless you count a small and not very bright dog slabbering on your lap. Which is also a good description of Ross, come to think of it. David Mundell, who hasn’t resigned yet, might find that he doesn’t need to resign after all, because he’ll be sacked. We’re facing the very real possiblity of living in a UK where Boris Johnson is in Number 10, Nigel Farage heads the party that leads in the opinion polls, and Ross Thomson is the Secretary of State for Scotland, the triumvirate of trash.
Things are so bad that there’s been a Broontervention for the very first time. Again. The Gordosaur has weighed in, speaking before an invited audience of people who’d signed a sworn statement to treat him with the reverence due to the Second Coming of Jesus. Gordie doesn’t actually walk on water, but he does pace up and down the carpet and that’s the next best thing. Afterwards he answered some questions that had been submitted in advance and pre-approved. Gordie doesn’t do critical audiences or submit to random questioning. He’s very like Boris Johnson in that respect. Then without a smidgeon of self awareness he told us all the things that have gone wrong with British politics as though he wasn’t responsible for any of it.
It’s all the fault of the Tories for their narrrow nationalism. It’s all the fault of Boris Johnson for undermining Scotland’s place in the UK and threatening the Barnett formula. It’s all the fault of the SNP for their “hard independence”, which is a new thing that only exists in the Brooniverse. Hard independence doesn’t actually exist, it’s just Gordie’s rhetorical attempt to draw an artificial equivalence between the hard Brexit being purveyed by Boris Johnson and Scottish independence. It’s like drawing an equivalence between an iceberg and a lifeboat.
Gordie railed against Boris Johnson as a purveyor of “narrow, dogmatic nationalism.” Because when Gordie ripped off a slogan from the far right and traipsed about the land promising “British jobs for British workers” that wasn’t narrow and dogmatic nationalism at all. Demanding that other people are held to standards that he himself doesn’t have to live up to is the very essence of Borishness. It might not be a lesson that the Conservative leadership candidate learned from Gordie Broon, but it’s certainly a practice that Gordie is as much a master of as any Eton schoolboy with a sense of entitlement.
The Union is under threat! Railed the man who’d vowed solemnly to the people of Scotland that he personally was going to ensure that the parties in the Better Together campaign were going to fulfil the promises and commitments that they made to the people of Scotland in order to secure the No vote in 2014, and then he buggered off in a sulk and did nothing while Labour, the Tories, and the Lib Dems played devolution jenga in the Smith Commission. He said nothing when the British government sought a court ruling to establish that one of Gordie’s key vows – that no Westminster government would change the powers of Holyrood without Holyrood’s consent – had no force in law. He said nothing when the British government used Brexit as an excuse to unilaterally undermine the devolution settlement. He said nothing when it was revealed that the Tories are seeking to wrest control from Holyrood and have UK government departments spend directly in areas of devolved competence.
The union is under threat. You don’t say Gordie, you don’t say. It’s all the fault of the Tories. It’s all the fault of the SNP. It’s all the fault of everyone except the man responsible for the Vow who then walked away from the commitments and promises that it contained. It’s the fault of everyone except the man who swore to the people of Scotland that he’d stand up for their interests and would personally hold the political establishment to account, and who then swanned off and washed his hands. Even Pontius Pilate took more responsibility.
Maybe, just maybe, if the former Prime Minister faced up to his own role in putting the Union at threat he might be a more credible advocate for saving it, but as things stand even BBC Scotland is finding it difficult to work up much enthusiasm for his self-serving pronouncements. The lead item on the lunchtime news from Pacific Quay was that there had been a lot of rain in Stirling. When the Scottish news leads with a story that it has rained in Scotland instead of telling us that Gordie has been Broontervening again, you can take that as a sign that even BBC Scotland knows that any influence Gordie Broon once had has been washed down the drains.
The reason that the union is under threat is because successive British politicians don’t take responsibility for their failures, and within the UK the people of Scotland have no means of holding them to account. If Gordon Brown really wants to understand why the UK is on the verge of dissolving, why the charlatan Boris Johnson is arranging the removal vans to move into Number 10, he could start by taking a long hard look at himself in the mirror.
The UK ship of state is sinking because its short sighted and self-serving political class deliberately sailed it into the iceberg of Brexit. Scottish independence is the lifeboat.
← Beware the Scottish midgie
The saltire piñata →
22 comments on “The iceberg and the lifeboat”
Superb as ever. Though Bez was in The Happy Mondays, not the Stone Roses 🙂
So he was. Fixed it now.
Was this a typo, WGD? 😉
” … the very essence of Borishness.”
Could just as easily read,
” … the very essence of Bo(o)rishness. ”
No, it’s deliberate.
I know – hence the wink. But you could always use my alternative, as well! (Engaging smile).
Yeah but with your alternative the joke doesn’t work.
The interplay between Boorishness, Boris Highness, etc., almost sprayed tea on the wall..
He is simply a buffoon, a liar, and for the pet of the UK dangerous
Sorry, ‘pet’ was meant to be ‘people’
BobLamont says:
Freudian Slip unless living in Newcastle etc.? They are all fundamentally dangerous, the Blue-Rinse Ugly Pageant finalists the most dangerous of all. Much speculation in the Press that Johnson could be the shortest PM in British history. Toulouse Lautrec had greater gravitas than Toulouse le Zipper… 😉 Merde
Mr Brown and his speech today did get quite a bit of coverage in the Herald – paper edition – today albeit as part of a story about the Tory candidates and their claims of threats to the Union etc.
From one of the quoted sections of Mr B’s speech he seems to be adopting the lexicon of Brexit to tar the drive for independence with the Brexit negativity.
The quote from his speech was: “It [ the Union] is under threat from the SNP’s recent but little-publicised shift from a soft to hard version of independence with the abandonment of the pound and their desire to leave the UK single market and customs union”
Where to start with that?
Realising their panic ?
Anne Martin says:
How do they tell lies like that with a straight face?
Daisy Walker says:
When the lie comes ‘oh but Scotland trades 4 times as much with England than it does with the EU – however will you survive’.
We need to get the answer in hard and fast, ‘Aye and a big chunk of what we sell ye is Electricity, what are you going tae to, sit round a candle’.
We can get this one in for starters.
And for seconds, ‘a hard version of Indy, with the abandonment of the pound’.
‘That’ll be our pound that you forbade us to use the last time, and now Westminster has devalued it with Brexshit you want us to stick with it – wasn’t ScotGov who ruined it now was it, it was the incompetent shysters in London, not really an advert for their competence is it.’
Cheerie.
Things must be at a dangerous level if the dinosaur is released and it’s not reported on BBC Scotchland!
We haven’t even had the start of a campaign yet. Lordy, yeah Labour isn’t getting the radioactive doomonger out if everything was going swimmingly.
Wake me when we get another vow or promise or anything written on parchment.
On second thoughts… 😀
bringiton says:
The problem that Broon and his Better Together cabal now have is that their promises on reform of the “union” were lies and that New Labour’s devolution was also a lie.
Lies,damned lies and New Labour.
Scots will not be taken in by his ilk again.
For those who were mesmerised by the false promises, “demo-max” et al, there is a grudge. For those who saw a righteous cause and new start dismantled by false promises in 2014, there is grudge. The old saying, never take revenge but remember the bastard’s name could never be more appropriate with Gordon Brown.
Devolution was perceived as the death knell of Independence, it didn’t quite go to plan and now even English regions are clamouring for the same having seen what Holyrood have done.
Whatever the Eton clique’s plans are for devolution, it will be met with a wave of anger farther afield than Scotland, and pity help the clown who tries….
Have checked bank balance and away to donate. Thanks again for all you do.
Been reading Lochside’s comments over on Wings re Loch Lomond – Flamingoland development. Very very concerning.
One aspect might be that the proposed development is a red herring and will exist only long enough for them to put up staff accommodation (which would by pass the planning restrictions in such an area). This ‘staff accommodation’ would likely be curiously high end, delux, millionaire residents status, and ‘have’ to be sold off at the wrapping up of the project. For significant amounts of money for each.
This MO is being used quite regularly throughout Scotland’s beauty area’s. Taymount Castle being one example. The 6 Star Hotel Plans didn’t come to anything.
If anyone sees Lochside – if they could make him aware.
Park of Keir development near Stirling too. A lot of local objections. Council turned it down. Developers appeal. Inquiry. Reporter said it should be turned down. SG Minister gives it go-ahead. SNP lose seat at GE in 2017.
I wonder how so many other Commonwealth countries manged to have a ‘hard independence’ by adopting their own currency ? Why did the UK allow it ?
Did anyone bother to tell Gordon ?
ScotsCanuck says:
” …. he (Broon) could start by taking a long hard look at himself in the mirror.” ….. no point Paul, just like the undead, he has no reflection …. either as the undead or even as the living
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Watch Now: News at 7 a.m. WHNT News 19 TV Schedule CBS All Access
“Ugly produce” subscription service helps reduce food waste, expands to Alabama
Posted 4:36 pm, October 25, 2019, by Kelly Vaughen and Irene Martinez, Updated at 04:45PM, October 25, 2019
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that we waste 30 to 40 percent of our food supply in America.
Food waste comes in many forms. It can spoil during transport, be damaged by insects, or wasted by individual consumers. A lot of food doesn't make it to store shelves because it doesn't look picture perfect.
A new food delivery company hopes to do their part to reduce that number and save you money at the same time.
Misfits Market founder says it aims to deliver fresh, organic and sometimes misshapen and ugly produce right to your door at a discount.
Our veggies may be a little curvier than normal, but their path from the farm to your door is straighter than most. Because we have close relationships with our growers, they call us first when they can't sell produce that's too big, small, or misshapen—or even regular-looking veggies that are surplus. Our food is fresher because we cut out middlemen and deliver within days of picking, whereas it can take months after harvest for some produce to hit grocery stores. #MisfitsMarket
A post shared by Misfits Market (@misfitsmarket) on Oct 13, 2019 at 5:29pm PDT
"We rescue produce from farms around the country," said Misfits Market Founder and CEO Abhi Ramesh. "Stuff that would go to waste for reasons that we think are irrational. So produce that's too small, too large, there's a surplus of it. It's just, you know, funky looking."
Ramesh says the company wants to tackle the major food waste problem and get healthy, affordable food to everyone.
Misfits Market started a little over a year ago. The company has started a southern expansion and is now available in Alabama.
Ramesh believes many of the food delivery programs focus on dense metropolitan areas. He wants to make sure Misfits Market serves the rest of the country.
"I grew up in Georgia, so the south is home to me. We launched this up in Pennsylvania. We're based in Philidelphia. And so the ambition always was to sort of spread across the rest of the country," Ramesh said.
Subscribers can decide what size box they would like and how often they want boxes delivered. You will soon be able to customize boxes with items other than produce.
"There's packaged goods, there's eggs, there's dairy. All that goes to waste for weird reasons in the supply chain. So soon you're going to be able to add other no -produce items into your box as well," Ramesh said.
Ramesh says the company does the math every week and finds the boxes are 30 to 40 percent cheaper than regular grocery store prices. The reduced costs come from food that otherwise wouldn't have been purchased and because the supply chain is much shorter than a grocery store.
The service offers a wide range of produce for customers to try. You can find a full list of what they're currently sourcing on their website along with several recipes to try.
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Wicked Rods & Customs
1955 Chevy 210
Looks can be deceiving. Especially when it comes to what rolls out of Wicked Rods & Customs’ workshop and this 1955 Chevy 210 proves it. (Though, we use the label ’55 loosely.) Winning a Steel the Show Award at a Goodguys North Carolina National is no small feat, but this car did it.
When the owner found this ’55 hard top, he spotted an opportunity to relive a teenage experience. There was just one issue: Requirements of the modern road and lifestyle have, well, changed a tad since the 1950s. But that’s where Wicked comes in.
After somewhere between 20 to 30 years in a garage, this car was in pretty good shape, but in order to completely redesign it from the ground up, Wicked’s technicians had to strip it down to ground zero. (Because, after all, that’s the only way to do it.) After pulling the body off, they started by adding a brand new Art Morrison frame, pairing it with a pro-touring suspension system—every piece of which is absolutely brand new and hand selected. Next, the old engine was swapped out with a modern LS-3, that just so happens to produce 425 horsepower (a far, far cry from the original) and bolted to a 465e transmission. A new, custom rack-and-pinion steering system and four-wheel disc brakes make this car drive and stop like a modern dream.
This 210 features a fully custom paint tone, but inside and out strictly maintains its original appearance, including whitewall tires and hubcaps, and a stock interior (that’s been heavily updated, however). Traditional old-school, Delray upholstery and a classic Bel Air steering wheel offer slight departures from the original 210 styling, but in a way that even a hard pressed Chevy historian would find difficult to pinpoint. When you turn the key, however, you’ll notice a radical departure from the 1950s. First, it’s been outfitted with modern air conditioning. And while the gauges look traditional, they’re actually Dakota Digital. Meanwhile, original window cranks no longer require any muscle to move, but now serve as tip actuators for full power windows. Lastly, behind the glove box lies a remote stereo system that includes such things as USB ports, Bluetooth technology and every imaginable feature.
This car’s owner turned to Wicked in order to recreate his teenage years with a modern twist. Now, the only addition he’s aiming to make is 300,000 miles to the odometer after he retires.
« 1970 Chevy C10 » 1970 Chevy Chevelle
About Wicked
Wicked Rods & Customs started with an obsession—an obsession for something superiorly unique, something stunningly perfect and truly “wicked.” This delightful passion has led us to appear on television, be featured in magazines, and win multiple "Best in Show" awards.
We Go The Extra Mile
Our technicians will stop at nothing to ensure the authenticity of every fine and obscure detail for your vehicle—from matching every number under its hood, to the underside of its chassis, where overspray patterns can be matched to exactly what rolled off of the factory floor.
We are continuously looking for the best in the industry to come join our leading team of professionals. We have a first-rate atmosphere and are always looking to add greatness to our company. Do you have what it takes to be a part of the Wicked Rods & Customs team?
804.641.7933 | © 2019 Wicked Rods & Customs | All rights reserved. Site by BigTree
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A luxury chalet Airbnb at Schuss Gully on Aspen Mountain. Photo courtesy of Airbnb
5 of Colorado Ski Country’s Most Expensive Airbnbs
Got an extra $20,000 (a night)? These super luxe Airbnbs are waiting for you to get away.
By Katie Coakley • January 14, 2020
Airbnb started as a hotel alternative, letting travelers pick from a budget-friendly room in someone’s dwelling or claim an entire house for an extended family trip or bachelor/bachelorette party pad. However, in Colorado’s ski resort towns, Airbnb is upping the luxury ante.
Airbnb launched its Luxe site in June 2019 featuring the world’s most extraordinary places to stay with “five-star everything, incredible service and experiences for the most discerning guest,” Michael Bong, who represents Airbnb Luxe through the public relations firm Weber Shandwick, wrote in an email interview. “Each home on the platform is evaluated against a 300-plus criteria to ensure it meets a set of strict standards.”
Take a gander at the Airbnb Luxe homepage. The towns listed under United States and Canada may look familiar—five out of the 21 locations are in Colorado. These rentals aren’t for the faint of wallet*, but if you have the dough (or just want to dream), check out these extravagant listings in Colorado mountain towns.
$15,000/night
Details: 7 bedrooms, 7.5 baths; sleeps 18 guests (pictured above)
When it comes to luxury in Colorado, Aspen has it in spades. From Louis Vuitton and Prada to $120 caviar crepes in Snowmass, it’s easy to lighten your wallet in this tony mountain enclave. If you’re looking for high-end lodging (and only ski-in, ski-out will do), check out this “architectural masterpiece at Schuss Gully ski run.” This sleek chalet features vaulted ceilings and views of Schuss Gully and Little Nell runs on Aspen Mountain. There’s also a pool table, wine cellar, and grand piano for impromptu concerts after a soak in the hot tub or a quick workout in the gym.
Total cost: With a seven-night minimum stay and occupancy taxes and fees of $11,865, the grand total is $116,865. In May, prices drop to a mere $5,000 per night.
Photo courtesy of Airbnb
Details: 6 bedroom, 7.5 baths; sleeps 14
Vail’s opulence might be a little more understated than Aspen’s, but it is built into the town’s bones from the heated pavers of the pedestrian streets to the myriad upscale dining options. For ski-in luxury in Vail (accessible from the Born Free trail), check out this “modernist ski chalet in the forest.” With sleeping options for 14, guests also enjoy a private wellness center (complete with a sauna and its own massage room), fire pit, and hot tub.
Total cost: A five-night minimum stay, plus hospitality fees ($500) and occupancy taxes and fees ($15,600), brings the grand total to $116,100.
Don’t let the cowboy façade fool you—there is plenty of luxury in Steamboat Springs. Take this “fully-staffed chateau by ski runs on Mt. Werner,” for example. Known as the “Over the Edge” chalet, this stone-clad home is ski-in/ski-out (to Right-O-Way and Swinger runs) at Steamboat Ski Resort. Amenities are overflowing at this escape from the expected, like a rooftop hot tub, to some you might not expect, like a basketball court for a spur-of-the-moment pickup game.
Total cost: With a four-night minimum stay, plus $10,348 in occupancy taxes and fees, your grand total is $62,348. However, the $13,000 rate was during Christmas and New Year’s Eve holiday period. The next available dates (in May) will cost just $2,500 per night.
$8,625 to $10,350/night
Details: 11 bedrooms, 11.5 baths; sleeps 26
Telluride has a reputation as an under-the-radar getaway for celebrities who aren’t interested in paparazzi and pretense. If that’s your flavor of luxe, head to this “majestic castle-like chalet at Double Cabins run” near the Sunshine Express in Mountain Village. This home has all of the necessities you’d expect, including a heated outdoor pool, workout equipment (with a view), pool table, wine cellar, and movie room. But there are also some surprising perks like a massage room and grotto-like pool, arcade room, and a bowling alley.
Total cost: With a four-night minimum stay, plus hospitality fees ($4,193) and occupancy taxes and fees ($5,237), the grand total is $50,830.
$4,614/night
Details: 8 bedrooms, 8 baths; sleeps 24
Breckenridge enjoys a similar, laid-back vibe as Telluride. You’re more likely to spot Olympic medalists than movie stars, but there are also plenty of high-end digs for those who are looking for a lavish winter vacation. This “vintage log cabin among the evergreens on Peak 8” is one such abode with ski-in/ski-out access to Breckenridge Ski Resort, a home cinema, three full kitchens, an eight-person hot tub, and plenty of room for group gatherings (if the hot tub gets too crowded).
Total cost: With a four-night minimum stay, plus hospitality fees ($70) and occupancy taxes and fees ($2,265), your grand total is $20,791.
*As with most lodging options, the price for these rentals varies according to season. During the spring, you can score these properties for a reduced (though still several thousand dollars a night) rate.
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Easy Silver Points Cheat Code
XBox PlayStation 2 PC PS One GameBoy Adv SuperNES GameCube Nintendo64
Cheat Codes > Super NES Cheat Codes > Chrono Trigger > Easy Silver Points
Easy Silver Points - Chrono Trigger
| # | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
How To: Easy Silver Points
If you're going to then fair you're going to need some silver points. They're mostly just for fun right now, but later in the game you'll need them to get the Crono clone. You can sit there and play the bell-ringing game for all eternity and not have enough, since you only get one silver point-per-win that way. Instead, focus on the races. Pay attention to the old man standing behind the fence to the right of the starting point. He will tip you off to the winner the first three times. After that, it's best to just predict the same winner over and over, and you can follow and distract the other racers by trying to talk to them repeatedly.
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Cheat Code Easy Silver Points
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India win Asia Cup final on last ball
India have successfully defended their Asia Cup title in dramatic fashion by beating Bangladesh in a last-ball thriller.
India was chasing a modest target of 223 at Dubai International Stadium on Friday, after winning the toss and inviting Bangladesh to bat first.
Despite their batting prowess and wealth of experience, India almost failed to reach their target as the tension reached breaking point.
It was left to a limping Kedar Jadhav to face the final ball with the scores level. He tried to flick it down to the fine leg boundary and failed to do so, but India got a single leg bye and did just enough.
India have won the tournament for the seventh time, having beaten Bangladesh in the 2016 final - played in a Twenty20 format.
Jadhav was forced to retired hurt with a hamstring injury, but came out again at the fall of the sixth wicket - with India on 6-212 - and finished unbeaten on 23.
Kuldeep Yadav was the other unbeaten batsman (five, not out) as India reached 7-223 to win by three wickets.
None of the Indian batsmen reached 50, with captain Rohit Sharma lead with 48. Dinesh Karthik contributed 37 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored 36.
Bangladesh's innings were built around a first one-day international century by opener Liton Das, who scored 121 featuring 12 fours and two sixes.
He put on 120 runs for the first wicket with surprise opener Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who managed just 32 of them before being caught in the 21st over off Jadhav. After that, Bangladesh's innings faded.
Jadhav finished with 2-41 in nine overs, while Yadav got a decent return of 3-45 from 10 overs.
Sharp Indian fielding accounted for three run outs, including the dangerous No.7 Soumya Sarkar for 33 just as he was looking set for a big score.
Earlier, the fluent Das reached his 50 off 33 balls.
He was then dropped on 52 by Yuzvendra Chahal when he miscued a sweep off Ravindra Jadeja, but was otherwise in control as he reached 100 off 87.
Das was finally stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Yadav.
It ultimately proved to be the key breakthrough, as Bangladesh fell agonisingly short of their first Asia Cup win after reaching the final for the third time.
©AP2018
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