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Prognosis of shoulder tendonitis in repetitive work: a follow up study in a cohort of Danish industrial and service workers
Electronic pages
J P Bonde1,
S Mikkelsen2,
J H Andersen3,
N Fallentin4,
J Baelum1,
S W Svendsen1,
J F Thomsen2,
P Frost1,
G Thomsen1,
E Overgaard1,
A Kaergaard3,
the PRIM Health Study Group
1Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark
2Department of Occupational Medicine, Copenhagen County Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark
3Department of Occupational Medicine, Herning Hospital, Denmark
4National Institute of Occupational Health, Copenhagen, Denmark
Correspondence to:
Dr J P Bonde, Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Nørrebrogade 44, Building 2C, DK-8000 Århus C, Denmark; JPBON{at}aaa.dk
Background: The physical and psychosocial work environment is expected to modify recovery from shoulder disorders, but knowledge is limited.
Methods: In a follow up study of musculoskeletal disorders in industrial and service workers, 113 employees were identified with a history of shoulder pain combined with clinical signs of shoulder tendonitis. The workers had yearly reexaminations up to three times. Quantitative estimates of duration, repetitiveness, and forcefulness of current tasks were obtained from video recordings. Perception of job demands, decision latitude, and social support was recorded by a job content questionnaire. Recovery of shoulder tendonitis was analysed by Kaplan-Meier survival technique and by logistic regression on exposure variables and individual characteristics in models, allowing for time varying exposures.
Results: Some 50% of workers recovered within 10 months (95% CI 6 to 14 months). Higher age was strongly related to slow recovery, while physical job exposures were not. Perception of demands, control, and social support at the time when the shoulder disorder was diagnosed, were associated with delayed recovery, but these psychosocial factors did not predict slow recovery in incident cases identified during follow up.
Conclusion: The median duration of shoulder tendonitis in a cross sectional sample of industrial and service workers was in the order of 10 months. This estimate is most likely biased towards too high a value. Recovery was strongly reduced in higher age. Physical workplace exposures and perceived psychosocial job characteristics during the period preceding diagnosis seem not to be important prognostic factors.
follow up study
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oem.60.9.e8
Shoulder disorders are common causes of pain and disability. The incidence in UK primary care was 2 per thousand per year in people less than 25 years, and peaked at 15 per thousand per year in people aged 65–74.1 Similar rates were observed in Dutch general practice (average cumulative incidence 11.2 per thousand per year) in which rotator cuff tendonitis was the most frequently recorded clinical entity (29%).2 High prevalences of shoulder disorders have been observed in occupational settings.3 Non-rheumatic shoulder disorders (subsequently referred to as shoulder tendonitis) are expected to resolve in the majority of cases,4 but follow up studies to characterise the natural history and modifiers of the spontaneous course are few.5–8 In a clinical series of 137 conservatively treated patients, 24% had active tendonitis 19 months later.5 Recovery from shoulder tendonitis might be different in currently employed workers, but population based follow up studies of shoulder tendonitis have to our knowledge never been published. Knowledge about recovery from shoulder tendonitis and about individual and work related modifiers of recovery would be useful for the general and the occupational health physician. In particular, it is of interest to examine whether recovery is delayed in workers with strenuous repetitive work. In this paper we report on occupational and individual modifiers of the long term outcome of shoulder tendonitis in 113 industrial workers that were identified in a Danish nationwide occupational study on musculoskeletal disorders in monotonous repetitive work.9
Recovery of clinically verified shoulder tendonitis in industry and service workers is in most cases a matter of several months.
While higher age substantially slows down the rate of recovery, physical work characteristics seem not to be important modifiers of the course of the disease.
Perception of high job demands, low job control, and social support at the workplace are strongly related to slow recovery, but may be a consequence rather than a cause of the disorder.
Policy implications
Occupational health management and counselling of patients with clinical shoulder disorders should acknowledge the favourable but often slow course of shoulder tendonitis.
POPULATION AND METHODS
From a cross sectional sample of 4198 male and female employees in 19 Danish companies, 3073 contributed data for this study (participation rate 73.4%). With the exception of apprentices all male and female workers were eligible. They were enrolled into the study by one of three hospital departments of occupational medicine. The respondents completed questionnaires on physical and psychosocial job exposure, psychosomatic symptoms, lifestyle, and spare time activity at baseline and at three follow up examinations. Within the group of 3073 respondents we identified 167 workers with clinical signs of tendonitis in one or both (15 individuals) shoulders—either at a baseline on-site clinical examination in 1994–95 (92 subjects) or during three subsequent years of follow up with intervals spanning 6–18 months (75 subjects). Clinical follow up data were available for 113 workers suffering from right (n = 51), left (n = 52), or double sided shoulder tendonitis (n = 10), 68 of which were identified at baseline. Lacking clinical follow up data were due to drop out ((n = 27), missed clinical examination ((n = 13), or because of shoulder tendonitis diagnosed at the last follow up examination ((n = 14). Thus the loss to follow up was 26% in cases identified at baseline as well as during follow up (1–68/92, respectively 1–45/(75–14)). The entire study population was addressed by a postal questionnaire on musculoskeletal symptoms at baseline and at each of the three follow ups. Sick listed workers were included on the mailing lists while workers who had left the companies after the first round were not. Clinical examinations were undertaken on all subjects at baseline, while only workers fulfilling specified pain/disability criteria were examined during follow up. The sensitivity of the postal questionnaire with regard to identification of rotator cuff tendonitis was 90% and the specificity was 80%.10 Participants gave written consent and the appropriate ethics committees approved the study protocols. The study population has been described in detail elsewhere.9,11
Shoulder tendonitis
A history of shoulder complaints (pain and disability) combined with direct and indirect tenderness in the shoulder region constituted the three sufficient and necessary criteria for shoulder tendonitis. Self reports on shoulder complaints were obtained by ticking each of four numeric box complaint scales from 0 (no complaints at all) to 9 (pain as bad as could be), dealing with, respectively: worst complaints in past 3 months, average complaints in past 3 months, disability (work or leisure) in past 3 months, and complaints in past 7 days. Scores for the four modalities were summed to obtain a shoulder pain index ranging from 0 to 36. A score of 12 or more was the a priori and arbitrary cut off value defining shoulder pain.12 Complaints from other body regions, including neck and elbows, were indexed the same way. A similar approach to define shoulder symptoms in population surveys has been proposed by others.13,14Direct tenderness was considered positive if palpation on the major tubercle elicited tenderness, avoiding reaction or jump sign, or if passive internal rotation of the abducted upper arm elicited pain in the shoulder (positive impingement sign: yes versus no/atypical). Palpation was with a pressure of approximately 4 kg by the thumb perpendicular to the surface of the major tubercle. We defined indirect tenderness as pain in the front of the shoulder elicited by active resisted abduction in the shoulder (yes versus no/atypical). Nine medical doctors undertook the clinical examinations on-site according to a detailed clinical protocol with comprehensive descriptions of all procedures. The examiners were trained in use of the clinical protocol at a two day seminar before the onset of the study. All examinations were blinded to the answers from the questionnaire.
The examination also included pressure algometry (Somedic, Farsta, Sweden) on the vastus medialis (middle of the thigh) and tibia (bone recording), and measurement of shoulder strength using an Isobex muscle strength analyser (ISOBAR, Crumbed ERG, Bern, Switzerland). Standing upright, the upper arm was held abducted to 90° in the scapular plane with a straight elbow. A strap connected to a strain gauge force transducer anchored at a table was placed at the wrist, and the participant performed maximal voluntary resisted abduction of the arm. For each shoulder, the best of three recordings of the exerted force was recorded as shoulder strength. Table 1 shows results of pressure algometry and shoulder strength measurements in subjects with and without shoulder tendonitis. If one or more of the above criteria for shoulder tendonitis was no longer fulfilled at subsequent examinations, the individual was considered to have recovered.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of workers with and without shoulder tendonitis
Exposure assessment
Physical exposures were characterised by worker independent observational methods at baseline with an update at each follow up. Ergonomists identified a total of 425 different work tasks at the 19 workplaces by several company visits. Work tasks were classified as either repetitive or non-repetitive. A repetitive task was one that involved continuous repetitive hand or arm movement (examples: data entering, packing, letter sorting, shop cashier, machine feeding, deboning, sewing). A non-repetitive task was characterised by varied work (office work, internal transportation, supervision). Repetitive work tasks judged to have comparable levels of repetitiveness, postural loads, and force requirements were aggregated, resulting in 103 grouped tasks. Between one and seven workers in each of the 103 task groups were videotaped from three different camera angles for at least 10 working cycles or for a minimum of 10 minutes. The task cycle time, duration of exertion (percentage of cycle time), and the number of wrist and shoulder movements per minute was quantified, based on repeated reviews of the video recordings. Each of the 103 repetitive task groups was assigned the median value of 1 to 7 observed values. Finally, a time weighted exposure measure was allocated to each participant on the basis of self reported task distribution during a normal working week of 37 hours. The individual task distribution was obtained by a worksite specific questionnaire listing all possible tasks at that specific company. Participants reported their job tasks (up to a maximum of five tasks) and the time spent on these tasks. The exposure measure was calculated by summing the products of task group exposure medians (levels) and proportion of time per week spent in each task group (
percentage time/week * level (median of task group measures)).
Workers were classified as doing repetitive work if at least one of their tasks belonged to a repetitive task group (2.187); otherwise they were classified as doing non-repetitive work (637). A total of 249 workers had work that could not be allocated to a task group and these were excluded from further analysis. Among workers in repetitive tasks, 55% had only one task during a week. The 45% of workers with more than one task spent on average 31% (range 2–50%) of their total working time in repetitive work. Force requirements were subjectively estimated from the videotape recordings and categorised into five levels (<10%, 10–29%, 30–49%, 50–79%, and ⩾80% of maximal voluntary contraction).11
Perceived psychosocial work characteristics were assessed using the Whitehall II version of Karasek’s job content questionnaire,15 including questions on job demands (three items, for example, “Is it necessary to work very fast?”), job control (14 items, for example, “Do you have freedom to decide how to do your job?”), and social support at the work place (six items, for example, “How often do you get help and support from your colleagues?”). Each item was rated on a four point scale ranging from “often”, “sometimes”, and “seldom” to “never/almost never”. Scores for each of the three dimensions were scaled to range from 0 to a maximum of 4. The type of personality (high intrinsic effort: yes/no) was assessed with a 29 item measure adapted from Siegrist and Peter.16 The questions deal with competitive, approving, withdrawing behaviour, and anger. Each item was rated on a four point scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”. Finally, each dimension was dichotomised into high/low levels by the median value of the scale scores. Missing values were extrapolated from the most frequent observed combination of answers if at least 40% of items in a dimension were filled in. The percentage of extrapolated values for the demands, control, and social support dimensions were respectively 2.7, 11.1, and 7.2. Less than 3% of values could not be estimated.
Design of analysis
The recovery function of workers with shoulder tendonitis was computed by Kaplan-Meier survival function analysis (SAS Statistics, the LIFETEST procedure,17 pp. 1027–69). In workers who had recovered between two clinical examinations, the time of recovery was taken as the median date between these examinations. The estimated survival function and the logarithm of estimated survival against time were visualised on plots. Exponential survival curves were fitted if appropriate.
Using logistic regression equivalent to discrete survival analysis,18 we analysed persistence of shoulder tendonitis during follow up in relation to individual and job characteristics at the time (round) when the disorder was detected for the first time. In these analyses the observational unit was a study round. Thus each individual contributed 1–3 observations (rounds 2–4) depending on persistence of the shoulder disorder during follow up. If, for instance, the disorder was detected at baseline and persisted through round 2 but was recovered at round 3, that person would be presented in the logistic regression by two observations (rounds 2 and 3). Examinations after the round with recovery (if any) were left out (censored). Dummy variables were assigned to associate observations belonging to the same individual (rounds 3 and 4 with round 2 as reference). In analyses of side specific mechanical exposures, the dominant shoulder only was included since no exposure data were available for the non-dominant upper extremity. All analyses were adjusted by a fixed set of four variables, which were considered for inclusion a priori regardless of associations with the outcome observed in this study. These variables included gender (woman yes/no), age (<45 y, 45–55 y, >55 y), side (right: yes/no), high intrinsic effort personality (yes/no), and algometric pressure threshold (the average pain threshold of the tibia bone and the vastus medialis muscle below 500 kPa: yes/no). We also applied logistic regression models with time varying measures of perceived and observed job characteristics. In these analyses we substituted the exposure taken at the time of diagnosis with the physical (task cycle duration, etc) and perceived (job demands, job control, etc) exposure during the round before the shoulder disorder was detected for the first time. Obviously these analyses only included the subset of participants that had the shoulder disorder diagnosed during follow up.
In order to circumvent possible problems related to missing clinical examinations, we also analysed self reported shoulder complaints during follow up without taking the clinical signs for shoulder tendonitis into account. In these analyses, the sum of numeric box scores for worst pain during the past 3 months, worst pain in past week, average pain in past three months, and shoulder disability during past 3 months were tabulated for each round of follow up, and the average scores were analysed by characteristics at baseline by multiple linear regression.
Table 1 shows the characteristics of cases with shoulder tendonitis compared to the source population and differences between those participants with and without follow up. A disproportionately high occurrence of shoulder tendonitis was seen at one centre (the Herning Occupational Health Clinic). Most companies with high strain jobs, such as slaughterhouses and sewing shops were located in this area. In univariate analyses shoulder tendonitis was significantly associated with higher age, high body mass index, previous shoulder trauma, reduced shoulder strength, and lower algometric threshold (in both men and women) (table 1). Furthermore, a history of pain in the neck and elbow was also reported more frequently in subjects with shoulder tendonitis. Only small differences were observed between cases with and without follow up (table 1). In particular the physical exposures were similar.
Among 113 workers with shoulder disorder, two thirds (74 workers) had recovered at the next examination, while one third (39 workers) still had identical symptoms and clinical signs from the same shoulder. The median duration of the first follow up interval was 346 days (11.5 months), with the 25–75th centile spanning 297 days (9.9 months) and 488 days (16.2 months). In recovered cases it is not known when in the interval the disorder subsided. If it is assumed that recovery on average took place at the middle of the interval, the survival function displayed in fig 1 indicates that some 50% had recovered within 10 months (95% CI 6 to 14 months) and 75% within 22 months (95% lower CI 15 months). These figures are not exact values. There was no difference in the rate of recovery of the dominant versus the non-dominant shoulder. The recovery rate was reduced in higher age and in workers who perceived high job demands, low job control (not significant), and low social support at the workplace (table 2). However, in the subset of workers that developed shoulder tendonitis during follow up, perception of job demands, control, and social support at baseline before the disorder was diagnosed were only weakly associated with persistence of shoulder tendonitis (data not shown). Repetitive work, degree of repetitiveness, and force requirements were not related to reduced recovery rate and only small changes of physical exposures were recorded during follow up (table 3). Nor were gender, psychological personality characteristics, or algometric pain threshold related to persistence of shoulder disorder.
Risk of no recovery by occupational characteristics at time of diagnosis in 113 workers with shoulder tendonitis
Average exposure levels at onset and change from one round to the next in a follow up of 113 manual workers with shoulder tendonitis
Kaplan-Meier estimates of the survival function of shoulder tendonitis in 113 workers. Smoothing according to an exponential model based on least square regression on logarithmic transformed time values (prevalent and incident cases combined).
Analyses of change of shoulder pain and disability symptoms during follow up, not taking clinical examinations and findings into account, did not reveal any consistent relation to individual factors, physical exposures, or perceived job characteristics, with the exception of higher age, which was clearly related to higher persistence of symptoms (data not shown).
In this population based study of shoulder tendonitis it took some 10 months for 50% of cases to recover. Higher age was strongly related to slow recovery while physical job exposures were not. Perception of demands, control, and social support at the time when the shoulder disorder was diagnosed, were associated with delayed recovery, but these psychosocial factors did not predict slow recovery in incident cases identified during follow up.
Clinical series of shoulder tendonitis from hospital departments are skewed towards more severe disorders, and analyses of aetiological and prognostic factors may be distorted by selection bias. Although our population based approach bypassed this limitation, several other methodological problems need to be addressed. In the following we first discuss issues pertaining to participation rates, the time course of recovery, and then its relation to age and to physical and psychosocial job exposures.
More than 25% of the cross sectional sample of currently employed workers that were invited for the study declined to participate. The primary selection into the study presents a risk for bias if the non-participating sample includes cases with shoulder tendonitis, which are atypical with respect to the risk factors under study. If, for instance, workers with shoulder tendonitis, non-strenuous work, and fast recovery for some reason systematically refused to participate, the impact of strenuous work on the prognosis of shoulder disorders might be overestimated. However, physical risk factors turned out not to influence the duration of recovery and we have no reason to expect that selection into the study group has skewed or biased the findings.
When duration of recovery is defined by the time from diagnosis to the first follow up examination without symptoms and signs of shoulder disorder, the recovery time is systematically overestimated since recovery will have taken place at some unknown time between the two examinations. This was accounted for by selecting the median date of the time interval spanning the last examination with shoulder disorder and the first examination without shoulder disorder as the date of recovery. Thus defined, the recovery time is too long for individuals recovering early in the interval but too short for individuals recovering late in the interval, but—assuming a constant recovery rate through the interval—the average recovery rate is unbiased. However, the recovery rate probably follows an exponential distribution with declining recovery rate through the interval. Moreover, shoulder tendonitis is a recurring disorder. Thus some cases may have recovered and recurred during the follow up interval. Accordingly our estimation procedure most likely results in too slow recovery rates and must be interpreted cautiously. A design with more close follow up examinations might produce a faster recovery rate. An unknown number of temporary shoulder complaints between examinations have not been identified, but this fact will hardly bias the estimate of recovery times of the diagnosed cases.
Since the intervals between follow ups varied between 6 and 18 months, the estimated recovery rate could largely depend on the distribution of follow up times. However, the follow up times for workers who recovered and workers that did not recover were identical in all three follow up intervals (for the first follow up: average interval among recovering workers 423 days (SD 24.3) and 419 days in workers that did not recover (SD 27.5), p >> 0.05).
Most cases were sampled at baseline and only 40% were incident cases identified during follow up. This is expected to length bias the sample towards a higher proportion of long term disorders that possibly have a poorer prognosis. However, the recovery rate only differed slightly between prevalent and incident cases. The duration of shoulder tendonitis can most often not be measured accurately since both onset and recovery may develop insidiously over several days or weeks. In our sample the duration was taken as the time interval between the dates, when the disorder was first diagnosed on the one hand and the median date of the round with the last verification of the disorder and the round when it had first disappeared on the other hand. The survival distribution functions were identical in baseline and follow up cases. This might reflect that the intervals between follow up examinations were in the range with the half life of the disorder (some 10 months). Accordingly the survival distribution represents the average duration of shoulder tendonitis as observed in a cross sectional sample.
Shoulder pain and clinical signs of tendonitis resolved in the majority of the workers, but continued for more than 18 months in some 25%. This sizeable proportion of workers with chronic pain and tenderness suggests that the disorder is not always a self limiting condition. We know little about tissue pathology in moderate and transient cases. Pain and tenderness are poorly related to ultrasonographic tears and magnetic resonance scanning anomalies.19,20 The slow recovery at the higher age ranges could indicate a different pathology or type of disorder in the elderly worker. The ranges of passive and active shoulder movements were markedly more reduced in elderly workers with tendonitis. Alternatively, the slow recovery with increasing age could simply reflect that tissue repair is slowed down at higher ages.
In earlier cross sectional analyses of the present study we have shown that high repetitiveness in combination with shoulder force requirements are related to a higher prevalence of shoulder tendonitis,9 but the present data do not indicate that physical exposures influence the rate of recovery. Perhaps the natural history of this disorder takes its own course independent of physical working conditions. Alternatively, medical treatment, sick leave, and changes of workplace or work tasks during follow up could counteract detrimental effects of continued repetitive work. Although the task based extrapolation of physical job exposures was updated at each round of examination, this procedure could not be expected to be sensitive enough to catch changes in individual work practices.11 Finally, the lack of association between physical exposure and rate of recovery could result from differential dropout. While the initial participation rate of 73% was in the range of the acceptable, only 67% of workers with shoulder tendonitis provided data for at least one follow up examination. Some of the cases lacking follow up data were diagnosed in the last round (26%) and this is not expected to distort the survival function. However, the severity of the disorder and job exposures might be of importance in the remaining cases. While pain reporting, shoulder strength, range of shoulder movements, and most work characteristics did not differ between workers with and without follow up, the average task cycle time was much higher in workers that dropped out (table 1). Therefore we conducted a worst case sensitivity analysis which included 45 subjects without follow up data but excluded 10 persons diagnosed during the last round of examinations. If the workers performed repetitive work at baseline, the shoulder tendonitis was assumed to persist in all cases (n = 34) and if not, to recover in all cases (n = 11). In this worst case analysis repetitive work was associated with no recovery of shoulder tendonitis (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.4). Although it is unlikely that effects are strong, we cannot rule out that physical workplace exposures may modify the clinical course of shoulder tendonitis.
Perception of high job demands and low social support at the time of diagnosis was associated with a less favourable course of shoulder tendonitis—even when effects of other determinants were adjusted for. This may reflect the significance of options to adapt work tasks and the physical environment. However, perception of job demands and social support at the baseline examination was not associated with persistence of shoulder tendonitis in the subset of workers that developed the disorder during follow up. Therefore, perception of high job demands and low social support is most likely a consequence of the shoulder disorder rather than the opposite. Effects of work related psychosocial factors are not reported in the few other studies of long term outcome of shoulder tendonitis.5,21–24
In conclusion, the median duration of shoulder tendonitis in a cross sectional sample of industrial and service workers was some 10 months. Recovery was markedly reduced in higher age. Physical workplace exposures and perceived psychosocial job characteristics during the period preceding diagnosis seem not to be important prognostic factors.
The study was supported by grants from the Danish Medical Research Council and the Danish Work and Environment Fund. We are indebted to Kurt Rasmussen, Janus Kvamm, Birgit Juul Christensen, and Charlotte Brauer for helping to collect data.
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Kaergaard A, Andersen JH. Musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and shoulders in female sewing machine operators: prevalence, incidence, and prognosis. Occup Environ Med2000;57:528–34.
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Winters JC, Sobel JS, Groenier KH, et al. The long-term course of shoulder complaints: a prospective study in general practice. Rheumatology (Oxford)1999;38:160–3.
Frost P, Bonde JP, Mikkelsen S, et al. Risk of shoulder tendinitis in relation to shoulder loads in monotonous repetitive work. Am J Ind Med2002;41:11–18.
Kaergaard A, Andersen JH, Rasmussen K, et al. Identification of neck-shoulder disorders in a 1 year follow-up study. Validation of a questionnaire-based method. Pain2000;86:305–10.
Fallentin N, Juul-Kristensen B, Mikkelsen S, et al. Physical exposure assessment in monotonous repetitive work—the PRIM study. Scand J Work Environ Health2001;27:21–9.
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Pope DP, Croft PR, Pritchard CM, et al. Prevalence of shoulder pain in the community: the influence of case definition. Ann Rheum Dis1997;56:308–12.
Winters JC, Sobel JS, Groenier KH, et al. A shoulder pain score: a comprehensive questionnaire for assessing pain in patients with shoulder complaints. Scand J Rehabil Med1996;28:163–7.
Karasek R, Baker D, Marxer F, et al. Job decision latitude, job demands, and cardiovascular disease: a prospective study of Swedish men. Am J Public Health1981;71:694–705.
Siegrist J, Peter R. Measuring effort-reward imbalance at work: guidelines. Dusseldorf Germany: University of Dusseldorf, 1996.
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Teefey SA, Hasan SA, Middleton WD, et al. Ultrasonography of the rotator cuff. A comparison of ultrasonographic and arthroscopic findings in one hundred consecutive cases. J Bone Joint Surg Am2000;82:498–504.
Tempelhof S, Rupp S, Seil R. Age-related prevalence of rotator cuff tears in asymptomatic shoulders. J Shoulder Elbow Surg1999;8:296–9.
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CANDIANI
FACTORY NAME: CANDIANI
LOCATION:Robecchetto con Induno, Italy
Why we love them: Candiani Denim is a family run business in its 4th generation. The family still lives inside the mill’s premises and produces everything exclusively in Robecchetto con Induno where they started way back in 1938. Candiani resides where local environmental regulations and restrictions are more severe than anywhere else in the denim industry. It is their mission to go above and beyond the international standards in the denim industry. They pride themselves in being a market leader by setting the bar for sustainable production and demonstrating how a business can thrive while respecting the environment in which it runs. All departments of the company work together to eliminate chemicals and emissions while ensuring water and energy are not wasted but re-used and recycled in the best way. We also love the dedication and longevity of their employees. Nine families within the company have reached the third generation, and 30 have reached their second generation.
Certifications: ISO14001 CERTIFICATION (international standard that specifies requirements for an effective environmental management system), OEKO-TEX Standard100 Certification (textiles and fabrics are certified free of harmful chemicals), ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD, OR GOTS(most important standard for sustainable production of garments and textile products), SA 8000 (ongoing and reliable assurance that an organization is upholding social performance expectations, while also continuously improving their management systems to address and prevent social and labor risks), A.I.A (programs are specifically designed to ensure professionals have the knowledge they need to advance their careers and their business), andZDHC (goal is to eliminate the use of priority hazardous chemicals by focussing on the following areas: Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) & Conformity Guidance, Wastewater Quality, Audit Protocol, Research, Data and Disclosure, and Training).
BCI Cotton: BCI is stands for Better Cotton Initiative. BCI's goal is to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future. Candiani was the first to integrate the Better Cotton Initiative into denim and today they use 40%(and growing) in their overall production.
Commitment to work safety and training: Another important aspect of Candiani’s social responsibility is its commitment to work safety and training. Candiani implements a program which assigns authorized, skilled workers to train employees. Within the company, employees receive safety training every year. With continuous education, Candiani can ensure the unceasing development of in-house skills while staying in line with mandatory regulations.
Recycled Yarn: Candiani is a vertically integrated company which means they start by sourcing raw cotton, they spin the cotton into yarns, dye the yarns, weave them into fabric and finish the fabric all under the same roof! 100% of their waste from the spinning, dyeing and weaving process is recycled: 50% is re-spun into yarn and the other 50% is upcycled into insulation for housing, and cars. In addition, Candiani uses these respun yarns to create its GRS approved denim line by incorporating its recycled yarn range.
Indigo: They only use pre-reduced indigo which is more expensive than the standard, powder indigo, but it’s more sustainable. Only 15% of all denim mills use pre-reduced indigo because of its price, but at Candiani, they know the benefits outweigh the costs. Pre-reduced indigo reduces two common chemicals used in denim production- 52% less sodium hydroxide 63% less sodium hydrosulphite.
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Open Domesday
by Anna Powell-Smith
Ashton was a settlement in Domesday Book, in the hundred of Leominster and the county of Herefordshire.
It had a recorded population of 20.9 households in 1086, putting it in the largest 40% of settlements recorded in Domesday (NB: 20.9 households is an estimate, since multiple places are mentioned in the same entry).
Land of King William
Households: 224 villagers. 81 smallholders. 13 slaves. 12 female slaves. 6 priests. 20 other.
Land and resources
Ploughland: 29 lord's plough teams. 201 men's plough teams.
Other resources: 60.0 lord's lands. Woodland 6 * 3 leagues. 8 mills, value 5 pounds 8 shillings.
Tenant-in-chief in 1086: King William.
Lord in 1086: King William.
Lord in 1066: Queen Edith.
This entry mentions multiple places: Farlow; Leinthall [Earls and Starks]; Ashton; Aymestrey; Brierley; Brimfield; Cholstrey; Edwyn [Ralph]; Ivington; Leominster; Luston; Stockton; Stoke [Prior]; Marston [Stannett]; [Miles] Hope; [Lower and Nun] Upton; Yarpole.
Phillimore reference: Herefordshire 1,10a
View on page: Herefordshire folio 3 »
The status of households depended on their land and resources. The largest groups recorded are:
Villagers and freemen: around 40% of households, villani, socmani and franci homines were small-scale landholders, owning on average 30 acres of land, and two oxen for ploughing.
Smallholders and cottagers: around 35% of households, bordarii and cotarii owned about 5 acres of land on average and might have had a share in the villagers' plough teams.
Slaves: around 10% of households, servi owned no land of their own, belonged to the lord, and may have been used as ploughmen.
Domesday records the heads of families, so the total population was probably around five times larger.
Other households are sometimes noted, including priests, widows, burgesses (townspeople), and Frenchmen (probably a local military presence).
For more information, see the Hull Domesday Project's guide to the peasantry and occupations.
Arable land was recorded in different units, including:
Ploughlands, carucates, hides: A ploughland (terra carucis or carucata) was the area that could be ploughed by eight oxen in a year. Generally around 120 acres, though the area varied depending on the quality of the land. Learn more.
Plough teams: Groups of eight oxen (which indicated how much land could be ploughed): sometimes belonging to the peasants and sometimes to the lord.
Other taxable resources were also recorded, including:
Woodland: Usually quantified by the number of pigs it supported. About 15% of the country was forested in 1086.
Meadow and pasture: Used to graze animals, typically sheep.
Mills: Water mills were the main source of power besides oxen: more than 6,000 are recorded in Domesday.
Fisheries and salthouses: Important economic resources: the salt industry is the most fully documented industry in Domesday. Tax on fisheries was often paid in fish.
For more information, see the Hull Domesday Project's guide to manors and to weights and measures.
Livestock was not consistently counted in Domesday Book. It is mainly recorded in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, and sometimes in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.
Where livestock is recorded, it counts only the animals belonging to the lord.
Nonetheless, sheep, goats, cows, pigs, cattle, and cobs (horses) are all recorded in substantial numbers. Sheep are by far the most numerous animal recorded.
For more information, see the Hull Domesday Project's guide to livestock.
Most entries record the total annual value of the estate in 1086 and 1066. This was probably to help the Crown calculate how much tax the lord should be charged.
Some estates gain in value between 1066 and 1086: others lose value, and some are wiped out entirely.
For more information, see the Hull Domesday Project's guide to taxation and tax assessment.
Domesday carefully records the owners of each manor (estate) in 1086, as these were the people liable for tax. All land was ultimately owned by the Crown, but held by lords, who provided military resources or tax in return.
Tenant-in-chief in 1086: The main landholders listed in Domesday Book. Either King William himself, or one of around 1,400 people who held land directly from the Crown, mostly Norman knights.
Lord in 1086: The immediate lord over the peasants after the Conquest. Sometimes the same as the tenant-in-chief, sometimes a tenant granted the estate in return for tax.
Domesday also records the equivalent owners before the Conquest in 1066. For more information, see the Hull Domesday Project's guide to landholding.
Waste: Estates described as "waste" paid no tax. About 10% of all the estates in Domesday are waste. Most are in the North or on the Welsh Borders, and were probably destroyed in fighting after the Conquest. For more information, see the Hull Domesday Project's guide to waste.
Phillimore reference: The section number in the Phillimore translation of Domesday Book, from which this information is taken. Consult the Phillimore translation for the full text.
About. API. Maps and site by Anna Powell-Smith. Domesday data created by Professor J.J.N. Palmer and team.
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Lord Refa's page
21 posts. Organized Play character for Ragin' Sage.
Search Lord Refa's posts:
The thoughts of a first time entrant.
Lord Refa Jan 5, 2012, 10:52 am
I too submitted for teh first time. Two days after I did, I discovered the podcast thing from teh conferance. Now I am worried that half a sentence will disqualify me for backstory issues. If only that blog link had been visible earlier!!! Argh!! <sighs>
Paizo Blog: Gen Con Pathfinder Cosplay Contest Voting!
Lord Refa Aug 12, 2011, 01:10 pm
Jessica FTW! Great costume!
I know there's a pirate ap in the works but I need pirates now!
Lord Refa Jul 17, 2011, 02:12 pm
Make sure you check out 50 Fathoms from Pinnacle. Lots of Piratey goodness there.
Community Created Stuff (may contain spoilers)
Lord Refa Apr 14, 2011, 12:17 pm
sozin wrote:
Lord Refa wrote:
Sure thing. I put a complete list on my profile page as well.
How about Tsuto's Journal?
Lord Refa Apr 14, 2011, 03:54 am
Hey, thanks!
I think it is just the confusing way that flickr does file management.
try this link and tell me if it works for you. if it does, I'll correct my links:
image link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45217036@N00/5561986441/sizes/l/in/photostream /
download link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5561986441_f1fb7ba3c1_b_d.jpg
Those links worked great! Thank you very much! More?
The Xanesha's List that was posted earlier didn't look 'natural' enough to me (I'm a sucker for photoshop handwritten fonts), so I redid it with natural font and bloodspatter.
Here's the handout.
I am really loving the stuff you have Sozin, but I can't seem to get to any of it. I mean I would love to print it out for use at the table, but all those images are locked down. I cant email, save as or do anything with them other than bask in their beauteous glow. Is that intentional? Are you simply taunting me with beautiful props for my game? Or can you share? Please share. Pretty please?
Missing Trust Points?
Lord Refa Mar 25, 2011, 08:12 am
I am confused. For some reason I am only coming up with 8 trust points that can earned. There are a million ways to loose them, but few ways to gain them. And cannot seem to figure out how the player could possibly get 31 points. What am I missing?
Ultimate Combat: what martial arts styles do you want?
Lord Refa Nov 10, 2010, 12:49 pm
Savate please!
And while it may not be a martial arts "style" I think a style that is geared towards using the monk movement to the maximum would be great. Kind of a fantasy melding of martial arts and parkour.
Another one I would like to see is a basic boxing style like in the olden days of yore.
Dwarves - These guys need some monk love. But flying around and judo chopping really isn't their way. Maybe a martial arts style that was tied to their harmony with the earth and natural pechant for Bull's Rush and Trip resistance. Earth strike for ranged trips, ground slide for movement. Stuffs like that.
Gnomes - Blurred Fury Style - Calling on their racial inclination to use illusion magic, they could activate special powers like mirror image and prestidigitation to augment their fighting. Kind of like the weirding way from Dune.
Orcs - A straight up savage fighting style making the best use of intimidation and raw strength. Lots of condition options.
Kingmaker: Expeditionary Band 33
Rova 3, Oathday
New quadrant, spent the day exploring and mapping. We are once again in heavy forest.
We found a hollow under a fallen pine tree, with evidence of bones nearby, the home of some predatory animal.
Cedar noticed evidence of tusk marks on the nearby trees, and he thinks it might be Tuskgutter, the boar from the bounty board. The beast does not seem to be nearby, so we wait.
We devised a plan of attack. Judging from the bones strewn about, this animal is a carnivore, so we slaughtered a deer to use as bait. Viktor, Duo and Balthazar hid in the trees. Balian sat astride his charger, lance ready. Cedar located a proper sniping position, and I sat atop the fallen tree where the creature made its home.
We lay in wait nearly four and a half hours. I amused myself by attempting to identify all the plants and herbs in the vicinity, while Balthazar amused himself with his cups. I'm not sure what Viktor, Cedar and Balian did to pass the time.
Then, just as our spirits were beginning to fall and we tired of the heat and insects, our quarry appeared.
A marvelous pig! Nearly big as a horse, with tusks at least two feet long, and baleful little red eyes, aflame with hunger and brutishness.
Balian issued a challenge, and charged. Tuskgutter bellowed back, and returned the charge. They met with furious grunting from Tuskgutter and a scream from Balian's steed, who then collapsed, instantly dead. Balian leapt to safety as the massive boar shook and twisted, trying to rid himself of the charger's carcass.
Balian gave forth a rallying cry, and leapt into the fray. Viktor attacked from behind, blades flashing faster than the eye could see. Cedar loosed salvos of arrows with deadly precision. Duo used his mastery of the arcane arts to beleaguer our foe with magical impairments. I shot fire from my treetop vantage, then jumped down to assist the melee attack, and Balthazar blessed us with Cayden's grace, then kept a practiced eye on the rapidly diminishing level of ale in his cup.
The battle was short and violent, a testament to our growing skills fighting as a team unit.
We field-dressed Tuskgutter and gave Balian's charger a proper disposal. Being down one mount and Tuskgutter's sheer size required some creative rearranging of personnel and equipment for the trip back to Oleg's, which must needs take place tomorrow as it is already very late.
Rova 4, Fireday
Started trek back to Oleg's, with the carcass of our prize in tow.
Shortly after the noon hour, we heard a familiar fluttering, and Perlabash showed up again, demanding liquor. Cedar obliged. We seem to have finally gotten on their good side, due to our help with "the biggs" and our generosity with liquor.
From our conversation with Perlabash:
The fey have had no further problems with "the biggs." In the past, the mites tried to encroach on their territory, but the no longer do so. The Kobolds we seek are most likely off in the hills somewhere, and the fey consider the Kobolds nicer than the mites. Sandral, one of their own, is missing. Perlabash eventually revealed enough information for us to surmise that Sandral is a unicorn. She's the Queen of the Forest, and, lives in the southwest, roaming the forest. She's been gone two to three weeks.
We reassured Perlabash that we would keep an eye out for Sandral, gave him more candy for Tigtinnertut, and continued our journey toward Oleg's. Laden like this we shall not arrive tonight, but on the morrow.
Rova 5, Starday
Midday arrival back at Oleg's. Improvements continue to be made
Oleg seemed impressed with the size of our boar catch. He seemed excited to have something to do -- that is, butchering the hog and making hams and bacon and head cheese. He was also relieved to finally be rid of the items "that crazy hunter" gave him as bounty for Tuskgutter.
We received a masterwork longbow and 6 magical arrows, of as-yet unidentified powers. Balian found a replacement for his fallen charger, and began the arduous training process necessary for a war steed.
Around 430 pm, a wagon train arrived. One wagon with soldiers, three wagons full of people, and several more bearing lumber, grain, seeds, tends and foodstuffs.
Garris informed us that 250 more people are on their way. He issued us our reward -- 5000 gold! -- for dealing with the Stag Lord and also gave Balian a new charter.
Be it so known that the bearers of this charter, having delivered the northern reaches of the Greenbelt from the scourge of banditry, having provided detailed maps of the lay of the land, and having done no small amount of work in the exploration of said land and the culling of hostile monsters and indigenous hazards, are hereby granted the right to rule.
The nature and laws of rule are theirs to define, and the wellbeing of this new nation is theirs to protect. In accordance for providing a stable nation to the south of central Rostland, let there be a generous stipend of funds, support, and advice provided to this fledgling nation as a token of Restov and Brevoy's goodwill, such that future relations between kingdoms might be mutually beneficial.
So witnessed under the watchful eye of the Lordship of Restov and by the authority granted by Lord Noleski Surtova, current regent of the Dragonscale Throne.
[seal of Lord Noleski Surtova]
This, of course, changes the stakes immensely. We immediately called a private meeting for all members of Expeditionary Band 33 in Oleg's bunkhouse, as it appears we are now rulers in our own right.
Much discord these first hours of deliberation! Some wanted to abdicate all authority, while others of us see opportunity. We argued for some hours, accomplishing little, when we were interrupted by Garris.
Garris offered us a reward -- weapons from Restov -- for offing Falgrim: A lance and a curved Elven blade. He also offered to help with our nationbuilding.
We argued back and forth for several more hours, and in the end have the basics of a rudimentary government system. All of us have official capacities of one kind or another, along with Akiros and Garris.
It was decided that our Capital shall be the Stag Lord's former hideout. Garris will lead the people south to start their new lives there and begin the rebuilding process on the keep. We shall head to the Temple of Erastil and see if Johd is capable and willing to help us deal with the zombies.
Rova 6, Sunday
Quick ride to the Temple of Erastil.
Johd has been busy. The vines have been removed from the elk carving, and he's begun cleaning around the fountain. The cave looks positively cozy now, filled with heat and light from braziers.
Johd was glad to see us in good health. He agreed to accompany us to the monastery/keep and inspect the grounds and assist us as he could.
He invited us to stay for dinner, which we did. During dinner, we informed him of our new charter and fledgling government. He had certain misgivings, and was not reticent to speak them, but I think that's all he will do -- speak.
We shall depart tomorrow for our new keep.
Rova 7, Moonday
A hard and tiring ride to our (as-yet unbuilt) castle. Arrival around sunset. Nothing else to do this evening but make camp.
The League of Evil
My party did a poor job of searching the Stag Lord's fort. The missed some stuff that will be coming back to haunt them. Literally.
The did not find the Stag Lord's father. But they do plan on building on top of the site. So I'm gonna have the druid die down there and become a vengeful spirit that haunts their capitol city. Toss in some ghostly powers of a druidic nature and the new haunt rules and some fun can ensue! Huzzah!
Lord Refa Jul 21, 2010, 05:44 am
Arodus 25, Wealday
Viktor used the password to get inside the Stag Lord's hideout, and some nervous hours ensued. The rest of our party hunkered down and hid in the surrounding hills. We hobbled our horses several hills away so they wouldn't be seen, and hopefully not found by any passing patrols. Balthazar kept the donkey close, however. I think he likes it because it doesn't make any snide remarks about his drinking. We waited, nearly motionless, on the far side of a hill as close as we dared for several hours, waiting for the signal from Viktor.
The day wore on, and the light waned. The hills became alive with the sounds of night, crickets and other insects, nightbirds and other, less identifiable, creatures. Still no signal from Viktor, and the waiting was becoming nearly intolerable. It was unlikely that our ruse had been discovered, but still possible. Of course, in the waiting, the mind wanders. What if Viktor had been discovered? What if he'd been taken prisoner, or worse? There is no benefit to such worrisome thoughts, but it tends to be unaviodable in such situations. Finally -- the signal! A flash from a lantern in one of the watchtowers!
Cedar, Balian, and myself ran toward the walls nearest the watchtower, while Balthazar rode the donkey down the path toward the main gate, affecting the air of a drunken, yet cordial, merchant, singing bawdy songs at the top of his lungs, hoping to distract any eyes in his direction while we assaulted the fort.
Viktor had thrown a rope over the side of the watchtower as a means of ingress, and it dangled over the walls of the fort. We made a mad dash for it, only to be distracted by a new horror. The ground around us began erupting, as things crawled out of it. No new impetus for speed was needed on our part, but we redoubled our efforts to reach the rope in the face of this new threat. Soon, shambling, desiccated corpses chased us. The risen zombies also ruined what chance of surprise we might have had, as it appeared that they were clawing their way from the ground all around the fort, raising a general alarm.
We nearly fought each other scrambling up the rope to get into the watchtower. Sounds of battle echoed from above. Viktor had been discovered!
Balian and I scrambled up the rope and into the watchtower, to find Viktor in combat with two of the brigands. A third lay dead at his feet, presumably one of the watch. We assumed Cedar was behind us, but he mass of zombies seemed to grow each moment. Balian and I entered the fray with Viktor against the bandits, and quickly dispatched them, but the alarm had been raised, and reinforcements were on their way. The Stag Lord himself had been roused as well, and he started using his bow in earnest, along with two archer compatriots, peppering the battlefield with arrows.
Cedar had resorted to climbing the walls to escape the zombies, and now sat atop the wall, answering the brigands' arrows with those of his own. Balthazar continued his charade, heading toward the front gate. His lewd tunes provided what would have been a humorous counterpoint, if the situation had not been so dire. Fighting to the death, while undead hordes await.
Viktor jumped down from the tower and ran to the gate, opening it so Balthazar could enter and provide some much-needed healing. The Stag Lord and his archers continued firing. I took two arrows to the chest and fell to the floor of the watchtower, unconscious.
I do not know how long I was down, but it must not have been too long. I awoke to the ministrations of Balthazar, who rallied me back into the fray.
In the moments I was down, the battlefield changed considerably. One of the watchtowers was on fire, more of the bandits were dead, one of them seemingly had defected and fought on our side, but the Stag Lord still stood, with one archer guard.
Cedar was still atop the wall, and dropped the guard. The rest of us rushed the Stag Lord, along with our new ally. I learned his name was Akiros and was previously acquainted with Viktor once the situation had cooled.
We fought the Stag Lord, who apparently had magical armaments, and we were sorely tested. Balian again rallied the crew with his tactical mastery, and Balthazar provided much-needed healing support. Cedar dropped his bow and waded into the fray, armed with a large blade, and Viktor's daggers continued to flash. I summoned a dire rat to provide an additional target, hoping to distract the Stag Lord and his deadly arrows. Akiros charged, full in the frenzy of battle.
Distracted by the betrayal of Akiros, the Stag Lord focused his attacks on his former compatriot, and our band quickly dispatched the wounded brigand leader. Akiros fell, overcome by wounds, but we stabilized him.
Post-battle, we took stock and made sure everyone's wounds were treated, at least as much as we could at this time. The battle had been tolerably hot, and our magical reserves were sorely tested. Another good tiding, the zombies failed to attack. They shambled mindlessly around the fort, but would not come too close. Nevertheless, a nervous night was spent, and not a watch was spared even though we were fatigued from battle.
Arodus 26, Oathday
Refreshed from the rigors of battle, Balthazar and I performed what healing we could to bring our party back to full strength. Balthazar also administered to Akiros, who pior to Balthazar's healing prowess, remained sorely injured.
We looted and searched the brigand's fort. Balthazar counted and catalogued our spoils, and we made sure to keep the Stag Lord's body separate from the others when we made a pyre for the fallen bandits. Proof of demise was required to collect on the reward.
During our searches, I found a secret door, leading to the pit. In the pit we found an Elf. He claimed his name was Duo, and was a prisoner of the bandits. Later, during the course of conversations, it became clear he was actually one of the bandits, and was being punished by the Stag Lord. However, Viktor knew Duo, and this was cause for a strange reunion, as they apparently were childhood friends.
We spared Duo with the same mercy we showed Akiros, though I think Balian was ready to hang him. Eventually Balian extracted an oath from Duo, and with Balian's authority, he signed our charter. We shall see if he remains reliable. Balian allowed Akiros to remain a free man after his apparent change of heart.
We learned a few things after our conversations with Akiros and Duo:
Apparently, the fort used to be a monastery to an old god named Gyronna, and remains sacred ground even though it is now abandoned of any religious duties or significance. This might be why the zombies refused to enter. They do present an effective deterrent, which is perhaps why the bandits inhabited this unhappy ruin.
The brigands captured an owlbear, and attempted to tame it, to no avail, yet continued to keep it in the cage for sport. Cedar killed it and we added it to the funerary pyre.
Akiros told us of the Stag Lord's secret cache, and we divested the slain brigands of more of their ill-gotten loot.
Balian severed the Stag Lord's head. It is our plan to present the body to the strange ghost in the river, and present the head Sergeant Garris to claim our bounty.
Too much of the day was taking with conversations and with searchings, and our spellcasters needed rest, so we chose not to depart this day.
Arodus 27, Fireday
Two days of travel over this hilly terrain to reach the river. Tiring for our mounts, but not for us. We shall arrive on the afternoon of the 28th. Feeling out of sorts because I did not get to set anything on fire today.
Arodus 28, Starday
We have arrived at the broken-down rope bridge and accompanying ruins where we had the unhappy encounter with the rude aquatic shade.
Cedar rang the gong and pushed the body of the Stag Lord into the river. Two claws emerged and grabbed the body, pulling it into the depths. Before the body and the shade disappeared forever, we caught a glimpse of the undead creature's face. Whatever previous torments it may have suffered at the hands of the Stag Lord were gone now, and it appeared to be smiling. Though this may have been wishful thinking on my part. Hopefully we are free of this undead thing's presence now. While justice may have been served, undead and their ilk are anathema to Nature.
As we turned to depart from the banks of the river and these extraordinary events, Balian caught sight of something glinting near the water's edge. A gift from the shade, perhaps? Upon investigation, the glinting was revealed to be a ranseur, most likely the same weapon this spirit attacked us with weeks earlier. Balthazar says it has magical properties.
Arodus 29, Sunday
Journeying back to Oleg's. Nothing of note today. Expect to arrive at Oleg's late tomorrow.
Arodus 30, Moonday
Arrived at Oleg's a couple hours after sunset. Work continues here, and more upgrades have been done. It seems Oleg's Post is starting to become somewhat of a thoroughfare though these parts.
The "pub" is finished, completely walled and roofed, and the interior, while still rough, is done.
More tents are in evidence outside. Some look to be more or less permanent, as there is at least one more tent in the garrison's area. Probably more troops. Garris should be happy about that. Others appear to be temporary. Perhaps traveling merchants or other visitors. A wagon is parked out front as well.
We were greeted after gaining entrance by a stable boy, who offered to care for our mounts. This is a pleasant addition; rubbing down the horses and pack animal after each journey robs one of some much-needed ale time.
The pub was packed when we arrived. All of the regulars, plus a few new faces, including a new soldier and a traveling merchant, who we correctly surmised owned the wagon parked in front. Business has definitely picked up. I hope Oleg and Svetlana are content with their new duties.
Divers party members made their rounds, making conversation and performing their administrative duties throughout the Post. A summary of results follows.
Garris:
Remained unconvinced the head belonged to the Stag Lord, until we produced the helm. He says he'll send word to Restov and have our gold sent, along with whatever officialdom is required for the transfer of land. Our reward should arrive in about a week.
Johd:
Interested in the Stag Lord helm, as it appears to be a relic of some kind. He will also send word to Restov and inquire about possible purchase or reward. He will accompany us to the cleansed temple of Aristil tomorrow, and has begun packing.
Treval:
Interested in our stories, but had little information to add. For a purported traveling bard, full of knowledge and answers, he seems deficient. It is a good thing he pays for the tales of our exploits, as he is mostly useless. I tend to avoid him.
Traveling Merchant:
I failed to get his name, but it is likely a moot point, as we shall probably not see him again. He was interested in purchasing our spoils, but we did not want to offend Oleg's good faith, and will deal with him instead.
Rova 1, Toilday
Cedar once again correctly predicted a heavy rainstorm, so we remained in the relative comfort of Oleg's, and put off our trip to take Johd to the temple until the weather clears.
We sold our spoils to Oleg's and divided the gold. I am not sure what I shall do with this slowly-growing stash, as there seems little to spend it on out here, and most of the necessary upkeep is spent from the party kitty. Especially when the reward from Restov arrives, we shall need to find some safer means of securing our gold.
Garris sent an Ensign to Restov, disregarding the inclement weather and sending the poor soldier out into the wind and rain. Garris says our reward should arrive back at the fort on the 4th or the 5th.
Johd says he will remain by himself at the temple after we take him there, and will meet us on the morrow ready to go. He says if it is Aristil's will, more will join him later.
Rova 2, Wealday
Traveled to the temple of Eristil. Arrived shortly after noon.
The verdure is not quite as thick as it was when we left last time we were here, but it is still in profusion and remains bright and sunny.
Johd went to work immediately, setting up an altar and cleaning out the cave.
We bid him farewell and traveled toward more unexplored terrain.
Viktor headed into the tunnels under the huge sycamore, and soon we heard the sounds of battle. I attempted to assist, but quarters were too cramped in these tunnels and both of us crawled back out. We did determine that it is a nest of mites, vicious and cruel creatures. We attempted to smoke them out by dropping burning litter down the hole, but this was unsuccessful. Their warren under the tree must be extensive.
While it was decided the mites should be removed to provide safer passage through this area, we also had more pressing concerns to deal with -- the Stag Lord -- so we pressed on, with the intent of heading back to Oleg's to resupply before heading back to the bandit fort. Bokken's is on our route as well, so we shall stop by and purchase some potions also.
On our way back to Oleg's we passed Bakkan's hut around midday. Purchased some cure light potions from him, and convinced him to make us some alchemist's fire. Rest of return journey to Oleg's uneventful.
Our efforts, or those of the garrison, perhaps both, are truly making a difference at Oleg's. A booth is now affixed near the gate to the post, holding a tax collector. He accosted us when we desired entry, but then let us through unopposed when we revealed our charter. Good thing, too. Viktor looked like he wanted to stuff the gnome in a sack and toss him in a river.
Apparently we are civilized enough now to boast a tax collector. It is at least debatable whether or not this is progress.
Anyway, other things are changing at Oleg's as well. The outside dining area has been roofed, so all the tables are inside. This will make meals much more pleasant, considering the caprices of the weather out here. The soldiers are jokingly calling this "the pub" now, as they have also fitted casks into cleverly designed holes in the wall, ready to dispense their liquid blandishments.
Balian has returned from whatever tasks stole him away, this will be happy reinforcement for our numbers. He's also been busy while waiting for us here at the post. Makeshift lists have been built, and he has spent the last few days sparring and jousting with the guards.
We spoke with Gariss about the Stag Lord and the layout of the bandit fortress.
Cedar warned of a nasty incoming storm, so we decided to remain at Oleg's for the day until the inclemency passed.
First order of business, return to the bandit fort and take care of the Stag Lord and his minions, and claim our reward.
Decided to swing by Bakkan's first, since it is on the way, and he was either away or indisposed as his shack was locked up. Out front, however, were the pots of alchemist's fire we requested, with a note to leave 45 gold under a rock, which we did. This alchemist's fire is terribly interesting to me, but I and not entirely trustworthy of Bakkan's workmanship, so I shall let the others use them first.
Balthazar mentioned he had a nightmare about the undead with the ranseur demanding the body of the Stag Lord, but seemed to suffer no ill effects as Cedar had previously. What sorcery is this, that can affect divers members of our party from such distances? These lands tell of some ill will, where too many things disappear when they die instead of leaving a proper corpse or remaining in some fashion to still torment the living. Perhaps a good fire would fix some of this.
Nothing of note. Traveling to the Stag Lord hideout.
FORGED IN THE FIRES OF EXTINCTION
FORGED IN THE FLAMES OF DEATH
FORGED IN THE FIRES OF AFFLICTION
FORGED IN THE FLAMES OF JUDGMENT
Arodus 24, Toilday
We shall arrive on the morrow.
We decided to head to Bakkan's to drop of the meager supply of fangberries we found. Bakkan continued to be unpleasant as ever. We limited our time with him and pressed on toward unmapped territory. We did, however, purchase two cure light potions from us for the exorbitant amount of 45 gold each, including a "discount" he gave us for the fangberries. He says if we bring him seven to ten clumps of fangberries he will give us a 25% discount.
We headed directly to unexpored areas, and spent the day exploring and mapping. Nothing of note save a river in the southern section of this quadrant.
We followed this river we have discovered south into more unexplored terrain, which has become quite hilly. This slows our progress and tires our mounts easily. Our mounts must be rested more frequently. This terrain also makes it difficult to judge distances accurately.
Around 10 in the morning, we discovered a cave. The entrance of this cave was not large, but it appears to be quite deep, at least deeper than the fifty feet or so daylight penetrates.
Viktor scouted in, then returned moments later for a light source. I gave him a sun rod, and am now out of these devices. Viktor went back into the darkness, and was not gone long once again. He reported four trolls living in the cave. Luckily for us they were asleep at the time. Four of those beasts at once would be a fearsome test of our battle prowess
We took careful note of the cave's location, hoping to dispatch these monsters when we are better prepared.
The river we have been following for the past couple days is huge. It is easily 300 feet across, and probably at least 60 feet deep, moving a truly staggering amount of water every day. It would be a godsend of a trade and travel route, if not for some unfortunate waterfalls which make it unnavigable. The waterfalls are a sight to behold, however. Easily 50 feet tall, the water sprays across the waterfalls in a splash of whiteness and if the sun is right, you can see rainbows glinting through the mist. The water crashes into the pools at the bottoms of the falls with a thunderous roar, stirring up rapids for hundreds of feet below. Our guess is this mighty waterway is the Shrike River.
We've been looking for a place to ford so we might complete the exploration of this sector, but have had little luck so far.
Early afternoon. We've found what might have been an old rope bridge across the river. It is in tatters now and is not serviceable. On the far side there is a dilapidated building, and in the water somewhat downstream is a pile of rubble. On our side, a weatherbeaten and forlorn sign reads, "Nettle's Crossing - Ring bell for Service." But it is not next to a bell, it is next to a gong.
Cedar rang the gong, more out of whimsy I expect than any real attempt at service. However, shortly thereafter, we saw some sort of creature walking toward us across the water from the rubble pile. As it came closer, we saw it was a rotted, bloody corpse, carrying a ranseur.
We did battle, not wanting to abide this undead thing's continued existence. The battle was short and we were easily victorious, but during the battle the creature did something to Cedar. The creature and the ranseur dissipated and disappeared into the water after we killed it. What is it with things out here in these lands not leaving proper corpses behind?
I attempted to swim to the rubble pile, but my skills were no match for this mighty river and I had to turn back.
Cedar and Viktor crossed the remains of the rope bridge, using the remnants of the rope to pull themselves through the water and find purchase against the current.
The ruins on the opposite bank were not only fallen into disrepair, but also appeared burned upon inspection. Cedar discovered a severed arm in a hole. The hand was still clutching a stag amulet. We added it to the others in our collection.
While the remains of the rope bridge made it at least relatively easy for us to cross at this point, there was simply no way to get our mounts across here, so we decided to head on and follow the river, seeking a horse-friendly ford or crossing.
Spent the rest of the day following the river.
We did find a ford, but it is on the Thorn river here where it forms a tributary of the Shrike, and will not allow us passage to where we wish to go, so these zones remain incompletely mapped and explored.
Cedar appeared tired and distraught at breakfast this morning. He said he'd been having terrible dreams, being killed over and over by the undead creature from the river we dispatched earlier. Cedar told us the phantom kept telling him to bring the corpse of the Stag Lord in these dreams.
We pushed on, still seeking a ford across the Shrike.
Discovered a lake near the border of our charter authority and a palisade on a nearby hill. We hid among the hills and attempted to spy on this fortification. It is rather small as far as forts go, but does have three watchtowers, all of which are manned. There is no way to tell how many might be inside.
After some debate, Viktor decided to approach the fort so we might gain intelligence. He talked to the guardsman, and his bluff must have worked, for he was led inside.
He was gone for a very long time, long enough to make us all unquiet.
Viktor eventually emerged from the fort and returned to us. He reported there were at least 11 men in the fort. They had an owlbear in captivity, and this happens to be the Stag Lord's base. He has the password to get inside again, but it changes at the end of the week. Balthazar and I exchanged looks during Viktor's reports. I think we were both of the mind that Viktor is holding back, but we didn't press the issue.
Four against eleven with the advantage of fortifications, plus Cedar's exhausted condition from lack of rest made of unlikely odds, so we decided to leave the fort alone for now and headed off toward a new zone.
Sleep eludes Cedar again. He reported more nightmares and is in even worse shape today than before. Perhaps it is selfish of me, but this focus on Cedar allows me time to more easily hide my own torment as it comes and goes. Today is particularly bad, so I ride hunched over or turned away from the party and say little.
Explored more hilly terrain.
Only item of note is a large thicket of fangberries. The name is apt. They are quite dangerous to pick, even for the deft, with their four-inch long spines. One wrong move and you are pierced by a half-dozen thorns. Nevertheless, we managed to pick nine good clumps of fangberries without to much difficulty.
Cedar is still tormented by the nightmares. How can something dead still torment us so? Perhaps we didn't kill it after all...
New zone to explore. More hills and spent most of the day following the Thorn river.
We discovered a gulch, approximately 20 feet deep, that the river winds its way through. A rickety bridge spans this obstacle, but the bridge does not look quite safe. We did not attempt to bring our horses across here.
We explored the rest of the zone and camped near the ford.
Cedar finally slept for once, untormented by dreams and nightmares, and awoke refreshed.
We explored the other side of the river. Upon our return, Cedar decided to check out the bridge across the gulch which we had avoided before. Balthazar warned him to be careful, but Cedar insisted the bridge was weight-bearing and started to jump up and down to prove his point.
The bridge collapsed and fell into the river, taking Cedar with it. Viktor and I followed along the gulch, hoping to throw Cedar a rope if necessary, but the current was strong and he was swept away, banging into the sides of the gully and the rocks in the river.
Viktor finally managed to throw him a rope, and we pulled him to safety.
After this misadventure, we pressed on to another quadrant.
More hills. Our mounts complain, and we rest them often. Progress is slow.
A landmark: a huge sycamore, easily 100 feet tall. It appears old and near death, but nevertheless still towers over the terrain and is visible for miles.
We poured some of the water from the pool at the temple of Erastil on the roots, but there was no apparent effect.
Viktor discovered a tunnel going down through the roots into the earth, and decided to explore.
Erastus 15, Fireday
Balian was called away, back to Brevoy. Balthazar was suffering so much from being deep in his cups the night before such that no amount of rousing or cajoling could get him out of bed. So we have been reduced to three for today.
Unbeknownst to us at the time, we had left a substantial reward sum back on the plains. According to the bounty board, there is a reward for the Tatzlworm.
Our first order of business then, was to retrieve the worm head so we could claim the reward. The worm was where we left it, and we arrived without incident. Days in the heat and the appetites of scavengers and insects made this an unpleasant task. Unable to properly deal with the decaying Tatzlworm head at this time, we wrapped it in canvas and set it on the pack mule, then made sure she brought up the rear of our party.
A bounty had also been posted for dealing with a local kobold problem, but days of rain washed away any tracks of the kobold party we previously encountered, and while we kept our eyes peeled, we detected no signs of kobold presence.
It continues to be quite hot, but for once we do not have to travel in pouring rain. No matter, our new oiled cloaks we acquired from Oleg shall be put to proper use soon enough.
We traveled the rest of the day toward unexplored and unmapped zones, and made camp near the frontier.
At camp, we took the opportunity to boil the decaying flesh from the Taztlworm head, a process which took some hours, but resulted in a lighter and much less odorous burden.
Every Fireday I insist on tending our campfire, but I do not think my companions have noticed this pattern yet.
Erastus 16, Starday
Headed into the unexplored zones. Another hot, dry day. No rain for two days in a row now.
Our forested surroundings shield us from the sun's rays, but also block much of any cooling breeze that might dart by.
Spent the day mapping and exploring, making our way through the forest via the many game trails that crisscross the area.
Some time after we had paused for a short lunch, Cedar halted us, saying he had heard something up ahead. Viktor scouted the area, and indicated a group of five bandits were heading toward us. We hastily set up an ambush. When the bandits came into view, we realized at least two of them were part of the band that ambushed us some days prior. Only fitting to get the drop on them now.
We defeated the bandits, but I received some serious wounds in the process. Nothing my cure spells couldn't handle, but without Balthazar, this exhausted our supply of healing spells for the day. Most of the blood on me wasn't mine, but I still had some difficulty convincing my companions I was fine and ready to go post fight. Cedar collected the trophies for the bounty on the bandits.
Later that afternoon, we discovered a large tangle of brambles surrounding a clearing in the forest. We had to cut our way through the brambles to reach the clearing. It used to be a temple or holy site of some kind. A megalithic circle of stones, including some dolmens, all designed to direct attention to a huge boulder, carved with an elk. Stairs led down into the rock, and a large stone pool lay before the stairs. The entire place was run down and abandoned, with some of the large circle stones fallen on their sides, and moss and ivy starting to claim many of them. The pool was obviously stagnant, and exuded a strange and unpleasant smell.
We were unable to investigate any further. Even though the builders had abandoned the location long ago, it was not uninhabited. Coming from the stairs in the boulder and what must be a cave or rooms below were some terrible roars and growls, sounding like a bear, but due to the quality of the growl, it must be wounded or mad or rabid. Something is obviously wrong here.
We decided to retreat and return when our numbers are not depleted and gave the bear a wide berth.
At camp, we made sure our notes and maps were up to date and turned in.
Erastus 17, Sunday
New zone to explore and map.
During our travels we discovered the source of the Thorn river. It is a relatively small spring, but with a very large flow considering its size, and it bubbles out of the ground at a great rate.
More forested area. We discovered a dead trapped man under a deadfall. It looks like he fell victim to his own trap. We found no identifying marks or materials, and left him where he lay.
We didn't think much of this next incident at the time, but upon later reflection we realized it was when our troubles started. We were simply walking around and exploring, when Viktor suddenly tripped on a small rock about the size of a man's handspan lying in the middle of the trail. No traps or snares or anything else unusual were detected, and we gave Viktor a good ribbing and continued on. I picked up the rock and put it in my saddlebags.
Starting later that afternoon and throughout the evening, we were followed by circling vultures. Very strange behavior for the large birds, constantly following and circling for hours. Cedar shot one, and managed to score a hit. This scattered the other vultures, and finding the landing spot of the wounded bird was easy. An inspection of the vulture showed nothing unusual, so we killed it, cleaned it, and made it our evening meal. A change from rations now and then is nice, but stringy vulture meat has little to recommend it.
As a joke during my watch, I took the tripping rock out of my saddlebags and put it next to Viktor as he slept, but my attempt at humor was ruined by what happened next.
That evening, during Cedar's watch, the surrounding plants began to move and attempted to grab him. This caused no small disconcert among us, and we started to have some suspicions at this point. We might be stalked by some fey creatures.
Hoping a goodwill gift might cease the tricks being played upon us, or at least keep them from becoming malicious, given the capriciousness of the fey, we left some shiny copper coins and one of the fancy bottles of liquor for the as-yet-unseen fey. We had little else to offer, and all our diplomatic overtures so far all resulted in them still unwilling to show themselves.
We were able to sleep for the rest of the evening, but upon arising the next morning, discovered that all our weapons were gone. Or rather, Cedar and Viktor's weapons were gone, as I tend to use whatever is handy nearby. Some minor searching revealed them all tied up high in a tree. They were relatively easy to retrieve. Our gift bottle of liquor was also empty, so in an attempt to win over our hidden tormentors, we left another bottle before heading to the next zone.
Erastus 18, Moonday
More forest. We've been following the river for a couple days now, which provides convenient relief from the heat.
However, our unseen followers are not done with their tricks. The game trail we are following heads across an overlook by the river, and while we cross it, the ground gives way. Cedar and Viktor make it across, but discover the rest of the trail by the overlook is covered in some sort of grease, making for treacherous footing. I am not so lucky during the crossing, and fall into the river. It is an easy swim to the river bank, but now I must contend with wet clothing.
We continued our explorations, but the harassment by the hidden fey continued as well, and the incidents got worse and more frequent. I won't list them all, because as the day went on, the harassment became nearly constant, but some of the more notable incidents included:
Something obviously large and unfriendly moving through the brush, heading toward us, but then turning out to be nothing.
An angry "bear" doing the same thing, but upon arrival at our location ending up being nothing but a squirrel.
Squirrels occasionally throwing nuts at us as we pass, then turning into groups doing the same thing, then what appears to be an army of the rodents pelting us with a hailstorm of nuts.
By now we're all a little on edge and uneasy. Our tormenters have not yet shown themselves, and refuse all diplomatic overtures.
Cedar's sharp eyes spy a bottle high up in a tree -- one of our liquor bottles, tied and hanging near what appear to be some nests of some sort. He decided to climb up and investigate.
As he did so, I noticed two small creatures dart away. One appeared to be a small, multicolored dragon and the other gave the impression of a very small woman riding a large beetle. It might be a Grigg, but I am unsure.
We get a short respite from their tricks, but then discover a rope hanging from a tree. We think it's a trap of some kind, but need to find out if it is magical or mundane. Manipulation of the rope with a stick did nothing, and we could see no snares or anything else nearby, but when Cedar grabbed it, he just disappeared. He went shooting up over the branch then vanished.
I have some passing familiarity with spellcraft, and I guess this is some sort of "rope trick" spell, and that Cedar has been shuttled off to some extradimensional space. Viktor is not reassured by this.
We made camp at this spot and decided to wait, hoping for the spell to end on its own. It did. Halfway through the night, Cedar fell out of the sky and landed in the camp.
No sleep for any of us any more this evening. Our tormenters have decided to let us have it this night. Dancing lights, ephemeral music, sparks, animal sounds and other distractions of all sorts surround us tonight without surcease.
After some hours of this treatment, in a fit of exasperation, Cedar grabbed two of the remaining bottles of liquor and opened them both. He began drinking one, and offered the other to our unseen agitators. With all the racket and tricks going on around us, Viktor and I decided to join Cedar and make a party of it. If you can't sleep, you might as well be drunk.
Erastus 19, Toilday
Today is terrible, but then, we after last night's escapades, knew it would be. Headache, puffy eyes, dry tongue and exhaustion are our companions today, and devoted companions they are!
We headed directly for Oleg's, a full day trip.
Upon arrival, we discovered that Balthazar had gone on a supply run to Restov, and would not be arriving again for some few days, so we are still without our cleric.
New items have been posted on the bounty board. It appears the Stag Lord is not a legend after all.
We claimed the reward for the bandits and the Tatzlworm.
Treval Norwigger gave us some information about the Grigga and informed us the other creature was most likely a fairy dragon, a very rare species. If it accosts us again, it will find itself even rarer. Treval indicated that fey creatures are not common in these parts, and the species we encountered are even rarer still.
Johd was quite interested in the temple we found in the clearing, but no amount of convincing or cajoling would get him to accompany us back there to tackle the bear problem. He did, however, promise us free healing services and whatever other assistance he might provide if we defeat it and let him dedicate the site to Aristil.
Hungover and exhausted, we bid our good nights and retired for the evening.
Erastus 20, Wealday
Rest and recuperation at Oleg's.
Erastus 21, Oathday
Embarked again on our exploratory duties. We have entered a region of vast plains. Visibility is for miles around, a welcome change from the lack thereof in the forests. Few trees are in evidence on this flat ground, but every now and then we cross areas of gently rolling hills, none large enough for our mounts to break a sweat whilst crossing. Mostly our travels take us across flat grasslands.
Most of the prarie grasses are small, but now and then we cross patches of some of the taller species, some of which even reach our knees while we're mounted. Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed, Porcupine Grass, Sideoats, Needlegrass, and Bromegrass are much in evidence. Our mounts enjoy this terrain, and sometimes require coaxing away from a particularly tasty patch of prairie grass.
Wildflowers are in profusion as well, many more species than I know by sight, but I did recognize Bellflower, Milk-vetch, Hoary Gromwell, Scarlet Toothcup, Indigo Fleabane, Black Locust, Hollyhock, Blue Sage, Bitter Sneezeweed, Violet Thistle, Narrow-leaf Rabbit-tobacco, and several types of aster, morning glory, verbena, primrose and goldenrod.
I have flattened some examples of some of the rare and unfamiliar plants here in these journal pages. Perhaps they might be of some medicinal or apothecary use once we return to our charges.
The plains make for easier travel than through the forest, and we map and explore this zone in good time.
Much the same as yesterday. More endless plains.
I keep looking for signs of my family's dwelling, as I am convinced it is more likely to be on the plains rather than in the forest, but that was all so long ago, I don't know I'd even recognize it anymore. Burned-out remains would be all that's left, if those are even still standing, and I'm not even sure I'm in the proper section of the Stolen Lands anyway. I spent some time this Fireday staring into our campfire with what little memories remain.
Erastus 23, 24, 25
More plains, making much progress with the mapping and exploring. All very hot. Had to start taking turns with my endure elements spell to make travel more bearable. Terrible thunderstorm on the 24th, but with he huge visibility out here, we had ample warning of its arrival.
More exploring. Two items of note out here on the plains:
A large patch of blackberry bushes. We collected some for us, as fresh fruit will be a welcome addition to our meals. Also, we are hoping we might be able to bribe the fey with this sweet food if we encounter them again. Treval told us they like sweets.
An ancient cairn, circle of stones pattern. Long disused, and no identifying marks or indication of who might have built it.
More heat, at the horizon the earth and sky meet in a shimmer of heat waves. At the end of our day we arrived at more forest, and camped along the edge.
Back in the forest. Birds are everywhere, flitting from tree to tree and singing their songs, but there is a strange lack of smaller wildlife. It is disconcerting. Forest like this should have a profusion of life.
During our explorations, I stepped into a well-hidden bear trap. The damned thing nearly ruined my leg, and almost killed me. Viktor and Cedar pried it off, and used a healing potion on me, as I was in no condition to cast my healing spells. No normal hunter marks were in evidence and great pains were taken to hide this trap, so whomever set it doesn't care if he catches people or animals.
We continued to search the area, now being much more careful. We found dozens of traps. Too many, almost as if a hunter or trapper went crazy in the area. None were marked according to convention. We found twelve more of the big bear traps and scores of deadfalls, snares and smaller traps.
Even with our cautiousness, Cedar had a close call with another devilishly-hidden trap.
Spent the day setting off traps and cutting snares. This section of forest is a deathtrap, and whomever set all these was truly insane. It's bad enought that we have all picked up sticks and poke and prod the ground before we step. Viktor had a close call with another trap, even with the precautions we are taking. We have set up markers in the trees warning others who may pass of the hidden dangers, as we are sure we did not disarm them all.
We see no signs of a camp or other habitation, so we have no clues as to whom might have set all these traps.
More rain. Quick travel through previously explored territory to reach unexplored zones on our map.
Rain turning into a downpour, worsening even still at night. Our oiled cloaks are finally earning their keep.
I had first watch at camp that evening, and saw a light moving through the trees. With the darkness and the downpour, it was impossible to identify. I awoke Viktor who decided to chase it and attempt to find out what it was.
Viktor left, following the strange light. After some minutes, he did not return and I awoke Cedar and told him of the situation. We attempted to track Viktor, a poor task in the dark and wet. After three hours of searching, we gave up and returned to camp. We had found no sign of Viktor, but also no signs of a struggle either. We would continue the search in daylight.
Some time later, Viktor walked back into camp, wet and bedraggled, with a large black wolf with silver streaks in its fur following him. A disconcerting situation, to be sure, but the wolf did not appear to be malevolent -- yet.
Viktor had a strange tale to tell upon his return. According to him, the light turned out to be a glowing blue person, whom he followed. The glowing person suddenly vanished, and at the spot where the person disappeared, Viktor said he discovered a large patch of mushrooms. Shortly thereafter, the wolf appeared and followed him.
Attempts to communicate with this creature were unsuccessful. The wolf also did not seem to put our mounts and mule on edge, to make a strange situation even more unusual. Cedar built a small lean-to for it, to keep the rain off, and it seemed appreciative of this. It did not eat anything we offered it.
Further conversation with Viktor revealed he thought he was gone only for fifteen or twenty minutes, but he'd been gone for over three hours. He did not believe us at first about the missing time, but this was proven with dawn's soon arrival.
Arodus 1, Sunday
With morning's arrival, the storm faded. Our wolf guest is still in the camp, standing at the food of Viktor's bedroll when we awaken. Disconcerting to say the least, but I guess waking up to the smell of wet dog is at least a change from waking up to the smell of wet horses.
We decide to investigate this mushroom patch Viktor claims he saw, but we were unable to locate it.
Spent the rest of the day mapping and exploring, with the wolf following Viktor all day.
Another storm again tonight. We set up the lean-to again for the wolf, and once again it refused to eat.
During Viktor's or Cedar's watch, the wolf got up and left camp. I was asleep at the time. They followed it, and related to me later that it just disappeared. At first, it was fairly easy to track, leaving behind normal wolf prints in the mud, but then the tracks became fainter and fainter and finally just disappeared, leaving no trace of this extraordinary creature.
We must talk to Johd and Treval when we return to Oleg's, to see if they can shed any light on this strange circumstance.
We struck camp and left the cave very early, almost before the morning birds began singing their praises to the dawn.
Our terrain changed soon. The scrub quickly became a thick deciduous forest. Oaks were much in display, with Red Oak, Black Oak and White Oak reaching heights of what must be over 100 feet, towering over their smaller Pin Oak cousins. Hickory, Silver Maple, Dogwood, Yellow Poplar, Redbud and Elm trees were interspersed with the mighty oak, forming a dense canopy over us when we entered the forest proper.
Even in the noonday sun, the light is somewhat dimmed by this verdant profusion.
Fighting for what little leftover light the massive trees don't take are many varieties of smaller trees and shrubs, and below them, a carpet of flowering and herbaceous plants and various mosses, ferns and fungi. I recognize some of the herbs, but my knowledge is limited and does not extend to very many of their usages.
Wildlife is abundant as well. Even with my compatriots making the racket they do as we travel, I've seen all sorts of animals. Rabbits and hares, squirrels and raccoons, foxes and beavers, opossum and skunk, owls and badgers, a species of wild pig I am unfamiliar with, at least three species of deer, birds by the score including pheasant and ptarmigan, and I think I may have spied a lynx keeping watch on a rock, but it vanished so quickly I could not positively identify it. There are wolves and bears here, as evidenced by tracks and spoor, but they have the sense to stay hidden from man. Near dusk, bats nearly fill the sky, feasting on the forest insects.
All this wildlife has created many game trails, making travel relatively easy. Of course they meander, but we generally end up going in the direction we choose. On rare occasions we have had to hack our way through some dense foliage. At least it is good to know that if our rations spoil or we tire of them, sustenance should be relatively easy to come by.
The interminable rain continues, a constant drizzle that soddens our vestments and our spirits. It is miserable weather for this task of exploration. Sometimes finding a dry spot to update the map is a troublesome task.
This seemingly serene and lush landscape also hides dangers. Our troupe had barely begun our explorations this day, when we were attacked.
A startled cry brought us around to find Balian leaping from his near-mortally wounded horse. He had been attacked from behind by a Tatzil worm, a strange snake-like creature with vestigial limbs distantly related to dragonkind.
I warned them of a possibe breath attack, and battle ensued. The creature attempted to grapple Balian, but he struggled free from its grasp. Luckily, this creature was relatively stupid, and once surprise was no longer its ally, we defeated it quickly. Balian beheaded the creature, and insisted on bringing the head with him after Balthazar conducted healing ministrations on the wounded steed. Gozreh knows what he wants to do with the thing.
At our lunch camp, he spiked the head and set it up as a totem. Not the most appetizing thing to stare at during a meal, but who's to disway the young from their zeal for victory?
After lunch, we continued our explorations. Later in the day, we discovered a river, probably the Thorn River. It appears to be narrow, but is supposed to be quite deep, and all sorts of brambles and nettles line its banks.
As we followed the river, we were being followed ourselves. Cedar arrived and hailed us, our wayward ranger. He had been tracking us for the past few days. Should not have been a hard task, as we had not been obscuring our campsites or our tracks. It will be a relief to have someone else in the party capable of tracking and survival. You never know what might happen out here. Plus I'm getting tired of reminding Balthazar to look for poison ivy before he s+&&s in the woods. I think I'll pass this task on to Cedar.
We followed the river for many miles, and eventually it widened out into a bed of shallows, rocky beds of small waterfalls. North of this, a small stream intersected, and a heavily-traveled game trail follows the stream. Judging by the tracks, this "game" trail had been frequented by mounted men, and quite a few of them. This appeared to be a watering hole, perhaps in use by the bandits we seek.
We didn't want to blunder into a bandit ambush, so Viktor sneaked off to do some scouting while we waited near the confluence of the stream and the river. A short time thereafter, a thunderous boom echoed through the trees, jarring the teeth and uncomfortable to the ear, even at this distance. Fearing for our comrade, we dashed down the trail after him. This proved unwise.
We passed a dilapidated cart by the trail as we galloped by, and ran right into an ambuscade.
The bandits had archers hidden in the trees along the path, and in some cleverly constructed platforms affixed to the sides of trees. They raked us with arrows, taking advantage of our bewilderment, and hitting many of us.
Balthazar was busy from the start, furiously casting healing spells, and I had to use the small heal I know right at the beginning of the battle as well.
As we tried to spy Viktor as well as the hidden archers, their leader, Kressel, ran from concealment and attacked as well, axes flashing.
The hail of arrows and the dervish-like axes of Kressel proved almost too much for us. One by one, we fell to the ground, wounded and dying. I was one of the casualties, and slumped to the ground, sorely wounded and expecting to die.
I was roused some time later, only minutes, as I found out, to see Viktor grinning down at me. He looked much worse for the wear, but a more welcome sight I never did see. We shall not die this day!
Cedar explained what happened. He had felled some of the archers from their hidden perches, and then proceeded to attack Kressel. She felled Balian, Viktor, and myself. Luckily both of them had landed some good blows before collapsing, and Balian's horse, along with Cedar's horse continued the assault, riderless. The pummeling the horses gave her and a final arrow to the chest from Cedar proved sufficient for Kressel, and when the brigands saw their leader fall, they ran away even though they had the advantage of numbers. Cedar was the only of our party still standing. It is a poor battle that the cowardice of your enemies saves you rather than your own prowess, but then again, any battle you can walk away from is a good one.
Cedar used our healing potions to revive us. He also told us that Balthazar had run off, either in fear of his life or of certain defeat. We were in no condition to follow immediately. I hoped he would make it to safety. He thinks about ale more than he thinks about survival, and I don't think he was paying all that much attention to directions.
We spent some time recouperating there on the field of battle, then searched the bodies and discovered the nearby bandit camp, which we made use of for the evening, and used their cache of liquor to make the evening more pleasant.
We rested the entire day at the bandit camp, recovering our strength. With Kressel out of the picture, we didn't think we were taking much of a risk.
We thought about tracking Balthazar, but decided recouperation was of a higher priority. We were in pretty bad shape after the fight with the bandits.
We did inventory the bandit camp and looted the place before we left, taking everything we had room for.
Repaired to Oleg's, by the most direct route we could. While we wanted to return as quickly as we could, it would be foolish to push ourselves until we were in better condition. Fortune smiles upon us this time, and the journey back is uneventful.
Something might be amiss at Oleg's. We can see smoke rising from the general area, but in good fortune this proves to be a large campground out in front, not a bandit attack on the post. Judging by the looks of it, a military camp.
Our hunch proves correct. A garrison from Brevoy has arrived. They are here to provide security and protection, and it appears that they may be attempting to repair the fortifications and the armaments, as one of the catapults is missing. Sergeant Garris commands a squad of five soldiers.
We made our way into the post proper, and were happy to discover Balthazar. He was deep in his cups and appeared maudlin and distraught. I wanted to knock his head, but I only knock his ale cup with mine, and tell him It's harder than that to kill me as I sit down beside him.
He is overjoyed (or at least pretends to be) to see us alive and hale again, and we spend the rest of the evening swapping tales amongst ourselves and with the newcomers at the post.
I gave the Moon Radishes to Viktor to give to Svetlana. I hope they solve her "problem."
Sergeant Garris introduced himself, and we asked him about the stag necklaces we had been finding on some of the bandits. Garris did not know much, but called one Treval over, another newcomer who appeared to be some sort of traveling storyteller. At Garris's behest, Treval mentioned a "Staglord," a bandit that might or might not be related to the stag amulets we have been finding. Nobody knows who this Staglord is, and it appears he may be as much myth and legend as reality.
Another newcomer was a priest of Aristil, a certain Johd Kavken. Johd appeared interested in our explorations, and asked us to keep an eye out for abandoned temples and shrines to Aristil. He feels his god has led him here, to do this work.
Oleg is gruff and businesslike as usual, but seems pleased we were able to dispatch Kressel. We had to inform him that none of the bandits we encountered so far had Svetlana's ring, however. He indicated that he could have some oiled cloaks ready before our next decampment. Staying dry will make this work much more pleasant. We shall see if his handiwork is sufficient to the rainy season, arriving soon.
Also new to the post is a bounty board on a guest house wall. In the short time we have been gone, it has been filled with jobs and miscellanea. It appears we might be able to stay busy while were performing the duties of our charter, and also have some opportunities for profit as well.
The rigors of the recent battle and the ale of tonight are making for one exhausted druid. I shall retire early this evening.
Journal of Markus Straka Drakos
An account of events transpiring in the area known as the Stolen Lands, more specifically a section known as the Greenbelt, in the year 4708, under commission and charter of the Swordlords of Restov, via the authority of the Regent of the Dragonscale throne, our Lord Noleski Surtova.
Expeditionary band 33, chartered on Calistril 24, 4708
Members of our diverse band:
Viktor, a rogue
Balthazar, a cleric of Cayden Cailean
Balian Orlovsky, a cavalier
Markus Straka Drakos, a druid, myself
Cedar, an elven ranger in absentia
Our charter:
Be it so known that the bearer of this charter has been charged by the Swordlords of Restov, acting upon the greater good and authority vested within them by the office of the Regent of the Dragonscale Throne, has granted the right of exploration and travel within the wilderness region known as the Greenbelt. Exploration should be limited to an area no further than thirty-six miles east and west and sixty miles south of Oleg’s Trading Post. The carrier of this charter should also strive against banditry and other unlawful behavior to be encountered. The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope. So witnessed on this 24th day of Calistril, under watchful eye of the Lordship of Restov and authority granted by Lord Noleski Surtova, current Regent of the Dragonscale Throne.
Let us begin:
Erastus 1, Fireday
Completed the trek to Oleg's Trading Post. A long and tiring journey, at least on foot. I am glad I wore my tracker's boots, made by Svensson on Borenatra Crescent. When I return, I must remember to compliment him on the quality of his work.
My companions appeared, at first blush, to be a capable bunch, but we'll see. The king's chartermasters seemed proficient at creating competent expeditionary groups. We don't appear to have too many weaknesses as a group. It would be nice to have a weaponmaster along, but I'm sure Viktor and Balian will prove to be capable fighters if necessary. We have yet to be tested, however.
Before we departed, the chartermaster mentioned a ranger who will be joining us at a later date. Apparently he has been delayed, the reason not disclosed to us. Another familiar with the wilds will be welcome. These guys would wander in circles and get eaten by bears in the first three hours without some guidance. Balthazar can't even tie a knot. Ah well, I guess that is why I am along, personal reasons aside.
We talked of inconsequential things to pass the time on the journey to Oleg's. Or rather, my companions talked, and I mostly listened. I tend to be laconic; I hope my companions do not think the less of me for this. Actions speak louder than words anyway, and everyone shall prove their mettle soon enough, myself included.
Oleg's Trading Post is, well, a dump. The watchtower roofs need patching, and it is immediately obvious that the catapults sumounting them have not worked in years, possibly decades. The outer walls are sufficiently high, but look at certain places as if they might simply be kicked in. The front gate is stout enough -- at least Oleg keeps that in a state of repair. The buildings on the inside need some repair work and fresh paint, but at least they appear to be weatherproof.
Regardless of the state of his post, Oleg and his wife, Svetlana, seem to be nice enough. They graciously bid us welcome and prepared meals and beds for us.
During our evening meal, Oleg asked us what we planned on doing about the bandits. This caused some confusion, and an immediate denial on our part that we were going to do anything about any alleged bandits.
At this, Oleg threw down his hat and stamped off, muttering and cursing to high heaven. Svetlana remained silent, but appeared to be distressed.
After Oleg's tirade and abrupt departure, we discussed our options.
Balian wanted to stamp out banditry from the get go. Viktor and Balthazar were against unnecessarily putting ourselves in danger. Initially, I agreed with this assessment but upon further reflection changed my mind for a couple reasons. Oleg's would likely be our base camp for the forseeable future, and it makes little sense to knowingly leave your home in danger of attack. Straining our relationship with Oleg would also probably make an already unpleasant job more unpalatable. Closer examination of our charter also revealed a proscription against banditry and a behest to eliminate it if possible. Failing this might reduce or negate any chances of a reward once our mission is complete.
During our discussion, Balthazar wrestled with his conscience, and finally decided leaving Oleg and his wife undefended was contrary to Cayden Cailean's wishes. At this point, it was three against one, overriding Viktor's objections.
We told Oleg we would assist him in repulsing the bandits.
He seemed much relieved. The bandits raided the camp on or near first of every month, so we wouldn't have long to wait, as they were due to arrive in the morning.
We devised a plan for dealing with the brigands, then retired for the evening. The bunks were much too small for my large frame, so I slept on the roof of the bunkhouse. I must make other arrangements once the rainy season arrives.
[rough sketch of Oleg's outpost]
Erastus 2, Starday
We arose quite early, as Oleg informed us the bandits arrive shortly after breakfast, and sunrise is very early this time of year.
We took our positions, and sure enough, the bandits approached. Four of them, three highwaymen and a cloaked leader, just as Oleg had described. Problem was, they didn't act like bandits, and even attempted to pay for their breakfast. This sowed confusion in our ranks -- was Oleg duping us to rid himself of an unwanted competitor? indeed, had he told us the truth? -- in all but Balian.
Balian called out the brigands for their previous crimes and attacked. Battle was engaged, and Viktor assisted from his hiding spot in the stables, and I shut the front gate to trap them before joining the fray. Balian was quite enthusiastic about dispatching the alleged bandits; I tend to think Viktor and myself attacked more to protect our erstwhile companion. Regardless of our personal reasons, the battle was joined.
One of the highwaymen managed to escape out of the gate while it was closing, but he had a grievous side wound and probably wouldn't get far. Even if he did, tracking him would be easy, as he was losing a lot of blood, so I gave him little thought and charged.
We felled the two remaining highwaymen with little trouble, but their cloaked leader proved troublesome. He managed to seriously wound Balian with his bow, but the ministrations of Balthazar proved invaluable. I had doubts about Balthazar. Thus far, his devotion to ale and wine seemed to surmount his devotion to Cayden Cailean, but he proved quite calm and capable during the rigors of battle, providing needed support and healing. I suppose that happens when your god likes liquor.
Viktor and I emerged from the fracas unscathed. Balian received several wounds and things might have gone poorly for him without Balthazar around. Our cavalier is young and impetuous and will probably get himself killed before this whole thing is over. I will keep at least one healing spell in my daily repertoir as an emergency measure.
Temorary confusion was sown by a meddlesome wizard who happened to be traveling by while the fight was raging. He mistakenly thought we were the bandits attacking the camp and attempted to cast sleep spells on us. I dissuaded him from this endeavor by shooting fire at the hole in the fence he was using for visibility. The misunderstanding was cleared up quickly after this, and the wizard helpfully also put out the fire on the fence, however tempting it is to burn this slum to the ground.
Afterward, the wizard conducted whatever business he needed to with Oleg, and set off again, while we took care of more mundane things. Rogue and I buried the highwaymen. Oleg did not appreciate my joke when I asked him if he wanted to save them for sausage. Stodgy old bugger. Even Viktor looked at me funny. Not surprising, though, I have yet to meet a rogue qith a sense of humor. While we were burying the bandits, Balian tracked down the remaining brigand who attempted escape. Balian returned shortly with the bandit in tow.
Interrogating the brigand provided little information of use, and he was summarily executed by Balian per our charter. Oleg insisted on desecrating the body by hanging it from the outpost walls and setting the head on a pike. Different rules apply out here in the frontier, I guess. Nature is much more clean. The strong survive, and the weak get eaten. Easy. You don't see wild animals putting heads on pikes to make a statement.
Oleg was grateful for the assistance with the bandits and offered us food and lodging free of charge.
Not wanting to waste any time, we gathered our items and prepared to set out. We now had four more horses, since the brigands had arrived mounted, and being deceased, would no longer be needing them. This meant all of us could be mounted, not just Balian. However, I don't think Balthazar cared much about ease of travel, but was thinking of how much more wine this would allow him to bring along.
Leaving Oleg's trading post
We traveled west, toward the forest. That's all we had to go on about the location of the bandit's base of operations. Stamping out banditry is fine and noble, but when all you have is "they're somewhere west in the woods" it is an exercise in futility. If we stumble across them, I suppose we shall deal with them. As long as they pose no danger to myself, I really don't care what they do.
The journey was long, hot, dry, and dusty. We crossed miles and miles of gently rolling plains. As the sun rose in the sky, so did the heat, and our journey suffered. Our ipetuous Balian suffered the most, and by the time we reached the edge of the woods around noon, he was nearly unconscious from heatstroke. Everyone struggled with the effects of the heat, but he had it the worst. We paused for refreshment and recovery, both for us and our mounts.
A bit of exploring a few miles into the woods revealed some long-disused ruins with two still-standing walls and a functional well. We sheltered there overnight against inclement weather. It was a windy and damp and miserable evening. At least it cooled off a bit.
Erastus 3, Sunday
Struck camp early, and spent the rest of the day exploring and mapping the local quadrant. Found nothing of note.
Rode back to Oleg's, through another terrible rainstorm, even worse than the one last night. Three hours of whipping wind and blinding rain. This slowed our progress considerably.
We arrived at Oleg's around 8 pm. Svetlana provided dinner. Further conversation with Oleg added little to our knowledge of the area. He reinforced his opinion that the bandits operate out of the woods to the west, and every so often a crazy old hermit by the name of Bakkan stops by. Oleg pretends Bakkan is an alchemist, and dabbles in potions.
Oleg took aside Balthazar, and had a private conversation with him. Balthazar appeared flustered by the content of this conversation, and after consuming vast quantities of ale, later revealed to us that Oleg told him the bandits had stolen Svetlana's wedding band, and he would like us to return it, if possible.
Svetlana also took me aside after dinner, and inquired about a matter of some delicacy. While she did not forbid me from speaking about it with my companions, I had the feeling she wished to be discreet and thus I did not mention it. I did give the party a description of a certain herb, and asked them to bring it to my attention if any of them noticed a plant meeting this description.
Erastus 4, Moonday
Party consensus is the banditry problem at Oleg's is at least temporarily under control, and this idea is reinforced by Oleg's own seeming indifference to the problem now. His opinion of us has changed dramatically, and now appears to genuinely like us.
As our maps our mostly bare, we decided to traverse the nearby countryside in a wide circle around Oleg's Trading Post, to dispose our deficiency in knowledge of the local terrain. Once we are done mapping the immediate vicinity, we shall begin venturing farther.
We headed southwest from Oleg's, and soon entered a thick forest of the deciduous type. Oaks and elms were much in profusion. Spent the day exploring and mapping. Found a campsite by a small stream.
Erastus 5, Toilday
Finished exploring this quadrant. Little of note.
While journeying toward the next zone, Balthazar halted the party, indicating to us that he had head something. He thought it sounded like pigs, and was excited at the thought of fresh bacon. He looks like he's missed but few opportunities for bacon of they arise.
I failed to notice these sounds. I must be more observant in the future.
Viktor scouted ahead. He returned shortly and indicated he found a party of four kobolds. They had gorged themselves on a local plant, and were quite drowsy. Viktor mentioned this plant might be the one I was seeking. I asked him to sneak back into the camp and retrieve a handful. He agreed to this and left once again. He returned once again, with not just a handful, but an entire basket of the Moon Radishes. It appeared he used his daggers, but denied having any trouble when asked.
Viktor wanted to know why I wanted the Moon Radishes. I indicated they were for Svetlana and not for me. He peppered me with questions and seemed somewhat distrustful after I told him they were for her and she offered a reward for them. I'm sure if Svetlana had wanted Victor's help, she would have asked him instead of me. It doesn't matter. I suppose I can let Viktor return the Moon Radishes in my stead and collect the reward. I doubt Svetlana has anything I want anyway.
[rough sketch of a moon radish]
Erastus 6, Wealday
Easier traveling through the plains. Intermittent drizzle now and then, but mostly clement weather.
Discovered a large bone yard in the middle of the grasslands. This was somewhat unusual, so we stopped to investigate. Dozens and dozens of bleached white bones covered an area of several square yards. Closer inspection revealed that most of them were animal bones, but some human bones were also present. All had evidence of teeth and gnaw marks.
The source of the bones was soon revealed. Without warning, a large spider jumped out of a hidden burrow and attacked us, striking Balthazar while he was unawares. Balthazar was grievously poisoned, but we managed to defeat this foe in short order. We gave what succor we could to Balthazar. Poison ministrations are currently beyond our capabilities, and we must simply wait for nature to take its course while he heals. The poison is strong, and saps Balthazar's strength, but does not appear to be immediately deadly. He will be sick for a few days, but there is naught we can do.
[poor drawing of a large spider]
Finished mapping the zone, and headed toward the next.
Erastus 7, Oathday
Light drizzle all day, rainy and miserable. The rain has even managed to run into my boots. I must remember to place them close to the fire this evening.
Note: this is just a precursor, the rainy season is yet to be upon us. We must see if Oleg can procure some oiled skins or parkas. They will be necessary soon. Foolish of us not to think of this before.
We're out of ale, and Balthazar seems to want us to share in his suffering by constantly complaining about how wretched he feels.
We soldiered on, and mapped another plains quadrant.
Early afternoon, we came upon a wattle and mud hut, encircled by a small fence. Turns out to be the home of Bakkan, the crazy old alchemist hermit. Conversation with him was unproductive, and we had not the tender to purchase his alchemical services, so we left.
[several attempts at drawing Bakkan, each one crossed out with more vigor than the previous]
We've been here just over a week.
More endless plains. We can scry mountains in the far distance. We shall not venture into them, as that territory is out of the bounds of our charter.
Explored and mapped this plains quadrant. Nothing of note.
Quite similar to yesterday, both in terrain and content.
Balthazar seems to be fully recovered. Never lets us forget we're out of ale, however.
Entered hill country. Vast tracts of rolling hills. Slower travel than on the plains.
The only item of note is a solitary lightning-struck tree standing at the summit of a large hill. There are no other trees for miles. It almost looks as if it might be the claws of some long-buried giant scrabbling toward the surface, protruding from the earth.
[drawing of a tree, looks nothing at all like the one on the hill]
Entered a zone of even larger hills. Travel is slow, as the terrain tires the horses easily. Spent the day exploring and mapping.
Camped at the base of some small cliffs. Upon waking, Balian showed us a cave entrance in the cliffs he uncovered during his watch.
After a short path into the rock, we discovered a large underground room, approximately twenty feet by thirty feet. One cave wall glinted dimly in the lantern light. Victor seemed to be excited with the find, but was less than forthcoming about what it was. I have my suspicions. There was some debate on whether or not to include this discovery on the map. Regardless, I include it here.
[Notes on landmarks and distances to the exact cave location]
Which is the most frequently played character class? which is least?
Lord Refa Jun 5, 2010, 12:14 pm
I've run three campaigns in Pathfinder now. I've had two monks. Two bards. I've only had one fighter and no wizards. Maybe we are just bassakwards or something.
Houserule - the Overland Round
Lord Refa May 28, 2010, 11:01 am
This looks great! Very well done. Right now I am trying to break it down for Kingmaker.
I think the best way to do it just rule that exploring a hex is a Full Day Action. A hex requires a number of Full Day Actions according to the chart on page 57 to be fully explored. Any thoughts?
Help with eldritch knight build
Cold Napalm wrote:
Str 16/18, Dex 13, Con 14/16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 10
Your over 20 points. Assuming that the +2 went into one of the 16s, your at 23 points.
1st Level Stats: Str 14 (5), Dex 13 (3), Con 14 (5), Int 15 (7), Wis 10, Cha 10
Human +2 to Strength (16)
4th Level +1 to Int (16)
Transmuter +2 to Dexterity
Belt of Physical Might +2 Strength, +2 Constitution
Final Stats: Str 18, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 10
I went a different way than I am seeing here. Not sure if it is good or bad. Let me know if this does not seem actually viable.
ELDRITCH KNIGHT CR 6
Male Human Eldritch Knight 1 / Fighter 1 / Wizard 5
TN Medium Humanoid (Human)
AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 deflection, +1 dodge)
hp 73 (2d10+5d6+26)
Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +4
Spd 30 ft.
Melee +1 Greatsword +9 (2d6+7)
Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 21
Feats Arcane Strike, Combat Casting, Craft Wand, Dodge, Extend Spell, Scribe Scroll, Toughness +7, Weapon Focus: Bite, Weapon Focus: Claw, Wizard Weapon Proficiencies
Skills Appraise +7, Climb +8, Fly +11, Handle Animal +4, Intimidate +4, Knowledge: Arcana +13, Knowledge: Nature +13, Linguistics +7, Ride +5, Spellcraft +13, Survival +10, Swim +8
Languages Boggard, Common, Elven, Sylvan
SQ Transmuter (Divination, Illusion) Physical Enhancement +2: Strength (Su), Telekinetic Fist (6/day) (Sp), Arcane Bond
Combat Gear +1 Greatsword;
Other Gear Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Belt of Physical Might, STR & CON +2, Ring of Protection, +1, Wand of Beast Shape I, Wand of Mage Armor.
Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Extend Spell Spell duration lasts twice as normal. +1 Level.
Physical Enhancement +2: Strength (Su) +1 bonus to physical ability, +1 per 5 levels (change per day).
Telekinetic Fist (6/day) (Sp) 30' ranged touch attack, 1d4+2
Created With Hero Lab® - try it for free at http://www.wolflair.com!
Kingdom Terrain Tiles
I'm using my Memoir '44 / Battlelore Hexes. I bought a piece of foam core the correct size and sticky tack the pieces to the foam as the hexes are explored. It's easy enough to add the cities on top or removes the hexes, plus it can be views on a table or on a wall.
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Thundercat is set to release his new album It Is What It Is on Brainfeeder Records on April 3, 2020, and shares the first music; 'Black Qualls (featuring Steve Lacy and Steve Arrington). The album, produced by Flying Lotus and Thundercat, features musical contributions from Ty Dolla $ign, Childish Gambino, Lil B, Kamasi Washington, Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, BADBADNOTGOOD, Louis Cole and Zack Fox. It Is What It Is follows his game-changing third album Drunk (2017). That record completed his transition from virtuoso bassist to bonafide star and cemented his reputation as a unique voice that transcends genre. 'This album is about love, loss, life and the ups and downs that come with that,' Bruner says. 'It's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but at different points in life you come across places that you don't necessarily understand' some things just aren't meant to be understood.'
Indie retail exclusive colored vinyl - OPAQUE WHITE. "It was in winter 18/19 - I flew to Montreal to meet with Tim Kingsbury, Richard Reed Parry, Craig Silvey and Teddy Impakt at Le Studio Du Arcade Fire. It was a fine time with a dream team in a city I love. Winter in beautiful Quebec. Les semaines les plus froides de ma vie.
I had a bunch of demos that were inspired by migration stories I had heard from friends or read in newspapers while on tour in Europe and North America. I remember being struck by the similarities of the stories I heard from both continents and how really only the names of the powerful and the powerless had changed - thinking, "Is this the future? Is this our future?" Some time went by, the stories wove together and I remember them now closer to characters in a dream of how people could treat each other than any kind of front-page news realism. I think music subconsciously - whether writing or listening - is a filter for me - helping to process all the bad news into something new to build from - some records to me are like self-fulfilling prophecies - visualizing change to wish something into being - those records inspired this one." - M. Ward
Lilly Hiatt felt lost. She’d just returned home from the better part of a year on tour in support of her acclaimed third album, Trinity Lane, and, stripped of the daily rituals and direction of life on the road, she found herself alone with her thoughts for the first time in what felt like ages.
So Hiatt did what’s always come most natural to her in times of questioning and uncertainty: she picked up a guitar. Over the course of the ensuing winter, she wrote new music that grappled with her sense of self and place in the world, reckoning with issues that had been bubbling beneath the surface of her subconscious in some cases for years. The result is Walking Proof, Hiatt’s fourth and most probing collection to date. The record walks the line between Hiatt’s rough, rock and roll exterior and her tender, country roots. Lilly Hiatt’s not feeling so lost these days, and with Walking Proof, she’s crafted a roadmap to share with the rest of us.
The lead singer of beloved heartland-punk band The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon steps away from that sound and into a stripped-down Americana space on his third solo album, Local Honey. Produced by Grammy-award winning producer Peter Katis (The National, Frightened Rabbit, Death Cab for Cutie), the album showcases Fallon's songwriting in small vignettes, from a loving devotional for his daughter to a vengeful murder ballad.
Deap Lips is Wayne & Steven from THE FLAMING LIPS with Julie & Lindsey from DEAP VALLY. This special collaboration came together after a friendship formed between the bands. It will hit stores on CD and LP via Cooking Vinyl on 3/13.
Single LP, transparent blue vinyl, packaged in a transparent sleeve containing 5 mylar transparencies with design elements and 5 board inserts each featuring a member of the band.
Grouplove kicked off 2020 with their anarchistic, high-energy new single “Deleter,” and show no signs of slowing down in the lead-up to their fourth studio album HEALER – out March 13th via Canvasback/Atlantic Records. The Los Angeles based five-piece has spent the past two years writing and recording their most visceral and cathartic songs to date, all while experiencing and bearing witness to a great deal of change, trauma, and growth. From recording in El Paso within eyeshot of the border during the height of the family separation crisis, to brain surgery for frontwoman Hannah Hooper, to immersing themselves in new creative spaces with producers Dave Sitek and Malay – their new album represents a re-birth and a full-circle return to their initial idealism.
Here comes SUPERSTAR the bigger, badder, glitter-driven record by Caroline Rose. Written as a sequel to 2018's LONER, the forthcoming 2020 release 'plays out like an epic movie about the pursuit of fame and fortune,' Rose states. 'I've always been fascinated by this pursuit, but what's even more fascinating is what happens when it fails.' Indeed, gone are the successful Hollywood hunks and starlets of old. SUPERSTAR chronicles a quirky anti-hero, who after receiving a wrong call from the elite hotel Chateau Marmont, decides to leave their old life behind in order to become a big Hollywood star.
color theory [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Yellow/Grey/Blue Mix LP]
For Sophie Allison, aka Soccer Mommy, color theory confronts the ongoing mental health and familial trials that have long-plagued her, presenting listeners with an uncompromisingly honest self-portrait. The new album’s sonic landscape is vast and dexterous, with melodies that shimmer on the surface, but reveal an unsettling darkness with each listen.Indie exclusive LP; pressed on a mix of yellow, grey & blue vinyl.
Saturn Return [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition LP]
As we age, we face obstacles that are beyond our control. Some forces are internal: insecurity, anxiety, fear. Some are external: the loss of loved ones, an unjust system and the fragility of time. Yet the mark of maturity is how you respond when you realize you’re not in control. Where do you find your resilience?
This album is a reflection of us coming to terms with how to find our power in the face of an unfair world. These songs lead listeners past “where happy man searches, to a place only mad women know.” We question our purpose, our relationships, our faith. Trading the fears of our youth for the dread that rages within us as mature women.
With SATURN RETURN, our hope is that women can feel less alone in their journey through the modern world. We need each other more than we ever have; the less competition and the more inclusiveness and understanding, the better. We are southern women in the 21st century, convicted by our beliefs.
F8 [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition 2LP]
2020 release, the eighth album from hard-hitting rockers Five Finger Death Punch. The album was produced by Kevin Churko, the Canadian record producer/engineer and songwriter who currently lives in Las Vegas, where he works out of his private studio, The Hideout Recording Studio. Includes "Inside Out".
Brain Pain [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Blue/Bone/Yellow LP]
Miss Anthropocene [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Translucent Pink LP]
Demons & Wizards
III [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition 2LP]
Random Desire [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Clear LP]
The Slow Rush [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Red/Light Blue 2LP]
Kingdom In My Mind [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Transparent Blue Mix LP]
Recorded over the course of a series of freewheeling, improvisatory sessions, Kingdom In My Mind is The Wood Brothers seventh studio release and their most spontaneous and experimental collection yet. A testament to the limitless creativity of the unharnessed mind, the record explores the power of our external surroundings to shape our internal worlds (and vice versa), reckoning with time, mortality, and human nature. The songs here find strength in accepting what lies beyond our control, thoughtfully honing in on the bittersweet beauty that underlies our pain and sadness with vivid character studies and unflinching self-examination. Deep as the lyrics dig, the arrangements always manage to remain buoyant and light, though, drawing from across a broad sonic spectrum to create a transportive, effervescent blend that reflects the trio s unique place in the modern musical landscape.
Brian Posehn
Grandpa Metal [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition LP]
No One Else Can Wear Your Crown [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Blue LP]
Oh Wonder announced details of their upcoming third album, No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, which will be released on February 7th, 2020! The new album will include their first single “Hallelujah” and most recent follow-up “Better Now.” Indie exclusive; pressed on 180-gram blue vinyl.
Father of All… [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition LP]
Five-time Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Green Day unleash their brand new single “Father Of All…,” which is the lead track on their forthcoming thirteenth studio album of the same name, out February 7, 2020 on Reprise / Warner Records. Formed in 1986 in Berkeley, CA, Green Day is one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, with more than 70 million records sold worldwide and 10 billion cumulative audio/visual streams. Their 1994 breakout album Dookie, which sold over 10 million and achieved diamond status, is widely credited with popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock, catapulting a career-long run of #1 hit singles. Entertainment Weekly calls Green Day, “The most influential band of their generation,” while Rolling Stone attests, “Green Day have inspired more young bands to start than any act this side of KISS, and that doesn't seem to be changing.” In 2004, Green Day released the rock opera American Idiot which captured the nation’s attention, selling more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone and taking home the coveted Grammy Award for Rock Album of the Year. Mojo declared “It's exhilarating stuff, the kind of record that sets new parameters as to what is possible from a punk rock'n'roll band in the 21st century.” In 2010, a stage adaptation of American Idiot debuted on Broadway to critical and commercial acclaim.
Khruangbin & Leon Bridges
Texas Sun EP [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Translucent Orange Vinyl]
Driving anywhere in Texas can cost you half a day, easy. For example, it'll take you over four hours just to get from R&B singer Leon Bridges' hometown of Fort Worth down to Houston, where the psychedelic wanderers in Khruangbin hail from. The state is vast, crisscrossed with rugged expanses of road flanked by limestone cliffs and granite mountains, forests of pine and mesquite, miles of desert or acres of sprawling grassland, all depending on what part you're in. And it's all baking under the Texas Sun that lends its name to Bridges and Khruangbin's new collaborative EP.
"Big sky country, that's what they call Texas," Khruangbin bassist Laura Lee says. "The horizon line goes all the way from one side to another without interruption. There's something really comforting about that.
On Texas Sun, these two members of the state's musical vanguard meet up somewhere in the middle of that scene, in the mythical nexus of Texas' past, present, and future—a dreamy badlands where genres blur as seamlessly as the terrain.
Released in partnership with Columbia Records and Night Time Stories Ltd
Supervision [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Clear LP]
Grammy-winning and BRIT and Mercury-Prize-nominated artist La Roux returns with her first new material in five years - 'Supervision' out February 7th 2020 on her own label Supercolour Records. From cover to contents, this is unequivocally the album Elly Jackson always wanted to make - a claim that with some artists might ring alarm bells, but in this instance simply means that ‘Supervision’ sounds precisely, unmistakably, gloriously like La Roux.
La Roux shot to worldwide fame with her debut self-titled album in 2009 selling over 6 million singles worldwide and - in addition to collaborations with the likes of Skream, Kanye West, and Major Lazer – helped reshape pop as we now know it. Elly’s second album, 'Trouble In Paradise', was a critically-adored reinvention, topping the Dance/Electronic charts in the US and landing La Roux her second top 10 album in the UK.
John Moreland
Lp5 (Colv) (Ylw) (Iex)
The Best Ones Of The Best Ones [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition LP]
Dashboard Confessional's first-ever career-spanning compilation, The Best Ones Of The Best Ones, is a thoughtfully curated collection of the band's most beloved songs and features selections from all seven studio albums, the So Impossible and The Drowning EPs, and the band's legendary, Platinum-certified MTV Unplugged performance. From start to finish, The Best Ones Of The Best Ones showcases the profound durability of Dashboard Confessional's music over the past two decades. The collection highlights singer/songwriter Chris Carrabba's extraordinary ability to give a cathartic voice to the messiest of emotions, which led the band to ascend from a bedroom project to a global sensation.
Mystic Familiar [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Silver LP]
Dan Deacon’s most emotionally open record and his most transcendent, Mystic Familiar is the result of obsessive work, play, and self-discovery. The album’s 11 kaleidoscopic tracks of majestic synth-pop expand his sound with unfettered imagination and newfound vulnerability.
Aloha [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Pineapple LP]
"Letting go can be a scary prospect," says Son Little. "But there's beauty in it, too. Everything you leave behind opens up space for something new in your life." That was certainly the case with his new album, Aloha, his third studio album. Recorded at Paris's iconic Studio Ferber, the entire project was an exercise in letting go, in ceding control, in surrendering to fate. While SON LITTLE (the stage name of songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Livingston) still plays nearly every instrument on the album himself, he put his songs in the hands of an outside producer for the first time here, collaborating with French studio wizard Renaud Letang (Feist, Manu Chao) to create his boldest, most self-assured statement yet. Equal parts vintage and modern, the collection blends classic soul, old-school R&B, and adventurous indie sensibilities into a timeless swirl fueled by gritty instrumental virtuosity and raw, raspy vocals. It's an ambitious work of vision and reflection, to be sure, but more than that, it's an ecstatic testament to the freedom that comes from torching the map and trusting the currents of life to carry you where you belong.
Frances Quinlan
Likewise [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Pink LP]
'We should try again to talk,' Frances Quinlan writes. It not just a lyric'it's a suggestion, a warning, a plea, a wish. This request is woven throughout Likewise, her forthcoming solo album, amidst dramatically shifting motifs. Some are jubilant, some are dreamy and abstract, and a few are sinister, but within each dark void that Quinlan explores, there is a light peering back at her. Frances Quinlan has built an identity for herself over the past decade as the lead songwriter and front-woman of the Philadelphia-based band Hop Along, and her distinct voice is among the most recognizable and inimitable in music. While the band began as Quinlan's solo project (originally titled Hop Along, Queen Ansleis), Likewise (out January 31st on Saddle Creek) is Quinlan's debut under her own name. To make the record, she enlisted the virtuosic skills of her bandmate Joe Reinhart, and together they produced the album at his studio, The Headroom, recording in stints over the course of a year. With a renewed openness to explore different sounds, Quinlan supplements her typical guitar-based instrumentation with synthesizers, digital beats, harps, strings, and a wide variety of keyboards. The shifting and exploratory nature of these musical arrangements allow her lyrics and vocals'which have always been at the forefront of her music'to reach emotional depths like never before. Her vocal tones beckon a kaleidoscopic range of emotions across all nine songs on the album, from soft and ruminative to enraged and commanding; from conveying powerful messages to highlighting small, yet poignant, moments. Quinlan is a voyaging songwriter. Throughout Likewise, she confronts what confounds her in the hopes that she will come out on the other side with a better sense of what it is to be human. She presents listeners with a complicated, albeit spirited vision of what it could mean to truly engage with another person, to give a small piece of oneself over to someone else without expectation. Although such is likely to be a lifelong effort, these songs prove evident that light can still permeate from unsettling depths.
Silver Tongue [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Color LP]
A person whose words are so potent that they cause the people and beings around them to vibrate is said to have a "silver tongue." It's apt, then, that Mackenzie Scott-who has spent the 2010s making boundary-pushing pop music under her Torres moniker-has chosen to call her fourth album, and first on Merge, just that. Recorded at O'Deer in Brooklyn, New York, Silver Tongue is a full-scale realization of the world Scott has created over Torres' last few albums. Even when singing in more subdued tones, Scott's voice is fervent, her lyrics stirring and unyielding as she draws from both the divine and the everyday
The Neon Skyline [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition White LP]
ANDY SHAUF is becoming one of the most important songwriters of his generation. His songs are tuneful vignettes of small moments and big hearts. On his latest, The Neon Skyline, Shauf intertwines stories of a group of friends who frequent a local dive bar, and through them, makes poignant observations about human nature with a novelist’s detail and melancholic humor. The songwriting is down to earth, yet sophisticated and inventively melodic. The Neon Skyline is a creative leap for this already acclaimed artist.
The Black Lips
Sing In A World That's Falling Apart [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Red LP]
It’s country music but not as we know it which begs the question: Have these Bad Kids of 21st Century rock ’n’ roll finally grown up on their ninth studio album? Are they at peace with themselves? Have they made a record their parents could listen to? The Black Lips new album ‘Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ continues to flick the middle finger to one and all. This ain’t another gaggle of bearded southern sons fleeing their collective suburban upbringings and collegiate music education. There aren’t the usual clichés about drinking, honkytonks, and heartbreak. These are, after all, the same Black Lips who rescued the waning garage punk subgenre by not sounding or dressing their musical predecessors. They also dug contemporary hip-hop and punk and actualized themselves Like so many dramatic moments in the Black Lips career, ‘Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart’ was born out of crisis. The band’s stylistic evolution through decades of prolific touring and recording took them where no garage punk band had gone before - huge venues, network television shows, and major music festivals. Here Black Lips are at their grimiest, most dangerous and equipped with the best collection of songs since the aughts. Skidding onto the asphalt in a shower of sparks, they roll on with an unapologetic southern-fried twang, pacing the beast, every now and then dropping a psycho howl into the rubber room madness lurking underneath the truckstop fireworks. This ain’t your granny’s country album. And conversely this ain’t your mama’s Black Lips.
Bonny Light Horseman [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Blue LP]
The timeless qualities of traditional tunes can carry us across oceans and eons, linking us not only to the past but to each other as well. It was under the banner of those eternal connections that the trio of Bonny Light Horseman came together. From festival fields and a German art hub to a snowy upstate studio and everywhere in between, the astral folk outfit-comprised of Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats, The Shins), and Josh Kaufman (The National, Bob Weir)-is mixing the ancient, mystical medium of transatlantic traditional folk music with a contemporary, collective brush. The resulting album, Bonny Light Horseman, is an elusive kind of sonic event: a bottled blend of lightning and synergy that will excite fans of multiple genres, eras, and ages. The album features fellow 37d03d artists-in-residence Michael Lewis (bass, saxophone) and JT Bates (drums) as well as Justin Vernon, Aaron Dessner, Kate Stables, Lisa Hannigan, The Staves, Christian Lee Hutson, and more. Leaving the 2018 37d03d Berlin event with roughly 60-percent of a record, the band reconvened at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, NY, in January 2019 to finish, bringing Lewis and Bates as well as engineer Bella Blasko along with them.
On Circles [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Clear LP]
New Vinyl: $24.98 Buy
El Dorado, the mythical City of Gold is Spanish legend, the place where dreams come true. As the people willing to take that leap have discovered - the search can’t truly begin until you’ve learned to let go – of the past, of yourself. So, it was with Marcus King who, at just 23 years of age has emerged as a vital and powerful force in American music. Teaming with producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) for sessions at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Studio, the pair co-wrote the 11 songs on El Dorado.
X: The Godless Void And Other Stories [Indie Exclusive Limited Edition Blue Marble LP]
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Party News dot PW
Events, parties, celebrations
Home Latest News ‘Festival of Brexit’ boss says 120m event will prove cynics wrong
Gigi Hadid & Zayn Malik Step Out Together Along With Dua Lipa For Dual NYC Birthday Celebration! – Perez Hilton
Four decades, 73 singles titles: Serena Williamss epic journey | Tumaini Carayol
‘Festival of Brexit’ boss says 120m event will prove cynics wrong
January 13, 2020 January 13, 2020 Latest News
Martin Green vows to bring nation together with a bit of joy and hope and happiness
It has been mocked and pilloried as a festival of Brexit, but the newly appointed boss of the 120m nationwide celebration planned for 2022 has said he is going to embrace the cynics and prove them wrong.
In his first interview as the director of Festival 2022, Martin Green said the aims would be to bring the nation together, showcase British creativity, and on a basic level bring some joy, hope and happiness.
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The idea of a post-Brexit festival of Britain was announced by Theresa May in May 2018 and given the go-ahead by Boris Johnson last year.
Green, formerly in charge of the Olympic ceremonies and Hulls year as UK City of Culture, was announced as festival leader over Christmas, and while he is a long way from announcing what might be commissioned, he has a clear idea of its broad aims and of what it wont be.
There is obviously a big narrative going on around healing and coming together, he said. There is no doubt that money has been made available because this country is exiting the European Union, there is no getting away from that.
There is also no doubt that we have been through a particularly divisive time in the discourse of our daily lives, and as we go forward, lets see how the great creativity and ingenuity of the UK can help refind that common ground.
On a very basic level, we are probably due a bit of joy and hope and happiness, and art is really good at that.
When May announced the idea, it was mocked on social media, and festival of Brexit is not a characterisation Green has much truck with. Its a nice line and it makes you look, but Id argue if you dig down what on earth would that be about?
It is absolutely expected that there is a degree of cynicism at the start of every major project Im lucky in that Ive got form in this.
He said there was cynicism from day one of the Olympic preparations and in Hull. What you do is you embrace it. You dont have an attitude to it, because it is a completely natural response. But people come round when they start seeing things for themselves.
I fully expect the same kind of journey. The responsibility is on me and my team and the people we work with across the UK to deliver something worthy of peoples engagement.
Green said he hoped that his track record would dispel fears that it will be a cringe-inducing festival of patriotism. It will also be organised at arms length from the government. We are in charge of the curation of the festival. We will sign off the decisions, working with the devolved nations.
What precise shape the festival will take remains to be seen. May was inspired by the 1951 Festival of Britain, but that was arguably a more graspable idea in that it had a centrepiece location on the South Bank in London.
Festival 2022 will not. If youre trying to do creative projects which reach and engage as many people as possible, probably what this is never going to be is an event, in a place on a day, said Green.
You have to start thinking about other places where creativity exists. Instantly you think digitally, but its not just that. Its durational things, its things that travel, its things of scale, its about going where people are.
Ive no answers at the moment, but certainly the form of it is one that brings a smile to my face because it is a challenge. Of course, Im not the one who is going to answer the question the great creatives of this country will.
As an illustration, however, Green cites Steve McQueens Year 3 project with Tate as something that captured the public imagination and reached a huge number of people.
He expects to announce a programme by the end of 2021 and anticipates that it will involve a small amount of very large acts There will still be tons going on, but when there is special money on the table, you do want to do things which are not normal business.
The festival will take place in a busy year for Britain. It will be the Queens platinum (70th) jubilee and the BBCs centenary, and the Edinburgh international festival will be 75. There will also be the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, for which Green is chief creative officer.
He predicts that the energy of all the events will feed into each other. If the BBC and the jubilee do look back, it will allow his festival to fervently look forward I dont think it should be a festival of nostalgia.
Green has had discussions with the culture secretary, Nicky Morgan, and expects to visit No 10 soon. A big challenge will be winning over scepticism in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
There remains some wariness about the idea of a festival, but Green believes the motivation for it comes from a genuine place, and 120m of Treasury money is not an insignificant amount of money.
If you are looking to move forward, if youre looking to find common ground, if youre looking to on a really basic level share some joy and hope and community, then the best tool in the box we have is our creativity. Creativity solves problems.
Original Article : HERE ; The Ultimate Survival Food: The Lost Ways
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Justia Patents With Electronic Memory StorageUS Patent for Image forming apparatus Patent (Patent # 10,498,930)
Image forming apparatus
May 25, 2018 - KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
An image forming apparatus is provided with a storage portion that stores a plurality of pieces of schedule information, an image reading portion that generates image data of an original document including a plurality of description fields, a printing portion, and a control portion that recognizes a plurality of description field regions corresponding to the plurality of description fields, respectively, recognizes in-field information that is included in each of the plurality of description field regions in association with a date borne by a corresponding one of the plurality of description fields, extracts one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information and a piece of the in-field information which correspond to a common date as first subject information and second subject information, respectively, and performs control so that an update information image is printed.
Latest KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. Patents:
FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
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INK JET RECORDING APPARATUS
SYMBOL INPUT DEVICE AND SYMBOL INPUT CONTROL METHOD
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-105214 filed on May 29, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus that reads an original document and performs printing based thereon.
Conventionally, there is known an image forming apparatus that accepts, from a user, an update (such as an addition of information) to information described in a read original document. This conventional type of image forming apparatus generates image data of an additional image indicating the additional information added by the user. Then, the conventional image forming apparatus overprints the additional image on the original document to be updated (the read original document). In this manner, the information described in the original document to be updated is updated.
An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is provided with a storage portion, an image reading portion, a printing portion, and a control portion. The storage portion stores schedule data that is obtained from a user terminal used by a user of the image forming apparatus and includes a plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a plurality of dates, respectively. The image reading portion reads an original document including a plurality of description fields bearing different dates from each other and generates image data of the original document. The printing portion performs printing on a sheet. The control portion recognizes a plurality of description field regions in the image data of the original document which correspond to the plurality of description fields, respectively, performs a process in which, with respect to each of the plurality of description field regions, in-field information that is included in the each of the plurality of description field regions is recognized in association with a date borne by a corresponding one of the plurality of description fields, also performs a process in which one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information and a piece of the in-field information which correspond to a common date are extracted as first subject information and second subject information, respectively, and information that is present in the first subject information and absent in the second subject information is determined as first update information, and controls the printing portion to perform printing of an update information image indicating the first update information on the sheet.
FIG. 1 is a view showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a view showing a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a view showing one example of a schedule screen displayed on a user terminal used by a user of the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual view showing schedule data (data for displaying the schedule screen) obtained from the user terminal by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a view showing one example of an original document (a schedule page of a pocket diary) read by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a flow of an updating process performed by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 7 is a view showing image data of the original document read by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a flow of a first updating process performed by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a view showing one example of a sheet used when an update information image is printed by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 10 is a view showing a state where the update information image has been printed on the sheet shown in FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a view showing a state where the sheet shown in FIG. 10 is attached to the original document.
FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a flow of a second updating process performed by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 13 is a conceptual view showing schedule data updated by the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
<Apparatus Configuration>
As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is provided with an image reading portion 1. The image reading portion 1 reads an original document D and generates image data of the original document D thus read. The image reading portion 1 includes optical system members for optically reading the original document D, such as a lamp 11, an image sensor 12, and so on. The lamp 11, the image sensor 12, and so on are housed inside a housing of the image reading portion 1 (a reading housing). A contact glass CG is provided on an upper surface of the reading housing. Further, the image reading portion 1 reads the original document D placed on the contact glass CG.
For example, an original document presser 13 for holding down the original document D placed on the contact glass CG is provided on the upper surface of the reading housing. FIG. 1 shows a state where the original document D is held down by the original document presser 13.
The image forming apparatus 100 is provided also with a printing portion 2. The printing portion 2 includes a paper feed portion 21, an image forming portion 22, and a fixing portion 23. The printing portion 2 prints an image on a paper sheet (including an after-mentioned sheet S).
The paper feed portion 21 feeds a paper sheet housed in a cassette to a paper sheet conveyance path (shown by a broken line in FIG. 1). The paper sheet fed to the paper sheet conveyance path is conveyed along the paper sheet conveyance path.
The image forming portion 22 includes mechanism portions 22Bk, 22Y, 22C, and 22M corresponding to colors of black (Bk), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M), respectively. The mechanism portions 22Bk, 22Y, 22C, and 22M each form a toner image of a color corresponding thereto and primarily transfers the toner image onto an intermediate belt. The toner image thus transferred onto the intermediate belt is secondarily transferred onto the paper sheet being conveyed.
The fixing portion 23 applies pressure and heat to the paper sheet onto which the toner image has been transferred. This causes the toner image to be fixed on the papa sheet. The paper sheet on which the toner image has been fixed, namely, a printed paper sheet is conveyed as it is along the paper sheet conveyance path and then is discharged.
An operation panel 3 is provided in the image forming apparatus 100. The operation panel 3 includes a touch panel display 31. The touch panel display 31 displays a screen on which software keys, a message, and so on are arranged and accepts, from a user, a touch operation with respect to the screen thus displayed (the software keys). The operation panel 3 also includes a plurality of hardware keys 32. Examples of the hardware keys 32 include a start key for accepting a job execution command from a user.
As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100 is provided also with a control portion 4. The control portion 4 is connected to the image reading portion 1 and controls a reading operation of the image reading portion 1. Furthermore, the control portion 4 is connected to the printing portion 2 and controls a printing operation of the printing portion 2. Moreover, the control portion 4 is connected to the operation panel 3. Further, the control portion 4 controls a display operation of the touch panel display 31 and also detects a touch operation with respect to the touch panel display 31 (the software keys) and a press-down operation with respect to the hardware keys 32.
The control portion 4 includes a CPU 41 and a memory 42. The CPU 41 operates based on control programs and data and performs processes for controlling the various portions. The memory 42 stores programs and data for operating the CPU 41.
Furthermore, the control portion 4 performs a character recognition process of recognizing characters included in image data of the original document D (information described in the original document D) obtained through reading of the original document D by the image reading portion 1. The control portion 4 performs the character recognition process with respect to the image data of the original document D and thus extracts text from the image data of the original document D. The character recognition process by the control portion 4 uses, for example, the OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
The character recognition process by the control portion 4 uses character patterns for pattern matching (standard patterns). When performing the character recognition process, the control portion 4 extracts a character image from image data of the original document D and also performs a process of comparing the character patterns stored in a character database with the character image thus extracted (a matching process). Then, based on a result of the matching process, the control portion 4 recognizes a character included in the image data of the original document D.
The image forming apparatus 100 is provided also with a storage portion 5. The storage portion 5 includes a non-volatile storage device such as a ROM (for example, an EEPROM) or an HDD. The control portion 4 is connected to the storage portion 5 and performs reading of data from and writing of data into the storage portion 5. For example, after-mentioned schedule data SD (see FIG. 4) is stored in the storage portion 5.
The image forming apparatus 100 is provided also with a communication portion 6. The communication portion 6 includes a communication circuit, a memory, and a communication connector. The control portion 4 is connected to the communication portion 6 and communicates, via the communication portion 6, with a user terminal 200 that is used by a user of the image forming apparatus 100. The user terminal 200 is a personal computer or a portable information terminal (a smartphone or a tablet terminal). For example, the control portion 4 communicates with the user terminal 200 via the communication portion 6 and obtains the after-mentioned schedule data SD (see FIG. 4) from the user terminal 200.
<Schedule Updating Function>
The image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with a schedule updating function. In a case of using the schedule updating function, it is necessary that a dedicated application (hereinafter, referred to as a schedule application) be installed on, as the user terminal 200, a user terminal that is communicable with the image forming apparatus 100. Upon start-up of the schedule application installed on the user terminal 200, for example, a schedule screen 210 as shown in FIG. 3 is displayed on the user terminal 200. On the schedule screen 210, there are arranged a plurality of input display fields 211 corresponding to a plurality of dates, respectively. Upon a user's operation of designating any of the plurality of input display fields 211 and inputting text indicating an action schedule or the like, the text thus inputted is displayed in the any of the plurality of input display fields 211 thus designated by the user.
The user terminal 200 recognizes pieces of information included in the plurality of input display fields 211 as pieces of schedule information 10 and stores the schedule data SD that is obtained by associating the pieces of schedule information 10 with the plurality of dates, respectively. For example, pieces of schedule data SD including pieces of schedule information 10 corresponding to several days to several months (for example, one week), respectively, are compiled into one file. FIG. 4 shows a conceptual view of the schedule data SD. The schedule data SD shown in FIG. 4 corresponds to schedules for a period from November 20th to 26th shown in FIG. 3. In the schedule data SD shown in FIG. 4, as the schedule information 10, a piece of information indicating that no text has been inputted (there is no schedule) is associated with each of dates of November 20th, 23rd, and 26th.
When displaying the schedule screen 210 (see FIG. 3), the user terminal 200 refers to the schedule data SD. Then, with respect to each date (each of the input display fields 211), the user terminal 200 recognizes a corresponding piece of schedule information 10 and displays text indicated by said recognized piece of schedule information 10 in a corresponding one of the input display fields 211. Any of the plurality of input display fields 211 in which no text has been inputted so far is left blank.
In a case where a user has performed a schedule update (such as by inputting, deleting, and changing text) while the schedule screen 210 is displayed, the user terminal 200 updates the schedule data SD. This makes it possible to make the user terminal 200 function as an electronic diary (an appointment book).
Furthermore, the schedule updating function enables an update on information described in the original document D as shown in FIG. 5. The original document D to be updated is a schedule page 310 of a pocket diary 300. The schedule page 310 includes a plurality of description fields 311 bearing different dates from each other (in FIG. 5, November 20th to 26th).
In a case of updating information described on the schedule page 310 by using the schedule updating function, it is necessary that a format of the schedule page 310 be registered. The schedule updating function is not available for unregistered pocket diaries. For example, the pocket diary 300 to be registered is placed on the image forming apparatus 100 (the contact glass CG of the image reading portion 1), and a command to execute format registration is given to the operation panel 13, thus causing a process related to the format registration to be started in the image forming apparatus 100.
Upon the operation panel 3 receiving the command to execute the format registration, the control portion 4 controls the image reading portion 1 to read the schedule page 310 and the operation panel 3 to display a preview image of the schedule page 310. Then, the control portion 4 controls the operation panel 3 to accept setting (format setting) related to the format registration.
In the format setting, a position of each of the description fields 311, positions of a date (a month and a day) borne so as to correspond to the each of the description fields 311, and so on are set. In the schedule page 310 shown in FIG. 5, a position P1 is set as a position of each of the description fields 311, a position P2 is set as a position of a date (a day) corresponding thereto, and a position P3 is set as the date (a month) corresponding thereto.
Color setting is also performed as the setting related to the schedule updating function. In the color setting, a piece of information to be possibly described on the schedule page 310 is registered, and a color associated with said piece of information thus registered is set. The thus pre-registered piece of information and the color associated therewith are stored in the storage portion 5. For example, a color associated with a registered piece of information can be set to vary depending on the degree of importance or a category of the registered piece of information.
Moreover, abbreviation setting is also performed as the setting related to the schedule updating function. In the abbreviation setting, an abbreviation (corresponding to “first information”) to be possibly described on the schedule page 310 and a full form of the abbreviation (corresponding to “second information”) are set and registered. The thus pre-registered abbreviation and the full form associated therewith are stored in the storage portion 5.
After the format of the schedule page 310 has been registered, with the schedule updating function set to be enabled, the image forming apparatus 100 is operated to read the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300, so that a schedule updated on a user terminal 200 side can be reflected on the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300, and a schedule updated on a pocket diary 300 side can be reflected in the schedule data SD in the user terminal 200.
A process related to the schedule updating function (hereinafter, referred to as an “updating process”) is performed by the control portion 4. With reference to a flow chart shown in FIG. 6, the following describes a flow of the updating process performed by the control portion 4.
The flow chart shown in FIG. 6 starts when generation of image data of the schedule page 310 obtained by reading the schedule page 310 by the image reading portion 1 has been completed. At this time, image data as shown in FIG. 7 is generated by the image reading portion 1. In the following description, the image data of the schedule page 310 generated by the image reading portion 1 is denoted as ND and referred to as pocket diary data ND.
At step S1 in the flow chart shown in FIG. 6, the control portion 4 recognizes a user who has currently logged in to the image forming apparatus 100 and communicates, via the communication portion 6, with the user terminal 200 used by said user thus recognized. Then, the control portion 4 obtains the schedule data SD (see FIG. 4) from the user terminal 200 communicating therewith and controls the storage portion 5 to store said schedule data SD thus obtained. A portable storage device (such as a USB memory stick) storing the schedule data SD may be connected to the image forming apparatus 100. In this case, the control portion 4 obtains the schedule data SD from the portable storage device connected to the image forming apparatus 100.
At step S2, the control portion 4 checks settings set in format setting and recognizes a plurality of description field regions A (see FIG. 7) in the pocket diary data ND corresponding to the plurality of description fields 311 (see FIG. 5), respectively. At this time, as the description field regions A, regions corresponding to a plurality of the positions P1 set in the format setting are recognized by the control portion 4.
At step S3, with respect to each of the plurality of description field regions A, the control portion 4 performs a process in which in-field information 20 (see FIG. 7) that is information included in the each of the plurality of description field regions A is recognized in association with a date of one of the description fields 311 which corresponds to the each of the plurality of description field regions A. At this time, the control portion 4 recognizes the in-field information 20 included in the each of the plurality of description field regions A by performing the character recognition process with respect to the pocket diary data ND. Moreover, the control portion 4 checks the positions P2 and P3 set in the format setting and recognizes, based on information (a numeral) present in each of regions in the pocket diary data ND which correspond to the positions P2 and P3, respectively, the date of the one of the description fields 311 which corresponds to the each of the plurality of description field regions A.
At step S4, the control portion 4 determines, as a subject period, a schedule period of the schedule page 310 corresponding to the pocket diary data ND. The schedule period of the schedule page 310 corresponding to the pocket diary data ND shown in FIG. 7 is a period from November 20th to 26th. Furthermore, the control portion 4 extracts, as a subject of an updating process, a piece of schedule data SD (see FIG. 4) corresponding to the subject period.
Subsequently, from a plurality of pieces of schedule information 10 corresponding to a plurality of dates (pieces of schedule information 10 corresponding to dates within the subject period), respectively, and a plurality of pieces of in-field information 20 corresponding to the plurality of dates (pieces of in-field information 20 corresponding to the dates within the subject period), respectively, the control portion 4 extracts a piece of schedule information 10 and a piece of in-field information 20 which correspond to a common date as first subject information and second subject information, respectively. Then, the control portion 4 performs a first determination process in which information that is present in the first subject information 10 and absent in the second subject information 20 is determined as first update information (an updated piece of information updated on the user terminal 200 side).
At this time, the control portion 4 first extracts one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information 10 corresponding to the dates within the subject period, respectively, and sets it as the first subject information 10. Furthermore, the control portion 4 extracts, from the plurality of pieces of in-field information 20 corresponding to the dates within the subject period, respectively, one corresponding to a common date as the first subject information 10, and sets it as the second subject information 20. Then, the control portion 4 performs a comparison between the first subject information 10 and the second subject information 20 and determines, based on a result of the comparison, whether or not the first update information is present (performs the first determination process). After that, the control portion 4 sets, as a new piece of first subject information 10, one of the plurality of schedule information 10 corresponding to the dates within the subject week, respectively, which has not yet been a subject of the first determination process. The control portion 4 also sets, as a new piece of second subject information 20, one of the plurality of pieces of in-field information 20 corresponding to the dates within the subject week, respectively, which corresponds to a common date as the new piece of first subject information 10. Then, the control portion 4 performs the first determination process again with respect to the new piece of first subject information (and the new piece of second subject information). The control portion 4 performs the first determination process once with respect to each of all the pieces of schedule information 10 (in-field information 20) corresponding to the dates within the subject week, respectively.
At step S5, the control portion 4 determines whether or not the first update information is present. For example, in an example shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, while information 10a (see FIG. 4) is present in a piece of schedule information 10 corresponding to November 21st, there is no information corresponding to the information 10a in a piece of in-field information 20 corresponding to November 21st. Furthermore, while information 10b (see FIG. 4) is present in a piece of schedule information 10 corresponding to November 22nd, there is no information corresponding to the information 10b in a piece of in-field information 20 corresponding to November 22nd. Accordingly, each of the information 10a and the information 10b among the pieces of schedule information 10 is determined as the first update information. That is, the control portion 4 judges that the first update information is present.
Referring back to FIG. 6, in a case where, at step S5, the control portion 4 has judged that the first update information is present, a transition is made to step S6. Upon the transition to step S6, the control portion 4 performs a first updating process (a detail thereof will be described later) as one process step of the updating process. After that, a transition is made to step S7. Also in a case where, at step S5, the control portion 4 has judged that the first update information is absent, a transition is made to step S7.
Upon the transition to step S7, from the plurality of pieces of schedule information 10 corresponding to the plurality of dates (the pieces of schedule information 10 corresponding to the dates within the subject period), respectively, and the plurality of pieces of in-field information 20 corresponding to the plurality of dates (the pieces of in-field information 20 corresponding to the dates within the subject period), respectively, the control portion 4 extracts a piece of schedule information 10 and a piece of in-field information 20 which correspond to a common date as the first subject information and the second subject information, respectively. Then, the control portion 4 performs a second determination process in which information that is absent in the first subject information 10 and present in the second subject information 20 is determined as second update information (an updated piece of information updated on the pocket diary 300 side). Similarly to the first determination process, the second determination process is performed once with respect to each of all the pieces of schedule information 10 (in-field information 20) corresponding to the dates within the subject period, respectively.
At step S8, the control portion 4 determines whether or not the second update information is present. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, while information 20a (see FIG. 7) is present in a piece of in-field information 20 corresponding to November 21st, there is no information corresponding to the information 20a in a piece of schedule information 10 corresponding to November 21st. Accordingly, the information 20a among the pieces of in-field information 20 is determined as the second update information. That is, the control portion 4 judges that the second update information is present.
Referring back to FIG. 6, in a case where, at step S8, the control portion 4 has judged that the second update information is present, a transition is made to step S9. Upon the transition to step S9, the control portion 4 performs a second updating process (a detail thereof will be described later) as one process step of the updating process. Then, this flow is ended. In a case where, at step S8, the control portion 4 has judged that the second update information is absent, this flow is ended without performing the second updating process.
With reference to a flow chart shown in FIG. 8, the following describes a flow of the first updating process performed by the control portion 4. In the first updating process, printing of an after-mentioned update information image 400 (see FIG. 10) is performed.
In printing the update information image 400, the sheet S as shown in FIG. 9 is prepared in advance. The sheet S is composed of an attachment sheet Sa and a base sheet Sb. The attachment sheet Sa has an adhesive layer provided on a surface thereof opposite to a printing surface thereof, and a plurality of the attachment sheets Sa are arranged on the base sheet Sb. Furthermore, the attachment sheet Sa can be peeled off from the base sheet Sb. The attachment sheet Sa is formed of a seal, a sticky note, or the like, though not particularly limited thereto. Further, the update information image 400 is printed on the attachment sheet Sa.
At step S11 of the flow chart shown in FIG. 8, the control portion 4 performs setting of a printing color used in printing the update information image 400. At this time, the control portion 4 judges whether or not a piece of information registered in the color setting is included in the first update information. Then, in a case where the registered piece of information is included in the first update information, the control portion 4 sets, as the printing color, a color corresponding to the registered piece of information included in the first update information. On the other hand, in a case where the registered piece of information is not included in the first update information, the control portion 4 sets the printing color to a default color.
At step S12, the control portion 4 judges whether or not a blank area is present. At this time, based on the pocket diary data ND, the control portion 4 judges whether or not a blank area (an unfilled area in which no information has been filled) larger in size than the update information image 400 (the attachment sheet Sa) is present in one of the description fields 311 (see FIG. 5) which bears a date corresponding to the first update information. In the following description, the one of the description fields 311 which bears the date corresponding to the first update information is referred to as a subject description field 311.
At step S13, the control portion 4 generates image data necessary for printing the update information image 400 (see FIG. 10) indicating the first update information. At this time, the control portion 4 generates the image data so that a color of the update information image 400 is the previously set printing color (the color set at step S11). Or alternatively, the control portion 4 generates the image data so that a background color of the update information image 400 is the previously set printing color (the color set at step S11).
When generating the image data of the update information image 400, the control portion 4 sets a size of the image data of the update information image 400 so that the size is equal to that of the attachment sheet Sa. Furthermore, the control portion 4 adds, to the update information image 400, a date image 401 (see FIG. 10) indicating the date corresponding to the first update information.
Moreover, when no blank area is present in the subject description field 311, the control portion 4 adds, to the update information image 400, an arrow image 402 (see FIG. 10) that is directed to the subject description field 311 in a case where the attachment sheet Sa on which the update information image 400 has been printed is attached outside the subject description field 311. In a case where a blank area is present in the subject description field 311, the arrow image 402 is not added to the update information image 400.
At step S14, the control portion 4 controls the printing portion 2 to perform printing of only the update information image 400 on the attachment sheet Sa. FIG. 10 shows the sheet S having the attachment sheet Sa on which the update information image 400 has been printed.
In an example shown in FIG. 10, an image denoted by a reference character 400a as the update information image 400 includes an image indicating “11/22 (November 22nd)” as the date image 401, and thus the update information image 400a is a text image indicating an action schedule corresponding to November 22nd (herein, the attachment sheet Sa on which the update information image 400a has been printed is referred to as an attachment sheet Sa1). Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11, on the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300, the attachment sheet Sa1 is attached to one of the description fields 311 which corresponds to November 22nd, and thus contents of the schedule data SD updated on the user terminal 200 side can be reflected on information described on the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300.
Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 10, an image denoted by a reference character 400b as the update information image 400 includes an image indicating “11/21 (November 21st)” as the date image 401, and thus the update information image 400b is a text image indicating an action schedule corresponding to November 21st (herein, the attachment sheet Sa on which the update information image 400b has been printed is referred to as an attachment sheet Sa2). Here, as shown in FIG. 11, on the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300, there is no blank area for attaching the attachment sheet Sa2 on one of the description fields 311 which corresponds to November 21st. The update information image 400b, however, includes an image of a downward arrow as the arrow image 402. Accordingly, even when the attachment sheet Sa2 is attached to a blank area (one of the description fields 311 which corresponds to November 20th) present outside the one of the description fields 311 which corresponds to November 21st, it can be understood at a glance that the action schedule indicated by the attachment sheet Sa2 corresponds to November 21st.
With reference to a flow chart shown in FIG. 12, the following describes a flow of the second updating process performed by the control portion 4. In the second updating process, the schedule data SD used at the user terminal 200 is updated.
At step S21, the control portion 4 judges whether or not an abbreviation set by the abbreviation setting is included in the second update information (judges whether or not an abbreviation is present). Then, at step S22, the control portion 4 recognizes a date corresponding to the second update information and adds the second update information to a piece of schedule information 10 corresponding to said date thus recognized. That is, the control portion 4 updates pieces of schedule data SD corresponding to dates within a subject period, respectively. At this time, when the abbreviation set by the abbreviation setting is included in the second update information, the control portion 4 replaces the abbreviation (first information) included in the second update information with a corresponding full form (second information). In a case where the abbreviation set by the abbreviation setting is not included in the second update information, such information replacement is not performed.
For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, while the information 20a (see FIG. 7) is present in the piece of in-field information 20 corresponding to November 21st, there is no information corresponding to the information 20a in the piece of schedule information 10 corresponding to November 21st. In this case, the control portion 4 adds a piece of information corresponding to the information 20a as a piece of schedule information 10 corresponding to November 21st (see FIG. 13).
Referring back to FIG. 12, at Step S23, the control portion 4 communicates with the user terminal 200 (the user terminal 200 used by a user who has currently logged in to the image forming apparatus 100) via the communication portion 6 and transmits an updated version of the schedule data SD to the user terminal 200. Thus, on the user terminal 200, there can be displayed the schedule screen 210 on which contents updated on the pocket diary 300 side are reflected.
As described above, in the configuration according to this embodiment, with the schedule updating function set to be enabled, the image forming apparatus 100 is operated to read the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300 (the schedule page 310 on which contents updated at the user terminal 200 has not yet been reflected), and then the update information image 400 is printed on the attachment sheet Sa. Here, the update information image 400 printed on the attachment sheet Sa is an image indicating the first update information (information added by an update performed at the user terminal 200). Accordingly, merely by attaching the attachment sheet Sa on which the update information image 400 has been printed to the schedule page 310, contents of the schedule data SD updated on the user terminal 200 side can be reflected on the schedule page 310.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control portion 4 adds the date image 401 indicating a date corresponding to the first update information to the update information image 400. That is, the date image 401 indicating the date corresponding to the first update information is printed on the attachment sheet Sa. Thus, among the plurality of description fields 311 arranged on the schedule page 310 of the pocket diary 300, one to which the attachment sheet Sa should be attached can be easily determined.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, based on the pocket diary data ND, the control portion 4 judges whether or not a blank area larger in size than the update information image 400 is present in one of the description fields 311 (the subject description field 311) which bears a date corresponding to the first update information. When there is no blank area in the subject description field 311, the control portion 4 adds, to the update information image 400, the arrow image 402 that is directed to the subject description field 311 in a case where the attachment sheet Sa on which the update information image 400 has been printed is attached outside the subject description field 311. Thus, even when the attachment sheet Sa is attached outside the subject description field 311, it can be understood that the first update information indicated by said attachment sheet Sa thus attached is a piece of information corresponding to the subject description field 311.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, in a case where a registered piece of information is included in the first update information, the control portion 4 sets, as the printing color, a color associated with the registered piece of information included in the first update information, and controls the printing portion 2 to perform printing (printing of the update information image 400 on the attachment sheet Sa) so that a color of the update information image 400 is the printing color thus set. Or alternatively, the control portion 4 controls the printing portion 2 to perform printing (printing of the update information image 400 on the attachment sheet Sa) so that a background color of the update information image 400 is the printing color thus set. Thus, a color of the update information image 400 (or a background of the update information image 400) can be set to vary based on a degree of importance or a category.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control portion 4 performs a process in which information that is absent in the first subject information and present in the second subject information is determined as the second update information and includes the second update information in the schedule data SD. Thus, an update performed with respect to the schedule page 310 can be reflected in the schedule data SD (data used when the user terminal 200 displays the schedule screen 210).
Furthermore, in this embodiment, in a case where a pre-registered abbreviation (the first information) is included in the second update information, the control portion 4 includes the second update information in the schedule data SD after replacing the abbreviation included in the second update information with a full form thereof (the second information). Thus, even when an abbreviation is written on the schedule page 310, when the schedule screen 210 is displayed on the user terminal 200, the abbreviation has been replaced with a full form thereof, and thus user's convenience is increased (there is no need to write a full form of the abbreviation on the schedule page 310).
The embodiment disclosed herein is to be construed in all respects as illustrative and not limiting. The scope of the present disclosure is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description of the embodiment, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a storage portion that stores schedule data that is obtained from a user terminal used by a user of the image forming apparatus and includes a plurality of pieces of schedule information corresponding to a plurality of dates, respectively;
an image reading portion that reads an original document including a plurality of description fields bearing different dates from each other and generates image data of the original document;
a printing portion that performs printing on a sheet; and
a control portion that, when generation of image data of the original document is completed, recognizes a plurality of description field regions in the image data of the original document which correspond to the plurality of description fields, respectively, performs a process in which, with respect to each of the plurality of description field regions, in-field information that is included in the each of the plurality of description field regions is recognized in association with a date borne by a corresponding one of the plurality of description fields, also performs a process in which one of the plurality of pieces of schedule information and a piece of the in-field information which correspond to a common date are extracted as first subject information and second subject information, respectively, and information that is present in the first subject information and absent in the second subject information is determined as first update information, and performs a process in which information that is absent in the first subject information and present in the second subject information is determined as second update information,
when the first update information is present, the control portion adds, to an update information image indicating the first update information, a date image indicating a date corresponds to the first update information and controls the printing portion to perform printing of the update information image on the sheet, and
when the second update information is present, the control portion includes the second update information in the schedule data and transmits the schedule data to the user terminal.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
based on the image data of the original document, the control portion judges whether or not a blank area larger in size than the update information image is present in a subject description field that is one of the plurality of description fields which bears a date corresponding to the first update information, and when the blank area is not present in the subject description field, the control portion adds, to the update information image, an arrow image that is directed to the subject description field in a case where the sheet on which the update information image has been printed is attached outside the subject description field.
the storage portion stores a piece of information registered in advance and a color associated therewith, and
in a case where the registered piece of information is included in the first update information, the control portion sets, as a printing color, a color associated with the registered piece of information included in the first update information, and controls the printing portion to perform printing so that a color of the update information image is the printing color thus set, or alternatively, controls the printing portion to perform printing so that a background color of the update information image is the printing color thus set.
the sheet on which the update information image is printed has an adhesive layer provided on a surface thereof opposite to a printing surface thereof.
the storage portion stores a piece of first information registered in advance and a piece of second information associated therewith, and
in a case where the piece of first information is included in the second update information, the control portion includes the second update information in the schedule data after replacing the piece of first information included in the second update information with the piece of second information.
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Filed: May 25, 2018
Date of Patent: Dec 3, 2019
Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. (Osaka)
Inventor: Masato Shiose (Osaka)
Primary Examiner: Anh-Vinh T Nguyen
Current U.S. Class: With Electronic Memory Storage (368/251)
International Classification: H04N 1/60 (20060101); H04N 1/58 (20060101); G06Q 10/10 (20120101); H04N 1/00 (20060101);
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Justia Patents Next To Group Viii Or Ib Metal-base ComponentUS Patent Application for STRESS-REDUCED NI-P/PD STACKS FOR BONDABLE WAFER SURFACES Patent Application (Application #20110200842)
STRESS-REDUCED NI-P/PD STACKS FOR BONDABLE WAFER SURFACES
Oct 1, 2009 - ATOTECH DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
The invention relates to a substrate having a bondable metal coating comprising, in this order, on an Al or Cu surface: (a) a Ni—P layer, (b) a Pd layer and, optionally, (c) an Au layer, wherein the thickness of the Ni—P layer (a) is 0.2 to 10 m, the thickness of the Pd layer (b) is 0.05 to 1.0 m and the thickness of the optional Au layer (c) is 0.01 to 0.5 m, and wherein the Ni—P layer (a) has a P content of 10.5 to 14 wt.-%. The deposit internal stress of the resulting Ni—P/Pd stack is not higher than 34.48 M−Pa (5,000 psi). Further, a process for the preparation of such a substrate is described.
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The present invention relates to a substrate having a bondable metallic coating comprising, on a Al or Cu surface, a Ni—P layer and a Pd layer, which layers have specific thicknesses and reduced stress. Further, the present invention relates to processes for the preparation of such substrates.
Electroless nickel palladium gold processes for wire bonding and flip chip soldering are known in the prior art and described, for example, in European patent application EP 0 701 281 A2. Similar processes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,445,069 and European patent application EP 1 126 519 A2. The under bump metallisation (UBM) is driven by technological aspects, such as wafer level miniaturisation, electrical signal integrity and metal stack reliability. Wafers are getting thinner and, thus, any applied metal stack can cause undesired warpage of the wafer.
According to the prior art, a Cu or Al layer is coated first on the wafer surface, followed by the plating of Ni—P and Pd (and optionally Au) on individual compartments of the wafer surface (“pads”). The layers of the prior art stacks have a deposit internal stress that results in a warpage of the wafer.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide Ni—P/Pd stacks for bondable wafer surfaces, which have reduced stress and thereby to minimize or avoid warpage of the wafer.
This object is achieved by a substrate having a bondable metallic coating comprising, in this order, on an Al or Cu surface: (a) a Ni—P layer, (b) a Pd layer and, optionally, (c) an Au layer, wherein the thickness of the Ni—P layer (a) is 0.2 to 10 μm, the thickness of the Pd layer (b) is 0.05 to 1.0 μm and the thickness of the optional Au layer (c) is 0.01 to 0.5 μm, and wherein the Ni—P layer (a) has a P content of 10.5 to 14 wt.-%. The resulting Ni—P/Pd stack (layers (a) and (b)) generally has a (tensile) deposit internal stress not higher than 34.48 MPa (5,000 psi).
The present invention is based on the surprising finding that by selecting the thicknesses of the individual layers of the stack within the above-mentioned ranges and by selecting the above phosphorous content for the Ni—P layer, the deposit internal stress of the resulting Ni—P/Pd stack will be not higher than 34.48 MPa (5,000 psi) tensile or will even be compressive and that warpage of the waver coated with such a stack can thus be minimized or avoided altogether.
In the stack according to the present invention, the Ni—P layer has a thickness ranging from 0.2 to 10 μm, preferably from 0.5 to 3.0 μm.
The Pd layer has a thickness in the range of 0.05 to 1.0 μm, preferably in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 μm.
The optional Au layer has a thickness of 0.01 to 0.5 μm, preferably in the range of 0.01 to 0.3 μm.
The Ni—P layer has a P content in the range of 10.5 to 14 wt.-%. This layer will hereinafter also be referred to as “high-phos Ni—P layer”.
The deposit internal stress of the high-phos Ni—P layer is generally compressive (0 to 34.48 MPa (0 to 5,000 psi)). The stress of Ni—P layers with a phosphorus content between 4 wt.-% and about 10.5 wt.-% (“mid-phos”) is tensile, whereas a compressive stress is obtained at a high phosphorus (“high-phos”) content above 10.5 wt.-% (see W. Riedel, “Electroless Nickel Plating”, Finishing Publications Ltd., 1991, p. 111).
The Pd layer preferably has a tensile deposit internal stress not higher than 137.9 MPa (20,000 psi), more preferably not higher than 103.4 MPa (15,000 psi) and most preferably not higher than 68.96 MPa (10,000 psi). In this connection it is noted that prior art Ni—P/Pd stacks (see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,241) have a film stress in their Pd layer of as high as 206.9 to 344.8 MPa (30,000 to 50,000 psi) tensile.
The deposit internal stress values of the individual layers can be determined by depositing the layer alone on a copper substrate (test strip) under the same conditions under which they are deposited to produce the stack and measuring the stress of the individual layer by means of a commercially available measuring device.
Next, the preparation of the substrate according to the present invention comprising the stress-reduced Ni—P/Pd stacks for bondable wafer surfaces is described in more detail:
It involves the so-called “under bump metallisation” (UBM), which has been developed in view of recent demands for a wafer level miniaturisation, electrical signal integrity and metal stack reliability.
The UBM process can be generally separated into four different parts.
The first part involves pre-treatment and includes the surface preparation of Al/Al-alloy and Cu pads. For a pre-treatment of Al and Al-alloy different zincations are available, for example Xenolyte™ cleaner ACA™, Xenolyte Etch MA™, Xenolyte CFA™ or Xenolyte CF™ (all available from Atotech Deutschland GmbH) which fulfil the industry standards of cyanide-free chemistry.
The second part in the UBM process involves electroless nickel plating.
In this step of electroless nickel plating, aqueous electroless nickel plating solutions can be used comprising a nickel salt, and hypophosphorous acid or a bath soluble salt thereof selected from sodium hypophosphite, potassium hypophosphite and ammonium hypophosphite. This solution should be free of added nickel hypophosphite, and free of alkali or alkaline earth metal ions capable of forming an insoluble orthophosphite.
In the electroless nickel solutions the operating nickel ion concentration is typically from about 1 up to about 18 grams per litre (g/l), preferably about 3 to about 9 g/l are utilised. Stated differently, the concentration of nickel cation will be in the range of from 0.02 to about 0.3 moles per litre, or preferably in the range of from about 0.05 to about 0.15 moles per litre.
The nickel plating solutions also contain, as a reducing agent, hypophosphite ions derived from hypophosphorous acid or a bath soluble salt thereof such as sodium hypophosphite, potassium hypophosphite and ammonium hypophosphite.
The amount of the reducing agent employed in the plating bath is at least sufficient to stoichiometrically reduce the nickel cation in the electroless nickel reaction to free nickel metal, and such concentration is usually within the range of from about 0.05 to about 1.0 moles per litre. Stated differently, the hypophosphite reducing ions are introduced to provide a hypophosphite ion concentration of about 2 up to about 60 g/l, or from about 12 to 50 g/l or even from about 20 to about 45 g/l. As a conventional practice the reducing agent is replenished during the reaction.
The plating solutions of the present invention which contain nickel and the phosphorus reducing agents such as hypophosphites or the sodium, potassium or ammonium salts thereof, provide a continuous deposit of a nickel-phosphorus alloy coating on the substrate. High levels of phosphorus (“high-phos”), generally about 10.5 wt.-%, and up to about 14 wt.-% by weight are obtained by conducting the plating operation at a pH of between about 3 to about 6, preferably at a pH of from about 4 to 5.6 to provide an alloy deposit having a high phosphorus content.
Other materials may be included in the nickel plating solutions such as buffers, chelating or complexing agents, wetting agents, accelerators, inhibitors, brighteners, etc. These materials are known in the art.
Thus, in one embodiment, a complexing agent or a mixture of complexing agents may be included in the plating solutions. The complexing agents are also referred to in the art as chelating agents. The complexing agents should be included in the plating solutions in amounts sufficient to complex the nickel ions present in the solution and to further solubilise the hypophosphite degradation products formed during the plating process. Generally, the complexing agents are employed in amounts of up to about 200 g/l with amounts of about 15 to about 75 g/l being more typical. In another embodiment, the complexing agents are present in amounts of from about 20 to about 60 g/l.
In one embodiment, carboxylic acids, polyamines or sulfonic acids or mixtures thereof may be employed as the nickel complexing or chelating agents. Useful carboxylic acids include the mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-carboxylic acids. The carboxylic acids may be substituted with various substituent moieties such as hydroxy or amino groups and the acids may be introduced into the plating solutions as their sodium, potassium or ammonium salts. Some complexing agents such as acetic acid, for example, may also act as a buffering agent, and the appropriate concentration of such additive components can be optimised for any plating solution in consideration of their dual functionality.
Examples of such carboxylic acids which are useful as the nickel complexing or chelating agents in the solutions of the present invention include: monocarboxylic acids such as acetic acid, hydroxyacetic acid (glycolic acid), aminoacetic acid (glycine), 2-amino propanoic acid, (alanine); 2-hydroxy propanoic acid (lactic acid); dicarboxylic acids such as succinic acid, amino succinic acid (aspartic acid), hydroxy succinic acid (malic acid), propanedioic acid (malonic acid), tartaric acid; tricarboxylic acids such as 2-hydroxy-1,2,3 propane tricarboxylic acid (citric acid); and tetracarboxylic acids such as ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA). In one embodiment, mixtures of 2 or more of the above complexing/chelating agents are utilised in the nickel plating solutions.
The aqueous electroless nickel plating baths of the present invention can be operated over the above mentioned pH range. Since the plating solution has a tendency to become more acidic during its operation due to the formation of hydrogen ions, the pH may be periodically or continuously adjusted by adding bath-soluble and bath-compatible alkaline substances such as sodium, potassium or ammonium hydroxides, carbonates and bicarbonates. The stability of the operating pH of the plating solutions can be improved by the addition of various buffer compounds such as acetic acid, propionic acid, boric acid, or the like, in amounts up to about 30 g/l with amounts of from about 2 to about 10 g/l being typical. As noted above, some of the buffering compounds such as acetic acid and propionic acid may also function as complexing agents.
The electroless nickel plating solutions may also include organic and/or inorganic stabilising agents of the types heretofore known in the art including lead ions, cadmium ions, tin ions, bismuth ions, antimony ions and zinc ions which can be conveniently introduced in the form of bath soluble and compatible salts such as the acetates, etc. Organic stabilisers useful in electroless plating solutions include sulfur-containing compounds such as, for example, thiourea, mercaptans, sulfonates, thiocyanates, etc. The stabilisers are used in small amounts such as from 0.05 to about 5 ppm of solution, and more often in amounts of from about 0.1 to 2 or 3 ppm.
The nickel plating solutions optionally may employ one or more wetting agents of any of the various types heretofore known which are soluble and compatible with the other bath constituents. In one embodiment, the use of such wetting agents prevents or hinders pitting of the nickel alloy deposit, and the wetting agents can be employed in amounts up to about 1 g/l.
The substrate to be plated is contacted with the plating solution at a temperature of at least about 40° C. up to the boiling point of the solution. Electroless nickel plating baths of an acidic type are employed, in one embodiment, at a temperature of from about 70° C. to about 95° C., and more often, at a temperature of from about 80° C. to about 90° C. Electroless nickel plating baths on the alkaline side generally are operated within the broad operating range but generally at a lower temperature than the acidic electroless plating solutions.
The duration of contact of the electroless nickel solution with the substrate being plated is a function which is dependent on the desired thickness of the nickel-phosphorus alloy. Typically, the contact time can range from 1 to 30 minutes.
During the deposition of the nickel alloy, mild agitation generally is employed, and this agitation may be a mild air agitation, mechanical agitation, bath circulation by pumping, rotation of a barrel plating, etc. The plating solution may also be subjected to a periodic or continuous filtration treatment to reduce the level of contaminants therein. Replenishment of the constituents of the bath may also be performed, in some embodiments, on a periodic or continuous basis to maintain the concentration of constituents, and in particular, the concentration of nickel ions and hypophosphite ions, as well as the pH level within the desired limits.
The third step of the UBM process comprises plating from an electroless palladium plating bath.
The electroless palladium bath is described in EP 0 698 130 B1 and was modified for the present invention with an additional stabilizer. Interestingly, it can be used to plate a Pd layer on a high-phos Ni—P layer without previous activation. However, especially for Pd plating at lower temperatures, a step of activating the high-phos Ni—P layer may optionally be carried out before the electroless Pd plating step.
The preferred bath parameters for electroless Pd plating are as follows:
pH: preferred 5 to 6.5, more preferred 5.6 to 6.0
bath temperature: preferred 70 to 90° C., more preferred 82 to 87° C.
Immersion time: preferred 3 to 20 min, more preferred 5 to 10 min
Additional stabilizer: preferred 10 to 500 mg/l, more preferred 100 to 300 mg/l
If an activation step is carried out before the electroless Pd plating step, the Pd plating bath temperature may be as low as about 40° C. (and up to about 95° C.). Such activation may be achieved, for example by so-called ionogenic Pd activators which are usually acidic, contain a Pd2+ source such as PdCl2 or PdSO4 and deposit a seed layer of elemental Pd on the Ni—P layer. Such activators are well known to the skilled person and are commercially available as solutions under the trademark Xenolyte Activator ACU1™ (product of Atotech Deutschland GmbH). So-called colloidal acidic activators, in which Pd clusters are surrounded by Sn, are equally well-known and may also be used.
The additional stabilizer in a state of the art electroless palladium bath as described in EP 0 698 130 may be used in order to deposit palladium without any additional activation on a high-phos Ni—P layer. Furthermore, such stabilizers allow the electroless deposition of palladium at temperatures between 70° C. and 90° C. which leads to a reduced internal stress of the deposited palladium layer. Known electroless palladium baths show a short lifetime at such high bath temperatures which is not tolerable in industrial applications. The additional stabilizers are selected from the group comprising sulfimides, polyphenylsulfides, pyrimidines, polyalcohols and inorganic complexing agents like rhodanide. A preferred sulfimide is saccharine, preferred pyrimidines are nicotine amide, pyrimidine-3-suphonic acid, nicotinic acid, 2-hydroxy pyridine and nicotine. Preferred poly alcohols are polyethyleneglycol, polypropyleneglycol, polyethylenglycol-polypropyleneglycol copolymers and derivatives thereof.
Finally, the optional gold layer may be plated on the Ni—P/Pd stack. For this purpose, electroless gold plating electrolytes known from prior art can be used. The thickness of the optional gold layer on top of the palladium layer is 0.01 to 0.5 μm, preferably 0.05 to 0.3 μm. The optional gold layer is most preferably deposited by an immersion process. Such immersion processes are described, for example, by H. Kaiser, Edelmetallschichten: Abscheidung, Eigenschaften, Anwendungen; E. Leuze Verlag, 2002, page 43. A suitable bath for electroless gold plating is available commercially under the trademark Aurotech SFplus™ (T=80 to 90° C.; pH=4.5 to 6.0; immersion time=7 to 15 min; 0.5 to 2 g/l Au (as K[Au(CN)2])
Thus, if an Al coated wafer is used in the present invention as a starting substrate, the process comprises the steps of cleaning, etching, zincation (as pretreatment steps), followed by nickel plating, optionally activation of the high-phos Ni—Pd layer, palladium plating and, optionally, gold plating.
If Cu coated wafers are used as the starting substrate, the pre-treatment comprises the steps of cleaning, optionally etching, and Pd activation, followed again by the steps of nickel plating, optionally activation of the high-phos Ni—Pd layer, palladium plating and, optionally, gold plating.
The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples and comparative examples.
Values for internal stress of individual Pd or Ni—P layers as well as Ni—P/Pd stacks were determined with a “Deposit Stress Analyzer” (Model 683; Speciality Testing & Development Co.). Specially designed test strips from the same company were coated with Ni—P, Pd and Ni—P/Pd layers and tested according to the procedure described by the equipment supplier.
Example 1 Comparative Experiment
A pure Pd layer was plated from a state of the art bath (disclosed in EP 0 698 130) with a composition comprising 1 g/l Pd2+ ions, 27.6 g/l formic acid and 3 g/l ethylenediamine at a pH of 5.5 and a temperature of 55° C. on a mid-phos Ni—P layer (Xenolyte™ Ni M™, Atotech Deutschland GmbH).
The immersion time of the Ni—P plated (1.3 μm) Cu substrate in the Pd bath was five minutes. The resulting stack stress was 103.4 MPa (15,000 psi) in the tensile direction (for calculation of the stress the sum of the Ni—P and Pd layer thickness was taken into account; the Pd layer thickness was 0.27 μm).
A pure Pd layer was plated from a stress reduced Pd bath (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,241) on a mid-phos Ni—P layer (Xenolyte™ Ni M™, Atotech Deutschland GmbH) overlying a Cu substrate. The Cu substrate was immersed for five minutes in the Xenolyte™ Ni M™ bath and after rinsing with deionized water for 5 minutes in the palladium bath.
The Pd bath contained:
Pd2+ ions 1 g/l Ethylenediamine 3 g/l Sodium formate 40.8 g/l Saccharin sodium salt hydrate 0.2 g/l (anhydrous basis)
It had a pH of 5.8 and the bath temperature was 85° C.
The obtained Ni—P/Pd stack had thicknesses of 0.9 μm for the Ni—P layer and 0.21 μm for the Pd layer. The observed overall stack stress was 53.79 MPa (7,800 psi) tensile.
The film stress of a Ni—P/Pd stack on Cu with a Ni—P layer from a high-phos Ni—P bath and a pure Pd layer plated from the stress reduced Pd bath used in Example 2 was determined.
The high-phos Ni—P bath contained:
Ni2+ ions 6 g/l Na hypophosphite•H2O 30 g/l Malic acid 10 g/l Succinic acid 18 g/l Lactic acid 30 g/l Pb ions 0.2 mg/l
The resulting Ni—P layer thickness was 0.92 μm and the Pd layer thickness was 0.19 μm. The resulting stack has a stress value of 21.38 MPa (3,100 psi) tensile.
A Pd layer from the Pd bath of Example 1 on a high-phos Ni—P layer (from the high-phos Ni—P bath used in Example 3) was deposited after additional activation of the Ni—P layer by Xenolyte Activator ACU1 (product of Atotech Deutschland GmbH).
A stack thus obtained had an average Ni—P layer thickness of 0.84 μm, a Pd layer thickness of 0.25 μm and an overall stress value of 27.58 MPa (4,000 psi) tensile. The stress of the Ni—P layer was 34.48 MPa (5,000 psi) in the compressive direction prior to the Pd plating.
A high-phos Ni layer from a high-phos Ni—P bath (see Example 3 for bath composition) on Cu yielded a small compressive stress slightly decreasing from a thickness from 1 μm (27.58 MPa (4,000 psi) compressive) to at least 3 μm (25.52 MPa (3,700 psi) compressive). After plating of a 0.3 μm Pd layer from the bath with a composition described in Example 2, the overall stack stress was 20.69 MPa (3,000 psi) tensile for 1 μm of Ni—P and 21.38 MPa (3,100 psi) tensile for 3 μm of Ni—P.
Example 6 Comparative Example
A Pd layer from a state of the art bath with a composition as described in Example 1 with a pH of 5.5 and at a temperature of 55° C. directly deposited on Cu with activation by Xenolyte Activator ACU 1 (Atotech Deutschland GmbH) yielded a mean stress value of 241.4 MPa (35,000 psi) tensile.
A Pd layer from the stress reduced bath used in Example 2 directly deposited on a Cu substrate with activation by Xenolyte Activator ACU 1 (Atotech Deutschland GmbH) yielded a mean stress value of 89.65 MPa (13,000 psi) tensile at a pH of 5.8 and a bath temperature of 85° C. The Pd bath is additionally stable for at least 48 h on temperature, whereas the state of the art bath from Example 1 will plate out at 85° C. after 3 h.
1. A substrate having a bondable metallic coating comprising, in this order, on an Al or Cu surface:
(a) a Ni—P layer,
(b) a Pd layer and, optionally,
(c) an Au layer,
wherein the thickness of the Ni—P layer (a) is 0.2 to 10 μm, the thickness of the Pd layer (b) is 0.05 to 1.0 μm and the thickness of the optional Au layer (c) is 0.01 to 0.5 μm,
wherein the Ni—P layer (a) has a P content of 10.5 to 14 wt.-%, and
wherein a stack consisting of a Ni—P layer (a) and a Pd layer (b) has a deposit internal stress not higher than 34.48 MPa (5,000 psi).
2. The substrate according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the Ni—P layer (a) is 0.5 to 3.0 μm and the thickness of the Pd layer (b) is 0.1 to 0.5 μm and the thickness of the optional Au layer (c) is 0.01 to 0.3 μm.
3. The substrate according to claim 1 wherein the Pd layer (b) has a deposit internal stress not larger than 137.9 MPa (20,000 psi) tensile.
4. A process for the preparation of a substrate according to claim 1 comprising the following steps:
(i) immersing a substrate having an Al or Cu surface in a Ni—P plating bath comprising a nickel salt, and hypophosphorus acid or a bath-soluble salt thereof selected from sodium hypophosphite, potassium hypophosphite and ammonium hypophosphite, wherein the solution is free of alkali or alkaline earth metal ions capable of forming an insoluble orthophosphite
at a temperature of from about 70° C. to about 95° C. and at a pH of from about 3 to about 6 for a period of 1 to 30 min to obtain a Ni—P layer on the substrate and
(ii) immersing the Ni—P-coated substrate obtained in step (i) in a Pd plating bath comprising at least one palladium ion source, at least one reducing agent, at least one complexing agent and at least one sulfimide stabilizer additive in a quantity of 10 to 500 mg/l
at a pH of 5 to 6.5 for a period of 3 to 20 min to obtain a Pd layer on the substrate,
wherein the Pd layer is deposited onto the Ni—P layer obtained in step (i) without any activation of the Ni—P layer prior to deposition of the Pd layer and step (ii) is carried out at a temperature of from about 70 to about 90° C. or
wherein the Pd layer is deposited onto the Ni—P layer obtained in step (i) after activation of the Ni—P layer and step (ii) is carried out at a temperature of from about 40 to about 95° C.
5. The process according to claim 4 wherein the substrate is an Al wafer, the surface of which is cleaned and etched or followed by zincation prior to nickel plating (i).
6. The process according to claim 4 wherein the substrate is a Cu wafer, the surface of which is cleaned, optionally, etched, followed by Pd activation prior to Ni—P plating (i).
7. The process according to claim 4, further comprising: (iii) a step of immersing the substrate coated with the Ni—P layer and the Pd layer into an Au plating bath.
Filed: Oct 1, 2009
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2011
Patent Grant number: 8986789
Applicant: ATOTECH DEUTSCHLAND GMBH (Berlin)
Inventors: Albrecht Uhlig (Berlin), Josef Gaida (Berlin), Christof Suchentrunk (Berlin), Michael Boyle (Rock Hill, SC), Brian Washo (Fort Mill, SC)
Current U.S. Class: Next To Group Viii Or Ib Metal-base Component (428/652); Au-base Component (428/672); Metal Base (427/405); Inorganic Base (427/309)
International Classification: B32B 15/01 (20060101); B32B 15/04 (20060101); B05D 1/36 (20060101); B05D 1/38 (20060101); B05D 3/10 (20060101);
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Justia Patents US Patent for IGFET on an insulating substrate Patent (Patent # 3,974,515)
IGFET on an insulating substrate
Sep 12, 1974 - RCA Corporation
The breakdown voltage of a novel insulated gate field effect transistor (IGFET), comprising silicon on sapphire (SOS), is substantially doubled by a novel structure wherein a dielectric layer, formed over a channel region of the IGFET, also extends continuously over the surface of the sapphire on opposite sides of the channel region. A polysilicon gate electrode is disposed over the dielectric layer, the gate electrode extending beyond the channel region and being separated from the sapphire substrate by the dielectric layer. The novel method of making the IGFET comprises providing an island of epitaxially deposited doped silicon on the sapphire substrate, and dielectric layer extending continuously over both the island and over portions of the substrate on opposite sides of the island.
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This invention relates to a novel insulated gate field effect transistor (IGFET) and to a method of making it. The novel IGFET and method of making it are particularly useful in the manufacture of silicon on sapphire (SOS) complementary transistors employed in many types of semiconductor circuits.
We have observed that there have been premature failure (breakdowns) in the gate dielectrics of prior-art SOS/IGFETs when a bias in excess of about 36 volts has been applied between the gate electrode and the source-drain regions. This breakdown appears to be associated with the polysilicon-silicon oxide-silicon-sapphire interface in the IGFET. The Achilles heel, the weakest point of the prior art SOS/IGFET technology, appears to be at the opposite edges of a silicon island, comprising the channel region of the IGFET, particularly where the edges of the channel region meet the sapphire substrate surface.
The novel SOS/IGFET and method of making it substantially overcome the aforementioned problem and provide an SOS/IGFET whose breakdown voltage is about twice that of prior-art SOS/IGFETs.
Briefly stated, the novel IGFET comprises an island of doped single-crystal silicon on a portion of a surface of an electrically insulating substrate. A dielectric layer is over a channel region of the IGFET and is also continuous over the surface of the substrate, extending away from opposite sides of the channel region. A gate electrode is disposed over the dielectric layer, extending beyond the channel region, and being separated from the insulating substrate by the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, or combinations thereof.
The novel method of making the novel IGFET comprises the operation of providing an island of epitaxially deposited doped silicon on an electrically insulating substrate, and a dielectric layer over both the island and portions of the substrate, extending away from opposite sides of the island.
In one embodiment of the novel method, the aforementioned operation is carried out by depositing a layer of doped silicon epitaxially on the insulating substrate, etching the silicon layer so as to produce an island, depositing a thin layer of single-crystal or polycrystalline silicon over the silicon island and also over the insulating substrate, and then completely oxidizing the last-mentioned thin silicon layer to form a dielectric layer of silicon oxide.
In another embodiment of the novel method, the aforementioned operation is carried out by depositing a layer of doped silicon epitaxially on an electrically insulating substrate, selectively etching the silicon layer to form a mesa surrounded by a thin portion of the doped silicon, and oxidizing both the mesa and the thin portion of surrounding silicon until the thin portion is completely oxidized to form a dielectric layer of silicon oxide over an island of silicon and extending over the substrate.
In still another embodiment of the novel method, the operation of providing an island of epitaxially deposited doped silicon on an electrically insulated substrate, and a dielectric layer over both the island and portions of the substrate is carried out by forming the island of silicon, as described above, and then depositing a dielectric layer of silicon nitride aluminum oxide, or silicon oxide, for example, over both the island of silicon and the substrate. The dielectric layer may be a composite of one of the aforementioned materials and a layer of silicon oxide formed from the oxidation of the surface of the silicon island.
The novel IGFET and method of making it will be described in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional drawing of an IGFET of the prior art, the cross section being taken through the channel region;
FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of an embodiment of the novel IGFET, viewed from above and the right thereof, showing the IGFET without a passivating layer thereover;
FIGS. 3-8, and 10, and 11 are cross-sectional drawings of the novel IGFET, illustrating different operations in its manufacture in one embodiment of the novel IGFET;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional drawing, taken along the plane 9--9 in FIG. 8, through a portion of the IGFET 30 that is to be the channel region thereof;
FIGS. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional drawings of the novel IGFET in different operations of its manufacture in another embodiment of the novel method;
FIGS. 14, 15 and 17 are cross-sectional drawings of the novel IGFET in different operations of its manufacture in still another embodiment of the novel method; and
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional drawing, taken along the plane 16--16 in FIG. 15, through a portion of the IGFET 30a that is to be the channel region thereof.
Similar reference numerals and characters used herein in different drawings refer to similar parts.
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a prior-art IGFET 10 of the type that presents a problem of premature breakdown of the dielectric layer (silicon oxide) when a bias voltage in excess of 36 volts is applied between the gate electrode and the source-drain regions. The IGFET 10 comprises an electrically insulating substrate 12, such as of sapphire or spinel, an island 14 of single-crystal N- doped silicon on a surface 16 of the substrate 12, a silicon oxide layer 18, comprising the gate dielectric over the silicon island 14, and a gate electrode 20, such as of doped polysilicon over the silicon oxide layer 18. The aforementioned premature breakdown in the prior-art IGFET 10 appears to be associated with the polysilicon-silicon oxide-silicon-sapphire interface 22.
In accordance with the present invention, the structure of one embodiment of the novel IGFET 30, shown in FIG. 2, overcomes the problem presented by the interface 22 (FIG. 1) by providing a structure that eliminates this interface 22. Referring now to FIG. 2, the IGFET 30 is shown comprising an electrically insulating substrate 32, such as of sapphire of spinel, having a single-crystal silicon island 34 on a surface 36 of the substrate 32. A dielectric layer 38 of silicon oxide is formed over a portion of the island 34 which is the channel region of the IGFET 30 and extends over both the silicon island 34 and the portions of the surface 36 of the substrate 32 extending away from opposite sides of the island 34 and channel region disposed therein, the opposite sides being along the same direction as the flow of conductivity modifiers in the channel region. A polysilicon gate electrode 40 is deposited over the dielectric layer 38, extends away from the opposite sides of the silicon island 34, and is separated from the surface 36 of the substrate 32 by the dielectric layer 38. Thus, the IGFET 30 does not provide an interface between the gate electrode 40 and the surface 36 of the substrate 32 adjacent the edge of the silicon island 34; but it does provide a structure wherein the breakdown voltage of the IGFET 30 is substantially twice that of the IGFET 10 of the prior art.
One embodiment of the novel method of making the novel IGFET 30 will be described and illustrated by FIGS. 3-11. Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown the substrate 32 with a layer 34a of single-crystal N-doped silicon deposited on the surface 36 of the substrate 32. The substrate 32 can have a thickness of between about 0.025 and 0.050 cm. The silicon layer 34a can have a carrier concentration, for example, of between about 1-2 .times.10.sup.15 arsenic atoms/cm.sup.3 and a thickness of between 0.6 and 0.8 .mu.m. The silicon layer 34a is preferably deposited on the (1102) plane of sapphire by any process well known in the semiconductor art. For example, the silicon layer 34a may be deposited epitaxially on the surface 36 by the pyrolysis of silane (SiH.sub.4).
The epitaxial silicon layer 34a is now defined as a substantially rectangular mesa 34b (FIG. 4) surrounded by a thin portion 34c of the silicon layer 34a by photolithographic means, employing a suitable photoresist and etchants well known in the semiconductor processing art. The thickness of the thin portion 34c of silicon is between 50 and 500A, preferably between 100 and 300A. In forming the mesa 34b and the surrounding thin portion 36c of silicon from the silicon layer 34a (FIG. 3), portions of the silicon layer 34a are etched away until the outer edges of the thin portion 34c are almost completely etched away. Under these conditions, the portion 34c adjacent the mesa 34b will usually have a thickness of between about 100 and 300A. The exact thickness of the thin portion 34c of silicon should be determined by conventional measuring means well known in the art.
The silicon structure of FIG. 4, comprising the thin portion 34c and the mesa 34b, is now oxidized, as by heating in steam containing HCl at a temperature of about 900.degree.C for 50 minutes, to completely oxidize the thin portion 34c and to form a dielectric layer 38a of silicon oxide (FIG. 5) over the silicon island 34. An important feature of the novel IGFET 30 is the fact that the dielectric layer 38a extends over both the silicon island 34 and the surface 36 of the substrate 32, away from opposite sides of the silicon island 34, as shown in FIG. 5. A portion of the dielectric layer 38a will form the gate dielectric 38 of the novel IGFET 30. The dielectric layer 38a comprises substantially silicon dioxide.
A layer 40a polysilicon is deposited over the dielectric layer 38a to a thickness of about 0.5 .mu.m by deposition means well known in the art. The polysilicon layer 40a, shown in FIG. 6, is undoped at this stage in the manufacture of the IGFET 30. A strip 42 of boron glass is deposited over the polysilicon layer 40a and structured, by well-known photolithographic means, as with a suitable photoresist and an etchant of buffer hydrofluoric acid, for example, to have the general shape of the (gate electrode) polysilicon layer 40 shown in FIG. 2.
Boron from the structured boron glass strip 42 is now diffused into the polysilicon layer 40a by heating the structure of FIG. 6 at a temperature of about 1050.degree.C for about 15 minutes in a helium ambient. After this diffusion, the boron glass strip 42 is etched away, using pure hydrofluoric acid (which does not attack the polysilicon layer 40a). Next, the polysilicon layer 40a is etched with an anisotropic etchant of KOH, alcohol, and water to etch away all of the polysilicon layer 40a except for the polysilicon layer 40, shown in FIGS. 7 and 2, that was doped with boron from the structured boron glass strip 42. The anisotropic etchant provides sloped edges of the polysilicon layer 40.
Portions of the dielectric layer 38a, except for the (silicon oxide) dielectric layer 38 (FIGS. 8 and 2) directly beneath the polysilicon layer 40, are now etched with a buffered hydrofluoric acid etchant to expose areas of the upper surface of the silicon island 34 for diffusing dopants therein to form source and drain regions.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view through the central portion of the IGFET structure, that is, through what is to be the channel region of the novel IGFET 30. FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of the novel IGFET, without a passivating layer thereon, as illustrated also as in the perspective view of FIG. 2.
Means are now provided to form the source and drain regions of the novel IGFET 30. To this end, a glass layer 44 of P+ doped glass, such as boron glass, for example, is deposited over the surface 36 of the substrate 32, over the exposed portions of the silicon island 34, and over the polysilicon layer 40, as shown in FIG. 10, by any suitable means known in the semiconductor art. The P+ dopant from the glass layer 44 is now diffused into the contiguous portions of the silicon island 34 to form source and drain regions 46 and 48, respectively, as shown in FIG. 11. This diffusion is carried out by heating the structure, shown in FIG. 10, at about 1050.degree.C for about 15 minutes in a helium ambient. The region of the silicon island 34, between the source and drain regions 46 and 48, is channel region 50 of the novel IGFET 30, the channel region 50 being substantially beneath the (silicon oxide) dielectric layer 38 and the polysilicon layer 40 (gate electrode).
Contact openings are now formed in the glass layer 44, above the source and drain regions 46 and 48 for metal (aluminum) contacts 52 and 54, respectively, to these regions. An opening (not shown) in the glass layer 44 for an electrical contact to the (gate electrode) polysilicon layer 40 is also made. The glass layer 44 in addition to its function as a dopant source, also functions as a passivating layer of the novel IGFET 30.
In operation, we have observed that the breakdown voltage for the IGFET 30, illustrated in FIG. 11, is substantially twice that of the prior-art IGFET 10, illustrated in FIG. 1. The reason for this improved operating characteristic is due, at least in part, to the fact that the IGFET 30 has a structure wherein the gate dielectric, that is the silicon oxide dielectric layer 38 is formed over both the island 34 and the surface 36 of the substrate 32, as shown best in FIGS. 2 and 9; and the gate electrode, that is, the polysilicon layer 40 is coextensive with the dielectric layer 38, thereby eliminating the aforementioned weakness of the polysilicon-silicon oxide-silicon-sapphire interface 22 (FIG. 1) of the prior-art IGFET 10.
In the aforementioned novel method of making the novel IGFET 30, the partial etch of, and mesa formation from, the epitaxial silicon layer 34a, shown in FIG. 4, is exacting and time consuming because of the necessity of etching the thin portion 34c uniformly to a thickness approximately between 100 and 300A. This operation usually requires close observation and testing. The partial etching operation is obviated in another embodiment of the novel method illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. Thus, after the silicon layer 34 a is deposited on the surface 36 of the substrate 32, as shown in FIG. 3, the silicon layer 34a is etched, by photolithographic means well known in the art, to form the rectangular silicon island 34, as shown in FIG. 12. Next, a layer 34d of epitaxial single-crystal or polycrystalline silicon is deposited over the silicon island 34 and over the surface 36 of the substrate 32 to a thickness of between 50 and 500A, preferably between 100 and 300A.
The structure of FIG. 13 is now oxidized in steam, containing HCl, at a temperature of about 900.degree.C for about 15 minutes until the silicon layer 34d is completely oxidized to silicon oxide, mostly silicon dioxide. When the structure of FIG. 13 is so oxidized, it assumes the structure previously described for FIG. 5, the oxidized layer now being the silicon oxide dielectric layer 38a of FIG. 5. The manufacture of the novel IGFET 30 (FIG. 11) from this point on is the same as previously described for FIGS. 5-11.
Referring now to FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 of the drawings, there is shown an IGFET 30a, another embodiment of the invention. The IGFET 30a is similar to the IGFET 30, shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, except for the gate dielectric. In the IGFET 30a, the gate dielectric comprises a dielectric layer 39 of an insulating material other than thermally grown silicon oxide, such as silicon nitride (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4), aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), or vapor-deposited silicon oxide, for example. The gate dielectric of the IGFET 30a can preferably be a composite of two layers of electrically insulating material, such as the dielectric layer 39 and a dielectric layer 38c (FIG. 17) of silicon dioxide. Hence, in the IGFET 30a, the polysilicon layer 40 gate electrode extends from opposite sides of the silicon island 34 and is separated from the surface 36 of the substrate 32 by the dielectric layer 39 of silicon nitride or aluminum oxide, as shown in FIG. 16. The dielectric layer 38c, in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17, extends only over the channel region 50 of the IGFET 30a. While the IGFET 30a is operable without the dielectric layer 38c, of silicon oxide, it forms a preferable composite dielectric layer with the dielectric layer 39.
The embodiment of the novel method of making the novel IGFET 30a will be described with the aid of the FIGS. 3, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17. The silicon island 34 (FIG. 12) on the surface 36 of the substrate 32 is provided by defining the epitaxially deposited silicon layer 34a (FIG. 3) as described supra. A dielectric layer 38b (FIG. 14) is grown over the exposed surface of the silicon island 34, as by heating the silicon island 34 in steam, containing HCl, at a temperature of about 900.degree.C for about 50 minutes. The thickness of the dielectric layer 38b may range from between about 20 and 900A.
Next, a dielectric layer 39a (FIG. 14) of silicon nitride, aluminum oxide, or vapor-deposited silicon oxide is deposited over the dielectric layer 38b to form a composite dielectric layer therewith. Silicon nitride can be deposited from the reaction of silane (SiH.sub.4) and ammonia (NH.sub.3) at a temperature of about 900.degree.C in a hydrogen (H.sub.2) ambient. Aluminum oxide, if desired for the dielectric layer 39a, can be deposited by first depositing a layer of aluminum and then oxidizing the aluminum, as by anodic oxidation, in a manner well known in the art. Vapor deposited silicon oxide can be deposited from the reaction of silane and oxygen in neutral (N.sub.2) ambient at about 400.degree.C. The thickness of the dielectric layer 39a can be between about 100 and 1000A.
The polysilicon layer 40a (FIG. 14) is now deposited over the dielectric layer 39a and doped by diffusion from the structured boron glass strip 42 (FIG. 14) in the same manner described previously for forming the gate electrode, polysilicon layer 40, for the IGFET 30.
The doped polysilicon layer 40a (FIG. 14) is now etched with an anisotropic etchant of KOH, alcohol, and water to form the structured polysilicon layer 40 (of the shape shown in FIG. 2), that is, over what is to be the channel region 50 (FIG. 17), of the IGFET 30a. Using the polysilicon layer 40 as a mask, the dielectric layers 39a and 38b are etched to the shape illustrated in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17. When the dielectric layer 30a is of silicon nitride or aluminum oxide, it is etched with hot phosphoric acid to form the dielectric layer 39 (FIGS. 15 and 16). The dielectric layer 38b of silicon oxide is etched with buffered HF to form the dielectric layer 38c (FIGS. 15 and 16).
The structure of the IGFET 30a thus far completed, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, is now covered with the P+ doped layer 44, as shown in FIG. 17, in the same manner as described previously with respect to FIGS. 10 and 11 supra. From this point on the formation of the source region 46, drain region 48, and channel region 50 and contacts 52 and 54 to the source and drain regions, respectively, for the IGFET 30a is substantially the same as described previously for the IGFET 30.
While the embodiments of the novel IGFETs 30 and 30a have been described as having a doped polysilicon gate electrode doped polysilicon (layer 40), it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide the IGFETs 30 and 30a with a metal (gate) electrode, such as of aluminum, molybdenum, tungsten, or alloys thereof, for example, in place of the doped polysilicon gate electrode, in a manner well known in the art. Gate electrodes of doped polysilicon (layer 40) for the IGFETs 30 and 30a are preferred to metal gate electrodes because the former provide the IGFETs with better performance, higher speed of operation, and a lower level of power dissipation.
1. An IGFET comprising:
an electrically insulating substrate having a surface,
an island of single-crystal silicon on a portion of said surface, having source and drain regions of one type conductivity at opposite ends thereof, respectively, and having a channel region of the opposite type conductivity intermediate said source and drain regions and adjacent to the surface of said island away from said substrate,
a dielectric layer over said channel region and continuous over said surface of said substrate on opposite sides of said channel region and extending away therefrom, said opposite sides being along the same direction as the flow of conductivity modifiers in said channel region, and
a gate electrode over said dielectric layer, said gate electrode extending beyond said channel region away from said opposite sides and being separated from said substrate by said dielectric layer.
2. An IGFET as defined in claim 1, wherein:
said electrically insulating substrate is an electrical insulator chosen from the group consisting of sapphire and spinel, and
said dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide.
said dielectric layer comprises the reaction product of the oxidation of silicon that has been deposited on said substrate, and
said gate electrode is a metal chosen from the group consisting of aluminum, molybdenum, tungsten, and alloys thereof.
said gate electrode comprises doped polysilicon.
a passivating layer, comprising dopant means for said gate electrode, is deposited over said gate electrode and said island.
said dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride.
said dielectric layer comprises aluminum oxide.
said dielectric layer comprises vapor-deposited silicon oxide.
said dielectric layer is a composite of a layer of thermally grown silicon oxide and a layer of a dielectric material chosen from the group consisting of vapor-deposited silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and aluminum oxide.
3191061 June 1965 Weimer
3890632 June 1975 Ham et al.
IBM Tech. Bul. -vol. 16, No. 3, Aug. 1973 - Abbas et al, "Silicon on Sapphire on Silicon..."
Date of Patent: Aug 10, 1976
Assignee: RCA Corporation (New York, NY)
Inventors: Alfred Charles Ipri (Belle Mead, NJ), Joseph Hurlong Scott (Plainsboro, NJ), John Carl Sarace (Plainfield, NJ)
Primary Examiner: Edward J. Wojciechowicz
Attorneys: H. Christoffersen, Robert P. Williams, Thomas H. Magee
Current U.S. Class: 357/23; 357/4; 357/55; 357/49
International Classification: H01L 2978; H01L 2712; H01L 4500; H01L 2906;
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On the Campus Feats of magic and card games
By Isia Jasiewicz ’10, Laura Fitzpatrick ’08
Published in the November 7, 2007 Issue
Emily Sands ’09 was sitting in a booth at Chancellor Green Café one Friday afternoon when she noticed Randy Shine talking to two other students. She took off her headphones to listen, and the next thing she knew, Shine — a Philadelphia-based professional magician — had made a ball materialize in her closed hand. Looking up at him, she exclaimed, “That’s so beautiful!”
The three students were among dozens approached by Shine and another magician, Francis Menotti, as the two roved campus that day as part of the David A. Gardner ’69 Magic Project. Gardner paid his way through Princeton by doing magic tricks, and after his death in 2001, his widow, Lynn Shostack, established the fund to promote the academic study of magic on campus through grants for courses, research groups, and special events.
Carol Rigolot, executive director of the Council of the Humanities, said that the roving magicians were brought to campus at Shostack’s request to “cheer the students up.” Later that afternoon, Wilson College sponsored a magic workshop to give students an opportunity to learn about the trade. About 20 people showed up to watch as Shine made an egg appear in an empty bag and as Menotti conjured a turnip from thin air.
Shine and Menotti then gave students an opportunity to learn a few tricks of their own. Every student was given a deck of cards and a washer and taught basic card and coin tricks. The magicians also spoke about their experiences starting a magic club together at Penn State University.
Wilson Faculty Fellow Graham Jones, a lecturer in the Council of the Humanities, hopes students at Princeton will follow the magicians’ example and set up a club of their own. Magic, he said, is “a form of performance that is fun, accessible, and intellectually rich to boot.”
Yang Cai ’11, who took magic classes in Beijing before coming to Princeton, agreed. “Magic constantly challenges the magician’s imagination,” he said. “This feeling is unique, and I can’t find it through anything else.” By Isia Jasiewicz ’10
On a sunny Sunday afternoon in October, math club members were hunched over tables in the drab third-floor lounge of Fine Hall, deep in concentration. They scrutinized grids of symbols and searched for patterns among a series of colored shapes. “Set!” cried one young man. That’s the name of the game at the afternoon’s tournament and, winning a point, he swept up a handful of playing cards.
Developed by geneticist Marsha Jean Falco from a coding system she used in her lab in Cambridge, England, Set is a playground for the right brain. Adam Hesterberg ’11, the math club’s lanky freshman officer and a future math concentrator, was dressed for the occasion in a “CANADA/USA MATHCAMP” T-shirt sprinkled with equations. For the layperson, the challenge is spotting a pattern of three cards — a set — in a group of 12. Sets are defined by a single rule: each of four individual variables (shape, color, number, and texture) must be the same on all three cards, or different on each card. Sounds simple — until you try it.
In the advanced division, the concentration was palpable. The four beginners plugged away competently, but the five veterans played at lightning speed. One player in an official Set T-shirt machine-gunned cards down on the table, slapping his palm down on a set a fraction of a second after he finished dealing. Occasionally someone pounced on a set with such force that the cards went skimming across the table. Sportsmanship was a common denominator: When two players slammed on sets that overlapped by one card, they split the score, two and a half each.
By popular demand, Hesterberg tabulated the scores in ternary form (base three); then he fed them into a scoring algorithm on his TI-83 Plus based on matrices and Eigen vectors. When the tallies came in, Hersterberg was top Setter among the vets. Rebecca Legett, a senior in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department, won first prize for the neophytes — her own Set deck.
Then, walking back to the table and flopping on the couches, the players started up again. The intensity stayed high, but this time they were playing for fun. By Laura Fitzpatrick ’08
Math Mecca
Once again, these are heady times in Fine Hall
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Four key factors related to adult learning
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Case study on project management life cycle
A paper on sexual experiences of society
Men, women, and rape. The upheaval and tensions of this process may have exacerbated the lack of communication and information sharing that made it hard be alert to the problem of child sexual abuse. Those are just a few pieces of information that show this problem is not so "rare" as some claim.
This workshop should be both educational and enjoyable. The stereotypes about women and mothers creeps into almost every aspect of how we perceive this issue.
An overview of responses and their determinants. It is often the preferred term used in the context of violence experienced in Indigenous communities, involving a variety of kinship and marital arrangements.
Pseudonyms are used throughout. From a conceptual standpoint, many also make the mistake of accepting and using, uncritically, a woman-centred-only model of victimization. Widespread press and parliamentary pressure led to the return to their families of most of the children, despite in some cases evidence beyond the contentious RAD test that they had been abused.
Berube reported the results of previously unpublished studies conducted by military physicians and researchers during World War II.
That the majority of sexual victimization reported by youth in juvenile Female Sex Offenders and their victims- Reference materials and scholarly papers Posted: Council of Europe Publishing. Children are usually a little bit more open with someone who does not remind them of the perpetrator.
Often women were prescribed bed rest as a form of treatment, which was meant to "tame" them and basically keep them imprisoned. Topic leaders will facilitate the informal discussions, and the attendees may choose which topic they would like to discuss.
This is a group that certainly will participate in the publication process as authors and reviewers of papers, but also is the pool of people from which journal editors and associate editors eventually will be selected.
Another thing he mentioned was that he was reluctant to talk to anyone about this because one of the reactions he has gotten was to be blamed and called a pervert.
We would recognize that regardless of our own theoretical starting points, male victims have their own voice, their own meanings for their experiences. Female predators' crimes are often attributed to marital problems, depression, loneliness, immaturity or self-esteem issues. This meant that abuse, whether physical, sexual or emotional, was less likely to lead to removal of a child.
If any of these accusations are true, they must be confronted by all of us. Treichler's article "Escaping the Sentence: For example, Natalie, the woman raped by a group of men in an abandoned building, attributed her decision to stop disclosing to the negative reactions she received from the police and medical system.
Is there a threshold of positive disclosure experiences that serve to negate negative experiences? Society's Betrayal of Boys she goes on to relate this: Investigators allege she put her 2-and-a-half-year-old son Zachary in boiling water on Oct.
They feel many writers and thinkers in the field have delineated the boundaries of the discourse on violence and abuse - boundaries that leave males out. We will recognize, finally, that means are ends.
They are so consumed with self-blame and shame that it happened to them. Todaya large body of published empirical research clearly refutes the notion that homosexuality per se is indicative of or correlated with psychopathology. Ethnography and qualitative design in education research.
In one of the most troubling studies, Pierce and Pierce found that male victims, despite being subjected to more invasive types of abuse and more types of sexual acts than female victims, were 5 times less likely to be removed from their homes. Indeed, all three cases that were reported to the police were dropped and none resulted in prosecution of the offender for rape.
Saying that Sexual Harassment cases became big because plaintiffs could get big awards from deep-pocket corporations, it goes on to say "But in STD cases, the sole source of recovery is the individual defendant, whose vulnerability to being sued is grater depending on HIS assets Separate computers will be made available in this room for accessing email.
These differences in sexual culture are historically rooted, and connected to a well-integrated ideology about equality between individuals, and groups of individuals. For others, they only began disclosing once supportive providers were found most commonly, counselors.
A total of Nonetheless, victims were not always portrayed as virtuous or innocent, particularly if they were from impoverished backgrounds. The system is set up to handle the sexual exploitation of young women, not young men," she said.
Nonparametric statistics for health care research:There are two major determinants of human sexual behaviour: the inherited sexual response patterns that have evolved as a means of ensuring reproduction and that are a part of each individual’s genetic inheritance, and the degree of restraint or other types of influence exerted on the individual by society in the expression of his sexuality.
Choose your region. Selecting a region changes the language and/or content on kaleiseminari.com A Paper on Sexual Experiences of Society PAGES 3. WORDS 1, View Full Essay. More essays like this: sexual experiences, societys sexual experiences, sexual pleasure, making love.
Not sure what I'd do without @Kibin - Alfredo Alvarez, student @ Miami University. Exactly what I needed. - Sexuality is everywhere; it bounces recklessly back and forth in the teenage subconscious. Sneaking into the little everyday tasks, In a society where sex is becoming more and more common in the media it is still considered a fairly taboo topic, especially when it comes to teens.
Type or paste a DOI name into the text box. Click Go. Your browser will take you to a Web page (URL) associated with that DOI name.
Send questions or comments to doi. The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) was founded in in an effort to advocate for patients and families who felt they had been harmed by their experiences with the health care system.
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Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder
Benan Shu, Shaopeng Wu, Lijie Dong, Qing Wang, Quantao Liu
This work aims to develop an original alginate micro-emulsion combining with droplets microfluidic method to produce multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator for the self-healing of bituminous binder. The sizes of the Ca-alginate microcapsules could be easily controlled by tuning flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phases. The addition of a surfactant Tween80 not only improved the stability of the emulsion, but it also effectively reduced the size of the microcapsules. Size predictive mathematical model of the microcapsules was proposed through the analysis of fluid force. Optical microscope and remote Fourier infrared test confirmed the multinuclear structure of Ca-alginate microcapsules. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the microcapsules coated with nearly 40% rejuvenator and they remained intact during the preparation of bitumen specimen at 135 °C. Micro self-healing process of bituminous binder with multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator was monitored and showed enhanced self-healing performance. Tensile stress-recovery test revealed that the recovery rate increased by 32.08% (in the case of 5% microcapsules), which meant that the Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator could effectively enhance the self-healing property of bituminous binder.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11040630
Thermogravimetric analysis
alginic acid
Surface active agents
Surface-Active Agents
Shu, B., Wu, S., Dong, L., Wang, Q., & Liu, Q. (2018). Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder. Materials, 11(4), [630]. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11040630
Shu, Benan ; Wu, Shaopeng ; Dong, Lijie ; Wang, Qing ; Liu, Quantao. / Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder. In: Materials. 2018 ; Vol. 11, No. 4.
@article{4f9e6363a44545a2a625babb76af9633,
title = "Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder",
abstract = "This work aims to develop an original alginate micro-emulsion combining with droplets microfluidic method to produce multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator for the self-healing of bituminous binder. The sizes of the Ca-alginate microcapsules could be easily controlled by tuning flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phases. The addition of a surfactant Tween80 not only improved the stability of the emulsion, but it also effectively reduced the size of the microcapsules. Size predictive mathematical model of the microcapsules was proposed through the analysis of fluid force. Optical microscope and remote Fourier infrared test confirmed the multinuclear structure of Ca-alginate microcapsules. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the microcapsules coated with nearly 40{\%} rejuvenator and they remained intact during the preparation of bitumen specimen at 135 °C. Micro self-healing process of bituminous binder with multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator was monitored and showed enhanced self-healing performance. Tensile stress-recovery test revealed that the recovery rate increased by 32.08{\%} (in the case of 5{\%} microcapsules), which meant that the Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator could effectively enhance the self-healing property of bituminous binder.",
author = "Benan Shu and Shaopeng Wu and Lijie Dong and Qing Wang and Quantao Liu",
doi = "10.3390/ma11040630",
journal = "Materials",
publisher = "MDPI AG",
Shu, B, Wu, S, Dong, L, Wang, Q & Liu, Q 2018, 'Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder', Materials, vol. 11, no. 4, 630. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11040630
Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder. / Shu, Benan; Wu, Shaopeng; Dong, Lijie; Wang, Qing; Liu, Quantao.
In: Materials, Vol. 11, No. 4, 630, 19.04.2018.
T1 - Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder
AU - Shu, Benan
AU - Wu, Shaopeng
AU - Dong, Lijie
AU - Wang, Qing
AU - Liu, Quantao
N2 - This work aims to develop an original alginate micro-emulsion combining with droplets microfluidic method to produce multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator for the self-healing of bituminous binder. The sizes of the Ca-alginate microcapsules could be easily controlled by tuning flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phases. The addition of a surfactant Tween80 not only improved the stability of the emulsion, but it also effectively reduced the size of the microcapsules. Size predictive mathematical model of the microcapsules was proposed through the analysis of fluid force. Optical microscope and remote Fourier infrared test confirmed the multinuclear structure of Ca-alginate microcapsules. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the microcapsules coated with nearly 40% rejuvenator and they remained intact during the preparation of bitumen specimen at 135 °C. Micro self-healing process of bituminous binder with multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator was monitored and showed enhanced self-healing performance. Tensile stress-recovery test revealed that the recovery rate increased by 32.08% (in the case of 5% microcapsules), which meant that the Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator could effectively enhance the self-healing property of bituminous binder.
AB - This work aims to develop an original alginate micro-emulsion combining with droplets microfluidic method to produce multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator for the self-healing of bituminous binder. The sizes of the Ca-alginate microcapsules could be easily controlled by tuning flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phases. The addition of a surfactant Tween80 not only improved the stability of the emulsion, but it also effectively reduced the size of the microcapsules. Size predictive mathematical model of the microcapsules was proposed through the analysis of fluid force. Optical microscope and remote Fourier infrared test confirmed the multinuclear structure of Ca-alginate microcapsules. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the microcapsules coated with nearly 40% rejuvenator and they remained intact during the preparation of bitumen specimen at 135 °C. Micro self-healing process of bituminous binder with multinuclear Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator was monitored and showed enhanced self-healing performance. Tensile stress-recovery test revealed that the recovery rate increased by 32.08% (in the case of 5% microcapsules), which meant that the Ca-alginate microcapsules containing rejuvenator could effectively enhance the self-healing property of bituminous binder.
U2 - 10.3390/ma11040630
DO - 10.3390/ma11040630
JO - Materials
JF - Materials
M1 - 630
Shu B, Wu S, Dong L, Wang Q, Liu Q. Microfluidic synthesis of Ca-alginate microcapsules for self-healing of bituminous binder. Materials. 2018 Apr 19;11(4). 630. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11040630
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A.G.’s Office: Dealers May Be Rebranding Heroin Connected To Overdose Deaths
Filed Under:Arrest, Bud Ice, Clairton, Clairton Police, Drugs, Fentanyl, Harold Hayes, Heroin, Overdose Deaths, Overdoses, Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, Sky High, Theraflu, Third Street, Tywon Newby
(Photo Courtesy: Pennsylvania's Office of the Attorney General)
CLAIRTON (KDKA) — There was another heroin bust in the area today.
There’s been renewed attention on heroin amid a string of overdose deaths tied to a particular type of heroin.
Early Thursday morning, agents from Pennsylvania’s Office of the Attorney General and Clairton Police arrested 39-year-old Tywon Newby and charged him with heroin possession and intent to deliver.
Newby said nothing as he headed to his arraignment.
But, according to the criminal complaint, Newby and two others were found in a house in the 500-block of Third Street in Clairton when agents arrived.
During a search of the second floor where Newby was sleeping, police say they found 25 stamp bags of heroin in a coat, and then found a shoebox inside the closet with 48 bricks of heroin, each brick containing about 50 individual stamp bags.
In all, more than 2,000 stamp bags of heroin and more than $8,500 in cash.
The bags were stamped “Sky High.”
The Attorney General’s Office says investigators believe that drug dealers may be “rebranding” the heroin now that the stamps, including “Theraflu” and “Bud Ice,” have been widely reported to be highly dangerous.
The affidavit of probable cause reports that this particular case developed after police used surveillance and used a confidential informant for two controlled buys from the defendant.
It will be information gained on the street that will help lead investigators to whoever is producing the drug.
Attorney General Kathleen Kane is urging anyone with information about the heroin trade to call her tip line at 1-800-442-8006.
Newby’s bond has been set at 150,000.
More Reports on the Overdose Deaths
More Reports by Harold Hayes
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
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« Metabolomics and renal cancer
Myocardial Strain and Segmental Synchrony: Age and Gender in Speckle-tracking-based Echocardiographic Study »
Alternative Designs for the Human Artificial Heart: Patients in Heart Failure – Outcomes of Transplant (donor)/Implantation (artificial) and Monitoring Technologies for the Transplant/Implant Patient in the Community
August 5, 2013 by 2012pharmaceutical
Authors and Curators: Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC
Article Curator and Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
When the heart fails to function adequately, whether from large or multiple myocardial infarctions (tissue death/scarring) or from permanent inflammatory, toxic, microvascular or infectious muscle injury, it has two modes of failure: forward failure = inadequate pumping of blood to tissues, and backward failure = inadequate withdrawal of blood from the lungs, resulting in pulmonary congestion and elevated back-pressures which cause fluid to seep into air spaces (pulmonary edema) interfering with oxygen uptake. When the heart cannot be repaired, replacement is considered. Additional pumps may be placed in parallel and/or in series with the heart to assist circulation of blood. A heart from another patient (usually a patient deemed brain dead from trauma) or from a baboon may be transplanted to replace the ailing heart, or may be placed in tandem with the ailing heart, or the heart and lungs may be replaced together (heart-lung transplant). Additional options include the intra-aortic balloon pump, the Impella catheter pump, other ventricular assist devices. There is far greater demand for heart transplants than there are available suitable organs, so work continues on alternatives. Additional reasons to seek alternatives include the complications of transplantation. Transplantation requires shutting down the body defenses against foreign materials, called immune suppression, but the immune defense system protects against cancer and infection, so a one in five of the transplant patients succomb to cancer or infection, while others die of rejection due to insufficient suppression of the autoimmune system. Artificial materials exist that do not trigger autoimmune defenses, thereby avoiding that major issue, but energizing the pump, providing sufficient circulatory support and avoiding damage to the blood have been major hurdles.
This article has the following FIVE Parts:
Part I. Alternative Models of Artificial Hearts, US and Europe
By Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
Part II. Comparison of the Cardiac Operations involved in an Organ Transplant of a Donor’s Heart vs Implantation of an Artificial Heart
By Justin D Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC
Part III. Comparative Analysis of Transplant Clinical Outcomes based on Data in:
Heart Transplant (HT) Indication for Heart Failure (HF): Procedure Outcomes and Research on HF, HT @ Two Nation’s Leading HF & HT Centers
Part IV. Imaging Technologies in use for Clinical Monitoring of Patients with Heart Transplant: Donor Human Heart and Artificial Heart
Part V. The Failure of a Heart Transplant – Pathology and Autopsy Findings
by Larry H Bernstein, MD, FCAP
Alternative Models of Artificial Hearts, US and Europe
Latest Innovations in Alternative Models of Artificial Hearts, US and Europe
by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
Total Artificial Heart Manufacturer SynCardia Secures $14M in Growth Financing
$10M Financed by SWK of Dallas with $4M from Athyrium Opportunities Fund
A $14 million infusion of funding will allow SynCardia Systems, Inc. to respond to the rapid growth in the number of Total Artificial Heart implants and SynCardia Certified Centers that has occurred since 2010. As of Dec. 16, 2013, there were 155 implants of the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart, making 2013 another record-breaking year.
TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Privately held SynCardia Systems, Inc. announced today that it had raised $14 million to fund the rapid growth of the only approved medical device that eliminates the symptoms and source of end-stage heart failure, the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart. The SynCardia Total Artificial Heart is the world’s first and only FDA, Health Canada and CE (Europe) approved Total Artificial Heart.
“SWK is very pleased to provide SynCardia this new capital in order to help further the growth of the company’s Total Artificial Heart,” Brett Pope, CEO of SWK Holdings Corporation, says of its $10-million financing. “We are very gratified to help expand the availability of this lifesaving device.”
“In 2013 we are setting another record for SynCardia Heart implants, nearly double what was then our 2011 record-breaking year of 81 implants,” says Michael Garippa, President and CEO of SynCardia. “As of Dec. 16, 155 SynCardia Total Artificial Hearts have been implanted this year.”
The financing positively affects the development of the new, smaller 50cc version of the approved 70cc SynCardia Total Artificial Heart, the availability of the Freedom portable driver and the use of SynCardia technology for destination therapy.
“We are pleased to support SynCardia’s continued clinical and commercial successes,” says Laurent Hermouet, a partner at Athyrium. “This latest financing will help reinforce SynCardia’s supply chain and manufacturing capabilities ahead of new product launches and increased production levels.”
The $4 million provided by Athyrium Capital Management in last week’s funding supplemented $15 million in long-term growth capital it provided to SynCardia in March 2013.
Wedbush PacGrow Life Sciences acted as exclusive placement agent for the offering.
The new financing allows SynCardia to accelerate the development and launch of its 50cc Total Artificial Heart* through an FDA-approved clinical study. Together, the 50cc and 70cc sizes of the Total Artificial Heart will fit almost all women and men, as well as many pediatric patients. With this expanded product line, SynCardia anticipates the tripling of the market size and sales potential for the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart.
The funds also will help the company meet the increasing demand for the Freedom portable drivers. In a letter dated Oct. 21, 2013, the FDA determined that the Freedom PMA supplement is approvable with the submission of additional information. The 13.5-pound wearable Freedom driver, which powers the SynCardia Heart while giving patients nearly unrestricted mobility, is already approved by Health Canada and has a CE Mark for Europe.
SynCardia is an innovative, 85-employee company focused on advanced medical technology targeting the NYHA Class IV heart failure market. There are 93 SynCardia Certified Centers worldwide where the SynCardia Heart is immediately available with an additional 35 hospitals undergoing the company’s four-phase certification program. As of Dec. 16, 2013, there have been 1,262 total implants of the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart worldwide.
SWK Holdings Corporation is a specialized finance company with a focus on the global healthcare sector. SWK partners with ethical product marketers and royalty holders to provide flexible financing solutions at an attractive cost of capital to create long-term value for both SWK’s business partners and its investors. SWK believes its financing structures achieve an optimal partnership for companies, institutions and inventors seeking capital for expansion or capital and estate planning by allowing its partners to monetize future cash flow with minimal dilution to their equity stakes. Additional information on the life science finance market is available on the company’s website at http://www.swkhold.com.
Athyrium Capital Management, LLC is an asset management company formed in 2008 to focus on investment opportunities in the global healthcare sector. Athyrium invests across all healthcare verticals including biopharma, medical devices and products and healthcare services, and partners with management teams to implement creative financing solutions to companies’ capital needs. The Athyrium team has substantial investment experience in the healthcare sector across a wide range of asset classes, including public equity, private equity, fixed income, royalties and other structured securities. Athyrium has over $600 million under management as of Sept. 30, 2013. The firm’s investors include public and corporate pension funds, charitable endowments, insurance companies, funds-of-funds, family offices and university endowments. For more information, please visit http://www.athyrium.com.
*The 50cc Total Artificial Heart is designed for use as a bridge to transplant in patients of smaller stature, including women and adolescents. It has been designated as a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) by the FDA for destination therapy in adults and as a bridge to transplant in pediatric patients. Prior to clinical study, an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application that includes each indication must be approved by the FDA.
** CAUTION – The Freedom portable driver is an investigational device, limited by United States law to investigational use.
About the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart
For additional information, please visit: http://www.syncardia.com
Like SynCardia on Facebook
Follow SynCardia on Twitter – @SynCardia
Connect with SynCardia on LinkedIn
SynCardia Systems, Inc.
Read more: Total Artificial Heart Manufacturer SynCardia Secures $14M in Growth Financing – FierceMedicalDevices http://www.fiercemedicaldevices.com/press-releases/total-artificial-heart-manufacturer-syncardia-secures-14m-growth-financing#ixzz2otlLCH8I
Subscribe at FierceMedicalDevices
First Carmat artificial heart implanted in human in France
http://medcitynews.com/2013/12/first-artificial-heart-implanted-human/
Carmat Investigates Death of First Artificial Heart Recipient
Posted in Cardiovascular by Stephen Levy on March 18, 2014
French artificial heart maker Carmat says it will not perform another human implant until it has determined the cause of death of the first patient fitted with the device.
That first patient, a 76-year-old man suffering from terminal heat failure, died March 2. He received the implanted artificial heart 75 days before, on December 18. The Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, where the implantation was performed, announced the death.
Artificial heart internals (Courtesy Carmat)
Alain Carpentier, MD, the inventor of the heart, told the Journal du Dimanche on March 16 that the heart had stopped after a short circuit, although the exact reasons behind the death were still unknown.
“We are trying to understand where this electronic problem came from and why,” Carpentier told the French weekly. “Our engineers are working night and day to understand, and they will find (the reason).”
Velizy Villacoublay, France–based Carmat said in a news release on March 17 that it is continuing to analyze the data from the first implanted prosthesis. The company further stated that it will continue the clinical trial once it has obtained the results of the data from the first implantation.
Reuters reports that Philippe Pouletty, director general of Truffle Capital, one of Carmat’s main shareholders, told i>Tele television, “Patients are still being chosen, but of course we will wait to hear a little more on the causes of the death of the first patient before transplanting another artificial heart.”
The company explained that its detailed analysis of the data is still being carried out. More than 4000 pieces of data are recorded every second, it said. These include inputs from the artificial heart itself, its control console, and their respective power supplies.
Also of great interest are the very complex interactions between the weakened heart of the patient and the prosthesis. At the current time, Carmat says, there is no single explanation, only hypotheses that will be substantiated or not in the coming weeks by in-house and external experts. The results of the analyses of the first implantation, and the subsequent implantations, will be reviewed by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB).
From the company’s point of view, the first implantation was a success. The patient survived for 74 days within the framework of a trial where the benchmark for success was 30 days. Carmat says that the approved medical centers are continuing to assess next patients for the ongoing clinical trial.
Pouletty said that the data analysis would be complete within “a few weeks.” The company has previously stated that if it passed this first safety test, it intends to fit the device into about 20 more patients with less severe heart failure later this year. It hopes to apply for CE Marking to market its device in Europe by 2015.
Stephen Levy is a contributor to Qmed and MPMN.
http://www.qmed.com/news/carmat-investigates-death-first-artificial-heart-recipient?cid=nl.qmed02
UPDATED on 3/6/2014
Artificial heart patient in France dies – Frenchman died 75 days after surgery
Thomson Reuters Posted: Mar 04, 2014 5:11 PM ET Last Updated: Mar 04, 2014 5:12 PM ET
VIDEO: Broken heart replaced in France
Artificial heart patient in France doing well
The first patient fitted with an artificial heart made by the French company Carmat has died, the hospital that had performed the transplant in December has announced.
Carmat’s bioprosthetic device is designed to replace the real heart for as much as five years, mimicking nature’s work using biological materials and sensors. (Benoit Tessier/Reuters)
The 76-year-old man died on Sunday, 75 days after the operation, the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris said in a statement, adding that the cause of his death could not be known for sure at this stage.
When he was fitted with the device, the man was suffering from terminal heart failure, when the sick heart can no longer pump enough blood to sustain the body, and was said to have only a few weeks, or even days, to live.
Carmat’s bioprosthetic device is designed to replace the real heart for as much as five years, mimicking nature’s work using biological materials and sensors. It aims to help the thousands of patients who die each year while awaiting a donor, and reducing the side-effects associated with transplants.
Broken heart replaced in France
“Carmat wishes to pay tribute to the courage and the pioneering role of this patient and his family, as well as the medical team’s dedication,” a company spokeswoman said.
She stressed that it was premature to draw any conclusions on Carmat’s artificial heart at this stage.
Three more patients in France with terminal heart failure are due to be fitted with the device. The clinical trial will be considered a success if the patients survive with the implant for at least a month.
If it passes the test, Carmat has said it would fit the device into about 20 patients with less severe heart failure.
Extending life
“The doctors directly involved in the post-surgical care wish to highlight the value of the lessons learned from this first clinical trial, with regard to the selection of the patient, his surveillance, the prevention and treatment of difficulties encountered,” the hospital said in its statement.
An in-depth analysis of the medical and technical data gathered since the patient’s operation will be needed to establish the cause of his death, the hospital added.
Carmat estimates around 100,000 patients in the United States and Europe could benefit from its artificial heart, a market worth more than $12 billion.
Among Carmat’s competitors for artificial heart implants are privately-held SynCardia Systems and Abiomed, both of the United States.
SynCardia’s artificial heart is the only one approved both in the United States and the European Union and has been implanted in more than 1,200 patients to keep them waiting for a heart from a matching donor. The longest a patient has lived with the device is just under four years prior to a transplant.
Carmat’s heart is designed to serve not as a bridge to transplant but as a permanent implant, extending life for terminally ill patients who cannot hope for a real organ, generally because they are too old and donors too scarce.
Carmat’s shares, which have risen nearly five-fold since floating on the Paris stock market in 2010, closed at 95 euros before Monday’s news, giving the company a market capitalization of around 407 million euros
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/artificial-heart-patient-in-france-dies-1.2559876
December 20, 2013 12:11 pm by Staff
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s Carmat said on Friday it had carried out the first human implantation of its artificial heart.The operation, performed on Wednesday at the Georges Pompidou European Hospital in Paris, went smoothly, Carmat said in a statement, adding that the patient was being monitored in the intensive care unit but was awake and talking.(Reporting by Natalie Huet; editing by Mark John)
Read more: http://medcitynews.com/2013/12/first-artificial-heart-implanted-human/#ixzz2oLlFRyDG
An artificial heart from a French company is to be tested in patients in four countries.
By ANNE EISENBERG
Published: July 13, 2013 – The New York Times, Novelties
SCIENTISTS have long searched for a durable artificial heart that can work as efficiently as the one supplied by nature.
Carmat
Cow tissue will be used on surfaces of membranes — represented by elliptical shapes in this rendering — that touch the blood.
Now Carmat, a company based in Paris, has designed an artificial heart fashioned in part from cow tissue. The device, soon to be tested in patients with heart failure, is regulated by sensors, software and microelectronics. Its power will come from two external, wearable lithium-ion batteries.
Fifteen years in development, the heart has been approved for clinical trials at cardiac surgery centers in Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia, where staff members are receiving training and patients are being screened, said Dr. Piet Jansen, medical director at Carmat.
In France, where the device is not yet cleared for human implantation, regulators have requested more animal tests, Dr. Jansen said; those tests are continuing.
Artificial hearts aren’t new, of course, but the Carmat heart is unusual in its design, said Dr. Joseph Rogers, an associate professor at Duke University and medical director of its cardiac transplant and mechanical circulatory support program. Surfaces in the new heart that touch human blood are made from cow tissue instead of artificial materials like plastic that can cause problems like clotting.
“The way they’ve incorporated biological surfaces for any place that contacts blood is a really nice advantage,” Dr. Rogers said. “If they have this design right, this could be a game changer.” He added that it could lessen the need for anticoagulation medicines. (Dr. Rogers has no financial connections to Carmat.)
This is the first artificial heart to use cow-derived materials — specifically, tissue from the pericardial sac that surrounds the heart. Biological tissue has been used in earlier mechanical blood pumps only in valves, Dr. Rogers said.
Thousands of people in the United States need a replacement heart, said Dr. Lynne Warner Stevenson, a professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the cardiomyopathy and heart-failure program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “It’s estimated that if we had enough donor hearts to go around, 100,000 to 150,000 people in the United States with heart failure would benefit,” she said. “Transplants work best, but we have only 2,000 or so adult hearts” that are available each year, she said. “It’s a huge problem.”
There are long-established options for patients while they await transplants, Dr. Stevenson said, including installing an artificial heart made by SynCardia until a donor heart is available.
When the natural heart is partly damaged or diseased, patients might keep it and have a mechanical aid implanted to bolster blood flow. Such pumps — especially those that aid the left side of the heart (LVAD)— are in wide use both as a bridge to a transplant and for lifetime therapy.
A totally artificial heart for extended use would be of great value, but it’s far too early to know if the Carmat heart, as yet untried in humans, will be that device. “The whole history of mechanical devices is that people thought they had devices where blood wouldn’t clot. But they didn’t,” Dr. Stevenson said.
Dr. Jansen said that the cost of the Carmat heart would be about $200,000 and that he did not expect it to be brought to market in Europe before the end of 2014. Once the company gains momentum with its European clinical studies, he said, it plans to start working through the regulatory process in the United States.
The Carmat heart has two chambers, each divided by a membrane. That membrane has cow tissue on one side — the side that is in contact with blood — and polyurethane on the other side, which touches the miniaturized pumping system of motors and hydraulic fluids that changes the membrane’s shape. (The motion of the membrane pushes the blood out to the body.) The embedded electronics and software adjust the rate of blood flow. Patients can wear the batteries under the arm in a holster, or in a belt, among other options.
Cow tissue is also used for the heart’s artificial valves, which were created by Dr. Alain Carpentier, a cardiac surgeon and a pioneer of heart valve repair who is also a co-founder of Carmat and its scientific director. Such valves have been used in heart-valve replacement surgery for decades. The cow tissue is chemically treated so that it is sterile and biologically inert.
The heart’s design and development relied heavily on aerospace testing strategies by EADS, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, one of Carmat’s backers, Dr. Jansen said. Even so, duplicating the durability of a human heart will not be easy, said Dr. Robert Kormos, director of the artificial heart program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and co-director of its heart transplant program.
“We can test these pumps on the bench in the laboratory, and in animals, but there is no true long-term data until you implant them in people for trials,” he said.
DR. JANSEN said that one design requirement for the heart was that it last five years. The company has been doing bench tests to see whether the new heart will stand up to that level of wear and tear. “Whether it lasts five years in the patient we will have to prove clinically,” he said.
Dr. Stevenson of Harvard is optimistic about the new device.
“Innovation is what we need,” she said. “This new device is exciting. I applaud the pioneers who developed it, and the patients and families who will go down this path for the first time.”
A version of this article appeared in print on July 14, 2013, on page BU3 of the New York edition with the headline: The Artificial Heart Is Getting a Bovine Boost.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/14/business/the-artificial-heart-is-getting-a-bovine-boost.html?smid=li-share&_r=0
An American designed Artificial Heart by ABIOMED, the Symphony model, assists in remodeling of heart tissue cells by design, as described in
Heart Remodeling by Design – Implantable Synchronized Cardiac Assist Device:Abiomed’s Symphony
Mechanical Circulatory Assist Devices as a Bridge to Heart Transplantation or as “Destination Therapy“: Options for Patients in Advanced Heart Failure
A total artificial heart (TAH) is a device that replaces the two ventricles of the heart. Those who benefit from a TAH usually have end-stage heart failure. Since the condition is so severe that the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, all treatments, except heart transplant, have failed.
The TAH is attached the atria, and mechanical valves are between the TAH and the atria functioning like the heart’s valves, controlling the flow of blood in pulmonary and systemic circulation.
Currently, the two types of TAHs are the CardioWest and the AbioCor. The main difference between these TAHs is that the CardioWest is connected to an outside power source. The CardioWest has tubes that, through holes in the abdomen, run from inside the chest to an outside power source.
CardioWest Total Artificial Heart
Figure A shows a CardioWest TAH. Tubes exit the body and connect to a machine that powers the TAH and controls how it works.
The AbioCor TAH is completely contained inside the chest. A battery powers this TAH, and the battery is charged through the skin with a special magnetic charger. Energy from the external charger reaches the internal battery through an energy transfer device called transcutaneous energy transmission, or TET. An implanted TET device is connected to the implanted battery. An external TET coil is connected to the external charger. Also, an implanted controller monitors and controls the pumping speed of the heart.
AbioCor Total Artificial Heart
Figure B shows an AbioCor TAH and the internal devices that control how it works.
A TAH usually extends life for months beyond what is expected with end-stage heart failure. It can keep one alive while waiting for a donor heart. It is a challenge for surgeons to implant, and it can cause complications. TAHs are devices used only in a small number of people.
There is a Difference Between Artificial Heart & Ventricular Assist Device
(see Michael Paul Maupin, eHow Contributor)
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6713118_difference-_amp_-ventricular-assist-devices.html#ixzz2a5BH465n
A ventricular assist device (VAD) utilizes the patient’s own heart, and it operates as a bridge device until a donor heart is procured for transplant. A TAH replaces a patient’s explanted heart. The VAD is grafted onto a patient’s left ventricle, boosting the impaired ventricular function. A VAD is either continuous or pulsatile in function. In a continuous VAD, blood is circulated through the heart like water through a hose. A pulsatile VAD more mimics the expulsion of blood in rhythmic patterns.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6713118_difference-_amp_-ventricular-assist-devices.html#ixzz2a5Bcbszh
On the other hand, an artificial heart completely replaces the human heart. The device functions in every way a healthy human heart would in the absence of cardiac disease. The TAH creates the same pattern of squeeze-and-release seen in a real heart.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6713118_difference-_amp_-ventricular-assist-devices.html#ixzz2a5Bn6xaR
As of 2010, the longest any human being has lived with an artificial heart is 21 months. In comparison, documentation exists in which a VAD recipient was still enjoying a vigorous quality of life after seven years.
Read more: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6713118_difference-_amp_-ventricular-assist-devices.html#ixzz2a5C1cPFV
The SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart
(An artificial heart displayed at the London Science Museum)
http://www.wikipedia.com/Artificial Heart
An artificial heart is a device is typically used to bridge the time to heart transplantation, or to permanently replace the heart in case heart transplantation is impossible. The first artificial heart to be successfully implanted in a human was the Jarvik-7, designed and implemented by Robert Jarvik in 1982, but the first two patients to receive these hearts survived 112 (4 m) and 620 (21 m) days beyond their surgeries, respectively.[1]
Jarvik-7
It has already been stated that a TAH is distinct from a VAD, both used to support a failing heart. It is also distinct from a cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which is an external device used to provide the functions of both the heart and lungs, and it is used for only a few hours during cardiac bypass surgery.
Origin and Development of the Heart-Lung Bypass
A synthetic replacement for the severely failing heart would be expected to lower the need for heart transplants, because the demand for organs always greatly exceeds supply. However, the first devices had problems with reactivity to synthetic materials and power supplies. For example, the Jarvik models were not created of a material that the human body would accept. This problem was improved when Dayton, Ohio’s Ival O. Salyer, along with various colleagues, developed a polymer material that the human body would not necessarily reject.
Prior to Jarvik-7, 41-year-old Henry Opitek made medical history in 1952 at Harper Hospital, Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan when Dr. Forest Dewey Dodrill used the Dodrill-GMR heart machine to bypass Henry Opitek’s left ventricle for 50 minutes while he repaired the mitral valve. [2][3] In this case In Dr. Dodrill’s post-operative report, he notes, “To our knowledge, this is the first instance of survival of a patient when a mechanical heart mechanism was used to take over the complete body function of maintaining the blood supply of the body while the heart was open and operated on.”[4] A heart-lung machine was used in 1953 during a successful open heart surgery by Dr. John Heysham Gibbon, the inventor, who performed the operation with the heart-lung substitute (distinct from an artificial heart substitute).
Designs of total artificial hearts
A precursor to the modern artificial heart pump was built by doctors William Sewell and William Glenn of the Yale School of Medicine in 1949 using an assortment of parts, and successfully bypassed the heart of a dog for more than an hour.[5]
The first patent for an artificial heart was held by Paul Winchell invented and Dr. Henry Heimlich (of the Heimlich Maneuver), which preceded the Jarvik heart. On December 12, 1957, Dr. Willem Johan Kolff, the world’s most prolific inventor of artificial organs, implanted an artificial heart into a dog at Cleveland Clinic before he relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah, where there was established an Institute for artificial organs. There, more than 200 physicians, engineers, students and faculty at the University of Utah Division of Artificial Organs developed, tested and improved Dr. Kolff’s artificial heart. To help manage his many endeavors, Dr. Kolff assigned project managers. Each project was named after its manager. Graduate student Robert Jarvik was the project manager for the artificial heart, which was subsequently renamed the Jarvik 7.
In 1958, Domingo Liotta initiated the studies of TAH replacement at Lyon, France, and in 1959–60 at the National University of Córdoba, Argentina. He presented his work at the meeting of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs held in Atlantic City in March 1961. At that meeting, Dr. Liotta described the implantation of three types of orthotopic (inside the pericardial sac) TAHs in dogs, each of which used a different source of external energy: an implantable electric motor, an implantable rotating pump with an external electric motor, and a pneumatic pump.[6][7]
In 1964, the National Institutes of Health started the Artificial Heart Program, with the goal of putting a man-made organ into a human by the end of the decade.[8] The first success followed in February 1966, when Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz performed the world’s first permanent implantation of a partial mechanical heart (left ventricular assist device) at Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY.[9] He relocated to Detroit’s Sinai and Wayne Stae University.
In 1981, Dr. William DeVries submitted a request to the FDA to implant the Jarvik 7 into a human being. On December 2, 1982, Dr. Kolff implanted the Jarvik 7 artificial heart into Barney Clark, who was suffering from severe congestive heart failure. With Clark tethered to an external 400 lb pneumatic compressor, he suffered prolonged periods of confusion, a number of instances of bleeding, and asked several times to be allowed to die.[10]
Total Artificial Heart (TAH)
On April 4, 1969, Domingo Liotta and Denton A. Cooley replaced a dying man’s heart with a mechanical heart inside the chest at The Texas Heart Institute in Houston as a bridge for a transplant. The patient woke up and recovered well. After 64 hours, the pneumatic-powered artificial heart was removed and replaced by a donor heart. However thirty-two hours after transplantation, the patient died of what was later proved to be an acute pulmonary infection, extended to both lungs, caused by fungi, most likely caused by an immunosuppressive drug complication.[11]
The original prototype of Liotta-Cooley artificial heart used in this historic operation is prominently displayed in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History “Treasures of American History” exhibit in Washington, D.C..[12]
Permanent Pneumatic Total Artificial Heart (TAH)
The eighty-fifth clinical use of an artificial heart designed for permanent implantation rather than a bridge to transplant occurred in 1982 at the University of Utah. Artificial kidney pioneer Dr. Willem Johan Kolff started the Utah artificial organs program in 1967.[13] There, physician-engineer Dr. Clifford Kwan-Gett invented two components of an integrated pneumatic artificial heart system: a ventricle with hemispherical diaphragms that did not crush red blood cells (a problem with previous artificial hearts) and an external heart driver that inherently regulated blood flow without needing complex control systems.[14] Dr. Robert Jarvik combined several modifications of the original: an ovoid shape to fit inside the human chest, a more blood-compatible polyurethane developed by biomedical engineer Dr. Donald Lyman, and a fabrication method by Kwan-Gett that made the inside of the ventricles smooth and seamless to reduce dangerous stroke-causing blood clots.[16]
Today, the modern version of the Jarvik 7 is known as the SynCardia temporary CardioWest Total Artificial Heart. It has been implanted in more than 800 people as a bridge to transplantation.
In the mid-1980s, artificial hearts were powered by dishwasher-sized pneumatic power sources whose lineage went back to Alpha-Laval milking machines and required two catheters to cross the abdominal wall to carry the pneumatic pulses to the implanted heart. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute opened a competition for implantable electrically powered artificial hearts funding Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio; the College of Medicine of Pennsylvania State University (Penn State Hershey Medical Center) in Hershey, Pennsylvania; and AbioMed, Inc. of Danvers, Massachusetts.
Polymeric trileaflet valves ensure unidirectional blood flow with a low pressure gradient and good longevity. State-of-the-art transcutaneous energy transfer eliminates the need for electric wires crossing the chest wall.
AbioCor
The first AbioCor to be surgically implanted in a patient was on July 3, 2001.[17] The AbioCor is made of titanium and plastic with a weight of two pounds, and its internal battery can be recharged with a transduction device that sends power through the skin.[17] The internal battery lasts for a half hour, and a wearable external battery pack lasts for four hours.[18] The FDA announced on September 5, 2006, that the AbioCor, intended for critically ill patients who can not receive a heart transplant[19] could be implanted after the device had been tested on 15 patients.[19] But limitations of the current AbioCor are that its size makes it suitable for only about 50% of the male population, and its useful life is only 1–2 years.[20] AbioMed designed a smaller, more stable heart, the AbioCor II, by combining its valved ventricles with the control technology and roller screw developed at Penn State. This pump, which should be implantable in most men and 50% of women with a life span of up to five years,[20] had animal trials in 2005, and the company hoped to get FDA approval for human use in 2008.[21]
Intrathoracic Pump (LVAD)
On July 19, 1963, E. Stanley Crawford and Domingo Liotta implanted the first clinical Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, in a patient who had a cardiac arrest after surgery. The patient survived for four days under mechanical support but did not recover from the complications of the cardiac arrest.
On April 21, 1966, Michael DeBakey and Liotta implanted the first clinical LVAD in a paracorporeal position (where the external pump rests at the side of the patient) at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, in a patient experiencing cardiogenic shock after heart surgery. The patient developed neurological and pulmonary complications and died after few days of mechanical support. In October 1966, DeBakey and Liotta implanted the paracorporeal Liotta-DeBakey LVAD in a new patient who recovered well and was discharged from the hospital after 10 days, marking the first successful use of an LVAD for postcardiotomy shock.
In June 1996, a 46-year-old Taiwanese American Mr. Yao ST received the world’s first total artificial heart implantation done by Dr. Jeng Wei at Cheng-Hsin General Hospital[26] in the Republic of China (Taiwan). This technologically advanced pneumatic Phoenix-7 Total Artificial Heart was manufactured by a Taiwanese dentist Kelvin K. Cheng, a Chinese physican T. M. Kao and colleagues at the Taiwan TAH Research Center in Tainan, Republic of China (Taiwan). With this experimental artificial heart, the patient’s BP was maintained at 90-100/40-55 mmHg and cardiac output at 4.2-5.8 L/min. After 15 days of bridging, Mr. Yao received combined heart and kidney transplantation. As of March 2013, he is still very well and is currently living in San Francisco, USA. Mr. Yao ST is the world first successful combined heart and kidney transplantation patient after bridging with total artificial heart.[27]
In August 2006, an artificial heart was implanted into a 15-year-old girl at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. It was intended to act as a temporary fixture until a donor heart could be found. Instead, the artificial heart (called a Berlin Heart) allowed for natural processes to occur and her heart healed on its own. After 146 days, the Berlin Heart was removed, and the girl’s heart was able to function properly on its own.[22]
On December 16, 2011 the Berlin Heart, a ventricular assist intended for children age 16 and under, gained U.S. FDA approval. The device has since been successfully implanted in several children including a 4-year-old Honduran girl at Children’s Hospital Boston.[23]
In 2012, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine compared the Berlin Heart to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and concluded that “a ventricular assist device available in several sizes for use in children as a bridge to heart transplantation [such as the Berlin Heart] was associated with a significantly higher rate of survival as compared with ECMO.”[24] The study’s primary author, Dr. Charles D. Fraser, Jr., surgeon in chief at Texas Children’s Hospital, explained: “With the Berlin Heart, we have a more effective therapy to offer patients earlier in the management of their heart failure. ..This is a giant step forward.” [25]
Total artificial heart (TAH) invention abroad
On October 27, 2008, French professor and leading heart transplant specialist Alain F. Carpentier announced that a fully implantable artificial heart will be ready for clinical trial by 2011 and for alternative transplant in 2013. It was developed and will be manufactured by him, biomedical firm CARMAT SA, and venture capital firm Truffle Capital. The prototype uses embedded electronic sensors and is made from chemically treated animal tissues, called “biomaterials”, or a “pseudo-skin” of biosynthetic, microporous materials.[28] According to an interview of the professor Alain Carpentier in Paris (2011), a number of leading cardiac clinics already conducted successful partial replacement of the organic components of the artificial heart, for example, replacing valves, large vessels, atria, ventricles. In addition to cardio-surgery, there is the medico-psychological aspect of an artificial heart. A quarter of patients in the postoperative period after prosthetic valvular surgery developed specific psychopathological symptoms, which later received the name Skumin syndrome in 1978. It is possible that a similar problem will be discovered when conducting large-scale operations to implant an artificial heart.[29]
Another U.S. team with a prototype called 2005 MagScrew Total Artificial Heart, including Japan and South Korea researchers are racing to produce similar projects.[30][31][32]
In August 2010, 50-year-old Angelo Tigano of Fairfield, New South Wales, Australia, had his failing heart removed in a five-hour operation and it was replaced with the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart by surgeon Dr Phillip Spratt, head of the heart transplant unit at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.[33]
On 12 March 2011, an experimental artificial heart was implanted in 55-year-old Craig Lewis at The Texas Heart Institute in Houston by Drs. O. H. Frazier and William Cohn. The device is a combination of two modified HeartMate II pumps that is currently undergoing bovine trials.[34]
On 9 June 2011, 40 year old Matthew Green was implanted with the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart in a seven hour operation at Papworth Hospital. He was the first Briton to leave hospital supported by an artificial Heart on 2 August 2011.[35]
A centrifugal pump[36][37] or an axial-flow pump[38][39] can be used as an artificial heart, resulting in the patient being alive without a pulse.
Imachi et al. described a centrifugal artificial heart which alternately pumps the pulmonary circulation and the systemic circulation, causing a pulse.[40]
Heart Assist Devices
Patients who have some remaining heart function but who can no longer live normally may be candidates for ventricular assist devices (VAD), which do not replace the human heart but complement it by taking up much of the function.
The first Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) system was created by Domingo Liotta at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1962.[41]
Another VAD, the Kantrowitz CardioVad, designed by Adrian Kantrowitz boosts the native heart by taking up over 50% of its function.[42] Additionally, the VAD can help patients on the wait list for a heart transplant. In a young person, this device could delay the need for a transplant by 10–15 years, or even allow the heart to recover, in which case the VAD can be removed.[42] The artificial heart is powered by a battery that needs to be changed several times while still working.
The first heart assist device was approved by the FDA in 1994, and two more received approval in 1998.[43] While the original assist devices emulated the pulsating heart, newer versions, such as the Heartmate II,[44] developed by The Texas Heart Institute of Houston, provide continuous flow. These pumps (which may be centrifugal or axial flow) are smaller and potentially more durable and last longer than the current generation of total heart replacement pumps. A major advantage of a VAD is that the patient keeps the natural heart, which may provide enough support to keep the patient alive until a solution to the problem is implemented.
Suffering from end-stage heart failure, former Vice President Dick Cheney underwent a procedure in July 2010 to have a VAD implanted at INOVA Fairfax Hospital, in Fairfax Virginia. In 2012, he received a heart transplant at age 71 after 20 months on a waiting list.
1^ American Heart Association. The Mechanical Heart celebrates 50 lifesaving years. 22 10 2002. 9 Feb 2008 <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml;jsessionid=EFNP3NSFUBXLICQFCXQCDSQ?identifier=3005888>
2^ Stephenson, Larry W, et al. “The Michigan Heart: The World’s First Successful Open Heart Operation?” Journal of Cardiac Surgery 17.3 (2002): 238–246.
3^ Lavietes, Stuart. William Glenn, 88, Surgeon Who Invented Heart Procedure, The New York Times, March 17, 2003. Accessed May 21, 2009.
4^ Artificial Heart in the chest: Preliminary report. Trans. Amer. Soc. Inter. Organs, 1961, 7:318
5^ Ablation experimentale et replacement du coeur par un coer artificial intra-thoracique. Lyon Cirurgical, 1961, 57:704
6^ Sandeep Jauhar, M.D., Ph.D.: The Artificial Heart. New England Journal of Medicine (2004): 542–544.
7^ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2676518/, NCBI In Memoriam Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz
8^ Barron H. Lerner, MD, PhD (December 1, 2007). “The 25th Anniversary of Barney Clark’s Artificial Heart”. Celebrity Health. HealthDiaries.com. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
9^ Orthotopic cardiac prosthesis for two-staged cardiac replacement. Am J Cardio 1969; 24:723–730.
10^ “Treasures of American History”, National Museum of American History
11^ Spare Parts: Organ Replacement in American Society. Renee C. Fox and Judith P. Swazey. New York: Oxford University Press; 1992, pp. 102–104
12^ Kwan-Gett CS, Van Kampen KR, Kawai J, Eastwood N, Kolff WJ. “Results of total artificial heart implantation in calves.” Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 1971 Dec; 62(6):880–889.
13^ “Winchell’s Heart”. Time. March 12, 1973. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
14^ Kolff
15^ a b “Patient gets first totally implanted artificial heart”. CNN.com. 2001-07-03. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
16^ “AbioCor FAQs”. AbioMed. Archived from the original on 3 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
17^ a b “FDA Approves First Totally Implanted Permanent Artificial Heart for Humanitarian Uses”. FDA.gov. 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
18^ a b “Will We Merge With Machines?”. popsci.com. 2005-08-01. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
19^ “14th Artificial Heart Patient Dies: A Newsmaker Interview With Robert Kung, PhD”. medscape.com. 2004-11-11. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
20^ Capital Health: One year later: Berlin Heart bridges patient back to health (August 28, 2007), Capital Health, Edmonton (archived from [1] the original) on 2007-10-01).
21^ approved Berlin Heart helps patients waiting for a transplant (December 30, 2011), Children’s Hospital Boston.
22^ http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1014164
23^ http://www.texaschildrens.org/About-Us/News/Berlin-Heart-NEJM-2012/
24^ Cheng-Hsin General Hospital
25^ J. Wei, K. K. Cheng, D. Y. Tung, C. Y. Chang, W. M. Wan, Y. C. Chuang: Successful Use of Phoenix-7 Total Artificial Heart. Transplantation Proceedings, 1998, 30:3403-4
26^ The Carmat Heart,- The technology behind the prosthesis
27^ “About artificial heart”. Heart For Your Soul. Retrieved 2011-02-19.
28^ Total artificial heart to be ready by 2011: research team, news.yahoo.com
29^ Scientists develop artificial heart that beats like the real thing, timesonline.co.uk
30-^ Total artificial heart to be ready by 2011: research team, afp.google.com
31^ Sydney man receives Total Artificial Heart, dailyTelegraph.com.au
32^ Berger, Eric. “New artificial heart ‘a leap forward'”. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
33^ “Plastic heart gives dad Matthew Green new lease of life”. BBC News. August 2, 2011.
34^ Black, Rosemary (January 5, 2011). “Former vice president Dick Cheney now has no pulse”. Daily News (New York).
35^ http://www.scribd.com/doc/21241693/Pulseless-Pumps-Artificial-Hearts
36^ The pulseless life
37^ Dan Baum: No Pulse: How Doctors Reinvented The Human Heart. 2012-02-29.
38^ ‘#A new pulsatile total artificial heart using a single centrifugal pump., K. Imachi, T. Chinzei, Y. Abe, K. Mabuchi, K. Imanishi, T. Yonezawa, A. Kouno, T. Ono, K. Atsumi, T. Isoyama, et al.. Institute of Medical Electronics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
39^ Prolonged Assisted circulation after cardiac or aortic surgery. Prolonged partial left ventricular bypass by means of intracorporeal circulation. This paper was finalist in The Young Investigators Award Contest of the American College of Cardiology. Denver, May 1962 Am. J. Cardiol. 1963, 12:399–404
40^ a b Mitka, Mike. “Midwest Trials of Heart-Assist Device.” Journal of the American Medical Association 286.21 (2001): 2661.
41^ FDA APPROVES TWO PORTABLE HEART-ASSIST DEVICES at FDA.gov
42^ An Artificial Heart That Doesn’t Beat at TechnologyReview.com
How does an artificial heart work?
The development and operation of these life-saving devices requires understanding and application of a combination of biology, materials science and physics.
Institute of Physics website http://www.physics.org/article-questions.asp?id=74
The artficial heart
Image: Syncardia Systems
The right atrium collects blood and the right ventricle then pumps it to the lungs where it is oxygenated. The blood is then picked up by the left atrium and distributed around the body and brain by the left ventricle. Each side of the heart has a pair of valves – one pair per lung – controlling the flow of blood.
Artificial hearts can now completely, if temporarily, replace the ventricles and valves with a device made of plastic or other man-made materials, which does the job of pumping blood around.
The type of artificial heart made by Syncardia Systems, works by using a pump carried externally in a backpack – previously, patients would have to be connected to a large, immobile pump and would not have the freedom to move around.
The NHS Choices website explains that tubes connecting the heart to the pump “send pulses of air into two expandable, balloon-like sacs in the artificial ventricles, forcing out blood in much the same way that a beating heart would”.
Other models such as that produced by AbioMed use an internal pump and battery, which can be charged via transcutaneous energy transmission – a method of transferring power under the skin without having to penetrate it, thereby decreasing the chance of infection.
Energy transmission
In the artificial hearts produced by AbioMed, an electronics package is implanted in the abdomen of the recipient of the transplant to monitor and control the pumping of the heart.
Power is supplied from an external source to components under the skin, without penetrating it, using inductive electromagnetic coupling – the same principle as used by transformers to transfer electricity between different circuits, as in the national grid.
At their simplest, systems of transcutaneous energy transmission will use an external power supply connected to an external coil of wire, generating a magnetic field in it. This, in turn, produces an induced voltage in a second coil implanted under the skin, and a rectifier is used to change this alternating current into direct current that can be used to power the electronics of the heart and its controller.
Though simple in theory, in practice there are complications that arise from the need to keep the two coils aligned correctly as the patient moves, in delivering the correct level of power so that there is no excess dissipated as heat to potentially damage surrounding tissue in the patient’s body, and in making the components small enough to be carried around without too much discomfort.
Monitoring blood flow
A replacement heart needs to be able to monitor the flow of blood to regulate its pumping and ensure that the correct amount of blood is delivered around the body.
Quicker pumping is required when the transplant recipient is more active, whereas the opposite is true while he or she is resting.
Blood-flow monitors make use of ultrasound – they bounce high-frequency sound waves off blood cells coming out of the heart, the volume and speed can be measured using similar basic principles to those behind radar.
Ultrasound is used because it can monitor the flow of blood without having to be in contact with it.
Appropriate materials
Artificial hearts need to be made of light but durable materials – the Syncardia version is plastic whereas that made by AbioMed is a combination of titanium and a specially developed polyurethane, called ‘Angioflex’.
Although the Abiomed heart is designed to have as few moving parts as possible, those that it does have are made from Angioflex and are tested to ensure that they are safe for contact with blood and capable of withstanding beating 100 000 times a day for years on end.
Materials scientists can develop substances with specific properties by manipulating the constituent elements and the way in which they are processed. Materials are characterised using various techniques from condensed-matter physics including electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction.
Because they were still quite large, the first devices produced were limited to around half the male population – those with the largest chest cavities. A newer, smaller, model is intended to extend their availability to smaller people.
An artificial heart being produced by the French medical company Carmat and expected to be available by 2013 will use chemically treated animal tissue to help avoid rejection by the host’s immune system. Aerospace engineers from Airbus were also involved in its development.
Artificial hearts combine, and improve upon, many existing physics ideas to produce a piece of technology that saves lives – although they are currently only approved as a stopgap until a donor heart can be found.
Expressions of Experience: Heart Assist Devices
Video interview with O. H. “Bud” Frazier, MD; Chief, Center for Cardiac Support; Director, Cardiovascular Surgery Research; and Co-Director, Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, at Texas Heart Institute.
O. H. “Bud” Frazier, MD, on his inspiration for developing treatments for heart failure at the Texas Heart Institute.
The Texas Heart Institute is a world leader in the development, testing and application of heart assist devices. Our goal for the surgical research conducted here is to develop and determine the best assist device to use for each individual patient. Devices may be referred to as mechanical assist devices, ventricular assist devices (VAD), left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), total artificial hearts (TAH), or simply heart pumps.
Keeping hearts pumping Dr. Bud Frazier and Dr. Billy Cohn with heart pump BiVacor. [Photo credit Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle]
Doctors push the limits of heart-pump technology in an effort to save lives. Dr. Bud Frazier often tells a story about when he was a medical student in the 1960s . . . Frazier had this thought: If I can keep a man alive with my hand, why can’t we make a pump that we can pull off of the shelf to do the same thing? Dr. Billy Cohn, another physician who works at the cutting edge of heart pump technology, likes to use the history of human flight as an analogy for the evolution in his field. Experimenters in both domains had to give up the idea of bio-mimicry to advance the technology. “It is similar to when man first tried to build a flying machine with flapping wings that mimic the birds. It is obvious now that fixed wings were the way to go,” he says. “We think it is the same with the nonpulsatile pump, which, because it has only one moving part, is much more durable.” – Houston Chronicle [Photo credit Mayra Beltran]
BiVACOR artificial heart device
Australian engineer Daniel Timm’s revolutionary device to be developed at THI. “I think we’re beyond the Kitty Hawk stage with this,” – Drs. Bud Frazier and Billy Cohn. Read Eric Berger’s Houston Chronicle article.
FDA Approves HeartWare LVAD for HF
The FDA gave the green light for the HeartWare Ventricular Assist System as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with heart failure. “The miniaturized device with an integrated inflow cannula is placed within the pericardial sac . . . simplifying the surgical insertion,” said O.H. “Bud” Frazier, MD, of Texas Heart Institute. Read the full story from medpagetoday.com.
Drs. Bud Frazier & Billy Cohn TEDMED 2012
Is this the future of artificial hearts?
At TEDMED 2012, Bud Frazier and Billy Cohn of the Texas Heart Institute preview a continuous-flow heart pump with minimal parts that works via a screw pump. Watch the VIDEO.
Cameron Engineers, THI researchers collaborate on heart pump
Engineers and scientists at Cameron Manufacturing & Engineering have worked with THI researchers in developing a new heart pump. On March 1, 2012, Cameron donated $500,000 to Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital to develop a prototype heart pump which could save countless lives.
Can Tiny Heart Pump Limit Heart Muscle Damage after STEMI?
Interventional cardiologists affiliated with THI at St. Luke’s recently implanted the first two patients in the nation with a tiny heart pump in a feasibility trial to determine the pump’s potential to limit damage to heart muscle following a STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction). Read the full news release to learn about the FDA-approved trial and the first enrolled patients. (November 2011)
Miniature Heart Pump: Smaller May Be Better!
Dr. William “Billy” Cohn discusses recent advances in left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and other mechanical circulatory blood pumps as they get smaller and more adaptable to individual patients. View the video of his presentation at the Pumps & Pipes Conference (15 minutes, December 2010).
Video: Artificial hearts giving hope, saving lives. (August 19, 2011)
Companion 2 and Freedom Drivers
C2 Driver Supports Total Artificial Heart Patients in the Hospital Until They Are Stable and Eligible for the Freedom® Portable Driver
The Companion 2 Driver, which can be docked in the Hospital Cart or Caddy, powers the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart from implant until the patient’s condition stabilizes. Once stable, patients who are eligible can be switched to the smaller, wearable Freedom® portable driver. The Companion 2 Driver, which can be docked in the Hospital Cart or Caddy, powers the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart from implant until the patient’s condition stabilizes. Once stable, patients who are eligible can be switched to the smaller, wearable Freedom® portable driver.
The Companion 2 (C2) Driver System, which powers the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart in the hospital, was selected as the Silver Winner in the Critical-Care and Emergency Medicine Products category of the Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) held on June 19 in Philadelphia.
“It is a tremendous honor to have one of our products selected as a winner for the second consecutive year,” said Michael Garippa, SynCardia Chairman/CEO/President. “Our Freedom® portable driver, the world’s first wearable power supply for the Total Artificial Heart, was selected as the Bronze Winner in the same category last year. These drivers support Total Artificial Heart patients from implant with the C2 through discharge with the Freedom.”
Once stable, patients who are eligible can be switched to the 13.5-pound Freedom portable driver. Patients who meet discharge criteria can then leave the hospital and wait for a matching donor heart at home and in their communities.
The Medical Design Excellence Awards are the industry’s premier design awards competition and is the only awards program exclusively recognizing contributions and advances in the design of medical products. Entries were evaluated on the basis of their design and engineering features, including innovative use of materials, user-related functions that improve healthcare delivery and change traditional medical attitudes or practices, features that provide enhanced benefits to the patient, and the ability to overcome design and engineering challenges to meet clinical objectives.
The SynCardia Total Artificial Heart is currently approved as a bridge to transplant for people suffering from end-stage heart failure affecting both sides of the heart (biventricular failure). There have been more than 1,200 implants of the Total Artificial Heart, accounting for more than 315 patient years of life on the device. It is the only device that eliminates the symptoms and source of end-stage biventricular failure. The TAH provides immediate, safe blood flow of up to 9.5 liters per minute through each ventricle. This high volume of blood flow helps speed the recovery of vital organs, helping make the patient a better transplant candidate.
Artificial Heart Devices used at Barnes-Jewish Hospital Washington University, St. Louis
The cardiac surgeons at the Barnes-Jewish & Washington University Heart & Vascular Center are one of the leading heart surgery teams in the nation. Our permanent and temporary artificial heart devices can dramatically improve symptoms of late-stage heart failure, and sometimes even provide long-term treatment.
Mechanical Circulatory Support
The field of mechanical circulatory support in the management of patients with heart failure has seen significant advances over the past few years. The heart failure program at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital utilizes the latest technology for both temporary and long-term mechanical support of the heart failure patient.
Temporary Support
Patients that experience severe symptoms of heart failure that cannot be stabilized with medical therapy may require a temporary support device. These implantable devices are usually placed in a cardiac catheterization lab by interventional cardiologists and/or cardiac surgeons. Temporary support devices typically serve to stabilize the patient until long-term mechanical support can be introduced. These devices include:
intra-aortic balloon pump
Impella 2.5, 4.0 and 5.0
TandemHeart
Thoratec CentriMag
Long-Term Mechanical Support
Patients may require long-term circulatory support either as a bridge to a heart transplant (bridge-to-transplant, or BTT) or as long-term treatment of heart failure in non-transplant candidates (destination therapy, or DT). The mechanical assist device program at Barnes-Jewish & Washington University Heart & Vascular Center is one of the largest programs in the country. The program has a multidisciplinary group of dedicated specialists to ensure excellent outcomes in this patient population. Currently available devices include both left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) and the total artificial heart:
HeartMate II
HeartWare HVAD
Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
The cardiac surgeons at the Barnes-Jewish & Washington University Heart & Vascular Center are one of only 13 surgical teams in the country to implant the CardioWest™ temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t) as a bridge-to-transplantation in specific heart transplant candidates.
The CardioWest™ TAH-t is an improved version of the Jarvik-7 Artificial Heart, which was first implanted in 1982. This unique technology allows us to treat patients who would not survive without full circulatory support. The CardioWest™ TAH-t completely replaces the patient’s diseased heart with a goal of restoring normal blood pressure, increasing cardiac output and giving organs such as the kidney and liver a chance to recover. As a result, patients become better candidates for transplantation. The program is currently involved in testing the Freedom portable driver which will allow patients to leave the hospital following implantation of the TAH.
Comparison of the Cardiac Operations involved in an Organ Transplant of a Donor’s Heart vs Implantation of an Artificial Heart
A heart donor is a patient deemed brain dead who had forethought (a designation on the driver’s license) or a designated decision-maker (Healthcare Proxy) elected to make the heart available to help save another person’s life. Every tissue in the body has proteins that render a unique signature or “smell” and every patient has a limited set of markers it will accept without a fight (the histocompatibility complex, and in particular, the human leukocyte antigen). The immune system is a major part of the body’s defenses against infection and abnormal tissues (cancer) which consists of cells trained to attack foreign protein chemistry and/or mark it for destruction with anti-bodies.
I. Heart Transplant of a Human Donor
The steps for heart transplant include:
(1) demonstration of need,
(2) identification of suitable donors,
(3) surviving while waiting for a suitable donor,
(4) surviving the removal of the damaged heart or heart and lungs to make room for the replacement (accomplished with a bypass pump),
(5) survival of the donor heart (or heart and lungs) pending preparation of the patient for receipt of the transplant,
(6) inserting the donor heart (or heart and lungs),
(7) taking the patient off the bypass pump and directing circulation through the transplant,
(8) recovery and healing,
(9) establishing and maintaining sufficient immune suppression to avoid rejection of the transplant,
(10) monitoring for functional losses or rejection.
(11) monitoring for cancer or infection,
(12) resuming enjoyment of life. Each year in the United states 800 patients die waiting for a transplant, while 2300 receive transplants.
The first heart transplant is credited to Vladimer Demikhov when he transplanted dog hearts in 1946; Dr. Shumway reported successful transplantation of the heart in 1966, and Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the operation successfully on humans in 1967 (that patient lived 18 days). Replacing the heart with a donor heart is called orthotopic (true location) heart transplantation. Durability of a transplant improved markedly with the approval of the immune suppression medication ciclosporine. NOVA has created a shockwave video demonstrating the heart transplant operation: view video.
The actual transplantation requires only five or six lines of sutures (stitches):
inferior and superior vena cava (venous input to the right ventricle),
the main (or left and right) pulmonary arteries (delivery of blood from right ventricle to the lungs),
the upper half of the original left atrium to route the 3-5 pulmonary veins to the left ventricle (return of blood from the lungs), and the
aorta (to route blood from the left ventricle to the brain and body).
The donor heart harvesting typically includes a segment of the superior and inferior vena cava which feed
the right atrium,
the four pulmonary veins which feed the left atrium, and
a portion of the pulmonary artery, and
the aorta.
The heart is chilled to minimized its metabolic demands while it is disconnected and transferred.
The recipient heart explantation (removal of the bad heart) after the patient is supported by a bypass pump involves:
cannulation (tubing placement) into the aorta,
the superior vena cava and
the inferior vena cava, then
explantation leaving the posterior aspect of the left atrium and the posterolateral aspect of the right atrium in the recipient patient.
The left and right pulmonary veins of the donor are divided and the veins are threaded into the retained portion of the recipient left atrium. The inferor vena cava, superior vena cava, pulmonary artery, and aorta are respectively anastomosed (sewed onto the truncated portion of the corresponding native vessels end-to-end). Clots and air are flushed out and the patient is taken off bypass pump.
II. Artificial Heart: Implant of an Assist Device
Implantation of ventricular assist device or an artificial heart is easier than a heart transplant, but it has been challenging to match nature’s ability to place the pump and keep it powered and regulated. Also durability is a major issue. The most common ventricular assist device, the intra-aortic balloon pump, is a temporizing tool to sustain a patient for just a few days while alternatives are evaluated and pursued.The steps for implanting a ventricular assist pump can be as simple as:
(1) cleaning and applying antiseptics to the skin,
(2) placing a needle in the femoral artery at the groin area,
(3) threading a wire into the artery,
(4) threading a series of hollow tubes over the wire (dilators) and leaving the largest in place (introducer),
(5) threading a catheter-pump through the introducer and up the aorta to the desired location,
(6) synchronizing the pump the the cardiac cycle by electrocardiogram.
If the device is an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) then the device is advanced to the aortic arch so that an inflatable balloon expands and contracts within the aorta from the aortic arch down to just above the renal arteries. The IABP is designed to deflate when the heart contracts (systole), to make space for blood ejecting from the failing heart (afterload reduction), then inflate when the heart relaxes (diastole), effectively converting a blood pressure of 120/80 to 80/120. The coronary arteries are stressed during systole and receive their blood supply during diastole, so the diastolic augmentation (inflation of the balloon during heart relaxation) markedly improves blood delivery to the coronary arteries, which is very helpful when the coronary arteries are diseased and not well suited for immediate repair. The actions of the balloon damage blood cells and can rupture the aorta. The blood cell damage activates clotting, so full anticoagulation is required.
If the device is an Impella catheter pump, then the distal end (farthest into the patient) crosses the aortic valve into the left ventricle to draw blood from there and deliver it beyond the heart in the descending aorta.
IABP www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety Impella www.abiomed.com
Devices draw their input from
arterial blood (aorta or femoral artery)
venous blood (vena cava), or
a puncture wound created in the apex of the left ventricle of the heart
The next example of a ventricular assist device to consider during open heart surgery, is the bypass pump that is used during most cardiovascular surgeries, and in particular during heart or heart-lung transplant. The bypass pump relies on a tube (cannula) placed in a large source of deoxygenated blood
the inferior vena cava or
the femoral vein
to draw its input blood from there (diverting it from the heart), and a second cannula placed in a large artery (the aorta or the femoral artery) for output. The blood passes out of the patient (extra-corporeal) to a very large mechanical pump, that typically consists of compressible tubing and rollers to minimize trauma to the blood, passing the red cells of the blood by membranes that enable uptake of oxygen. Despite the attempts not to damage the blood, blood does get damaged, so full anti-coagulation is required. The anti-coagulation consists of intravenous heparin to bind the coagulation factors. When the patient comes off the pump, the heparinization of the blood is counteracted by intravenous protamine sulfate. Also the blood is cooled because low temperatures slow down metabolism and make the cells of the body less needy during the sub-optimal circulation support. Cooled blood has increased viscosity, offset by dilution of the blood with saline (Normal Saline, isotonic solution, w/v of NaCl, about 300 mOsm/L or 9.0 g per liter). As the pump takes over circulation, the blood supply to the heart is clamped off (cross-clamp), at which point the surgeon can work to repair the heart (valve repair, valve replacement, aorta graft, coronary grafts) or replace the heart or heart and lungs.
Artificial hearts are extensions of the concepts above, and differ primarily in
how the pump in energized and
how the pump is regulated.
An artificial heart is designed for long term use so it must be more gentle on the blood. In Part I: Alternative Models of Artificial Hearts, US and Europe, in this article, we reported on the Latest Innovations in Alternative Models of Artificial Hearts, the Carmat Heart, it is unusual in its design, said Dr. Joseph Rogers, an associate professor at Duke University and medical director of its cardiac transplant and mechanical circulatory support program. Surfaces in the new heart that touch human blood are made from cow tissue instead of artificial materials like plastic that can cause problems like clotting, it will decrease the anticoagulation dependence by design.
Artificial hearts must accommodate changes in demands of the body, not just in the chilled low metabolic state imposed by cardiovascular surgeons. The demands of the heart are measured by oxygen consumption in units of metabolic equivalents (METS) where 1 MET represents basal metabolism (awake at rest). MET values of activities range from 0.9 (sleeping) to 23 or more (running at 14 miles/hour = 22.5 km/hour). Thus, the artificial heart should be capable of increasing its output 2300% without damage the blood cells or running out of power. The goal of long term use generally is met by linking to an external power supply that is considered portable (on wheels), or in some cases, wearable
In contrast to Transplant of a human donor’s heart, described above, we present below the procedure for implantation of:
Right Ventricular Assist Device (RVAD)
Bi-Ventricular Assist Device (BiVAD)
Total artificial heart
Heartmate II (Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA). http://thenatureofhiking.com/heartless-man.html#.UiPybNKsh8E
A left ventricular assist device has two aims:
(1) reduce the work on an ailing heart and
(2) boost the forward circulation to the brain and other vital organs.
Those goals require access to the aorta and/or the left ventricle. Most LVAD devices use the apex of the left ventricle (LV) to draw blood into the pump and they deliver the blood to the aorta (for example, Heartmate II (Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA). Thus an LVAD has the following components:
(A) Input conduit,
(B) Pump,
(C) Control lines and power drive lines (may be bundled or separate),
(D) Outflow conduit and
(E) Controller and power source (may be bundled or separate, generally external).
The connections require opening the chest to gain access to the LV apex for (A) and the aorta for (E). A cannula (hollow tube conduit) is inserted through incisions in each, and secured to those two targets. The other ends of those tubes can exit the chest wall through holes created for the purpose, but a short path to the outside invites infection. Therefore longer tunnels may be created to provide a longer passage beneath the skin for body defenses against infection, or a tunnel may be created alongside the esophagus down alongside the stomach so the pump can sit in the abdomen. Power and control for the pump (C) may require a tunnel to the surface to reach (E) (length provides greater opportunity for the skin to defend against infection), or energy transfer may be accomplished by magnetic induction (a loop of wire below the skin paired with a loop outside the patient, well aligned) and control can also be wireless.
Complications related to Open Heart Surgery
Early complications include
perioperative hemorrhage,
air embolism, and
ventricular failure.
Late complications include
thromboembolism, and
device failure. If the power drive is connected to a power line, the patient is tethered. Alternatively, the power may be provided by a battery pack that the patient may wear or wheel alongside.
Open Heart Surgery and Reoperative Sternotomy
The e-Reader is recommended to review the Authors’ article on this topic:
Pearlman, JD and A. Lev-Ari 7/23/2013 Cardiovascular Complications: Death from Reoperative Sternotomy after prior CABG, MVR, AVR, or Radiation; Complications of PCI; Sepsis from Cardiovascular Interventions
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/23/cardiovascular-complications-of-multiple-etiologies-repeat-sternotomy-post-cabg-or-avr-post-pci-pad-endoscopy-andor-resultant-of-systemic-sepsis/
Similar to the intra-aortic balloon pump, the role of the LVAD does not require access to the left ventricle. Both goals (afterload reduction and improved forward circulation) can be accomplished in the aorta: the afterload on the left ventricle can be reduced by removing volume from the aorta during contraction of the ailing heart (systole), thereby facilitating its forward emptying. Next, both
perfusion of the heart and
promotion of circulation
can be boosted by delivering volume to the aorta during relaxation of the ailing heart (diastole).
Alternatively, there is experimentation with a continuous pump rather than mimicking the pulsation of the native heart.
A Right ventricular assist device (RVAD) draws blood from either the right atrium or the right ventricle and delivers it to the pulmonary artery. Otherwise, it has the same components and the analogous surgical requirements.
A Biventricular assist device (BiVAD) is used when neither ventricle can perform adequately. It consists of the two devices, LVAD plus RVAD, with opportunity to share components (may share the controller system, the power drive system, and even share a single pump with two circulation channels can serve as RVAD plus LVAD).
III. Implant of a Total Artificial Heart
A total artificial heart is similar to a BiVAD except for the option that it can replace most of the native heart instead of connecting in tandem to it
If a total artificial heart is placed in tandem, the procedure is basically the same as for an RVAD plus and LVAD.
If the total artificial heart replaces the native heart, the surgery is very similar to the heart transplant procedure explained above, plus handling for
– pump placement,
– power drive, and
– controller as for LVAD.
As a heart replacement,
the native right atrium connects to the right intake of the total artificial heart,
the main pulmonary artery connects to the right output,
the native left atrium connects to the left input, and
the aorta connects to the left output.
The so-called “heartless man” walked more than 400 miles (six miles every day) after a SynCardia Total Artificial Heart was placed, powered by a Freedom(R) portable backpack device.
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Gilles Dreyfus G, Jebara V, Mihaileanu S, Carpentier AF. Total orthotopic heart transplantation: An alternative to the standard technique. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery Volume 52, Issue 5 , Pages 1181-1184, November 1991
Angermann CE, Spes CH, Tammew A, et al. Anatomic characteristics and valvular function of the transplanted heart:
transthoracic versus transoesophageal echocardiographic findings. J Heart Transplant 1990;9:331-8.
Griepp RB, Ergin MA. The history of experimental heart transplantation. J Heart Transplant. 1984;3:145.
Copeland JG, Emery RW, Levinson MM, et al. Selection of patients for cardiac transplantation. Circulation. Jan 1987;75(1):2-9. [Medline].
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Holman WL, Kormos RL, Naftel DC, Miller MA, Pagani FD, Blume E, et al. Predictors of death and transplant in patients with a mechanical circulatory support device: a multi-institutional study. J Heart Lung Transplant. Jan 2009;28(1):44-50. [Medline].
Overcast TD, Evans RW, Bowen LE, et al. Problems in the identification of potential organ donors. Misconceptions and fallacies associated with donor cards. JAMA. Mar 23-30 1984;251(12):1559-62.[Medline].
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Moriguchi J, Davis S, Jocson R, Esmailian F, Ardehali A, Laks H, et al. Successful use of a pneumatic biventricular assist device as a bridge to transplantation in cardiogenic shock. J Heart Lung Transplant. Oct 2011;30(10):1143-7. [Medline].
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Arnaoutakis GJ, George TJ, Allen JG, Russell SD, Shah AS, Conte JV, et al. Institutional volume and the effect of recipient risk on short-term mortality after orthotopic heart transplant. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. Jan 2012;143(1):157-67, 167.e1. [Medline].
Lee I, Localio R, Brensinger CM, Blumberg EA, Lautenbach E, Gasink L, et al. Decreased post-transplant survival among heart transplant recipients with pre-transplant hepatitis C virus positivity. J Heart Lung Transplant. Nov 2011;30(11):1266-74. [Medline].
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Hunt J, Lerman M, Magee MJ, et al. Improvement of renal dysfunction by conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to sirolimus after heart transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant. Nov 2005;24(11):1863-7.[Medline].
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Khan MS, Mery CM, Zafar F, Adachi I, Heinle JS, Cabrera AG, et al. Is mechanically bridging patients with a failing cardiac graft to retransplantation an effective therapy? Analysis of the United Network of Organ Sharing database. J Heart Lung Transplant. Aug 17 2012;[Medline].
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Comparative Analysis of Transplant Clinical Outcomes based on Data in: Heart Transplant (HT) Indication for Heart Failure (HF): Procedure Outcomes and Research on HF, HT @ Two Nation’s Leading HF & HT Centers
Procedures Outcomes of Heart Transplant (HT) Indication for Heart Failure (HF)Center for Heart Failure @Cleveland Clinic, and Transplant Center @Mayo Clinic
Center for Heart Failure @Cleveland Clinic: Institution Profile
The treatment of heart failure requires a specialized multidisciplinary approach to manage the overall patient care plan. The Kaufman Center for Heart Failure Team brings together clinicians that specialize in cardiomyopathies and ischemic heart failure for patients with:
All types of heart failure
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia (ARVD)
Heart Failure – National Hospital Quality Measures
Cleveland Clinic, 2011 (N = 1,163) 96.9%
UHC Top Decile, 2011 99.2%
University Health System Consortium (UHC) Comparative Database, January through November 2011 discharges.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) calculates two heart failure outcome measures:
all-cause mortality and
all-cause readmission rates,
each based on Medicare claims and enrollment information.
Heart Failure All-Cause 30-Day Mortality (N = 762) July 2008 – June 2011
Cleveland Clinic 9.2%
National Average 11.6%
Heart Failure All-Cause 30-Day Readmission (N = 1,) July 2008 – June 2011
Cleveland Clinic 27.3%
hospitalcompare.hhs.gov
The results for risk-adjusted all-cause mortality is 2% lower than the National Average and 30-day risk-adjuted readmission rates for 2008-2011 are 2% higher than the National Average. There is no definitive information provided to explain the higher readmission rate. One might consider that they take most difficult referrals. The heart failure risk-adjusted readmission rate is higher than the national average; and both differences are statistically significant. To further reduce this rate, a multidisciplinary team was tasked with improving transitions from hospital to home or post-acute care facility. Specific initiatives have been implemented in each of these focus areas: communication, education and follow-up. There is no data for comparing 1-month, 1-year, and 3-year survivals.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/Documents/outcomes/2011/outcomes
Additional Cleveland Clinic Data is provided related to Pre- and Post-operative conditions
Preoperative patient characteristics
Diabetes mellitus 499 (21.5%) 61 (26.4%)
Congestive heart failure 758 (32.6%) 89 (38.5%)
III-IV 1830 (78.8%) 184 (84.0%)
Previous operation No injury (2324) Injury (231) P
CABG 1375 (59.2%) 162 (70.1%)
Current operation No injury (2324) Injury (231) P
CABG 897 (38.6%) 104 (45.0%)
Aortic valve surgery 1020 (43.9%) 118 (51.1%)
Tricuspid valve surgery 414 (17.8%) 52 (22.5%)
Aortic surgery 232 (10.0%) 37 (16.0%)
Postoperative results
No injury (2324) — Injury (231) – P
PRCs 4.5 7.2 6.5 8.9
ICU stay (h) 102.3 228.6 146.3 +/- 346.9
<.001
Reoperation for bleeding 127 (5.5%) 21 (9.1%)
Sepsis 86 (3.7%) 16 (6.9%)
Stroke 56 (2.4%) 11 (4.8%)
Prolonged ventilation 505 (21.7%) 97 (42.0%)
Pneumonia 123 (5.3%) 25 (10.8%)
ARDS 32 (1.4%) 8 (3.5%)
Postoperative renal failure 237 (10.2%) 51 (22.1%)
Multisystem failure 45 (1.9%) 13 (5.6%)
Hospital death 151 (6.5%) 43 (18.6%)
LVAD mortality 2007-2011 5%
VAD mortality 2011
Obs 10% Exp 17.5% N 56
HF- NHQM
2010 1194 93.9%
Transplant Center @ Mayo Clinic: Alternative Solutions to Treatment of Heart Failure. Mayo Clinic performs has pre-eminent adult and pediatric transplant programs.
Success Measures 2009-2011
Heart Transplant Patient Survival — Adult
Mayo – Phoenix, AZ (n=40)
Mayo – Jacksonville, FL (n=61)
Saint Marys Hospital – Rochester, MN (n=48)
Heart Transplant – Children
Saint Marys Hospital – Rochester, MN (n=5)
Adult Heart Organ (Graft)
Mayo -Rochester, MN (n=49)
Standards for Comparison: SRTR function, data acquisition, analysis, and reporting.
Curator: Larry H Bernstein, MD and Curator: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
Source: Program Specific Reprting, by S Everson [SRTR]
http://srtr.transplant.hrsa.gov/
The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
supports the ongoing evaluation of solid organ transplantation in the United States. SRTR designs and carries out data analyses and maintains two websites to disseminate organ transplant information.
This site is srtr.transplant.hrsa.gov. Here you will find the OPTN/SRTR Annual Data Report, which publishes organ transplant statistics and is produced each year by SRTR staff and staff of the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
At www.srtr.org, you will find older (pre-2010) annual data reports, current and past reports on organ procurement organizations and transplant programs, and information for researchers (including additional data tables and information about SRTR data and statistical methods).
Both sites aim to inform transplant programs, organ procurement organizations, policy makers, transplant professionals, transplant recipients, organ donors and donor families, and the general public about the current state of solid organ transplantation in the US.
SRTR also helps facilitate transplant research by providing access to data for qualified researchers interested in studying various aspects of solid organ transplantation.
The SRTR supports ongoing evaluation of the scientific and clinical status of solid organ transplantation and it provides data on all solid organ transplants and donations in the United States with oversight and funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services, and is admionitered by the Chronic Disease Research Group of the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation.
How SRTR differs from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
Program-Specific Reports and their intended audience.
Timeline and cohort selection.
Patients who are lost to follow-up: censoring and extra ascertainment.
Expected survival and risk-adjustment.
Comparison points: norms versus targets.
Interpretation of survival statistics: what is important to whom?
SRTR Products and Responsibilities: Inferential Analyses to Support Policymaking and Patient Care
*Analytic support for policy committees (OPTN, Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation [ACOT]).
*OPTN/SRTR Annual Report.
*Report to Congress.
Journal articles and scientific presentations.
Public release data files for researchers.
*Program-specific analyses (Program-Specific Reports, Organ Procurement Organization [OPO] reports, etc).
Inferential requests.
Primary data from OPTN, supplemented with other sources.
*legislatively mandated
^Primary data source is the transplant center, submitting data through the OPTN system. Includes WL and organ allocation, tiedi, match runs.
Range of other data here are incorporated either on a person-level matching basis or on an aggregate basis for comparison.
Primary data source is the transplant center, submitting data through the OPTN system. Includes WL and organ allocation, tiedi, match runs.
National Death Index is not be used for analyses, but is used to evaluate completeness of extra ascertainment.
Each month, the SRTR receives an updated version of all data submitted by transplant centers, organ procurement organizations, and histocompatibility laboratories, along with data produced by the OPTN itself regarding organ offers, match runs, and the like. Data linkages are used to add patient-level data, and additional ascertainment of mortality events is provided via linkage to the Social Security Death Master File. Analysis files optimized for research are created and merged with analysis variables from the National Center for Health Statistics and the annual survey of the American Hospital Association to produce a set of Standard Analysis Files. These are the data files used for SRTR analyses.
Regularly scheduled analyses are produced, including those available to the public such as the center-specific reports of transplant programs and OPOs, reports to the OPTN Membership and Professional Standards Committee, and the standardized insurance request for information data reports. Program-Specific Reporting (http://www.srtr.org) uses different formats for different audiences. Feedback from centers enables data fixes and data quality improvements to occur over time.
Additional research is presented in the form of journal articles, the SRTR Report on the State of Transplantation published each year in the American Journal of Transplantation, conference proceedings, reports to OPTN and ACOT committees, an Annual Report published on the web and on CD, and a Biennial Report to Congress. The same Standard Analysis Files that are used by SRTR are available to all researchers and can be obtained via submission of an analysis plan and completion of a Data Use Agreement.
Using SRTR-calculated center-specific statistics provides several advantages – for each audience of the CSR — over having each center self-report these characteristics:
Uniform methodology: The SRTR provides a uniform methodology of calculation. These methods are standard and accepted within the statistical and medical communities, however they are not the only ones available.
Audited data collection: All data on which these statistics are based are audited by the OPTN. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the contractor for the OPTN, works to ensure the accuracy and reliability of these data.
Extra ascertainment of mortality: The SRTR helps find information about patients who become lost-to-follow-up that may be unavailable to transplanting centers, or very difficult to find.
Risk adjustment: Comparison of outcomes should be based on risk-adjusted models that account for the types of patients treated. Without national data, it is impossible for centers to calculate risk-adjusted comparison points.
Program-Specific Reporting – different formats for different audiences: What we choose to focus on
Percent survival at one year, three years.
What choices do our patients have?
*Report Contents – Focus on patient outcomes
Report Tables [10-11]–
Graft and patient survival rates compared with expected values
Updated every 6 months (January, July).
Patient and graft survival tables report 1-month, 1-year, and 3-year outcomes for 2.5-year cohorts of recipients.
Calculating Survival
Transplant Month Follow-up Group A: Transplant > 1 Y Group B:Transplant 6-12 Mo All
Months 0-6 Transplants
Deaths 100
Survival 90% 86% 88%
Months 7-12 At-Risk
80% Not yet observed,
Use 80% .88*.80 = 70.4%or (72 + 68.8)/2 = 70.4
1 Year Survival .90 * .80 = 72% .86*.80 = 68.8%
Incomplete Data and Loss to Follow-Up
Censoring (Kaplan Meier/Cox) works only if “lost” patients have similar failure rates as followed patients (unbiased).
Censoring can produce unstable estimates for small samples
NDI study indicates that the SRTR identifies > 99% of deaths
Observed rates are compared with rates that would be expected based on characteristics of recipients and donors at each center.
Allows fair comparison among centers that treat different types of patients
Is the difference we see between the observed survival of 87.78% and the expected rate of 89.41% large enough to be meaningful? The answer may depend perspective.
The percent surviving at one year is only 2% lower than expected, an apparently small difference. However, the same difference appears more consequential when comparing the percent died that implied by subtracting survival percents from 100: the percent of patients who had died by the end of the first year was a full 15% higher than expected. Finally, in our example center that performed 90 transplants during a 2.5-year period, the count of deaths observed during follow-up was 30% higher, accounting for 2.5 deaths more than we would expect during time these patients were followed.
The difference between each of these is stark. The first change from a 2% difference to a 15% difference reflects the change in denominator: a small percentage point difference is a much smaller fraction of survival (usually a large number at one year) than of mortality (usually a small number). Several years after transplant, when survival rates may be close to 50%, the contrast would not be as evident.
The difference between the percent died and death count is more subtle: the expected number of deaths is calculated according to the time that patients are followed after transplant, so a patient whose follow-up ends immediately after transplant – for any reason, including death — is smaller than the expected number of deaths for a patient who died after ten months. Therefore, this last statistic accounts for the difference between a patient who survives only briefly during follow-up, and one who survives nearly the entire period, despite the fact that they have both died in the end-of-period accounting of “percent died”.
What rate would be expected for patients at this center if their outcomes were comparable to national outcomes for similar patients?
“Similar” defined by characteristics that affect the rate, such as:
Severity of illness
Differences between observed and expected outcomes are not due to these adjustment factors.
*notion of a “similar” patient: have in-common characteristics that may influence the outcome –
include basic demographic factors such as age, etiology of disease, and the patient’s severity of illness.
Risk-Adjustment Models
Each risk-adjustment model is published one month in advance of the PSRs (Figure 5). These tables serve not only as a list of all characteristics incorporated, but also tell the reader:
The beta, or calculated coefficient, tells what was the effect of that characteristic on expected risk of dying or failed transplant?
The standard error and p-value tell how much random variance there was around this estimate, and how sure we are that there is a real effect of this characteristic.
Models are repeated for a series of three different cohorts of transplants, allowing a comparison of how stable the coefficients are across time.
The index of concordance, for each model, tells the percent of variation in the order of events (deaths or graft failures) that is accurately predicted by the model. A index of 100% would suggest that the model perfectly predicts the order of events; 50% would suggest that the order is random with regard to predictors.
*Odds Ratio >1 = Failure/Death More Likely = Lower Expected;
Odds Ratio <1 = Failure/Death Less Likely = Higher Expected
Adjusting for Age
Nationally: Average survival, 85%.
50% of patients are young with 95% survival.
50% of patients are old with 75% survival.
Center A treats only older patients, 80% survival:
Center survival of 80% worse than national average of 85%.
100% are older patients with expected 75% survival.
Center A patients have better expected survival compared with similar patients nationwide
Center X Treats More Older Recipients than the National Average
Adjustment: Account for Case Mix
The older recipient age at Center X (along with other factors) gives Center X an expected 13.1% deaths, compared with the national average of 9.5%.
Use ratio of observed/expected deaths.
Adjustment: Random Variation
Obs/Exp Deaths: Center X = 1.1 (0.88-1.37); National Ave = 1.0
The confidence interval for Center X, reflecting random variation in this measure over time, overlaps the national average.
Do not flag Center X.
Concepts: Actionable, Important, and Significant
The first principle in these criteria is that all comparisons should be based on observed and expected events during the time a patient is actually followed either by the center or, in the case of patient survival, by extra ascertainment; no imputed survival should be used. They should also account for the difference in outcomes between a patient who dies in the 1st week after transplant versus 51st week.
The following criteria, applied by the MPSC, are based on comparison of counts of observed and expected deaths (graft failures) as presented in “Deaths during follow-up period”. To be identified for further review by the MPSC, differences between observed and expected must meet all of the following criteria:
Actionable: the magnitude of the problem, in terms of potential lives saved, should be sufficient to take action
MPSC Criteria: Observed (O) – Expected (E) greater than 3, O – E > 3
Interpretation: 3 excess deaths per 2-year transplant cohort
Important: a clinically significant pattern, suggesting that it may be changeable, indicated by a high fraction of excess deaths
MPSC Criteria: Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) > 1.5; O / E > 1.5
Interpretation: 50% more deaths than expected
Significant: it should be unlikely that the difference occurred by random chance alone
MPSC Criteria: one-sided p-value less than .05
Interpretation: there is less than a 5 percent chance that a poor outcome occurred by simple random variation
Important: More than 3 excess deaths
Actionable: More than 50% excess deaths
Imaging Technologies in use for Clinical Monitoring of Patients with Heart Transplant: Donor Human Heart and Artificial Heart
Imaging of the heart monitors success and viability of the transplanted heart in terms of
what fraction of the contents of each ventricle moves out of the heart (ejection fraction),
what volumes the heart sees
end-diastolic volume, or EDV, and
end-diastolic diameter, or
LVIDd,
end systolic volume or ESV),
how well the walls move (wall motion) and
wall thickening analysis,
tissue character
visual evidence for changes in the heart muscle,
perfusion (delivery of nutrient blood supply to the heart muscle), and
various means to detect coronary artery disease (obstructions to blood delivery to the heart muscle).
Clinical tools for imaging the heart include:
The major tool – ultrasound (echocardiography),
cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR),
computed xray tomography (CT),
catheterization with xray imaging (coronary angiography and ventriculography),
metabolic marker distribution by positron emission tomography (PET), and
radioactive marker distribution (nuclear imaging, SPECT).
Ultrasound applies alternating current to a piezoelectric crystal (lead zirconate) to produce compressions and expansions of material as a wave pattern that relies on tissue elastic properties to propagate into the tissue, reflecting back when the wave encounters a change of properties (acoustic impedance mismatch). Display of signal versus time on an oscilloscope (like an ECG monitor) constitutes “A-mode”(amplitude) display, whereby the distance between peaks corresponds to distances along the path that can report thickness of the left ventricle, and diameter of the left ventricular cavity. Time translates to distance because the speed of sound through tissue is fairely constant, ~1540 meters/second. Collapsing the peaks to bright dots represents the same data in “B-mode” (brightness) which reduces the data to a line of variable intensity with bright dots marking changes in tissue (e.g., muscle versus blood). Attaching a position sensor to the handle of the sound source (the transducer) enabled plotting the B-mode signal on a 2D screen to indicate the position of the sound beam. Gynecologists showed that a steady sweep of the transducer (C-mode, composite) then generated 2D images that delineated the shape of a fetal head, and as quality improved, the gender prior to birth. The invention of phased-array crystal sets (multiple sources electrically activated sequentially with specific timing) enabled generation of a composite beam that is electronically swept in an arc with no mechanically moving parts. That is now the main method of ultrasound imaging, called phased-array sector scanning. More advanced phased arrays sweep in a 2D pattern to generate 3D imaging (4D or dynamic 3D, when you include repeating over time).
The e-Reader is encourage to review Cardiovascular Imaging Chapters in each of the three volumes.
For new technological developments in achieving Optimal PCI Outcomes and for Visual Tools for Characterization of endovascular tissue affecting Coronary Circulation, review the following article:
Coronary Circulation Combined Assessment: Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) – Detection of Lipid-Rich Plaque and Prevention of ACS
The Failure of a Heart Transplant – Pathology and Autopsy Findings
Section A. SRTR Graft and Patient Survival Data
Table 1. Transplant Survivals, 2011, and related conditions
Activities 2011 Numbers
Deceased donor transplants (n=number) 2,322
Adult graft survival (based on 4595 transplants) 89.91 (%)
Adult patient survival (based on 4449 transplants) 90.21 (%)
Pediatric graft survival (based on 886 transplants) 90.74 (%)
Pediatric patient survival (based on 829 transplants) 91.31 (%)
Primary Disease (%) of Waitlist
Cardiomyopathy 49.4
Coronary Artery Disease 34.7
Retransplant/Graft Failure 4.4
Valvular Heart Disease 1.7
Congenital Heart Disease 8.4
Table 2. Recipient Condition at Transplant (%)
Not Hospitalized 54.0
Hospitalized 14.6
ICU 31.0
No Support Mechanism 25.2
Devices 42.4
Other Support Mechanism 32.2
Table 3. Donor Characteristics
Cause of Death (%)
Stroke 20.9
MVA 23.4
Other 55.7
18-34 48.8
12-17 9.4
Cold ischemic time 1.5-4.5 h 85.3
Table 4. Graft and Patient Survival
Survival by… time since transplant
1 mo 1 yr 3 yrs
Adult (Age 18+)
Graft survival (%) 95.7 89.9 80.9
# failures
Patient survival (%) 95.9 90.2 81.8
# deaths
Pediatric (Age < 18)
Graft Failures
Patient Survival (%)
* 07/01/2006 and 12/31/2008 for the 3 Year Model
Table 4. Risk Model Documentation – Adult, Three−Year Graft Survival
Characteristic Level Estimate Std. Err. P−Value
Bilirubin at Transplant mg/dL 0.0364 0.008 <0.0001
Dialysis at Transplant Yes 0.8026 0.169 <0.0001
Donor Age 0−17 −0.5789 0.140 <0.0001
18−34 −0.3098 0.074 <0.0001
Ischemic Time hrs 0.1298 0.033 <0.0001
Previous Transplant Yes 0.4251 0.157 0.0069
Recipient DX Cardiomyopathy −0.1933 0.078 0.0130
Recipient Age 18-34 0.2806 0.110 0.0107
65+ 0.2694 0.101 0.0074
Recipient Race Black 0.4104 0.086 <0.0001
Recipient SCrea >1 & <=1.5 mg/dL 0.0115 0.086 0.8933
>1.5 mg/dL 0.4316 0.095 <0.0001
Recipient on VAD Yes 0.2777 0.086 0.0013
Recipient on Vent Yes 0.7014 0.169 <0.0001
* SRTR Program−Specific Report July 12, 2012
Table 5. Risk Model Documentation Adult, Three−Year Patient Survival
Donor Age 0−17 −0.4758 0.1452 0.0010
18−34 −0.3066 0.0764 0.0001
Ischemic Time hrs 0.1400 0.0344 <0.0001
Most Recent CPRA/PRA% 0.0039 0.0019 0.0359
Recipient Age 18−34 0.3041 0.1157 0.0086
65+ 0.3089 0.1013 0.0023
Recipient DX Cardiomyopathy −0.2151 0.0809 0.0078
Congen Heart Dis 0.5504 0.2085 0.0083
Recipient Race Black 0.4942 0.0895 <0.0001
Recipient SCrea >1 and <=1.5 0.0245 0.0887 0.7827
>1.5 mg/dL 0.5053 0.0991 <0.0001
Recipient on VAD Yes 0.2559 0.0816 0.0017
Recipient on Vent Yes 0.7340 0.1852 0.0001
1. The most common transplant recipients in adults are cardiomyopathy and CAD, and congenital heart disease in children.
2. recipient on VAD or on vantilator is significant
3. ischemic time for donor heart is usually 1.5-4.5 hours, but longer time has an effect on graft and patient survival
4. Recipient serum creatinine exceeding 1.5 mg/dl is unfavorable, but considering BMI and age related renal nephron loss, eGFR would be a better measure.5. African-American has an effect, but it is not at all clear whether sickle cell trait or disease is a factor.
6. Half the recipients are not hospitalized, and they might coincide with no or other support.
Section B. Special Concerns
Cellular repopulation of myocardial infarction in patients with sex-mismatched heart transplantation
Source: Georg-August-University G€ottingen. c2004, Eur Soc Cardiol
Recent studies have suggested that human extracardiac progenitor cells are capable of differentiating into cardiomyocytes. In animal studies, myocardial infarction attracted bone marrow stem cells and enhanced their differentiation into cardiomyocytes.
Myocardial infarction enhances the invasion of extracardiac progenitor cells and their regeneration of endothelial cells. However, a significant differentiation into cardiomyocytes as a physiological mechanism of postischaemic regeneration does not occur in transplanted patients.
Five-year follow-up of hepatitis C-naïve heart transplant recipients who received hepatitis C-positive donor hearts.
G S Gudmundsson, K Malinowska, J A Robinson, B A Pisani, J C Mendez, B K Foy, G M Mullen
Advanced Heart Failure/Heart Transplant Program, Loyola University, Maywood, Illinois, USA.
Transplantation Proceedings (impact factor: 1). 07/2003; 35(4):1536-8.
Source: PubMed
Due to the risk of transmission of hepatitis C virus, the use of hepatitis C seropositive donors in heart transplantation is controversial. The transmission rate of hepatitis C in this patient population is estimated to range from 67% to 80%. Long-term clinical outcomes of heart transplant recipients of hepatitis C-positive donor hearts are not well described. We report the 5-year long-term outcome of seven hepatitis C-naïve heart transplant recipients who received hepatitis C-positive donor hearts.
Seven hearts transplant recipients, six men and one woman were included in our study. After a mean follow-up of 63.3 +/- 20.4 months (range 28.2 to 85.9), four of seven (57.1%) patients are hepatitis C-negative, have normal liver function tests, and no clinical evidence of hepatitis. Three of seven (43%) have been diagnosed with hepatitis C by liver biopsy or the HCV-RNA reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction at a mean follow-up of 35.1 months (18.8 months posttransplantation). One had an accelerated course of hepatitis that was ultimately fatal, one was successfully treated with interferon, and the third died from other causes than liver injury. Overall, the 5-year survival was 71.4%.
Cryptococcus neoformans Infection in Organ Transplant Recipients: Variables Influencing Clinical Characteristics and Outcome
Shahid Husain, Marilyn M. Wagener, and Nina Singh
Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh
Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Emerging Infectious Diseases 376 Vol. 7, No. 3, May–June 2001
Unique clinical characteristics and other variables influencing the outcome of Cryptococcus neoformans infection in organ transplant recipients have not been well defined. From a review of published reports, we found that C. neoformans infection was documented in 2.8% of organ transplant recipients (overall death rate 42%). The type of primary immunosuppressive agent used in transplantation influenced the predominant clinical manifestation of cryptococcosis. Patients receiving tacrolimus were significantly less likely to have central nervous system involvement (78% versus 11%, p =0.001) and more likely to have skin, soft-tissue, and osteoarticular involvement (66% versus 21%, p = 0.006) than patients receiving nontacrolimus-based immunosuppression. Renal failure at admission was the only independently significant predictor of death in these patients (odds ratio 16.4, 95% CI 1.9–143, p = 0.004). Hypotheses based on these data may elucidate the pathogenesis and may ultimately guide the management of C. neoformans infection in organ transplant recipients.
Patients were 12 to 67 years of age (median 44 years); 78% were male. The mean incidence of C. neoformans infection was 2.8 per 100 transplants (0.3 to 5.3 per 100). The overall incidence was 2.4% in liver, 2.0% in lung, 3.0% in heart, and 2.8% in renal transplant recipients. Of 127 transplant recipients who could be evaluated, 100 (79%) had azathioprine as the primary immunosuppressive agent, 9 (7%) had tacrolimus, 11 (9%) had cyclosporine, and 7 (6%) had cyclosporine and azathioprine. Of these 127 patients, 78 were also receiving prednisone in various dosages. The incidence of cryptococcosis was 4.5 per 100 transplants in patients who received tacrolimus, 2.4 per 100 transplants in patients who received cyclosporine, and 3.4 per 100 transplants in patients who received azathioprine. These rates did not differ significantly. Rejection episodes preceding cryptococcal infection were documented in 17 (25%) of 67 patients; rejection had occurred a median of 7 months (from 5 days to 49 months) before onset of infection.
Cryptococcosis occurred a median of 1.6 years (from 2 days to 12 years) after transplantation. Overall, 14 (15%) of 94 cases occurred within 3 months, 10 (11%) of 94 in 3 to 6 months, 15 (16%) of 94 in 6 to 12 months, and 55 (59%) of 94 >12 months after transplantation. The median time to onset after transplantation was 35 months for kidney, 25 months for heart, 8.8 months for liver, and 3 months for lung transplant recipients (p = 0.001). Overall, cryptococcosis developed in 100% of the lung, 75% of the liver, 33% of the heart, and 30% of the kidney transplant recipients within 12 months of transplantation (p = 0.002).
Diagnostic Accuracy of Mortality on a Population of Heart Transplant Patients
M AMUCHÁSTEGUI, AE CONTRERAS, O SALOMONE, A DILLER, et al.
Hospital Privado Centro Médico de Córdoba
REV ARGENT CARDIOL 2008;76:292-294.
Although morbidity and mortality rates in heart transplant have been extensively analyzed, most mortality studies and mortality registries in heart transplant patients are based on clinical data.
Between January 1990 and January 2005 all dead transplant patients were included. The final diagnosis of the cause of death was confirmed with necropsy or biopsy of a solid organ. The causes of death assessed were early graft failure, cellular rejection, graft vascular disease, neoplasms and others.
Seventy three patients underwent heart transplantation during the study period. Thirty one patients died. The cause of death was certified in 61% of cases by 12 necropsies and 7 solid organ biopsies.
Cellular rejection greater than grade III was the most frequent cause of death.
Histopathology studies differed from the clinically suspected cause of death in 12.9% of cases.
Clinical and pathological information derived from post mortem studies is an indicator of the reality of our practice and constitutes an underlying mainstay for understanding transplant patients and for their further management; in this sense, performing necropsies is of vital importance for these patients.
How do Heart Failure patients die?
S. Orn and K. Dickstein
Central Hospital in Rogaland, Stavanger, Norway
European Heart Journal Supplements (2002) 4 (Supplement D), D59-D65
http://eurheartjsupp.oxfordjournals.org/
Approximately 90% of heart failure patients die from cardiovascular causes. Fifty per cent die from progressive heart failure, and the remainder die suddenly from arrhythmias and ischaemic events. Autopsy reveals the presence of an acute ischaemic event inapproximately 50% of sudden deaths and in 35% of all deaths among patients with ischaemic heart failure.
An accurate description of the cause and mode of death is important if we are to elucidate the mechanisms that are operative in the heart failure population.
At present, the most accurate data on mode of death are obtained from large randomized heart failure trials. They indicate that current treatment strategies for heart failure prolong life expectancy, but have relatively little impact on the proportion of heart failure patients who die from cardiovascular causes. The ultimate goal of intervention is to shift the balance toward more deaths from non-cardiovascular causes. (Eur Heart J Supplements 2002; 4 (Suppl D): D59-D65)
The heterogeneity of the heart failure population is reflected in the different ways in which these patients die.
Some deteriorate progressively, whereas others
die after acute episodes of decompensation.
Others die suddenly and unexpectedly, and some (relatively few)
die from noncardiac causes.
Before the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor era, it was estimated that
90% of the total deaths in heart failure patients were from cardiovascular causes,
49% were related to worsening heart failure,
22% to arrhythmias and
11% to acute myocardial infarction[S].
It is conventional to categorise death according to mode and cause of death.
Cause of death addresses the mechanisms by which death occurs, such as arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction or progressive heart failure (Table 1).
Mode of death is perhaps easier to categorise.
Mode and cause of death are not the same, although they are often used interchangeably.
Sudden death has various underlying causes, such as
arrhythmia,
acute myocardial infarction,
pulmonary embolism,
myocardial or aortic rupture, and
Sudden cardiac death is defined as natural death due to cardiac causes, heralded by abrupt loss of consciousness within 1 h of the onset of acute symptoms[2].
In order to avoid confusion in terminology, some clinical trials subclassify death without using the term ’cause of death’ and end-point committees focus instead on mode and place of death (Table 1)[31]. However, although it is more difficult to classify cause of death than mode of death, it is nevertheless productive to examine the causes of death among heart failure patients. The cause of death reflects the underlying pathophysiology of the disease, and helps us to understand the mechanisms responsible for its progression. Unravelling the mechanisms that lead to death is clinically relevant and may reveal potential new treatment targets. Effective treatment may alter the cause of death, and should ideally shift the operative mechanism from cardiovascular to noncardiovascular. Most of our knowledge of the cause and mode of death in heart failure comes from the
large randomized mortality trials and from
official death registries.
However, both of these sources of information have their problems.
A simplified classification of heart failure deaths
Non-cardiovascular
Progressive heart failure
Other cardiac
Non-cardiac
Procedure-related
Number of Deaths – Leading Causes
Chronic Lung Disease
Influenza and Pneumonia
*National Vital Statistics Report (NVSR) “Deaths: Final Data for 2010.” MortalityData@cdc.gov.
WHO Leading Causes of Death
Low income countries
Deaths (mil)
% of deaths
Lower respiratory infections
Diarrheal diseases
High-income countries
Bronchioepithelial cancers
Alzheimer and dementias
Pneumonias
Q: What is the number one cause of death throughout the world?
Cardiovascular diseases kill more people each year than any others. In 2008, 7.3 million people died of ischaemic heart disease, 6.2 million from stroke or another form of cerebrovascular disease.
Q: Isn’t smoking a top cause of death?
Tobacco use is a major cause of many of the world’s top killer diseases – including cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive lung disease and lung cancer.
Deaths across the globe: an overview
Imagine a diverse international group of 1000 individuals representative of the women, men and children from all over the globe who died in 2008. Of those 1000 people,
159 would have come from high-income countries,
677 from middle-income countries and
163 from low-income countries.
What would be the top 10 causes of their deaths?
http://who.int/entity/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310_graph3.gif
High income countries
Note: In this fact sheet, we use low-, middle- and high-income categories as defined by the World Bank. Countries are grouped based on their 2009 gross national income. See World health statistics 2011 for more information.
World health statistics 2011
Advances in Imaging Technology
This document discusses the advances in cardiac surgery assisted by rapid advances in cardiac imaging technology over the last 15 years. This portion concentrates on the treatments for advanced and disabling congestive heart failure as the age expectancy has increased to a range of early 8th and mid-9th decade, depending on patient related comorbidities, nutrition and activity status. Many of the patients who require a heart transplant have coincident metabolic syndrome, advanced coronary artery circulation compromise, and/or atherosclerotic disease at the aortic arch. The advances in cardiothoracic technique has enabled a parallel advance in ventricular assist devices and a total artificial heart, which has allowed the maintenance of patients on waitlists until a suitable donor can be found, which is usually under a 5 year period. The ventricular assist device is selected for those patients who have sufficient reserve of left ventricular function. The cardiac and cardiosurgical advances have been advanced by the development of vastly improved imaging for both diagnosis and for enabling safety of procedures.
Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is a noninvasive technique for assessing heart structure and function without the need for ionizing radiation. Its ability to precisely outline regions of myocardial ischemia and infarction gives it an important role in guiding interventional cardiologists in revascularization. Its ability to characterize and precisely quantify abnormal regurgitant flow volumes or abnormal shunts also makes it a valuable tool for many noncoronary interventions. The evidence is sufficient to show that cardiac magnetic resonance in guiding complex therapies in the catheter laboratory, as well as practical issues that need to be addressed to allow the application of this powerful tool to an increasing number of patients. But this advantage extends as well to the transplantation arena.1 (Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for the interventional cardiologist. GA Figtree, JLønborg, SM Grieve, MR Ward, RBhindi. University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. PubMed 02/2011; 4(2):137-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcin.2010.09.026.)
Further, A novel approach to three-dimensional (3D) visualization of high quality, respiratory compensated cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) data is presented with the purpose of assisting the cardiovascular surgeon and the invasive cardiologist in the pre-operative planning2. Developments included:
(1) optimization of 3D, MR scan protocols;
(2) dedicated segmentation software;
(3) optimization of model generation algorithms;
(4) interactive, virtual reality visualization.
The approach is based on a tool for interactive, real-time visualization of 3D cardiac MR datasets in the form of 3D heart models displayed on virtual reality equipment. This allows the cardiac surgeon and the cardiologist to examine the model as if they were actually holding it in their hands. To secure relevant examination of all details related to cardiac morphology, the model can be re-scaled and the viewpoint can be set to any point inside the heart. Finally, the original, raw MR images can be examined on line as textures in cut-planes through the heart models3. (A new virtual reality approach for planning of cardiac interventions. T S Sørensen, SV Therkildsen, P Makowski, JL Knudsen, EM Pedersen. University of Aarhus Abogade 34, 8200 N, Arhus, Denmark. PubMed 07/2001; 22(3):193-214.
In addition, TeraRecon, (www.terarecon.com), the largest dedicated provider of advanced visualization and decision support solutions for medical imaging, showcased iNtuitionREVIEW™, a powerful new multi-modality, multi-monitor review and collaboration tool at the 24th European Congress Of Radiology4, held at the Austria Center, Vienna, Austria, March 8th-11th 2013. iNtuitionREVIEW is part of the iNtuition™ solution suite for advanced image management and quantitative decision support.
iNtuition has always complemented PACS with advanced functionality to resolve specialized use cases and workflow challenges not adequately addressed by existing PACS solutions. Features relevant to this discussion are:
Time-Volume Analysis – Enhanced support for Cardiac MRI image acquisitions
3D/4D Visualization – Enhanced TAVI (transcatheter valve implantation) analysis
Lesion-Specific Analysis – Support for research into downstream impact of stenosis
Editorial5: Seeing the heart; the success story of cardiac imaging
European Heart Journal 2000; 21(16): 1281–1288
http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/euhj.2000.2299
In 1896 a large audience at the Wurzburg Physical Medical Society attended a lecture and a demonstration, published a paper in 1895 ‘Eine Neue Art von Strahlen’ in the Annals of the Society. He showed an image of the hand of the famous anatomist F. Von Kolliker (1817– 1905). He was awarded the first Nobel prize laureate in Physics in 1901. FH Williams (1852–1936) began lecturing on the use of X-rays in visualization of the heart. In his paper ‘A method for more fully determining the outline of the heart by means of a fluoroscope together with otheruses of this instrument in medicine, he laid the basis for quantitative cardiac measurements from the chest X-ray.
To make angiocardiography of the heart possible, the feasibility of human cardiac catheterization had to be demonstrated. In 1929 W. Forssman (1904–1979) introduced ‘. . . a well oiled 65 cm long ureteral catheter’ into his antecubital vein to reach the right atrium. Soon thereafter he performed the first cardiac angiocardiogram on himself using 20 cc of 25% sodium iodide. Forssman shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine with A. Cournard and D. Richards in 1956.
The modern era of cardiac X-ray imaging began after the Second World War. G. Hounsfield of EMI Ltd tested their mathematical solutions and constructed the first clinical CT, which was installed in the Atkinson Morle Hospital in London in 1971 for brain scanning. This instrument revolutionized radiological imaging. Electronic and computer developments resulted in the image intensifier in 1952, which was a critical tool for analysing internal cardiac anatomy and the performing of selective coronary arteriography. Cormack and Hounsfield received the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1979. Subsequent major advances have been the dramatic increase in the speed of scanning and image reconstruction and improved image quality as a result of faster and more sophisticated computers. At the Mayo Clinic, dynamic volume scanning was achieved in 1975 with the dynamic spatial reconstructor which is based on multiple X-ray sources and multiplex detectors for scanning the heart using the mathematical principles of CT. Fast computed tomography, or electron beam tomography of the heart, was introduced by D. Boyd and co-workers in 1979 at Imatron. Contrary to the conventional CT scanner, this instrument has no moving parts and can acquire an image in as little as 50 ms, obviating the need for ECG-gating. By successively steering a small focal spot size electron beam at four tungsten target rings, producing a moving beam 180o about the patient, with a 180o ring of detectors, the heart is imaged virtually free of motion artifacts.
The existence of ultrasound was recognized by L. Spallanzani (1729–1799). He demonstrated that bats who are blind navigate by means of echo reflection using inaudible sound. In 1880, Jacques and Pierre Curie discovered the piezo-electric effect, a peculiar phenomenon observed in certain quartz crystals, which were the basis of early ultrasound systems and were later replaced by ferroelectric materials. The first suggestion that submerged objects could be located by echo-reflection probably came after theTitanic disaster in 1912. During World War I, P.Langevin (1872–1946) conceived the idea in 1917 of using a piezo-electric quartz crystal as both transmitter and receiver, and this ultimately led to the development of sonar which was completed with the invention of the cathode ray tube, extensively used in World War II for ship navigation and remote submarine detection. In 1950, the German W. D. Keidel, also using an echo-transmission technique, performed the first cardiac examinations in an attempt to measure cardiac output.
In the late 1960s, the fibreoptic recorder, a spin-off from space technology, was introduced allowing the M-mode recording of all structures along the ultrasound beam: this constituted the definitive breakthrough in echocardiography. Today, M-mode echocardiography remains an important part of a complete cardiac ultrasound examination because of its high temporal resolution. J Griffith and W Henry introduced the mechanical sector-scanner in 1974, in the same year that FL Thurstone and OT.von Ramm constructed their electronic phased-array scanner. Today, phased-array scanners are the most widely available tomographic imaging instruments with a tremendous impact on cardiac diagnosis. Recently, new computer technologies have enabled the development of volume-rendered data which display tissue information possible even in real-time. The mono- and biplane electronic phased-array probes developed by J. Souquet in 1982 and his multiplane probe in 1985 represented the definitive clinical breakthrough of transoesophageal echocardiography.
The pulsed-wave Doppler technique allowed depth selection for blood flow velocity interrogation, but the major step forward for its clinical acceptance was its combination with imaging: the duplex scanner, reported by F. E. Barber et al. in 1974[35]. This development ultimately led to the integration of pulsed-wave Doppler with two-dimensional phased-array systems and allowed blood flow to be studied at selected regions within the image plane. The Bernouilli equation is now the cornerstone for Doppler assessment of cardiac haemodynamics and was published by the Dutch born D. Bernouilli (1700–1782) in his treatise ‘Hydrodynamica’ in 1738. The rapid progress in interventional cardiology renewed the interest in imaging devices, allowing circumferential imaging of the arterial wall under the endothelial surface. Both mechanical single-element and multi-element electronic systems are now increasingly used.
De Hevesy introduced the red cell blood volume measurement and the1284 anniversary ‘dilution principle’ in humans using the first man-made radioisotope 32P produced by the cyclotron in Berkeley, a milestone invention by EO Lawrence in 1931 for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1939. With the cyclotron it was now possible to artificially produce radiopharmaceuticals and radionuclides, which became increasingly available for clinical research. Diagnostic nuclear imaging techniques can be divided into four general groups, depending on localization, dilution, flow or diffusion and biochemical and metabolic properties. Most of these basic principles were first demonstrated by de Hevesy using cyclotron-produced radioisotopes and techniques that he had described many years before—he should therefore be considered the ‘father of nuclear medicine’. It was the introduction of technetium-99m which spurred on the growth of nuclear medicine because of its ideal properties for gamma camera imaging, its short half life and the possibility of producing it in a hospital radiopharmacy. There are now radiopharmaceuticals labelled with 99mTc for almost every application in nuclear medicine. However, the clinical application of nuclear imaging required both counting and detection of radioisotope emissions. Modern counting equipment dates back to 1908 when H Geiger made his first electron counting tube, the precursor of the 1928 Geiger counter. The major breakthrough in radioisotope emission detection was the development of the scintillation scanner by B. Cassen in Los Angeles in 1949, an instrument rapidly followed by refinements. The scintillation camera was designed by Anger based on a concept proposed by DE Copeland and EW Benjamin and was followed by the electronic gamma camera in 1952, which is still the basis of the scintillation camera used today.
Single photon emission tomography (SPET) is based on the pioneering work of Kuhl and Edwards and the first clinical system became available in 1953. However, digital computer technology was necessary for emission tomography as we use it today and put the ‘C’ in SPECT. Tomographic capabilities have proved invaluable in the clinical use of nuclear imaging of the heart. Clinical application rapidly followed technical advances. Although Wren et al. laid the foundation of PET in 1951 it was Sweet and Brownell of Massachusetts General Hospital who conceived the idea of positron imaging which relies on the annihilation radiation emitted at 180o when positrons and electrons meet. PET has a clinical role in defining myocardial viability in patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction who may benefit from revascularization rather than transplantation. It allows the sympathetic nervous system to be studied as regards the development of a number of cardiac disorders by receptor imaging. Although PET was developed before SPECT, it is less accessible because it requires direct access to a cyclotron to produce the short-lived positron emitting tracers and a radiopharmaceutical laboratory, which is not required for SPECT.
F Bloch et al. at Stanford and E Purcell et al. at Harvard in 1946 published a paper on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) phenomenon in bulk matter for which they received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1952. Initially, the major limitation to NMR spectroscopy in intact living systems was the small bore of the superconducting magnets. In the early 1980s, the Oxford Instrument Company started to produce superconducting magnets with increasing bores and extremely uniform and intense magnetic fields allowing the whole human body to be studied. The major advantages of MRI are that contrary to ultrasound, the images are not degraded by overlying bony structures, that there is a high natural contrast between flowing blood and soft tissue, the wide field of view, and that cross-sections of the heart can be obtained in any arbitrary orientation. The ideal cardiovascular imaging technique would provide the cardiologist with integrated information on structure function, myocardial characteristics, perfusion and metabolism. Potentially, magnetic resonance imaging offers all this and will probably become the one-stop non-invasive diagnostic test of cardiology.
Real-time dynamic display of registered 4D cardiac MR and ultrasound images using a GQ Zhanga,
X Huanga, R Eagleson,G. Guiraudona, and TM Peters
University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
In minimally invasive image-guided surgical interventions, different imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT), and real-time three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound (US), can provide complementary, multi-spectral image information. Multimodality dynamic image registration is a well-established approach that permits real-time diagnostic information to be enhanced by placing lower-quality real-time images within a high quality anatomical context. For the guidance of cardiac procedures, it would be valuable to register dynamic MRI or CT with intraoperative US. However, in practice, either the high computational cost prohibits such real-time visualization of volumetric multimodal images in a real-world medical environment, or else the resulting image quality is not satisfactory for accurate guidance during the intervention. Modern graphics processing units (GPUs) provide the programmability, parallelism and increased computational precision to begin to address this problem.
The Use of Rapid Prototyping in Clinical Applications
G Biglino, S Schievano and AM Taylor
UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, London
http://www.intechopen.com
Rapid prototyping broadly indicates the fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D) model from a computer-aided design (CAD), traditionally built layer by layer according to the 3D input (Laoui & Shaik, 2003). Rapid prototyping has also been indicated as solid free-form, computer-automated or layer manufacturing (Rengier et al., 2008). The development of this technique in the clinical world has been rendered possible by the concomitant advances in all its three fundamental steps:
1. Medical imaging (data acquisition),
2. Image processing (image segmentation and reconstruction by means of appropriate software) and
3. Rapid prototyping itself (3D printing).
Particular advantages in this discussion are:
1. Customised implants: Instead of using a standard implant and adapting it to the implantation site during the surgical procedure, rapid prototyping enables the fabrication of patient-specific implants, ensuring better fitting and reduced operation time.
2. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS): These are micro-sized objects that are fabricated by the same technique as integrated circuits. MEMS can have different. applications, including diagnostics (used in catheters, ultrasound intravascular diagnostics, angioplasty, ECG), pumping systems, drug delivery systems, monitoring, artificial organs, minimally invasive surgery.
Example: Stages of rapid prototyping in a clinical setting. From left to right: data acquisition (in this case with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging), image processing, 3D volume reconstruction with appropriate software (in this case, Mimics®, Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) and final 3D model printed in a transparent resin.
Despite its clinical use to the present day is still somewhat limited, considering the potential and flexibility of this technique, it is likely that applications of rapid prototyping such as individual patient care and academic research will be increasingly utilised (Rengier et al., 2010).
Nuclear Cardiology — In the Era of the Interventional Cardiology
B Baskot, I Ivanov, D Kovacevic, S Obradovic, N Ratkovic and M Zivkovic
Chap 10, InTech. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55484
The strength and breadth of nuclear cardiology lie in its great potential for future creative growth. This growth involves the development of new biologically derived radiopharmaceuticals, advanced imaging techologies, and a broad/based set of research and clinical applications involving diagnosis, functional categorization, prognosis, evaluation of therapeutic interventions, and the ability to deal with many of the major investigative issues in contemporary cardiology such as myocardial hibernation, stunning, and viability. The past decade has been characterized by major advances in nuclear cardiology that have greatly enhanced the clinical utility of the various radionuclide techniques used for the assessment of regional myocardial perfusion and regional and global left ventricular function under resting and stress conditions. Despite the emergence of alternative noninvasive techniques for the diagnosis of coronary aretry disease (CAD) and the assessment of prognosis of viability, such as ergo- stress tests, stress echocardiography, the use and application of nuclear cardiology techniques have continued to increase.
For many years, planar imaging and SPECT with 201Tl (201 Thalium) constituted the only scintigraphic techniques available for detecting CAD and assessing prognosis in patients undergoing stress perfusion imaging. The major limitation of 201Tl scintigraphy is the high false/positive rate observed in many laboratories, which is attributed predominantly to image attenuation artefact and variants of normal that are interpreted as defects consequent to a significant coronary artery stenoses.
In recent years, new 99mTc (technetium) labeled perfusion agents have been introduced into clinical practice to enhance the specificity of Single Photon Emission Cumputed Tomography (SPECT) and to provide additional information regarding and global left ventricular systolic function via ECG gating of images [3, 4, 8]. It was immediately apparent that the quality of images obtained with these 99mTc-labeled radionuclides was superior to that images obtained with 201Tl because of the more favorable psysical characteristic of 99mTc imaging with gamma camera. Perhaps most importantly, 99mTc imaging allows easy gated acquisition, permitting simultaneous evaluation of regional systolic thickening, global left ventricular function (LVEF), and myocardial perfusion. One the most significant avdances in myocardial perfusion imaging in the past decade is the development of quantitative SPECT perfusion imaging.
Indications for nuclear cardiology procedures
CAD is still the single greatest cause of death of men and women in the world, despite a declining total death rate. The reduction of the morbidity and mortality due to CAD is thus primary importance. The first step in evaluating patients for CAD involves the assessment of the presence of traditional risk factors. Symptoms suggestive of CAD, in addition to other risk factors, drive decisions for further testing.
In patients able to exercise, the diagnostic accuracy of stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is significantly higher than the ETT alone and provides greater risk stratification for predicting the future cardiac events.
Nuclear cardiology –practical applications
ETT exercise treadmill test
DIP-ECHO dipyridamole echocardiography
DOB-ECHO dobutamine echocardiography
DIP- MIBI dipyridamole myocardial perfusion imaging with Tc-99m MIBI
DOB-MIBI dobutamine myocardial perfusion imaging with Tc-99m MIBI
Evaluating and determination CULPRIT lesion, an indication for interventional cardiology
One of the most powerfull uses of MPI is the evaluation of the risk for future events in patients with suspected or known CAD. Over the years, MPI has evolved as an essential tool in the evaluation and assessment of patient prior to coronary revascularization. It has a dual role. Prior to coronary angiography, MPI is extremely useful in documenting ischemia and determining the functional impact of single or multiple lesions subsequently identified. Despite some limitations in the setting of multivessel disease, MPI remains the test of choice for identifying the lesion responsible for the ischemic symptoms. The primary objective of those study is to determine and localize the culprit lesion. The authors introduce parameters SRS (summary reversible score) and ISRS (index of summary reversible score), under the angiographically detected coronary narrowing ≥75% for the least one coronary artery. Coronary angiography, considered the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of CAD, often does not provide information about the physiologic significance of atherosclerotic lesions, especially in borderline lesions. More importantly, it does not provide a clear marker of risk of adverse events, especially in patients with moderate disease severity. The presence of normal scintigraphic MPI study at a high level of stress ( ≥ 85 % of maximum predicted heart rate) or proper pharmacologic stress carries a very benign prognosis, with mortality rate less than 0.5% per year. This finding has been reproduced in many studies. Iskander and Iskandiran, pooling the results of SPECT imaging from more than 12000 patients in 14 studies, demonstrated that the events rate (death/MI) for patients with normal MPI finding is 0.6%, whereas abnormal study carries 7.4% per year event rate, a 12-fold increase.
The size and severity of the perfusion abnormality provide powerful prognostic information and has been shown to directly relate to outcome. MPI perfusion imaging and determination of culprit lesion is more predicitble of cardiac events than coronary angiography. As MPI imaging may identify those patients at high risk for subsequent cardiac events, perfusion imaging may be used to help guide further testing and revascularization procedures. Myocardial perfusion imaging provides information on the extent and location of myocardial ischemia. The assessment of jeopardized myocardium may be performed and provides a measure of the relative value of PTCA in terms of the amount of jeopardized myocardium. The location of the stenosis may dictate the area at risk: extent and severity of perfusion defects were significantly smaller in patients with proximal compared with distal coronary artery occlusions.
The aim of the study Baskot at al.(*) was to determine and localize culprit lesion by MPI in cases of angiographically detected coronary narrowing ≥ 75% of at least one coronary artery. In the study four hundred and thirty-seven [437] patients were studied. Angiographically detected significant coronary narrowing (≥ 75% luminal stenosis) was found in all before PCI. All the patients were submitted to MPI 99mTc-MIBI, with pharmacologic dipyridamole stress protocol with concomitant low level bicycle exercise 50 W (DipyEX). We measured relative uptake 99mTc-MIBI for each myocardial segment using short-axis tomogram study. A 5-point scoring system was used to assess the difference between uptake degree in stress and rest studies for the same segment, and we created two indices: Sum reversible score (SRS), Index of sum reversibility score (ISRS). In the results a total 1311 vascular territories (7429 segments) were analyzed before elective percutaneous coronary intervention (ePCI). Overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy using SRS were 89.7%, 86, 7%, and 88, 2%, with a positive predictive value of 92, 7%. Overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy using ISRS were 92.8%, 89.1%, and 92.3%, and the positive predictive value was 93.7%.
Pathophysiology and investigation of coronary artery disease
Ever D Grech
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
BMJ 2003;326:1027–30
In affluent societies, coronary artery disease causes severe disability and more death than any other disease, including cancer. It manifests as angina, silent ischemia, unstable angina, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, heart failure, and sudden death. Coronary artery disease is almost always due to atheromatous narrowing and subsequent occlusion of the vessel. A mature plaque is composed of two constituents, each associated with a particular cell population. The lipid core is mainly released from necrotic “foam cells”—monocyte derived macrophages, which migrate into the intima and ingest lipids. The connective tissue matrix is derived from smooth muscle cells, which migrate from the media into the intima, where they proliferate and change their phenotype to form a fibrous capsule around the lipid core.
Stress echocardiography
Stress induced impairment of myocardial contraction is a sensitive marker of ischemia and precedes electrocardiographic changes and angina. Cross sectional echocardiography can be used to evaluate regional and global left ventricular impairment during ischaemia, which can be induced by exercise or an intravenous infusion of drugs that increase myocardial contraction and heart rate (such as dobutamine) or dilate coronary arterioles (such as dipyridamole or adenosine).
Radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging
Thallium-201 or technetium-99m (99mTc-sestamibi, 99mTc-tetrofosmin) is injected intravenously at peak stress, and its myocardial distribution relates to coronary flow. Images are acquired with a gamma camera. This test can distinguish between reversible and irreversible ischemia (the latter signifying infarcted tissue). Although it is expensive and requires specialised equipment, it is useful in patients whose exercise test is non-diagnostic or whose exercise ability is limited.
A multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan assesses left ventricular function and can reveal salvageable myocardium in patients with chronic coronary artery disease. It can be performed with either thallium scintigraphy at rest or metabolic imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose by means of either positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)
In contrast to angiography, which gives a two dimensional luminal silhouette with little information about the vessel wall, intravascular ultrasound provides a cross sectional, three dimensional image of the full circumference of the artery. It allows precise measurement of plaque length and thickness and minimum lumen diameter, and it may also characterise the plaque’s composition. It is often used to clarify ambiguous angiographic findings and to identify wall dissections or thrombus. It is most useful during percutaneous coronary intervention, when target lesions can be assessed before, during, and after the procedure and at follow up. The procedure can also show that stents which seem to be well deployed on angiography are, in fact, suboptimally expanded.
Interventional Cardiology for Structural Heart Disease
Georgios Parcharidis
Hellenic J Cardiol 2012; 53: 403-404
Many questions arise from this “explosion” of new technologies. Is all this enthusiasm justified and supported by robust scientific evidence? Which is the best way to implement these new treatment options? What is the role of “traditional” surgical treatment? How can we decide which patient should be treated percutaneously and which surgically? What level of training and experience should an interventional cardiologist (or a centre) have in order to perform structural and/or congenital heart disease interventions?
With regard to the scientific evidence, it should be noted that, currently, the number of randomized clinical trials and the duration of follow up is quite limited. Thus, great caution should be exercised in patient selection and planning for these complex procedures. In addition, careful data collection and, ideally, inclusion in a patient registry would increase surveillance and, therefore, patient safety.
Notably, for the majority of structural and congenital heart diseases, surgery is still considered the “gold standard”. It is now globally accepted that decision making for patients with cardiovascular disease should be done in the context of a “Heart Team”, with close collaboration between cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, anesthesiologists, imaging specialists and, occasionally, other specialists. Some patients will benefit more from transcatheter interventions whereas others will do better with surgery. Based on specific criteria, the role of the Heart Team is to identify (and treat) those patients.
PET vs. SPECT: Will PET Dominate Over the Next Decade?
DAIC July/August 2013 pp28-31. www. DIcardiology.com
The future success of PET may be grounded in its inherently better image resolution. In cardiac scanning, it has generally been reported that PET offers a resolution of 5 to 7 mm, compared with a cardiac SPECT resolution of 12 to 15 mm. Better performance has allowed data to emerge suggesting that as many as one in 10 scans interpreted as normal on SPECT would have been abnormal if done on PET due to the presence of unseen microvascular, triple-vessel disease. PET’s superior diagnostic capability is achieved partly through advances in hardware, particularly quantification, which leverages numerical precision to identify global perfusion defects in the heart that otherwise might be hidden from qualitative SPECT scans.
A big difference between the two technologies is the half-life of the isotope that each radiopharmaceutical tracer uses. SPECT tracers have a relatively long half-life (technetium-99m has a half-life of six hours), whereas rubidium-82 is only 75 seconds. This short half-life is a limitation of the current front-line cardiac PET radiotracer, which does not leave much room for error when imaging and presents the inability to do exercise stress testing. New iterative reconstruction (IR) software such as UltaSPECT is improving SPECT image quality by boosting the signal-to-noise ratio. Just as in CT scans, IR can also help reduce dose by enhancing lower-quality scans.
Heart Failure Patients
Heart Failure Complicating Non–ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome -Timing, Predictors, and Clinical Outcomes
MC Bahit, RD Lopes, RM Clare, LK Newby,KS Pieper, et al.
J Am Coll Cardiol HF 2013;1(3): 223–9This study sought to describe the occurrence and timing of heart failure (HF), associated clinical factors, and 30-day outcomes in patients with non–ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS). Using pooled patient-level data from 7 clinical trials from 1994 to 2008, we describe the occurrence and timing of HF,associated clinical factors, and 30-day outcomes in NSTE-ACS patients. HF at presentation was defined as Killip classes II to III; patients with Killip class IV or cardiogenic shock were excluded. New in-hospital cases of HF included new pulmonary edema. After adjusting for baseline variables, we created logistic regression models to identify clinical factors associated with HF at presentation and to determine the association between HF and 30-day mortality.Of 46,519 NSTE-ACS patients, 4,910 (10.6%) had HF at presentation. Of the 41,609 with no HF at presentation, 1,194 (2.9%) developed HF during hospitalization. A total of 40,415 (86.9%) had no HF at any time. Patients presenting with or developing HF during hospitalization were older, more often female, and had a higher risk of death at 30 days than patients without HF (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.74; 95% confidence interval: 1.35 to 2.26). Older age, higher presenting heart rate, diabetes, prior myocardial infarction (MI), and enrolling MI were significantly associated with HF during hospitalization. In this large cohort of NSTE-ACS patients, presenting with or developing HF during hospitalization was associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality.
Outcomes Following Heart Transplantation among Those Bridged with VAD
Jeffrey Shuhaiber MD
University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
www.intechopen.com
Clinical assessment of outcome for post heart transplant recipients who were bridged with ventricular assist device is essential for service evaluation, device evaluation and audit. We will review the clinical outcomes measured so far in the field of heart transplant recipients who were bridged with VAD. In this chapter we will review the ongoing methods of assessment of outcomes for transplant recipients bridged by VAD and discuss the potential challenges facing the clinicians. We will finalize with brief conclusions and future directions.
Survival following heart transplantation: Does VAD Type matter?
There have been many clinical studies comparing outcomes following heart transplantation. Only one has been done in a multicenter fashion with clinically relevant as well as a robust risk-adjustment. In 2006 we asked the question- does survival differ between those who did and did not receive the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) following heart transplantation? And in summary we found that survival following heart transplantation for patients who received an LVAD prior to transplantation was comparable to those who did not receive an LVAD. The results of this study were published as lead research article in the British Medical Journal earlier this year (Shuhaiber).
We reviewed all patients above 18 years of age who received heart transplants registered in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Registry from 1996 to 2004. The study included 2786 status 1/1A/1B heart transplant patients. We used the entry data for all patients who received LVAD pulsatile device. Our study design included a prospective cohort study in which post-transplant survival between patients who received an LVAD and those who did not receive an LVAD was compared.
1:1 propensity score matching analysis was also performed. Comparisons of survival distributions were made using the Kaplan-Meier method and the risk ratios were estimated using Cox proportional model. Our primary outcomes as well as risks and exposures included survival following heart transplantation in heart transplant recipients who did or did not receive ventricular assist device. The strength of the study was in adopting a robust statistical methodology that can adequately control for confounding variables. A stratified propensity score analysis of data revealed that the risk of death following heart transplantation in an LVAD patient was not significantly different from those who did not have an LVAD within each stratum (see table for estimated hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals). A 1:1 propensity score matching analysis also revealed no significant difference in post heart transplant survival between the two groups (hazard ratio = 1.18, 95% CIs=0.75 to1.86). The propensity score matching was performed in order to control potential selection biases that can lead to a false association (or false lack of association) between LVAD and survival.
Mechanical Heart Devices
The treatment of heart failure at end stage myocardial function has depended on having patients on waiting lists until the time that a donor heart becomes available. Waiting times are within 1.5 to 4.5 years. This required the development for mechanical support until a suitable donor is found. The expectation for future devices will be that suitable mechanical heart assist devices for selected patients will possibly alleviate the need for a donor heart.
There are two main types of mechanical assist devices. One type ios actually a total artificial heart, and the other is an assist that in complementary to the still functioning weak left ventricle. The VAD was just discussed in the preceding discussion. It has a pump that is attached to the atria and the pump controls the flow of blood through the pulmonary circulation. This device is extremely important for patients who have sufficient LV function to not require a TAH.
The total artificial heart (TAH) has been dominated by use of either of two models – the Syncardia temporary artificial heart, and the AbiCor. The difference between them is that one has an externalization outside the thorax to an electrical source. The Syncardia model is a modern day improvement of Jarvik-7.
The controlled flow is a miniature motor that has a rotor that moves the blood forward. Of course, it presents a problem with respect to blood cell damage and anemia. One of the innovations to the blood flow control has been that it flows without a heart beat. The most significant innovation is the entry into the market of a new model, the Carmat, from France. The Carmat would reduce the hemolysis that is associated with the flow of RBCs along a synthetic lining. How? It has the blood in contact with a cow skin lining.
The heart transplant is a technique that has been mastered at a number of excellent cardiothoracic surgical sites, and the facilities are being replaced by Hybrid Units that accommodate cardiology and surgical interventions. This brings to fruition the concept of a “Heart Team”. The procedure has risks of complication, either in the patient condition, or in environmental, or other factors the surgeon has no control over.
These factors include, associated comorbidities, such as
Late NYHF Stage 4
Late stage renal disease
mismatch of Graft vs Host
Other related articles published on this Open Access Online Scientific Journal, include the following:
Pearlman, JD and A. Lev-Ari, Cardiovascular Complications: Death from Reoperative Sternotomy after prior CABG, MVR, AVR, or Radiation; Complications of PCI; Sepsis from Cardiovascular Interventions
Larry H Bernstein, Advanced Topics in Sepsis and the Cardiovascular System at its End Stage
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/18/advanced-topics-in-sepsis-and-the-cardiovascular-system-at-its-end-stage/
Pearlman, JD and A. Lev-Ari Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) to Arrhythmias: Pacemaker/Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Insertion
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/22/cardiac-resynchronization-therapy-crt-to-arrhythmias-pacemakerimplantable-cardioverter-defibrillator-icd-insertion/
Lev-Ari, A. 3D Cardiovascular Theater – Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite, Hybrid Surgery, Complications Post PCI and Repeat Sternotomy
https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/07/19/3d-cardiovascular-theater-hybrid-cath-labor-suite-hybrid-surgery-complications-post-pci-and-repeat-sternotomy/
Posted in Bio Instrumentation in Experimental Life Sciences Research, Biomedical Measurement Science, Cardiac & Vascular Repair Tools Subsegment, Cardiac and Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures, FDA Regulatory Affairs, FDA, CE Mark & Global Regulatory Affairs: process management and strategic planning - GCP, GLP, ISO 14155, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Heart Transplant, Human Immune System in Health and in Disease, Interviews with Scientific Leaders, ISO 10993 for Product Registration: FDA & CE Mark for Development of Medical Devices and Diagnostics, Massachusetts Niche Suppliers and National Leaders, Mechanical Assist Devices: LVAD, RVAD, BiVAD, Artificial Heart, Medical Devices R&D and Inventions, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Regulated Clinical Trials: Design, Methods, Components and IRB related issues, Technology Transfer: Biotech and Pharmaceutical | Tagged Alain Carpentier, Artificial heart, Aviva Lev-Ari, Carmat, EADS, Harvard Medical School, Heart Failure, Heart transplantation, Larry H. Bernstein, New York Times, Ventricular assist device | 14 Comments
on August 5, 2013 at 4:26 PM | Reply Dror Nir
I was told once that the best is if one could keep his own heart as much as possible…what about designing a cybernetic hearth suite? (science fiction..:))
on August 5, 2013 at 4:54 PM | Reply 2012pharmaceutical
I welcome all ideas, Dr. Nir we welcome you to the CVD Team
Dr. Larry,
Outstanding job on the Clinical Outcomes of Heart Transplant
on August 6, 2013 at 8:48 PM | Reply Cardiovascular Original Research: Cases in Methodology Design for Content Curation and Co-Curation | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
[…] https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/05/alternative-designs-for-the-human-artificial-heart-… […]
Outstanding job on Part V.
on August 12, 2013 at 2:00 AM | Reply 2012pharmaceutical
You Conclusions are monumental.
Table 5 – please truncate the data in the last two columns on the right hand side.
Thank you very much for once again – LEAVING no one stone unturned.
on August 18, 2013 at 2:38 PM | Reply Advanced Topics in Sepsis and the Cardiovascular System at its End Stage | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
[…] (artificial) and Monitoring Technologies for the Transplant/Implant Patient in the Community https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/08/05/alternative-designs-for-the-human-artificial-heart-… larryhbern, J Pearlman, A […]
on August 25, 2013 at 4:21 PM | Reply 3D Cardiovascular Theater – Hybrid Cath Lab/OR Suite, Hybrid Surgery, Complications Post PCI and Repeat Sternotomy | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
on September 9, 2013 at 4:36 PM | Reply Heart, Smooth-muscle, excitation-contraction-coupling (ECC), cytoskeleton, Cellular-dynamics and Ca2-signaling | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
[…] Alternative Designs for the Human Artificial Heart: The Patients in Heart Failure – Outcomes o… (pharmaceuticalintelligence.com) […]
on December 11, 2013 at 10:29 AM | Reply Cardiovascular Complications: Death from Reoperative Sternotomy after prior CABG, MVR, AVR, or Radiation; Complications of PCI; Sepsis from Cardiovascular Interventions | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
on January 4, 2014 at 11:11 PM | Reply conceived: NEW definition for Co-Curation in Medical Research | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
on April 17, 2014 at 10:09 AM | Reply Cardiovascular Diseases and Pharmacological Therapy: Curations by Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN | Pharmaceutical Intelligence
on March 7, 2016 at 4:56 PM | Reply lauboeck dr h
ok dr h lauboeck germany dortmund
on June 17, 2016 at 8:30 PM | Reply Ischemic420!
Helpful discussion , I Appreciate the information . Does someone know where my assistant would be able to get access to a sample a form document to complete ?
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Malacañang declares August 21, (not 22) 2018, Eid’l Adha, as a regular holiday
in News, Walang Pasok
Class and work suspensions on January 2, 2019 #WalangPasok
Cagayan Province suspends classes on October 29, 2018 due to Typhoon Rosita #WalangPasok
Manila, Philippines – Malacañang Palace declares that the Eid’l Adha holiday is on the 21st of August, not on the 22nd, contrary to the previous news reports.
Proclamation No. 556, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, declares Tuesday, August 21, 2018 as a regular holiday throughout the country, in observance of the Eid’l Adha or Feast of Sacrifice.
Eid’l Adha is one of the two greatest feasts of Islam; the other one being the Eid’l Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadhan.
Under Republic Act No. 9849, signed last July 2009, Eid’l Adha which falls on the tenth day of Zhul Hijja or the twelfth month of the Islamic Calendar, is declared as a regular holiday throughout the country.
Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, Eid’l Adha and Eid’l Fitr falls on tentative dates because they shall be based upon moon sighting. The National Commission for Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) is the government agency tasked to recommend for the official dates of these holidays to the president.
Confusion arose after news articles state that the Eid’l Adha holiday will be on the 22nd. These articles were based on the Department Order (DO) No. 25, series of 2018 issued by the Department of Education (DepEd) last May, stating August 22 as a holiday for Eid’l Adha.
Although, August 22 is still part of the four-day festival of Eid’l Adha, the only declared holiday in the Philippines is the first day of Eid or the tenth day of Zhul Hijjah, which is celebrated by Muslims with a congregational prayer and korban or the sacrificial offering of animals such as sheep, goat, cow, among others.
The country will also celebrate another holiday on the 21st in commemoration of the assassination of former senator, the late Ninoy Aquino.
Bookmark us, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our feeds to get the latest news on regular holidays in the Philippines.
Tags: #WalangPasokeid ul-adhaEid'l AdhaRegular Holiday
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Pond Tail Surgery
Welcome to Pond Tail Surgery
We are currently accepting new patients.
We offer home visits to patients who are housebound or too ill to attend the surgery.
We offer a range of clinics and services at the practice.
Repeat prescriptions will be ready for collection within 72 hours.
Self-referral for Psychological Therapy
'Dad died violent death in dementia care unit'20 Jan 2020 06:23John O'Reilly died a week after being pushed by another patient at a dementia care unit in County Armagh.
19 Sep 2019 - Do you have a NHS Hearing Aid?
17 May 2019 - Dr Glover's retirement
25 Jul 2018 - Wellbeing Prescription - new website
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Register with the practice
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Welcome To The Practice
NHS Hearing Aid?
Do you need: Help, Advice, Repairs
A New NHS Supported Clinic at Pond Tail Surgery
The last Friday of every month
Starting Friday 25th October 2019
Between 2.30 – 4.00pm
No appointment required. Please bring any hearing aid battery renewal book you may have.
I look forward to seeing you.
Derek W. Phillips
Hearing Champion for NHS First Community Health and Care
Extended Hours
We are pleased to announce that we are able to offer early morning appointments from 7.30am at Lingfield Surgery & evening appointments from 6.30pm at Oxted Health Centre
Please book at reception
Information For Our Diabetic Patients
We do not collect used sharps bins. The following councils provide a home collection service:
Reigate and Banstead District Council on 01737 276000
Tandridge District Council on 01883 722000
Information Regarding Medication
Please returned unused medication back to the Pharmacy.
NHS services are there for you when you need them. But many people are using urgent care services with health concerns that could be treated by a GP or pharmacist. This makes these services very busy and means you and others may have to wait longer to be treated.
The NHS is doing everything it can to prepare for the extra pressures and demands over the busy winter months.
You can #HelpMyNHS to give the best care by making sure you and your loved ones get the right care, at the right time, in the right place. This website helps you do this by highlighting where you can get medical treatment that is right for you. It includes details on the alternative services to A&E and GPs, along with tips on using of GP appointments properly, taking steps to help prevent getting ill and self-manage minor illnesses, as well as other services, such as pharmacists.
It is tailored to include listings on specific services available to you across Sussex and East Surrey.
For medical help for non-life threatening conditions when your GP surgery is closed, call NHS 111 or visit your local community pharmacy. Alternatively, attend our walk in service:
See a GP at Caterham Dene Hospital, Church Rd, Caterham, CR3 5RA
Mon-Fri including Bank Holidays, 4pm-8pm
Minor Injuries Unit at Caterham Dene Hospital, Church Rd, Caterham, CR3 5RA
9am-8pm, 365 days a year
The Green, Godstone RH9 8DY
Telephone: 01883 742279 - Visits, Emergencies, General Information
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For general information all patient's will now have a named GP. If you would like to know who your named GP is please ask at your next visit.
This website provides many online facilities, including appointment booking and cancellation, and prescription ordering. It also contains a vast range of health information and resources, along with practical information on visiting the surgery. We hope you find the website useful and informative.
East Surrey
Health commissioners and East Surrey Hospital work together to tackle busy winter period
Dr E Vijaykumar, is a local GP and Chair of NHS East Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who pay for health services in the region, and Micheal Wilson, Chief Executive of the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, who run East Surrey Hospital are appealing to residents with non life-threatening conditions and minor ailments to get advice first by calling the NHS 111 service.
Local people can get quick healthcare advice on how to deal with illness or injury by dialling 111, when it's not a 999 emergency. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and is free from landlines and mobiles. Callers can also get information on local health services and advice on illnesses and injuries.
NHS 111 is free and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs urgent health advice by dialling 1-1-1.
There also are a range of services that patients with less serious conditions can access, including:
Pharmacies - for advice on common health problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains and how to use your medicines.
GPs - for a wide range of health advice and some minor surgery
Minor Injuries Unit at Caterham Dene Hospital for people aged 18 and over, open from 9am to 8pm, 7 days a week for:
• Cuts and grazes
• Sprains and strains
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• Bites and stings
• Infected wounds
• Eye problems, such as infections or scratches
• Minor burns and scalds
Mental Health - in times of crisis or distress please call: 0300 456 83 42. There is a SMS texting facility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing: 07717 98 90 24.
Originally there were two surgeries in Godstone, but some years ago they were joined together in one building known as Pond Tail, where the practice is still situated. The building has an unusual history as it was the local Police Station for Godstone. It still has the bars on the windows of what used to be three cells and also the small apertures in the doors for checking on the prisoners. The building has been modernised, making the surroundings pleasant for both patients and staff. We have a separate administration building, which was the old ambulance station.
The practice is a partnership known as Dr Glover & Partners.
Wheelchair access is limited at the surgery, although the majority of rooms can be entered with care.
The Practice is pleased to provide patients with access to its Clinical System via a Secure Web Interface.
To use EMIS Patient Access you will need a Practice ID number and Access ID number which is obtained from the practice, and, in conjunction with a password, will be unique to you.
Click here to access the online service.
Do you have a NHS Hearing Aid?
Do you need: Help, Advice, Repairs? A New NHS Supported Clinic at Pond Tail Surgery
Dr Glover's retirement
It is with deep regret, we have to inform you that after 32 years Dr Glover will be retiring from the practice in November 2019.
Wellbeing Prescription - new website
Wellbeing Prescription is a free service that can help you improve your health and wellbeing.
Health Conditions A to Z
Information from the Care Quality Commission
Our practice is inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure we are meeting essential standards of quality and safety.
This widget provides a summary of the results of the latest checks carried out by the CQC.
The practice would like to thank the various advertisers who have helped to produce this Website. However, it must be pointed out that the accuracy of any statements cannot be warranted, nor any products or services advertised, be guaranteed or endorsed.
The Green, Godstone, RH9 8DY
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Musique Baroque de Telemann
Wolfgang Bauer Consort
Telemann: Trumpet Concerto in D major
I. Adagio
II. Allegro
III. Grave
IV. Allegro
Telemann: Concerto for 3 Trumpets and Timpani in D major
I. Largo
IV. Presto
Telemann: Sonatina for Oboe in A minor
Violin Sonata in A Major, TWV 41:A4: I. Andante
Petra Mullejans
Violin Sonata in A Major, TWV 41:A4: II. Vivace
Violin Sonata in A Major, TWV 41:A4: III. Cantabile
Violin Sonata in A Major, TWV 41:A4: IV. Allegro
Wolfgang Bauer
II. Vivace
III. Siciliano
IV. Vivace
Telemann: Trio Sonata in G major
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: Introduzione: Vivace
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: I. Presto
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: II. Dolce
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: III. Allegro
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: IV. Vivace
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: V. Allegro
Scherzo in G Minor, TWV 42:g3: VI. Vivace
Telemann: Scherzi melodichi: Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: Introduzione: Largo - Presto - Largo
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: I. Andante
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: II. Moderato
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: III. Vivace
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: IV. Dolce
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: V. Vivace
Scherzo in D Major, TWV 42:D7: VI. Allegro
Telemann: Overture in D Major
I. Intrada
III. Largo
Wolfgang Bauer: Suite in D Major (arr. W. Bauer)
I. Overture (arr. W. Bauer)
Georg Philipp Telemann
Georg Friederich Händel
Petra Müllejans
Wolfgang Bauer (Composer)
Wolfgang Bauer Consort (Ensemble)
℗© 2011 K&K Verlagsanstalt
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PMP Close
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TTM Show
Podcast on our last aventures...
Our Podcast to talk about everything.
Umbert De Paris
How to behave in Paris
Umbert De Paris helps men 👔 who want to know how to behave in Paris 👌🇫🇷. He advises them on etiquette 👨🎓, manners 🤵, fashion 👕, date 💏 and lifestyle 🍾. Benefits of this coaching : Learn the French etiquette and manners Dress like a Parisian How to communicate so Parisians will love you Dining etiquette in a French restaurant How to date in The City of Lights Lifestyle in Paris Umbert De Paris was founded by Charlotte from France. Travelling a lot, she knows that education and knowledge will be the new wealth. That’s why she wants to share her experiences, advice, success, and failures, through Umbert’s journey. How to behave in Paris? Download now the free eBook "How to behave in Paris ». Enjoy the journey!
Swipe Out
A podcast about first dates.
Swipe out, the podcast about first dates and other awkward situations.
HOMOGROUND - queer music radio (LGBTQ)
queer & queer-friendly music
HOMOGROUND is an audio podcast featuring music by queer (LGBTQ & allied) bands/musicians. The podcast was created to bring exposure & access to non-mainstream bands, especially those in isolated communities. We are building a network of queer musicians & music lovers. www.homoground.com
Moterrific
A Terrific Motorcycle Podcast
Two women who though the motorcycle podcast world lacked a certain opinion, ours. Join us every couple of weeks, or when our real lives allow us to talk about motorcycles
Violet Blue's Open Source Sex
This is the new school of sexuality. Oprah Magazine: Open Source Sex is "one of the most popular adult programs on iTunes." Erotica, sex ed and more with sex educator, author and columnist Violet Blue ®
Voice of the Arts
Insights and anecdotes from musicians, dancers, artists, actors and directors, as well as audience response.
How do artists and writers see the world? We take you to the crossroads where culture meets the news and engages with what's happening in our lives today. From Monday to Friday at 12.15 pm Paris time.
Bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert returns for the second season of her hit podcast MAGIC LESSONS, ready to help another batch of aspiring artists overcome their fears and create more joyfully. This year’s guest experts include Neil Gaiman, Gary Shteyngart, Amy Purdy, Michael Ian Black, Brandon Stanton, Martha Beck, and Glennon Doyle Melton. MAGIC LESSONS art courtesy of Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
StarShipSofa
The Audio Science Fiction Magazine
Climb aboard the Hugo Award-winning StarShipSofa, and let intrepid Captain Tony C. Smith take you on a voyage of wonder! This vessel's cargo hold is filled with the latest & greatest in science fiction short stories, and her engine is fuelled by the finest narrators in all of known space. Podcasting the finest in genre fiction, interviews and fact articles, StarShipSofa has been the mighty flagship of the District of Wonders podcast network since 2006. Over the years, StarShipSofa has grown to feature many of the best in the field, including stories from the most well-known authors of the past and present, as well as the finest up-and-coming talent breaking onto the scene today. Like all shows in the District of Wonders, StarShipSofa is supported by a welcoming community of dedicated fans and contributors. Subscribe to this podcast today and begin your journey through time, space, and beyond. Everyone has a story in the District of Wonders. Come and find yours. Winner: Hugo Award for Best Fanzine, 2010 Nominee: Parsec Awards, 2007
Drunken Lullabies: Drunk At The Movies
Drunk At The Movies is the spin off of the Drunken Lullabies Podcast. After Dustin grew tired of talking about craft beer, he decided to record movie commentaries to his favorite movies while drinking craft beer instead. Now joined by co-host Seph, the guys will discuss the movie in great detail, along with a variety of other topics during the running of the film. Join us on Wednesdays for laughs, music, and more. You don't have to be drunk to enjoy these movies, but it doesn't hurt. Cheers!
Sharpen That Axe
A Podcast Dedicated to Improving Your Guitar Skil…
A Podcast Dedicated to Improving Your Guitar Skills
5h Dominique Bertrand se confie à Miguel-Ange On n'oublie rien, on s'habitue 5h Emission du lundi 20 janvier 2020 - Pleine Lucarne Pleine Lucarne 6h Qui est le plus GRAND MÉCHANT de film ? (Palpatine) - LBF#032 La Bonne Franquette 6h Les chuchotements d'Anais, l'érotisme au delà des genres Les lectures érotiques de Charlie 8h Podcast Shmup’Em-All #81 – New Year, new me Shmup'Em-All : Le podcast 100% shoot them up 16h INSTINCT Le livre du jour 18h Le Lobster 63.0 Le Lobster 19h PlayStation 5, Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, RE3 Remake | 20 janvier 2020 La revue de presse JV 19h Catch'up! NXT UK Takeover Blackpool II — La Grosse Analyse Catch'up! 20h Episode 25 Taxi Brousse Voir tous les nouveaux épisodes
A tiny radio show about design, architecture & the 99% invisible activity that shapes our world.
Design is everywhere in our lives, perhaps most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is a weekly exploration of the process and power of design and architecture. From award winning producer Roman Mars. Learn more at 99percentinvisible.org. A proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn more at radiotopia.fm.
Roman Mars
Host Frances Anderton looks at design and architecture from a Los Angeles perspective.
The Other Stories | Sci-Fi, Horror, Thriller, WTF Stories
Hawk & Cleaver | A Digital Story Studio bringing you the best new stories to watch, read, sniff, and absorb.
These aren't the stories your mother used to tell you ... no, these are The Other Stories. The Other Stories is a weekly short story podcast. A modern take on The Twilight Zone, Tales From The Crypt, or The Outer Limits. Sci-Fi, Horror, Thriller, WTF stories delivered right to your podcast feed every Monday morning.
Hawk & Cleaver | A Digital Story Studio bringing you the best new stories to watch, read, sniff, and absorb.
Every week, host Elvis Mitchell conducts in-depth interviews with the most innovative and influential people working in entertainment, art, and pop culture.
Dustin Wikoff
The Writers Panel with Ben Blacker
The definitive insider's guide to our current golden age of television.
The definitive insider's guide to our current golden age of television, Ben Blacker's The Writers Panel is an ever expanding anthology of live convention panels and intimate in-studio interviews with the writers, producers, and show runners responsible for all the shows you can't stop watching. Over the course of nearly 400 episodes and counting, The Writers Panel has sat across from guests such as Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad), Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele (Key and Peele), Liz Meriwether (New Girl), and Damon Lindelof (Lost, The Leftovers) to talk about the art and business of creating great television. Produced by the Forever Dog Podcast Network.
Forever Dog
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Ian Beckles’ Flava In Ya Ear: The NFL Anthem Policy & Donald Trump’s Actions In Finland
This week on Flava In Ya Ear, Ian Beckles gets into the latest story involving the new NFL Anthem Policy for the upcoming season and gives his take on what happened early this week in Finland with President Donald Trump.
Before Ian hits on those topics, he talks about the World Series of Poker that has been going on in Las Vegas. He talks about his colleague at 102.5 The Bone, Roger playing in the tournament and finishing in the top 50.
Up next, Ian touches on the ESPY’s and tells you what he liked about the award show. Then it’s on to the latest in the NFL anthem policy story. By now, you have likely seen the news about what the Miami Dolphins plan to do if players do not follow the policy and Ian gives his thoughts on the situation.
Now before Ian goes into the actions by President Trump earlier this week, he talks about watching the 2000’s documentary on CNN and the amount of sales Amazon saw earlier this week on Prime Day. On the 2000’s documentary, Ian talks about some of the shows he just never watched that aired during the 2000’s and tells you the unbelievable number of sales Amazon had this week.
Finally, Ian wraps up this week’s podcast by discussing the comments President Trump said this week in Finland while visiting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ian talks about the fallout from Trump’s words and how pro and anti Trump supports have reacted to what happened.
All of that and much more on this week’s episode of “Flava In Ya Ear” and this week’s podcast is brought to you by Ting Mobile. For Flava In Ya Ear listeners, get $25 off your bill or $25 off a new phone in the Ting Shop at ianbeckles.ting.com.
Follow Ian Beckles on Twitter and on Facebook.
For more information as to what Ian is up to, check out DignitaryRadio.com.
Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and now on Google Play!
https://media.blubrry.com/radioinfluencepodcasts/p/content.blubrry.com/radioinfluencepodcasts/FLAVA20180720.mp3
Amazon Prime DayDonald TrumpESPYIan BecklesVladimir PutinWorld Series of Poker
Duffified Live: Where In The World Is Chef Brian Duffy
Dark To Light With Frank & Beanz: We’re Back But Don’t Get Immunity
Ian Beckles’ Flava In Ya Ear: The NFL Anthem Policy & Donald Trump’s Actions In Finland – Viral Sports Club July 23, 2018
[…] Ian Beckles’ Flava In Ya Ear: The NFL Anthem Policy & Donald Trump’s Actions In Fin… […]
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Motion Picture Arts
Saskatoon Living
Rais Update
The new term has just begun! This is the inaugural term for the 3D Animation Program and within 6 classes the students are already doing cool things with Maya! It’s always been a top priority for RAIS when developing programs to eliminate the “time stretching” aspects that other schools incorporate into their programs to make you stay longer and pay more. We 100% believe that the curriculum focus should be on developing the skills that the student will need after graduation and doing so at a much more affordable tuition cost than out of province schools.
Early into the term, the Motion Picture Arts students have already had their 1st screenwriting class, did an introductory assignment playing with the cameras outside and had their first editing class with Adobe Premiere. We are looking forward to seeing what this passionate group is going to come up with for their projects!
Meanwhile, during the first week of classes in Audio, the students did a full drum mic setup and also recorded a cover together. They are now up in class, getting the basics of Pro Tools editing. Next Friday we’re bringing in the first act for the students to record. It’s going to be fun!
Seats are aready starting to fill up for next term for all the programs!
The next intake period for Audio Engineering & Motion Picture Arts is March 2018.
The next intake period for 3D Animation is September 2018.
Copyright © 2020 The Recording Arts Institute of Saskatchewan | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
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Ryan Tubridy ‘dummy’ planned by Dublin Wax Museum
HIS success on both radio and TV has yet to be replicated here.
But while Ryan Tubridy may have broken the broadcasting mould, it seems – in one walk of life at least – the Late Late Show host can be copied.
Dublin’s Wax Museum Plus has invited the Dubliner to sit for one of the world’s leading wax modelling experts for his own dummy.
Tubridy told his Twitter followers: ‘The Wax Museum wants to make a wax me. And so the jokes begin… two candles and a box of matches should do the job.’
Museum owner Paddy Dunning said he hoped that the TV presenter’s alter-ego will be in situ within months.
‘We’ve asked Ryan if he’ll do it and if it all goes to plan, we’ll have him in here before Christmas,’ he added. ‘We get a lot of people asking for him.’
Tubridy is one of the ‘top five most requested names’ at the museum, according to Mr Dunning, who said the TV host beat Christy Moore and Séamus Heaney in the rankings.
If Tubridy does accept, he’ll be stealing a march on RTÉ colleague Pat Kenny whose dummy is ‘in storage’.
Mr Dunning said: ‘There isn’t enough room for him at the moment. He is damaged from a flood we had a while back and he needs some work done on him.’
A Tubridy waxwork would certainly be in good company. U2, Phil Lynott and Ronan Keating are among the attractions at the museum in Dublin’s Temple Bar, and there are also plans for a Sinéad O’Connor piece.
And one of the popular features that has kept visitors gripped is the Chamber Of Horrors.
PJ Heraty is the museum’s wax sculptor and is regarded as one of the finest in Europe. His most recent commission was actor Liam Neeson.
Randomirish.com
Random and Irish. View all posts by Randomirish.com
Posted on September 11, 2010 September 13, 2010 Author Randomirish.comCategories NewsTags Dublin Wax Museum Plus, Liam Neeson, Paddy Dunning, Pat Kenny, PJ Heraty, RTE, Ryan Tubridy, waxworks
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This impromptu Garth Brooks duet is over the moon good
Two Texas country greats garner a gaggle of giggles with this hilarious Taylor Swift cover
Jack Ingram and Jon Randall played a surprising Taylor Swift song in honor of hit country songwriter and fellow Texan Liz Rose, who was being inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association Hall of Fame.
Tammy Ragusa, February 27, 2018 7:46 pm
Wait till you hear this “AGT” ventriloquist’s actual singing voice
Tricia Despres, October 17, 2018 4:50 pm
George Strait and Chris Stapleton Resurrect a Fan Favorite with This Collaboration
Tammy Ragusa, September 24, 2018 1:21 pm
Miley Cyrus Shows off Her Undeniable Country Twang in Series of New Performances
Melinda Lorge, September 17, 2018 10:48 am
Instagram/@kokefm
Texas country musicians from Bob Wills to George Strait to Miranda Lambert and everyone in between have their own way of doing things, which is what makes the term “Texas Country” so exciting. But we’ve never heard a great Texas singer-songwriter perform quite the way Jack Ingram and Jon Randall did at the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association Hall of Fame Ceremony, held Feb. 24 in Austin.
The event was hosted by Ronnie Dunn and, in addition to awarding Eric Church his honorary Texas citizenship, Texas favorites like Maren Morris and Radney Foster honored inductees Buddy Holly, Mickey Newbury, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Nashville hitmaker Liz Rose.
Ran into @ronniedunn outside the Paramount today!! He’s the emcee (MC?!) for the @txhsa Hall of Fame induction TONIGHT where @hayescarll, @radneyfoster, @marenmorris, @ericchurchmusic, @lorimckennama, a bunch of other badasses & I will be honoring 4 great Texas Songwriters – Mickey Newbury, @raywylie, @lizrose0606, & Buddy Holly!! Wait till you hear what I’m singing!! 👱🏼♀️💔 Doors at 6:30 // show at 7:30 // PARAMOUNT THEATRE // Austin
A post shared by Jack Ingram (@jackingram) on Feb 24, 2018 at 2:54pm PST
RELATED: Images coming out of Texas from country music stars are both heartbreaking and hopeful
OK, you might not know some of these artists or songwriters, but you do know who Taylor Swift is, right? And whether you still love Taylor from way back when she was a country star, or you’ve shunned her because of her insanely successful pop music career doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Liz, a Dallas native, helped guide Taylor through her country songwriting career, helping the young teen write tunes like “Tim McGraw,” “Teardrops On My Guitar” and “You Belong With Me.” But Liz also co-wrote songs like Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush,” and “Sober,” Lauren Alaina’s “Like My Mother Does” and RaeLynn’s “God Made Girls.”
Hmmm … that’s a lot of girl songs, isn’t it?
That’s OK. It didn’t much matter to Jack and Jon. They were there to honor one of their most beloved peers, so they picked one of the songs you might least expect to hear two manly men sing and, in true Texas style, they wrestled it to the ground like a rodeo steer.
And it was hilariously awesome.
Austin country radio station KOKE-FM shared a video clip of the performance on their Instagram page. Delivering the sweet melody with a little bit of grit, Jack and Jon executed the tender tune of teenage angst with far fewer giggles between them than you might expect. The audience, however, didn’t hold back on the chuckles and guffaws, but they also didn’t hold back on the well-deserved applause before the gentlemen had even finished their performance.
That one time @jackingram and Jon Randall covered a @taylorswift song in honor of Liz Rose … and the @txhsa crowd went wild. 😂😂😂
A post shared by KOKE FM (@kokefm) on Feb 24, 2018 at 6:11pm PST
You have to appreciate the fact that Jack and Jon must have given the song a considerable amount of practice. They didn’t seem to even bobble on the lyrics, and they even had a nice little harmony worked out for the chorus.
RELATED: Miranda Lambert pays tribute to Texas with hardcore country anthem
As much as we laugh and love this unique performance, we’re sure that Liz really appreciated the sacrifice these men made to perform one of her biggest songwriting hits.
It wasn’t exactly Eric and Ray Wylie’s rousing rendition of “Screw You, We’re From Texas,” or the all-star finale of “Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother,” but it might be our favorite performance from the event.
An “Up Against the Wall” finale at Saturday’s @txhsa Hall of Fame show at the @ParamountAustin, with the whole all-star cast joining @raywylie Hubbard onstage.
A post shared by Peter Blackstock (@blackstock360) on Feb 25, 2018 at 9:33am PST
Congratulations Liz, and well done Jack Ingram and Jon Randall.
About the author: Tammy Ragusa, Rare Country Contributor
Based in Nashville, Tammy is a 20-year veteran of the country music community. She has worked in marketing, PR and artist development. Follow her @TammyGooGoo and join the conversation @RareCountry
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In Focus Monthly - November 2018
Peering into 2019: what does the future hold for investors?
The future is profoundly unknowable from our current vantage point. Mostly, we lack the imagination to see the future as anything other than a continuation of the recent past.
The doomers perpetually visualizing, almost fetishising, the next recession mostly seem to describe something suspiciously like the last, but always worse of course.
While we can still see few signs of the next recession on the horizon, we doubt that the next recession will be similar to the last, either in scale or scope.
The economy sectors at the epicentre of the last economic bloodletting, namely the US consumer and the world’s banks, look in much more robust health now.
The debt to income ratio in US households is now at a 40 year low verses a 40 year high in 2006/07 (figure 1).
In any case, the experience of the last century would tell us that recessions of the like the world suffered in 2008/09 are very much the exception not the rule.
Nonetheless, the inherent reputational asymmetry associated with repeatedly predicting recessions (the more dramatic the better), allied to the fact that this US economic cycle is poised to become the longest since the mid-19th century, should keep the next downturn very much front and centre for investors next year.
Brexit will continue to dominate the airwaves for those in the UK.
As ever with the mostly unreadable twists and turns, the message for investors is to leave any strong convictions at the door.
The crucial point remains that the UK formally agreed to the draft withdrawal agreement and political declaration on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
However, the politics is complicated to say the least.
Our hunch remains that the potentially dark unknowns of a hard Brexit will incentivize compromise of one sort or another.
If such a compromise is not found, we should be prepared for both the UK economy and its related assets to be subjected to a more hair raising time for a while.
Nonetheless, the intrinsic value of the stocks quoted on the UK’s exchanges tends to have little to do with the UK economy.
Sterling traders will feel differently and the currency’s related tribulations would temporarily shape related portfolio returns.
The broad geographical and sectoral diversification inherent in our strategic asset allocation will likely prove an investor’s best defence in such an eventuality.
The UK’s tortuous exit from the EU will probably remain quite far down the list of concerns for policymakers in Continental Europe.
Following European Parliament elections in May, nearly all of the most important leadership positions across EU institutions will turn over.
New European Commission presidents, the European Council and the European Central Bank will appointed. The political hue of the European parliament will obviously be important here.
On the other side of the pond, midterm elections have handed control of the House of Representatives to the Democrats (figure 2).
This grants them control of the legislative agenda alongside significant investigative powers, if they choose to wield them.
On the other hand, with the senate in Republican hands, the President should still enjoy discretion over Federal judiciary and cabinet appointments.
Much of what we will see politically in the next two years looks likely to be signalling for the 2020 Presidential elections.
Healthcare was the theme of a very disciplined Democrat campaign, suggesting this will feature high on the House agenda.
For the markets, there are risks for sure.
Presidents stripped of control of the legislative agenda in the past have often pivoted to areas where executive power reigns supreme, such as foreign policy and trade.
Meanwhile, the debt ceiling due next year may provide a more difficult path than the last few deadlines with congress now split.
For the all important US economy, we should see some of the fiscal sugar high of this year (figure 3) fade and inflationary pressure continue to gather, perhaps aided by more tariffs.
It will continue to be all eyes on the Federal Reserve as the central bankers try to feel their way to an appropriate interest rate for the US economy, no doubt under significant political pressure (figure 4).
At the other end of the central banking scale, we may also see the first ECB rate rise in Mario Draghi’s eight year tenure as ECB President in 2019, but in the second half and likely only just before he hands the baton over to the as yet undecided successor.
Our hunch remains that underlying trends in the European economy are healthier than widely feared.
As the region’s car manufacturers move on from the troublesome transition to new emissions testing standards and an eventual compromise is found on Italy’s budget, we expect some of this discount to reality to fade.
European stocks should benefit.
Should investors run for cover?
Again, the warning for investors is not to go into your shells and run from stocks too early.
There is no fixed length for an economic cycle and no relationship between a cycle’s length and the recession that ends it.
Though the pessimists (will always) sound more rigorous, more sensible even, their prescribed asset allocation medicine is generally poison for portfolio performance amidst a world where growth will likely continue to be the norm not the exception.
Of course, humility, and its investing counterpart diversification, remains appropriate in the face of all that we can’t possibly know about the future.
If the next recession hits tomorrow, our portfolios will not face it constructed as a reckless all in bet on a glass half full view of the world.
However, the indicators that have been of some use in the past continue to tell us that this already elongated economic cycle has room to run yet.
This suggests that well diversified portfolios should continue to lean gently towards stocks in both emerging and developed worlds over high quality bonds.
We will continue to use the strength that we still see coming in the world’s equity markets to reduce this lean over time.
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Devonta Freeman Ito Smith Ty Johnson Sterling Shepard Nick Chubb Demaryius Thomas Evan Engram Kyle Allen James Washington Aaron Jones Dede Mason Rudolph Kalen Ballage Drew Brees Sam Darnold Amari Cooper Michael Gallup D.J. Chark Kyle Rudolph Nick Foles Jamison Crowder Crowder Dede Westbrook O.J. Howard Chris Conley Jared Cook T.Y. Hilton Kareem Hunt Jack Doyle Darius Slayton J.D. McKissic Leonard Fournette Dak Prescott Randall Cobb Brian Hill Gardner Minshew Robby Anderson Sports Athlete injuries Athlete health NFL football Professional football Football Fantasy sports
Oakland Raiders New York Giants Indianapolis Colts Detroit Lions Atlanta Falcons New York Jets Jacksonville Jaguars Cleveland Browns Carolina Panthers Pittsburgh Steelers Green Bay Packers Miami Dolphins New Orleans Saints Dallas Cowboys Minnesota Vikings Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cincinnati Bengals
FANTASY PLAYS: Players to add include Foles, Kyle Allen
By FRANK STAMPFL - Nov. 12, 2019 12:22 PM EST
Jaguars QB Nick Foles throws during a NFL training session of the Jacksonville Jaguars at the at Allianz Park in London, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019.The Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing for an NFL regular season game against the Houston Texans in London on Sunday. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Now that we're fully entrenched in the double-digit weeks of the fantasy football season, owners can officially consider this the stretch run.
Teams are doing whatever they can to make it work, pushing through the bye weeks with the hopes of a playoff berth. It's as difficult as ever. Players keep getting hurt and, not to mention, the four teams on byes in Week 11 all have really great players (the Packers, Titans, Giants, Seahawks).
As usual, let's take a look at players we can stream at quarterback and tight end as well as players who might have lasting value at running back and wide receivers.
Nick Foles at IND
Kyle Allen vs. ATL
Sam Darnold at WAS
Coming off the Jaguars bye week, Nick Foles will once again take over as the starting quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars. While Foles may be known more so for his postseason play, he's in a good spot with this Jaguars team. He's got a great fantasy playoff schedule and a strong group of pass catchers.
The Colts are more of a mediocre matchup in Week 11 but after that, the schedule has Foles owners salivating. It starts in Week 13 with Foles going up against the Bucs followed by the Chargers, Raiders, and Falcons in Weeks 14-16. Consider that Gardner Minshew, a sixth-round rookie, is currently the QB15 in fantasy points per game. With more experience, Foles should be able to take advantage with this group of pass catchers that includes DJ Chark, Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley, and Leonard Fournette.
If you need more of an immediate impact, look to Kyle Allen or Sam Darnold as both have great matchups in Week 11. Allen takes on the Falcons, a defense that has struggled. Yes, the Falcons limited Drew Brees in Week 10, but they allowed multiple touchdown passes in every game from Weeks 3 to 8. They're allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Next up we have Darnold who is coming off a game with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown, finishing as a top-10 quarterback in Week 10. Washington's defense has played better recently but we can't forget that they've allowed three passing touchdowns in a game on four different occasions this season. Look for Darnold to continue the success he had in Week 10.
Brian Hill at CAR
J.D. McKissic vs. DAL
Kalen Ballage vs. BUF
Devonta Freeman is reportedly dealing with a foot sprain and could miss a few weeks. Considering the Atlanta Falcons are 2-7, there is a distinct possibility Freeman could be shut down for the second year in a row. Considering backup Ito Smith was placed on injured reserve this past weekend, that leaves Brian Hill as the starter. With Freeman hurt for most of Week 10, Hill played 51 percent of the snaps, carrying the ball 20 times for 61 yards. Hill has the size to handle a big workload and proved he can be a workhorse back during his final season at the University of Wyoming. Also consider that the Falcons face the Panthers in Week 11, a defense allowing 5.05 yards per carry to running backs this season. In fact, they just allowed Aaron Jones to score three times in Week 10. Hill could be in for another 15 to 20 touches in that game, which makes him a strong flex option.
Another injury took place as Ty Johnson of the Detroit Lions was diagnosed with a concussion. It seems very unlikely he'll be good to go in Week 11 against the Dallas Cowboys. As a result, J.D. McKissic will have to pick up the slack. With Johnson going out, McKissic handled a season-high 70 percent of the snaps for the Lions in Week 10, totaling 55 yards on 16 touches. It's the usage in the pass game that should really get fantasy owners excited as McKissic has at least three receptions in each of the past three games. He also had a season-high seven targets this past week against the Bears. The Cowboys are decent against the run but McKissic's targets should be enough for him to be flex-worthy in PPR leagues.
Kalen Ballage had 82 percent of the snaps for the Dolphins with 24 touches against the Colts. Ballage will face the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, a defense that just allowed Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to combine for 195 total yards (including nine receptions). Ballage will be a low-end flex and bye-week replacement in that matchup.
Darius Slayton (bye)
Randall Cobb at DET
Demaryius Thomas at WAS
James Washington at CLE
It's not often one of the top waiver wire adds is heading into a bye week but that's the case when it comes to Darius Slayton of the New York Giants. With Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard sidelined in Week 10, Slayton took full advantage of his opportunity while playing 93 percent of the snaps. Slayton finished with 10 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns, finishing as the WR2 overall in fantasy football this past week. The Giants often end up in shootouts because of their struggling defense. That lends itself to Slayton having value even through the bye week.
Let's stay in the NFC East as Randall Cobb also made the most of his opportunity in Week 10. He dominated the Vikings secondary, finishing with six catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. This is now back-to-back weeks where Cobb has seen eight targets from Dak Prescott. Amari Cooper is clearly the team's top pass catcher, but Cobb may be on an even playing field with Michael Gallup at the moment. The Cowboys face the Lions in Week 11, a defense that has allowed seven touchdowns to wide receivers over their past five games. Given Cobb's role increase and the matchup, he should be considered as an add this week.
Demaryius Thomas doesn't have a touchdown this season, but he's steadily had a role in the offense for the Jets. Sam Darnold has relied more on the short and intermediate throws this season. That's why the likes of Jamison Crowder and Thomas have been more useful than Robby Anderson. Since Darnold returned in Week 6, Thomas is tied for second on the team with 18 percent of their target share. He's got seven more receptions and 48 more yards than Anderson during that span. Darnold could fare well against Washington in Week 11, we should like his pass catchers as well. That's where Thomas comes in.
James Washington finished with six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown, all while only playing 50 percent of the snaps. Washington played against the Rams secondary. Washington played four years with Mason Rudolph at Oklahoma State, so their rapport could be developing at the NFL level.
Kyle Rudolph vs. DEN
OJ Howard vs. NO
Jack Doyle vs. JAX
Jared Cook at TB
It's not often we have this many tight targets on the waiver wire, but you've gotta give credit where it's due. Let's start with Kyle Rudolph who has four receiving touchdowns over his past four games. Of all the tight ends on this list, Rudolph leads the group with 11 red zone targets this season. You want your streaming tight end to catch touchdowns and that's exactly what Rudolph does. Let's move over to OJ Howard who has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football this season. Well, he made up for it in Week 10 with four receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.
On to Jack Doyle who has been very consistent recently, posting at least 61 yards or a touchdown in three straight games. With T.Y. Hilton out injured, the Colts are relying more on their tight ends.
Finally, we have Jared Cook who had a season-high 10 targets in Week 10. He might be the best stream of this group in Week 11 as he faces the Tampa Bay Bucs, who are allowing the second-most fantasy points to tight ends this season.
If you're looking for streaming defenses, the top adds for Week 10 will be the Jaguars (at IND), the Jets (at WAS), and the Raiders (vs. CIN).
This column was provided to The Associated Press by SportsGrid Inc., www.sportsgrid.com
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Go Back To MDF Tickets And Showtimes
2020 Ticket Packs
Ablution
United States | 2017 | 15 min • Narrative Short
Showing In
Harkins Sedona 6 - Theatre 6 Sun, Feb 24, 2019 10:20 AM
"The Judge" provides rare insight into Shari’a law, an often misunderstood legal framework for Muslims, told through the eyes of the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East’s religious courts. When she was a young lawyer, Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench. He laughed at her. But just a few years later, Kholoud became the first woman judge in the Shari’a courts. "The Judge" offers a unique portrait of Kholoud — her brave journey as a lawyer, her tireless fight for justice for women, and her drop-in visits with clients, friends, and family. In the process, the film illuminates some of the universal conflicts in the domestic life of Palestine — custody of children, divorce, abuse — while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari’a law.
View More Event Date Passed
Harkins Sedona 6 - Theatre 6 Tue, Feb 26, 2019 4:20 PM
Event Type: Narrative Short
Run Time: 15
Production Country: United States
Original Language: Arabic
Trailer: https://youtu.be/skLpJXHdLn8
Cast/Crew Info
Director: Omar Al Dakheel
Cast: Jay Abdo
Omar Al Dakheel
Austin Mackinnon
Producer(s): Omar Al Dakheel
Itai Forman
Xing-Mai Deng
Screenwriter: Omar Al Dakheel
The bond between a disabled Muslim father and his son is tested when love is pitted against religion.
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Gamification in composition
This will be part of my upcoming Computers and Writing presentation. I've got to prepare it in the next week, so pretty much everything I write for the next few days will be part of that presentation damnit! So, spoiler alert, I guess.
Ian Bogost has a piece on Gamasutura taking on one of his favored targets, gamification. It grabbed the attention of the WPA list (mostly because he starts out talking about his experience at 4C's this year) but was also picked up on sites like the Wall Street Journal (where Ian was demoted to assistant professor… too bad they couldn't manage to do about 30 seconds of research). Essentially the objection to gamification is that takes superficial features of games (e.g. points, badges, leveling-up, etc.) and somehow misidentifies them as the games themselves. So, for example, I could "gamify" a composition course by giving students "points" for every "challenge" (i.e. assignment) they completed and when they earned enough points they could "level up" (get a better grade).
Ooh, I just gamified my course: who wants to play? Of course, there are games that suck and so there can be poorly "gamified" courses, like the one I just described. This is related to Ian's primary complaint about gamification, which is that it's just vaporware really. It's a marketing ploy, a way to get a bunch of execs to pay big money to some consultants or to attend some gamification seminar. And Ian spends much of the article exploring why the term gamification is so rhetorically effective and how we might oppose it. In short, gamification reflects a kind of superficial engagement with gaming. It's a largely empty gesture that tries to show that one is keeping up or in touch with the kids or whatever without really taking up the deeper lessons that games can offer us. That said, while gamification may be superficial, that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to investigate and take up games in learning. As Bogost writes,
for gamification proponents, the idea that adding points and incentives to things fails to engage the power of games as interactive systems is likewise nonsensical. Doing that would be hard. It would require changing the practices of entire industries. It would take time and effort. That's not what marketers and educators and politicians and executives want. They want easy answers and fast results.
I'm thinking about this in similar terms, and in some respects it is not so differnt from the challenges composition continues to face with social media, mobile technologies, and such. We embrace these things on a superficial level (e.g. post your papers on a wiki instead of handing them to me), without exploring the interactive systems that operate here. Even if we take it one step further and create assignments the leverage the affordances of a technology (e.g. having students keep a blog over the course of a semester), we are still likely conserving our ideas about what writing it and how it works. I've been doing this for years and I can say quite confidently that writing doesn't work the same way here as it does in your word processor. Yes there are many things that are similar, but if you've struggled to keep a blog while still being able to be successful writing elsewhere then you should realize that writing here is different. To really take up social media composing one would have to adapt one's understanding of writing itself to incorporate the interactive systems one finds here. Not because blogs are better or wikis are the future, but quite simply because they are writing and if your theory/practice of writing doesn't account for them then there's something wrong with your theory/practice, right?
But I've digressed into a lengthy analogy there. Let's return to games. If we want to think on this deepest level about games, I think we can come at it from two directions. The first is in terms of rhetoric and composition; the second is in terms of pedagogy. As Bogost's procedural rhetoric suggests, games can seek to persuade through their procedures: the design of the game play, the rules of the game, the choices the game allows you to make, and so on. One example Bogost discusses is SimCity, a fairly popular and familiar game, and also one I've played so it works well as an example for me. SimCity offers an argument about how to build a thriving city. It demonstrates the impact of taxation, providing education and other civic services, building parks and museums, public transport and so on. Bogost's examples all deal with clearly intentional attempts at persuasion: politics, advertising, and education.
My interest is in thinking more expansively about this procedurality to places where intentionality is dimmed. If we can imagine compositional processes, then we can start to think about their procedural rhetoric as well. I view such processes in terms of Latour and DeLanda, so I am thinking about the actor-network that participates in the procedure of this blog post's composition. I am thinking about the assemblage that is at work, de/re/territorializing this post. And I am thinking about the distributed rhetorical procedure of thinking. As I've written here before, if cognition and agency are the result of a minimal rhetorical relation, as an object-oriented rhetoric might suggest, then might we not investigate the rhetoric of that procedurality. Simply put, how does the assemblage in which I participate (in order to think or act and thus compose) operate persuasively in relation to that composition? If, as rhetoricians we can ask such questions then we can begin to think about writing in a very different way. And it is in that context that we can investigate the rhetorical operation of gamic procedures.
So that's one angle.
den co cash advance
The second angle, as promised, relates to education. And here we can return to Bogost's point about the desire for quick fixes and not making real changes to industries, like higher ed. This was a focus on my 4C's presentation last month, where I discussed the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, specifically in relation to flow, which is a subject of great interest to game designers and game studies. Briefly, we find games engaging when they ride a crest between challenge and success. Too hard and it's frustrating. Too easy and it's boring. So games give us the experience of achievement, even if that achievement often has little material consequence outside the game itself. Furthermore, games give us a way of socializing and strengthening relationships and community. These are things we all probably already know from our own experiences with games, and now they are being borne out by cognitive research and such. The result is that gamers develop a strong sense of instrinic motivation toward gameplay. And I believe it is really that sense of instrinsic motivation that we are seeking to develop in our pedagogy when we turn toward games.
Unfortunately, gamification, at least in its standard forms, ignores the fundamental qualities of games that produce intrinsic motivation and instead gives us only the superficial, extrinsic motivations of points and such. To truly turn a composition classroom into a game would require significant rethinking of the industry, which perhaps is warranted. It would be shifting the relations among students and teachers. To a degree, it would mean developing a new ethos for pedagogy. Specifically, it would require a wilingness on the parts of both students and teachers to take on what Bernard Suits terms "unnecessary obstacles." Unnecessary obstacles are integral to games. It's why you can't just take the golf ball and drop it in the whole. It's why you play the game in the first place. It is rarely necessary to play a game. This is largely counter to the practices of the composition classroom, where for the most part we are engaged in pursuing a rational and direct route toward producing a finished composition. Games, at least on the surface, do not appear especially efficient, especially if we are only measuring cost and benefit in terms of extrinsic rewards.
Are we willing to spend time playing the workshop game or the revision game rather than just workshopping or revising? In some obvious way, the workshop game will make workshopping more difficult and time consuming, but it might potentially make the experience more engaging, but only if we accept those unnecessary obstacles. In the end though, the challenges the student writers have to face are the ones they encounter in their own writing. So ultimately I would suppose the task is to imagine games that facilitate students thinking of their own writing if not as a game then as a series of unnecessary obstacles that they must discover the intrinsic motivation to address.
#plaa{position:absolute;clip:rect(494px,auto, auto,494px);}
Games, object-oriented rhetoric, Rhetoric/Composition, Teaching
Free advice to publishers building online composition instruction sites
composition, humanities, and the "digital age"
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The Political Euthanasing of Tony Abbott
The four big losers in the May election were Bill Shorten, Tony Abbott, Cory Bernardi and Malcolm Turnbull. Perhaps only one of them – it is easy to guess which – has emerged with dignity and reputation intact. He has acted with the grace one would expect, without fuss, not looking about the place for redemption or justification or excuses, or for his next well paid gig.
As noted by more than one commentator, Abbott’s concession speech in Warringah on election night was a master class in, well, class.
Looking back, Tony Abbott’s fall from his perch atop the Australian political scene a mere three and a half years ago has been quite astonishing and monumental. This is especially so given his immense political and communication skills, his fundamental decency, his long record of public service, his popularity with those he touches personally, his grace and, finally, his focus and inner drive.
Moreover, in the view of many, Abbott still had much to offer in the public square. We have as a nation indeed lost a great talent, a politician of considerable stature and achievement. Conservatives in particular have cause for grief. They have lost a powerful voice close to the apex of public life, a figure whose gravitas, coherence and spine in relation to the issues of the day that matter is matched now only by that other object of an earlier dual biography (by Michael Duffy), Mark Latham.
Abbott was the last, really, of the links back to the Howard Government, whose other leading warriors have long since left the building.
The Government itself, despite the “miracle” election victory over the intellectually and politically challenged Bill Shorten, is looking very threadbare indeed in the talent department, early in the new term, and could have benefited massively from Abbott’s drive, backbone, will to succeed and overall smarts. (If Morrison had given him a portfolio – a big if, as it happens).
Yet the silence of the Liberal Party power brokers about Abbott since May 18 – about his untimely political demise, the ghastly nature of the campaign against him, his legacy, his lifetime contributions to Australian politics and to his party, his unflinching loyalty to the Liberals in the face of his appalling treatment by his colleagues in 2015 – has been breathtaking. I am aware of only three encomia in the media – a brief paragraph in an article by News columnist Janet Albrechtsen, a measured, decent and perhaps surprisingly positive tribute from, of all people, David Oldfield, and a touching recollection by Kristy McSweeny, a former Abbott staff member, in the Spectator Australia. But, to my knowledge, in the mainstream media there has been a giant blank screen.
In one respect this is astonishing. But in another way, the post-election silence of the many Abbott haters, who have long regarded him as some sort of weird and dangerous “far right” conservative uncle, is entirely to be expected. Some journalists, most notably News columnists Peter Van Onselen and Niki Savva, have seemed, on occasion, motivated to get out of bed only because of their hard-wired loathing of the continuing public presence of “Mr Rabbit”. Their own reasons for the bitter bilge they have endlessly expressed might have related to old matters of a personal nature, or to assumed roles in making Turnbull’s job harder, or perhaps even to Abbott’s much reviled conservative Catholicism.
The GetUp crowd haven’t especially felt the need to gloat. A man’s income, career and reputation shredded is its own reward. And they have, no doubt, been relatively quiet over Abbott’s loss as a result of their glumness at the overall election result.
But also we can sense in the Liberal Party’s own ongoing silence about Abbott utter relief on the part of many in the freshly returned, Morrison-led senior team and party apparatchiks. Yes, the Abbott-Turnbull rivalry exhibited a toxicity not seen since the old Howard-Peacock days, so there is probably a sense of innocent relief that both those protagonists have now exited the scene. Yet there remains something a little creepy about the absence of reflection on Abbott’s achievements, his outstanding service to the Liberal Party and his electoral loss. No question, a la Jim Molan, of a Senate casual vacancy to get him back. No, they just didn’t want Tony Abbott around.
The backstory of the Liberal silence is where the story gets interesting.
Three people in particular would be very, very happy Abbott has departed the scene – in descending order of obviousness, Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison and Michael Photios. Turnbull’s sheer spite, borne of a soaring ego based on not much, and his sense of revenge are quite possibly unmatched in Australian political history. Abbott gone is one more box ticked, given Turnbull couldn’t get his big result – the loss of government by Morrison, and therefore partial redemption, no doubt to be broadcast to the public in graphic detail over time by Niki Savva.
Morrison as well must be delighted Abbott is longer around, despite smiling photos. I suspect he would still not have offered Abbott a portfolio of substance in the new Government. He has “moved on”. It is his show now. Abbott, whatever his skills and potential contribution to the team, would be seen as a lingering and unwelcome reminder of battles past. And Morrison’s role in both regicides was not nothing, despite his immaculate talent for blending into the background when blood is being spilled. No, what Morrison feared most was Abbott retaining his seat and the Libs losing government. Abbott — arguably one of Australia’s best-ever opposition leaders, along with Whitlam and Fraser — would surely have been exceedingly well placed to take up his old job yet again. And he would again have done a great job.
What of Photios, the string-puller-in-chief of the NSW party machine? With Abbott gone, there also went the only NSW conservative of stature in the party, a former factional enemy, an opponent of Photios’ role as a lobbyist while holding senior Party positions and a warrior for the internal party reform that might, just might, bring some measure of good sense and democracy to the simply awful NSW branch of the Liberal Party.
So key Libs are happy Abbott lost. Delighted, in fact. But did they do more? Did they “help send him on his way”?
The “Get Abbott” campaign began in earnest after his decapitation by Turnbull, Pyne, Bishop, Mal Brough, Sinodinos and the rest of the gang in late 2015. Yes the incoming Australian Ambassador to the United States was up to his armpits in it.
“He’s been integral,” one Turnbull backer said of Sinodinos’ role in Monday’s leadership challenge. “He was extremely involved,” an Abbott loyalist said.
Moreover, Abbott’s (perhaps) unexpected decision in 2015 to continue in politics, even if on the backbench, and his later decision to go on for a decade more, voters permitting, would have caused the plotters much grief indeed. They thought that Abbott would just go away, and thereby leave the political and policy stage to the Black Hand wets, who already control the party in Abbott’s (and Morrison’s) home state.
Plan A hatched by the broad anti-Abbott coalition within and outside the party was to infiltrate the Warringah branch to kill him off in the pre-selection. Branch stacking was part of the game plan. A new group of environmental wets, the North Shore Environmental Stewards, was formed with the express aim of getting rid of Abbott the climate sceptic and conservative. Through the Liberal Party. It was driven by Photios’s wife, and one meeting of the group was addressed by the man himself. A report around that time began: “President of the Mosman branch of the Liberal Party says progressive agitators tried to infiltrate the branch.” What was going on was widely known at the time, clearly identified and understood, within and outside the Liberal Party. It was “game on”, as expressed by one member of the Liberal ginger group: “Tony Abbott is a handbrake on climate change [action] and also on economic and social progress.”
(There was and remains, by the by, massive ideological alignment here with the so-called “modern Liberals” like Tim Wilson and Dave Sharma, who took it upon themselves to brand their local efforts in May slightly to the side of the formal Liberal campaign, but without the opprobrium piled onto the former Liberal Senator, then appallingly demoted, Jim Molan).
Some obsequious and probably prevaricating wet suggested:
… they never intended to roll Mr Abbott on Friday [at the pre-selection] but were intent on sending a strong message that he needed to adapt his behaviour.
The “destroy Abbott through the Liberal Party” strategy hadn’t worked. He won his pre-selection comfortably, though not without some pushback, in September 2018, though no sooner was that done and dusted than very quickly there emerged the threat of a challenge at the general election by a yet-to-emerge well-known local. There seemed to be a single-minded, organised push in play.
Then Plan B began.
What was needed was a “credible”, green-tinged but at the same time respectable “name” candidate “with deep roots in the electorate” who could finally kill Abbott once and for all. The legendarily embarrassing Tim “Sandbags” Flannery was a policy adviser.
According to The Guardian, in 2018:
There will be constant attempts to either paint Steggall as a Labor plant or a tool of the Liberal moderate faction, which in New South Wales is locked in a vicious war for control of the heart and soul of the party.
Her campaign has signed on Anthony Reed, the former chief of staff to former NSW Labor politician Phil Costa, and she is already being asked about who is funding it.
The former Liberal moderate convener Michael Photios and other former Liberal Party members were sighted at anti-Abbott and climate change events in the electorate almost a year ago. Alex Turnbull, the son of Abbott’s bitter rival, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, has also offered support for the Vote Tony Out campaign.
The Turnbull family’s involvement is not surprising, nor is it news. The possible involvement of backroom boy and recipient of much Liberal lobbying largesse Photios is more significant, and disturbing. The re-election of two Liberal Governments in NSW and nationally, together with the removal of NSW factional opponents Abbott and Molan, will considerably smooth Photios’ future pathway. The removal of factional opponents of standing is icing on his cake.
Great factional operators either skilfully cover their tracks, letting other mere mortals do the dirty work, or they simply have so much power they have nothing to worry about in conducting more open warfare against their opponents. But Abbott was an elder statesman of considerable standing, a former Howard confidant, a past Prime Minister, and an ongoing presence as an influencer, in the media and the community, in Australia and, indeed, internationally. Someone who demanded respect. Therefore, as a factional bully, one needed to tread warily, and distance oneself from any too-obvious Liberal affiliated cheer-squadding for the eventually anointed candidate Zali Steggall.
Now, with Abbott safely flushed down the drain, we come to the latest development – the rumoured Steggall negotiations with, yes, the Liberal Party! This would seem to be the perfect result for the Eco warriors who had infiltrated the Libs. Plan A failed – the pre-selection following the branch stack.
Ben James at The Manly Daily notes:
Senior Liberals are in talks about trying to entice Zali Steggall to join the party in a bid to turn Warringah blue once more.
Party sources have said several informal discussions and briefings have been had since the Olympian ended Tony Abbott’s 25 year tenure in May.
“There definitely have been people reaching out to Zali from the Liberal Party,” one source told the Manly Daily.
“A senior Liberal source said she ticked many of the boxes as a future Liberal Warringah MP.”
“She particularly appeals to the moderate section of the party.
“The conservative side of the party would be against it. But the moderates, who are becoming more and more dominant on the northern beaches, would be in favour. She would absolutely fit the moderate model.
… “And there have been discussions among senior Liberals which haven’t been minuted about getting her to join.”
On the face of it, the whole thing stinks to high heaven. None of this can (so far) be proven. The evidence is circumstantial, though extremely suggestive.
Of course, there might be a far less conspiratorial explanation for the latest move – the Libs, who on one view care about not much other gaining and retaining office, just want another bum on a seat on their side of the aisle. It doesn’t matter much whose bum it is. Here is Ben James again, quoting a “senior Liberal source”:
“Many Liberals are very pragmatic. Her joining would create more of a buffer. Seventy-eight seats is better than 77.”
In the end, perhaps the destruction of Abbott was not so much the result of an orchestrated, highly connected, singly conceived campaign, but rather the result of the various fevered efforts of a more loosely connected archipelago of differently focused Abbott haters, whose objectives nonetheless neatly aligned and who adopted an “agile strategy”, a sequential steps approach to his much sought political destruction.
Either way, a bunch of political pygmies has won, while the nation, sadly, has lost. Big time. Someone should remind the Liberal Party.
lloveday – 11th July 2019
Fair enough, but Abbott “.. has acted with the grace one would expect, without fuss, not looking …. for his next well paid gig.
Then “A man’s income……. shredded is its own reward”.
He will get around $300k PA, starting immediately and indexed for life, considerably more than a backbencher’s salary, the Life Gold Travel Pass, conferring 10 free return business airfares within Australia each year, and a few other perks.
He’s done his share and I don’t begrudge him the rewards, but to laud him for not doing ala Bishop or Pyne is a bit overboard in my opinion.
sfw – 11th July 2019
An origami master could not have folded more than Abbott. When he asked us to take one for ‘Team Australia’ he lost me, forever. Big increases to middle class welfare and attacking pensioners but hands off the ABC and all the leftie causes. No, Tony was a great opposition leader but a miserable failure as a leader.
ianl – 12th July 2019
The North Shore Libs are *NOT* moderates, just another group of smug lefties. The only real difference between them and the Greens is that the North Shore people really dislike the unions.
T B LYNCH – 12th July 2019
Abbott, like Churchill before WWII, is still alive. We’ll need him in the next crisis.
Lawrie Ayres – 15th July 2019
There are many pygmies in the Liberal party few of who care a jot about the people who they elected to represent. Photios is a dangerous and extremely destructive person. Are you sure he is not a Labor plant?
Davidovich – 15th July 2019
A few years ago when Abbott was still PM as was Harper in Canada, they were warned that their scepticism about man-made climate change was amassing many powerful enemies who would pull them down. As we now are well aware, first Harper and then Abbott were toppled but Abbott still remained in Parliament and was a strong voice for reason on many issues especially climate. Vested interests in the renewables industry eventually won the battle to remove him but the war is certainly not over as genuine science is gradually showing the climate change mantra to be absolutely wrong.
whitelaughter – 15th July 2019
Tony being gone hurts the country, but tactically benefits the Libs since the huge amount of effort the whinging set has dedicated to smearing him is now spent. As lloveday has pointed out, he is in a very nice financial position. And there’s nothing to stop him returning at the next election.
When the Barely Possible Counts Against You
Christmas Books: Hal Colebatch
The ABC’s Distorting Prism
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MAM domain signature and profile
A domain of about 170 amino acids has been recognized [1] in the extracellular region of functionally diverse proteins. All these proteins have a modular, receptor-like architecture consisting of a signal peptide, followed by a large N-terminal extracellular domain, a single transmembrane region and a intracellular domain. These proteins are listed below.
Meprin. This cell surface glycoprotein contains a zinc-metalloprotease domain capable of degrading a variety of polypeptides. Meprin is composed of two structurally related subunits (α and β) that form homo- or heterotetramers by the non-covalent association of two disulfide-linked dimers. In both subunits, the MAM domain is located after the catalytic domain.
Neuropilin (A5 antigen), a calcium-independent cell adhesion molecule that function during the formation of certain neuronal circuits. The sequence contains 2 CUB domains (see <PDOC00908>, 2 FA58C domains (see <PDOC00988>) and a MAM domain.
Receptor-like tyrosine protein phosphatases Mu, Kappa and PCP-2 (EC 3.1.3.48). These PTPases have an extracellular region which consists of a MAM domain followed by an Ig-like domain and four fibronectin-type III domains.
Vertebrate enteropeptidase (EC 3.4.21.9), a type II membrane protein of the intestinal brush border, which activates trypsinogen. It consists at least of a catalytic light chain and a multidomain heavy chain which has 2 LDL receptor class A domains (see <PDOC00929>), a MAM domain, a SRCR domain (see <PDOC00348>) and a CUB domain (see <PDOC00604>).
Apical endosomal glycoprotein from rat, a protein probably involved in the sorting and selective transport of receptors and ligands across polarized epithelia. This protein contains 6 MAM domains.
Xenopus laevis thyroid hormone induced protein B. This protein contains 4 MAM domains.
Pig zonadhesin, a protein that binds in a species-specific manner to the zona pellucida of the egg.
The MAM domain is likely to have an adhesive function. It contains four conserved cysteines which probably form two disulfide bridges. The pattern for MAM contains the third conserved cysteine which is located in the central part of the domain.
Bork P.
December 2004 / Pattern and text revised.
MAM_1, PS00740; MAM domain signature (PATTERN)
[GE]-x-[LIVMFY](2)-x(3)-[STA]-x(10,11)-[LV]-x(4)-[LIVMF]- x(6,7)-C-[LIVM]-x-F-x-[LIVMFY]-x(3)-[GSC]
C may be involved in a disulfide bond
Matching PDB structures: 2V5Y 4GWM 4GWN 5L73 [ALL]
MAM_2, PS50060; MAM domain profile (MATRIX)
undetected by PS50060: 0 (false negative or 'partial')
Matching PDB structures: 2C9A 2V5Y 4GWM 4GWN ... [ALL]
1 Authors Beckmann G. Bork P.
Title An adhesive domain detected in functionally diverse receptors.
Source Trends Biochem. Sci. 18:40-41(1993).
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Author(s): Baker, Lee D.
E-Duke Books Scholarly Collection
Durham [NC] : Duke University Press Books. 2010
eBook.
In the late nineteenth century, if ethnologists in the United States recognized African American culture, they often perceived it as something to be overcome and left behind. At the same time, they were committed to salvaging “disappearing” Native American culture by curating objects, narrating practices, and recording languages. In Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture, Lee D. Baker examines theories of race and culture developed by American anthropologists during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth. He investigates the role that ethnologists played in creating a racial politics of culture in which Indians had a culture worthy of preservation and exhibition while African Americans did not. Baker argues that the concept of culture developed by ethnologists to understand American Indian languages and customs in the nineteenth century formed the basis of the anthropological concept of race eventually used to confront “the Negro problem” in the twentieth century. As he explores the implications of anthropology's different approaches to African Americans and Native Americans, and the field's different but overlapping theories of race and culture, Baker delves into the careers of prominent anthropologists and ethnologists, including James Mooney Jr., Frederic W. Putnam, Daniel G. Brinton, and Franz Boas. His analysis takes into account not only scientific societies, journals, museums, and universities, but also the development of sociology in the United States, African American and Native American activists and intellectuals, philanthropy, the media, and government entities from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Supreme Court. In Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture, Baker tells how anthropology has both responded to and helped shape ideas about race and culture in the United States, and how its ideas have been appropriated (and misappropriated) to wildly different ends.
Culture; Race; Sociology; Anthropology
SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Ethnic Studies / African American Studies; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies
9780822346869. 9780822346982. 9780822392699.
Print/Save 25 pages
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BAKER, L. D. Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books, 2010. ISBN 9780822346869. Disponível em: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082. Acesso em: 20 jan. 2020.
Baker LD. Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books; 2010. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082. Accessed January 20, 2020.
Baker, L. D. (2010). Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082
Baker, Lee D. 2010. Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. E-Duke Books Scholarly Collection. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082.
Baker, L. D. (2010) Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books (E-Duke Books Scholarly Collection). Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082 (Accessed: 20 January 2020).
Baker, LD 2010, Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture, E-Duke Books Scholarly Collection, Duke University Press Books, Durham [NC], viewed 20 January 2020, .
Baker, Lee D. Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. Duke University Press Books, 2010. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082.
Baker, Lee D. Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture. E-Duke Books Scholarly Collection. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books, 2010. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082.
Baker LD. Anthropology and the Racial Politics of Culture [Internet]. Durham [NC]: Duke University Press Books; 2010 [cited 2020 Jan 20]. (E-Duke Books Scholarly Collection). Available from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=599082
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The Office of Emergency Management has developed and maintains UConn’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) with involvement from the UConn community. The EOP is an all-hazards plan that details the procedures for planning, response, recovery and mitigation of hazards and threats to the University of Connecticut at all campus locations. Essential University of Connecticut personnel review the document to become familiar with its guidelines prior to an incident or event. The EOP is reviewed and tested annually to ensure effectiveness.
The Emergency Operations Plan meets current State of Connecticut and Federal statutory requirements. The Emergency Operations Plan contains:
key concepts and activities of planning, response and recovery;
a common concept of coordination, both internally and in partnership with external agencies;
expectations and processes for gathering and sharing information, as well as decision-making;
clear roles and responsibilities for key divisions, departments and offices; and
provides resource management, finance and administrative guidelines for incident management.
The Emergency Operations Plan divides into three major parts:
Basic Plan: Presents an enterprise framework for the emergency management program for UConn across all campuses (including UConn Health) and Education Abroad programs. Thirteen appendices support the Plan, including Presidential authorization for particular practices and leadership oversight, program management, operational guides, as well as a multi-year training program.
Functional Annexes: Seven major annexes provide detailed considerations for emergency activities that are common across different types of incidents. These annexes contain an overview of UConn’s enterprise-level operations, concepts of operation for each campus and roles and responsibilities for each division, department or
office that has an identified lead or supporting function. The Functional Annexes are:
External Affairs and Public Information (public information, crisis communication, public education and outreach)
Agricultural, Natural Resources and Animal Care (animal care, animal disease management, natural resource assessment and response, agriculture, water management, sustainability)
Public Protection (public safety emergency communication, life safety programs, security programs, emergency response, protective actions)
Infrastructure Systems (utility systems support, facilities management and assignment, roadway and access control, information technology systems)
Human Services Support (campus mass care relocation and feeding services, family reunification and support, donation and volunteer management, host community)
Public Health and Medical (emergency medical services and mass casualty management, infectious disease response, fatality management, medical countermeasures, health care surge for the University community, University disaster mental health)
Recovery and Mitigation (damage assessment, debris management, short and long term recovery planning, mitigation planning process)
A Hazard Specific Annex: This Annex provides detailed considerations on how UConn will respond to a number of different specific hazards with a broad concept of operations containing actionable checklists. The Annex contains approximately thirty identified threats and hazards, including severe weather, active threat/violence/shooter, utility failure, mass casualty, mass fatality, pandemic influenza, significant events, and bomb threat, among others.
The UConn Emergency Operations Plan is stored online via the UConn Emergency Operations Plan Portal. You can view the Basic Plan and its supporting Appendices online. Functional and Hazard-specific annexes are confidential. To view the Plan, access the portal below by clicking the button.
View the Emergency Operations Plan
If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Office of Emergency Management at oem@ucon.edu or 860-486-5174.
Developing an Integrated Emergency Management Program
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Visual Parables
A leading resource for faith-and-film reviews and study guides
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Posted on February 9, 2010 by Ed McNulty
Rated R. Our ratings: V-4 ; L-5 ; S/N- 2. Running time: 2 hours 18 min.
My heart is in anguish within me,
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
And I say, ‘O that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
truly, I would flee far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness;
I would hurry to find a shelter for myself
from the raging wind and tempest.’
The two US Marshalls meet the head doctors at Shutter Island.
2010 Paramount Pictures
Martin Scorcese, using Laeta Kalogridis’ screenplay based on a novel by Dennis Lehane Yakes, con ducts us on a horrific journey into the human psyche in what could be called “Shudder Island.” It is 1954, a time of great paranoia because of the Cold War and the fear of nuclear holocaust without and the threat of devious traitors within. U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) meets his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) just as they are taking the ferry to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. They have been sent to investigate the strange disappearance of the institution’s most infamous prisoner, a young mother who drowned her three children. Her room had been watched every hour of the day and was locked from the outside, so an external investigation has been called.
Once a Civil War fort atop an island near Boston harbor, the old building and the island itself are grim specters surrounded by cold, angry waters. The waters are being stirred up by an approaching hurricane, so the boat’s captain tells the pair to disembark quickly so that he can get back to shore. This anxiety about time runs throughout the story. Teddy, we soon learn, is a troubled man, plagued by a series of migraine headaches—troubled by the memory of his wife who perished in a fire, and who keeps reappearing to him. Disturbed by the haunting images of dead Jews, lying in frozen heaps amidst the snow when he was a part of the liberation of the Nazi death camp at Dachau. In one horrific flashback scene he and his fellow soldiers become so enraged that they blast away at the unarmed German guards, who soon form their own heaps of dead bodies.
The chief doctors at the hospital seem sinister and foreboding. Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) claims to want to cooperate, but his manner says otherwise. Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow) immediately arouses Teddy’s suspicion because he recognizes even the region of Germany where the Na—er, the German, acquired his accent. What the Marshall later learns from the escaped patient hints of dark, forbidden experiments on the inmates, so we wonder if the film is following in the track of The Manchurian Candidate or any one of a hundred government conspiracy films—Edge of Darkness, anyone?
What Teddy eventually discovers is far more shocking. Only then do we understand why the matter of time running out is so important. The hurricane that had been approaching, and which does sweep over the island, uprooting trees and creating chaos, is but an outward, pale symbol of the inner chaos—and horror—impacting all concerned. During the height of the hurricane Teddy and Chuck are able to slip away and explore the buildings where the inmates are kept confined, and even the rocky cliffs that drop away to the sea. It is in one of the caves that Teddy at last confronts the escaped woman. Leaving her, he searches for his missing partner. By now the mysterious lighthouse they had seen earlier is cut off from the island by the high tide, but Teddy manages to swim out to it. As he climbs the circular stairs, his exploration of the different levels builds to a great climax of suspense and eventual revelation.
Shutter Island is a film you will long remember, one that lends itself to a discussion of the darker corners of the human psyche. Martin Scorcese is noted for his characters burdened by dark impulses, desires and guilt—witness Taxi Driver, Good Fellas, The Aviator, and one of my favorites, Bringing Out the Dead. His latest film shows that he has not lost his touch, the film leaving us with a sense of lostness and yearning. One wonders if the outcome might have been different had the characters but a fraction of the faith of the psalmist, who also faced turmoil of the soul and the horror that so often overwhelms the spirit.
For Reflection/Discussion
Contains spoiler. Especially in the latter question, so if you want to be surprised by the film, do not read further than Question 4!
1. What does Teddy seem like when you first see him? Dressed in his hat, overcoat, and smoking a cigarette, does he seem like the picture of the tough private eye or G-man of the times?
2. What all was transpiring in his world in 1954? Although one would never know it by the popular TV series Happy Days, how would Fearful Days be a better description of the Fifties? (Note that even the cheerful Julia and Julie depicted the painful incident in which Julia Child’s liberal diplomat husband was under suspicion of being a Communist.)
3. What are the horrors that Teddy has experienced? How have they apparently impacted his life?
4. What do you think of the two doctors when you first meet them? In what ways are we led to believe that they harbor sinister secrets?
5. How is the hurricane a good symbol for the inner state of Teddy? What does his memory of the impulsive execution of the German guards reveal about the nature of “the Good Guys” ? Do you think that we are all capable of such an evil act? Why or why not?
6. What connection do the three drowned children have with Teddy? The film seems to be told from an omniscient viewpoint, like most films, but whose viewpoint actually is the story told from—at least until perhaps the last scene? How is this film like A Beautiful Mind in this respect?
7. What do you make of the conversation between Teddy and the warden concerning God in which the latter says that God gave us violence and Teddy says that he thought God gave us moral order? How can the headlines of the past century lead one to such a conclusion? What might you say in response?
8. What do you think of Teddy’s last words about the choice between living as a monster or dying as a good man? What choice does he apparently make? If you were in his shoes, which might you make? Would this be an act of despair, or courage, maybe even faith?
CategoriesMovie Reviews
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Footer photo by Paul Green on Unsplash
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Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7
Javier I. Sanchez-Villamil, Daniel Tapia, Alfredo G. Torres
Here we exploit the natural properties of a synthetic nanoparticle (NP) scaffold as a subunit vaccine against enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Two EHEC-specific immunogenic antigens, namely, LomW and EscC, either alone or in combination, were covalently linked on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and used to immunize mice prior to challenge with EHEC O157:H7 strain 86-24. LomW is a putative outer membrane protein encoded in bacteriophage BP-933W, while EscC is a structural type III secretion system protein which forms a ring in the outer membrane. The resulting AuNP preparations, AuNP-LomW and AuNP-EscC, showed that the nanoparticles were able to incorporate the antigens, forming stable formulations that retained robust immunogenicity in vivo after subcutaneous immunization. When administered subcutaneously, AuNP-LomW or AuNP-EscC or a combination containing equivalent amounts of both candidates resulted in higher IgG titers in serum and secretory IgA titers in feces. The serum IgG titers correlated with a significant reduction in EHEC intestinal colonization after 3 days postinoculation. In addition, we showed that serum from antigen-coated AuNP-immunized mice resulted in a reduction of adherence to human intestinal epithelial cells for EHEC, as well as for two other E. coli pathotypes (enteropathogenic E. coli [EPEC], encoding EscC, and enteroaggregative E. coli [EAEC], encoding LomW). Further, the serum had antigen-specific bactericidal properties, engaging the classical complement pathway. Overall, our results demonstrate the immunogenicity and stability of a novel nanovaccine against EHEC. These results also strengthen the prospect of development of a synthetic nanoparticle vaccine conjugated to E. coli antigens as a promising platform against other enteric pathogens. IMPORTANCE Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen and the causative agent of diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis, which can progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome. These complications represent a serious global public health problem that requires laborious public health interventions and safety control measures to combat recurrent outbreaks worldwide. Today, there are no effective interventions for the control of EHEC infections, and, in fact, the use of antibiotics is counterindicated for EHEC disease. Therefore, a viable alternative for the prevention of human infections is the development of vaccines; however, no such vaccines are approved for human use. In this study, we developed a novel gold nanoparticle platform which acts as a scaffold for the delivery of various antigens, representing a nanovaccine technology which can be applied to several disease models.
https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01869-19
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
Immunoglobulin G
Classical Complement Pathway
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli Infections
Secretory Immunoglobulin A
Synthetic Vaccines
Subunit Vaccines
Feces
Nanovaccines
O157:H7
Pathogenic Escherichia
Sanchez-Villamil, J. I., Tapia, D., & Torres, A. G. (2019). Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7. mBio, 10(4), [e01869-19]. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01869-19
Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7. / Sanchez-Villamil, Javier I.; Tapia, Daniel; Torres, Alfredo G.
In: mBio, Vol. 10, No. 4, e01869-19, 01.01.2019.
Sanchez-Villamil, JI, Tapia, D & Torres, AG 2019, 'Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7', mBio, vol. 10, no. 4, e01869-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01869-19
Sanchez-Villamil JI, Tapia D, Torres AG. Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7. mBio. 2019 Jan 1;10(4). e01869-19. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01869-19
Sanchez-Villamil, Javier I. ; Tapia, Daniel ; Torres, Alfredo G. / Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7. In: mBio. 2019 ; Vol. 10, No. 4.
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title = "Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7",
abstract = "Here we exploit the natural properties of a synthetic nanoparticle (NP) scaffold as a subunit vaccine against enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Two EHEC-specific immunogenic antigens, namely, LomW and EscC, either alone or in combination, were covalently linked on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and used to immunize mice prior to challenge with EHEC O157:H7 strain 86-24. LomW is a putative outer membrane protein encoded in bacteriophage BP-933W, while EscC is a structural type III secretion system protein which forms a ring in the outer membrane. The resulting AuNP preparations, AuNP-LomW and AuNP-EscC, showed that the nanoparticles were able to incorporate the antigens, forming stable formulations that retained robust immunogenicity in vivo after subcutaneous immunization. When administered subcutaneously, AuNP-LomW or AuNP-EscC or a combination containing equivalent amounts of both candidates resulted in higher IgG titers in serum and secretory IgA titers in feces. The serum IgG titers correlated with a significant reduction in EHEC intestinal colonization after 3 days postinoculation. In addition, we showed that serum from antigen-coated AuNP-immunized mice resulted in a reduction of adherence to human intestinal epithelial cells for EHEC, as well as for two other E. coli pathotypes (enteropathogenic E. coli [EPEC], encoding EscC, and enteroaggregative E. coli [EAEC], encoding LomW). Further, the serum had antigen-specific bactericidal properties, engaging the classical complement pathway. Overall, our results demonstrate the immunogenicity and stability of a novel nanovaccine against EHEC. These results also strengthen the prospect of development of a synthetic nanoparticle vaccine conjugated to E. coli antigens as a promising platform against other enteric pathogens. IMPORTANCE Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen and the causative agent of diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis, which can progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome. These complications represent a serious global public health problem that requires laborious public health interventions and safety control measures to combat recurrent outbreaks worldwide. Today, there are no effective interventions for the control of EHEC infections, and, in fact, the use of antibiotics is counterindicated for EHEC disease. Therefore, a viable alternative for the prevention of human infections is the development of vaccines; however, no such vaccines are approved for human use. In this study, we developed a novel gold nanoparticle platform which acts as a scaffold for the delivery of various antigens, representing a nanovaccine technology which can be applied to several disease models.",
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T1 - Development of a gold nanoparticle vaccine against enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli o157:H7
AU - Sanchez-Villamil, Javier I.
AU - Tapia, Daniel
AU - Torres, Alfredo G.
N2 - Here we exploit the natural properties of a synthetic nanoparticle (NP) scaffold as a subunit vaccine against enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Two EHEC-specific immunogenic antigens, namely, LomW and EscC, either alone or in combination, were covalently linked on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and used to immunize mice prior to challenge with EHEC O157:H7 strain 86-24. LomW is a putative outer membrane protein encoded in bacteriophage BP-933W, while EscC is a structural type III secretion system protein which forms a ring in the outer membrane. The resulting AuNP preparations, AuNP-LomW and AuNP-EscC, showed that the nanoparticles were able to incorporate the antigens, forming stable formulations that retained robust immunogenicity in vivo after subcutaneous immunization. When administered subcutaneously, AuNP-LomW or AuNP-EscC or a combination containing equivalent amounts of both candidates resulted in higher IgG titers in serum and secretory IgA titers in feces. The serum IgG titers correlated with a significant reduction in EHEC intestinal colonization after 3 days postinoculation. In addition, we showed that serum from antigen-coated AuNP-immunized mice resulted in a reduction of adherence to human intestinal epithelial cells for EHEC, as well as for two other E. coli pathotypes (enteropathogenic E. coli [EPEC], encoding EscC, and enteroaggregative E. coli [EAEC], encoding LomW). Further, the serum had antigen-specific bactericidal properties, engaging the classical complement pathway. Overall, our results demonstrate the immunogenicity and stability of a novel nanovaccine against EHEC. These results also strengthen the prospect of development of a synthetic nanoparticle vaccine conjugated to E. coli antigens as a promising platform against other enteric pathogens. IMPORTANCE Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen and the causative agent of diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis, which can progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome. These complications represent a serious global public health problem that requires laborious public health interventions and safety control measures to combat recurrent outbreaks worldwide. Today, there are no effective interventions for the control of EHEC infections, and, in fact, the use of antibiotics is counterindicated for EHEC disease. Therefore, a viable alternative for the prevention of human infections is the development of vaccines; however, no such vaccines are approved for human use. In this study, we developed a novel gold nanoparticle platform which acts as a scaffold for the delivery of various antigens, representing a nanovaccine technology which can be applied to several disease models.
AB - Here we exploit the natural properties of a synthetic nanoparticle (NP) scaffold as a subunit vaccine against enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). Two EHEC-specific immunogenic antigens, namely, LomW and EscC, either alone or in combination, were covalently linked on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and used to immunize mice prior to challenge with EHEC O157:H7 strain 86-24. LomW is a putative outer membrane protein encoded in bacteriophage BP-933W, while EscC is a structural type III secretion system protein which forms a ring in the outer membrane. The resulting AuNP preparations, AuNP-LomW and AuNP-EscC, showed that the nanoparticles were able to incorporate the antigens, forming stable formulations that retained robust immunogenicity in vivo after subcutaneous immunization. When administered subcutaneously, AuNP-LomW or AuNP-EscC or a combination containing equivalent amounts of both candidates resulted in higher IgG titers in serum and secretory IgA titers in feces. The serum IgG titers correlated with a significant reduction in EHEC intestinal colonization after 3 days postinoculation. In addition, we showed that serum from antigen-coated AuNP-immunized mice resulted in a reduction of adherence to human intestinal epithelial cells for EHEC, as well as for two other E. coli pathotypes (enteropathogenic E. coli [EPEC], encoding EscC, and enteroaggregative E. coli [EAEC], encoding LomW). Further, the serum had antigen-specific bactericidal properties, engaging the classical complement pathway. Overall, our results demonstrate the immunogenicity and stability of a novel nanovaccine against EHEC. These results also strengthen the prospect of development of a synthetic nanoparticle vaccine conjugated to E. coli antigens as a promising platform against other enteric pathogens. IMPORTANCE Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 is a human pathogen and the causative agent of diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis, which can progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome. These complications represent a serious global public health problem that requires laborious public health interventions and safety control measures to combat recurrent outbreaks worldwide. Today, there are no effective interventions for the control of EHEC infections, and, in fact, the use of antibiotics is counterindicated for EHEC disease. Therefore, a viable alternative for the prevention of human infections is the development of vaccines; however, no such vaccines are approved for human use. In this study, we developed a novel gold nanoparticle platform which acts as a scaffold for the delivery of various antigens, representing a nanovaccine technology which can be applied to several disease models.
KW - Diarrhea
KW - Escherichia coli
KW - Nanovaccines
KW - O157:H7
KW - Pathogenic Escherichia
KW - Vaccines
U2 - 10.1128/mBio.01869-19
DO - 10.1128/mBio.01869-19
JO - mBio
JF - mBio
M1 - e01869-19
10.1128/mBio.01869-19
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cc/2020-05/en_middle_0097.json.gz/line1425865
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| 0.668186
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Difference between revisions of "European Aluminium Association"
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The EAA is a lobbying, trade, communications and public image body for the aluminium industry. It is based in Brussels, close to the [[European Parliament]].
The '''European Aluminium Association''' (EAA) is a lobbying, trade, communications and public image body for the European aluminium industry. It is based in Brussels, close to the [[European Parliament]]. Its members are Europe's primary aluminium producers and national aluminium trade associations.
According to their website:
The EAA declares its purpose as;
:'The European Aluminium Association (EAA) represents the aluminium industry in Europe. The EAA was founded in 1981. Its members are the European primary aluminium producers, the national associations representing the manufacturers of rolled and extruded products in 18 European countries, the Organisation of European Aluminium Remelters and Refiners (OEA) and the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA).'<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/organisation/ Organisation]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>
:to secure sustainable growth of aluminium in its markets and to maintain and improve the image of the aluminium industry towards target audiences.
:The overall objective of the EAA is to secure sustainable growth of aluminium in its markets and to maintain and improve the image of the aluminium industry towards target audiences. In order to achieve these objectives the EAA is active in the fields of:
To this end the EAA have been very active in promoting aluminium (one of the world's most polluting industries) as a 'green metal' with many sustainable applications. This has been achieved through public relations, industry-sponsored research on green applications, and coordinated communication on the issue throughout the international and national aluminium trade bodies.
:*Issue monitoring and issue management on topics of common interest;
==A major lobbyist in Brussels==
:*Generic promotion and communication on aluminium;
[[Image:EAA Offices.png|thumb|right|EAA Offices at 12 Avenue de Broqueville, shared with Eurometaux and Euromines]]
:*Collection, maintenance and dissemination of European aluminium statistics;
The EAA shares offices with the [[European Association of Metals]] or [[Eurometaux]] close to the European Parliament and is one of the larger lobbying bodies in Brussels. The building at 12 Avenue de Broqueville is also shared with the [[European Association of Mining Industries, Metal Ores & Industrial Minerals]] ([[Euromines]]) and the [[European Carbon and Graphite Association]].<ref>Euromines[www.euromines.org/contact_us.html Contact Us] Accessed 21/02/2012</ref> According to their entry on the European Commission's Transparency Register they spent between €350,000 and €400,000 on lobbying activities in 2010 and €50,000 on a 'media outreach' programme carried out by an un-named PR firm.
:*Encouraging and initiating studies or research projects and technical co-operation in all relevant areas whether of a scientific, technological, economic, governmental, sociological, legal or any other nature.<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/organisation/ Organisation]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>
<ref>EC online Transparency Register [http://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister/public/consultation/displaylobbyist.do?id=9224280267-20 European Aluminium Association entry] Accessed 6/2/12</ref>
==Influencing the climate change debate==
===EAA accused of under-reporting lobbying===
The EAA exerts pressure in the EU parliament on climate change policy. In 2008 the EAA denounced the EU's climate change package. [[Patrick de Schrynmakers]], secretary general said:
In June 2011 the [[Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation]] published a survey of the 40 largest industry lobby groups which revealed that the EAA (alongside a number of large lobbying groups) had under-reported the scale of their influence on the EC Transparency Register. The EAA was named as the fourth of 10 'worst offenders' for under-reporting, claiming to have spent between €100,000 and €150,000 on lobbying in 2009 while employing a total of 17 staff. The paper argues that most of these staff will be engaged in activities which come under the definition of lobbying, and that dividing the declared spend per staff member puts expenditure per member of staff at €8,824, an unrealistically low number.<ref>The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics in the EU (ALTER-EU) June 2011 [http://www.alter-eu.org/fr/press-releases/2011/06/22/lobby-millions-missing-from-the-transparency-register The missing millions – how the new lobby register needs to tackle the 'under-reporting' by industry lobby groups] Accessed 6/2/2012</ref> Interestingly the EAA's 2010 disclosure had quadrupled it's estimated spend to €400,000 despite not altering staff numbers.<ref>EC online Transparency Register [http://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister/public/consultation/displaylobbyist.do?id=9224280267-20 European Aluminium Association entry] Accessed 6/2/12</ref>
:"Europe will export jobs and import energy intensive products, with no environmental gain"
===Lobbying for exemptions to climate change policy===
:"As the legislative process moves forward, EAA exhorts Parliament and member states to protect the sustainability of this important sector of the European economy." <ref>Agence France Presse [http://www.terradaily.com/reports/EU_MPs_climate_package_vote_brings_little_joy_for_industry_999.html MPs' climate package vote brings little joy for industry] October 7, 2008. Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
==Greenwashing and propaganda==
One of the EAA's main concerns in Brussels is climate change policy, which they argue is making European aluminium production costs uncompetitive with the rest of the world. The EAA (alongside other metals trade associations) have repeatedly denounced the [[EU Emissions Trading Scheme]]. In 2008 [[Patrick de Schrynmakers]], secretary general said:
The EAA website aims to counter potential and past critique by environmentalists and contains long sections which espouse the environmental excellence of aluminium companies in mining and production.
:Europe will export jobs and import energy intensive products, with no environmental gain
:As the legislative process moves forward, EAA exhorts Parliament and member states to protect the sustainability of this important sector of the European economy. <ref>Agence France Presse [http://www.terradaily.com/reports/EU_MPs_climate_package_vote_brings_little_joy_for_industry_999.html MPs' climate package vote brings little joy for industry] October 7, 2008. Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
For example, in an EAA press release [[Patrick de Schrynmakers]], Secretary General of the EAA claims:
They have argued that restrictions on the European aluminium industry are likely to lead to 'carbon leakage', as companies move to countries with more lax environmental standards where operation would be cheaper. Their lobbying resulted in aluminium being included as potentially exposed to carbon leakage, and therefore entitled to free emissions certificates (carbon credits) and some subsidies on energy costs. It is proposed by the EU that aluminium will be properly included in the scheme from 2013.<ref>EEA [http://www.eaa.net/en/publications/annual-report/ Annual Report 2010] Accessed 14/05/10</ref> The EAA have also joined with the [[European Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries]] and others to call for compensation for raised costs to electricity in Europe due to carbon taxes. They claim raised electricity prices are unfair, uncompetitive and against the [[Lisbon Treaty]] and [[EU2020]] strategy.<ref>EAA position paper [http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=174 European Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries opposes EU unilateral move to -30%] 6th May 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
:"Today we not only know perfectly what resources it takes to produce aluminium, but our knowledge goes far beyond that. Through structural research & development programs our members help manufacturers of many sorts of consumer products reduce their eco-footprint. Through sustainable design and light-weighting, we are committed to making sure that our products can be easily recycled at the end of their use - a major contribution to a greener world."<ref>EAA Press release [www.eaa.net/en/press-room/press-releases/_doc/399/ 'Aluminum Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe' June 25, 2009] Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
Industry exemptions under the EU-ETS have been criticised by a number of environmental groups and researchers for submitting to the wishes of industry, rendering it ineffective as a climate change solution (See page on [[Carbon Trading]]). Larry Lohman discusses how billions of Euro's worth of emissions credits have been given out free to energy intensive industry, while small businesses are forced to comply.<ref>Larry Lohmann, "[http://www.dhf.uu.se/pdffiler/DD2006_48_carbon_trading/carbon_trading_ch_2.pdf Carbon Trading: A critical conversation on Climate Change, Privatisation and Power]", Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, Durban Group for Climate Justice and The Corner House, Oct 2006, p. 31, Accessed April 2009</ref> The result is that emissions continue to increase (Britain's emissions increased by 18% between 1992 and 2004 according to Defra).<ref>Roger Harrabin, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7536421.stm 'UK in 'delusion' over emissions'] BBC News, 31st July 2008. Accessed 02/03/10</ref>
The EAA supports, and co-runs the global aluminium industry's sustainability programme [[Aluminium for Future Generations]]. They host a website dedicated to promoting 'green' aluminium in Europe <ref>[http://www.alufuture.org/affg/index.htm Aluminium for Future Generations] EAA. Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
==Greenwashing aluminium==
==Lightweight vehicles==
[[Image:Green Aluminium EAA.png|thumb|right|Interview with EAA Secretary general Patrick de Schrynmakers in SAPA magazine. The depiction of the metal as natural and green is typical of the EAA's greenwash.]]
The EAA are the key body responsible for promoting aluminium as a 'green metal' which is part of the solution to environmental issues and climate change, and not part of the problem. This has been central to the aluminium industry's PR tactic worldwide and has been very successful in shaping public opinion on the qualities of the metal. Despite it's status as one of the most energy intensive and polluting metal to produce (with a much higher environmental impact per ton than steel)<ref>Wuppertal Intstitute for Climate, Environment and Energy [www.wupperinst.org/uploads/tx.../MIT_2011.pdf Material Intensity of materials, fuels, transport services, food] 14th July, 2011. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref> the EAA goes as far as to claim that aluminium's applications make it 'a major contribution to a greener world'<ref>EAA Press release [http://www.eaa.net/en/press-room/press-releases/_doc/399/ 'Aluminum Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe' June 25, 2009] Accessed 30/04/10</ref> and that 'during its use phase ... aluminium is able to show its impressive contribution to sustainability, more than offsetting the consumption of raw materials and energy needed for its primary production'.<ref>European Aluminium Association [http://www.alueurope.eu/wp-content/.../Sustainability_Report_Sum.pdf Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry] March 2010 p.30. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref> Their argument is based on three applications of aluminium which they claim contribute to sustainability:
The EAA (along with other aluminium trade associations and lobby groups) has been instrumental in pushing the potential use of aluminium to create lighter cars and planes which will therefore be more fuel efficient. This benefit of aluminium has been a central plank in the aluminium industry's climate change strategy, portraying themselves as a clean green metal which will save carbon not create it. Some of the more general critiques of aluminium's green status are made at the [[Aluminium Federation]] page.
1)Light-weighting of vehicles by using aluminium instead of steel, reducing emissions in the use phase.
2)Aluminium as part of energy saving and recyclable designs in architecture.
3)Aluminium packaging to prevent food spoiling and wastage. <ref>European Aluminium Association [http://www.alueurope.eu/wp-content/.../Sustainability_Report_Sum.pdf Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry] March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
The misleading nature of these arguments is examined in the sections below.
Dr [[Dietrich Wieser]], [[Alcoa]]'s Director Business Development Ground Transportation Europe spoke at the European Aluminium Congress in Dusseldorf, Germany in 2009, hailing the benefits of aluminium for lightweighting;
The EAA advances its claims to sustainability using a variety of lobbying and PR techniques:
they have joined with the architecture and construction, automotive and packaging industries to promote their aluminium applications as 'green'.
Extensively funded work on [[Life Cycle Analysis]] of metals, influencing the scientific discourse on how the sustainability of metals is evaluated.
Funded research institutes such as the [[Wuppertal Institute]] to create sustainability programmes for the industry.
Coordinated with the global aluminium industry lobby, for example by funding the global aluminium industry's sustainability programme [[Aluminium for Future Generations]] which host a website dedicated to promoting 'green' aluminium. <ref>[http://www.alufuture.org/affg/index.htm Aluminium for Future Generations] EAA. Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
Lobbying on EU environment and efficiency policy alongside other metals trade associations.
:"Aluminum not only offers significant advantages during the use stage of an automobile, but in particular, also in the end-of-life stage...The infinite recyclability of aluminum, together with its high scrap value and the low energy needs during recycling make aluminum lightweight solutions in automotive applications highly desirable." <ref>Business Wire [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Alcoa+Executive+Hails+Aluminum%27s+Ability+for+Lightweight+Automotive...-a0212802403 Alcoa Executive Hails Aluminum's Ability for Lightweight Automotive Design That Increases Fuel Efficiency and Reduces Emissions] Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
These assertions fail to mention that aluminium is the most energy intensive metal to produce and has serious climate change implications along the production chain relative to steel (which uses 95% less energy to produce), or that aluminium emissions are predicted to rise year on year. <ref>Das, S. and Padel, F. 2010,'Out of this earth: East India Adivasis and the aluminium cartel' Orient Blackswan </ref>.
===Light-weighting vehicles===
More interestingly, the science of life-cycle analysis used to justify the benefits of aluminium vehicles has been co-opted by the aluminium industry and hides some of the climatic impacts of aluminium production. For example the considerable primary and secondary emissions from hydro-electric dams which much of aluminium smelting relies on are not included <ref>Patrick McCully, International Rivers Report[http://www.internationalrivers.org/node/1349 Fizzy Science: Loosening the Hydro Industry's Grip on Reservoir Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research] Nov 1st, 2006. Accessed 30/04/10</ref>, nor are the climatic effects of rainforest and semi-tropical forest destruction for bauxite mining.
The EAA (along with other aluminium trade associations and lobby groups) promotes the idea that using aluminium (rather than steel) to create lighter cars reduces fuel use over the life of the vehicle therefore reducing overall carbon emissions. 'From an environmental point of view, the EAA
estimates that, over its whole life-cycle, 1 kg of aluminium introduced in a truck saves more than 20 kg of CO2.' they claim.<ref>European Aluminium Association [http://www.alueurope.eu/wp-content/.../Sustainability_Report_Sum.pdf Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry] p.35. March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
In a 2009 EAA position paper on the European Union's [[European Green Cars Initiative]] they demonstrate their intention to work closely with policy makers to secure financial and regulatory benefits for increased aluminium in cars.
This claim is misleading for a number of reasons. It is based on a comparison between the weight and recyclability of aluminium and steel, assuming that the truck is used until the end of its life and then fully recycled. But this figure masks the enormous difference in the original carbon and material intensity of producing steel and aluminium. The embodied carbon in steel is 1.8 kg CO2/Kg steel compared to 8.2 kg CO2/kg aluminium.<ref>Hammond, G.P and C.I Jones, 2008 [http://people.bath.ac.uk/cj219/ice00a.pdf Inventory for Carbon and Energy], University of Bath. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref> But greenhouse gas emissions are not the only environmental impact of metal production and it is when other wastes are taken into account that the intensely polluting nature of aluminium becomes apparent. The [[Wuppertal Institute]] estimates the abiotic intensity (solid waste products) of aluminium production to be 37 kg waste/kg aluminium for primary aluminium compared to only 9.32 kg waste/kg basic oxygen steel, while the gaseous emissions are 10.87 kg airborne emissions/kg aluminium compared to 0.77 kg/kg steel. Water usage is even more striking at 1047 kg water/kg aluminium compared to 81 kg water/kg steel! (see table below)<ref>Wuppertal Intstitute for Climate, Environment and Energy [www.wupperinst.org/uploads/tx.../MIT_2011.pdf Material Intensity of materials, fuels, transport services, food] 14th July, 2011. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
<table border="1">
<caption>Material Intensity of aluminium and steel. Adapted from Wuppertal Intstitute for Climate, Environment and Energy. 'Material Intensity of materials, fuels, transport services, food' 2011 <ref>Wuppertal Intstitute for Climate, Environment and Energy [www.wupperinst.org/uploads/tx.../MIT_2011.pdf Material Intensity of materials, fuels, transport services, food] 14th July, 2011. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref></caption>
<th>Type of metal</th>
<th>Specification</th>
<th>Abiotic material intensity (kg/kg)</th>
<th>Water intensity (kg/kg)</th>
<th>Air intensity (kg/kg)</th>
<td>aluminium</td>
<td>Primary aluminium</td>
<td>37</td>
<td>1047.7</td>
<td>10.87</td>
<td></td>
<td>Secondary (recycled) aluminium</td>
<td>0.85</td>
<td>Wrought alloy</td>
<td>996.84</td>
<td>Cast alloy</td>
<td>average</td>
<td>steel</td>
<td>Plate, hot dipped galvanised, basic oxygen steel</td>
<td>Rebar, wire rod, engineering steel, electric arc furnace route</td>
<td>7.5</td>
The EAA have exerted continued pressure in Brussels to secure financial and regulatory benefits for increased aluminium in cars as a sustainability measure. A 2009 EAA position paper on the European Union's [[European Green Cars Initiative]] states:
:The aluminium industry welcomes regulatory initiatives aiming at stimulating the demand for low CO2 emitting cars.
:EAA’s Automotive and Transport Market Group chairman [[Roland Harings]] points out: “Our industry is highly concerned that, in its current shape, the proposal ignores the most straightforward option for emission reductions which is lightweighting, and which can be applied immediately.”
:The European Aluminium Association is therefore ready to help legislators amend the proposal towards more technological neutrality. <ref>European Aluminium Association, Position papers [http://www.eaa.net/en/press-room/position-papers/ EAA position on EC's Regulation proposal to reduce CO2 emissions from Light Commercial Vehicles] 06 November 2009. Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
:The European Aluminium Association is therefore ready to help legislators amend the proposal towards more technological neutrality. <ref>European Aluminium Association, Position papers [http://www.eaa.net/en/press-room/position-papers/ EAA position on EC's Regulation proposal to reduce CO2 emissions from Light Commercial Vehicles] 06 November 2009. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
[[Secat]] (Aluminium research body)'s [[Subodh Das]] has helped make the argument for increasing aluminium content in cars through his published research, in collaboration with the [[Center for Aluminum Technology]] at the University of Kentucky, of which he is director.<ref>Subodh Das, C.A. Ungureanu1,I.S. Jawahir, 2007 'Life-cycle Cost Analysis: Aluminum versus Steel in Passenger Cars'in Aluminium Alloys for Transportation, packaging, Aerospace, and Other Applications. Edited by Subodh K. Das and Weimin Yin, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 2007</ref>
===Pushing aluminium vehicles in India===
The EAA, along with the [[Aluminium Association of India]] (AAI), the [[International Aluminum Institute]] (IAI) and The [[Aluminium Association]] (USA) have linked up in a campaign to promote 'lightweight' aluminium vehicles in India, a country with one of the fastest growing transport sectors, and most of the world's remaining bauxite. <ref>[http://www.financialexpress.com/news/aluminium-cos-eye-auto-industry-for-major-push/381556/ 'Aluminium Co's Eye Auto Industry for a Major Push' Nov 5th 2008]. Finanacial express. Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
The EAA, along with the [[Aluminium Association of India]] (AAI), the [[International Aluminium Institute]] (IAI) and The [[Aluminium Association]] (USA) have linked up in a campaign to promote 'lightweight' aluminium vehicles in India, a country with one of the fastest growing transport sectors, and most of the world's remaining bauxite. <ref>[http://www.financialexpress.com/news/aluminium-cos-eye-auto-industry-for-major-push/381556/ 'Aluminium Co's Eye Auto Industry for a Major Push' Nov 5th 2008]. Financial express. Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
Due to the latter fact, aluminium companies are well established in India, maintaining close relations with the large hydro lobby and governments pushing this rapid industrial form of 'development'. Das and Padel's research explores the 'neo-colonisation' of India by aluminium companies, and their push to increase per capita demand for aluminium up to Western levels. <ref>Felix Padel and Samarendra Das, 2010 'Out of This Earth: East India Adivasis and the Aluminium Cartel' Orient Blackswan. New Delhi.</ref> The EAA are using their well developed 'green cars' argument here to suggest increased aluminium consumption as a climate change policy in India.
==Life Cycle Analysis==
===Green Aluminium Architecture?===
With the help of academics like [[Subodh Das]], the aluminium industry has participated in laying the foundations of the science of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) right from the start, working with academia, authorities and the consumer to ensure its success.<ref>EAA Press release [www.eaa.net/en/press-room/press-releases/_doc/399/ 'Aluminum Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe' June 25, 2009] Accessed 30/04/10</ref> The EAA, alongside the [[Aluminium Association]] and [[International Aluminium Institute]] have been involved in dominating the aluminium life cycle debate. The industry contributes to the [[European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment]] which is developed by the [[European Commission]]’s Joint Research Centre. <ref>EAA website, Environment [http://www.eaa.net/en/environment-health-safety/lca/ LCA] accessed 30/04/10</ref>
The EAA claims that increased use of aluminium in construction is a green measure due to the longevity of the metal (with an expected lifetime of 80 years in buildings), its use in energy efficiency technologies such as solar panels and reflective curtains, and it's recyclability at end of use. The [[International Aluminium Institute]] also hosts a website dedicated to promoting the sustainability of aluminium in construction.<ref>International Aluminium Institute [http://greenbuilding.world-aluminium.org/ Green building website] Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
Patrick de Schrynmakers highlights the advantages of EAA's LCA research in creating a green image for aluminium (one of the world's most polluting industries<ref>Felix Padel and Samarendra Das, 2010 'Out of This Earth: East India Adivasis and the Aluminium Cartel' Orient Blackswan. New Delhi.</ref>):
As in the case of light-weighted cars these claims extole the perceived benefits of the use phase ignoring the comparitively polluting and material intense production process of aluminium (see previous section).
:"After 10 years of dedication, investment and research, we have come up with state of the art validated methodologies, rigourously collected and thoroughly assessed data to show what resources are saved by using lightweight, corrosion resistant and strong aluminium in products such as cars, trucks, aircraft, food packaging, windows, facades, solar panels and other renewable energy equipment. We have the systems in place to evaluate the benefits of recycling the scrap from end-of-life products - especially in terms of emissions. This enables us to prove that the environmental balance of producing, using and recycling aluminium over and over again evens out, ensuring that our material and the products made of it contribute to a sustainable economy and society."
The EAA have been lobbying in Brussels to influence regulations on building sustainability. They argue that the end of life recyclability of metals should be included in sustainability evaluations, not just the recycled content of materials used. A 2010 position paper even makes the bizarre argument that we should use up primary metals today, and consider this a contribution to sustainability as they can later be recycled:
:The metal material has value and should be managed for that value: the material stock should be used today for its maximum utility while at the same time being conserved and recycled to meet the needs of future generations.<ref>European Aluminium Association, Position papers [http://www.eaa.net/en/press-room/position-papers/ CEN/TC 350 neglects the value of recycled materials] 4th March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
The language used here is typical of EAA's advanced greenwashing techniques.
===Packaging reduces waste?===
Despite this domination of aluminium life cycle science, the EAA has also been critical of the way LCA has been used in comparing between materials and hence making decisions on their environmental credentials. They note that LCA has become a very important and accepted tool for making political decisions.
The EAA claims that aluminium packaging contributes to sustainability by increasing the shelf life of food, and therefore preventing wastage due to expired food being thrown out. Their 2010 'Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry' report even claims that aluminium-wrapped single use packets of coffee are more sustainable than a large packet due to the risk of water and coffee wastage when too much is made.<ref>European Aluminium Association [http://www.alueurope.eu/wp-content/.../Sustainability_Report_Sum.pdf Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry] March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref> It's section on packaging begins:
The EAA's document "Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know", produced for the European Aluminium Industry critiques several political decisions made using LCA which were not in aluminium's favour. Firstly the Danish government's rate of tax on packaging, and secondly The German government's UBA II study into re-usable glass bottles versus aluminium cans. In both cases they claim that the science was inconclusive and the judgement was subjective and value-based on the part of the assessor, and therefore unfair.<ref>European Aluminium Association, 2002 [http://www.alufuture.org/affg/06/06.htm Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know] Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
:Aluminium packaging is part of the solution for more sustainability in production and consumption
by delivering quality food, drinks and pharmaceuticals in pristine conditions to the consumer. Aluminium packaging is able to meet today’s challenges of product safety, convenience, marketing
and sustainability whereas the sustainability aspect is becoming increasingly important. And more
than anything else this means preventing spoilage and waste. The ecological performance of
aluminium packaging should be discussed against this background and should be put in the right
perspective. In a world with a rapidly growing population living mainly in cities, less packaging
doesn’t necessarily mean less food wastage. On the other hand resource efficiency can also be
met by increasing the recycling and recovery performances of used aluminium packaging.<ref>European Aluminium Association [http://www.alueurope.eu/wp-content/.../Sustainability_Report_Sum.pdf Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry] p.37. March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012</ref>
==Energy usage in smelting==
===Life Cycle Analysis===
The EAA's document "Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know", produced for the European Aluminium Industry admits that aluminium smelting is energy intensive. However they claim that within Europe, Russia and the 'Western world':
The EAA's greenwash arguments for the sustainability of aluminium cars, buildings and packaging are largely based on the science of Life Cycle Analysis which compares the cradle to grave impact of different materials. Since the early days the aluminium industry (particularly the [[Aluminium Association]] and [[International Aluminium Institute]]) has played a key role in developing this system and influencing it's theory, skewing it to benefit the industry. For example the considerable primary and secondary emissions from hydro-electric dams which much of aluminium smelting relies on are not included in the carbon intensity calculations.<ref>Patrick McCully, International Rivers Report[http://www.internationalrivers.org/node/1349 Fizzy Science: Loosening the Hydro Industry's Grip on Reservoir Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research] Nov 1st, 2006. Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
:'more than 50 % of the energy used to produce the aluminium supplied to the European market comes from hydropower (hydroelectricity), a clean and renewable energy source.'<ref>European Aluminium Association, 2002 [http://www.alufuture.org/affg/06/06.htm Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know] Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
[[Secat]] (Aluminium research body)'s [[Subodh Das]] has helped make the argument for increasing aluminium content in cars through his published research, in collaboration with the [[Center for Aluminum Technology]] at the University of Kentucky, of which he is director.<ref>Subodh Das, C.A. Ungureanu1,I.S. Jawahir, 2007 'Life-cycle Cost Analysis: Aluminium versus Steel in Passenger Cars'in Aluminium Alloys for Transportation, packaging, Aerospace, and Other Applications. Edited by Subodh K. Das and Weimin Yin, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 2007</ref> He has previously worked for [[ARCO Aluminium]], [[Alcoa]], and sits on the board of the [[Aluminium Association]] and is a fellow to the [[American Society of Metals]], demonstrating that he is far from a neutral scientist.<ref>Aluminium Association News [www.secat.net/news/docs/Aluminium_Association_Board.pdf "Secat’s Subodh Das Elected Member of Aluminium Association Board"] Accessed 30/04/10</ref>
There is a large body of evidence that large dams in fact have serious climatic implications (see Fearnside <ref>PM Fearnside [http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=C9CC61079DFD4D7C074E58A469F661E1.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=5935732 Hydroelectric dams in the Brazilian Amazon as sources of 'greenhouse'gases] Environmental conservation, 2009 - Cambridge Univ Press</ref>) as well as being ecologically damaging in many other ways (see McCully <ref>Patrick McCully 'Silenced Rivers: The ecology and politics of large dams' Zed Books, 2001 </ref>). Further, they are not in fact renewable, generally silting up and requiring costly de-commissioning after 50 years or less<ref>Patrick McCully 'Silenced Rivers: The ecology and politics of large dams' Zed Books, 2001 </ref>.
With the help of academics like [[Subodh Das]], the aluminium industry has participated in laying the foundations of the science of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) right from the start, working with academia, authorities and the consumer to ensure its success.<ref>EAA Press release '[http://www.eaa.net/en/press-room/press-releases/_doc/399/ Aluminium Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe]' June 25, 2009 Accessed 30/04/10</ref> The industry contributes to the [[European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment]] which is developed by the [[European Commission]]’s Joint Research Centre. <ref>EAA website, Environment [http://www.eaa.net/en/environment-health-safety/lca/ LCA] accessed 30/04/10</ref>
Other sources are:
[[Patrick de Schrynmakers]] highlights the advantages of EAA's LCA research in creating a green image for aluminium:
*Natural gas 5%
:After 10 years of dedication, investment and research, we have come up with state of the art validated methodologies, rigorously collected and thoroughly assessed data to show what resources are saved by using lightweight, corrosion resistant and strong aluminium in products such as cars, trucks, aircraft, food packaging, windows, facades, solar panels and other renewable energy equipment. We have the systems in place to evaluate the benefits of recycling the scrap from end-of-life products - especially in terms of emissions. This enables us to prove that the environmental balance of producing, using and recycling aluminium over and over again evens out, ensuring that our material and the products made of it contribute to a sustainable economy and society.<ref>EAA, Press releases [http://www.eaa.net/en/press-room/press-releases/_doc/399/ Aluminium Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe] BRUSSELS, June 25, 2009. Accessed 17/05/10</ref>
*Crude Oil 3%
*Nuclear 15%
*Hard Coal 20%
*Brown Coal 5%
*Hydro-electricity 52% <ref>European Aluminium Association, 2002 [http://www.alufuture.org/affg/06/06.htm Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know] Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
The document goes on to praise aluminium's recyclability, but admits that:
:'Nevertheless, whether aluminium is produced from bauxite or from scrap, these operations are not in competition with each other. They are both integrated and necessary parts of the aluminium material cycle.'<ref>European Aluminium Association, 2002 [http://www.alufuture.org/affg/06/06.htm Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know] Accessed 13/05/10</ref>
If recycling has no effect on the demand for newly mined aluminium then there is virtually no environmental benefit, as emissions and other damage from raw manufacture have not decreased, though those from recycling will have.
==Members==
*[[Rio Tinto Alcan]]
*[[Alcoa Europe]] S.A.
*[[Alcoa]]
*[[TRIMET Aluminium]] AG
*[[Hydro]]
*[[Norsk Hydro]]
*[[Aluminium Konin]] - Impexmetal S.A.
*[[Kubikenborg Aluminium]] AB
*[[Aluminium of Greece]] S.A.I.C.
*[[Talum]] d. d.
*[[Alro]] S.A. <ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/members/ Members]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>
*[[Alro]] S.A. <ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=2707]Accessed 22/01/12</ref>
===Downstream aluminium companies===
*[[Kaiser Aluminium]]
*[[Novelis]]
*[[Sapa]]
*[[Aleris International]]
*[[Metra]]
*[[Assan Aluminium]]
*[[AMAG]] Austrian Metals
*[[Constellium]]
*[[Vimetco Extrusion]]<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=2707]Accessed 22/01/12</ref>
===Secondary Aluminium===
==European Trade Associations==
*[[Organisation of the European Aluminium Recycling Industry]]
*[[European Aluminium Foil Association]]<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=2707]Accessed 22/01/12</ref>
*[[Organisation of European Aluminium Refiners and Remelters]]<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/members/ Members]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>
===National Associations===
*[[Agoria]]
*[[Aluminium Center Belgium]]
*[[Aluminium Federation]] (UK)
*[[Aluminium Danmark]]
*[[Aluminiumriket Sverige]] (Sweden)
*[[Association Suisse de L'Aluminium]] (Switzerland)
*[[Association Francais de l'aluminium]] (France)
*[[Assomet]]
*[[WKO]] (Germany)
*[[GDA]]
*[[Impal]]
*[[TALSAD]] (Turkey)
*[[Associacion Espanola del Aluminio]] (Spain) <ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=2707]Accessed 22/01/12</ref>
===Aluminium Foil===
*[[European Aluminium Foil Association]]<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/members/ Members]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>
==Affiliations==
The EAA is a member of the [[Centre for European Policy Studies]] (CEPS), the [[American European Community Association]] (AECA), the [[Energy Forum]] and [[Eurometaux]] according to it's entry on the EC Lobbying Transparency Register.<ref>EC online Transparency Register [http://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister/public/consultation/displaylobbyist.do?id=9224280267-20 European Aluminium Association entry] Accessed 6/2/12</ref>
==Public Relations==
The EAA's major PR campaign [[Aluminium for Future Generations]] was assisted by lobbying and public affairs firm [[GPC International]]. In particular [[Sandy McLean]] (previously with [[Fleishman-Hillard]]) was reported in 1999 to be managing long term strategic media relations for the EAA who were to be her main client at [[GPC International]]. <ref>PR Week, November 26, 1999 [http://www.prweek.com/uk/search/articles/phrase/Fleishman%20Hillard,%20Dean%20Russell/sortby/date/magazine/PRW,PRO/dateYear/1999/dateGroup/all/ BORDER LINES: BRUSSELS - GPC drafts in strategic consultant] Accessed 18/02/2012</ref>
==Board==
*[[Rudi Huber]] chair
*[[Rudi Huber]] (president [[Alcoa]] Europe). Chairman in 2009
*[[Marcos Ramos]] (succeeding president [[Alcoa]] Europe). Chairman in 2010.<ref>European Aluminium Association website. Press releases [http://www.alueurope.eu/?p=450 Novelis’ Tadeu Nardocci, new chairman of the European Aluminium Association] Accessed 23/1/12</ref>
*[[Tadeu Nardocci]] (President of [[Novelis]] Europe). Chairman in 2011<ref>European Aluminium Association website. Press releases [http://www.alueurope.eu/?p=450 Novelis’ Tadeu Nardocci, new chairman of the European Aluminium Association] Accessed 23/1/12</ref>
*[[Christel Bories]] ([[Alcan]]) Chairperson Jan 2007 - Jan 2009<ref>Reuters Business Profiles. Naxtis. [http://uk.reuters.com/business/quotes/officerProfile?symbol=CNAT.PA&officerId=1569871 Christel Bories] Feb 22, 2011. Accessed 08/02/2012</ref>
*[[Gerhard Buddenbaum]] ([[Corus]]) Executive Committee member circa 2004<ref>Salesfuel [http://free.salesfuel.com/CoIntell/CoDetailsPersonnel.aspx?CompanyID=25047 Corus PLC Company Intelligence Report] Accessed 08/02/2012</ref>
*[[Bernt Reitan]] Former director<ref>Business Week. ASA Renewables [http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=731532&ticker=AA:US&previousCapId=6245251&previousTitle=RENEWABLE%20ENERGY%20CORP%20ASA Bernt Reitan Biography] Accessed 08/02/2012</ref>
==Staff==
*[[Patrick de Schrynmakers]]Secretary General since 2000
*[[Claude Claire Sönmez]] Public Affairs & Communications Director
*[[Claude Claire Sönmez]] Public Affairs & Communications Director (also known as [[Claude Claire Balandier]])<ref>European Parliament Transparency Register [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/lobby/byOrganisation.html?letter=E Lobby group by Organisation] Accessed 18/02/2012</ref>
*[[Eirik Nordheim]] Environment, Health and Safety Director
*[[Maarten Labberton]] Packaging Director
*[[Bob Lambrechts]] Statistics & Economics Director
*[[Christian Leroy]] Sustainability & LCA - Building & Transport Manager
*[[Zoltan Precsenyi]] Public Affairs & Communication Manager
*[[Erich Cuaz]] Public Affairs & Communication Manager (previously [[Zoltan Precsenyi]]<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/contact/ Contact]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>)
*[[Sandro Starita]] EHS Manager
*[[Pavlos Vatavalis]] Building Technical Manager
*[[Patrick Ragnarsson]] Automotive & Transport Technical Manager
*[[Ana Maria Danila]] Sustainability Data Officer
*[[Viviane Verbiest]] Administrative Assistant
*[[David Van Heuverswyn]] Assistant Public Affairs, Communication & Packaging
*[[Annie Marthoud]] Assistant EHS, Automotive & Standardisation
*[[Natacha Kukin]] Assistant Finances & Communications <ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.eaa.net/en/_page/contact/ Contact]Accessed 22/04/10</ref>
*[[Natacha Kukin]] Assistant Finances & Communications
*[[Tadeja Prosen]] Junior Public Affairs and Communications Officer<ref>European Aluminium Assoc website [http://www.alueurope.eu/?page_id=2709 Staff]Accessed 22/01/11</ref>
===Previous staff===
*[[Dick Dermer]]Secretary General up til 2000.<ref>'European Aluminium Association gets new Secretary general'. European Report. November 1, 2000</ref>
*[[Dick Dermer]]Secretary General up until 2000.<ref>'European Aluminium Association gets new Secretary general'. European Report. November 1, 2000</ref>
*[[Sarah Clarkson]] left her job as PR manager for the EAA in 2008 to become communications manager for [[Airports Council International Europe]]<ref>PR Week, February 23, 2007 [http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/634698/ Clarkson appointed] Accessed 18/02/2012</ref>, another of the largest Brussels lobby groups<ref>The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics in the EU (ALTER-EU),June 2011 [http://www.alter-eu.org/documents/2011/06/22/the-missing-millions-of-the-lobby-register The missing millions – how the new lobby register needs to tackle the 'under-reporting' by industry lobby groups] Accessed 18/02/2012</ref>.
==Resources==
*The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU) [http://www.alter-eu.org/documents/2011/06/22/the-missing-millions-of-the-lobby-register The missing millions – how the new lobby register needs to tackle the 'under-reporting' by industry lobby groups], published 22 June 2011. Outlines under-reporting of lobby expenditure by a significant number of groups, including the European Aluminium Association
==Notes==
[[Category:Climate]]
[[Category:Aluminium Industry]]
[[Category:Mining]]
[[Category:Mining Industry]]
[[Category:Mining and Metals]]
[[Category:Mining and Metals: Lobbyists]]
[[Category:Mining and Metals: Industry Lobby Groups]]
[[Category:Mining and Metals: Trade Associations]]
[[Category:Mining and Metals: Public Relations]]
This article is part of the Mining and Metals project of Spinwatch
This article is part of the Climate project of Spinwatch.
The European Aluminium Association (EAA) is a lobbying, trade, communications and public image body for the European aluminium industry. It is based in Brussels, close to the European Parliament. Its members are Europe's primary aluminium producers and national aluminium trade associations.
to secure sustainable growth of aluminium in its markets and to maintain and improve the image of the aluminium industry towards target audiences.
1 A major lobbyist in Brussels
1.1 EAA accused of under-reporting lobbying
1.2 Lobbying for exemptions to climate change policy
2 Greenwashing aluminium
2.1 Light-weighting vehicles
2.2 Pushing aluminium vehicles in India
2.3 Green Aluminium Architecture?
2.4 Packaging reduces waste?
2.5 Life Cycle Analysis
3.1 Primary Aluminium
3.2 Downstream aluminium companies
4 European Trade Associations
4.1 National Associations
6 Affiliations
7 Public Relations
9.1 Previous staff
A major lobbyist in Brussels
EAA Offices at 12 Avenue de Broqueville, shared with Eurometaux and Euromines
The EAA shares offices with the European Association of Metals or Eurometaux close to the European Parliament and is one of the larger lobbying bodies in Brussels. The building at 12 Avenue de Broqueville is also shared with the European Association of Mining Industries, Metal Ores & Industrial Minerals (Euromines) and the European Carbon and Graphite Association.[1] According to their entry on the European Commission's Transparency Register they spent between €350,000 and €400,000 on lobbying activities in 2010 and €50,000 on a 'media outreach' programme carried out by an un-named PR firm. [2]
EAA accused of under-reporting lobbying
In June 2011 the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation published a survey of the 40 largest industry lobby groups which revealed that the EAA (alongside a number of large lobbying groups) had under-reported the scale of their influence on the EC Transparency Register. The EAA was named as the fourth of 10 'worst offenders' for under-reporting, claiming to have spent between €100,000 and €150,000 on lobbying in 2009 while employing a total of 17 staff. The paper argues that most of these staff will be engaged in activities which come under the definition of lobbying, and that dividing the declared spend per staff member puts expenditure per member of staff at €8,824, an unrealistically low number.[3] Interestingly the EAA's 2010 disclosure had quadrupled it's estimated spend to €400,000 despite not altering staff numbers.[4]
Lobbying for exemptions to climate change policy
One of the EAA's main concerns in Brussels is climate change policy, which they argue is making European aluminium production costs uncompetitive with the rest of the world. The EAA (alongside other metals trade associations) have repeatedly denounced the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. In 2008 Patrick de Schrynmakers, secretary general said:
Europe will export jobs and import energy intensive products, with no environmental gain
As the legislative process moves forward, EAA exhorts Parliament and member states to protect the sustainability of this important sector of the European economy. [5]
They have argued that restrictions on the European aluminium industry are likely to lead to 'carbon leakage', as companies move to countries with more lax environmental standards where operation would be cheaper. Their lobbying resulted in aluminium being included as potentially exposed to carbon leakage, and therefore entitled to free emissions certificates (carbon credits) and some subsidies on energy costs. It is proposed by the EU that aluminium will be properly included in the scheme from 2013.[6] The EAA have also joined with the European Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries and others to call for compensation for raised costs to electricity in Europe due to carbon taxes. They claim raised electricity prices are unfair, uncompetitive and against the Lisbon Treaty and EU2020 strategy.[7]
Industry exemptions under the EU-ETS have been criticised by a number of environmental groups and researchers for submitting to the wishes of industry, rendering it ineffective as a climate change solution (See page on Carbon Trading). Larry Lohman discusses how billions of Euro's worth of emissions credits have been given out free to energy intensive industry, while small businesses are forced to comply.[8] The result is that emissions continue to increase (Britain's emissions increased by 18% between 1992 and 2004 according to Defra).[9]
Greenwashing aluminium
Interview with EAA Secretary general Patrick de Schrynmakers in SAPA magazine. The depiction of the metal as natural and green is typical of the EAA's greenwash.
The EAA are the key body responsible for promoting aluminium as a 'green metal' which is part of the solution to environmental issues and climate change, and not part of the problem. This has been central to the aluminium industry's PR tactic worldwide and has been very successful in shaping public opinion on the qualities of the metal. Despite it's status as one of the most energy intensive and polluting metal to produce (with a much higher environmental impact per ton than steel)[10] the EAA goes as far as to claim that aluminium's applications make it 'a major contribution to a greener world'[11] and that 'during its use phase ... aluminium is able to show its impressive contribution to sustainability, more than offsetting the consumption of raw materials and energy needed for its primary production'.[12] Their argument is based on three applications of aluminium which they claim contribute to sustainability:
1)Light-weighting of vehicles by using aluminium instead of steel, reducing emissions in the use phase. 2)Aluminium as part of energy saving and recyclable designs in architecture. 3)Aluminium packaging to prevent food spoiling and wastage. [13] The misleading nature of these arguments is examined in the sections below.
The EAA advances its claims to sustainability using a variety of lobbying and PR techniques: they have joined with the architecture and construction, automotive and packaging industries to promote their aluminium applications as 'green'. Extensively funded work on Life Cycle Analysis of metals, influencing the scientific discourse on how the sustainability of metals is evaluated. Funded research institutes such as the Wuppertal Institute to create sustainability programmes for the industry. Coordinated with the global aluminium industry lobby, for example by funding the global aluminium industry's sustainability programme Aluminium for Future Generations which host a website dedicated to promoting 'green' aluminium. [14] Lobbying on EU environment and efficiency policy alongside other metals trade associations.
Light-weighting vehicles
The EAA (along with other aluminium trade associations and lobby groups) promotes the idea that using aluminium (rather than steel) to create lighter cars reduces fuel use over the life of the vehicle therefore reducing overall carbon emissions. 'From an environmental point of view, the EAA estimates that, over its whole life-cycle, 1 kg of aluminium introduced in a truck saves more than 20 kg of CO2.' they claim.[15]
This claim is misleading for a number of reasons. It is based on a comparison between the weight and recyclability of aluminium and steel, assuming that the truck is used until the end of its life and then fully recycled. But this figure masks the enormous difference in the original carbon and material intensity of producing steel and aluminium. The embodied carbon in steel is 1.8 kg CO2/Kg steel compared to 8.2 kg CO2/kg aluminium.[16] But greenhouse gas emissions are not the only environmental impact of metal production and it is when other wastes are taken into account that the intensely polluting nature of aluminium becomes apparent. The Wuppertal Institute estimates the abiotic intensity (solid waste products) of aluminium production to be 37 kg waste/kg aluminium for primary aluminium compared to only 9.32 kg waste/kg basic oxygen steel, while the gaseous emissions are 10.87 kg airborne emissions/kg aluminium compared to 0.77 kg/kg steel. Water usage is even more striking at 1047 kg water/kg aluminium compared to 81 kg water/kg steel! (see table below)[17]
Material Intensity of aluminium and steel. Adapted from Wuppertal Intstitute for Climate, Environment and Energy. 'Material Intensity of materials, fuels, transport services, food' 2011 [18]
Type of metal
Abiotic material intensity (kg/kg)
Water intensity (kg/kg)
Air intensity (kg/kg)
aluminium Primary aluminium 37 1047.7 10.87
Secondary (recycled) aluminium 0.85 30.74 0.95
Wrought alloy 35.28 996.84 10.37
Cast alloy 8.11 234.13 2.93
average 18.98 539.21 5.91
steel Plate, hot dipped galvanised, basic oxygen steel 9.32 81.86 0.77
Rebar, wire rod, engineering steel, electric arc furnace route 1.47 58.76 0.52
average 7.5 66.59 0.53
The EAA have exerted continued pressure in Brussels to secure financial and regulatory benefits for increased aluminium in cars as a sustainability measure. A 2009 EAA position paper on the European Union's European Green Cars Initiative states:
The aluminium industry welcomes regulatory initiatives aiming at stimulating the demand for low CO2 emitting cars.
EAA’s Automotive and Transport Market Group chairman Roland Harings points out: “Our industry is highly concerned that, in its current shape, the proposal ignores the most straightforward option for emission reductions which is lightweighting, and which can be applied immediately.”
The European Aluminium Association is therefore ready to help legislators amend the proposal towards more technological neutrality. [19]
Pushing aluminium vehicles in India
The EAA, along with the Aluminium Association of India (AAI), the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and The Aluminium Association (USA) have linked up in a campaign to promote 'lightweight' aluminium vehicles in India, a country with one of the fastest growing transport sectors, and most of the world's remaining bauxite. [20]
Due to the latter fact, aluminium companies are well established in India, maintaining close relations with the large hydro lobby and governments pushing this rapid industrial form of 'development'. Das and Padel's research explores the 'neo-colonisation' of India by aluminium companies, and their push to increase per capita demand for aluminium up to Western levels. [21] The EAA are using their well developed 'green cars' argument here to suggest increased aluminium consumption as a climate change policy in India.
Green Aluminium Architecture?
The EAA claims that increased use of aluminium in construction is a green measure due to the longevity of the metal (with an expected lifetime of 80 years in buildings), its use in energy efficiency technologies such as solar panels and reflective curtains, and it's recyclability at end of use. The International Aluminium Institute also hosts a website dedicated to promoting the sustainability of aluminium in construction.[22]
The metal material has value and should be managed for that value: the material stock should be used today for its maximum utility while at the same time being conserved and recycled to meet the needs of future generations.[23]
Packaging reduces waste?
The EAA claims that aluminium packaging contributes to sustainability by increasing the shelf life of food, and therefore preventing wastage due to expired food being thrown out. Their 2010 'Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry' report even claims that aluminium-wrapped single use packets of coffee are more sustainable than a large packet due to the risk of water and coffee wastage when too much is made.[24] It's section on packaging begins:
Aluminium packaging is part of the solution for more sustainability in production and consumption
by delivering quality food, drinks and pharmaceuticals in pristine conditions to the consumer. Aluminium packaging is able to meet today’s challenges of product safety, convenience, marketing and sustainability whereas the sustainability aspect is becoming increasingly important. And more than anything else this means preventing spoilage and waste. The ecological performance of aluminium packaging should be discussed against this background and should be put in the right perspective. In a world with a rapidly growing population living mainly in cities, less packaging doesn’t necessarily mean less food wastage. On the other hand resource efficiency can also be met by increasing the recycling and recovery performances of used aluminium packaging.[25]
Life Cycle Analysis
The EAA's greenwash arguments for the sustainability of aluminium cars, buildings and packaging are largely based on the science of Life Cycle Analysis which compares the cradle to grave impact of different materials. Since the early days the aluminium industry (particularly the Aluminium Association and International Aluminium Institute) has played a key role in developing this system and influencing it's theory, skewing it to benefit the industry. For example the considerable primary and secondary emissions from hydro-electric dams which much of aluminium smelting relies on are not included in the carbon intensity calculations.[26]
Secat (Aluminium research body)'s Subodh Das has helped make the argument for increasing aluminium content in cars through his published research, in collaboration with the Center for Aluminum Technology at the University of Kentucky, of which he is director.[27] He has previously worked for ARCO Aluminium, Alcoa, and sits on the board of the Aluminium Association and is a fellow to the American Society of Metals, demonstrating that he is far from a neutral scientist.[28]
With the help of academics like Subodh Das, the aluminium industry has participated in laying the foundations of the science of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) right from the start, working with academia, authorities and the consumer to ensure its success.[29] The industry contributes to the European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment which is developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. [30]
Patrick de Schrynmakers highlights the advantages of EAA's LCA research in creating a green image for aluminium:
After 10 years of dedication, investment and research, we have come up with state of the art validated methodologies, rigorously collected and thoroughly assessed data to show what resources are saved by using lightweight, corrosion resistant and strong aluminium in products such as cars, trucks, aircraft, food packaging, windows, facades, solar panels and other renewable energy equipment. We have the systems in place to evaluate the benefits of recycling the scrap from end-of-life products - especially in terms of emissions. This enables us to prove that the environmental balance of producing, using and recycling aluminium over and over again evens out, ensuring that our material and the products made of it contribute to a sustainable economy and society.[31]
The EAA's document "Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know", produced for the European Aluminium Industry critiques several political decisions made using LCA which were not in aluminium's favour. Firstly the Danish government's rate of tax on packaging, and secondly The German government's UBA II study into re-usable glass bottles versus aluminium cans. In both cases they claim that the science was inconclusive and the judgement was subjective and value-based on the part of the assessor, and therefore unfair.[32]
Primary Aluminium
TRIMET Aluminium AG
Aluminium Konin - Impexmetal S.A.
Kubikenborg Aluminium AB
Slovalco
Zalco - Zeeland Aluminium Company]]
Aluminium of Greece S.A.I.C.
Talum d. d.
Alro S.A. [33]
Downstream aluminium companies
Kaiser Aluminium
Aleris International
Assan Aluminium
AMAG Austrian Metals
Constellium
Vimetco Extrusion[34]
European Trade Associations
Organisation of the European Aluminium Recycling Industry
European Aluminium Foil Association[35]
Aluminium Center Belgium
Aluminium Federation (UK)
Aluminium Danmark
Aluminiumriket Sverige (Sweden)
Association Suisse de L'Aluminium (Switzerland)
Association Francais de l'aluminium (France)
Assomet
WKO (Germany)
Impal
TALSAD (Turkey)
Associacion Espanola del Aluminio (Spain) [36]
The EAA is a member of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), the American European Community Association (AECA), the Energy Forum and Eurometaux according to it's entry on the EC Lobbying Transparency Register.[37]
The EAA's major PR campaign Aluminium for Future Generations was assisted by lobbying and public affairs firm GPC International. In particular Sandy McLean (previously with Fleishman-Hillard) was reported in 1999 to be managing long term strategic media relations for the EAA who were to be her main client at GPC International. [38]
Rudi Huber (president Alcoa Europe). Chairman in 2009
Marcos Ramos (succeeding president Alcoa Europe). Chairman in 2010.[39]
Tadeu Nardocci (President of Novelis Europe). Chairman in 2011[40]
Christel Bories (Alcan) Chairperson Jan 2007 - Jan 2009[41]
Gerhard Buddenbaum (Corus) Executive Committee member circa 2004[42]
Bernt Reitan Former director[43]
Patrick de SchrynmakersSecretary General since 2000
Claude Claire Sönmez Public Affairs & Communications Director (also known as Claude Claire Balandier)[44]
Eirik Nordheim Environment, Health and Safety Director
Maarten Labberton Packaging Director
Bernard Gilmont Transport & Building Director
Bob Lambrechts Statistics & Economics Director
Christian Leroy Sustainability & LCA - Building & Transport Manager
Erich Cuaz Public Affairs & Communication Manager (previously Zoltan Precsenyi[45])
Sandro Starita EHS Manager
Pavlos Vatavalis Building Technical Manager
Patrick Ragnarsson Automotive & Transport Technical Manager
Ana Maria Danila Sustainability Data Officer
Viviane Verbiest Administrative Assistant
David Van Heuverswyn Assistant Public Affairs, Communication & Packaging
Annie Marthoud Assistant EHS, Automotive & Standardisation
Natacha Kukin Assistant Finances & Communications
Tadeja Prosen Junior Public Affairs and Communications Officer[46]
Previous staff
Dick DermerSecretary General up until 2000.[47]
Sarah Clarkson left her job as PR manager for the EAA in 2008 to become communications manager for Airports Council International Europe[48], another of the largest Brussels lobby groups[49].
The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU) The missing millions – how the new lobby register needs to tackle the 'under-reporting' by industry lobby groups, published 22 June 2011. Outlines under-reporting of lobby expenditure by a significant number of groups, including the European Aluminium Association
↑ Euromines[www.euromines.org/contact_us.html Contact Us] Accessed 21/02/2012
↑ EC online Transparency Register European Aluminium Association entry Accessed 6/2/12
↑ The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics in the EU (ALTER-EU) June 2011 The missing millions – how the new lobby register needs to tackle the 'under-reporting' by industry lobby groups Accessed 6/2/2012
↑ Agence France Presse MPs' climate package vote brings little joy for industry October 7, 2008. Accessed 30/04/10
↑ EEA Annual Report 2010 Accessed 14/05/10
↑ EAA position paper European Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries opposes EU unilateral move to -30% 6th May 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ Larry Lohmann, "Carbon Trading: A critical conversation on Climate Change, Privatisation and Power", Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, Durban Group for Climate Justice and The Corner House, Oct 2006, p. 31, Accessed April 2009
↑ Roger Harrabin, 'UK in 'delusion' over emissions' BBC News, 31st July 2008. Accessed 02/03/10
↑ Wuppertal Intstitute for Climate, Environment and Energy [www.wupperinst.org/uploads/tx.../MIT_2011.pdf Material Intensity of materials, fuels, transport services, food] 14th July, 2011. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ EAA Press release 'Aluminum Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe' June 25, 2009 Accessed 30/04/10
↑ European Aluminium Association Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry March 2010 p.30. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ European Aluminium Association Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ Aluminium for Future Generations EAA. Accessed 13/05/10
↑ European Aluminium Association Sustainability of the European Aluminium Industry p.35. March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ Hammond, G.P and C.I Jones, 2008 Inventory for Carbon and Energy, University of Bath. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ European Aluminium Association, Position papers EAA position on EC's Regulation proposal to reduce CO2 emissions from Light Commercial Vehicles 06 November 2009. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ 'Aluminium Co's Eye Auto Industry for a Major Push' Nov 5th 2008. Financial express. Accessed 13/05/10
↑ Felix Padel and Samarendra Das, 2010 'Out of This Earth: East India Adivasis and the Aluminium Cartel' Orient Blackswan. New Delhi.
↑ International Aluminium Institute Green building website Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ European Aluminium Association, Position papers CEN/TC 350 neglects the value of recycled materials 4th March 2010. Accessed 03/02/2012
↑ Patrick McCully, International Rivers ReportFizzy Science: Loosening the Hydro Industry's Grip on Reservoir Greenhouse Gas Emissions Research Nov 1st, 2006. Accessed 30/04/10
↑ Subodh Das, C.A. Ungureanu1,I.S. Jawahir, 2007 'Life-cycle Cost Analysis: Aluminium versus Steel in Passenger Cars'in Aluminium Alloys for Transportation, packaging, Aerospace, and Other Applications. Edited by Subodh K. Das and Weimin Yin, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 2007
↑ Aluminium Association News [www.secat.net/news/docs/Aluminium_Association_Board.pdf "Secat’s Subodh Das Elected Member of Aluminium Association Board"] Accessed 30/04/10
↑ EAA Press release 'Aluminium Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe' June 25, 2009 Accessed 30/04/10
↑ EAA website, Environment LCA accessed 30/04/10
↑ EAA, Press releases Aluminium Industry Continues to Add Value to a Greener Europe BRUSSELS, June 25, 2009. Accessed 17/05/10
↑ European Aluminium Association, 2002 Life Cycle Assessment and Aluminium: What you need to know Accessed 13/05/10
↑ European Aluminium Assoc website [1]Accessed 22/01/12
↑ PR Week, November 26, 1999 BORDER LINES: BRUSSELS - GPC drafts in strategic consultant Accessed 18/02/2012
↑ European Aluminium Association website. Press releases Novelis’ Tadeu Nardocci, new chairman of the European Aluminium Association Accessed 23/1/12
↑ Reuters Business Profiles. Naxtis. Christel Bories Feb 22, 2011. Accessed 08/02/2012
↑ Salesfuel Corus PLC Company Intelligence Report Accessed 08/02/2012
↑ Business Week. ASA Renewables Bernt Reitan Biography Accessed 08/02/2012
↑ European Parliament Transparency Register Lobby group by Organisation Accessed 18/02/2012
↑ European Aluminium Assoc website ContactAccessed 22/04/10
↑ European Aluminium Assoc website StaffAccessed 22/01/11
↑ 'European Aluminium Association gets new Secretary general'. European Report. November 1, 2000
↑ PR Week, February 23, 2007 Clarkson appointed Accessed 18/02/2012
↑ The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics in the EU (ALTER-EU),June 2011 The missing millions – how the new lobby register needs to tackle the 'under-reporting' by industry lobby groups Accessed 18/02/2012
Retrieved from "https://powerbase.info/index.php?title=European_Aluminium_Association&oldid=165888"
Aluminium Industry
Mining and Metals: Lobbyists
Mining and Metals: Industry Lobby Groups
Mining and Metals: Trade Associations
Mining and Metals: Public Relations
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Big Sean buys out Detroit theater on Black Friday for ‘Queen & Slim’
by Rolling Out Detroit Team
Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith. (Photo credit: Universal Pictures. Press Images)
Two days after donating turkeys and Thanksgiving groceries to 5,000 families across Detroit, Big Sean demonstrated that he was very much still in the giving season on Black Friday. Sean completely bought out one of the screening rooms at the Emagine theater in Royal Oak, Michigan, so people could view director Melina Matsoukas’ new film, Queen & Slim.
More than 200 people braved frigid temperatures to get in line by 1 p.m. on Friday for free tickets to the movie that addresses many of the political and socioeconomic issues confronting America today. Overall, 400 free tickets were given away for the 7 p.m. showing, and there wasn’t an empty seat in the house.
The film chronicles Slim, played by Daniel Kaluuya, Queen, an attorney played by Jodie Turner-Smith, and the events that took place after their first date.
A chance encounter with a White cop while driving home puts the two in a position where they have to decide whether or not to turn themselves in, or go on the run. The two chose the latter, and the rest of the film directly addresses oppression and Black love, and the variety of approaches that people within the Black community take when internalizing and dealing with the challenges that those two constructs present.
Click continue to read comments from moviegoers.
Tags: Black, Love, Melina Matsoukas, movie, Queen & Slim
Rolling Out Detroit Team
5 reasons to watch Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in ‘Bad Boys For Life’
Jeandra LeBeauf January 16, 2020
Newly wedded Trina Braxton describes how her husband makes her heart smile
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Loni Love blasted for saying Black men cheat on Black women because of slavery
DJ Khaled unveils track list for the ‘Bad Boys For Life’ soundtrack
7 movies whose characters impacted Black culture in 2019
Nana Aduba-Amoah January 9, 2020
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Roto Frank Showcases New Products at Fensterbau Frontale
Mar 27, 2018 | Press Releases
Roto Frank debuted new products at the 2018 Fensterbau Frontale trade show, held during March 21-24 in Nuremberg, Germany. The 12,000 square foot Roto Frank exhibit drew a steady crowd throughout the entire show, with over 3,000 visitors per day.
One of the innovative new products at the booth was the Roto NX, which showcased its advantages of efficiency, security, comfort, and design. Roto NX hardware allows our customers to meet future needs (increased ease of installation, reduced item and storage requirements, more convenient functionality, and a higher-grade appearance) of European windows and doors with Roto.
“This is an evolution of the most sold tilt and turn system in the world,” said Chris Dimou, Roto’s North-America CEO & President of the Americas.
Antonios Bountzouklis, Roto’s Market Product Manager, North & Central America said, “this year’s Fensterbau show was filled with a lot of activity and the feedback we received from our customers visiting our booth was overwhelmingly positive. We are always excited to showcase all that Roto has to offer, especially our newer products like the Roto NX.”
“Improved ease of assembly and installation by reducing the complexity of the hardware system leads to the highest operating convenience for our customers and assurance that using the Roto NX is always the right decision,” said Bountzouklis.
Also generating excitement among visitors was the Roto Patio Inowa, a hardware solution for sliding patio doors designed to provide high thermal- performance levels. The system offers a continuous gasket around the operable sash and concealed lock points, even in the mullion area where the sashes come together.
Roto has been expanding beyond just hardware products with acquisitions of companies related to sealants, tooling and more. “We are expanding beyond the traditional hardware,” said Dimou. “We are a total solutions provider.”
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Mortgage FAQs – part two.
By Chris Riley| 2019-09-10T11:00:42+01:00 September 10th, 2019|
By Chris Riley| 2019-09-10T11:00:30+01:00 September 9th, 2019|
What counts as income towards a mortgage?
Limited Company Director Mortgages
Contractor Mortgages
Sole Traders Mortgages
Adverse Credit Mortgages
Variable Employed Income Mortgages
Professional Mortgages
Re-mortgage
Customer Privacy Notice
Right Mortgage, Right Mortgage UK and Seventy Mortgages are trading styles of CGR Wealth Management Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and can be found on the FCA financial services register https://register.fca.org.uk/ using reference: 756248. CGR Wealth Management Limited is registered in England and Wales no. 08266271. The registered office is The Apple Store, Haggs Farm, Haggs Road, Follifoot, Harrogate, HG3 1EQ. Enquiries to this web site will be introduced to CGR Wealth Management Ltd and Finance Advice Group Ltd. Finance Advice Group Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA number 624517.) Finance Advice Group is registered in England and Wales no. 08951525 and the registered office is Chatsworth House, Prime Business Centre, Raynesway, Derby DE21 7SR.
As a mortgage is secured against your home/property it may be repossessed if you do not keep up the repayments.
© Copyright 2019 - Right Mortgage UK. All rights reserved.
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Ancient environments
Environmental protection and resource development are both critical to society. Our group’s fundamentally interdisciplinary research focuses on uncovering, documenting and understanding ancient environments to inform management of current natural and anthropogenically modified environments while ensuring that critical natural resources can be developed to meet society’s needs.
Our research spans all of Earth history in both marine and terrestrial settings, but we have special expertise in the areas of coal geology, Australian Quaternary vertebrate evolution, paleoclimatology, ancient coral reefs, biostratigraphy and geomorphological evolution of the continents.
Our work combines systematic taxonomy in a wide range of organisms, advanced geochronology and environmental geochemistry, and multiscale spatial analysis to advance resource exploration and to uncover the trajectories of environmental change that are needed to better model future change and help manage Australia’s terrestrial and marine environments.
Paleoecology
Paleoclimatology
Paleocology
Professor Jian Zhao
Professor Patrick Moss
Professor Jonathan Aitchison
Professor Gregory Webb
Dorothy Hill Chair in Paleontology
Dr Gilbert Price
Snr Lecturer in Palaeontology
Professor Hamish McGowan
Dr Kevin Welsh
Lecture in Sedimentology & Paleoclimate
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Wales’ colour-coded school tables: New results show growing divide between best and worst
Wales Online is reporting that the second ever set of colour-coded school tables published in Wales today has highlighted the growing divergence between the nation’s best and worst schools.
Of the nation’s 212 secondary schools, the number classed in the top category green, meaning “highly effective”, has grown from 30 last year to 39 this year.
But the number rated in the bottom category, red, meaning in need of the greatest improvement, has also gone up from 23 last year to 26 last year.
The results underline the finding earlier this week by the nation’s Chief Schools Inspector of an unacceptable divergence in standards in Wales’ schools .
Every school in Wales has been placed in one of four colour-coded groups, as part of categorisation system designed to drive up performance.
The system was brought in last year to replace banding as the latest stage in the Welsh Government’s bid to find an alternative to controversial league tables.
Education Minister, Huw Lewis said: “The system helps us to identify schools needing the most support and guidance, those doing well but that could be doing better, and those that are highly effective and can help others improve.
“This is not about crude league tables or labelling schools –it is about directing the right support to schools that need it and ensuring improvements right across our school system. Ultimately it is about raising standards and supporting our schools to self improve…”
More at Wales’ colour-coded school tables: New results show a growing divide between the best and the worst
If you watched the BBC Wales documentary by Sian Griffiths this week you will have seen here scepticism over the value and clarity of the colour coding system.
What do you think – is the system achieving what it set out to?
Please let us know in the comments or via Twitter…
Are you a trainee teacher, NQT, teacher, headteacher, parent or just someone who cares about education and has something to get off your chest in a Schools Improvement Guest Post? Follow this link for more details at the bottom of the page.
Don’t forget you can sign up to receive our daily email bulletin (around 7am) with all the latest schools news stories. Your details will never be given to anyone else and you can unsubscribe at any stage. Just follow this link.
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ASCL leader Brian Lightman steps down with immediate effect
Three mums arrested outside primary school following parking row 'scuffle'
Categories: Policy, Primary, Secondary and Wales.
Tags: Huw Lewis, League Tables, Policy, primary, secondary and Wales.
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In Review: Usagi Yojimbo #160
Inspector Ishida and Usagi are a fantastic pair in this outstanding outing.
by Patrick Hayes December 23, 2016
The cover: Inspector Ishida stoops to examine the body of the dead man before him, while Usagi takes note of the unusual object hanging from the ceiling: a fugu — a puffer fish. This is a great cover by artist Stan Sakai and colorist Tom Luth. The reader’s eye is instantly drawn to the fish, as it’s practically the dead center of the cover and there’s nothing around it, not even a line, so the reader has to look at it. The fish’s face is pointing at Usagi, so that’s were the reader looks next, and his hand provides the bridge to move to Ishida, and then down to the victim. A great layout that has the reader take in all the images in a sequential order. The coloring is also good because the colors have the fish standing out as just a shade lighter than the background, again, having the reader focus on it. The white on Usagi next takes the reader’s eye, while his bright togs are close enough in colors to what Ishida is wearing to communicate that they’re on the same side to new readers. Excellent all around. Overall grade: A+
The stories: The main story is a twenty paged story titled “Death by Fugu.” It’s a self contained tale and is perfect to introduce Usagi to new readers. A food server walks into a room and places some sashimi in front of a patron. He smiles with delight as he takes a piece and starts to chew. He savors every bite until something is not right and he grabs at his throat before falling onto the plate. An iconic Stan Sakai death rattle comes out of him. The next page has Inspector Ishida on the scene with an assistant who tells Ishida that it’s the body of Oga-sama, a high ranking Shogun official. The inspector is clever enough to recognize the dead man’s meal as fugu and asks the server who delivered the man’s meal. This leads to Usagi entering the book, but not at the scene of the crime, but at a character’s business. The man who owns the establishment prepares something for Usagi that has Ishida interrupting and introducing both characters to the Oga’s passing. What follows is some good detective work by all three characters to catch the killer. The ending is surprising and not one any reader is soon to forget. The second story is a five pager titled “The Story of Chibi Usagi and the Big Bad Jei!” by Sakai and Julie Fujii Sakai. The story is very humorous and for someone who’s not easily won over by “cute” comic book stories, I found myself laughing at this one with Usagi’s solution and the laugh out loud final dialogue. Is there any way that Chibi Usagi could get his own one-shot? Overall grades: Both A+
The art: “Death by Fugu” is also illustrated by Stan Sakai and the first three pages are amazing. There’s no text on the first page and any reader can understand what’s being done. However, what’s also impressive about this is Sakai’s ability to create character just with his illustrations: look at the solemn way the server presents the food, while Oga’s reaction is one any foodie has had on their face when seeing his or her meal. The second page focuses on bust shots of Oga eating and they go from pleasure to pain. The third page has two panels, one of Oga grabbing this throat and the larger one has him falling on his meal. Each illustration shows his ghastly demise. The fourth page’s first panel instantly establishes Ishida as the man in charge and the panels that follow it show him to be thoughtful as he considers everything. Without spoiling anything, the business owner that Usagi meets with on Page 5 is one of the most pleasant and wonderful looking characters that Sakai has created; the final panel on the page never ceases to elicit a smile from me. Sakai is not only an excellent illustrator of characters, his settings are incredibly detailed; check out the streets the characters walk down for proof. The chibi story is by Sakai and Julie Fujii Sakai and the antagonist was the scene stealer of this tale. Yes, all the fine details one would expect from a Usagi story are here, but darned if they aren’t incredibly cute. The BONK! panels are my favorites. Both stories are visual wonders. Overall grades: Both A+
The letters: Sounds, the story’s title, dialogue, yells, the unique dialogue of the character that appears on Page 21, and the sensational punctuation marks that provide character’s silent reactions are created by Stan Sakai. I like how Sakai is more than willing to use an interesting font for the story’s title, as he does with this issue, rather than use the same style for every story. I also really enjoy his punctuation marks, such as in the final panel on 2: I love how the shock overpowers the question of what’s occurring. Even the lettering of this book is exceedingly charming. Overall grade: A+
The back cover: Chibi versions of Mariko (I’m assuming that’s her given the colors of her robe) and Usagi are sitting down to eat. This was incredibly cute and funny, given the huge size of Usagi’s mouth. Created by Stan Sakai and Julie Fujii Sakai, this is another shining example why Chibi Usagi needs to be a title unto itself. Overall grade: A
The final line: Inspector Ishida and Usagi are a fantastic pair in this outstanding outing. A perfect tale with perfect visuals. Always a recommended read. Overall grade: A+
To order a hard copy of this book go to http://www.tfaw.com/Comics/Profile/Usagi-Yojimbo-160___524623?utm_source=darkhorse&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=darkhorse_buy&utm_term=buy+Usagi+Yojimbo+%23160
To order a digital copy of this book go to https://digital.darkhorse.com/books/1322fc0e13df42a8812a785224d499ee
"Chibi Usagi and the Big Bad Jei""Death by Fugu"chibiChibi UsagiFeatureInspector IshidaJulie Fujii SakaiMarikoTom LuthUsagi YojimboUsagi Yojimbo 160
In Review: Mycroft Holmes And The Apocalypse Handbook #4
by Ian Cullen - Dec 23, 2016
In Review: The Mummy: Palimpsest #2
by Patrick Hayes - Dec 24, 2016
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SDCC 2018 The Orville Panel
Season 2 of The Orville will be more cinematic
by Ian Cullen July 22, 2018
One of the breakout series of last year was Seth McFarlane’s ‘The Orville’, which many fans preferred over Star Trek: Discovery due to its tone and similarity in visual style to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
So it’s fair to say that season two is much anticipated and too fuel that momentum the cast and crew held a very lively panel at this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con and we have some video footage thanks to Nerdrotic Channel.
In the 20 minute video, much is discussed from how it is helpful for the actors to sustain a high level of energy on the set to how much their classic training helps them with the rhythm of the show.
Seth McFarlane is particularly keen to point out that the new series has a more cinematic quality to it, which he credits former ’24’ producer Jon Cassar who has really brought a stronger visual style to the show.
When asked about the Orville being a love letter to ‘Star Trek’ McFarlane said that he wanted to cover the space that had been left vacant by Star Trek: The Next Generation and wanted to fill that space.
Unfortunately, the camera work on the video is a little shakey but does get a little better as the video moves forward.
You can check out the coverage below.
The Orville 2018 SDCC Panel
The Orville Season Two Trailer
Adrianne PalickiFeatureJon CassarPenny Johnson JeraldPeter MaconScott GrimesSeth McFarlaneThe Orville
Born Wild, Media Participations Group and Titan Comics to go Under
by Ian Cullen - Jul 21, 2018
DC @ SDCC 2018: The Movies
by Raissa Devereux - Jul 22, 2018
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Charles Ray Crowder
Obituary & ServicesPhotos & VideoCondolencesSend Flowers
Obituary for Charles Ray Crowder
Charles Ray Crowder, 83, went to be with his Lord on October 7, 2019. Charles was born in Darnell, LA on November 1, 1935. He graduated from Pioneer High School in 1954 and later graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He served in the U.S. Airforce for 3 years as a meteorologist. Upon discharge, Charles pursued his career as a chemical engineer and project manager at Olin Mathieson, Ormet Corporation, Uniroyal Chemical, and Jacobs Engineering. While at Uniroyal, he served as project manager for the construction of a manufacturing plant in Rio Claro, Brazil. Along with his wife, Florence, Charles owned and operated Crowder Greenhouses in Denham Springs. Following retirement, Charles worked as a chemical engineering consultant in South Korea and later opened Crowder Antiques in Denham Springs. He served as a council member for the City of Denham Springs and was also a member of several civic organizations. He was a longtime Deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church of Denham Springs. Charles is survived by his wife of 61 years, Florence Scivicque Crowder; children, Jimmy Crowder and Angela Crowder; grandchildren, Beth Ann Hosse and husband Trebor, Landon Crowder, and Rachel Crowder; great-grandchild, Olivia Hosse; brother, Calie Crowder and wife Jean; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his son, John Michael Crowder, his mother, Alma Pipkins, his step-father, Charles Pipkins, his sister, Dorothy Creppel, and his daughter-in-law, Debbie Hood Crowder. Visitation will be at First Baptist Church on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 from 5 pm until 8 pm, and will resume on Thursday, October 10, 2019, at 9 am until time of service at 11 am. Interment will follow at Denham Springs Memorial Cemetery.
First Baptist Church of Denham Springs
27735 LA Highway 16
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Florence, I was never privileged to get to know CHARLES personally through the early years be- cause of you two living in so many different places. But what I have known of him these past years has been wonderful. He was a quite man and a very Special man. He loved his Family deeply and all things were done in a Christian way.So now He is with GOD and He will receive His Crown for he always served GOD in every thing He did. I love you and wish the best of life for you .
- Gloria Gabel
Your family is very special to us. We want to extend our prayers and love to you all and hope God grants you peace in this time of sorrow. Mr. Charles will be sadly missed. Our family-D.C. and Barbara Ballard, Brenda and Jimmy Edwards, Brian and Mary Ballard, Robert and Mary Ballard, and Mike Ballard.
- Brenda Edwards
It is with a saddened heart that I have to say goodbye to one of my dearest classmates from Pioneer High School class of 1954. Charles was one of my closest and dearest friends. We remained friends for all of these years and were fortunate to have many opportunities to visit at our class reunions. I will always cherish those times and I will miss his kindness and loving spirit. May God bless him and his family during this time of sorrow. Rest in peace my dear friend, you will surely be missed by many.
- Dorothy Sims
With the most friendly and affectionate thoughts of Catherine JOLY and her family. May Charles rest in peace.
- Catherine JOLY
My prayers are with the family at this time. May Jesus comfort you.
- Jean Miley
Leave a message to share your favorite memories and offer words of sympathy and comfort:
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Google says bots are the main target of Keyword Planner changes; a lot of questions remain
Advertisers and agencies continue to have questions about how potential data restrictions will affect their research efforts.
Ginny Marvin on August 19, 2016 at 9:40 am
When Google announced last week it was limiting access to Keyword Planner data, it raised more questions than it answered. Will new advertisers be able to get detailed Keyword Planner data before setting up and launching campaigns?
As a refresher, the notice from last week (bolding added):
Advertisers with lower monthly spend may see a limited data view in the Keyword Planner. For example, you may see values such as 0, 1-100, 100-1K, 1K-10K, 10K-100K, 100K-1M, 1M+ in the average monthly searches column. In addition, other advertisers may trigger the limited data view by reaching a limit on the number of searches for search volume data (specifically, requests to our API).
What does “lower monthly spend” even mean — $100 per month, $1,000 per month? That’s just a start.
The explanation given, “These changes will ensure that AdWords advertisers are able to get the data they need to optimize their accounts,” seemed to belie the action taken by penalizing smaller advertisers. The move was clearly aimed at non-advertisers using the tool for research (SEOs and others) and third parties querying on a heavy basis via the API. But following the vague criteria given, the explanation didn’t square with many advertisers, either.
On Thursday, CassieH, the Google representative who has been communicating these changes on the AdWords Community forum, added more detail (bolding added):
This change was made so that we can consistently give advertisers the data they need to optimize their accounts, while preventing ‘bots’ and other services from abusing the intended use of Keyword Planner. The search volume estimates, though displayed differently in some cases, still provide an accurate and helpful view of how many clicks and impressions keywords may receive.
This latest explanation puts the emphasis on the high-frequency abuse, not the individual researchers using the Planner. If frequent pings by bots are the main problem, is this really the only way to handle them? Why cut off access to all non-paying accounts — many of which are held by high-paying agencies — if high-frequency abuse is the real reason for the change? And there’s an argument to be made that the broad ranges of search volumes given when detail is not available do not “provide an accurate and helpful view” of potential volume.
It’s understandable why Google won’t provide explicit thresholds on query frequency — those executing the bots could potentially adjust to come under the maximum limit. But it still doesn’t explain the pay-to-use policy coupled with frequency limits unless it is also aimed at SEOs and other researchers using the tool for free.
To add to the confusion, Google’s execution of this change came amid technical glitches and a switch to reporting the same search volumes for close variants. When users started seeing warnings that they’d need an active account to use Keyword Planner earlier this summer, Google assured Search Engine Land in June that this was not the case. Turns out it is.
Among the concerns advertisers have expressed on the AdWords Community Forum following the news last week:
Paul R: “[M]any people inside an agency may use the KW planner tool for research but do not use the account in which they manage clients’ account[s].”
Bill H: “The basis of my worry is how a move like this could create an even more tilted playing field, favoring large companies over SMBs or startups.”
Steph W: “How are we able to figure out new budgets if the account hasn’t even started yet?”
CassieH has reiterated that “most advertisers running paid campaigns will not be affected by this change.” I have still been able to access full Keyword Planner data in accounts that have never had or don’t currently have active campaigns. I assume that access to detailed data will end after a certain number of queries in the Planner, but it makes me wonder if new advertisers, at least, will have running room to do initial research before launching. Google has not responded to a request for comment on this.
The restriction, of course, is another blow to SEOs, who started losing access to organic query data starting in 2011, culminating in 2013 with 100 percent “not provided.” The reality is that Google’s keyword research tools were designed to help advertisers develop their search campaigns. The availability of the External Keyword Tool for years, however, set expectations that it should be open and available to all.
A few milestones in the evolution of Google’s keyword tools:
In 2005, Google launched the AdWords Keyword Suggestion Tool, which required account login. The older, less sophisticated Google AdWords Keyword Sandbox eventually became the External Keyword Tool that anyone could access.
In 2010, Google rolled out a big update to the Keyword Tool. At SMX East that year, a Google representative clarified that the keyword tool was only providing data on “commercial” keywords, i.e., queries that would trigger ads.
In 2013, Google sunsetted the Keyword Tool and launched Keyword Planner, which combined Traffic Estimator and Keyword Tool. With that change, Keyword Planner became accessible only through AdWords, eliminating the External Keyword Tool. As a workaround, non-advertisers simply signed up for an AdWords account and didn’t activate any campaigns.
With this latest change, bots and services using the API appear to be the primary targets. The question remains how the change will affect advertisers and agencies who use the Planner in no- and low-spend accounts and those with MCCs that do heavy research.
Channel: SEMGoogleGoogle: AdWordsSEM Tools: Keyword ResearchSEM Tools: PPCSEO & SEM ToolsSEO: Keyword Research
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Trophy Hunting is never acceptable.
Trophy Hunting is never acceptable. ”It goes without saying that the import of animal body parts as trophies should be banned outright by the British Government. I'm really shocked that they haven't already done it, in truth, the whole world should do it.” Dr. Brian May, Founder of Save Me Trust.
Dr Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Awards 2018
A wonderful day with Dr. Jane Goodall
The awards recognise achievements in helping people, animals, and the environment. Thirteen schools and groups had been selected from over 2000 participants to attend the awards ceremony.
Dehydration Kills
Butterflies and humans are having a great time in this hot weather but it’s not the same for all wildlife.
Water is essential for all of us.
Wildlife Rocks again
Rocking for Wildlife again. We are celebrating 10 years of Save Me and we will be holding another ‘Wildlife Rocks’ to highlight the issues that face our planet and wildlife. If you are interested in joining us for fun and entertainment please email [email protected]
Call for evidence on a Third Party Ban by Micheal Gove
After many lengthy meetings with Micheal Gove we are delighted to see him launch a 'call for evidence' on banning Third party puppy sales. A ban on third party puppy sales is to be explored by the government as part of a package of
Save Me Trust – The end of fur import scandal? Press Release
PRESS RELEASE Save Me Trust – The end of fur import scandal?
Brian May and his Save Me Trust team will be at no 10 today at 10.30 am handing in a petition to ask for a total ban on the fur trade in the UK
Badger Cull Announced September 13th 2018
My sadness and disappointment at this decision can hardly be expressed.
The news that a massive further slaughter of our native badgers is now sanctioned by the Government comes at the moment when we finally have in our hands the definitive proof that bovine TB will only be conquered by action within the herds to cut off the routes of reinfection. History will show that the deaths of tens of thousands of badgers gave farmers
This May loves Foxes and all wildlife…
Over 84% of the British population remain opposed to fox hunting. There is no doubt that Fox hunting is a toxic issue for the Conservative party. David Cameron tried and failed, as recently as 2015, to put through an SI (Statutory Instrument) that would have effectively castrated the Hunting Act. According to the mainstream press, the reason Cameron failed was
SI Amendment to the Hunting ACT Comparisons to the Scottish Hunting Act
Dr. Brian Mays Save Me Trust strongly opposes the government's proposals to amend the Hunting Act 2004 using a draft Order. The government proposes to use a statutory instrument to change the exemptions under the Act, in order to use an unlimited number of dogs in exempt cases. At present, the exemptions only apply where a maximum of
Save Me Trust is appalled that a further 19,274 Badgers have been culled in 2017.
The continuation of the Badger cull policy raises concern not only in its operation but also in it projected outcomes. It is clear that
This is the future of Hunting! NO Cruelty, NO Lies, NO Kill
This Boxing Day, hunts will gather to parade in villages across England and Wales for the traditional Boxing Day meet. But this year there will be a new atmosphere - a wind of change. A few months ago there was an attempt by Cameron and his merry men to undermine the Hunting Act with a ‘Statutory Instrument’.
Clothes to Die for? is a new campaign by Dr. Brian May’s Save Me Trust
The international fur trade is worth at least £10 billion per year - but at what cost? Over 40 million animals are killed for their fur every year - 85% of them are bred and killed on fur farms and the rest are trapped in the wild - solely for their fur. Worse, this figure does not include the millions of rabbits killed each year for the fur trade. Shockingly, there are
Bovine TB: There is no single solution, but the problem can be solved
We can confirm that the Save Me Trust is collaborating on a project on a Devonshire dairy farm, run by a dedicated vet, that many people now think could eventually bring about the end of the badger cull.
A new dawn on hunting and it's humane
“This is the future of Hunting! No Cruelty, no Lies, no Kill ” This Boxing Day, hunts will gather to parade in villages
Leading experts say latest badger culls will not stop TB
Two leading Scientists, Christl A. Donnelly Imperial College London, and Rosie Woodroffe, Institute of Zoology, London reveal in an article, published today for www.nature.com magazine that the latest badger culls unlikely to stop TB. Two months ago, the government advice body Natural England approved further licensed badger culls in parts of the United Kingdom in 2015. The aim is to reduce local badger densities by at least 70% to stop the
As badger culls begin, could one pioneering vet’s bovine TB test end the slaughter?
As badger culls begin, could one pioneering vet’s bovine TB test end the slaughter
Research at a secret location in Devon may help eradicate bovine tuberculosis without a single badger being killed, says leading vet
Relive It! By Dr Bri
You can now relive that extraordinary day of our rally against the SI. The SI was an amendment posing as a 'technical detail’, which would have smashed the Hunting Act’s power to protect. The day before Parliament was to vote on it, the Government, forced on to the back foot, withdrew both the debate and the vote. We received the news at the moment when
Application for a Judicial Review was denied on a appeal by a single judge this week
Application for a Judicial Review was denied
The Save Me Trust’s most recent legal challenge to the government’s badger culling programme was turned down this week, when our application for a Judicial Review was denied on a appeal by a single judge. But the fight against this ineffective and cruel programme continues on all fronts.
Bri & the First Shot Badger 2017
Dr Bri & the First Shot Badger 2017
The killing has begun again, ramped up to kill thousands more Badgers this year. I’m sure I’m not alone in finding these pictures very painful. It’s pitiful to see these magnificent families of creatures being destroyed. I’ve been involved
Failed attempt to bring back fox hunting
In July 2015, the Government announced that it intended to amend the legislation to remove the limit on the number of dogs, and instead replace it with a requirement that the number of dogs used is appropriate to the terrain and any other relevant circumstance. The Government’s stated aim is to bring the legislation in line with that in Scotland.
Our lawyers send a letter before action to Natural England
Lawyers acting for the Save Me Trust today sent a letter before action to Natural England requiring them to revoke the licences to kill badgers held by the cull operators in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset. Badgers are a protected species. Unless an exception applies,
Statement Dr Brian May
Statement from Dr Brian May
We are concerned and deeply disappointed that the Government has issued 11 new Badger Cull licences to add to the 10 already existing. We have always opposed badger culling because of the cruelty and inhumaneness of free shooting badgers in open fields at night, as confirmed by the government's own Independent Expert Panel.
Come support us by Bri
COME support our foxes tomorrow, but please leave the Anti-Tory banners at home. We have many good Conservative MP's supporting us. MPs today got biggest E-mail storm EVER against the Wednesday SI to disable Hunting Act. KEEP E-Mailing your MP. No return to barbarity. Wednesday SI aims to make prosecution of cruelty in hunting impossible. Bri
Our New Year Message 2014
Wishing you all a Happy New Year from Brian, Anne and the Save Me team – and thank you for all your support throughout 2013. In 2014 we will continue to work to stop the roll-out of the badger cull.
Message from Dr Brian May
Message from Dr Brian May For the badgers - and actually for us as a nation - this cull is a tragedy and a disaster.What’s less understood is that it’s a tragedy for the farmers and the cattle too. The drive behind continuing with a policy which is failing seems to be that ‘we have to be seem to do something, rather than
EDM on shortage of foxes showing hunts breed foxes
That this House agrees with Simon Hart, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, that his organisation would be ridiculed in parliament on the publication of a letter sent by the Masters of Fox Hounds Association to 800 hunt masters warning of the nationwide 'shortage of foxes' and urging landowners to breed more foxes to 'solve the
Voting For Animals
Ha! We made it into the election photo round up of the day on the BBC! and I finally got to stand on a real Soapbox! (as opposed to my time-honored virtual one) Bri.
Brian May and Save Me’s response to news of an extended Government-led badger cull
We at Save Me are disappointed and profoundly saddened at the news that Theresa May’s government is to escalate its culling of badgers. In 2014 the governments own Independent Expert Panel (IEP) determined that the cull was cruel and ineffective; the panel
Skulduggery in the House By Bri
Skulduggery in the House of Commons? By Bri
The Spectator has today published an article [Revealed: David Cameron's plan to bring back fox hunting] admitting that the Government, recognising they cannot win the “Free Vote on Hunting” that David Cameron promised, has given up on it, and is about to try to bring back legalised Fox Hunting through the back door.
Bovine TB and an elephant in the room.
Bovine TB and an elephant in the room. By Bri
So, as a farmer, why would you bother reading this? How could the views of a rock star on Bovine TB be worth squat? Especially a rock star who has been widely accused of caring more about the welfare of wild animals than the welfare of farmers?
Our response to news of an extended Government-led badger cull
We at Save Me are disappointed and profoundly saddened at the news that Theresa May’s government is to escalate its culling of badgers. In 2014 the governments own Independent Expert Panel (IEP) determined that
Team Fox
Team Fox is a coalition of animals groups united to keep the hunting ban in place. Fox hunting is not a ‘tradition’ that needs to be protected The humane sport of drag hunting, in which the hunt follows an artificial trail, has all the tradition without any of the cruelty. Nevertheless, traditions are measured in more than years. They have to reflect the values and attitudes of a society and the vast majority of the
Green Oscars: Anne Brummer wins Animal Hero Award 2018
Anne Brummer, trustee and founder of Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue and CEO of Dr Brian May's Save Me Trust receives a national award for Services to Wildlife.
Congratulations to our CEO, Anne Brummer who has won the prestigious Animal Hero Award 2018 for services to wildlife.
Save Me Trust says the Badger Cull E-Petition Response from the Government is misleading.
The government responded to this petition when it received 10,000 signatures. Unfortunately, the government’s response was so inaccurate and selective that it appears to represent a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. There are four key inaccuracies in the government response:
Cub Hunting
Michael Gove announces a ban on Puppy farming in UK
Well, at a stroke, Michael Gove has made puppy farms history. In his speech yesterday he gave credit to the forceful campaign led by Marc Abrahams of Pup Aid, and the massive wave of support in the public for this new law - Lucy's Law. Under the new legislation,
A Farmer speaks out; Bovine TB is a cattle problem
A Farmer speaks out; Bovine TB is a cattle problem with the main transmission between cattle. An open letter to George Eustace Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Farming, Food and the Marine Environment from Graham Cooper
Cubbing and the Autumn Hunt
Early in the morning a Hunt of mounted riders quietly surrounds a thicket they know to contain a family of foxes. The female fox or vixen hears the movement but will not leave her cover as she has cubs to protect. The huntsmen surround the thicket, they slap their saddles, holler and shout to prevent the fox and her cubs leaving the thicket. They want to have their fun.
Fill in the Consultation to end Third party Puppy and Kitten sales
Save Me Trust Announcement Thursday 8th February 2018 Save Me has been working to end third party puppy sales in Britain since 2015. We have been working with the wonderful Marc Abraham and Pup Aid, better known as TV’s Marc the Vet to ensure that the government also includes a number of other measures that will stop the suffering of dogs in Britain today.
We take part in Cattle bTB read test on Devon farm.
We take part in Cattle bTB test on a Devon farm.
Dr Brian May, founder of the Save Me Trust, will be taking part in the bTB “read test” with Crediton, mid-Devon, farmer Malcolm Huxtable on Thursday 29th October. This is being filmed for BBC Inside Out. Dr May, together with Anne Brummer, CEO of The Save Me Trust, has campaigned tirelessly for an end to the badger culls, and runs a badger vaccination project known as BACVI (Badger and Cattle Vaccination Initiative) that works with
Why Joanna Lumley is not barmy by Bri
Hi Folks Brian here, after a little bit of a gap. Yes, Brian Talks has been a little bit quiet and I think there was probably a good reason to be a little bit quiet around the election time. Some of us were very disappointed with the result, but this is what we're stuck with and we have to make the best of it.
Brian May & Nicola Sturgeon
Brian May and Nicola Sturgeon
Brian May meets Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon. Dr Brian May and Anne Brummer met Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon at ‘Holyrood’ to discuss fox hunting and the Scottish Government’s commitment to review the existing legislation on the issue in Scotland. Dr May was instrumental in galvanising the public to lobby their MP’s when David
Brian May, founder of the Save Me Trust, calls on the government to halt the badger cull and confirms legal action. Friday 28th August
We confirms legal action.
The Save Me Trust confirmed that the lawfulness of the decisions to issue the licences today will be challenged by a Judicial Review in the High Court. To continue the culling of badgers is unlawful as it does not rationally serve the statutory purpose which permits the
About Foxes
Can you outwit the clever fox? Foxes don’t always make the best of neighbours but before you write them off as the neighbours from hell, take a few minutes to understand them and maybe find some ways to humanely, and permanently, discouraging them from visiting your space.
Our Hen Harriers are missing
Buy Skydancer bath bombs to support Hen Harriers: Save Me is supporting Lush and Hen Harrier Day this Sunday - please support them too. Skydancer - Far from the Madding Guns, cost £3.95 each and will be on sale in Lush for the next few weeks. They are also available from their website. We are encouraging people to take part in Hen Harrier Day. This website tells you what you can do to help these magnificent birds:
We Challenge Lawfulness of Badger Cull Licences
Lawyers instructed by the Save Me Trust have today written to the Chief Executive and the Chief Legal Advisor of Natural England warning them that if any licences to cull badgers are either activated in Gloucestershire and Somerset or any new licences granted for this purpose anywhere, then the lawfulness of the decisions to do so will be challenged by a Judicial Review in the High Court. To continue the culling of badgers is unlawful as it does
Save Me is totally opposed to "dogs killing wild mammals" for human pleasure. We do encourage the humane sports of drag hunting and lure coursing to retain all its traditions without the need for cruelty
Portcullis House Adventures
So what do we get up to in our lobbying adventures? And what is it like, now that we have a new Government – a government which made a lot of us wonder if there was any hope whatsoever for animals in the UK (and a few other important things like Human Rights and the NHS !)?
Trust to Challenge Cull Licences
Brian May’s Save Me Trust to Challenge Lawfulness of Badger Cull Licences: Brian May’s Save Me Trust to Challenge Lawfulness of Badger Cull Licences "Lawyers instructed by the Save Me Trust have today written to the Chief Executive and the Chief Legal Advisor of Natural England warning them that if any licences to cull badgers are either activated in Gloucestershire and Somerset or any new licences granted for this purpose anywhere, then the lawfulness of the decisions to do so will be challenged by a
Are Foxes Dangerous
Are Foxes Dangerous?
Our intelligence can often be measured by our reactions. Knee jerk reactions are not good reactions. It is extremely rare for a wild animal to bite and this is usually only when corned or trapped, Most wildlife has learnt to keep hidden. Humans are the biggest threat to wildlife and not the other way round. Foxes are rarely aggressive and
Wentworth Castle with Angela Smith
Today Brian May and Anne Brummer are journeying to Wentworth Castle, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire, to a reception hosted by Angela Smith, Labour Party MP for Penistone and Stockbridge. Does this mean that Brian (formerly a self-confessed Tory voter) is joining the Labour Party? Well, no. Brian explains. "I believe we have reached a severe crisis point
Defra shows increases in TB in cull zone
Defra shows bTB increases in the cull zones during the badger culls. An article in the Farmers guardian Read More saw Owen Paterson making more inaccurate claims, that were his signature tune when in office, and may be the reason of his short career as a minister. “The ‘extraordinary reduction’ in bovine TB disease levels see in the Somerset and Gloucestershire pilot areas prove badger culling works, according to former Defra Secretary Owen Paterson. In an interview with Farmers Guardian, Mr Paterson
Fox Hunting Lame Claims
Bri's Fox Hunting Lame Claims
THERE IS NO EXCUSE for the continuation of fox hunting. The only argument for it that you can believe is sincere, from its supporters, is that they enjoy it. But they will put up all kinds of smoke screens – essentially bogus defences. This fox lovers' guide provides definitive answers to the hunters lame claims.
It's time to 'can' canned hunting
The most extreme version of trophy hunting is “Canned Hunting”. The animals which are born in captivity are taken away from their mothers within hours of being born so they can be used in petting zoos. When they become of age they then spend the rest of their life in caged compounds waiting to be released in a larger compound for the so-called ‘canned’ hunt.
Team Badger Launch
Queen guitarist and animal welfare champion Brian May has joined with the heads of every major animal welfare group in London to launch the Team Badger campaign, which is opposed to the government's proposed cull of badgers across England.
Ex Huntsman tells the awful truth...
This is a truthful account of the reality of fox hunting and its standard practice, the contents may haunt you, they haunt me. Clifford Pellow, a professional fox hunter for 23 years, believed unwaveringly in the integrity of his 'craft'. He'd learnt its mysteries in night stories from his grandfather - all about wily Reynard and the special breed of
Grouse Moors -Environmental devastation
The Estate owners and shooting associations are quick to make huge claims of how the work they do benefits the moorland and the environment. What they don’t mention is that they are paid huge subsidies by the Government (that’s our money) to maintain bio-diverse habitats and ecosystems, rich in flora and fauna, but this is not what they are doing.
Visiting Camp Badger for the second time
We visited Camp Badger for the second time in two years. Last year we were invited by the farmer who loans his land to the "stop the cull" campaigner, Jay Tierman, and an array of wounded badger patrol night walkers. The peaceful camp is much the same as last year with lots of tents, compost toilets and a very organised food kitchen. All the food is donated by local farmers.
Cameron attempt at repeal.15th July 2015
In July 2015, the Government announced that it intended to amend the legislation to remove the limit on the number of dogs, and instead replace it with a requirement that the number of dogs used is appropriate to the terrain and any other relevant circumstance. The Government’s stated aim is to bring the legislation in line with that in
Breeding and shooting at 'live' targets
In the North of England and Scotland, the shooting of game birds and mammals is widespread. Habitat and 'predator management' are undertaken to increase game abundance and hunting bags and thus profits. The Grouse moor managers and Gamekeepers claim major conservation benefits as a result of traditional and 'sympathetic' moorland management. They say if the control of generalist predators by gamekeepers ceased, lapwing and golden plover numbers would drop by 81% and curlew by 47% within 10 years.
So what is really happening?
The Team Badger Cull Debate 2012 in the House of Commons
Vet professionals oppose any amendment of Hunting Act
On Wednesday 15th July, the Government will introduce a motion in the House of Commons ‘to approve a statutory instrument relating to hunting’. It is widely anticipated that this will consist of a proposal to remove the current restriction that allows no more than two dogs to stalk or flush a wild mammal (fox, deer, hare) to guns under the
Game Shooting or Shame Shooting
Game Shooting in the UK or Shame Shooting. Every year around 35 million non native, factory farmed pheasants and partridges are imported into the UK. They are sold to the 300 game shooting estates, an industry that is reported to be worth £1.6 billion to the economy. “One for the pot” is a myth. Many more birds are released each year than the demand
Opposition Day Debate 2013
Save Me Trusts Woodlands Forever Homes for Wildlife
Woodland Restoration at the Save Me Trust
Woodlands have a direct impact on the environment, climate, and local ecosystem. British woodlands are incredibly diverse in both flora and fauna and are great for wildlife.
Our woodland's estate has been developing for around 30 years - in that time, we have purchased or been bequeathed a number of sites that we manage and maintain for their unique biodiversity value and benefits to wildlife. Woodlands are not static - they are dynamic - living entities - that grow and develop uniquely, based the habitat and species that grow or live there.
Spike’s Hedgehog Food announces partnership with Dr Brian May’s Save Me Trust campaign, Amazing Grace
Spike’s Hedgehog Food has announced a partnership with Amazing Grace, an initiative led by Dr Brian May’s charity, the Save Me Trust.
Amazing Grace, a collaboration between the Save Me Trust, Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, is fighting the declining population of hedgehogs in the UK, and, as of 1st April 2019, 10p from every bag of Spike’s food sold will be donated to the campaign. Through the partnership, each donation will support Amazing Grace spread the message and help educate the public about the decline in population of hedgehogs in the UK, which has dropped from 30 million in the 1950s, to fewer than one million today.
Badger Culls Based on facts, not panic & bias
Unless every single badger is killed, the survivors move around, resulting in an increase in bovine TB. But will politicians listen? "The government is so desperate to be seen to be doing something to appease the countryside lobby that it is willing to ride over facts.’
The worst atrocity against British wildlife in history
Perhaps some of us have got used to the idea of the badger cull ? Just politics, and perhaps something that’s necessary to solve a farming problem ?
Press Release Meet the Hedgehogs
Meet the HedgehogsTV Documentaryon Channel 5 Tuesday 20th June 2017 Everyone loves hedgehogs! Brian May, Guitar legend and founder of the supergroup Queen, will be appearing in this 60 minute documentary with Steve Backshall, Naturalist, and TV Presenter.
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An Unfortunate Pet Moment
Karen Weeg Thomas > LostPetPR
_karen_thomas_
#delmarDe found a passed beagle on my run... Looked like a family pet. Just past snake rd. On rt13n... Right next to lot of trees just taken down... He needs to be buried pass along local friends. I'll come back after my run to bury him.
GO HERE to read more.
Use Caution Today At Riverside Boat Ramp
Lost Dog 6-19-14: UPDATE
Delmar area. Connelly Mill /Executive Club Dr area. 443-235-8135
Sarbanes The Black Jack Judge In The Roulette Of Justice
Wicomico County Judge with a Real “Record” in Court
This appears in today’s Daily Times (to its credit) in an article about the candidates for the Circuit Court judgeship: “While he was in college more than 20 years ago, Sarbanes received a probation before judgment disposition for a gambling-related charge, and it was expunged from his record.”
Now a “PBJ” is not an actual conviction, but it’s almost that, however, and not an acquittal of the crime charged.
The article also quotes Mr. Sarbanes that he has not “tried to hide” the matter, which does not appear on his campaign website or in his mailings to voters. They don’t know the details of the “gambling-related charge” or how it came to be “expunged,” so that it does not appear in the State’s online database of court cases. And, despite its disclosure of that criminal case, the Daily Times article does not mention the other and more recent cases against Sarbanes for debt, including foreclosure, which he has also failed to mention.
While “hide” may not be correct, deliberate nondisclosure to the voters is certainly the correct term to describe Sarbanes’ campaign conduct about his record as a defendant in both criminal and other cases.
WARNING TO ALL PITTSVILLE RESIDENTS
A friend of mine was running their bath water to give their dog a bath just seconds ago and this is what they saw. Of course Town Hall is CLOSED and there's NOTHING any of you can do about it.
A Viewer Writes... 6-19-14
Went to bk yesterday ordered a double whooper. Then I saw this sign and went with it.they said I only get one extra patty on a double.
I explained that double meat any whooper means four patties. 2x2=4 . The poor Mexicans in there kept saying it's not. There is no exemptions on the sign. So pulled up and had a discussion on it. Once again the same deal. Only when I said I had pictures and videos of our convo and I was going to sbynews did they budge. It's a shame that it took a threat of media to make them honor their advertisements.
Breaking News: President Obama Will Deploy Troops To Iraq
BREAKING: President Barack Obama says up to 275 US military troops will deploy to Iraq
Addressing the root cause of the Heroin Epidemic
As I have been knocking on doors and visiting with voters over the past few months the number one question I get is “Why are you running?” I rarely have more than a few minutes to talk about the wide range of issues that I am focused on but during the conversation I always mention that I will be focused on reducing crime, improving education and rebuilding our economy because I believe those three are closely tied together. We must succeed at all three because we are seeing the results of failure of how to successfully address these issues.
In this message, I wish to focus on Crime and specifically the rise of the Heroin epidemic on the Lower Shore. On a daily basis I see the cost of this epidemic, both monetarily and the human cost. The rise in burglaries, shoplifting, break-ins of personal vehicles and fraud is directly related to the increase of heroin on the Lower Shore. Nearly everyday there is an overdose in Wicomico County and once or twice a week we are seeing deaths as a result of heroine overdose. This is only going to get worse.
The toll that it takes on families cannot be measured in monetary value alone. Children of addicts often get shuffled from place to place and are at such a disadvantage that invariably their lives often follow those of their parent(s) if they are not saved from the situation in time. This often results in grandparents and other family members raising the children of addicts and in some cases these children end up in foster care.
So the question then becomes how do we address this issue? As you will notice I mentioned it is a Lower Shore issue. Though many of the crimes are being committed in Wicomico County, criminals and addicts do not know boundaries, neither should our solutions.
Recently our State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello requested that the County allow him to create an additional position in the State’s Attorneys Office that would focus on addressing this issue with proven strategies taken from the High Point Initiative that were used in reducing violent crime in Wicomico County. The Council did not approve his request.
We are at a frustrating stand still on addressing this issue. The police simply arrest addicts for stealing. The State’s Attorneys Office is simply prosecuting addicts. Probation and a little jail time is the most any ever see with very few of them receiving any real treatment for their addictions. We are all stuck in the cycle of this addiction because it is taxpayer resources paying for the same group of people to be arrested for petty crimes and the same group arresting the same people who then get prosecuted with judgement dispensed from the same group of people.
Continually doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. It is time we tried something different and something proven because we must have a different result.
This problem must be attacked from multiple directions to effectively get results. Understand, this is a long term plan and we must make the commitment to see it through.
First, implementing investigative strategies from the High Point Initiative to shut down the network of the flow of heroin will require a regional, multi-state task force with Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. I would first focus on a partnership between Wicomico, Worcester and Sussex Counties.
Second, community partnerships with churches and civic organizations are a necessary part of this plan to implement one of the aspects of addictions treatment. Many of these organizations offer programs such as Celebrate Recovery (for adults), Life Hurts, God Heals (for youth), other family counseling programs and parenting programs. Partnering with the State’s Attorneys Offices, Parole and Probation and the courts, these programs can be much more successful if the individuals in them understand the consequences yet have an established support system such as a church or other civic organization.
Third, we need to understand that some addictions are so severe that they will require in-patient treatment. The largest obstacle of course is cost and this where we reach out to businesses and other organizations for grants and donations. The Community Foundation has been very successful at raising funds for good causes and would certainly be an organization that we would ask to step up to the plate.
Fourth, education is our key to prevention. We must work closely with the board of education in finding or developing curriculum that educates our children on the importance of making good life decisions. We should also educate our children on the consequences of a life of bad choices. We spend too much money on education in this county to allow so many children to fall through cracks. Though we can’t control what happens outside the school, we are obligated to do everything we can to give them the tools they need to make good choices in life.
Fifth, we must focus on pro-growth strategies to retain and build up the business that are the pillar of our community. We must also focus on initiatives that create opportunities to attract manufacturing and technology jobs to our area. Unemployment rates directly affect crime rates, which in turn affect the property values of an area which in turn affect the quality of education in area. We must commit to building a strong and diverse economy.
I certainly do not have the all the details of everything we need to do. However, all of us together have the knowledge, the ability and the resources to address our problems head on with solutions that require a deep and long term commitment to doing what is right for our county and our children.
Sandy Hook Redux: Obama officials confirm that it was a drill and no children died
“I have a lot of sources in regards to as to what’s going on with the president and the administration and so on, and every one of my sources said it was a false flag”--Paul Preston
Sofia Smallstorm, who produced and directed the documentary, “Unraveling Sandy Hook”, which many regard as the best video study of the Sandy Hook event, recently interviewed a Los Angeles school expert, Paul Preston, about Sandy Hook and his knowledge of what had transpired.
Governor Malloy had held a press conference that day, explaining that he and the Lt. Governor had been “spoken to” that something like this might happen, which raised the question, what “something like this” did he mean? Had he been told a school shooting massacre would take place? or a drill that would be presented as a real event, which appears to be what took place?
Remarkably, we now have confirmation from an unexpected source. Paul Preston had obtained information from officials in the U.S. Department of Education of the Barack Obama administration, who confirmed to him on the basis of their own personal knowledge that:
(1) it had been a drill;
(2) no children had been killed; and,
(3) it had been done to promote an anti-gun agenda.
Did Anyone Happen To See This In The News ? I missed it!?!
Somehow we all missed this one -- funny how that happens!!
‘Chickens Come Home to Roost’ – Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s Daughter Convicted on 11 Counts of Fraud Posted by Jim Hoft on Saturday, March 8, 2014, 7:54 PM
Jeri Wright and Rev. Jeremiah Wright In September Jeri Wright, daughter of Reverend “God Damn America” Wright, and 12 other Democrats were charged with embezzling $16 million in Federal health grants that should have gone to AIDS charities and other programs for the poor and needy.
More than one of the defendants had direct ties to President Barack Obama. On Friday Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s daughter was found guilty of eleven counts that included money laundering and lying to federal agents. Breitbart reported: On Friday, a federal jury took less than two hours to convict the daughter of President Barack Obama’s controversial former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, of fraud.
Jeri Wright was found guilty of a fraud scheme that siphoned thousands of taxpayer dollars intended for a not-for-profit work and education program known as We Are Our Brother’s Keeper. Prosecutor Timothy Bass said Jeri Wright lied “over and over” and went on a “spending spree” that included traveling to Las Vegas, buying vehicles, and remodeling her basement with cash from the money laundering scheme. She was found guilty on all counts.
“If you take and misuse government money, and then lie about it, you will be held accountable in a court of law,” said U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, Jim Lewis'
Obama and his mentor
https://www.google.com/search?q=Jermiah+Wright%27s+Daughter+Convicted+on+11Counts+of+fraud&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-beta&channel=fflb
Most Admired President in Last 25 Years
A collaborative poll was conducted by the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, and Annenberg to determine who the most admired U.S. President is of the last 25 years.
Not that there was a huge selection to choose from. In 25 years, there have only been four presidents, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.
The poll was conducted June 2-8 on 1,238 adults with a margin of error around 2.8%.
And the winner is: Bill Clinton who received 42% of the votes. The final results were as follows:
42% Bill Clinton
18% Barack Obama
17% George W. Bush
16% George H. W. Bush
A Bump At The Pump? Senators Propose A 12-cent Hike In Federal Gas Tax.
A bipartisan Senate proposal emerged Wednesday to rescue beleaguered federal transportation funding by raising the tax on gasoline by 12 cents a gallon.
The proposal to hike the 18.4 cent federal tax for the first time since 1993 came from Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and won quick endorsement from an array of advocates ranging from road builders to AAA.
In addition to increasing the tax by six cents in each of the next two years, the senators want the rate indexed to inflation in the future. Failure to keep pace with inflation over the past 20 years along with steadily increasing fuel economy have caused the Federal Highway Trust Fund that receives the money to sink to a dangerous level.
WCSO Press Releases June 18, 2014
Incident: Child Support Warrants
Date: 7-14 June 2014
Location: Wicomico County, MD
Suspect: 1.Timothy Wayne Sampson, 37, Salisbury, MD
2. Melvin Weldon Hitch Jr., 32, Salisbury, MD
3. Terry Melvin Fisher Jr., 39, Salisbury, MD
4. John James Seward, 42, Parsonsburg, MD
5. Derell Lamont Cottman, 25, Salisbury, MD
Narrative:Between 07 June 2014 and 12 June 2014 deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office arrested the above individuals on Circuit Court Body Attachments that had been issued in connection with Child Support cases.
All subjects were detained on bond in the Detention Center pending an initial appearance in front of a Circuit Court Judge.
Charges: Child Support Non- Compliance
Sampson, Timothy
Hitch, Melvin
Fisher Jr., Terry
Cottman, Derell
Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 18 June 2014
Wicomico County State Delegation Meeting Scheduled
County Executive Rick Pollitt and members of the County Council will meet with the lower shore delegation of the General Assembly at 8am, on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.
These meetings keep the state delegation apprised of local county concerns and are used to discuss legislative initiatives expected to come before the next session of the General Assembly. Citizens are welcome to attend and observe the discussion.
M. J. Caldwell
SAFE STREETS DRUG CASE: ANTHONY DESHIELDS SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR DRUG DEALING
On June 17, 2014 Anthony Deshields, age 45, of Pocomoke, Maryland was convicted by a Wicomico County jury of Distributing Cocaine to undercover police officers on October 16, 2013. He was sentenced by the Circuit Court to 18 years in the Division of Corrections.
The charges against Deshields arose out of his actions October 16, 2013 when he sold Maryland State Police Officers $40.00 worth of crack cocaine. The Salisbury Police Department and the Maryland State Police utilized the Worcester County Task Force to help fight street level narcotics sales in Salisbury.
Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matthew A. Maciarello commended the Salisbury Police Department, The Maryland State Police and theWorcester County Narcotics Task Force for their excellent teamwork in the investigation and prosecution of this case. Mr. Maciarello also thanked the citizens of Wicomico County and Safe Streets Prosecutor, Richard J. Brueckner Jr., who prosecuted this case.
For more information or for an interview please call the Office of the State’s Attorney at (410) 548-4880 or go to www.wicomicosao.com.
Six Police Vehicles And 8 Officer
I just received a call from a viewer telling me they are right now witnessing eight police officers in six police cars arresting ONE woman in Salisbury.
One has to wonder just how many Salisbury officers it would take to change a light bulb?
It's no wonder your Mayor NEEDS to raise your taxes for more officers. This is what you get when you have a Mayor with NO business background.
WELCOME TO SALISBURY
Yesterday I took my Grandson into Salisbury to get his haircut at Eric's Barber Shop. As I walked up to feed the meter, this is what we saw on the ground. Between people throwing their trash on the ground and now condoms, Salisbury is becoming a complete DUMP. I'm so happy I sold and got out of the City.
A Message From The Wicomico County Health Department
Wicomico County Health Department
Señales de alerta de enfermedad por calor incluyen temperatura corporal sobre 103, pielseca y roja sin sudar, pulso rapido, dolor de cabeza, mareos, confusion y nausea. Si usted o alguien que conoce tiene algunos de estos signos, busque atención medica inmediata.
Miss This Stuff?
US Patent Office Strips "Washington Redskins" Name For Being "Disparaging"
What Obama wants, he appears to get . As AP reports, the U.S. Patent Office has ruled the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled. Which leaves us questioning when the Federal Government will see the New York Giants as disaparaging of tall people and The Oakland Raiders as disaparaging of pirates... welcome to the new normal. We wonder (rhetorically of course) if this latest Redskins escalation is supposed to distract from Ukraine, Iraq, Bergdahl, IRS, Benghazi, or approval ratings?
As WaPo notes,
Federal trademark law does not permit registration of trademarks that “may disparage” individuals or groups or “bring them into contempt or disrepute.” The ruling pertains to six different trademarks associated with the team, each containing the word “Redskin.”
On the Florida Turnpike
VIGILANT RESIDENT LEADS OFFICERS TO BURGLARY SUSPECTS
On June 15, 2014, at approximately 1:30 p.m. Ocean City officers were dispatched to the area of Teal Drive in reference to suspicious circumstances after a vigilant resident approached a nearby Public Safety Aide working an OC Air Show traffic detail. The resident told the Public Safety Aide that he had seen three suspicious individuals peering into area homes.
Upon arrival, officers located a vehicle in which the resident believed the suspicious individuals were travelling. Through the initial investigation, officers determined the vehicle to be stolen out of Montgomery County, Maryland. The officers quickly located three of the suspicious individuals who were seen exiting the vehicle and each was arrested for theft of the motor vehicle. These suspects, all from Washington, DC, were identified as: Christopher H. Bussey, 25; Dominique A. Burton, 19; and Shinecia D. Mercer, 19. An Investigator with the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office also assisted with the investigation and located and arrested a fourth suspect, a female, which officers linked to the stolen vehicle in the area of 20th Street and Philadelphia Avenue. She was later identified as Heather A. Haire, 25, also of Washington, DC.
While officers were on scene, two residents reported burglaries to their homes in the area of Teal Drive where electronics and jewelry totaling approximately $60,000, and several other items had been stolen. Many of these items were either recovered from the stolen vehicle, in the suspect’s possession or discarded by the suspects in the area. During the subsequent investigation, officers developed a fifth suspect and still had not located some of the electronics and stolen jewelry.
At approximately 6:40 p.m., officers responded to the area of 32nd Street and Baltimore Avenue for a report of a stolen vehicle. Believing these incidents may be related, officers quickly broadcast lookouts for the fifth suspect and the stolen vehicle to surrounding jurisdictions.
At approximately 9 p.m., Ocean City Detectives learned that the Maryland State Police and Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office were involved in a vehicle pursuit near Hebron, Maryland involving the vehicle that had recently been reported stolen from 32nd Street. The pursuit ended in a single vehicle crash. The driver was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the stolen vehicle was later identified as Joshua Robinson-Gripper, 22, also of Washington, DC. Additionally, inside the stolen vehicle Ocean City Detectives recovered electronics and jewelry stolen during the burglaries.
Ocean City Police have charged Bussey, Burton, Haire, Mercer and Robinson-Gripper with multiple theft and burglary charges. All four suspects were seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner. Bussey, Burton, Haire and Mercer are currently being held at the Ocean City Public Safety Building on $75,000 bond. Robinson-Gripper is being held by the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office on $100,000 bond.
What Say You Now Wicomico Board Of Ed & County Executive?
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2014/05/bonneville_audit_finds_credit.html
The below sentence was from the link above
Any use of the travel cards for personal expenses, the audit said, is a violation of federal law and effectively means the employee is receiving an interest-free loan from the government for personal purposes.
Six Texas men indicted 'gang-raping' 15-year-old high school student
Six Texas men are facing more than 1,600 years in prison each after being accused of gang raping a 15-year-old high school student after she skipped class earlier this year.
A grand jury in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday indicted Devoric Javon Evans, 20; Lamont Tray Davis, 19; Day’tron Derrell Smith, 18; Da’Juan Oshea Degrate, 18; and Cory Darnell Hall, 18; and Douglas Demond Canada, 19.
Police say Canada and Degrate convinced the teen to cut class at Waco High School, where all three are students on April 23.
Need Anyone Say More?
LORETTA PHILLIPS SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS IN THE DIVISON OF CORRECTIONS FOR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE OXYCODONE
On June 16, 2014, Loretta Phillips, age 36, of Wicomico County, Maryland, was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone. She was subsequently sentenced by the Circuit Court to an active sentence of six (6) years in the Division of Corrections (“D.O.C.”). (Her complete sentence was “fifteen (15) years suspend all but six (6) years in the D.O.C.”).
The charges against Phillips arose out of her arrest on December 4, 2013 when she was stopped by the Maryland State Police for a traffic violation. Maryland State Police Officers found oxycodone (15mg and 30mg) and $371.00 in U.S. currency concealed within her purse. Further investigation revealed that Phillips’ cell phone contained numerous text messages pertaining to the illegal sale of oxycodone.
Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matthew A. Maciarello commented that the abuse of heroin and semi-synthetic opioids, such as oxycodone (“Oxy”), impacts the quality of life of the citizens of Wicomico County so substantially that illegal distribution of these substances will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted.
Mr. Maciarello commended the Maryland State Police and the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force for their excellent collaboration in the investigation and prosecution of this case. Mr. Maciarello also thanked Safe Streets Prosecutor, Richard J. Brueckner Jr., who prosecuted this case.
Wicomico County Health Department addictions counselors can be reached by calling (410) 742-DRUG (3784). Any person with questions or concerns about addictions is encouraged to call this hotline.
Salisbury News Delivers Investigative Reporting On HOW YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE SPENT: Part 10
More on Wicomico County spending, this week we have included Community Promotions. This fund is controlled by the Executive' office looks as if there's not enough money in the executive's budget to eat on so they are raiding another fund. Let the peasents eat cake.
County Executive's Food Charges
10/31/13 Wawa $6.90
10/31/13 Wawa $ 3.17
10/31/13 Dunkin Donut $3.70
10/11/13 Lombardi's $68.70
10/18/13 Market Street Inn $ 33.75
10/18/13 Bay County Meals $ 19.70
10/18/13 Subrunners $30.00
10 /18/13 STARBUCKS $ 9.65
10/25/13 Back Street Grille $18.82
10/25/13 Mojo's $ 27.50
10/25/13 Sobo's Wine & Bristo $154.26
10/31/13 Subrunners $ 33.82
10/31/13 Lombardi's $ 39.56
Community Promotion budget
10/18/13 Wawa 5.56 10/18/13
The Ward Museum $159.00
10/18/13 Market Street Inn $127.60
5/31/13 Market Street Inn $ 231.00
5/31/13 Fishermans Inn $ 89.62
Wicomico County Board Of Ed
As stated some of these charges are made at the direction of supervisiors, how ever pay close attention to the dates of some of the following purchases and they say it's for the kids HA
5/21/12 Nancy Rash Domino's 287.75
6/13/12 Nancy Rash Market Street Inn $191.75
8/12/12 Nancy Rash Maho's Family Rest. $112.15
11/30/12 Nancy Rash Little Caesars $71.16
12/7/12 Nancy Rash Devages Subs $ 93.06
12/14/12 Nancy Rash Subway $210.00
3/27/13 Nancy Rash Devages $ 82.72
6/7/11 Nancy Weaver Domino's $140.00
5/18/11 Nancy Weaver Domino's $ 251.75
10/1/12 Nancy Weaver Deli At Pecan Sq $11.98
7/31/12 Nicole Osborne Papa John's $178.04
8/2/11 Malina Johnson Domino's 235.75
6/17/11 Malina Johnson East Side Deli $31.00
8/1/11 Malina Johnson Pizza Hut $ 80.84
6/16/11 Malina Johnson Johnny's Sub Shop $11.67
6/6/12 Melva P Wright Golden Corral $407.07
6/14/12 Melva P Wright Ruby Tuesdays $ 134.88
6/15/12 Melva P Wright Red Lobster $66.98
7/10/12 Melva P Wright Applebees $ 49.20
7/12/12 Melva P Wright Olive Garden $ 112.24
8/15/12 Melva P Wright Brew River $ 48.24
8/22/12 Melva P Wright Back Street Grill $ 57.69
7/26/12 Maria Marshall Back Street Grill $ 157.55
8/17/11 Mary Ellen Hayward East Side Deli $124.25
8/17/11 Mary Ellen Hayward East Side Deli $ 131.05
8/17/11 Mary ellen Hayward Twisted Pretzel Bakery $ 156.00 8/18/11 Mary Ellen Hayward East Side Deli $ 165.32
8/23/11 Joy J Custis Panera Bread $ 53.96
8/6/12 Jon Shearer Back Street Grille $ 39.00
Hello Joe,
I encourage everyone to go to the PAC14 archives and view last night's County Council meeting. It was a real show. Someone must be getting concerned about what is being posted on blogs about BOE expenditures on about 164 thousand dollars being spent at numerous food and bar/grill establishments. The show appeared to be a typical union display at which they brought out twenty-five year veteran bookkeeper Wendy Catlin and a number of fellow bookkeepers holding cute little yellow signs. The signs were displayed whenever Ms. Catlin cued them by saying, "the whole story". Now you won't be able to see their signs on the video but you will see Ms. Catlin look over each time she says those words. The purpose of this tactical drill is to convince you, the taxpayer, that they have done nothing wrong and then they can go on an attack the messengers. You know, Joe Holloway, the blogs or anyone who dares to question them. This is all typical union rhetoric. I could tell by the other bookkeeper's body language that they didn't seem to really want to be there, but minions must do what the unions say.It's a shame that these unions aren't waking up to the fact that taxpayers and teachers (Yes, I did say teachers also) just don't buy their crap any more. (Watch the negative responses I get by guess who? Bet they don't sign their name.) Ms. Catlin goes on to explain how many of the different funds that they have are not taxpayers dollars. They are called, Social Kindness Funds, and they pay dues and get money from vending machines and they can spend the funds any way they want. I'm sure this is true. And since they are bookkeepers then they should have no problem in showing the council how much of the 164K is from Social Kindness Funds.I would like to have Ms. Catlin go to the PAC14 archives and view the fourth budget hearing at which her boss, Dr. Fredericksen, starts tap dancing when council members start asking about these funds. He tries distraction by going off on a tangent about poor children's privacy rights and gets the council members so frustrated that they just seem to throw up their hands and give up. The whole show ends up by playing "Let's Make A Deal " where Mr. Fredericksen readily agrees to turn over some material as some sort of test of confidence or something. Watch it, he's really good. Hey Council members, did any of you get all the information you asked for yet? Come on now, I know you read this blog so how about one of you responding so the taxpayers can get an answer. What about you Mr. Creamer, have you received any of your requests so far.
Ms. Catlin then goes on the attack again by saying ", yes, the taxpayers do have a right to know what salaries are and how money is spent but that the medias don't have the right to accuse them of being untruthful with a lot of innuendos and not telling "The Whole Story" like Mr. Holloway in the newspaper. She then tells everyone that she'll go home, make her lunch and go to bed with a clear conscious because she told "The Whole Story".
Well Ms. Catlin, The Whole Story hasn't been told yet. And perhaps those items on the list in your name did come out of the Social Kindness Fund. And perhaps those items on the list in say Margo Handy's name for Brew River, Back Street Grill, Goin Nuts Cafe, My Turn To Cook also came out of the Social Kindness Fund but how will we ever know if the Whole Story doesn't come out.
How about this Ms. Catlin, we all believe mistakes have been made.
If they were, then let's bring it all out in the open and give the Council what they ask for and if changes have to be made then let's do it and go on from there. I know we have a tremendous number of great teachers in Wicomico County, is it fair to them to let this go on? I don't think so.
John Palmer,
Delmar Md.
Don't Forget Our 9:00 AM Post Tomorrow Morning
Tomorrow morning we'll bring you our 11th edition of County spending from the Executive's Office as well as the Board of Ed.
Lost IRS E-mails Point to an Abuse of Power and Cover-Up
Missing tapes? Abuse of power? It’s 1974 all over again, with one exception – there seems to be no Woodward and Bernstein interested in delving into an abuse of power and a cover-up.
The parallels between the crisis in the Richard Nixon presidency and the current political environment are intriguing, if not entirely dispositive. Forty-two years ago, the targeting of political enemies by the executive branch erupted as one of the worst political scandals in American history, and took almost two years to reach its apex. A national election and the withdrawal from an unpopular war overshadowed the scandal for awhile, but the press kept Watergate on the front burner long enough for the cover-up to fall apart in 1974.
Sarbanes The Black Jack Judge In The Roulette Of J...
Breaking News: President Obama Will Deploy Troops ...
Sandy Hook Redux: Obama officials confirm that it ...
Did Anyone Happen To See This In The News ? I miss...
A Bump At The Pump? Senators Propose A 12-cent Hik...
Wicomico County State Delegation Meeting Scheduled...
SAFE STREETS DRUG CASE: ANTHONY DESHIELDS SENTENCE...
A Message From The Wicomico County Health Departme...
US Patent Office Strips "Washington Redskins" Name...
VIGILANT RESIDENT LEADS OFFICERS TO BURGLARY SUSPE...
What Say You Now Wicomico Board Of Ed & County Exe...
Six Texas men indicted 'gang-raping' 15-year-old h...
LORETTA PHILLIPS SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS IN THE DIV...
Salisbury News Delivers Investigative Reporting On...
Lost IRS E-mails Point to an Abuse of Power and Co...
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ICE arrests 86 in North Texas and Oklahoma areas during 3-day operation targeting criminal aliens and immigration fugitives
DALLAS — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 86 criminal aliens and immigration violators in North Texas and Oklahoma during a three-day enforcement action, which ended Thursday.
During this operation, ERO deportation officers made arrests in the following Texas cities and towns: Abilene (3), Amarillo (3), Alvarado (2), Arlington (3), Athens (1), Breckenridge (2), Corsicana (1), Dallas (11), Denton (2), Fort Worth (3), Friona (2), Garland (1), Grand Prairie (1), Greenville (3), Hereford (8), Jacksonville (1), Kaufman (1), Longview (3), Lubbock (11), Mansfield (1), McKinney (1), Plano (1) and Terrell (4). A total of 16 arrests were made in Oklahoma in the cities of Oklahoma City (11) and Tulsa (5). Of the 86 arrested, 55 had criminal convictions; 82 were men and four were women. They range in age from 19 to 61 years old.
Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following countries: Mexico (55), Guatemala (10), El Salvador (6), Honduras (4) Bangladesh (3), Cameroon (1) Jordan (1), Laos (1), Liberia (1), Nigeria (1), Panama (1), Philippines (1) and Zimbabwe (1).
Senator Addie Eckardt, District 37 Weekly Wrap-Up January 26, 2018
This Week in Annapolis
Maryland’s 438th General Assembly has gained momentum quickly, with bills being heard in Committee and on the floor that have the potential to impact every Marylander. I am honored to serve District 37 as we focus this session on addressing the tax sale process, healthcare, and taxation and affordability.
My first bill of the 2018 Session, Talbot County Board of Education—Start Date of Term for Members (SB 171) was heard in Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on January 24, 2018. This legislation would alter the start date of the term for Talbot County Board of Education’s members from January 1 to December 1 so that all members would have time to contribute to the budget process.
On January 25, 2018, I had the privilege of meeting with District 37’s Teachers of the Year. From left to right, thank you to Jennifer Gunter (Greensboro Elementary School), Katie Fox (Tilghman Elementary School), Christen Tacka (Prince Street Elementary School), and Sean Reincke (Cambridge-South Dorchester High School) for your dedication to our local students and schools.
Administration’s 2018 Anti-Opioid Initiatives
On January 23, 2018, Governor Hogan and Lt. Governor Rutherford announced their 2018 anti-opioid initiatives. This includes tactics directed at treatment, prevention, enforcement, and budgetary action and are in the form of executive actions, legislation, and the authorization of the Attorney General to file suit against select opioid manufacturers and distributors on the grounds of misleading the public aiding in the creation of Maryland’s addiction crisis. In regards to the possible suit, Governor Hogan recognized that 100% of any proceeds recovered will be directed toward opioid treatment, prevention, and education programs.
A future study of therapeutic detention facilities, as well as two pieces of legislation, are directed to expand treatment facilities and strengthen the behavioral health workforce. The Overdose Data Reporting Act would focus on prevention and allow Emergency Medical Service providers and law enforcers to share data concerning opioid overdoses, making Maryland one of 27 states to use this technology. Concerning enforcement, legislation is being introduced to strengthen and expand the prosecution of high-level drug traffickers. Lastly, budgetary actions are being taken to address the opioid crisis in Maryland: $159 million are dedicated to non-Medicaid substance use disorder and addiction programs as well as $13.7 million to fund the state’s response to the heroin and opioid epidemic; an extra $3 million will be allocated in the form of education grants as well as $1.2 million to expand treatment programs.
Governor Hogan and Federal Tax Implications
On January 25, 2018, Governor Hogan introduced legislation to protect Marylanders from state and local tax increases resulting from the recent federal tax overhaul. This legislation is based on results from a comprehensive analysis of the federal tax package implications done by Comptroller Peter Franchot; this study concluded that while most Marylanders will see a decrease in federal taxes, state and local taxes could increase by $572 million in 2019 if no action is taken.
The Protecting Maryland Taxpayers Act of 2018 would make a permanent provision in Maryland law that prevents changes in the federal tax code from affecting Maryland state and local taxes. This would allow Maryland residents who choose to the standard tax deduction at the federal level to itemize deductions at the state level; this would allow Marylanders to get “the best of both worlds” with the federal and state level deductions.
For more information concerning the Governor Hogan's announcements, please contact my office at 410-841-3590 or visit http://governor.maryland.gov
Patty Shreves, Chief of Staff, is joining me again for her third legislative session. She is a veteran of the United States Army and currently lives in Talbot County with her two daughters and husband.
Melissa Einhorn, Legislative Aide, is a recent graduate from James Madison University, where she majored in Psychology and minored in Public Policy & Administration and Family Studies. Melissa currently lives in Talbot County.
Morris Lewis, Intern, is currently a senior at Salisbury University where he is majoring in Political Science. Morris resides in Salisbury, MD and is originally from Talbot County.
Recently Sponsored Legislation
SB 215: Motor Vehicle Registration—Exception for Golf Carts—Town of Vienna
This legislation came in as a request from the Mayor and Council of the Town of Vienna and would allow licensed individuals to drive golf carts on the shoulders of main roads within the town limits.
SB 283: Alcoholic Beverages—Auxiliary Winery Permit
I am reintroducing legislation that would establish an auxiliary winery permit that the Comptroller may issue to a Class 4 Limited Winery allowing the sale and sampling of wine on licensed premises, anywhere in the State.
SB 404: Home Gaming—Bunco
This bill would add Bunco to the list of games that a person over 21 years of age may wager on.
SB 405: Creation of a State Debt—Talbot County—Avalon Theatre
This legislation, proposed by the Avalon Foundation, Inc., located in Easton, MD, would help fund $200,000 to make the Avalon Theatre more handicap accessible.
SJ 6: Commemorating the Bicentennial of the Birth of Frederick Douglass
This Senate Joint Resolution would commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Frederick Douglass, who was born in Talbot County in 1818 and grew to become a noted abolitionist, preacher, and advocate of women’s rights.
Legislation of Interest
SB 34: Chesapeake Bay Bridge Crossing—Eastern Shore Local Government Consent—Repeal
This bill is aimed at taking away the possibility of a political battle over where the next Bay Bridge span is placed by removing the power of the nine Eastern Shore counties to veto the decision made by the State engineers. Chairman Middleton stated that he is “worried” about the precedent that may be set by silencing local governments on a decision like this.
SB 133: Community Healthy Air Act
This bill would create a commission to study the emissions produced by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) and other industrial farms in Maryland. If passed, this bill will not impose any regulations or restrictions on the industrial farms at this time; it is only aimed at gathering emissions and toxicology data.
SB 3: Dorchester County—Hurlock—Alcoholic Beverages—Place-of-Worship of School Distance Restrictions
SB 51: Dorchester County—Alcoholic Beverages—Beer and Wine Festivals
SB 140: Dorchester County—Alcoholic Beverages—Class C Per Diem Licenses—Catering Club Events
SB 341: Hunting—Required Outerwear—Daylight Fluorescent Pink
21 Epigrams Every Man Should Live By
As long as man has been alive, he has been collecting little sayings about how to live. We find them carved in the rock of the Temple of Apollo and etched as graffiti on the walls of Pompeii. They appear in the plays of Shakespeare, the commonplace book of H. P. Lovecraft, the collected proverbs of Erasmus, and the ceiling beams of Montaigne’s study. Today, they’re recorded on iPhones and in Evernote.
But whatever generation is doing it, whether they’re written by scribes in China or commoners in some European dungeon or simply passed along by a kindly grandfather, these little epigrams of life advice have taught essential lessons. How to respond to adversity. How to think about money. How to meditate on our mortality. How to have courage.
And they pack all this in in so few words. “What is an epigram?” Coleridge asked, “A dwarfish whole; Its body brevity, and wit its soul.” Epigrams are what Churchill was doing when he said: “To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often.” Or Balzac: “All happiness depends on courage and work.” Ah yes, epigrams are often funny too. That’s how we remember them. Napoleon: “Never interrupt an enemy making a mistake.” François de La Rochefoucauld: “We hardly find any persons of good sense save those who agree with us.” Voltaire: “A long dispute means that both parties are wrong.”
Below are some wonderful epigrams that span some 21 centuries and 3 continents. Each one is worth remembering, having queued in your brain for one of life’s crossroads or to drop at the perfect moment in conversation. Each will change and evolve with you as you evolve (Heraclitus: “No man steps in the same river twice”) and yet each will remain strong and unyielding no matter how much you may one day try to wiggle out and away from them.
Fundamentally, each one will teach you how to be a better man. If you let them.
Grassley calls out FBI lovers' use of 'private' devices during Clinton email probe
FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page may have used personal accounts to send official records to each other about the Hillary Clinton email probe in 2016 even as the bureau investigated her for a "similar" practice, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
“It appears that Strzok and Page transmitted federal records pertaining to the Clinton investigation on private, non-government services,” the Iowa Republican wrote in a Thursday letter to FBI Director Chris Wray.
He questioned whether that affected the bureau's treatment of the Clinton case.
“It is important to determine whether their own similar conduct was a factor in not focusing on and developing evidence of similar violations by Secretary Clinton and her aides,” Grassley said.
During the campaign, the FBI investigated Clinton’s use of a private email server instead of a secure, government email account while secretary of state. Then-FBI Director James Comey decided against recommending prosecution, but faulted Clinton and her associates for being “extremely careless” with classified information.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/26/fbis-strzok-and-page-allegedly-used-private-devices-during-probe-clintons-private-server.html
Milwaukee Bucks rookie tased by police over ticket
Milwaukee police arrested and used a Taser on Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown early Friday morning.
Brown, 22, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of resisting or obstructing an officer around 2am on Friday and 'an electronic control device was deployed.'
According to a statement from a police spokesman to the Journal Sentinel, police headed to a local Walgreens and saw a vehicle parked in two handicap spaces.
Officers spoke with Brown and then used a taser on him before making an arrest.
Weatherby Firearms Moving to Wyoming
Just announced at the SHOT Show in Vegas, legendary rifle maker Weatherby is moving to Wyoming.
Many, many years ago worldwide hunter and adventurer Gary Starkey was a huge fan of Weatherbyrifles. At the time it was the only rifle he would own and use. He collected several and took many gameanimals with these rifles on several continents. His were the most deluxe, high grade factory cataloged Mark V Weatherby’s available at the time.
Starkey’s favorite Weatherby calibers included the 7mm, .300, .340, and .416. He loved to brag that these rifles were manufactured in California. In those days, California was cutting edge, the “hip” state, the place to be from or going to. Weatherby icon, Roy Weatherby was a celebrity in the firearms industry.
VA IT Aide Tried To Sell Veterans' SSNs
A Department of Veterans Affairs database administrator was indicted for allegedly attempting to sell vets’ social security numbers and stealing their identities.
The indictment, unsealed Thursday, charges that Phillip Hill of Benton, Ark. tried to sell the data for $100,000 to a confidential informant working with law enforcement. The data was the personal info of veterans, their dependents, and VA employees, prosecutors said.
Hill was terminated by the VA Dec. 6, but told the informant that even after being fired, he could access the information remotely by logging in using a government computer still in his possession, or even by stealing an entire server.
‘Assassination Style’: Widow Of Man Slain In The Bundys’ Oregon Standoff Is Suing The Feds TIM
The widow of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum is suing the Oregon State Police, the FBI and others over her husband’s death during the 2016 armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.
Jeanette Finicum filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday, the second anniversary of her husband’s death. The lawsuit is for $5 million each for herself, her 12 children and her deceased husband’s estate, a total of $70 million plus court costs, The Oregonian reports.
LaVoy was “fatally shot three times in the back, assassination style, by one or more militarized officers of the Oregon State Police and/or FBI,” the lawsuitstates. “He was deliberately executed by a pre-planned government ambush, after he had exited his vehicle with his hands up.”
WATCH: Video released by the FBI shows a cellphone video from inside the cab overlaid with footage from an FBI drone in the air. Finicum’s death comes after the 5:30 mark. WARNING: GRAPHIC FOOTAGE
FBI nixed attorney who jailed politicians for prosecutor
The FBI considered moving to appoint a special prosecutor in Hillary Clinton's email probe months before it decided the Department of Justice should not prosecute her.
Officials tossed out U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's name as a possibility, according to texts from March of 2016 between two FBI agents who are in Congress' cross-hairs for derogatory comments they made about President Trump.
Fitzgerald was the special prosecutor who brought charges against Scooter Libby, the chief of staff to former vice president Dick Cheney, as part of the probe into the blown cover of covert agent Valerie Plame. Prior to that he led the prosecution in New York of crime boss John Gambino.
Breaking News: Republicans on a House panel voted to release a secret memo said to accuse the F.B.I. of misusing its authority in the Russia inquiry
The vote threw fuel on an already fiery partisan conflict over the investigations into Russia’s brazen meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Health Ranger’s Theory: The Flu Vaccine Is Causing The Flu Outbreak
If there is any part of you that’s inquisitive you’ve likely wondered how on Earth this year’s flu could be so bad. After all, we have vaccines and Western medicine’s advancements in technology to help people. But the Health Ranger says that is the exact problem with the influenza outbreak.
As the reports continue to come in that this influenza outbreak is killing about 100 people a day, many begin to wonder what the purpose of getting a vaccine that’s only 10% effective could possibly be. “What you’re never told, is that some of those deaths are because of the flu vaccine,” Mike Adams, the Health Ranger said. And Adams theory is that the vaccine is not only responsible for the outbreak of the flu, but for some of the deaths associated with it.
*Before continuing, this is not to say you should get the vaccine or you should not get the vaccine. You should, however, research the ingredients of the flu vaccine and possible side effects and come to the conclusion on your own whether or not this shot is right for you and your family.*
Adams wants people to know what they aren’t being told about this year’s flu by those who profit heavily by injecting people with the flu shot.
“It turns out that the flu shot, even when it works, which is rare because it’s usually the wrong strain but sometimes it works, but it creates vulnerability to influenza infections in subsequent years. In other words, there’s something about the flu shot (we can talk about what that is because we know) that weakens your immune system.”
The mothers killed by the FLU as the virus rages on
These three young mothers are the latest unlikely victims of the flu this season.
Katherine Acton, 47, Karlie Slaven, 36, and Tanya Harmon, 37, are all mothers-of-two who died this week just days after being diagnosed with the virus, having nursed their own children through the illness.
Earlier this month, 40-year-old mother-of-three and marathon runner Katie Oxley Thomas of California died within 48 hours of falling ill.
While influenza typically claims the lives of infants and the elderly, this year's aggressive H3N2 strain has struck 18- to 49-year-olds harder than usual.
The hardest-hit unusual suspects are baby boomers (aged 50 to 64), but hospitalizations, illnesses and deaths far above average for all age groups for this time of year.
The cynical reasons the divorce rate is about to boom
Divorce, like marriage, is taxing.
The sweeping new tax law that President Donald Trump signed in December could soon make paying alimony more expensive for some members of the roughly 800,000 couples getting divorced each year, according to government data. And divorce attorneys say that’s spurring a spike in clients considering divorce this year, thinking they might want to get it done before the new alimony provision takes effect in 2019.
“The people who have been on the fence, now knowing the tax law is coming into effect, is causing them to take the plunge. We have been getting plenty of calls [from them] …,” says Adam D. Citron, senior counsel at New York-based Davidoff, Hutcher & Citron. “For many, this was the final nail in the coffin.” Across the country in California, Jennifer Riemer, a partner in Walzer Melcher, is seeing the same thing. The alimony change has “definitely had an effect,” she says. “Clients who are even a little bit financially savvy have been asking about it.”
Clinton, Podesta And Others In Senate Crosshairs Over Dossier; Given Two Weeks To Respond
GOP Congressional investigators have written six letters to individuals or entities involved or thought to be involved in the funding, creation or distribution of the salacious and unverified "Trump-Russia dossier" believed to have been inappropriately used by the FBI, DOJ and Obama Administration in an effort to undermine Donald Trump as both a candidate and President of the United States.
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SCS) wrote six Judiciary Committee letters requesting information from: John Podesta, Donna Brazille, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Robbie Mook, the DNC, and Hillary For America Chief Strategist Joel Benenson.
A brief refresher of facts and allegations:
The DNC and Hillary Clinton's PAC was revealed by The Washington Post to have paid opposition research firm Fusion GPS for the creation of a dossier that would be harmful to then-candidate Donald Trump.
Fusion commissioned former UK spy Christopher Steele to assemble the dossier - which is comprised of a series of memos relying largely on Russian government sources to make allegations against Donald Trump and his associates.
According to court filings, Fusion also worked with disgraced DOJ official Bruce Ohr, and hired his CIA-linked wife, Nellie Ohr, to assist in the smear campaign against Trump. Bruce Ohr was demoted from his senior DOJ position after it was revealed that he met with Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson as well as Christopher Steele - then tried to cover it up.
Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, denied under oath to the Senate Intelligence Committee that he knew about the dossier's funding, while Clinton's former spokesman, Brian Fallon, told CNN that Hillary likely had no idea who paid for it either.
Current and past leaders of the DNC, including Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) also denied knowledge of the document's funding.
The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring
Supervisory Partnership Specialist
Space Leasing Representative
For ALL positions you MUST APPLY THROUGH WWW.USAJOBS.GOV and read the entire vacancy announcement on specific directions to apply. Direct links are provided on the flyer attached or you can copy and paste the link into your web browser.
We encourage candidates to not be discouraged to apply to these positions based off the title, because sometimes qualifications and skills listed in the job description are similar to other type of positions that you have had in the past or currently.
Please ensure to read the announcements thoroughly and customize your resume for whichever position you are applying for. Applying for a federal government position isn't the same as applying for traditional jobs where you only need a 1 page resume, a little more is required.
For questions or an example of customizing your resume for a specific position, you can visit the help center or request help through the USAjobs website or call 1-844-507-2020.
A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency listed on the vacancy announcement for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Feel free to share this information with colleagues, friends, family members or anyone you think may be interested.
Illinois Unveils Another Shocker: Sell A Record $107 Billion In Debt To Fund Insolvent Pensions
If there is such a thing as financial hell, it is probably Greece... with Illinois coming in close second.
For those unfamiliar, here's a quick recap: Illinois (rate just one notch above junk) is drowning under a mountain of debt, unpaid bills and underfunded pension liabilities and it's largest city, Chicago, is suffering from a staggering outbreak of violent crime not seen since gang wars engulfed major cities from LA to New York in the mid-90's, while rising taxes have prompted a mass exodus with the state lost 1 resident every 4.3 minutes in 2017.
Here is just a small taste of some of our recent posts on Illinois' challenges:
Illinois Pension Funding Ratio Sinks To 37.6% As Unfunded Liabilities Surge To $130 Billion
Illinois Unpaid Vendor Backlog Hits A New Record At Over $16 Billion
Illinois Lost 1 Resident Every 4.3 Minutes In 2017, Dropped To 6th Most Populous State
The State Of Illinois Is "Past The Point Of No Return"
"What The Hell Is Going On In Chicago" And Other Highlights From Trump's Speech To FBI Grads
Seen in this light, any irrational actions undertaken by the near-insolvent state would almost make sense, if not be expected. Actually make that irrational and utterly bizarre, such as a proposed offering of a mind-blowing $107 billion in debt - a never before attempted amount in the world of munis - to "fund" the state's insolvent pension system, which would also assure that Illinois would default (even faster) in the very near future.
According to Bloomberg, Illinois lawmakers are so desperate to shore up the state’s massively underfunded retirement system that "they’re willing to entertain an eye-popping wager: Borrowing $107 billion and letting it ride in the financial markets."
If that number sounds oddly large, is because it is: an offering of this size would be by far the biggest debt sale in the history of the municipal market, and amount to roughly 50% more debt than bankrupt Puerto Rico accumulated in the run up to its record-setting insolvency.
Putting the proposed deal in context, Illinois had $26.3 billion of general-obligation bonds as of July and the state sold $750 million of bonds in November to pay down unpaid bills that had accumulated during its two-year budget impasse. The state still has $8 billion of unpaid bills even after that issuance, according to the comptroller’s office
VIDEO: Hillary Clinton Thanks 'Activist B*tches Supporting B*tches'
Former 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton thanked “activist bitches supporting bitches” for supporting the Resistance.
HuffPost commentator Alex Mohajer posted video footage of Clinton’s comments on Twitter Friday.
“Hey everyone, I just wanted to say thanks,” Clinton said in the video. “Thanks for your feminism, for your activism, and all I can hope is you keep up the really important, good work.”
Off camera, a woman can be heard saying, “Activist bitches supporting bitches,” a phrase Clinton repeated on camera moments later.
Clinton-Connected Saudi Billionaire Released From Captivity Amid Corruption Crackdown
Alwaleed bin Talal freed after reaching undisclosed settlement with the Crown Prince
Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was released from detention on Saturday, family sources said, more than two months after he was taken into custody in the kingdom’s sweeping crackdown on corruption.
His release came hours after he told Reuters in an interview at Riyadh’s opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel that he expected to be cleared of any wrongdoing and be freed within days.
The terms of his release were not immediately clear, and Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
But the decision to free him, and the release of several other well-known tycoons on Friday, suggested the main part of the corruption probe was winding down after it sent shockwaves through Saudi Arabia’s business and political establishment.
Foss: "Is The Trump Revolution Over?"
A year after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, analysts and commentators are assessing both his performance in the first year of his presidency as well as the outlook for the remainder of his first term. Entering office as a surprise winner and a political neophyte, many people didn’t know just what to expect from Trump. Would he do what he pledged to do as a candidate, or was his campaign rhetoric just a lot of hot air to bamboozle enough people into voting for him?
One of Trump’s most popular promises was to “drain the swamp” and, while the President has tried to make some strides in that respect over the past year, there are concerning signs that any swamp draining may be coming to an end.
Personnel Is Policy
One of the primary rules in politics is “personnel is policy.” What a politician says he’ll do is less important than who he hires to implement his policies. In many cases, the people he hires may not agree with his policies and may work to surreptitiously (or not so surreptitiously) undermine and co-opt him. We certainly see this on Capitol Hill all the time, where class after class of freshman Congressmen enters Congress pledging to fix the way Congress works. Yet time after time they get corrupted by the system in Washington. Why is that? It’s because of the people they hire.
Coming into office often with no experience of how things operate in DC, they rely on their respective party apparatuses to staff their offices. They’ll hire Hill veterans as their chiefs of staff and legislative directors, staffers who are more concerned with the future of their careers and who consequently do everything they can not to upset party leadership so that they can maintain their ability to work on the Hill and work the government/lobbying revolving door. We’re seeing much the same thing happening in the White House today too, asTrump continues to hire establishment Republicans who wouldn’t be out of place in a Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, or John McCain White House.
Son: Stay of execution hard for slain officer's family
The son of a slain Alabama police officer said Friday that his father should not be forgotten as the US Supreme Court and media focus on legal wrangling over whether his father's killer is competent to be executed.
Justices on Thursday halted the lethal injection of Alabama inmate Vernon Madison, 67, as they decide whether to review claims that executing him would violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
Attorneys for Madison said stroke-induced dementia has rendered him unable to remember shooting Mobile police officer Julius Schulte in the head in 1985.
Michael Schulte, the slain officer's son, said Friday that last-minute execution stays - the second Madison has received within two years - have been difficult for his family and mean 'this tragedy isn't finished.'
One Baltimore Neighborhood Has The Highest Vacancy Rate In America
The implosion of America’s inner cities is creating the real “shitholes,” and should be on everyone’s radar - not Haiti. In Baltimore, Maryland, decades of deindustrialization and 50-years of democratically controlled leadership has turned the city into a failed liberal experiment, with a homicide rate on par with Venezuela, a country that is suffering from an economic collapse.
In 2017, Baltimore’s population crashed to a 100-year low, as Baltimorans have finally discovered that the gentrification narrative by Kevin Plank, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Maryland Medical Center could be a distant pipedream. The fact is, the millennial generation is quickly leaving as violent crime has turned Baltimore into America’s most dangerous city.
Breaking down the racial wealth divide in Baltimore, the figures are truly shocking. When it comes to education, health, and wealth inequalities, Baltimore has the most extensive gaps in the United States. African Americans make up a majority of the total population coming in at 63 percent of 614,000.
Trump Successfully Infuriates Both Republicans And Democrats With "Dreamer" Proposal
Just one day after the White House reversed its position on naturalizing young illegal immigrants, unveiling a proposal late on Thursday to double the number of Dreamers the US would accept in exchange for billions in Wall funding, President Trump said on Friday that Republican senators - even those who have taken a tough approach to immigration such as Tom Cotton, John Cornyn and David Perdue - could agree to the unexpected proposal to offer citizenship within 10 to 12 years to so-called “Dreamers.”
“They’ve really shifted a lot, and I think they’re willing to shift more, and so am I,” the Republican president told CNBC in an interview from Davos. “We’re going to see. If we make the right deal, I think they will.”
The problem is that while a handful of republicans were happy with Trump's plan, many more were not even as the elephant in the room - or rather the donkey - remained the democrats. As we said yesterday, the fate of Trump's proposal - and by extension whether or not the government is shut down again on February 8 should there be no immigration deal - "depends on the Democrats' response which is yet to come."
And, as it turns out, early indications are not looking good, because as The Hill reports, Trump's immigration plan has slammed into heavy opposition on and off Capitol Hill, suggesting the much-anticipated framework has failed to move the needle as a bipartisan group of senators try to negotiate a deal.
While Trump is hoping the Senate will draft legislation based on his blueprint (it can be seen here)and introduce it by Feb. 5, just three days before funding for the government runs out, the day-old plan is already taking heavy fire from both the right and the left.
A Viewer Writes: Ahead of The Daily Times again
It's common knowledge among the employees at ECI that there's a SEACRET OPERATION afoot led by the St., DOC. Said operation concerns the closing of the Min-Security annex and the re-focusing of the unit's purpose. The plan is to move the current prisoners to the Main Jail and load the annex with opioid abusers. Also, the food service is to be farmed out to a contractor..whether it means just for the annex or the whole jail is anyone's guess. All this is being done with NO public or employee input. Just about all of the PROMISES made at the meeting (initial construction of the whole facility) have been broken because they were done in secrecy after the fact. I attended this meeting held before a capacity crowd at the Courhouse.
A promise made by Thomas J. Rosasy , one of the top DOC officials was there was NEVER to be over 1850 inmates at ECI. Any guard will tell you there is double that number there and with LESS help. Now the thinking is put more strain in that arena and with the closing of Poplar Hill it's just crazy. I've leaked this information to the County Commissioners. Never the less it seems the State is going ahead as planned. It seems that when the world takes a crap the thinking is to send it to the Eastern Shore.
Please make this public. Bob Aswell
Hillary Clinton Refuses To Apologize For Not Firing Adviser Accused Of Harassment
We wonder how many painstaking hours Hillary Clinton's focus group spent drafting this dumpster fire of a non-apology apology...
In possibly the most tone-deaf response to a "#MeToo" moment since the movement first emerged late last year, Clinton responded to a story about her protecting an adviser accused of sexual harassment with one of the most insincere, tone-deaf and downright baffling explanations in the history of Twitter.
First, Clinton claimed that the young woman - still unnamed - who first reported being harassed by Clinton "spiritual adviser" Burns Strider "was heard" and "had her concerns taken seriously..." (though the facts would suggest the opposite)...
✔@HillaryClinton
A story appeared today about something that happened in 2008. I was dismayed when it occurred, but was heartened the young woman came forward, was heard, and had her concerns taken seriously and addressed.
10:21 PM - Jan 26, 2018
...Then she said she "called her today to tell her how proud I am of her and to make sure she knows what all women should: we deserve to be heard!"
Heard, that is, but still ignored...
Black Americans the Most Supportive of Dramatically Reducing Legal Immigration Levels
Black Americans are the most supportive group in the United States of dramatically lower legal immigration levels, down from where the U.S. currently admits more than 1 million legal immigrants a year, a new poll reveals.
According to a detailed Harvard-Harris poll, black Americans are more likely than any other demographic group to support lower yearly legal immigration levels, down to a fourth of current immigration levels.
When asked, “In your opinion, about how many legal immigrants should be admitted to the U.S. each year,” 48 percent of black Americans said they would like to see between only one and 250,000 legal immigrants brought to the U.S. a year.
Black Americans have been disproportionately impacted by mass immigration to the U.S., researchers say, as they were replaced by Hispanics in 2004 as the largest minority group in the country.
Center for Immigration Studies Director of Research Steven Camarota’s 2008 testimony before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission found that immigration had specifically impacted the poor and working-class black American men.
"It Just Gets Worse And Worse": A Record 32% Of Used Car Trade-Ins Are Underwater
We have frequently written about the unsustainable trends in new car sales in the United States created by the combination of lower rates, easing underwriting standards and voracious demand for new securitizations by wall street and pension funds that will do just about anything for an extra 20bps of yield.
This week we find that according to the latest Edmunds' data, many of the same problems also afflict the used auto market. The most startling takeaway from the report is that the percentage of used cars being traded in with negative equity values - which means that dealers lenders are willing to accept an immediate loss for new transactions - continues to rise and currently stands at an all-time high 32.4%, up from under 20% in 2009. Moreover, the average balance of the negative equity also continues to rise and stood at a record $5,130 last year, up over a quarter from $4,075 a decade earlier.
Illegals commit crimes at double the rate of native-born: Study
The crime rate among illegal immigrants in Arizona is twice that of other residents, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday, citing a new report based on conviction data.
The report, from the Crime Prevention Research Center, used a previously untapped set of data from Arizona that detailed criminal convictions and found that illegal immigrants between 15 and 35 are less than 3 percent of the state’s population, but nearly 8 percent of its prison population.
And the crimes they were convicted of were, on the whole, more serious, said John R. Lott Jr., the report’s author and president of the research center.
His findings also challenge the general narrative that immigrants commit fewer crimes. Those past studies usually don’t look at legal versus illegal populations, Mr. Lott said.
Mr. Lott said the Arizona data is able to peek behind that curtain, and the differences between the populations were stark..
Trump Security Team Sees Building US 5G Network as Option
President Donald Trump's national security team is looking at options to counter the threat of China spying on U.S. phone calls that include the government building a super-fast 5G [5th Generation] wireless network, a senior administration official said on Sunday.
The official, confirming the gist of a report from Axios.com, said the option was being debated at a low level in the administration and was six to eight months away from being considered by the president himself.
The 5G network concept is aimed at addressing what officials see as China's threat to U.S. cyber security and economic security.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a harder line on policies initiated by predecessor Barack Obama on issues ranging from Beijing's role in restraining North Korea to Chinese efforts to acquire U.S. strategic industries.
Earlier this month, AT&T was forced to scrap a plan to offer its customers handsets built by China's Huawei after some members of Congress lobbied against the idea with federal regulators, sources told Reuters.
Woman alleges sexual harassment at Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
WASHINGTON - “It’s really ugly and it’s something that really needs to be uncovered and dealt with head on.”
That is what Sherree Lee said she is doing. She is revealing what she calls a systemic cover up for misconduct and sexual harassment in the workplace. It is an experience that is now personal for her.
“He’s standing in front of me with his penis in my face, his pants and he grabs me by the back of my hair and he pulls my head forward towards his penis,” Lee said.
Lee is a retired Prince George's County police officer. She currently works at an office park as a polygraph examiner for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The alleged incident happened back in January 2017 and she said she reported it immediately.
Happening Tomorrow
Dershowitz: I Wouldn't Have Campaigned for Obama If I Knew About Farrakhan Photo
Saturday 0n Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” Havard law professor Alan Dershowitz reacted to a photograph of President Barack Obama posing with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
At the time, Obama was a state senator, and according to Dershowitz, had he known Obama had posed with Farrakhan, he wouldn’t have supported him in his initial 2008 bid for the White House.
“Louis Farrakhan is a virulent anti-Semite,” he said. “He’s called Judaism a ‘gutter religion.’ He’s anti-American.”
Is Smoking Pot While Pregnant Safe For The Baby?
Two-year old Maverick Hawkins sits on a red plastic car in his grandmother's living room in the picturesque town of Nevada City, Calif., in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. His playpal Delilah Smith, a fellow 2-year old, snacks on hummus and cashews and delights over the sounds of her Princess Peppa stuffie.
It's playtime for the kids of the provocatively named Facebook group "Pot Smoking Moms Who Cuss Sometimes."
Maverick's mother, Jenna Sauter, started the group after he was born. "I was a new mom, a young mom — I was 22 — and I was just feeling really lonely in the house, taking care of him," she says. She wanted to reach out to other mothers but didn't want to hide her marijuana use.
"I wanted friends who I could be open with," Sauter says — "like I enjoy going to the river and I like to maybe smoke a joint at the river."
Trump Ignores DOJ Warning, Notifies Sessions He Wants FISA Memo Released
President Trump broke with the Department of Justice last week by calling for the release of a four-page "FISA memo" purportedly summarizing widespread surveillance absues by the FBI, DOJ and Obama Administration, reports the Washington Post.
The President's desire was relayed to Attorney General Jeff Sessions by White House Chief-of-Staff John Kelly last Wednesday - putting the Trump White House at odds with the DOJ - which said that releasing the classified memo written by congressional republicans "extraordinarily reckless" without allowing the Department of Justice to first review the memo detailing its own criminal malfeasance during and after the 2016 presidential election.
The decision to release the memo ultimately lies with congress.
College Students React to Trump's SOTU Address ... Before It Happens
Campus Reform's Cabot Phillips visited New York University last week to ask students what they thought about President Trump's first official State of the Union address.
The only problem? The speech hasn't happened yet.
That didn't stop students from condemning Trump's address, with some calling it "offensive" and "ridiculous."
On "Fox & Friends First" on Monday, Phillips said he was not surprised by the reflexively anti-Trump responses, given the current political environment on college campuses across the country.
Byron York: Justice Department withholds majority of FBI texts
The Justice Department has given Congress less than 15 percent of the texts between FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page – and that is all Congress is likely to get, at least until department experts finish an effort to recover an unknown number of previously lost texts that were sent and received during a key five-month period during the Trump-Russia investigation.
There is much confusion over some basic facts of the Strzok-Page texts. How many are there? How many relate to the two most politically-charged investigations in years, the Trump-Russia probe and the Hillary Clinton email investigation? How many have been turned over to Congress? And how many are left to be turned over to Congress?
Mollie Hemingway Talks Classified Memo
When the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence votes to release the classified intelligence memo, according to one journalist, it will be because the committee found such disconcerting practices by intelligence officials that the public has a right to know.
Mollie Ziegler Hemingway — a senior editor at The Federalist and Fox News contributor who spoke with The Daily Caller New Foundation — discussed how the media narrative is collapsing with new facts showing the misbehavior of certain FBI officials. Besides not showing any collusion, we can now look back to see “inappropriate” briefings by intelligence officials of the Congress using this discredited information.
Hemingway calls the use of the dossier to obtain surveillance on Trump administration officials a “scandal of epic proportions.” In addition, America is also learning of the post-election whisper campaign to delegitimize President Donald Trump.
Sperry: FBI/DOJ and Mueller "Gonna be in a World of Hurt" Once Explosive FISA Memo Goes Public
Chairman Nunes compiled a 4 page memo detailing the FISA abuse that took place under the Obama administration.
The phony Hillary-funded Russia dossier was used to obtain FISA warrants in order to spy on the Trump campaign during the 2016 election.
Every House member who has viewed the FISA memo is in shock; Americans are demanding the FISA memo be released to the public.
Democrat hack Adam Schiff is panicking and created a ‘counter-FISA’ memo in order to combat Nunes.
Paul Sperry, reporter for The New York Post said his sources are telling him the FBI, DOJ and even FISC (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court) are all gonna be in a world of hurt once the 4 page memo is made public.
Wicomico Board of Ed Buys Property
Why would they buy this?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/31453-Old-Ocean-City-Rd-Salisbury-MD-21804/37698374_zpid/
31453 Old Ocean City Rd, Salisbury, MD 21804-1810, Wicomico County
Owner Name: Wicomico Cnty Board Of Educati Mailing Zip: 21804
Mailing Address: 101 Long Ave Mailing Address ZIP + 4 Code: 5045
Mailing Address City & State: Salisbury, MD Owner Occupied: No
School District: 2400690 Parcel: 270
Subdivision: Winter Place Residential Park Census Tract: 106.03
MLS Area: 23-02 WICOMICO CO NE Property Zip Code: 21804
Lot/Unit: 1 Property Zip4: 1810
Map: 39 Property Carrier Route: R008
Grid: 4
Legal Description: BL-A L-1 1.78AC 31453 OLD OCEAN CITY RD WINTER PLACE RES PK SEC1
District-Acct #: 05-107237 Section: A
District: 05 % Improved: 81%
Acct #: 107237
Assessment & Tax
Assessment Year 2017 2016 2015
Assessed Value - Total $190,500 $188,700 $184,400
Assessed Value - Land $36,900
Assessed Value - Improved $151,800
Market Value - Total $194,100 $188,700 $188,700
Market Value - Land $36,900 $36,900 $36,900
Market Value - Improved $157,200 $151,800 $151,800
YOY Assessed Change ($) $1,800 $4,300
YOY Assessed Change (%) 0.95% 2.33%
Tax Year Total Tax Change ($) Change (%)
2016 $2,021
2017 $2,067 $46 2.26%
2018 $2,064 -$3 -0.16%
Lot Acres: 1.78 Bedrooms: MLS: 6
Lot Area: 77,537 Total Baths: 2
Land Use - State: Residential Full Baths: 2
Land Use - CoreLogic: SFR Half Baths: MLS: 1
Building Type: Single Family Basement Type: MLS: Concrete Slab
Year Built: 1990 Water: Individual
Building Sq Ft: 4,096 Sewer: Individual
Main Area: 2,048 Heat Type: Hot Air
Above Gnd Sq Ft: 4,096 Cooling Type: Split System
Gross Area: 4,096 Roof Material: Composition Shingle
Stories: 2 Exterior: Aluminum/Vinyl
Building Description Building Size
A05 4,096
MLS Listing Number: 512704 MLS Current List Price: $199,800
MLS Status: Closed MLS Sale Price: $189,800
MLS Status Change Date: 01/02/2018 MLS Listing Agent: Sonia E Zaffiris (400135)
MLS Listing Date: 09/25/2017 MLS Listing Broker: HILEMAN REAL ESTATE-BERLIN
MLS Sale Date: 12/29/2017 MLS Area: 23-02 WICOMICO CO NORTHEAST
MLS Listing # 500719 496361 387510 368653 368649
MLS Status Cancelled Expired Closed Expired Expired
MLS Listing Date 11/11/2015 04/04/2015 03/20/2003 10/10/2001 10/10/2001
MLS Listing Price $194,700 $249,900 $144,900 $224,900 $224,900
MLS Orig Listing Price $224,900
MLS Close Date 08/12/2003
MLS Listing Close Price $139,000
MLS Listing Cancellation Date 02/15/2017
MLS Listing # 354505
MLS Status Expired
MLS Listing Date 11/20/2000
MLS Listing Price $245,000
MLS Orig Listing Price
MLS Close Date
MLS Listing Close Price
MLS Listing Cancellation Date
Last Market Sale & Sales History
Recording Date 01/03/2018 08/21/2003 08/21/2003 12/16/1997
Sale Date 12/29/2017 08/08/2003 07/10/2003 12/12/1997
Sale Price $189,800 $139,000 $112,500 $50,000
Buyer Name Wicomico Cnty Board Of Educati Moore Ginger S Securitization Series 1999-1 Price Ernest N
Seller Name Moore Ginger S Manufacturers & Traders Trust Co Bierman Howard N Ruark Thomas H
Document Number 4274-3 2115-291 2115-289 1576-261 1317-245
Document Type Deed (Reg) Special Warranty Deed Trustee Deed Deed (Reg) Deed (Reg)
Title Company Attorney Only Attorney Only Attorney Only Other
Mortgage History
Mortgage Date 08/21/2003 12/16/1997
Mortgage Amount $104,250 $40,000
Mortgage Lender Union Planters Bk
Mortgage Type Conventional Private Party Lender
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Solar Cookers International Associates, Individuals, Costa Rica,
Shyam Nandwani
View English desktop version -- Español, Ελληνικά, Français, German, Hausa, Hebrew, Igbo, Bahasa Indonesia, Italiano, Kiswahili, Kreyòl, Kurdî, Malagasy, Melayu, Монгол, Português, Русский, Română, Soomaaliga, Tagalog, Türkçe, Việt, Yorùbá, አማርኛ, தமிழ், नेपाली, 中文, اردو, 한국어, 日本語, العربية, فارسی, हिन्दी, ไทย, বাংলা, తెలుగు, עברית, ગુજરાતી, ລາວ, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, සිංහල, پښتو, Հայերեն, Հայերեն, ភាសាខ្មែរ, မြန်မာဘာသာ
Professor Nandwani at the Solar Cookers International Network Convention in July, 2014.
Professor Shyam Nandwani is a major researcher in the solar cooking field and Director of the Laboratorio de Energia Solar at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica.
Letter regarding the "Energy Globe Award."
As planned I got the certificate as National Winner (Energy Globe Award) on Monday, April 13. Ufortunately I could not get the World Prize, firstly because some have to lose so that other could win ..., secondly after analysing the other winners (one in each category, Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Youth) I could see that the objective of the prize was to encourage the social projects, means the implementation of the device (in some rural area. It was more important than the research.
I am attaching some photgraphs. Although I have done lot of dissemination work, and in last thirty years, trained many persons (at least in 10 countries) to make Solar Cookers (mainly) and other solar devices, however at the time of application form, did not stress concrete numbers of cookers made directly under my instructions. The five winners (out of 110) did that.
Shyam S. Nandwani recieving the "Energy Globe Award"
Maybe I will try again after two years, taking the award objective into consideration.
Once again I am thankful to Solar Cookers International (beng ex Board Member during 1990- 1997), Fraunhoffer Solar Energy Institue, (Sabattical during March- Aug.1996), IITAP (Sabbatical during Sept. 1996- Feb. 1997), RICSA (Member, during 1998- 2002) and ICTP (attending many courses on Solar Energy since 1977 and Associate Member during 1986- 2007) for getting the training and exchanging information with other research workers.
On the other hand I am pleased to inform that recently there was a competetion among university researchers to buy some equipments. Money was limited and there were many applicants. Recently I am informed that I got US$25,000 to buy new equipments for my laboratory. This will really be great help in the quality and ease of data measurements.
With best regards
Shyam S. Nandwani
Prof. Universidad Nacional
UNA, Heredia
News Edit
September 2017: A former board member of SCI, and representing solar cooking, Shyam Nandwani, Ph.D., was one of the keynote speakers at the 2nd International Conference on Advances in Energy and Environmental Research (ICAREE 2017) held in Guangzhou, China, 11-13 August 2017. There were about 40 participants, mainly from China, the rest from Taiwan, Indonesia, England, and Dr. Nandwani from Costa Rica.
Shyam Nandwani conducts a workshop on non-cooking uses for solar cookers in Costa Rica.
September 2014: Shyam Nandwani spoke at the Promesa at Santa Ana organization, lecturing on Solar Energy and Productive uses with solar devices, and assembeled Box Solar Oven about heated/cooked meals. The objective was to learn how solar cookers and other solar devices could be used for other purposes, and the end product could be sold. For instance, heating sandwiches, making candles, drying herbs etc. by using clean, free and abundant fuel- the Sun. The group now have the basic concepts and some possible uses. They plan to submit a proposal/project to get seed money (around $2,000 USD) to buy some materials, tools to start a small buisness and use part of the income to make the project sustainable.
Professor Nandwani (right) receiving the Energy Globe Silver Medal of Honor in 2014.
August 2014: Professor Nandwani was recognized by the Energy Globe Foundation for his work as Energy Globe Ambassador for Costa Rica since 2012 and awarded the Energy Globe Silver Medal of Honor.
School lunches are warmed in solar ovens at schools in Costa Rica.
November 2012: Solar Ovens used to warm lunches at educational centers - Due to electric rationing imposed by local Costarican Electricity utility company in January 1979, Shyam Nandwani made the first solar oven for his family in Feb. 1979, to warm the lunch cooked previous night. Shyam has observed the rising demand of our solar ovens at educational institutes to warm the lunch for the students at schools and colleges etc. According to school directors, the reason is to reduce the queue for using microwave ovens as well to reduce the electric bill for the institute and promote environmental culture for the students as well as also for the parents. Read the article - Shyam Nandwani
January 2010: Last year, Professor Nandwani was interviewed at BBC London studios (Latin Section) about solar cookers, which was followed by a report on their website in February 2009. He was also interviewed on the radio in Venezuela, and on Taiwan television talking about the benefits of solar cooking. A high-point for Shyam came in April 2009, when he received the Energy Globe Award at a ceremony in Prague, Czech Republic on national TV.
January 2009: Solar Food Processing - Authors Experience With Cooking and Drying in Costa Rica - Shyam Nandwani
July 2006: Varieties of Solar Cooker Devices and Uses - Shyam Nandwani
Documents Edit
January 2017: Promotional Activities of Solar Cooking in Costa Rica and Other Latin American Countries—It's Necessary but with Proper Actions - Shyam Nandwani
Audio and video Edit
April 2018: Video of Dr. Nandwani showing his various solar cookers explaining how they work
Dr. Shyam Nandwani - Promotional Activities of Solar Cooking in Costa Rica and Other Countries
Nandwani Solar Food warmers for Educational Centres in Costa Rica
Contact Edit
Shyam S. Nandwani, Ph. D.
Lab. de Energia Solar, Departmento de Fisica
Campus Omar Dengo
Apdo 728, Heredia 3000
Tel: (506) 22773482 or 22773345
Email: snandwan@una.ac.cr or snandwan@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.una.ac.cr/fisica/energiasolar.htm and http://doctornandwanisolarcook.org
Retrieved from "https://solarcooking.fandom.com/wiki/Shyam_Nandwani?oldid=117986"
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Virat Kohli Feels Test Championship Will Make Batsmanship Harder
বাংলায় পড়ুন
The first Test against the West Indies will mark India's start to their quest of winning the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship.
Edited by Samrat Chakraborty
Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle. © AFP
Indian skipper Virat Kohli feels the inception of Test Championship will add purpose to the longest format of the game. With India set to begin their journey in the inaugural edition of the Test Championship later this week, Virat Kohli will look to help his side lay down the marker. The 30-year-old also feels Test Championship will make batsmanship even more harder as it will result into larger scheme of things. "The games are going to be much more competitive and it brings a lot of purpose to the Test matches you play. It's the right move and at the absolute right time," Kohli said during the West Indies Players Association awards night on Monday.
The first edition of the World Test Championship will see the teams -- Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies -- fight for top honours across 71 Test matches in 27 series over the next two years.
"People have been talking about Test cricket not being relevant or dying down. For me, the competition has gone up two-fold in the last couple of years.
"It's up to the players to take the challenge and go for victories. That's going to be the essence of this Test Championship as well. There will hardly be any boring draws, there will be exciting draws, because everyone will want those extra points," he explained.
India will open their account in the World Test Championship against the West Indies on Thursday.
"I don't think us batsmen have lived up to the standard," Kohli said, urging the batsmen to step up to the plate.
"Batsmanship will always be hard at the Test level, but even harder now with the Championship where every decision you make counts in the larger scheme of things," he added.
Topics mentioned in this article India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team West Indies vs India 2019 Cricket
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Ghana progress at Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations
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South Africans pin hopes on rugby win to lift gloom of troubled country
Ayanda Khuli November 1, 2019
Many dream of the Springboks repeating success of 1995 World Cup to give nation a morale boost
The beers are on ice, the traditional spiced sausages bought, the barbecue coals stacked, and government advisories on the rules of the game circulated on social media.
“Of course I’m watching. I’ll be at home, with friends and my husband. It’s a big day for us … for all South Africans,” said Adelaide Mahlangu, 25, a grocery manager in Johannesburg.
When Siya Kolisi leads 14 other players on to the pitch at Yokohama’s International Stadium on Saturday, many will be thinking of another South African captain who led the national team in rugby’s World Cup 24 years ago.
The moment when Francois Pienaar received the Webb Ellis cup from Nelson Mandela, the Nobel peace prize-winner and South Africa’s then president, symbolised a new and hopeful future for a country shattered by decades of rule by a repressive, racist apartheid regime.
Now, many in the rainbow nation are hoping that the Springboks can win again, and give a similar boost to their troubled and disillusioned country.
“Everyone is desperate for a victory here, perhaps even more so than in 1995. People are so desperate for some good news. Defeat might feel like another body blow,” said Daniel Gallan, a South African sports journalist.
There has been much progress since the dark days of apartheid, but South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world, with disproportionate wealth in the hands of the white minority. Violent crime is a serious problem, with poor people most likely to be victims. There is deep public frustration with soaring joblessness, patchy delivery of basic services and widespread corruption.Advertisement
Last week Tito Mboweni, the finance minister, forecast cuts and soaring debt. The dreams of 1995 appear very distant.
Many of the new hopes are now focused on Kolisi, the Springboks’ first non-white captain.
“If the team was captained by a white guy, we wouldn’t even be talking about how this [match] would reunite the country but because he’s a black guy in a shirt that has meant so many different things at so many different times … his story is a microcosm of the positivity of new South Africa,” said Gallan.
The history of rugby in South Africa – described as “the sporting embodiment of white minority rule” – touches many of the most sensitive issues in a nation where historic grievances are still powerful.
Harsh restrictions on non-white players under apartheid led to international bans and South Africa was excluded from the first two Rugby World Cups. In 1995, the team that Pienaar led to victory in the final included just one black player. In 2007, when South Africa won again, there were two.
On Saturday, the team’s coach, Rassie Erasmus, is set to field a team with at least seven black players, possibly more. He has described his squad as a celebration of “so many different cultures, players, languages”. None of his players are old enough to clearly remember the apartheid era and several were born after it ended.
“The Boks have more supporters now than when Mandela was alive,” said Sylvester Clinton, an unemployed resident of Bonteheuwel, near Cape Town.
Like many of his compatriots, Clinton, 47, sees Kolisi’s astonishing career as evidence of the ongoing transformation of South Africa.
Kolisi grew up in deep poverty but was spotted by scouts and won a rugby scholarship to a prestigious school with a record of producing sporting stars. In 2007 he could not afford a television and watched the World Cup in a pub in the poor township in Eastern Cape province where he grew up. Married to a white woman, Kolisi has two mixed-race children and has legally adopted his two half siblings.
“I don’t shy away from where I have come from and I’m aware that my story is a typical South African story in some ways. It’s my motivation,” Kolisi, 28, told the Guardian last year . “I tell my team-mates that you should never play just to represent one group. You can’t play to be the best black player or to be the best white player to appeal to a community; you have to play to be the best for every South African. We represent something much bigger than we can imagine.”
Kolisi’s appointment as captain prompted Desmond Tutu, one of the best known and loved leaders of the struggle against apartheid, to praise “a wonderful achievement that … speaks to the hope we felt 24 years ago that we were developing a special society in which the cream would rise to the top regardless of colour or class.”
But recent weeks have been marred by rows over alleged racism – one involving Kolisi’s friend and teammate Eben Etzebeth which has led to an investigation by the South African Human Rights Commission – and the example of Kolisi has been criticised as misleading by some prominent commentators.
“The inspirational message is that excellence and flourishing are possible end-goals within anyone’s reach regardless of the circumstances of your early childhood … That’s a seductive lie,” wrote Eusebius McKaiser, a well-known radio presenter.
Ralph Mathegka, a political commentator, said South Africa was “so divided and so cynical” that any relief from a victory would only be temporary, noting that where once criticism of black players came from conservative voices within the white community, particularly those angered by quotas designed to increased diversity in the squad, it now came from those who saw them as “selling out”.
Yet the interest in the sport and the support for the Springboks is difficult to ignore. Once it would have been almost inconceivable that any one in Gugelethu, a poor township on the outskirts of Cape Town, would turn out to cheer on the national side.
On Saturday, Siyabulela Villem, a security guard, will be watching the game with many other residents.
“When Kolisi was made captain I felt proud, but I was even prouder when he led the team to the final,” the 39-year-old said. “The Boks are representative of all of us now.”
This article was published by The Guardian,
and written by Jason Burke.
If you are the owner or have the rights to this material and want it unpublished from Sports Daily Africa please contact us by clicking here.
Kolisi
Ayanda Khuli
The name is Ayanda and the game is sports, and I am crazy about sports. I gather all the best sports articles that I can find across my favourite news sites and add them here in one place for you to enjoy.
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Terry Linen
The Biggest Reggae One Drop Anthems 2008
ReggaeDancehallLovers rockTerry linenSoul
Terry Linen is easily one of reggae music's greatest talents to have emerged in the new millennium. Blessed with a brilliantly distinctive voice, this diminutive singer has cemented a place in the hearts of reggae lovers worldwide with his hit songs, with their haunting melodies and wonderful songwriting.
Born Kiplin Simpson, Linen grew up in the district of Red Bank, where he attended the Red Bank Primary and Red Bank High schools. Being the first child for his mother Read Full BioTerry Linen is easily one of reggae music's greatest talents to have emerged in the new millennium. Blessed with a brilliantly distinctive voice, this diminutive singer has cemented a place in the hearts of reggae lovers worldwide with his hit songs, with their haunting melodies and wonderful songwriting.
Born Kiplin Simpson, Linen grew up in the district of Red Bank, where he attended the Red Bank Primary and Red Bank High schools. Being the first child for his mother, his grandparents raised him, while his mother went out to hustle to put food on the table for him and his five siblings. In his early years, Linen’s father migrated to England. Eventually, Terry moved from the quiet district of Red Bank, to the sleepy bustle of Mandeville, to live with his mother who had remarried.
After graduating from school, Linen hooked up with the legendary Black Kat sound system where he cut dubs. It was during those inspirational Black Panther days, that Linen became good friends with local artistes who were on the rise, including General Degree, Tony Rebel and Garnet Silk, who had a tremendous influence on the impressionable singer. Linen also met two of the most influential people of his career, Tyrone Taylor & Courtney Melody. Eventually, Linen's close bond with General Degree began to pay dividends, as Degree invited Linen to the studio with him on several occasions, introducing him to influential movers and shakers in the music business. In the meantime, Linen also met a wealthy local bus owner from Southfield, St. Elizabeth called 'Million' who persuaded him to join his sound of the same name, where he went on to cut the tune Sweet Cassandra on Million's own label. It was not until 1996, when he recorded Rainbow Never Touch the Ground on the Kutchie rhythm for producer/songwriter Anthony Red Roze that people began to take notice of the young singer. After moderate success with this song, Anthony Red Roze began to take on the mantle as Terry Linen's manager.
With Red Roze managing Terry Linen, Linen began to put out numerous reggae gems such as the ultra-popular Couldn't Be the Girl for Me and Jah Jah You Save Me. In 1999, he recorded his monster hit, a cover of Whitney Houston's Your Love Is My Love. On this project, Linen received assistance from the musicians Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Gitsy, Jazzwad and Dean Fraser. Your Love Is My Love hit the top of the reggae charts in Miami, and in New York for 12 straight weeks. The song also hit reggae charts in the Caribbean.
With all that chart success, Terry Linen had still not become a household name. "The problem is", said Linen, "is that I did not get the proper promotion, even with my hit songs, there was no video done, people did not know me because is not everyone attends stage shows, even though people loved the songs." Later on, on his musical journey, Terry did a collaboration with the German star Gentleman on the single Jah Jah Never Fail, which appeared on Gentleman's 1999 album, Trodding On. Linen then recorded another popular single with Capleton entitled, Love is Coming at You. More and more, Linen would be heard on the radio in Jamaica.
In 2001, Linen’s first full album, self-titled Terry Linen, distributed by VP Records, received rave reviews from music critics and fans. On the strength of this album, Linen toured North America and Japan. He performed on many major stage shows such as True Juice Rebel Salute, Western Consciousness, Stars in Action and the Love Symbol Show. He distinguished himself at the True Juice Rebel Salute show in 2001 earning two encores, with the songs such as Call On A Friend and the perennial crowd favorite, Couldn't Be The Girl For Me. Terry continued to work hard, and in the year 2004, he scored again with his song Counting Hours, which was produced by Beres Hammond's on his Harmony House Records label. This song has been featured on many reggae compilation albums worldwide.
Terry Linen continued working hard, residing in Junction, St. Elizabeth and his beloved Mandeville, in the parish Manchester, Jamaica. Signed to Uplifting Music International in the latter part of 2007, Terry Linen witnessed the rising of his stocks. His new single Mood For Love, was number one on the Richie B Reggae chart for three weeks, and is still getting heavy rotation on FM radio in Jamaica. Internationally, the song No Time To Linger on the Joe Fraser label was number one for three weeks on the South Florida Reggae charts, and also number one on the New York Reggae charts. His new hit single A Better Man, is also the name of his upcoming album. A Better Man is getting heavy rotation all over, and is climbing the Richie B charts. Indeed, Terry Linen has become "a better man", and he continues to grow musically and please his fans. "I can see where my career is moving forward once again, and connecting the right way. I feel like my career is rejuvenated," he said. People, who have been to Jamaica, know first hand how Terry Linen is dominating the airwaves more and more. Destiny is now smiling on the artist Terry Linen, as his songs are loved and embraced by his people in Jamaica, and more and more, the people of the world.
Terry Linen »
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How I Built A Children's Lifestyle Clothing Brand
Ahyoung Kim Stobar
Founder, Joah Love
revenue/mo
Joah Love
joahlove.com
started June 2008
Discover what tools Joah Love is using!
platform Shopify
email Planoly Omnisend
shipping Return Magic Shippo
social media Sprout Social
Discover what books Ahyoung recommends!
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedo... Don Miguel Ruiz
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About M... Robert T. Kiyosaki
Eat That Frog!, Second Edition Lib/E: Twenty-One Great Wa... Brian Tracy
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Hello! Who are you and what business did you start?
My name is Ahyoung Kim Stobar, founder and designer of Joah Love, a children’s lifestyle clothing brand. We make timeless, comfortable casuals for kids - spirited styles that they love to wear, in buttery soft, no-fuss fabrics their parents will love.
Every garment is preshrunk or garment dyed, which means it won’t shrink when you wash it at home. I believe you should never have to sacrifice comfort for style, especially for kids!
Joah Love is available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and over 300 high-end boutiques in the US and Canada, with plans to expand to Europe and Asia. We also recently launched our complete collections direct-to-consumer at joahlove.com, which currently generates more than $40,000 a month and growing. We plan to amplify our online business by launching exclusive products and expanding our adult offerings.
We’re proudly made in the USA, knitting most of our fabrics at local textile companies in Los Angeles - and we have made sustainability a priority for our brand, with plans to release limited edition capsule collections using up-cycled fabrics. I’m very excited about this!
The 2019 Fall/Winter Collection.
What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
After graduating with a degree in Fashion Design at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising), working at fashion brands and designing costumes for TV and film, I began developing product for the Wayans Bros., where we created intellectual properties for kids and teens.
I started JOAH LOVE with my friend Joy, who was a photographer. Joy was a mom of three and felt that there were no cute clothes for kids - so we saw a unique opportunity in the market.
The name “JOAH” was born out of the first two letters of our own names, which was especially fitting; in Korean, it also means to like something, a perfect way to start our brand.
From its start, JOAH LOVE was designed as a high-end collection—full of quality, character and buttery soft fabrics. I’ve always loved garment-dyed clothing and the worn vintage washed down look and feel, and saw it as a natural opportunity for children, who I felt shouldn’t be confined to buttons and hardware. These clothes could be simple, they could pull on and off, ad they could be easy for parents who want something simple to throw in the washer and dryer.
Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing your first product.
I spent most of 2008 reconnecting with my old fabric, dye house and sewing vendors to develop JOAH LOVE’s original sample line - it took six months to sketch out the designs, get color lab dips and work with a pattern maker for the season’s line. I knew I wanted to use the softest fabrics I could find, so I met with a handful of local vendors and ordered sample yardage for the sample line. All of my vendors were welcoming and supportive of me starting my own brand - one of my fabric mills even helped by giving us payment terms when we faced cash flow challenges.
2008, making patterns for my first sample line. To save money, I used to make some of the patterns at home.
In Spring 2008, seeing my first production piece come out of sewing factory.
The initial collection consisted of comfy, oversized unisex styles for girls and boys that I could see myself wearing. The look was minimalist with atypical lines and harem pants. Back then, no one in the U.S. made harem pants, and it took some years for the buyers to understand them.
The majority of kids’ clothing back then were made of primary colors and cheesy graphics, and I always thought to myself that I would never dress my kids like that. I loved neutral colors and didn’t see any sophisticated color palettes in the kid’s market. So the first group was a group of mix and match pieces that were interchangeable and garments dyed with a vintage look and feel.
During our first meetings with potential reps, they pointed out that if kids were able to wear the same size for years, it would limit our sales. They also told us that in the kids’ market, buyers order specifically for boys and girls, so the whole unisex idea was not going to work. These were all valid points, so I went back and completely reworked the collection.
I stayed focused on designing the first season and figured I would find a way to produce the line when we get some orders..Manufacturing at this point wasn’t even on my mind. It truly seemed like a dream just to have a showroom that would agree to represent us.
Describe the process of launching the business.
Once we had our inaugural collection, we went to the California Apparel Mart in downtown Los Angeles and showed the line to three of our top choice showrooms; who all wanted to represent Joah Love. I still remember rolling the suitcase out of our last meeting, squealing with excitement in the elevator and hugging each other. We chose our favorite showroom, AB Spoon, owned by two friends who were moms of two young girls. We just had a good feeling about them, and I’m so proud to say that we are still with them today after 11 years.
AB Spoon Showroom
In 2010, with my first two employees.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
We focus on creating styles that are timeless over trendy. I’m kind of a hoarder of clothing and love to mix and match styles from years ago with new stuff. I’m like the opposite of Marie Kondo, you never know when a piece will “spark joy” in the future, so I hold onto everything. 😉
I wanted parents to be able to mix and match new pieces with old and pass them down to younger siblings - and it’s wonderful to hear them tell me how their third child is now wearing their first child’s clothes because the quality is great and the styles are timeless. We garment dye and pre-shrink all of our clothing, so customers often return knowing that they’re going to enjoy high-quality product that never shrinks and outfits their little ones for many years.
We have wholesale customers who have been ordering from us since 2008, and our direct-to-consumer customers at joahlove.com have been growing since we launched our online store a few years ago. More than half of the people who visited our site in 2019 alone have returned, reflecting the growing strength of our collections and online presence. Instagram has been a huge benefit for showcasing our brand’s designs and connecting with our growing fan base.
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
It’s been a decade since it all started - and through it all, we’ve had a wonderful relationship with small, high end boutiques across the country. They’ve been our bread and butter over the years - and the same boutiques who gave us our first orders back in 2008 still order from us today, for which I’m grateful.
Since we started in my apartment, we’ve outgrown five office locations and we’re running out of space at our current building. I have an incredible team of employees who give JOAH LOVE their all daily and through the years, we’ve become a family.
The future for JOAH LOVE is bright! Customers have been telling us that they’ve been coveting their kids’ wardrobes for years, and this season, we’re going to make a collection just for them with the launch of a new line for adults. It will include Mommy + Me and Daddy + Me collections, complementary clothing for parents and their kids.
We’re also making sustainable clothing a top priority, incorporating upcycled fabrics into a new capsule line. And we’re in the early stages of exploring clothing options for children with special needs. There’s growing demand for sensory-sensitive apparel to help outfit these children and support their parents, and we’re excited to reenvision how our incredibly soft materials can help these families.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
Every season brings new challenges, and it’s always surprising to see how strong and resilient you can become through the hardships. Always learn from your mistakes. If you’re starting a business with friends, clarify your roles through a clear operating agreement; and as you build a team as your company grows, don’t hesitate to fire those who are keeping your brand from growing and those who poison the company culture. The most important thing is to never quit, to overcome any doubts you have about building your brand. Just keep going!
Look for the things that continue to inspire and motivate you. For me, it’s the knowledge that some of my customers return time and time again to purchase JOAH LOVE for their kids as they grow, and it’s incredibly meaningful to me that their kids are spending their childhood wearing my brand.
The most important asset in any business is to build healthy, long-lasting relationships with your vendors and your team. Stay curious, and try to learn every aspect of your business so you can be a great mentor to others. Be flexible and willing to try new things. That’s the beauty of having your own business; you can maneuver quickly and try new things whenever you want and see immediate results.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
We have been using Shopify for several years now and love it because it’s been easily adaptable to our growing needs.
If we need to change our look and feel, or leverage a new technology add-on, we can do that without impacting the front-end experience. Our preferred set of tools is:
Omnisend for email marketing
Kit for daily updates and retargeting campaigns
Product Discount for advanced markdown and sales capabilities
Shippo + Return Magic for shipping and returns
Planoly for Instagram grid planning
Sprout Social for social media scheduling and analytics
We recently made the switch from MailChimp to Omnisend as Mailchimp was no longer supported in Shopify. We really like the variety of templates and campaigns that can be created, along with wheel of fortune and mystery box discount options for customers.
Our retargeting campaigns with Kit have been really successful, with an average of 13x ROAS over the past two years. We started using Planoly when we realized we needed a planning and visualization tool for Instagram, so we could share posting schedules between team members and refine the aesthetics of our brand.
Sprout has been great for finding the best time to post on each social platform, and to manage all our customer feedback in one place. Their analytics have been extremely helpful to us in assessing our competition and identifying which strategies have been working or not working for us.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
In my 20’s and early 30’s, I’ve read so many self-help books but a few that stand out to me are The Four Agreements, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Eat that Frog!.
I love watching TED Talks and listening to podcasts. Some of my favorites are Second Life by Hillary Kerr, who speaks to women who took risks and pivoted their careers into a completely different business to become very successful. How I Built This with Guy Raz, an NPR show who speaks to entrepreneurs on how they started and built their successful companies. It’s motivating to hear their humble beginnings, failures, and how they overcame their obstacles in their journey to success.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Be resourceful. In the beginning, I had my friends come to my tiny office to help me fold my clothes. You’d be surprised who will show up for you if you just ask!
Focus on the product first and perfect it. Worry about all the back-end business details later. If you worry about every aspect of the company from the beginning, you might talk yourself out of starting. Just go for it and trust that you will figure it out! When I started JOAH LOVE in 2008, I was a designer. Today, I am a businesswoman who also designs.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
I’d love to find a young, creative person who is a master at Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop and loves to take photos, do flat lays and videos, and create social media content. This position could start out as a part-time contractor and eventually turn into a full-time opportunity based on the individual’s capabilities.
Where can we go to learn more?
Website: www.joahlove.com
Facebook: @joahlove
Instagram: @joahlove
Twitter: @joahlove
Pinterest: @joahlove
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!
Ahyoung Kim Stobar, Founder of Joah Love
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Legends articles, Semi-protected articles, Pages with missing permanent archival links,
Capital ship classifications
Star Dreadnoughts
Star Dreadnought
< Star Dreadnought
Revision as of 06:45, June 2, 2017 by Mortemus (Talk | contribs)
This article is about a class of ship. You may be looking for the similarly-named Dreadnaught class.
The Eclipse-class Star Dreadnought gained notoriety for its superlaser.
Star Dreadnought, sometimes spelled Star Dreadnaught, was a formal designation for some of the largest and strongest battleships in the starfleets of regional[1] and galactic governments.[2][3] Under the Anaxes War College System, "Star Dreadnought" referred to any warship in excess of five kilometers in length.[4]
The term "Super Star Destroyer" was also applied colloquially (and sometimes derisively) to some of these ships by the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the Galactic Empire. In these cases, Star Dreadnoughts were noted as being the largest Super Star Destroyers.[3][5] In turn, the lower-case term star dreadnought could be used to describe Super Star Destroyers in general.[6]
Various classes of Star Dreadnoughts were known to have served in the Kuat Drive Yards defense fleets,[1][7] the Republic Navy,[8][2] the Imperial Navy,[3][5][7] the New Republic Defense Fleet[9] and the Galactic Alliance Defense Fleet.[10] Their sizes eclipsed most conventional warships, peaking with the Executor-class at 19 km in length,[3] and the Eclipse-class, with its unequaled mass and weaponry.[6]
During the centuries leading up to the Clone Wars, important and rich galactic sectors were protected by private self-defense forces.[1] The Kuat sector had among its arsenal the eight-kilometer Mandator-class Star Dreadnaught, a class that entered service at some point prior to 39 BBY.[11] They were large battleships equipped with heavy firepower, but had a limited range on their hyperdrives. Mandators were primarily used to protect the valuable Kuat Drive Yards, as well as defend the general sector.[1]
Clone Wars era and beyond
By the start of the Clone Wars, seven of what KDY classified as Star Dreadnoughts were in service: three defended Kuat, while the Azure, Ixtlar, Alsaka and Humbarine sectors had one each.[4]
As the Clone Wars raged, heavier warships as well as increased loyalty were demanded, and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine pushed through legislation that made all home fleets fall under the centralized command of the restored Republic Navy.[12] The Kuat Drive Yards produced the faster, more heavily-armed and -armored Mandator II during this period.[2][13] Three new Mandator IIs were built, while three earlier Mandators were uparmored and refitted. All of them saw use in defending the Core Worlds against Separatist incursions.[4]
Following the war's end, the new Imperial Navy began the Sarlacc Project, to build a new huge warship design to serve as a flagship for the entire Navy. This Super Star Destroyer prototype, twelve kilometers in length, was destroyed by early Rebel elements over Byss before its completion. Despite its destruction, it managed to inspire future Star Dreadnaught designs,[14] and the Empire ordered the construction of four new dreadnoughts, each nineteen kilometers in length.[4]
Galactic Civil War era
An Assertor-class Star Dreadnought leading a Base Delta Zero operation
The Star Dreadnought concept was not without opposition in the Imperial Navy. Many traditionalists saw the enormous ships as far too expensive and inefficient in comparison to patrol boats, frigates and cruisers for policing space. Likewise, the Navy's growing number of Star Destroyers carried unmatched firepower should the Imperial Navy fight a fleet battle. To traditionalists, battlecruisers and dreadnoughts, lumped together under the derisive tag "Super Star Destroyers" (which later spread to the Rebellion through Imperial defectors), seemed to be egotistical constructions rather than pieces of a coherent military strategy.[4]
As the Galactic Civil War heated up, various new Star Dreadnought designs were shelved mid-production due to countless credits and talented engineers being diverted to the creation of the Death Star, with its destruction being the only reason they were able to continue.[4] Skeptical of superweapons like the Death Star, the Imperial Navy worked hard to come up with reasonable alternatives that could hold their own in the face of massive centralization of power, and reluctantly embraced the Star Dreadnought.[15][3] With the Death Star's destruction, they became the Empire's mightiest weapons, designed to be so powerful that the mere threat of their deployment would pacify multiple sectors.[4]
Among the achievements of this era was the Executor-class design. By this point, the Star Dreadnought designation was known to Imperial oversight committees as representing extraordinarily large and heavily armed warships. In order to avoid controversy in the Imperial Senate, naval documents simply classified the new Star Dreadnought as a new class of Star Destroyer, understating its size, role and armament.[5] The Star Dreadnoughts were also viewed by the Galactic Empire as useful for psychological warfare purposes, to cow various systems. This made the ships development worth the expenses.
When fielded, these ships gained notoriety as command ships for large-scale forces as well as being heavy weapons platforms, with the lead vessel serving as Darth Vader's personal flagship.[3] These ships were some of the largest in the galaxy, second only to battlestations like the Death Star. Another design, the Eclipse-class, which began construction around the time of the Executor's early deployment, became dreadful weapons of terror, as each ship was equipped with a superlaser for penetrating planetary shields and pulverizing enemy ships.[16][17][18]
Despite the imposing threat of these classes, most were either destroyed by sabotage or in battle, or captured by the New Republic, leaving few rogue Star Dreadnoughts still active at the end of the Civil War.[6]
New Republic counterparts
The Viscount-class Star Defender was conceived to challenge Imperial Star Dreadnoughts and other heavy warships.
The New Republic initially regarded Star Dreadnoughts as inflexible and inefficient, preferring a combination of smaller-platform capital ships and starfighters for its fleets. Consequently, the New Class Modernization Program did not include new battlecruiser or dreadnought designs. However, the experience of Operation Shadow Hand, where some twelve Star Dreadnoughts led a renewed Imperial assault out of the Deep Core, the Orinda campaign, where they proved to have no counter against the Imperial Remnant's Reaper, Megador and Dominion dreadnoughts, and finally the Black Fleet Crisis, the New Republic realized the need for bigger and stronger capital ships to deter would-be attackers. Running low on captured vessels of this size, new dreadnought classes were designed that were meant to be Republic counterparts to the Star Dreadnoughts.[5][4]
The Mon Calamari Viscount-class Star Defenders were new directions for Republic ship-building, away from the compact designs of the New Class program.[19] They were among the largest classes produced by the New Republic and saw heavy duty in the Yuuzhan Vong War, becoming part of the Galactic Alliance Navy, when the New Republic was reorganized into the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.[20]
At some point following the Second Galactic Civil War, heavy warships like the Star Defenders and Star Dreadnoughts were phased out of service, citing the expenses in operating the various designs.[21] By 130 ABY, neither the re-emergent Galactic Empire nor the remainder of the Galactic Alliance used the term for their present ships,[22] though the Pellaeon-class Star Destroyer was known to have combined some aspects of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer and the Executor-class Star Dreadnought.[6]
Known Star Dreadnought designs
Assertor-class Star Dreadnought
The Assertor-class was a Star Dreadnought used by the Imperial Navy. A known example of this class was the Wrath, which participated in a Base Delta Zero operation.[4] It's primary role was acting as a sector command and control ship.[23]
Bellator-class dreadnought
The Bellator-class dreadnought was a successor design to the Mandator-class and Mandator II-class Star Dreadnoughts, being built primarily with speed in mind in contrast with its "cousin," the Mandator III-class dreadnought. Several ships of this class were seen at Naval Station Validusia, a fleet gathering between Ozzel's promotion and the Battle of Hoth, and in the forces of the resurrected Emperor Palpatine in 10 ABY. A Bellator-class was escorted by a Procursator-class Star Destroyer in orbit of Byss.[24]
Eclipse-class dreadnought
The 17.5km Eclipse-class was fitted with a superlaser as its primary armament and its reactor took up much of the interior space.[16] Two vessels were constructed in secret over a ten year period, and fielded during Operation Shadow Hand. Both were destroyed.[6] According to the Imperial Handbook, the official field manual for the Imperial Military, the Eclipse-class as well as its sister design the Sovereign-class were intended to revolutionize naval combat and ensure Imperial dominance through the next century.[25]
Executor-class Star Dreadnought
The Executor-class was a successful line of Star Dreadnoughts that came in several variants, and was believed to be the "ultimate" in Star Dreadnought design in its time.[3] The 19km battleship model was considered a valuable prize to many commanders, and receiving command of a ship was a high honor, sometimes bestowed upon an officer as a gift by Emperor Palpatine himself.[26] Over a dozen ships were built and fielded.
Mandator-class Star Dreadnaught
The Mandator-class served in the private sector fleets of the Kuat sector, being designed and fielded in the final decades of the Galactic Republic.[1]
Mandator II-class Star Dreadnaught
The Mandator II-class was a new model of the Mandator design and served as part of the Republic Navy during the Clone Wars. Its power-generation facilities matched that of almost 1,000 light Separatist destroyers.[2]
Mandator III-class dreadnought
The Mandator III-class was a newer model of the Mandator design and served in the Galactic Empire. Unlike the previous Mandator's or its "cousin," the Bellator-class dreadnought, the Mandator III-class was specifically designed to act as a heavy weapons platform, and had a length of 12,000 meters.
Sovereign-class Super Star Destroyer
The Sovereign-class was based on the Eclipse-class and meant to be a smaller, cheaper design for mass-production.[16] Construction on the first four ships were begun, and Imperial warlord Zsinj managed to field the lead ship Sovereign at some point,[11] but they were all ultimately destroyed around the time of Palpatine's final death and the Destruction of Byss.[27] According to the Imperial Handbook, the official field manual for the Imperial Military, the Sovereign-class as well as its sister design the Eclipse-class were intended to revolutionize naval combat and ensure Imperial dominance through the next century.[25]
Sarlacc Project
The Sarlacc Project was aimed at developing a flagship for the then-newly created Imperial Navy in 19 BBY. The end result was a warship 12km long, covered in various armaments. The vessel was destroyed in a partially-completed state, a few years after its construction began. Despite the loss, it was used as inspiration for the later Executor-class.[14]
Vengeance-class Star Dreadnought
The Vengeance-class was a 19km long Star Dreadnought line with at least three vessels produced. They had a sleeker design than the Executor class Dreadnought. The Vengeance was the flagship of Dark Jedi and Imperial Inquisitor Jerec from before the Battle of Endor to his death in 5 ABY. The Javelin anchored one of the fleets to reconquer the Core Worlds during 10 ABY, but was destroyed during the Imperial Civil War when it rammed a Torpedo Sphere that guarded the planet Chasin.[4]
Star Dreadnought analogs
Although not a dreadnaught in the general sense, the Death Star II, due to its heavy firepower and powerful role, was frequently referred to by both Rebels and Imperials as being comparable to such during the Battle of Endor.[28]
Eye of Palpatine
The Eye of Palpatine was a dreadnaught larger in overall size than the largest Super Star Destroyers, fielded in 18 BBY,[29] although in terms of length was comparable in size to the Executor-class Star Dreadnought and Vengeance-class dreadnought at 19 kilometers.[30] It was meant to pick up Imperial forces along a secret route that lead to a planet where Jedi were in hiding, but malfunctioned due to Jedi sabotage and disappeared. Decades later, the ship was reactivated in a ploy to get more power for the Imperial Remnant, but was ultimately destroyed by the New Republic.[29]
The Tarkin superweapon was developed as a superlaser bed, a intermediary between the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station and the Death Star II. It was created from the hull design of an Eclipse-class dreadnought prototype.
Viscount-class Star Defender
One of several Star Defender classes, the Viscount-class was built by Mon Calamari and fielded by the New Republic and Galactic Alliance.[5]
Yuuzhan Vong Kor Chokk grand cruiser
The Grand Cruiser was a Yuuzhan Vong analog of heavy Super Star Destroyers and used in fleet battles during the Yuuzhan Vong War.[31]
In Naval terminology, dreadnought is generally synonymous with battleships constructed after and influenced by HMS Dreadnought. This term was sometimes used for great ships in Star Wars, like the Executor[32], the Eye of Palpatine[29] and the Death Star II.[28]
The designation "Star Dreadnought" was first explicitly used in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-Sections for the Mandator-class, and the Executor-class was given the designation in Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy. Inside the Worlds also stated that "Super Star Destroyer" was used in "Rebel slang", while Starship Battles Preview 1 explained that the term was invented and popularized by Imperial personnel.
The term "Star Dreadnought" (or "Star Dreadnaught") is disliked by some fans who prefer the term "Super Star Destroyer", which already referred to many different ships. Since the Expanded Universe renaissance introduced by West End Games had sources specifically divide warships into different types depending on their size and power, some fans welcomed what they saw as a necessary additions to explain all the differently sized Super Star Destroyers seen throughout decades of publishing. Others considered the various redesignations and redefinitions contradictory and unnecessary, accepting the use of Super Star Destroyer as a general category. Despite different naval nomenclature being used by various authors, Curtis Saxton was widely seen as responsible for the change in designations.
Much of the criticism towards the term "Star Dreadnought" stem from the belief that it's applying terminology to ship names that were not originally created to fit with the English naval hierarchy and that only recent authors like Saxton have used it in such a fashion. I.e. a Star Destroyer and a Star Cruiser are not analogous to a naval Destroyer and a naval Cruiser and are equivalent in size and role, ships of size comparable to Star Dreadnoughts like the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser lack the description, and the existing Dreadnaught-class ship is smaller than all three. As well, the term Star Dreadnought was initially seen as largely redundant with the pre-existing term Super Star Destroyer, as at the time the term Star Dreadnought was first used, Super Star Destroyers categorized as Star Cruisers and Star Battlecruisers have neither been introduced nor were they specifically identified, leaving Star Dreadnoughts the only category within Super Star Destroyer with any ships in it.
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-Sections
Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections
Star Wars: Complete Locations
"Starship Battles Preview 1" on Wizards.com (original article link, backup links)
Super Star Destroyer in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition Core Rulebook
Starships of the Galaxy (Saga Edition)
Threats of the Galaxy
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
Legacy Era Campaign Guide
The Essential Guide to Warfare
"The Imperial Warlords: Despoilers of an Empire, Part 2," The Official Star Wars Blog (link)
Super Star Destroyer
↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-Sections, p. 23
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections, p. 5
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Star Wars: Complete Locations, p. 171
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 The Essential Guide to Warfare
↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Starship Battles Preview 1
↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Starships of the Galaxy (Saga Edition)
↑ 7.0 7.1 Curtis Saxton TFN interview
↑ Clone Wars Volume 6: On the Fields of Battle, p. 165
↑ Crimson Empire
↑ The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force
↑ 11.0 11.1 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
↑ Republic 71: Dreadnaughts of Rendili, Part 3
Republic attack cruiser in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
↑ 14.0 14.1 Dawn of Defiance
↑ Starships of the Galaxy, p. 105
↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Dark Empire Sourcebook
↑ Underworld: A Galaxy of Scum and Villainy
↑ Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
↑ Vector Prime
↑ The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic I: Remnant
↑ Legacy Era Campaign Guide
↑ Star Wars: Legacy
↑ Lead by Example
↑ Dark Empire 2: Devastator of Worlds
↑ 25.0 25.1 Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide
↑ The New Essential Guide to Characters
↑ The Jedi Academy Sourcebook
↑ 28.0 28.1 Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (comics)
↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Children of the Jedi
↑ Death Star Owner's Workshop Manual
↑ The New Jedi Order Sourcebook
↑ Darth Vader Strikes
Retrieved from "https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Dreadnought/Legends?oldid=7014158"
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Pages with missing permanent archival links
Legends articles with canon counterparts
Pages using official parameter with Template:Blog
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Travel Services, Corporate Travel
InterContinental will still charge power users for faster Internet speeds
- Mar 27, 2013 12:09 pm
Most business travelers won’t be satisfied with basic service. If InterContinental really wants to make a difference, it would subsidize premium Wi-Fi use for road warriors, as well.
— Dennis Schaal
InterContinental Hotels Group announced yesterday it will be providing free Internet access for all loyalty program members, but that’s not the entire story.
CEO Richard Solomons said today basic Internet access will be free, but there could be a charge for power users.
“We will certainly give the basic internet service free, but maybe we will do something different for the high users,” Solomons said during an appearance on CNBC.
That’s a similar tack that JetBlue is taking as it introduces Wi-Fi on flights. While JetBlue’s basic Fly-Fi service will be free, users will have to chip in some cash for a premium service.
It’s also common for different chains to have tiered Wi-Fi services.
Meanwhile, Solomons of InterContinental said the free basic Internet service, which will be rolled out this year and into 2014, is expected to deliver some cash because it will attract more guests. It will also provide the opportunity to upsell them services through the loyalty program.
“We absolutely see a net revenue upside for doing this,” Solomons said. “It really isn’t a cost. It really is an investment.”
Tags: intercontinental hotel group, wi-fi
Photo Credit: InterContinental Hotels CEO Richard Solomons appeared on CNBC and explained the chain's thinking behind its new Internet-access policy. CNBC
Isaac Carey, Skift
Wi-Fi’s Frustrating Lack of Progress at Events
Why Is Wi-Fi at Events Still So Bad?
Grant Martin, Skift
IHG Launches Loyalty Partnership With Mr & Mrs Smith Hotels
Booking to Charge Commission on Resort Fees in Major Shake-Up for Hotel Revenue
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Bee Propolis
False Unicorn
N-Acetylcysteine
Proposed Natural Treatments References
There are many possible causes of female infertility. Tubal disease and endometriosis (a condition in which uterine tissue begins to grow where it shouldn't) account for 50% of female infertility; failure of ovulation is the cause of about 30%; and cervical factors cause another 10%.
An immense industry has sprung up around correcting female infertility, using techniques that range from hormone therapy to in vitro (test tube) babies. Although these methods have their occasional stunning successes, there is considerable controversy about the high cost and low rate of effectiveness of fertility treatments in general. The good news is that apparently infertile women often become pregnant eventually with no medical intervention at all.
Proposed Natural Treatments
Women with a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may suffer from infertility. A double-blind, placebo controlled study evaluated the effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in 150 women with PCOS who had previously failed to respond to the fertility drug clomiphene . 12 Participants were given clomiphene plus placebo or clomiphene plus 1.2 g daily of NAC. The results indicated that combined treatment with NAC plus clomiphene was markedly more effective than clomiphene taken with placebo. Almost 50% of the women in the combined treatment group ovulated as compared to about 1% in the clomiphene alone group. Pregnancy rate in the combined treatment group was 21%, as compared to 0% in the clomiphene alone group.
Black cohosh ( Cimicifuga racemosa ), an herb with estrogen-like effects, drew the attention of researchers who were interested in whether it might be helpful for women with unexplained infertility who were also being treated with clomiphene, a commonly used medication to induce ovulation, but had yet to conceive. Roughly 120 women were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups continued to receive clomiphene, but the women in one of the groups also received 120 mg of black cohosh. Pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the black cohosh plus clomiphene group compared to the clomiphene only group. 25
In a small double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, use of bee propolis at a dose of 500 mg twice daily resulted in a pregnancy rate of 60%, as compared to 20% in the placebo group. 14 This difference was statistically significant .
Because of its effects on the hormone prolactin, the herb chasteberry has been tried as a fertility treatment. 1 However, the only properly designed study of this potential use was too small to return conclusive results. 2 A larger study evaluated a combination containing chasteberry, green tea , arginine , and multiple vitamins and minerals. 22 In this double-blind study, 93 women experiencing infertility were given either the combination treatment or placebo for three months. After three months, 26% of the women given the real treatment were pregnant as opposed to 10% of those in the placebo group, a difference that was statistically significant.
Weak evidence hints that vitamin D and calcium may also be helpful in this condition. 9
Another small study found some evidence that supplements containing isoflavones may increase the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization. 13
Another study reported that vitamin C supplements slightly improved pregnancy rates in women with a condition called "luteal phase defect," but because researchers failed to give the control group a placebo and instead merely left them untreated, the results are not very meaningful. 15 (For information on why the use of a placebo is essential, see Why Does this Database rely on Double-Blind Studies? ) Yet another study that had severe defects in design found reported that multivitamin supplements may slightly increase fertility. 3
Stress may lead to infertility, and treatments for reducing stress might help increase fertility. 4-8
The herb maca (Lepidium) is widely advocated as a fertility-enhancing herb. However, the only basis for this claim are a few animal studies. 17,18
Caffeine avoidance has also been recommended for improving fertility, but there is no evidence as yet that it really helps. 10
Acupuncture has a long history of traditional use for infertility, but the supporting evidence for its use is weak. 11 A few open trials appeared to show that acupuncture can enhance the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF). 19-20 Two better designed studies, however, failed to find acupuncture more effective than placebo. 21,23 A 2008 analysis of 7 randomized trials, involving a total of 1,366 patients, found that, on balance, acupuncture may significantly improve the odds of pregnancy in patients undergoing IVF. However, since not all 7 studies used sham (fake) acupuncture as a control, the reliability of this conclusion is thrown in doubt. 24 Moreover, a second analysis in the same year of 13 randomized controls trials investigating the effectiveness of acupuncture in 2,500 women undergoing a specialized IVF procedure, in which sperm is injected directly into the egg, found no evidence of any benefit. 26 But the story does not end here. In a subsequent review of 13 trials, a different group of researchers concluded that acupuncture may improve the success rate of IVF, but only if it is used on the day of embryo transfer (when the fertilized egg is placed into the womb). 27 According to this study, acupuncture is not effective when used up to three days after embryo transfer or when eggs are being retrieved from the ovaries. Electrical stimulation of acupuncture points was the focus of a randomized trial involving 68 women. There were significant improvements in the rate of successful implantations, and pregnancy and live birth rates compared to sham electrical stimulation. The successes may be related to a protein that is released during electrostimulation. This protein may improve blood flow in the uterine lining.30
Traditional Chinese herbal medicine also has a long history of use for infertility, but there is little meaningful evidence to indicate that it is effective. In a 2011 review of 14 randomized trials involving 1,316 women, the addition of Chinese herbal medicine to the prescription medication clomiphene (used to induce ovulation) was associated with increased pregnancy rates. 28 The researchers pointed out, though, that the studies were of poor quality with low sample sizes. As with the earlier review, a 2012 analysis of 30 studies, including 8 randomized trials, also found evidence to support the use of Chinese herbal medicine for improving pregnancy rates. 29 This review included trials that compared Chinese herbal medicine alone, with acupuncture , or with standard drug therapy to drug therapy alone. While the researchers concluded that Chinese herbal medicine may improve pregnancy rates, as with the previous review, the quality of the studies was questionable.
Note : One case report has linked use of a Chinese herbal product with reversible ovarian failure. 16
Other treatments sometimes recommended for female infertility include ashwagandha , false unicorn , and beta-carotene , but there is as yet no evidence that they work.
Propping D, Katzorke T, Belkien L. Diagnosis and therapy of corpus luteum deficiency in general practice [translated from German]. Therapiewoche . 1988;38:2992-3001.
Gerhard I, Patek A, Monga B, et al. Mastodynon bei weiblicher Sterilitat [English abstract]. Forsch Komplementarmed. 1998;5:272-278.
Czeizel AE, Metneki J, Dudas I. The effect of preconceptional multivitamin supplementation on fertility. Int J Vitam Nutr Res . 1996;66:55-58.
Newton CR, Sherrard W, Glavac I. The Fertility Problem Inventory: measuring perceived infertility-related stress. Fertil Steril. 1999;72:54-62.
O'Moore AM, O'Moore RR, Harrison RF. Psychosomatic aspects in idiopathic infertility: effects of treatment with autogenic training. J Psychosom Res. 1983;27:145-151.
Domar AD, Seibel MM, Benson H. The mind/body program for infertility: a new behavioral treatment approach for women with infertility. Fertil Steril. 1990;53:246-249.
Gravitz MA. Hypnosis in the treatment of functional infertility. Am J Clin Hypn. 1995;38:22-26.
Harrison RF, O'Moore RR, O'Moore AM. Stress and fertility: some modalities of investigation and treatment in couples with unexplained infertility in Dublin. Int J Fertil. 1986;31:153-159.
Thys-Jacobs S, Donovan D, Papadopoulos A, et al. Vitamin D and calcium dysregulation in the polycystic ovarian syndrome. Steroids. 1999;64:430-435.
Caan B, Quesenberry CP Jr, Coates AO. Differences in fertility associated with caffeinated beverage consumption. Am J Public Health. 1998;88:270-274.
Chang R, Chung PH, Rosenwaks Z. Role of acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility. Fertil Steril . 2002;78:1149-1153.
Rizk AY, Bedaiwy MA, Al-Inany HG, et al. N-acetyl-cysteine is a novel adjuvant to clomiphene citrate in clomiphene citrate-resistant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril . 2005;83:367-370.
Unfer V, Casini ML, Gerli S, et al. Phytoestrogens may improve the pregnancy rate in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles: a prospective, controlled, randomized trial. Fertil Steril . 2004;82:1509-1513.
Ali AFM, Awadallah A. Bee propolis versus placebo in the treatment of infertitily associated with minimal or mild endometriosis: a pilot randomized controlled trial. A modern trend. Fertil Steril 2003;80 (Supp 3):S32.
Henmi H, Endo T, Kitajima Y, et al. Effects of ascorbic acid supplementation on serum progesterone levels in patients with a luteal phase defect. Fertil Steril . 2003;80:459-461.
Edmonds SE, Montgomery JC. Reversible ovarian failure induced by a Chinese herbal medicine: lei gong teng. BJOG . 2003;110:77-78.
Ruiz-Luna AC, Salazar S, Aspajo NJ, et al. Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice. Reprod Biol Endocrinol . 2005;3:16.
Oshima M, Gu Y, Tsukada S, et al. Effects of Lepidium meyenii Walp and Jatropha macrantha on blood levels of estradiol-17 beta, progesterone, testosterone and the rate of embryo implantation in mice. J Vet Med Sci . 2003;65:1145-1146.
Westergaard LG, Mao Q, Krogslund M, et al. Positive effects of acupuncture in ART are not mediated by changes in ovarian and endometrial production of estradiol, progesterone, and placental protein 14. Fertil Steril. 2006 Apr 4 [Epub ahead of print].
Westergaard LG, Mao Q, Krogslund M, et al. Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial. Fertil Steril. 2006 Apr 4 [Epub ahead of print].
Smith C, Coyle M, Norman RJ. Influence of acupuncture stimulation on pregnancy rates for women undergoing embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 2006 Apr 4 [Epub ahead of print].
Westphal LM, Polan ML, Trant AS. Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Fertilityblend: a nutritional supplement for improving fertility in women. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol . 2006;33:205-208.
Domar AD, Meshay I, Kelliher J, et al. The impact of acupuncture on in vitro fertilization outcome. Fertil Steril. 2008 Mar 1. [Epub ahead of print]
Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, et al. Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008;336:545-549.
Shahin AY, Ismail AM, Zahran KM, et al. Adding phytoestrogens to clomiphene induction in unexplained infertility patients—a randomized trial. Reprod Biomed Online. 2008;16:580-588.
El-Toukhy T, Sunkara S, Khairy M, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture in in vitro fertilization. BJOG. 2008 Jul 23.
Cheong YC, Hung Yu Ng E, Ledger WL. Acupuncture and assisted conception. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;CD006920.
See CJ, McCulloch M, Smikle C, Gao J. Chinese herbal medicine and clomiphene citrate for anovulation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Altern Complement Med. 2011;17(5):397-405.
Ried K, Stuart K. Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in the management of female infertility: a systematic review. Complement Ther Med. 2011;19(6):319-331.
Shuai Z, Lian F, Li P, Yang W. Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupuncture point stimulation on endometrial receptivity in women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer: a single-blind prospective randomised controlled trial. Acupunct Med. 2015;33(1):9-15.
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Kent School Hoerle Hall
New Dormitory, Faculty Housing & Academic Building
SLAM was contracted to design and build a new 35,000 SF dormitory and academic building, Hoerle Hall, housing eighty students and five faculty families. In addition to living and community spaces, the building provides studios and classroom space, doubling the space for the Art Department on campus. A multi-purpose room adjoins the art studios, digital imaging lab, and a darkroom at the south end of the lower level. The multi-purpose room provides multimedia capabilities for lectures, seminars, classes and clubs to gather in an open and flexible space overlooking the club fields.
Kent School was in need of a new dormitory to house an equal number of boy and girl boarding students, as well as providing space for 15+ day students. The iconic campus was limited on a site location and chose to build this new facility in an existing flood zone located along the Housatonic River and Macedonia Brook intersection on campus. The goal of the project was to design the building to the site structurally to withstand regular flooding and poor soil conditions.
The integrated design-build team collaborated to resolve numerous site challenges including flooding, poor soil-bearing capacity, limited site access and protected wildlife. The team incorporated into the design a 300 foot long, ten foot high stone structural retaining wall to act as a flood wall during and after construction. With scheduled sequencing and overlapping trades, construction was completed two and a half months ahead of the original schedule allowing the school to utilize the dormitory for the fall semester.
The dormitory and academic building provides residential, community, studio and classroom space.
The integrated design-build team collaborated to resolve flooding and poor soil-bearing capacity by designing a structural stone retaining wall 300 ft long, ten foot high, to act as a flood wall during and after construction.
Sustainable features of the design included: in-floor radiant heating system, energy recovery units, geothermal wells, and a high-performance building envelope.
The steel frame is supported by 240 timber piles driven to a total depth of 9,500 LF.
The new building was constructed within a flood zone on a soft clayey silt alluvium soil, unable to support the weight of the building. For three months, the ground was pre-loaded with 7,500 yards of imported structural fill in order compress the soil, support the new slab, and level off the remaining platform.
Sustainable features of the design included geothermal wells.
As we now have time to sit back and reflect on the new dormitory, Hoerle Hall, your design and the stunning architectural features of the building make it look like it has been there since the School opened in 1906. You combined the classical architecture with the latest environmentally sound construction methods and systems. You went to great lengths to construct a curve in the building which gives it a grace of its own. Your team of architects coupled with your construction team, brought the project in ahead of schedule and under budget. This has only added to the success of our new dormitory.
Richard Schell
Headmaster & Rector, The Kent School
A funding delay pushed the start date by three months. SLAM’s design and construction team expedited design, scheduled sequencing and overlapped trades to deliver the project two and a half months ahead of schedule, meeting a fall semester occupancy date and $512,405 under budget. The resulting design in response to the site challenges produced a timeless and beautiful work of architecture that responds to the schools mission, programmatic needs and environment.
Fun Fact: There were 2 lighting strikes during construction.
Fun Fact: 6.4 miles of piping were used for radiant floors.
Fun Fact: The retaining wall protected the building construction during Hurricane Irene.
A Legacy of Work
SLAM has become an extension of Kent School’s team taking the time to understand the institution, connect, and work with them for over 30 years.
Project Contacts
Steven Ansel, AIA, ACHA
Principal & Architect
SAnsel@slamcoll.com
Eugene Torone, DBIA
Project Executive – Construction
ETorone@slamcoll.com
Hopkins School
John G. Gilmartin Elementary School
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Oh, the Humanity
A mind-bending, award-winning science fiction trilogy that expertly investigates the way we live now.
By Tammy Oler
Nov 04, 201511:29 AM
Illustration by Andrew DeGraff
In an introduction to her 1969 science-fiction masterpiece The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin sought to correct the assumption that science fiction is about the future. “Science fiction is not predictive; it is descriptive,” she wrote, advising readers looking for predictions to resist looking to science fiction writers:
It’s none of their business. All they’re trying to do is tell you what they’re like, and what you’re like—what’s going on—what the weather is now, today, this moment, the rain, the sunlight, look! Open your eyes; listen, listen.
There’s perhaps no science-fiction series as descriptive of our current political and cultural moment or as insistent that we open our eyes to it as Ann Leckie’s Hugo- and Nebula-winning Imperial Radch trilogy. In Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword, and the newly published Ancillary Mercy, Leckie imagines a space opera thousands of years in the future and thousands of light years away—a perfect vantage point from which to consider how we humans imagine ourselves right now.
In the far-future space of Leckie’s trilogy, the Radchaai Empire has controlled a vast portion of the galaxy for thousands of years through the annexation of human-occupied planets. The enormous spaceships Radchaai use to annex and regulate planets are installed with artificial intelligences; these A.I.s control “ancillaries,” people from conquered planets who are implanted with technology that wipes out their identities and renders them human appendages of their ships. (The three novels in the trilogy are named after the three classes of ships: Justice, Sword, and Mercy.) The protagonist of the series calls herself Breq; she was once an ancillary and is the sole survivor of the destruction of the Radchaai ship Justice of Toren. Breq is One Esk Nineteen, a single segment of Justice of Toren, but she also is the A.I. Justice of Toren—its last remnant. If that seems hard to wrap your head around, well, that’s rather the point: At the heart of Leckie’s series is a profound grappling with the way identity—our very sense of self—is imagined, is regulated, and shifts over time.
As the series opens, the Radchaai Empire is at a pivotal point: A treaty with a much more powerful alien race has compelled the Radchaai to discontinue annexing planets. Anaander Mianaai, lord of the Radch, has ruled the empire absolutely for 3,000 years by using clones of herself linked via telepathic implants, providing her the longevity and ability to preside over every annexation and to be present in provincial palaces throughout the galaxy. In Ancillary Justice, Breq is out to kill Mianaai (or as many of the Mianaais as she can) to avenge the destruction of her ship and crew. Along the way, Breq discovers that Mianaai is actually a house divided: A pro-expansionist Mianaai and a pro-reform Mianaai have been moving against each other in secret for a millennium. In Ancillary Sword and Ancillary Mercy, Breq uneasily allies herself with the reform-minded Mianaai and takes command of a ship to protect the inhabitants of a planetary system from the oncoming civil war.
As a narrator, Breq provides insight into how complicated the legacies of empire are: One Esk Nineteen of Justice of Toren is at once victim, instrument, and a product of Radchaai expansion. One thing Breq is not, though, is Radchaai. And that gives her a clear-eyed understanding of how the end of annexations threatens not just the economic engine of the empire but also the very core of the Radchaai identity. When Radchaai annex a planet, they make the native inhabitants (those who are not killed or turned into ancillaries) into Radchaai. Ethnic distinctions become irrelevant (or are supposed to, at least), and local religions are subsumed. The very word Radchaai means “citizen.” Of course, the uniformity of Radchaai identity obscures a more complicated reality: Every citizen is entitled to basic food, shelter, and medical care, but wealth and influence are still concentrated among older, well-positioned families, and native divisions are often exploited for gain.
So what happens when a people who believe themselves to be an “agent of order and civilization” no longer have anyone to civilize? What happens when resources become scarce? And how can the Radchaai reconcile their values of “Justice, Propriety, and Benefit” with their legacy of slavery and exploitation? When confronted by Breq, Anaander Mianaai admits the outcome: The Radchaai will inevitably fragment. “To stop,” she says, “will mean completely changing what we are.”
As the action of the trilogy unfolds, the question of what, exactly, Breq and other A.I.s are also comes to the forefront. The Radchaai design A.I.s with emotions out of convenience to themselves (“Without feelings, insignificant decisions become excruciating attempts to compare endless arrays of inconsequential things,” explains Breq) and to compel them to want to serve the Radchaai. The result is that although they are regarded as merely equipment, ships are powerful and complex sentient beings. Ships love their officers and feel incomplete without their ancillaries. “It’s funny,” the ship Mercy of Kalr tells Breq when she comes aboard as commander, “You’re what I’ve lost, and I’m what you’ve lost.” The idea of an ancillary—a ship—commanding another ship is so novel that it challenges the A.I.s to consider their autonomy. Breq asks Mercy of Kalr if it would like to be a captain, to which the ship responds, “I don’t want to be a captain. But I find I like the thought that I could be.”
Central to Leckie’s trilogy is how important it is to feel a sense of control over one’s identity and how being recognized is a precondition for having power. These themes are not exclusive to one particular time or place, of course, but Leckie taps acutely into the feelings (and fears) that drive current American politics and movements for change. One of the chief pleasures of the trilogy is just how many wrongs Breq tries to make right and how committed she is to making incremental progress even when problems become fraught and complicated. Breq’s actions are underscored by her profound grief, anger, and shame that give way, even if just a little bit, to the solace and hope she finds in her crew and her makeshift family of A.I.s. The end of Ancillary Mercy is satisfying because it is so very un-Radchaai: diverse, messy, and honest. “In the end,” Breq realizes, “it’s only ever been one step, and then the next.”
Ann Leckie.
Photo courtesy MissionPhoto.org
As Le Guin does in The Left Hand of Darkness, Leckie does some ground-breaking with gender in her trilogy. Radchaai culture doesn’t differentiate gender, so Breq refers to all characters by using the default she pronoun. When she encounters people from cultures that do differentiate gender, Breq frequently gets it wrong. The result is that, with few exceptions, readers never really know the “true” gender of Leckie’s characters. (I’ve used feminine pronouns throughout this piece to refer to all persons because, like Breq, I’m really just guessing.) Leckie could have chosen a truly neutral pronoun or made one up, but her use of she is a reminder of the pervasiveness of the default male pronoun as well as what gets erased by it.
Leckie also provides only a scant amount of physical description for her characters. Beyond noting that Radchaai are generally dark-skinned and making occasional broad-strokes comments about characters’ ages or physiques, Leckie focuses on revealing characters via their actions and preferences. A character’s fondness for a tea set, or her feelings toward another character, becomes the key attribute around which we have to imagine her. This offers a reader a huge imaginative opportunity, a freedom to visualize these characters in a myriad of ways. But it also engenders a real sense of uncertainty: Am I seeing these characters in the right way? What assumptions am I bringing to the way I’ve imagined them, and what does that reveal about me? Ancillary Justice has been optioned for television, and if it gets made, the series of casting controversies that will inevitably ensue will surely reveal a whole lot about the current state of pop culture, too.
Together, Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword have won just about every major award in science fiction, including the Hugo, Nebula, Arthur C. Clarke, and Locus awards. They’re worthy of all the praise they’ve received and deserve an even wider audience. But they’re also among the novels that outspoken conservative science-fiction writers and critics think are destroying the genre through liberal politics. It’s unsurprising that works by women and people of color are so often targeted by these critics: At the core of their complaints is a fear of losing power within the science-fiction community and losing control over what it even means to be a science-fiction writer. (More anxiety about identity!) But they cloak their arguments in appeals to transcendental virtues and accusations of snobbery, as in this rant by campaign leader Brad R. Torgersen about Ancillary Justice:
How transgressive! How daring! We’re fighting the cis hetero male patriarchy now, comrades! We’ve anointed Leckie’s book the hottest thing since sliced bread. Not because it’s passionate and sweeping and speaks to the heart across the ages. But because it’s a social-political pot shot at ordinary folk.
Torgersen couldn’t be more wrong. Leckie is deeply concerned with ordinary folk, but her definition of ordinary does not merely include white hetero cis dudes like Torgersen. And her Imperial Radch will most certainly continue to speak to the heart across the ages but not because it tries to avoid its cultural moment. In fact, it’s precisely because it is so descriptive of this moment that it will endure.
The Imperial Radch Trilogy by Ann Leckie: Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword, and Ancillary Mercy. Orbit.
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Google Docs Outage Highlights Need for Backup of Online Business Services
Published: Nov 16, 2017 by Annie Pilon In Small Business Operations 8
Google Docs went down for a significant number of users Wednesday. The outage lasted for just about an hour and didn’t impact any other tools within Google Drive or G Suite. But because Google Docs is such a major tool for a lot of businesses and professionals, the outage had a major impact.
Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) didn’t share the exact number of users affected. But it did confirm that a “significant subset of users” were unable to access their docs during the outage, which started around 4 p.m. ET and lasted until around 5 p.m. ET. During this time, the affected users were locked out of their documents, unable to make changes or even view their content.
Frustration High While Google Docs Down
It might not have lasted for an especially long time, but the outage was still frustrating to a lot of users who rely on Google Docs for important productivity and collaborative functions. Many users even took to Twitter to complain.
Soooooooo, nobody can get Google Docs, right? 502 Error of Death? Let’s Put All Our Eggs in Google Basket, What Could Go Wrong?
— Holly Rusak (@hollyrusak) November 15, 2017
The degree to which my life is beholden to the functionality of Google Docs is legitimately terrifying. This is how Terminator 6 should start. “Come with me if you want your changes to be saved.”
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) November 15, 2017
And this is just the latest in a long line of popular business tools and services to experience issues over the last year. Comcast suffered a major outage earlier this month. And Skype, Slack, Verizon, Facebook and Instagram have all experienced issues of varying degrees in recent months as well.
All of these issues highlight the importance of having alternative options and plans just in case there are outages with the platforms and tools you use on a regular basis. Custom software could be one great solution for businesses that want tools made specifically for them rather than relying only on popular platforms with tons of users.
Even if you do only use big name platforms for your everyday business functions, it’s a good idea to have backups of all your important documents on other platforms so you can still access the data you need even in the case of an extended outage.
Google Drive Photo via Shutterstock
How to Improve Security in the Workplace
Just 28% of Employees Want an Open Office Floor Plan
White Label vs. Private Label Products: What's the Difference?
Annie Pilon
Annie Pilon is a Senior Staff Writer for Small Business Trends, covering entrepreneur profiles, interviews, feature stories, community news and in-depth, expert-based guides. When she’s not writing she can be found on her personal blog Wattlebird, and exploring all that her home state of Michigan has to offer.
Terrifying indeed. Some of my most important files are in Google Drive. Maybe I should back it up on Dropbox.
It seems to be a good idea to have a backup somewhere
This is dangerous. So many people are now dependent on Google Drive and Google Docs. I hope this one time doesn’t lead to another.
BizEpic
Oh my! I have most of my files in Docs. It is a good thing that it is okay now. But I will backup now.
I think that’s a good idea for all of us
Always good to get a reality check on how reliant we have become on something. I recently had my cell phone crash while traveling and it made me alter several things (and that’s beside the anxiety). Always have a backup in documents and life.
Yes, absolutely!
Spotlight: Mom Gives Her Life a Makeover with Facelift Reflexology Business
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The 34th America’s Cup races give us thrilling views of the world’s fastest sailboats—and a great opportunity to put into practice our commitment to a healthy, thriving San Francisco Bay.
One legacy of the America’s Cup will be less polluted storm water in the Bay. As San Francisco piers are retrofitted to accommodate visitors and racing teams, new pollution controls are being added, thanks largely to San Francisco Baykeeper’s advocacy. They’re especially needed because contaminated storm water is the Bay’s biggest pollution source. When it rains, water rushes off rooftops, roads and parking lots, collecting pollutants that include trash, oil and pesticides. Polluted storm water from many San Francisco waterfront structures flows directly into the Bay without any treatment or filtering.
Retrofits for the America’s Cup will reduce pollution from several locations. At Pier 27, rain from the roof will be channeled to planters that filter out pollutants before the water runs into the Bay. At Pier 32, a "living wall" planted with vegetation will perform a similar function. At Marina Green, a rain garden is being tripled in size. The garden absorbs storm water and allows it to percolate into the soil below, where pollutants are filtered naturally. These techniques are examples of "low-impact development," which incorporates pollution-reduction measures into buildings, roads and parking lots.
However, these pollution controls almost didn’t happen. Although San Francisco law requires large redevelopment projects to include low-impact development features, the Port of San Francisco initially claimed pier retrofits were only repairs, and thus exempt. Baykeeper urged the Port and America’s Cup Event Authority to include pollution-reducing features. They ultimately agreed.
What’s more, we prodded regulators to rule that all future large redevelopment on San Francisco piers must reduce storm water pollution in the Bay. This sets a precedent for projects like the possible future Golden State Warriors basketball arena at Pier 32.
Baykeeper also helped win a victory earlier this year for protecting habitat and open water swimming space. Originally, America’s Cup plans called for a JumboTron TV screen in San Francisco’s Aquatic Park during the races. Members of the Dolphin Club and South End Rowing Club, who swim at Aquatic Park, warned that the screen could tip over in the cove’s high winds. Refueling the screen’s generators could also create a risk for diesel to be spilled. Baykeeper and the swimmers convinced the race organizers to cancel the giant floating TV.
Our efforts were among those by 30 environmental, transit, waterfront preservation and neighborhood groups. Baykeeper helped bring all these groups together in the America’s Cup Environmental Council, a coalition working with San Francisco city government staff to green the sailing races.
One coalition partner, the Golden Gate Audubon Society, secured $150,000 in San Francisco city funding for a study on the America’s Cup’s impact on rafting birds—birds feeding on the water in dense groups. In early July, I counted dozens of common murres rafting with cormorants off Alcatraz. Just beginning to recover from several oil spills, murres spend most of their time on coastal islands like the Farallones. But there they were—only a month before the first races, which fill the Bay with spectator boats, most of them motorized.
Millions of migrating birds depend on the Bay to rest and feed. Diving repeatedly to avoid boats uses energy birds need to successfully migrate. This study can help identify ways to avert harm to birds from future major events on the Bay.
Baykeeper is excited to have played a role in helping make the first America’s Cup in San Francisco Bay a successful and Bay-friendly event. We look forward to many more opportunities to showcase our remarkable landscape and the thriving wildlife and recreational communities of the Bay.
Photo by Eliet Henderson
Tips to Protect the Bay as You Enjoy the America’s Cup
America’s Cup Legacy: The Greening of the Port of San Francisco
America’s Cup Moves Forward Without Giant TV in Aquatic Park
America's Cup Required to Fully Manage Storm Water from Redevelopment
America's Cup Races Could Still Harm Bay
Long-Awaited America's Cup Final Environmental Review Released
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That Time I Saw Hamilton
Date: June 3, 2017Author: Sherina Harris 32 Comments
Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now, I felt like singing at the top of my lungs. I was standing with my family outside the PrivateBank Theater in Chicago, staring up at a row of gold lights. On the windows above, eight letters spelled out the soundtrack of the past five months of my life: H-A-M-I-L-T-O-N.
Hamilton, in case you aren’t familiar, is a musical about Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father and America’s first Treasury Secretary. Through hip-hop and rap music, the musical takes you through Hamilton’s journey to America and his so-called “rise to the top.” It explores his relationships, from marrying Eliza Schuyler to sending love letters to her sister Angelica and having an affair with Maria Reynolds. Hamilton’s friendships are also shown—we see, for example, both the moment he first meets Aaron Burr and the moment when Burr shoots him in a duel.
My sister got into the Hamilton soundtrack long before I did. When I finally started listening to it, she guided me through the history behind the songs and told me which ones I’d probably like the best (she was right—she almost always is). Once I got to know the songs, we’d sing together every chance we got. We’d discussed the moment we’d get to see the show so many times and yet, as we stood outside the theatre, it hadn’t really sunk in.
The excitement of the other people in line surprised me. Everyone wanted to take a picture with the iconic image—the distressed golden background with the four-pointed star and the cloaked figure of Alexander Hamilton raising his arm to the sky. I knew Hamilton was a big deal, of course; it’s won 11 Tonys. But I guess I never really considered that the hype, so to speak, existed outside the bubble of myself, my sister, and my best friend who also loves the musical.
The inside of the theatre looked similar to the outside, with shining lights and golden decor. Family close in tow, I evaded the monstrously long merch lines and headed for the balcony. Miraculously, on the way up there was a merch station with no line —I purchased a set of postcards (already having a t-shirt from my aforementioned Hamilton-obsessed best friend). As I climbed the stairs to the balcony, my excitement was climbing, too. By the time I was in my seat with a Playbill in my hand, I had a smile permanently plastered on my face.
My first thought was that the stage looked exactly like the photos I’d seen of it. Two circular parts of the stage floor, which would rotate during the show, sat still—I didn’t. I bounced around, unable to contain my excitement. Soon, the lights faded and, as a hush fell over the theatre, a voice spoke. In a British accent that the crowd would come to love, “our” King, as in King George, told us to turn off our phones and enjoy “my show.” This set the scene for the show magnificently. Before I knew it, that signature opening— if you know it, you’ll know—was playing, and Aaron Burr was onstage, introducing, in song, none other than Mr. Alexander Hamilton.
The musical was absolutely amazing. Hearing the music live gave me goosebumps—the orchestra, the singers—and seeing the actions and choreography accompanying the music was phenomenal. I loved seeing the story I’d come to love played out visually: watching as Hamilton proclaimed that he’d never throw away his shot and seeing Alexander and Eliza meet (and then seeing that entire scene again from Angelica’s point of view).
I love Hamilton not just because of the music, plot or characters, though these are all things I love about it; I also love the story of how the musical came to be. Lin-Manuel Miranda was on vacation in Mexico and, upon reading Ron Chernow’s biography Alexander Hamilton, immediately connected the way Hamilton wrote his way off an Island to America to an arc that would fit in a hip-hop album. Miranda already had a successful musical, In The Heights; and, at first, he envisioned Hamilton as a mixtape. But it grew into a musical—a crazy successful one, at that.
Many people compare Lin-Manuel Miranda to Alexander Hamilton. Both men were and are prolific writers—“Why do you write like you’re running out of time?” —and both work, to use a song title from the musical, Non-Stop. What especially inspires me about the musical is that it started with a simple idea and it grew into something incredible.
As night fell on the day I saw Hamilton, I sat down in my Chicago hotel room to watch TV with my parents. It just so happened that we stumbled upon the episode of Modern Family where Lin-Manuel Miranda guest-stars (crazy coincidence, right?). He was already a Tony winner when he appeared on the show, but he has still grown so much since then.
All in all, seeing Hamilton was an amazing experience. If anything, my obsession has grown since seeing it—I still listen to the soundtrack on almost a daily basis. But now, I can envision the scenes from the musical in my head; I see the costumes, the facial expressions, the dancing, everything. And for that, I feel pretty lucky.
Have you listened to, or seen, Hamilton? Let me know in the comments! | Follow me on Twitter | Bloglovin’
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32 thoughts on “That Time I Saw Hamilton”
Loved reading this!! 😊
You’re welcome!! 😊
It was!!
Looks and sounds like a good musical. Is it?
I’m not usually a huge fan of hip hop and rap, but I love Hamilton!
never saw it. What was it like?
It’s about the life of Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father and America’s first Treasury Secretary!
Sounds like a good musical.
It is!!
I’m 20 miles away from the closest movie theater so I don’t get to see many movies.
It’s a musical, actually–so it’s not in movie theatres 🙂
Yes, you are lucky to attend Hamilton. This was fun to read.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Aris @ awkwardaris says:
They didn’t have the musical where I live, but I’ve heard the whole soundtrack multiple times and I *adore* it! This was a great post 🙂
rupambika018 says:
Hamilton is amazing, I’m absolute hamiltrash, this is a great post!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading 🙂
I’m so jealous. I’m absolutely OBSESSED with Hamilton; it’s coming to London this year, but all the tickets sold out ;-; xx
Crazy about Hamilton! Have yet to see it, hard to get your hands on tickets 😦
Loved reading this!
Miss Peggy says:
I’m obsessed with Hamilton, I just wish I could see it! But I don’t live in the United States so it’s complicated.
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allysongerard says:
Loved reading this! Your experience was so much like mine in San Francisco. We’re truly so lucky to be alive right now and witness such magic on stage!
leiagleason says:
wow! that must have been great! I’m a big fan myself… unfortunately I live in the Philippines so there is almost no chance of me seeing the show live… 😦
Glad you had fun though! 🙂
I did really enjoy it! 🙂
artbookstuff says:
I love Hamilton! You are so lucky to be able to go, I don’t live anywhere near America, so I can’t see it yet. Seeing as you are a fan of Broadway musicals, have you checked out ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ or ‘Be more chill’ as they are also some of my favourites.
I haven’t but I’ll definitely check them out–thanks for the recommendations! What’s your favourite song from Hamilton? 🙂
Aaron Burr sir
Right hand man
Yorktown/the world turned upside down
What’d I miss?
Blow us all away
The Reynolds pamphlet
They are my favourites, but I do love them all! 😜
Ooh, Non Stop and Yorktown are two of my favourites, too!!
Lenny Child says:
Quick way to sum up Hamilton; Good shit
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CoinLaunch Fined $39,500 Over Non-Registration With OSC
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) on July 24 announced that it had settled charges with CoinLaunch, a company that helped crypto startups to execute token offerings such as an ICO or STO successfully.
CoinLaunch according to the approval of settlement notice existed as a crypto consulting firm offering services such as marketing and promoting token offerings, deploying the tokens on-chain, writing and distributing white papers, advising on structure, etc.
However, the company did not register as a securities dealer with the OSC while carrying out these activities which amounted to an “act in furtherance” of trades of the tokens.
The OSC ruled that the tokens which CoinLaunch helped to create and promote were investment contracts, and as such, the firm required a dealer registration or an exemption (they never applied for any).
Precisely, the OSC mentioned two offerings promoted by CoinLaunch, which qualified as investment contracts or securities. One was for BCZERO, a project that raised money for a Czech off-road truck racing team, and ECOREAL, which raised capital for a Portuguese resort.
While the regulators also asserted that “each individual activity wasn’t necessarily an “act in furtherance” of a trade, it concluded that the marketing program as a whole was “instrumental and central” to the solicitation of investors.
Penalties for CoinLaunch
Given that the firm reportedly collaborated with the OSC to conduct investigations and also agreed to dissolve in the light of their failings, the regulatory body favored a reduced settlement fee to the tune of CA $52233 (appr. $39,500)
Further, the firm agreed and its CEO, Mr. Cohen, decided to cease from offering such services without due registration with the OSC. Mr. Cohen also undertook to delete the private keys for the tokens received as compensation from both BCZERO and ECOREAL.
In a similar report, Stmarket.co confirmed that the U.S SEC fined Canada-based blockchain entrepreneur, Alex Tapscott, and his firm NextBlock Global the sum of $25,000. The offense was failing to register with the U.S SEC even though the primary purpose of the firm was to pool public funds for investing in crypto startups.
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Estonia and Sweden
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Public hours at the Consular Department (incl visa questions): Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 10:00 – 12:00. Please schedule an appointment by phone: 08-54512282 or on the internet for consular matters.
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Passports for children under 12 years of age can also be renewed by POST or E-MAIL as fingerprints will not be taken from children under 12 years.
Your documents will then be sent to the Embassy in Stockholm. Our Honorary Consuls can also issue passports and ID cards. Documents can be collected from Honorary Consuls in Malmö, Karlskrona, Gothenburg, Eskilstuna, Gotland, Halmstad, Norrköping.
On what occasions do I have to book an appointment and come to the Embassy to apply for documents?
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In case of change of personal or civil status information of the applicant has changed, an extract in English from the Swedish Tax Board’s Population Register (Skatteverket) must be provided, reflecting the changes in the data, with the stamp and signature of the issuer.
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Before you submit your first passport application or ID card request, you need to ascertain if the birth of your child has been entered in the Estonian Population Register. The birth of a child can be entered into the Estonian Population Register at the Estonian Embassy in Stockholm, which has to be followed by a statement from the Swedish Tax Board’s Population Register (personbevis), which shows the birth of a child, the data of parents or guardians. PS! The extract must be in English, provided with the stamp of the Swedish Tax Office and the name and signature of the issuer. Please attach a copy of the Estonian identity document of the parent and your contact information, including the e-mail, to the extract. Documents can be sent by regular mail at: Estlands Ambassad, BOX 26076, 100 41 Stockholm, or submitted with a passport application at the embassy.
In order to apply for an Estonian citizen’s passport and ID-card at the embassy, it is necessary to provide:
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Children under 12 years do not have to come to the embassy in person, one of the parents can submit the application on behalf of the child.
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Estonia also has eight honorary consuls in Sweden: Lars Johan Söderström in Malmö, Lars Werner in Karlskrona, Harriet Lagebo Eskilstuna, Lars-Eric Boreström in Gothenburg, Riina Mai Noodapera in Gotland, Jan Erling Lennart Gunnesson in Halmstad, and Michael Albin Xaver Pääbo in Norrköping. Sweden has two honorary consuls in Estonia – Ahti Puur in Narva and Madis Kanarbik in Tartu.
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You are here: Home / Australia / Wind Industry Says It’s Time to Cut the Subsidies: ‘Wind Power Cheaper than Coal’
Wind Industry Says It’s Time to Cut the Subsidies: ‘Wind Power Cheaper than Coal’
June 26, 2017 by stopthesethings 10 Comments
STT loves an eye-catching headline.
Today’s is, on one level, the kind of spoof headline dished out by Washington pranksters, The Onion: so outrageous, that no sentient being could accept the premise.
However, half of our headline is quite literally true: the wind industry has been putting out figures claiming that it is not only competitive with coal-fired power, it is actually cheaper (eg this piece put together by the CEC for SBS).
‘Competition’, in the wind industry’s eyes, is a pretty fluid concept: for most of life’s endeavours, it means a head-to-head race between all competitors, starting at the same time and traversing the same course, from start to finish. Not so with wind power.
Depicted above is the output from every wind turbine connected to Australia’s Eastern Grid (with a notional capacity of 4,395MW) during May.
Based on that ‘performance’, STT has a few questions for the Clean Energy Council and its wind industry clients; AGL, Infigen, etc, etc.
When is wind power actually ‘competing’ with conventional generators?:
a) occasionally – when the wind is blowing just right;
b) every single day – only tin-foil-hatted lunatics would say otherwise;
c) never – it receives $3 billion a year in subsidies drawn from power consumers, which it uses to knock conventional generators out of the market, when the wind is blowing, destroying their profitability and the grid into the bargain.
Then – as made plain in the second piece below – there is the fiction that wind power can be bought on days when breezes turn to zephyrs, and wind power output drops to a doughnut (see above). When the wind stops blowing (or blows too hard) wind power can’t be bought at any price.
It was fictions, in the nature of the above, that found their way into Alan Finkel’s fantasy land review of Australia’s electricity market debacle.
What Will They Finkel Next?
The Institute of Public Affairs
Brett Hogan
The greatest contribution the Finkel Review makes to Australian public policy may, in fact, be a new verb.
From June 2017, to ‘finkel’ will be a term to describe how a government sets up an independent review that quickly gets hijacked by vested interests, rewrites its own terms of reference and delivers a report with skewed modelling and a patchwork of contradictory recommendations burning its political masters.
It has all been too clever by half.
The Finkel Review was set up in the wake of the September 2016 blackout in South Australia which many at the time thought would be the beginning of the end of renewables’ stranglehold on Australian policy makers – state and federal, Labor and Liberal.
In the twenty-first century, an established state in a modern, industrialised economy went black. Finally, the chickens would come home to roost and a road map put together charting a way back to affordable and reliable electricity in a country that should be spoilt for choice.
Yet the preliminary report published barely two months later gave some clues that the empire was quickly striking back.
It was arranged in accordance with seven North Korean-inspired themes including ‘Consumers are Driving Change’, ‘The Transition to a Low-Emissions Economy is Underway,’ and ‘Technology is Transforming the Electricity Sector.’
Its limited case study of the South Australian blackout all but ignored that state’s post-renewables reliance on brown coal electricity generated over 600 kilometres away in eastern Victoria.
It also included a reference to a mind-boggling 21 separate reviews currently underway or recently completed into the Australian energy market, a fact that says much about the handballing epidemic currently prevalent in our political culture.
So it shouldn’t have been a surprise when the final report, released on 9 June, offered more of the same. The difference was this time it had clearly over-stretched.
It was revealed as a report that purported to be concerned with electricity affordability and security but floated a generator emissions limit at a level (600kg per megawatt hour) that would conveniently exclude almost all coal.
This is despite the fact that Australia’s wholesale electricity price, largely provided by baseload coal supplemented by gas happily bounced along between $30 to $40 per megawatt hour between 2000 and 2006 before starting its rapid rise to a new benchmark of over $100 in 2017 as subsidized solar and wind power started pushing gas and coal out of the market.
It was revealed as a report that purported to be concerned with emissions reduction but studiously avoided all but a passing reference to the one source that could provide reliable baseload power with zero emissions, namely nuclear power, despite Dr Finkel’s previous support.
The IPA and others highlighted that the so-called $90 per household saving of the Clean Energy Target scheme was actually achieved by comparing it with the current, unsustainable, price-inflated mess of national and state renewable energy targets, agencies and funding mechanisms, rather than a genuine Business As Usual (i.e. no government interference) benchmark.
The Review’s ham-fisted attempt to construct an edifice of rules, regulation, new reports and more powers for regulators to justify its acceptance of the inevitability of renewables came unstuck when it was revealed that the so-called $90 annual saving didn’t actually include the new target’s cost to retailers or the cost of back-up generators to balance the system and that the modelling firm had previously under-estimates renewables’ impact on wholesale prices.
Most significantly perhaps, its call on federal and state governments to agree on an ‘emissions reduction trajectory’ and support for a zero emissions target in the second half of the century revealed its true priorities.
The problem for the Finkel Review and for the many renewable energy advocates is that the rest of us have to live in the real world.
And it is in this real world that last week, three major electricity retailers announced double-digit price increases to take effect from 1 July, with at least one of the companies openly sheeting the blame home to the increase in wholesale electricity prices.
BP last week released its respected annual Statistical Review of World Energy, which found that non-hydro renewables provided only 3.2 per cent of the world’s energy in 2016, or a little over 11 days’ worth.
And renewables advocacy group Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported that the global push for renewables would cost $7.4 trillion between 2016 and 2040, though an additional $5.3 trillion would be needed to hold the planet to a two-degree warming trajectory.
Danish statistician Bjorn Lomborg got it right in 2015 when he said that “When the wind is not blowing, wind-generated electricity is the most expensive electricity of all because it cannot be bought at any price,” a point equally applicable to other weather-dependent renewables like solar and hydro.
Time is fast running out for Australia to renew its ageing energy infrastructure before major pieces of its industrial base move offshore and even more households succumb to skyrocketing power bills.
The Turnbull Government should politely thank the Finkel Review members for their work and politely put their report into the cupboard alongside the cardigans, frisbees and cassette tape recorders whose existence is acknowledged but whose absence from active use is unlamented.
In the next helpful piece, the IPA provides answers to the rhetorical questions posed by STT above, as well as some pertinent posers of their own.
Five unanswered questions from the Finkel Review
Parliamentary Research Brief
In the wake of South Australia’s September 2016 blackout, the Council of Australian Governments Energy Council announced the establishment of an ‘expert panel’ chaired by Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO to “develop a national reform blueprint to maintain energy security and reliability in the National Electricity
Market (NEM).”
1. Is the cost of electricity in Australia from renewables really cheaper than electricity from coal?
Prior to 2007, average wholesale electricity prices in the National Electricity Market ranged between $30 to $40 per megawatt hour.
So far in 2017, after a sevenfold increase in solar and wind power under the Renewable Energy Target, wholesale prices are ranging between $65 to $108 per megawatt hour with futures prices consistently higher.
On p.201 of the Finkel Review it is in fact projected that in 2020 the levelised cost of electricity from the various energy sources will be:
Wind – $92 per megawatt hour (MWh);
Large-scale solar photovoltaic $91/MWh;
Large-scale solar photovoltaic with storage $138/MWh;
Solar thermal with storage $172/MWh;
Closed-cycle gas $83/MWh;
Open-cycle gas $123/MWh;
Supercritical coal $76/MWh; and
Ultra-supercritical coal $81/MWh.
2. If, renewables are cheaper than coal and gas, why does renewable energy need to be subsidised through measures such as the renewable energy target?
Recently, commentator Alan Kohler argued that “solar and wind power costs are at the point of becoming cheaper than coal and gas, without the RET, and in some places already are…” and that “battery prices are also collapsing.”
The apparent competitiveness of renewables is only a product of subsidies and government intervention, recently estimated as being worth $3 billion per year in 2015-16.
If renewables are already cheaper than fossil fuel as its supporters claim, then let’s remove all federal and state government programs and agencies that support renewable energy development and generation.
3. The Finkel Review refers a number of times to a “Business As Usual” scenario. What is it?
It is a straw man.
Dr Finkel claims that electricity prices will be $90 per year cheaper under the proposed Clean Energy Target against the so-called Business As Usual scenario.
However, Business As Usual is not an Australia with the secure and affordable electricity system it once had.
It is an Australia with prices inflated by a Renewable Energy Target, Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, state energy targets and other government and regulator policies stifling internationally competitive gas and coal generation resources.
The cost impact on electricity bills of a Clean Energy Target (or Emissions Intensity Scheme) should be judged against a Business As Usual scenario where all energy technologies, including coal, gas and nuclear are able to compete in an open market.
4. What is the practical effect of the apparent 600 kilograms per megawatt hour generator benchmark?
Given that the origin of the proposed Clean Energy Target benchmark of 600 kilograms of CO2 per megawatt hour is unclear, parliamentarians should carefully examine the yet-to-be released modelling behind it.
This benchmark would punish almost all coal-fired power generation, and force even more renewables into the National Electricity Market.
If an emissions benchmark is to be set for current or new generators in the market, it should be set at a level that would allow all fuel technologies to compete, for example 800 kg/MWh for black coal and 900 kg/MWh for brown coal.
5. Will there still be an energy market if the Finkel Review is implemented?
The Review’s recommendations included new ‘Energy Security and Generator Reliability Obligations’, an agreed federal/state ‘emissions reduction trajectory,’ Health of the National Electricity Market report, assessment of resilience to human and environmental threats, integrated grid plan, options for subsidised funding mechanisms for low income access to energy efficient appliances, rooftop solar and battery systems, more powers for the Australian Energy Market Operator and a new, overarching Energy Security Board.
The Review also recommends banning generators from closing unless they first give regulators three years’ notice.
The system is on the verge of a return to the command and control ethos that the national electricity market replaced, but in the twenty-first century the commanders will not be the engineers like Sir John Monash in Victoria who were committed to building a reliable and competitive electricity network.
Its commanders will be national-level policy makers committed to transitioning to a zero emissions economy.
The report noted that a ‘stable policy environment’ was required for industry confidence and to plan for the future.
However, if the point of this review was to establish a basis for a bipartisan approach to energy policy, that hurdle fell even before the report was released.
On 6 June Shadow Environment Minister Mark Butler promised support conditional on a new scheme being able to be ‘scaled up in the future’ – an undertaking repeated on a number of occasions the following week and on the morning of the Report’s release, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews also refused to abandon that state’s own 40 per cent Renewable Energy Target Effective policy is more important than so-called bipartisan policy.
While the first part of our headline – ‘Wind Industry Says It’s Time to Cut the Subsidies’ – is not literally true, it ought to be. As picked up in the IPA piece above:
AGL & Co are playing a very dangerous game: constantly advertising their claim that wind power is cheaper than coal-fired power, and getting cheaper all the time, leaves them wide open.
Taken at their word, there clearly is no need for any more renewable energy certificates, mandated targets or mandated fines imposed on retailers for not taking wind power.
Given the mood in the Liberal/National Coalition partyroom, the wind industry might be met with news, congratulating it on being able to compete, unaided, with conventional generators; and giving it an opportunity to finally do so, in a true head-to-head with coal-fired power plant.
The Coalition could give them that opportunity by stripping away all of those dreadful impediments and obstacles to fair and open competition amongst power generators; such as the Large-Scale RET, RECs and the shortfall charge – on the wind industry’s current case, impediments which are clearly no longer necessary.
At the political level, PM, Malcolm Turnbull could announce: ‘mission accomplished!’
Then Australia can sit back and watch its wind industry flourish: providing free or nearly free electricity to every home and business 24 x 365, without so much as a sniff of subsidy, or any need for mandates or fines on retailers to take their product.
What’s that adage about the need to be careful what you wish for?
If AGL and Australia’s other insatiable renewables rent-seekers keep pontificating about their ability to not only compete with, but beat, conventional generators, they may very well get the thing they fear most: real competition.
Filed Under: Australia, Australia's renewable energy target, Big wind industry, Big wind politics, power prices Tagged With: 50% renewable energy target, AGL power prices, AGL renewable energy, Alan Finkel clean energy target, Alan Finkel recommendations, Alan Finkel report, Andrew Vesey AGL, Australia's energy crisis, Australia's power crisis, Australian power prices, Cost of subsidised wind power, cost of wind power compared with coal, cost of wind power compared with gas, Cutting the renewable energy target, Cutting wind power subsidies, Josh Frydenberg renewable energy target, Malcolm Turnbull renewable energy target, Wind power cheaper than coal, Wind power cheaper than gas, Wind power competitive with coal, Wind power competitive with gas
« Rocketing Power Prices Mean Australia’s Renewable Energy Target is Unsustainable and Ready to Implode
Oklahoma’s Former Governor: Subsidised Wind Power a Multi-Billion Dollar Mistake »
Mike E says:
Not only are windmills heavily subsidized, but worse than that the red-green countries in the West are using taxpayer’s money to buy a steady stream of useless, expensive windmills (and solar panels). This planned economy based on ideology and smart private profiteers, like Vestas, are getting super-rich.
Jim Hutson says:
Looking at the graph of Wind nonsense output. To place it into perspective, Eraring power station in NSW is 2800 MW 24/7 and Liddell power station in NSW has 2400 MW all 24/7.
AGL is planning on closure of Liddell in 2022 but inside information predicts this will be sooner and also predicts Eraring will also close before then.
With AGL advertising they are “getting out of coal” the future for electricity generation in NSW is bleak. Those Politicians that believe that we can run on wind obviously don’t live next to a wind farm. Our useless one next door has been producing next to nothing for the past weeks, sometimes starting and stopping up to 3 and sometimes 4 times in on day. Now that’s what you call a stable supply. Oh, I forgot, during the time the wind isn’t blowing they are drawing electricity from the grid to turn them over. Visitors are dismayed, stating they are supposed to make electricity not use it.
Holger Skjerning says:
Hallo from Denmark! This is a great mistake! Windpower has one big problem: It will not produce electricity, when there is no wind !!!!
Even if you will build hundred times more windpower, they will not produce power, when the weather is beautiful !!! – Then you must get power from stabile sources.
In Denmark we are very glad, because we can buy electricity from our neighbouring countries.
Climatism says:
Reblogged this on Climatism and commented:
Keep up the rhetoric AGL, Infigen et al… let’s see how long you last on the real market against real competition.
Jackie Rovensky says:
Infigen has just accepted the lack of wind has cost them dearly – again – causing their shares to take a dive. No they don’t like the truth, but this Month of June they are going to feel it even more.
Wind was all but absent for most of yesterday across the grid, and completely absent in SA and Victoria for long periods.
Further today Bruce Mountain (RenewEconomy) has just stated to Leon Byner on 5aa radio station in SA that SA now has the highest energy prices in the WORLD. And which State has the most MW of wind turbines SA of course.
No matter how they ‘coat’ it Wind energy is to blame.
A plastics recycling company after 38 years of business is closing down in SA as their power bill went from $80,000 per month to $180,000.
Nothing more than abandoning the RET and other handouts and favours to the wind industry thereby creating a level playing field will resolve this situation and it is going to spread unless the Federal and State Governments encourage clean coal or some for of nuclear energy production. It is obvious wind or other weather dependent methods of production cannot provide what this nation needs to survive.
We have to acknowledge when the economics of a nation fail there is going to be major social turmoil, with all that brings. Australia is on the brink and needs strong Governance that has the nation and its people in clear focus.
Governments and Producers are there to serve the people, without the peoples support they will fail. Producers will fail because people will not be able to afford what they produce and Governments fail because they will have failed the people.
Well said. I concur.
I sent a question to ABC Factcheck after the CEC claimed wind was $53 per mwh to find out if this included REC and, no surprises, they didn’t bother to respond. As I say in Victoria, with our so called smart meters they can individually turn supplies off to renewable supporters so they only get renewable power, so on hot or colder days the rest of us can keep a normal lifestyle going. If there is as much support as they claim, only half of them would lose power anyway.
Tom, the figure is in addition to the REC, currently worth $76, so the power cost is $129 per MWh to the retailer, who will add 7-10% and it also ignores the network cost of getting the power from the back of beyond.
Steven J Bernard says:
All renewables do is push societies out of the fossil-fueled Industrial Age and back to the renewables-only Middle Ages, when energy was expensive and people couldn’t afford to use much of it. The only way to retain a modern lifestyle without fossil fuels is to man-up and move forward to the bright and wonderful Nuclear Age.
andreasmarciniak says:
Reblogged this on ajmarciniak.
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Zara's Corner, 20 Spelman Street
1900-03, tenement housing with shop, built by Maurice Davis with H. Chatfeild Clarke | Part of The Davis Estate
The Davis Estate
2–20 Spelman Street, 24–28 Chicksand Street, 11–29 Casson Street and 25–27 Monthorpe Road
Maurice Davis, builder and architect
Contributed by Survey of London on April 7, 2017
This block, once divided north–south by Little Halifax (Tailforth) Street, was redeveloped in 1900–03 as a distinctively homogenous complex of tenement housing. This was the work of Maurice (sometimes Moses) Davis, the eldest of the six Davis brothers who were all builder–developer–architects. Mostly active in Kilburn, where he lived, Maurice was less inclined than some of his brothers to take on East End projects. He obtained 99-year leases from William Dower Wilson and relatives. The architect Howard Chatfeild Clarke, identified as ‘Surveyor’, was an intermediary, drawing up building agreements and very probably though not necessarily architectural designs. Once work had started, the District Surveyor, Arthur Crow, took exception to the density of Davis’s development and enlisted the London County Council to take action against Davis for failing to provide statutory open space behind housing ‘for occupation by persons of the working class’. An initial judgement found in favour of Davis, seemingly because it could not be proven that the incomplete dwellings were intended for working-class people; this was an obstacle the Davis brothers encountered elsewhere. Undeterred, in 1903, once there were some occupants, Crow attempted to ascertain their nature, as well as what exactly was meant by ‘persons of the working class’. The High Court threw the case back to magistrates to take further evidence. Crow found basements used as living quarters when Davis had maintained they were intended only as cellarage. Davis was in Bournemouth, attending his eldest son in illness; his life hereafter was blighted by the early deaths of his sons. In 1905 the architect Lewis Solomon was brought in to produce an independent report. He found the tenements ‘exceedingly well built having regard to the neighbourhood’. Davis accepted his conclusion that five poorly lit basements should not be inhabited. But the LCC thought Solomon’s report inadequate and demanded that nearly all the buildings be reduced in height. Unsurprisingly, Davis rejected this as impracticable and Solomon tried to broker a compromise involving limited reductions in height. Davis did block up the offending five basement fireplaces, but the dispute rattled on inconclusively and in 1907 the LCC’s Solicitor expressed concern about the costs of the dispute. Davis fended off further intervention and the pursuit was given up in 1909.
The buildings (23 of 35 survive) are of red brick with terracotta dressings that include over-door and attic pediments. There are wide tripartite windows and two-room rear-stair layouts, except on the top floors where single large rooms were intended and sometimes used as workshops. Intervening houses along Little Halifax Street were just one room deep and double-fronted. Most early occupants appear to have been of East European Jewish origin, and tailors and furriers were based here into the post-war period. The corner shops originally included a baker and a butcher, at 16 and 20 Spelman Street, respectively. Occupancy became largely Bengali and the bake-house behind 16 Spelman Street was adapted to be the Shah Monowar Ali Sunni Madrasha (school). The southeast (Casson Street/Finch Street) corner of the estate suffered Second World War bomb damage and was cleared, as were the Little Halifax Street houses, opening up space for a playground.1
London Metropolitan Archives, GLC/AR/BR/22/BA/017865: Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives, P/MIS/336: District Surveyors Returns: Isobel Watson, ‘Rebuilding London: Abraham Davis and his Brothers, 1881–1924’, 'The London Journal', vol. 29, no. 1, 2004, pp. 62–84: Goad insurance maps ↩
Contributed by IsobelWatson
Maurice Davis (sometimes known as Moses Davis), the builder/architect of this entire block (begun in 1900) between Casson, Spelman and Chicksand Streets, was the eldest of seven sons of Woolf Davis of Spitalfields, all of whom became builders in east London and elsewhere (including the middle brothers, Israel and Hyman, who alone among them traded by the name of Davis Brothers).
All of them built mainly for their own investment rather than selling on. Maurice had been the promoter of Davis Avenue, a unique development of flatted houses, now gone, in Hunt Street, Spitalfields,1 and both developments show his attraction to a measure of decoration. His main work was in west London, where he lived, but his other principal development in East London (1905-6) was a row of shops on the south side of Hanbury Street, nos. 40-66, which, unusually for him, was not his own design.2
This block, originally much denser, led to a long-running battle over the application of the London Building Acts to the (now gone) minor streets behind the frontages (eg Little Halifax Street); Maurice won some battles against the District Surveyor, but ultimately his point of view lost the war. His campaign of attrition against the LCC about this in the first decade of the 20th century3 may be partly explained by his family's perception that, after losing his two sons in childhood, he had a serious breakdown from which he never fully recovered.
Survey of London, vol. 27. ↩
Drainage applications (microfilmed), Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives; 'The Buildings of England: London 5: East', 424. ↩
London Metropolitan Archives, GLC/AR/BR/22/017865. ↩
17-29 Casson Street from the south-east in April 2017
2-20 Spelman Street from the south-west in April 2017
23 and 25 Casson Street, doorway detail, April 2017
25 Casson Street, detail from doorway, April 2017
25 Monthorpe Road, doorway detail, April 2017
View to the Casson Street and Chicksand Street corner from the north-east in April 2017
22-24 Chicksand Street, April 2017
Joe Swinburne remembers being born here
Joe Swinburne was born in 1923, and his first home was on Spelman Street before moving to Vallance Road where his block was bombed in the blitz of 1941. After demobilisation he spent his working life in the local authority, observing Whitechapel's changes through the second half of the 20th century. In this clip he remembers his first home, a two-roomed flat, above the shops on Spelman Street.
Contributed by Shahed Saleem on June 2, 2017
birthplace Swinburne
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Retailers see biggest-ever Cyber Monday after record online Black Friday
Amazon and other traditional retailers such as Target and Walmart have beefed up delivery services to fulfill online orders faster as more customers order over their mobile phones and tablets from home.Reuters | December 02, 2019, 17:42 IST
U.S. retailers kicked off Cyber Monday by launching a slew of deals earlier than usual over the weekend, seeking to sustain the momentum of a record $11.6 billion in online sales on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
Shoppers already had nearly a month of sales promotions as retailers look to draw out a holiday season that on paper is six days shorter this year due to a late Thanksgiving.
But estimates from Adobe Analytics on Sunday predicted the opening weekend of U.S. retailers' crucial holiday season would set a new record of almost $30 billion in sales, with Cyber Monday - now traditionally the U.S. economy's biggest online shopping day - alone expected to reach $9.4 billion.
Amazon and other traditional retailers such as Target and Walmart have beefed up delivery services to fulfill online orders faster as more customers order over their mobile phones and tablets from home.
This year, Target made free shipping available to all its customers throughout the shopping season, while Walmart offered shoppers the option of free two-day shipping or in-store pickup on the same day.
"The weekend between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is emerging as a truly lucrative period for online commerce," said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst at Adobe. "Consumers ... are accelerating spend in the run-up to Cyber Monday."
A clear winner so far of the early deals and ramped up preparation for the holidays were retailers with greater online presence or those who had services such as "buy online and pick up at store".
The National Retail Federation estimates nearly 69 million Americans will scour the web for deals on everything from iPads and homeware to kids' toys, and Adobe's estimate of $9.4 billion would be a 19% increase on the same day a year ago.
Target on Black Friday announced that it would kick off a week of online discounts a day before, with new deals available every day until Dec. 9, while Kohl's started online deals on Saturday, with deeper discounts on Monday.
Digital sales this year are also likely to get a big boost from orders through social media platforms like Youtube, WeChat, Instagram and Facebook.
"Brands and retailers will feel the effects of a Gen Z with even greater purchasing power," said Rob Graf, vice president of strategy and insights at industry software maker Salesforce. "They are also pushing the boundaries of where actual purchases will happen."
Tags : Internet, Cyber Monday, festive sales, e-commerce, holiday season, Amazon
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Brillium, Inc.
Concerning Question and Content Copying
Brillium Support
We often get asked if Brillium provides any functionality to prevent respondents from copy-pasting or otherwise duplicating question content. At this time, Web browser functionality does not allow us to prevent such actions. However, we can offer some strategies to help protect your organization's assessment content.
First, Some History
Back in the 2000's Brillium (called "Testcraft" at the time). did have a feature we called the "Secure Browser". By turning this feature on, it would do everything possible to lock down certain features of the respondent's browser by essentially disabling the clipboard (the copy and paste mechanism), attempting to disable the print functionality of the browser, and various other hacks in order to approximate a "secure" test taking environment.
So what happened? Well, unfortunately less virtuous people on the Web used these same types of scripts on their own sites to maliciously control people's computers and browsers. It was pretty bad. The browser manufacturers got wise to this and rightfully disabled these functions to protect their users from these malicious Web sites. Our "secure browser" functionality was also disabled by these browser changes. Bad news for us and our customers, but the Web as a whole became more secure.
Considering the Problem at Hand
We've spent a ton of time considering many solutions to this issue, but unfortunately they all come with significant downsides and ultimately don't really offer any protection of the content. It would be foolish to offer something to our customers that can be circumvented easily.
Let's pretend for a moment, what if you could lock down someone's computer so they could only respond to the assessment and do nothing else. How could this be defeated by someone bent on stealing the questions? Easy, cell phone camera. Take a picture of each page of content with your phone. Don't have a camera handy? Grab a pen and paper and write them down. Unless you are controlling that person's physical environment, you aren't controlling much of anything.
Not to mention, locking down a computer or device would require a program or app to be installed on that device. One of the largest benefits of Brillium's assessments is they may be taken by clicking on a simple Web link without any installation of software required. Do you really want to require test takers to download an app, install it, and have it sit their on computer or device afterwards? What if something doesn't work? What if something unrelated breaks on their device and they blame your app? Do you want them calling you, frustrated, because they can't do something as simple as answering some questions? We believe your time, and the respondent's time, is more valuable than that.
There are still things you can do to protect your question content. You may wish to implement any number of these protection strategies.
Keeping honest people honest. For many people, a strongly worded warning is sufficient to prevent them from copying your content. In the past, we've seen customers have success with a bold, red message like: "WARNING: Your test session is being monitored. Attempts to copy questions or content are prohibited. If you are caught... blah blah blah." You get the idea. This is easy to do with Brillium's Agreement screen feature.
Make copying more difficult. Set the number of questions per page to 1. Set a reasonable time limit for your assessment. Turn off the review at the end of the assessment. Make use of features like the invitation manager to ensure respondents may only complete assessments once and then shut off the ability to retake the assessment. These features can all contribute to a more secure assessment.
Large question pools. Many of our customers make extensive use of our randomization functionality. If you are going to ask each respondent 20 questions, randomly selecting from a pool of 100 questions (or even 50 for that matter) would mean each respondent is going to get a vastly different assessment from the other respondents. Even if someone did copy the content, they only have a portion of it. You may even be able to identify who copied the content by the series of questions that was copied. Not ideal, but used in combination with other strategies, it can go a long way.
Proctored environment. For those customers that have a high-stakes or extremely confidential assessments, we recommend committing to a fully proctored environment. These are places where the respondent meets with a verified proctor, shows their ID, places their personal items in a locker, and completes the assessment while being physically monitored by the proctor and sometimes even a camera system. There are several organizations out there that offer these services in many different cities around the world.
Protecting question content is an important topic for many organizations. Many come to us expecting a simple answer. Unfortunately, the issue is more complex than it appears at first. Hopefully this article has given you some understanding of the difficulties involved and provided you with some ideas on how to mitigate the issue.
Taking a Test or Survey - Question Pages
Taking a Test or Survey - The Summary Page
How to Use Invitations and Email Templates
Brillium API - Respondent Status Codes
Inserting Login Field Values in Assessment Content
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A Nearly Beautiful Thing by Megan Arkenberg
Posted on June 20, 2018 Author ani
All summer, the nights stayed brutally hot, ninety degrees at midnight. Esther would find me in the early evenings and we’d escape to cool places, air-conditioned movie theaters and basement galleries, then a nocturnal cafe on Telegraph Street where each table had its own electric fan. Esther would fold our straw wrappers into wrinkled sea creatures and set them floating on the stream of air, animating them with a few words that—she once confided—hadn’t been spoken aloud in forty-four centuries. Then she’d fill a tall glass with ice and eat the cubes one by one, crunching them between her teeth.
Back at my apartment, we lay naked on top of the blankets, soaking in the breeze from the open window. By morning we were cold, our skin goose-bumped and dry. I had no appetite, and would often wake hours before dawn to the ache of acid gnawing at my empty stomach. Esther and I were always picking up the thread of an interminable conversation, never quite beginning, never reaching the point. It was too hot, I told her, to think about the future. She said she agreed.
Then one night, after we’d spent the evening spooning and listening to a muffled argument between the men next door, she roused suddenly and demanded that I wake up, this was important. There was somewhere she needed to go.
“‘The place with no return’?” I repeated. “That doesn’t inspire confidence.”
“Rough translation,” she said—then shook her head. “No, wait, that’s a pretty solid translation. Look, Nin, I need to see someone.”
“Should I be jealous?”
“No.” She had been silent for a moment, like she needed to think about it. She raised herself on her forearm over the bedframe’s protests.
“Listen,” she said, and I could see the dampness glistening on her forehead, “I’ll need you to bring me back. You understand? It has to be you.”
“Okay.” The word fell from my mouth before I could question it. Did I understand? I rubbed at the half-dollar of tension that had come to rest at the base of my skull. At least in part, I thought. I knew what she needed me to feel, and knew I was the closest alive to feeling it. “Sure, of course.”
She inched closer to me, until her soft breasts pressed against mine and the smell of her rose sharp and green in my nostrils. “Thank you, lover.” Her long hair was everywhere: across her shoulders, across the pillowcase, in my mouth.
It’s pointless, asking forgiveness for this, so I don’t. I’m only trying to explain.
How does a mortal woman meet a goddess? The usual way: through mutual friends.
Someone was throwing a party at their loft in the low, swampy district east of the canal. Early in the evening I’d planted myself on the Hollywood Regency settee, a muscular production of tufted seafoam velvet. A girl I occasionally flirted with was there, her boyfriend out in New York for the weekend, and she’d sit too close and jostle my thigh and ply me with dark-papered cigarettes she rolled herself. When she got up to piss or fetch another beer, I stretched my full length on the couch and eyed the evolving ecosystem, the knots of artists, actors, freelancers, and graduate students holding their beer bottles by the neck and gesturing emphatically, shouting about Freud, or politics, or the Tribune’s new drama critic.
At one point I glanced across the coffee table, a slab of live-edge walnut laden with takeout Thai, and saw Esther paging through a hardback edition of Anna Atkins’s algae cyanotypes. She wore a T-shirt as blue as the photographs, and lipstick so red it was almost black.
How does a mortal woman seduce a goddess? Call it blasphemy, but truth is, it isn’t difficult. You let her catch you staring. You laugh at her jokes. You make room for her on the couch, but not too much room. When she steadies herself with an arm across the settee’s tufted back, lean into it as though it were an embrace. Tell her you like her smile.
The morning she left, we took the fire escape instead of the lobby stairs, exiting into the alley between my apartment building and a Greek diner. The dumpsters stank of lamb grease and old tomatoes. There on the dirty pavement, equidistant between the walls, was a puddle. Not brown and shallow as it ought to be, but blue like a slice of ocean.
Esther knelt and I crouched next to her, steadying myself with one hand on the concrete. The puddle went down, down, impossibly deep—miles, it seemed—and at the bottom, something gray and extinct swam in a circle. I could feel the wake the creature dragged behind it, heavy and cold, pulling on us like gravity.
Esther gave my free hand a squeeze. “Wish me luck, lover.” Then she touched the water. I thought she would sink, dive through those sharp impossible miles to the depth where the beast circled. But the change came faster: her hand lost color, then solidity, and the whole volume of her cascaded into the puddle, like gallons of water poured from nowhere.
The surface tension held. There wasn’t even a splash.
I peered down, fighting vertigo, and saw that the prehistoric beast had vanished. Now there was nothing by which to judge distance. I stayed in the alley, resting my ass against my heels, until my thigh muscles began to tremble. Half the morning I sat there, as it became embarrassingly clear that I wouldn’t be able to do the only thing she’d asked of me.
I went to work. What else could I do?
I work four days a week in the plant gazebo at a hardware yard on Cedar, watering and rearranging the plastic trays of succulents, zinnias, embryonic tomato vines. After my shifts I eat an early dinner at the bar across the street, whose main attraction is an old jukebox, a midcentury Wurlitzer, its lights the shape and color of overgrown citrus gumdrops. The song library has expanded since Esther left, Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley supplemented by names I recognize from a college course on folktales: “The Black Bull of Norroway” and “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” both by some indie pop-punk group called Psyche and the Golden Asses. Drops of water bead on the title cards. I munch my fries and drop a few quarters into the machine, punching numbers at random, and hum along, off key, when I can guess at the lyrics.
I’m not an idiot: I can see where all this is tending.
Duke, the bartender, takes the stool across from me and passes me quarters. He’s a bull of a man with the most beautiful nose I’ve ever seen—broad and uncannily symmetrical, underscored by a septum piercing. Duke is also a witch. The bar mirror is papered over with Tarot cards, The Magician plucked from fifteen or twenty different decks. I asked once how he could perform readings with a trump missing, and he glared at me as though I’d attempted to juggle his barware.
“In one version of the story,” he tells me—it’s all he tells me these days, the infinite variations of this one tedious tale —“there’s a meat hook. Inanna takes one step into the underworld and her sister strings her up like a slab of beef.”
The image flashes in my brain: Esther’s little body, so thin the ribs showed, her brown skin dusted with hair like threads of copper; the hook pushed through her shoulder, emerging from the place I so often pressed my lips. I imagine the sound of it in motion, a dry, sterile moan.
“What pisses me off,” Duke says, although he never really sounds pissed off, “is that she wouldn’t have refused you anything. Absolutely nothing, if only you’d asked.”
“And now what?” He spreads his massive hands. “It could be worse, Nin. You could be cleaning bloody shirts or sorting eighteen different types of grain. All you had to do was love her.”
I nod. It was the easier task. But not easy—not easy.
One evening, the third or fourth time she came over, we visited a strange storefront museum of Paleozoic fossils, ammonites and trilobites and a perfect acanthodian, a so-called spiny shark, its fins splayed like sails. In bed that night, Esther stretched out on her stomach and I rested on top of her, my cheek pillowed on her coarse hair. Her breath raised and lowered us both. She wore cologne, a heated, grassy vetiver that made me think of cornfields.
“I like your warmth,” she murmured. “You’re like a desert.” She turned and kissed my forehead, licking a bit of salt from my hairline. I couldn’t know it then, but that was the closest I came to loving her.
The next morning, we waited in line at the coffee cart outside the bus station, and she took an ammonite fossil from her purse. I couldn’t imagine how she’d slipped it out of the exhibit. She pressed the ridged spiral into my palm: “Lover, you are the best thing in my life right now.” She said it in the same tone she used to order her latte.
But they were fatal words. After that, there was no recovery.
Don’t misunderstand me. What I felt for her was often reverence, an admiration bordering on fear. If one could argue oneself from awe into passion, my love for her would have been cavernous, vast, Silurian. But it wasn’t. Awe is an emotion of surfaces, of mountains and lava and floods; it dries up quickly.
I explain this to the damp spots on my ceiling.
The thing is, I want her out of my life. The puddle evaporated from the alley but I find fragments of her everywhere. Straw wrappers. A whiff of vetiver. A fossil sitting on my counter, a perfect Lake Bonneville trilobite, but in striking cyanotype blue. I grab a book from my shelf—my book, one I read long before I met her—and there are water stains on the title page.
What does it take to banish someone you almost loved? How do you evict the dead from your life?
This strikes me as something she would know.
I find Duke on my day off, a bit earlier than usual. He’s alone at the bar, muttering something to the jukebox to make the lights change color.
“I’ve been thinking,” I tell him. “There has to be another way. Everywhere has a back door. I suspect you can find it.”
He wrinkles his perfect nose. “You’re not wrong.”
I follow him into the bar’s dim single-occupant restroom, a damp cave of graffiti and discarded paper products. Duke gestures for me to lock the door while he clogs the sink with paper towels. When I turn back, his pen knife rests open on the sink’s edge. The stained porcelain frames a familiar sight, and in the clear shaft of water, two prehistoric beasts roll in deliberate synchrony.
“Give me your hand.”
I hold it out, swallowing. Duke jabs the penknife under my thumbnail, quick and shallow, freeing flakes of potting soil and dry skin. They drift into the sink, followed by a single drop of blood.
For a moment, nothing.
Then one of the creatures breaks free of its orbit. The floor begins to shake.
“I should tell you,” Duke says, raising his voice as the rumbling grows louder. “There’s a catch. She’s not going to remember you.”
“Will I remember her?”
He must have seen the traitor spark of hope in my eyes. I feel the shove, like an animal charging, then the back of my skull colliding with the toilet seat.
When I come to, there’s a spot of blood on my hairline, and someone is rapping at the restroom door. I raise my hand to the lock and notice a strange bruise beneath my thumbnail. Dark and ragged, like the shoreline of an evaporated lake.
Megan Arkenberg’s work has appeared in over fifty magazines and anthologies, including Lightspeed, Asimov’s, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Shimmer, and Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year. She has edited the fantasy e-zine Mirror Dance since 2008. She currently lives in Northern California, where she’s pursuing a Ph.D. in English literature. Visit her online at www.meganarkenberg.com.
Categories#Short Stories #Stories
Tags#2018:02 #Issue 2 June 2018
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the-wanderer.co.uk Board index The Terraces The Trotters
It's Rochdale....again. Rochdale (H) 19th October 2019 15:00
Where fellow sufferers gather to share the pain, longing and unrequited transfer requests that make being a Wanderer what it is...
Location: On a shelf
Re: It's Rochdale....again. Rochdale (H) 19th October 2019 15:00
Post by Jugs » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:05 pm
I think overall, though, we all know this season is a write-off! So we're just going to have to enjoy nicking points off teams who need them more than we do lol
https://godsof-football.com
BWFC_Insane
Post by BWFC_Insane » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:08 pm
It’s the same as when Parky was here. Who cares about style when you get potted by Rochdale at home? Injuries clearly a big factor. Noticeable that Wilbraham turned the game as the young lad at centre back couldn’t cope with him.
However, Hill doesn’t get away free from criticism. The way he’s setting us up isn’t working. Clear as day it isn’t. Politic is not in the game from the right and we don’t get the delivery that Murphy needs. He’s limited for playing options but having wingers on natural sides especially Verlinde would have helped hugely. Why Crawford played so deep is beyond me.
Results largely irrelevant but today was the first time I can say that even with injuries and circumstances that was simply not good enough.
^^ largely agreed
TANGODANCER
Location: Lost between the Regency and the Rubaiyat and forever trying to light a penny candle from a star.
Post by TANGODANCER » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:32 pm
DJBlu wrote: ↑
These injuries just seem more likely here at Bolton, it's like we're a soap opera that is never going to end it's story line.
You mean like a sort of "Casualty" ?
The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and best of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke...Darcy. Pride and Prejudice.
DJBlu
Post by DJBlu » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:41 pm
"Jack Hobbs' back injury has cropped up again. Not great news. Sonny Graham also rolled his ankle today."
Yup, a really shit episode of Casualty.
nicholaldo
Post by nicholaldo » Sat Oct 19, 2019 6:52 pm
BWFC_Insane wrote: ↑
Regarding Politic, I don't think he's much of a winger. If we're to get the best out of him, I think we have to play him centrally.
Get Politic in the centre and Dodoo out wide.
Dave Sutton's barnet wrote: ↑
I'm expecting some good quotes tonight.
It's perhaps just as well that Flitcroft did the post-match interview.
Post by twilight » Sat Oct 19, 2019 7:51 pm
Injuries are really taking their toll. We can't keep losing senior players, playing young ones out of position and expect to get any kind of result. After saying that, we did ok 1st half and it was pretty even. But we are a 60 minute team and ran out of steam. We also missed Bridcutt. Did Sonny Graham touch the ball? or Politic? Anyway, like said, there are too many injuries now
officer_dibble
Post by officer_dibble » Sat Oct 19, 2019 8:30 pm
Another month without winning and the crowds are going to take a tumble. That’s the problem with cheap season tickets.
Dave Sutton's barnet
Location: Hanging on in quiet desperation
Contact Dave Sutton's barnet
Post by Dave Sutton's barnet » Mon Oct 21, 2019 9:31 am
Couple of things. First, a realisation of realignment.
When I started supporting Wanderers, we saw our rightful rivalry as United (then way above us), although we had some historical beef with Blackburn (a division above us), Blackburn and Bury (usually about level) and Wigan (usually below us). Then came Tranmere, around our level. We didn't really have any feelings toward Rochdale, who felt about as relevant as a new kid to a third-former.
Fast-forward to now and things have changed a lot. As funny as United's woes are, they're on even more of a different planet. Blackburn, although they've had big ups and the odd down since, are once again mid-table second-tier. Blackpool have also come and gone but are pointing in the right direction and it wouldn't be a surprise if they're two tiers above us next term. Wigan probably will be, too, for the first time ever. There's a hope that Tranmere can be dragged down with us, but it's beyond our wheelhouse. And then there's Rochdale, a club I've always quite liked and still do. And look at our record against them since 1993:
Screen Shot 2019-10-21 at 09.25.56.png (34.85 KiB) Viewed 329 times
In short: We're Not Famous Any More, except perhaps as a crisis club. But we can rise again. And when we (hopefully) start singing "Bolton Are Back" as next season rolls on, we'll sing it with more hard-earned honesty and heartfelt hopefulness than at any time since the late 80s and early 90s.
On a dafter note, but also time-travelling, I did some research on Saturday for a tweet and it would be a shame not to share it here. These were the UK No.1s when various players at Bolton-Rochdale were born...
EHPvWAxX0AAmXgi.jpg (37.22 KiB) Viewed 329 times
Bertie Wooster
Promising
Post by Bertie Wooster » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:20 am
officer_dibble wrote: ↑
Personally I don't think having cheap season tickets is the issue - regardless of the cost of a ST surely long suffering fans cant be expected to just continually turn up week after week, month after month still being grateful that we still have a club with no chance of winning.
We haven't won a game in 20, Hill hasn't won a game in 7 - of course there are mitigating circumstances, and injuries are an issue but if it gets to no win in 10 or 11 how long does Hill get before the fans can start to ask a question or two ?
Post by BWFC_Insane » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:41 am
Bertie Wooster wrote: ↑
Its a bit pointless really - Hill is not a magician. Neither was Parky. You can't magic up results if you've not got the players this day and age.
I think the test for Hill comes next season. But he needs IMHO to stop talking so much about nonsense and focus on building a winning team for next season. The only, singular thing that matters in football is results. Not how you play. Not how you talk. Not your willingness or otherwise to give young players ago. You have to win football matches. Over and above everything. If I have a concern with Hill its that he seems to be talking about a "project". We're not a project. We need turning round with results on the pitch. We probably will have to fight and scrap to get them. But lets do that. Its always a risk with these managers who want to play good football that you get carried away with a neverending and never delivering "plan" that ignores the realities. Hill and Flitcroft have said they don't want a "lucky win". Whilst I understand the sentiment I just don't believe we're in a place where you can really be picky about how things are done, so long as they are.
The form for the rest of the season (results not stepovers) will be important in determining whether Hill and co. are capable of building a side that can win league 2. That's the correct expectation now. I want to see us finding ways to win even when odds are against us. So far we're trying to play in a way that we simply cannot. That has to stop.
Branagan
Post by Branagan » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:42 am
In short: We're Not Famous Any More
This is something our fans have needed to get their heads around for at least 10 years now.
It's been two months since Hill was appointed. Even in the modern game, considering where we are coming from, to lose patience already is crazy.
I personally won't be judging until half way through next season at least. Call me naive, but I think it's more naive to keep looking for a phoenix in all the ash. For now, just keep sweeping!
Post by Prufrock » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:46 am
It's all about next season. So I totally understand why they're talking about performances and also why they're keen to get us on the front foot. We're going to have win games next season, lots of them, so no point spending a season trying to bring out 0-0s and nick the occasional win. Also no point playing loads of players who won't be here next year. One or two are fine (as much as Verlinden and Bridcutt won't be playing L2 football next year, I get why we signed them) but the main thing is to find out the ones we want next year, kids included, and be ready to go.
Branagan wrote: ↑
I agree re phoenix. But we need someone who looks to achieve in short term because longer term is irrelevant if we're stuck in league two. For all Hill's talk about a long term plan I think its pretty meaningless. We need a short term fix in order to get to a longer term plan.
Next season he has to win promotion, no ifs, buts or maybes. And that needs a fix - we need to find a way of winning games. I suspect we'll need to grind out more than we play well in - and Hill needs to realise that. We don't have time to worry about "the ethos". Who cares. Win. Get us back up. That is the only aim he can think about.
Quick fixes are what got us into this mess. Wrong players brought in with an unsustainable wage structure in the hope they'll have a quick impact and turn fortunes around. Does Hill have the right long-term plan? Who knows, but it's gonna take more than two months to find out.
I disagree. What got us into the mess was poor ownership.
We're going into league two where our crowds and income will dwarf the rest. The fact is that without spending money we should be able to come straight back up. It doesn't mean its easy. But that is the aim and anything less a disaster. Hill needs to focus on this. If we achieve that then look at the next step. We do need to work on development of young players too, but that becomes meaningless if we end up stuck in league two with the loss of income etc that entails.
Sam Allardyce had the right approach. Build in the long term but also fix the short term and prioritise results. That's what I expect. Hill needs to show that he will do so. Doesn't matter what he does otherwise if next season isn't right on the pitch.
I can agree with that. Can't judge whether he's succeeding in doing that two months after leaving the mortuary, however.
I agree also. But he needs to start saying some of the things that offer confidence that he gets what is needed......words don't mean much but they become important when its impossible to deliver actions.
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Stand-up paddleboarding under the sun on Tempe Town Lake
Tempe Tourism Office
Sharing a laugh and a pint at Pedal Haus Brewery
Enjoying family time at a resort pool
A sunny day for a baseball game at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the Spring Training home of the Los Angeles Angels
Cycling with views of the city in Papago Park
Hiking a scenic desert trail in the heart of the city
Date night made fun with charcuterie, red wine and art at Culinary Dropout
Riding bikes alongside Tempe Town Lake and Tempe Center for the Arts
Shopping for bargains and local finds in one of the city's shopping districts
Enjoying the view of Downtown Tempe and ASU from 'A' Mountain
16 - 35 ºC
8 - 26 ºC
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
States:
Arts, culture and shopping under the sun
Located just 20 minutes east of downtown Phoenix, Tempe is home to Arizona State University (ASU), one of the largest public universities in the USA. The sprawling campus is abuzz with activity, but Tempe is more than a college town. Visitors love Tempe’s shopping options, outdoor recreation, natural desert beauty and proximity to other Arizona destinations such as Sedona and Flagstaff. Wondering about the heat? Spring is an absolutely flawless season, with brilliant blue skies, blooming desert wildflowers, warm days and cool nights. However, summer’s heat brings major hotel deals – and gives you a good excuse to lounge by the pool by day and enjoy downtown at night.
For nature lovers and active explorers, Tempe is a welcome surprise. Hike the scenic desert trails at Papago Park, particularly the popular Hole-in-the-Rock Trail where you can capture a great shot of the city through a hole in a sandstone butte. The park also includes the Phoenix Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, Hall of Flame Fire Museum and AZ Heritage Center at Papago Park. More than 80 kilometers of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails await at South Mountain Park and Preserve. Enjoy sunshine and water views by kayaking or paddleboarding on Tempe Town Lake, or take a stroll along the pathways around the lake. Sports fans, don’t miss Major League Baseball’s Cactus League spring training games in March.
Sun-soaked Shopping and Dining
From bargains to boutiques, Tempe’s shopping variety is sure to satisfy. Take advantage of amazing discounts – and air-conditioned, enclosed shopping – at Arizona Mills, boasting 175 stores, an IMAX movie theater, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, the SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium and a variety of dining options. At Tempe Marketplace, look for brand name favorites, entertainment and loads of dining options from Greek to Japanese, plus live music every Friday and Saturday night.
Downtown Tempe is a vibrant and funky district that takes you from day to night. Find a vintage edition at Old Town Books, get a temporary tattoo at the Henna Shoppe, stock up on trendy outfits at Pitaya and pick up ASU gear at Cactus Sports. By night, downtown hums with live music, dancing and drinks.
City of Arts
The youthful vibe of ASU is enriched by its cultural offerings. Catch a production at ASU Gammage, a performance hall designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and featuring top-rated Broadway shows. Stop by the ASU Art Museum to view their unique collection and rotating exhibits of contemporary art. The Tempe Center for the Arts presents performing arts in an architecturally stunning building. Stroll the sprawling campus and admire beautiful works including “Skyspace: Air Apparent,” “Fountain Cast in Stone” and “Blue Vase.” You’ll notice public art all around the city – there are more than 70 permanent and temporary works. Admission to the Tempe History Museum is free; take a look inside to learn about local history through a variety of prehistoric and modern artifacts.
ASU Gammage was the last major public building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It’s based on a design originally intended to be an opera house in Baghdad, Iraq.
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Tempe is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece, a legendary hangout for Apollo and the Muses.
You might recognize ASU’s Sun Devil Stadium from the films “Raising Arizona” and “Jerry Maguire.”
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It’s not the poor who support militants: Report
Survey reveals that the poor dislike militant organistations more than the middle-class.
People displaced by militancy in South Waziristan return to their homes. The report on the relation between poverty and militancy said extremist elements are not supported by the deprived segments of society. PHOTO: APP
A new academic study titled ‘Poverty and Support for Militant Politics: Evidence from Pakistan,’ shows that contrary to conventional wisdom, there is little evidence that poverty is a root cause of support for militancy.
The survey, by four academics from Princeton University, Georgetown University and the University of Pennsylvania in the US, interviewed 6,000 people across a broad range of income groups and geography in Pakistan.
The general belief, reflected in the “aggressive” policies of countries like the US and UK, is that poverty is a root cause of support for militancy, or at least that poorer and less-educated individuals are more susceptible to get taken into militancy.
“Drawing on this perception, policies intended to combat militant violence have focused on using aid to reduce abject poverty and move people into the middle class. However, the study reveals three key patterns: First, Pakistanis, especially those from areas where most attacks have occurred, do not support militant organisations – a fact that might come as a surprise for those with an international perspective of Pakistan.
Second, poor Pakistanis dislike militant groups more than the middle-class. Third, this dislike is strongest among the “poor urban residents” as they are the ones most affected and exposed to terror attacks.
“Longstanding arguments tying support for violent political organisations to individuals’ economic prospects—and the subsequent policy recommendations—may require substantial revision,” the report suggests.
“Their findings could challenge the way we approach fighting terror, not just in Pakistan but around the world … Perhaps our focus should be on the middle classes or on secular education,” wrote journalist Farid Zakaria of the CNN. The CNN reports that out of the total $20 billion in aid given to Pakistan by the US, one-third of it – about $6 billion – goes into economic and social development.
Zakaria added that Washington needs to focus on who to give economic aid to and what is the best way to create a climate less conducive to extremism. “Let’s at least focus on accountability for this aid – for both hard and soft aid. We need to demand results. What is the money achieving?”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 9th, 2011.
Combating Terrorism: ‘US committed to working with Pak’
The US embassy appreciated the efforts to combat terrorism and bring to justice those behind terrorist attacks.
Counter-terrorism: Police to join Army and Rangers in exercises
Army will be called if Rangers, police are unable to handle a terrorist attack.
Counter-terrorism strategy: Poverty reduction, development key
‘The document will help improve sharing of resources between agencies’.
Eradicating Militancy: Pakistan’s sacrifices cannot be forgotten
Wazir Baig said on Saturday that Pakistan is successfully combating terrorism
So basically middle class Zia-ized Wahabi-ized fundamentalists and rich Arabs support the terrorists and Pakistan’s wealthy think it benefits them to promote terrorism to keep the masses down. Good job Zia. You screwed Pakistan over and wasted an entire generation.Recommend
kazi jawed akhter
In my opinion, three be three reasons for militancy prevailing in Pakistan specially.
1. Ignorance or very little knowledge about religion
2. Vendication/badla/revenge element
3.Poverty but it has very little role.Because the poors are the most effected people by militancy.Recommend
By going through the reactions of ordinary Pakistanis, I feel that they are mostly extremist and believe in violence and killing …
Simply speaking they are people with low boiling point …. and religion is handy tool to achieve such objective …Recommend
Bank of Punjab case: Court absolves lawyers of wrongdoing
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New Tropical Storm Likely to Form near the Bahamas and Florida; Forecast Confidence Relatively Low
Hank Dolce Uncategorized September 12, 2019 5 Minutes
A tropical wave, previously known as Invest 95L, has been slowly moving northwest north of the Greater Antilles over the past several days, and today has been deemed with a likely chance of becoming a tropical depression or storm over the next few days. The National Hurricane Center has since dubbed the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone 09L. The disturbance currently has maximum winds of 30mph and is moving northwest across the Bahamas, which will eventually include Great Abaco and Grand Bahama, both of which were devastated by Hurricane Dorian about 10 days ago. The forecast currently indicates that it’ll move into Florida and then proceed back offshore, but the forecast confidence is not very high at this point. Chances for development are near 80% through the next 5 days. Another system, a tropical wave southwest of Cabo Verde, currently has a medium shot of development and could be a long-range threat for portions of the northern Caribbean by next week.
NHC 5 day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook, showing both PTC 09L and the tropical wave with a medium chance of formation.
09L is currently a broad tropical wave centered over the central Bahamas. While there is decent rotation at the surface, no observations currently suggest that it has attained a closed low-level center. It appears as if the pressure center and area of maximum rotation is located near the island of Rum Cay and moving relatively slowly. The convective pattern is slowly improving with time, although there is quite a bit of shear coming from a strong upper-level low over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. This is causing most of the convection to be forced off towards the northern end of the wave axis. However, this is where vorticity is naturally maximized, so this is part of the reason that the system has been able to organize.
Visible imagery of 09L over the central Bahamas. (COD NEXLAB)
As time goes on, the system will track towards the northwest and gradually organize. The upper-level low currently inducing the southwesterly shear over the disturbance will continue to trek westward across the northern Gulf and gradually weaken as a stronger trough propagates eastward across the continent. This will both reduce wind shear and increase upper-level divergence as air advects east around a weak ridge to the southeast and another upper-level low south of Bermuda. Sea surface temperatures in the area have rebounded up to 29C since Hurricane Dorian stalled near Grand Bahama just over a week ago, which is plenty warm enough to fuel a tropical cyclone at the surface level. The current forecast indicates that 09L becomes a tropical depression during the day tomorrow near Nassau and a tropical storm after that near Grand Bahama by tomorrow night.
12z HMON solution for 09L, showing a straight northwest path through the Northwestern Bahamas and into Central Florida. (WeatherNerds.org)
Similarly to Dorian, the forecast track confidence is relatively low. Because the system has not yet developed, the models are having a difficult time resolving the track because they all generate surface centers in different locations. The trough currently weakening the upper low over the Gulf will be kicking out from the Dakotas to southeastern Canada. This will allow the ridge to the southeast to expand and steer 09L northwest, possibly into the Florida East Coast by Saturday. However, the storm is then expected to move inland and slow down over or near North Florida by Sunday. This is because a strong, deep-layer ridge will build over most of the CONUS after the trough exits, and another ridge will build over the southwestern Atlantic. These ridges will create competing flows atop the storm that essentially cancel out. The forecast then indicates a curve offshore near Georgia or South Carolina by Monday as both ridges break down from another trough moving through Maritime Canada. This weakness should pull the system offshore, but it may be severely weakened from land interaction. In short, a stronger system is more likely to remain offshore because the tropospheric extent will be more elevated and will feel more of the influence of the current trough near Quebec. Most of these features are well removed from each other, which is another reason why the forecast is so tricky. After it moves offshore, long-range models suggest intensification and a northward turn, but the certainty on this is even lower given the high initial uncertainty. And all of this is assuming the system develops at all. The GFS, which is much weaker with the system, has it tracking across South Florida, into the Gulf of Mexico, and impacting the Gulf Coast as a disturbance or tropical depression. This solution, however, is less likely given recent trends.
12z EURO 500mb heights for the CONUS, showing a system further offshore, slowing down, and curving east. (Tropical Tidbits)
Impacts in the Bahamas will be mostly confined to heavy rains and squally weather in general. Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued for Eleuthera, New Providence Island, and unfortunately, Great Abaco and Grand Bahama, islands that have only just begun recovering from the catastrophe that was Hurricane Dorian. While 09L will certainly be nowhere near as bad as Dorian, any type of tropical cyclone impact at this time is certainly unwelcome. As for the southeastern United States, impacts are still uncertain, but are highly dependent on track. Heavy rainfall is likely over portions of Eastern Florida this weekend, though exact totals can vary widely depending on track and intensity. Right now, the WPC calls for 4-6″ of rain across the Bahamas and North Florida. Winds up to tropical storm force are likely across the Northwestern Bahamas and Eastern Florida with stronger gusts. This system is only expected to peak as a moderate tropical storm for now, but this could change if it remains further offshore or is delayed in arrival.
NHC 5 day Forecast Cone for PTC 09L, showing a track through the Bahamas and northern Florida, curving offshore by early next week.
Another tropical wave, currently located in the eastern tropical Atlantic, has also caught the attention of global models. It’s relatively broad and diffuse for now, but models show it gaining intensity as it approaches the Caribbean Sea early next week as conditions become more conducive for development. Because of the long-range time frame for the forecast, confidence is also low. The NHC currently gives it a 40% chance to become a tropical cyclone in the next 5 days. Regardless, interests in the Eastern and Northern Caribbean should keep an eye on this system in case it attempts to develop.
Shortwave Infrared imagery of the wave over the eastern tropical Atlantic. (WeatherNerds.org)
If 09L does gain a name, which appears likely at this point, it’ll be “Humberto”. Interests in both the Bahamas and the southeastern United States should pay attention to this system and re-exercise cautions used during Dorian, even though this will not be quite as strong. Listen to the advice given by your local officials and emergency management agencies for the latest information on this system.
Previous Post Dorian Finally Exits Bahamas and Heads North; Two More Storms Form in the Atlantic
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Shocking! This Indian Business Tycoon Earned Rs 300 Crore Per Day Since Last One Year
Barclays Hurun India Rich List is out, and there are some major surprises.
By Mohul Ghosh On Sep 26, 2018
Barclays Hurun India Rich List
Hurun’s much-awaited list of the wealthiest Indians for 2018 is out, and there are some major surprises here.
Here is a shocker: This wealthy Indian business tycoon earned more than Rs 300 crore per day in the last one year!
Take out your popcorn, and get ready to know the spicy details of India’s richest, as we present Barclays Hurun India Rich List.
1 Rs 300 Crore Per Day Earning!
2 India’s Wealthy Break Records!
3 Who Are These Richest Indians?
4 Here are the top 10 richest Indians:
Rs 300 Crore Per Day Earning!
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has been declared the richest Indian for 7th consecutive year.
As per Hurun, he earned more than Rs 300 crore per day last year, as his wealth soared to Rs 3,71,000 crore, which is the highest in India.
If we compare his wealth, then right now Mukesh Ambani is worth more than SP Hinduja & Family (Rs 1,59,000 crore), LN Mittal & Family (Rs 1,14,500 crore), and Azim Premji (Rs 96,100 crore).
In the same period, Reliance Industries share prices zoomed by 45%, thereby aiding wealth creation for the Ambani family.
India’s Wealthy Break Records!
As per Barclays Hurun India Rich List, there are 831 Indians who have a net-worth of more than Rs 1000 crore. This is the highest number of richest Indians, ever.
Compared to last year, the number of Indians having net worth of Rs 1000 crore or more increased by 34%, which has again broken several records – Such high momentum of wealth creation has never been recorded before.
These richest 831 Indians who have a net worth of Rs 1000 crore and more now control assets worth $719 billion, which is 25% of India’s GDP!
Compared to 2017, there are 214 more Indians who now own Rs 1000 crore and more; which is double of what 2016 had: 339.
Who Are These Richest Indians?
Oyo Rooms Founder, Ritesh Agarwal is the youngest Indian in the list; while 95-year-old Dharam Pal Gulati of the masala brand MDH is the oldest.
Krishna Kumar Bangur of Graphite India recorded the steepest increase in wealth, as his assets grew by mindboggling 430% in the last one year.
If we talk about super-rich Indian women having assets more than Rs 1000 crore, then we witnessed a massive increase of 157% in the number, which now stands at 136.
If we talk about industries, then Pharma sector is the #1 industry for creating wealth: 13.7% of all richest Indians are from Pharma sector. Software and Services is at #2 with 9.7% share, followed by FMCG sector at 6.5% share.
Mumbai is the city which houses most number of these wealthy Indians – 233. New Delhi-NCR is at #2 position with 163 wealthiest Indians, followed by Bengaluru with 70 wealthy Indians.
Here are the top 10 richest Indians:
#1 Mukesh Ambani: $40.2 B
#2 Dilip Shanghvi: $13.9 B
#3 LN Mittal: $13.8 B
#4 Shiv Nadar: $13.3 B
#5 Azim Premji: $12.4 B
#6 Cyrus S Poonawalla: $ 11.1 B
#7 Gautam Adani: $11 B
#8 Acharya Balakrishna: $10.9 B
#9 Uday Kotak: $9.8 B
#10: Sunil Mittal & Family: $8.8 B
You can find the complete list right here.
"Shocking! This Indian Business Tycoon Earned Rs 300 Crore Per Day Since Last One Year", 5 out of 5 based on 1 ratings.
Barclays Hurun India Rich ListHurun Rich List
Mohul Ghosh 4095 posts 3 comments
Mohul keenly observes the nuances of Indian startup world; and tries to demystify the secrets behind Technology, Marketing, Mobile and Internet. He is a Writer by passion, Marketer by choice and Entrepreneur by compulsion. Follow him on Twitter here: @_mohul
TCS Will Hire Engineers Via Digital Recruitment; Poor Students Will Be Helped!
OnePlus 6T India Launch Date Confirmed: Everything We Know So Far
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Is Code Vein coming to Nintendo Switch?
Own a Nintendo Switch and want to know whether Code Vein is releasing on your favorite system? Well, we have the answers for you!
Nintendo Switch gamers are likely getting tired of asking the question, but they’ve just got to know, is Code Vein coming to the Switch? It’s a reasonable question, especially given how many titles are releasing across all platforms. In saying that, some games that would do well on the Switch are alarmingly absent. So let’s talk about Code Vein.
Code Vein on Nintendo Switch?
Unfortunately, the answer to whether or not Code Vein is coming to Nintendo Switch is no. BANDAI NAMCO Studio’s anime-Soulsborne title will not be coming to Nintendo’s wildly successful console-handheld hybrid.
This is obviously a disappointing answer for a lot of Nintendo Switch owners out there. The console seems like it would be the perfect home for this anime, Dark Souls-inspired vampire romp. There are a lot of other games out there that have made their way to the console, so it’s sad to see this one skipping the system.
That’s not to say a port is impossible. A lot of developers bring their titles to the Nintendo Switch at a later date. Bethesda, a massive publisher, brought Skyrim to the Switch, and even the incredibly demanding Doom 2016. In fact, in an interview with GameSpot, producer Keita Iizuka said, “but as far as the possibility of porting to Switch or [the Epic Game Store], there might be a possibility down the line. We can’t say for sure at this point.”
The likes of Code Vein would fit really nicely alongside Astral Chain. Both titles have clear anime inspiration, come from Japanese developers, and even feature a similar type of playstyle – third-person and lots of action. Our Reviews Editor, Blake Morse, reviewed Astral Chain really positively, stating that he was “insanely impressed with the world that Platinum has built”.
So while Code Vein is not coming to Nintendo Switch on release, it could be ported to the console at a later date. Though I wouldn’t personally hold my breath. For those playing on other consoles, Code Vein is available on September 27, on Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Be sure to keep it locked to Shacknews and even check out our Code Vein page for the latest news and guides.
Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler is relatively new to the industry, getting his start a few years ago as a writer-for-hire. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and finding his feet, he’s found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There’s nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can Tweet him: @SamuelChandler
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Taking a look around the new storefront
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Methods: A little bit about instrumental variables
Though there are lots of sources to learn about instrumental variables (IV), in this post I’ll point to three papers I found particularly helpful.
I’ve already written a tutorial post on IV, based on a paper by my colleague Steve Pizer. Two diagrams from that paper make clear that IV is a generalization of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Conceptually, an RCT looks like this:
Randomization (e.g., by the flip of a coin) ensures that the characteristics of patients in the treatment and comparison groups have equal expected values. The two groups are drawn from the same sample of recruits and the only factor that determines their group assignment is the coin flip, so, apart from the treatment itself, all other differences between the groups must by construction be random.
An IV study could look like the diagram below. Notice that if you ignore the patient and provider characteristics boxes on the left and the lines that emanate from them and interpret the institutional factors box at the bottom as a coin flip, this looks exactly like an RCT.
[In an IV study, a] large number of observed and unobserved factors [could] influence sorting into treatment and comparison groups. Many of these factors are also independently associated with differences in the outcome. These relationships are illustrated by the solid arrows connecting observed and unobserved patient and provider characteristics to sorting and the dashed arrows connecting these same characteristics directly to the outcome. The arrows directly to the outcome are dashed because these relationships are not the ones of primary interest to the investigator; in fact, these are potentially confounding relationships that could make it difficult or impossible to accurately measure the effect of treatment.
What makes an IV study an IV study is the analytical exploitation of some “institutional factors” (e.g., laws, programs) or other measurable features of the world—called instrumental variables—that affect sorting into treatment and control groups, at least somewhat, and are, arguably,* not correlated with any unobservable patient or provider factors that also affect outcomes. That’s kind of a mind-bender, but notice that an RCT’s coin flip has these properties: it’s a measurable feature of the world, affects sorting, and is not correlated with any unobservable patient or provider factors. Other things in the world can, arguably,* act like a coin flip, at least for some patients: program eligibility that varies geographically (like that for Medicaid), for example.
The algebraic expression of the forgoing difference between RCTs and IV studies by Katherine Harris and Dahlia Remler may also be informative to you (if you’re not math-averse). They consider patient i‘s health outcome, yi, given by
[1] yi = β(hi)di + g(hi) + εi
where hi denotes unobservable health status; di is a dichotomous variable that takes the value one if the patient is treated and zero otherwise; β(hi) + g(hi) is the expected health outcome if the patient receives the treatment; g(hi) is the expected health outcome if the patient does not receive the treatment; and εi represents the effect of other unobserved factors unrelated to health status. The effect of treatment for each individual is the difference between health outcomes in the treated and untreated state, β(hi). If treatment effects are homogenous, then β(hi) = β for everyone. If treatment effects are heterogeneous, then β(hi) is different for [at least some patients].
Next, the probability that patient i receives treatment can be written
[2] P(di=1) = f(hi) + zi
where f(hi) represents health status characteristics that determine treatment assignment, and zi represents factors uncorrelated with health status that have a nontrivial impact on the probability of receiving treatment.
A potential problem in this setup is that treatment and outcome depend on health status hi, which is unobservable. If unobservably sicker people are treated and are also more likely to have a bad outcome (because they are sicker), that will bias our judgment of the effect of treatment. The way out is to find or manufacture a zi that determines treatment assignment for at least some patients in a way that is uncorrelated with unobservable health hi (as well as uncorrelated with other unobservable factors that affect treatment, εi.)
In experimental settings, researchers strive to eliminate the effect of health status on the treatment assignment process shown in Equation 2 by randomly generating (perhaps in the form of a coin-flip) values of zi such that they are uncorrelated with health status and then assigning subjects to treatment and control groups on the basis of its value. […]
In some nonexperimental settings, it may be possible to identify one or more naturally occurring zi, [IVs] that influence treatment status and are otherwise uncorrelated with health status. When this is the case, it is possible to estimate a parameter that represents the average effect of treatment among the subgroup of patients in the sample for whom the IV determines treatment assignment.
Harris and Remler go on to discuss more fully (with diagrams!) the subgroup of patients to which an IV estimate (aka, the local average treatment effect or LATE) applies when treatment effects are heterogeneous. With Monte Carlo simulations, they show that LATE estimates can differ considerably from the average treatment effect (ATE) one would obtain if one could estimate it for the entire population. Their explanation is beautiful and well worth reading, but too long for this post.
I’ll conclude with a shout out to one more worthwhile IV tutorial paper: the MDRC Working Paper “Using Instrumental Variables Analysis to Learn More from Social Policy Experiments,” by Lisa Gennetian, Johannes Bos, and Pamela Morris. As with the Pizer and Harris/Remler papers, it’s worth reading in full.
* “Arguably” because one needs to provide an argument for the validity of an instrumental variable. This is a mix of art and science, well beyond the scope of this post. I will come back to this in the future.
Explaining Research
instrumental variables, methods
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Nabena to Jonathan: Beware of your comment on APC
...says ex-President was push and start President
in News, News Update
Former President Goodluck Jonathan
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to beware of making careless statements that are capable of undermining his public image.
Nabena said in an interview with newsmen that the statement credited to the former President regarding the capacity of the APC in Bayelsa state was uncalled for, as the performance of the party in the last general election was there for all to see.
Nabena who is also the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC said the former President who he described as ‘a push and start President’ never won any election even in his home state of Bayelsa.
He was reacting to a media report credited to the former President describing the APC in Bayelsa state as a party that lacked political presence at the ward, local government and state levels to win the state governorship election slated for November 16.
According to him, former President Jonathan has never contested any election and won, even that of 2015 he contested as a sitting president he lost woefully, adding that the recent 2019 senatorial election in Bayelsa state APC defeated Jonathan’s candidate in his Senatorial district.
He said: “Jonathan is attempting to rewrite history on presidential elections conducted under his watch in Bayelsa state while he was president. He never won as votes never counted. Aided by security agents, election results were simply announced by the election body in favour of the PDP.
READ ALSO: Jonathan: APC can’t win in Bayelsa
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan even lost in his senatorial zone in the last 2019 National Assembly election won by the APC candidate. So one wonders the party Jonathan refers to as not being on ground in Bayelsa state.”
Nabena accused the PDP and the outgoing Bayelsa state governor Seriake Dickson of plotting to use state security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, to rig the forthcoming Bayelsa governorship election as was done in the 2019 General Elections.
“The media will recall that under Governor Seriake Dickson’s watch, 63 Smart Card Readers belonging to INEC were stolen and later retrieved. Also, I had earlier called on the Inspector General of Police to proscribe the state-controlled security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo following security reports indicating that the state government was plotting violence by flooding the state with arms ahead of the 2019 polls. That threat is still active as Bayelsa state prepares for the governorship election.
“It is clear that no amount of falsehood and rigging can stop PDP’s imminent defeat in the forthcoming governorship election. The PDP has become very unpopular and stands rejected in Bayelsa state”, he said.
Two teenagers, 26-year-old woman docked for allegedly stealing underwear
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Longview dropping to 5A, Lindale to 4A as UIL announces cutoff numbers
Brandon Ogden bogden@tylerpaper.com
Brandon Ogden
Sports Writer
The University Scholastic League announced the cutoff numbers for classifications for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic and athletic years on Tuesday morning.
The cutoff for Class 6A is 2,220 students. Schools with 1,900 to 2,219 students will be in Class 5A Division I for football, while schools with 1,210 to 1,899 students will be in Class 5A Division II.
Class 4A Division I is from 865 to 1,209; 515 to 864 in Class 4A Division II; 350 to 514 in Class 3A Division I; 230 to 349 in Class 3A Division II; 165.5 to 229 in Class 2A Division I; 105-165 in Class 2A Division II; 59.5 to 104 in Class 1A Division I and 59 and below in Class 1A Division II.
Robert E. Lee High School, which turned in an enrollment of 2,304, will remain in Class 6A. The Red Raiders will be the only 6A school in East Texas.
Longview (2,186.5) will drop to Class 5A Division I, where it will join John Tyler (2,111) and Lufkin (2,177).
Texas High (1,838.5), which was in a district with John Tyler, will go down to Class 5A Division II.
What was previously District 9-5A Division II will change at least a little. Whitehouse (1,469.5), Jacksonville (1,275), Hallsville (1,423.5), Pine Tree (1,284), Marshall (1,463), Nacogdoches (1,705) and Mount Pleasant (1,550) will all remain in Class 5A Division II.
However, Lindale (1,203) will drop down to Class 4A Division I. Other Class 4A Division I schools are Athens (924), Henderson (945), Kilgore (1,095), Palestine (984) and Chapel Hill (1,042).
Van (745) and Carthage (842), which were previously in a district with Henderson, Kilgore, Palestine and Chapel Hill, are both dropping to Class 4A Division II.
Also in Class 4A Division II are Brownsboro (751), Bullard (769), Canton (636), Gilmer (703), Spring Hill (547), Pittsburg (704), Rusk (602), Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (666), Texarkana Pleasant Grove (724) and Wills Point (698).
Cumberland Academy, which doesn’t play football, is in Class 4A with an enrollment of 720.
Class 3A Division I includes Elkhart (346), Gladewater (500), Sabine (466), Malakoff (383), Mineola (493), Mount Vernon (493), Palestine Westwood (446), Rains (474), Tatum (483), White Oak (429.5) and Winnsboro (461).
Class 3A Division II includes Arp (268), Harmony (323), Daingerfield (289), New Diana (344), Edgewood (314), Grand Saline (301), Harleton (233), Hooks (318), Hughes Springs (331), West Rusk (317), Paul Pewitt (242), Ore City (273), Quitman (324), Troup (320), Waskom (278) and Winona (306).
Class 2A Division I includes Alto (188), Big Sandy (197), Cayuga (172), Frankston (225), Garrison (220), Union Grove (212,5), Grapeland (190) Hawkins (214), Linden-Kildare (211) and Carlisle (172).
Frankston was previously in Class 3A.
Class 2A Division II includes Cushing (160.5), Mount Enterprise (121), Overton (138) and Tenaha (151).
Non-football schools in Class 2A include Douglass (135), Gary (130), LaPoynor (143), Martin’s Mill (137), New Summerfield (135) and Slocum (121).
Leverett’s Chapel (60) and Union Hill (98) are in Class 1A Division I (Six-Man).
Class 1A Division II (Six-Man) includes Oakwood (43) and Trinidad (43).
Non-football schools in Class 1A are Avinger (51.87), Chireno (100), Laneville (50), Neches (104.5) and Wells (79).
UIL districts will be announced Feb. 1, 2020.
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118 Park-N-Ride 1 (Cultural Plaza) - HUB
28, 33, 34, 40, 118, 119, 122 Keene Flint Hall (Stop Code: 926) -- min
28, 34, 40, 118, 119 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium North End Zone (Stop Code: 927) -- min
118, 122 Tolbert Residence Hall (Stop Code: 1153) -- min
118, 122 Graham Hall (Stop Code: 1154) -- min
20, 21, 118, 120, 125 Hume Hall (Stop Code: 797) -- min
20, 21, 118, 120, 125 Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Stop Code: 798) -- min
20, 21, 28, 118, 119, 125 Corry Village (Stop Code: 800) -- min
20, 21, 28, 118, 119, 125 Baughman Center (Stop Code: 801) -- min
118, 125 Lakeside Residential Building (Stop Code: 1186) -- min
118, 121, 125 Microbiology/Cell Science Building (Stop Code: 1187) -- min
118, 122 Cultural Plaza Park and Ride 1 (Stop Code: 1183) -- min
118, 121 Weed Science Building (Stop Code: 1184) -- min
118, 121 Microbiology/Cell Science Building (Stop Code: 1185) -- min
118 Lakeside Housing Complex (Stop Code: 858) -- min
20, 21, 118 Lake Alice Field-2 (Stop Code: 848) -- min
20, 21, 118 Hume Hall (Stop Code: 849) -- min
Text: RTS r 118 to 41411
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HomeHarding Icefield Traverse
Harding Icefield Traverse
The Harding Icefield has never been high on my wish list, mostly because I think it gets a lot of traffic and I’d rather explore more remote areas. I felt the same way about Denali. In both cases, I was very impressed with the destination, and left with an, “Oh, right, that’s why this is a major destination.”
And of course, on this Alaskan “major destination,” we didn’t see anyone else, just some snow buntings, a wolverine, and a handful of sheep.
caroline and pat
Caroline Van Hemert, Pat Farrell, and Leuko Tape
Sarah and I were joined by Caroline and Pat, who had set the week aside months in advance, thanks to Caroline’s mom watching their two kids. Caroline is currently promoting her new book, The Sun is a Compass. The book is about their incredible 4,000 mile journey from Bellingham to Kotzebue.
Caroline and Pat are probably my favorite adventurers. Besides being strong athletes who plan creative routes with technical challenges, what sets them apart in my mind is that the’ve built boats for their trips. They carried tools into the Yukon Territory and built a canoe to float out. They built row boats for the Bellingham to Haines section of their trip to Kotzebue. The part of me that grew up in a village has a ton of respect for that style— the ability to functionally create.
My favorite Caroline and Pat story is from their trip to Mount Fairweather. A food resupply box didn’t make it from Anchorage to Haines, so the ornery pilot took a grocery order over the satellite phone, shopped, and did an air drop. When the resupply arrived, Caroline and Pat found an unexpected 2 pounds of organic peas. The pilot thought the peas were a strange request, and bought organic because, “you seemed like that kind of people” (probably not meant as a compliment). The mystery was resolved when Caroline and Pat noticed that 2 pounds of cheese didn’t make it into the box. Here is calorieking‘s nutritional comparison of 2 pounts of peas (left) and cheese (right):
Seward to Homer
We started our trip in Seward, walking and skiing 7 miles of gated road, a few miles on the summer trail, and then weaving through crevasses on the Exit Glacier. Josh Mumm started later in the day and caught up as we were setting up camp. A unique aspect of this route is that you do most of the climbing in the first four hours, and then mostly cruise on flats.
We had excellent travel conditions, but still managed to complain about not having enough wind to use our kites. We borrowed 4 kites for the trip, Pat and I were especially excited to learn how to kite (thank you Rachel James, Todd Kelsey, Lars Flora, Jason Kwiatkowski!).
THis is the caption down here
Luc Mehl, Sarah Histand, Josh Mumm, Caroline Van Hemert, Pat Farrell
Wolverine tracks
We were able to use the kites three times. Each time had progressively stronger wind, perfect for learning. With Josh’s guidance, all four of us were able to fly right away. We weren’t able to cover much ground with the kits, but were able drop the packs and play. The kites were SO MUCH FUN! I felt kind of like I felt after switching from telemark to AT bindings, like, why the hell didn’t I do this years ago. I loved carving turns on the flat valley floor, using the kite to get air off of little bumps, and learning how to control the kite.
Kiting might be one of the fastest ways to reach Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi‘s state of flow. (I’ve presented some explanation of this reward vs. challenge space, audio file here). Flow is a state where a high skill level is used in a high challenge activity. The brain or body can kind of zone out, everything just happens subconsciously. The activity is immediately rewarding. In this case, focussing on the kite, I trusted my skis to do the right thing on their own. I also experimented with focussing on my skis, and trusting the kite, which resulted in accidentally getting airborne twice. I appreciated already being a confident skier before introducing the kite.
After leaving the Harding Icefield, we continued south on smaller glaciers. The terrain remained interesting throughout the route. We planned to exit on the Grewingk Glacier, which would provide an easy summer trail to access Kachemak Bay and a boat ride to Homer.
Skiing down the Grewingk was Sarah’s favorite part of the trip. We started with turns down good corn snow, then glided for miles on the just-steep-enough glacier. The crack-free route was obvious, and bordered by cool cracks and a medial moraine. Eventually we ran out of snow and worked our way left to hike down the ice.
Grewingk Glacier with a view of Kachemak Bay, Homer, and Iliamna Volcano
As of last September, Josh said that the Grewingk Glacier terminated below the end of a summer hiking trail. We arrived at the toe of the glacier to find several hundred meters of bedrock slabs between us and the trail. It was late and we really wanted to get this segment of the route finished, but there was no obvious way to reach the summer trail. We set up camp on a flat slab of ice at the water’s edge.
In the morning, we scouted our options. I climbed an apron of ice-cored moraine to determine if we could sneak along talus at the lake’s edge. We could not. We considered skiing back up the glacier so that we could take a known ridge exit, but it would make for a long day ( 20-miles?) . Pat and Josh scrambled above camp to a series of ledges separating bedrock slabs. They found a route through the slabs and set a fixed-line for one steep scramble connecting ledges. The route was excellent, and it was a huge relief not to have to add a 20-mile day.
After our trip, I saw a post from Hig about the rapid retreat of Grewingk:
There has been rapid retreat of Grewingk Glacier this winter – almost half a kilometer. The second half of this retreat happened in the past month, sometime around the middle of March, when the lake was still thoroughly frozen. Our warm winter is very likely a necessary ingredient for such an unusual winter retreat, but I think there’s a fair dose of coincidence – the ice was declining in stability all summer and it happened to cross a threshold in the fall when it separated from a bit of north shore where it was pressed against cliffs.
Spring exits on the Grewingk are only going to get harder.
The summer trail took us to a cable car river crossing, and, eventually, the beach.
We were met at the beach by Caroline and Pat’s friends Eric and Beth, who brought us to Halibut Cove for the night. We were self conscious about our stinky feet, so Eric set us up with a hose and soap. Beth cooked fresh gingerbread cookies.
Eric and Beth brought us to Homer the next morning and we worked our way back to Anchorage from there. Caroline and Pat flew to town so that Caroline could prepare for a book promotion event that evening. Sarah and I spent the night in Homer, eating well and visiting friends. Sarah and I borrowed clothes from Josh Mumm and shoes from Mike Mumm. I claimed we were The Three Mumms; Mike felt left out. But Sarah and I looked more like Josh in his clothes, and Mike just looked like Mike.
Mike Mumm drove with us to Seward to recover our two vehicles. Josh’s truck started up, then died. Josh and Mike went to a gas station to fill jugs, and when Josh poured gas in the tank it ran right through to the ground. The gas tank had been drilled from below while parked at the trailhead. The Mumms patiently considered their options and did some shopping at NAPA. Watching them troubleshoot, I concluded that their tranquility must partly be due to their experience managing equipment on fishing boats. Josh ended up threading a bolt into the drilled hole, with a plastic casing on the bolt that worked as a temporary gasket. Josh reported from home the next day, “Dry as a bone. Only problem is I’ll be tempted to leave it patched [rather than do a permanent repair.]”
as far as glacier travel goes… How much experience should one have while exploring Harding Ice Field?
lucmehl says:
That’s a tough question to answer, it depends on the group and time of year. The right thing to do is have a ton of crevasse experience already. However, the Harding is pretty benign in terms of crevasse hazards. Even so, I have friends that stayed roped up the entire time.
At a minimum, I’d practice crevasse rescue (setting an anchor, using pruskis to climb, etc.) before a trip up there. Joe Stock has a nicely documented discussion of this at https://www.stockalpine.com/posts/crevasse-rescue-haul-system. The AMS glacier travel courses are a good way to learn as well. Or, you could hire a guide for the trip.
hafjell says:
Who drilled their gas tank and why?
Hoodlums… to steal gas. Pretty crazy. Sounds like this has happened several times at Seward trail heads.
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Non-Time Machine Series
The Time Traveler meets the Doctor in the comic "The Eternal Present".
Doctor Who is a long-running British science fiction TV series. Its premise is similar to that of The Time Machine: A brilliant scientist (simply named 'The Doctor') travels time and space on his TARDIS (a somewhat similar device to The Time Machine).
On occasion, elements of the Time Machine universe have appeared in the Doctor Who universe. Additionally, there have been hints of the Doctor appearing in Time Machine stories.
Time Machine in "Doctor Who" Edit
Timelash Edit
In the serial "Timelash", The Doctor visits planet Karfel which is ruled by an evil dictator known as The Borad. In the underground regions of the city are a reptillian species called Morlox. Additionally, a woman from Karfel named Vina travels back through time to Earth, where she meets H.G. Wells. Wells proceeds to accompany The Doctor back to Karfel, where he encounters the Morlox. This adventure is likely his inspiration to write The Time Machine (Novel). The evil Borad is revealed to be half-Morlox himself, and plots to transform the Doctor's companion Peri into a Morlox herself, so that she could be a mate to him.
The Eternal Present Edit
The Time Traveler himself appears in this Doctor Who comic and teams up with The Doctor! Here, he is known as Theophilus Tolliver and teams up with the Third Doctor during his 2nd trip into time to defeat a villain known as Mar-Kom.
The Doctor in "The Time Machine" Edit
Among other time travelers, a Doctor is mentioned. ("The Time Machine: A Sequel")
"The Eternal Present" article on the Doctor Who wiki.
Retrieved from "https://timemachine.fandom.com/wiki/Doctor_Who?oldid=5990"
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Tim O'Shei
Journalist * Author * Speaker
Author Visits & Writing
Programs, Workshops & Speaking Engagements
When you bring Tim O’Shei to your school, you get an author who:
has published more than 60 books.
specializes in nonfiction, and can teach your students the research skills and writing techniques that make expository writing shine.
began writing professionally at age 16, and can show your students how to aim for an early start too.
is an educator. Tim’s degree is in elementary education; he holds a New York State teaching preK-6 teaching license, has taught elementary and middle school, and currently teaches high school and college classes in Buffalo, New York.
excels at showing students how writing can be exciting. Writing has given Tim the opportunity to interview presidents, Hollywood celebrities and sports’ biggest superstars. It’s also provided him the chance to travel, achieve some of his childhood dreams (example: playing professional baseball), and earn a living doing the things other people do for fun.
is versatile. Programs can be customized for students at every level, from kindergarten through college.
is a teacher trainer. Tim has extensive staff development experience in writing instruction. He is a certified trainer in the Six Traits of Writing and also shares his own techniques for planning, creating and revising quality prose.
gives you a full day. When you bring Tim to your building, he’s yours for the school day. What does that mean? Set up large- and small-group sessions that fit your school’s needs. Pick kids and staff to have a “Lunch with the Author.” Pack the schedule and make the most of it!
Writing & Communications
Write to Your Dreams
We’re born to be big dreamers. Most of us have visualized ourselves in the spotlight: revving up a crowd, winning a championship, curing a disease, or leading people to better lives. Today, as we’re bombarded with messages of fame, glory, protest and struggle, that’s truer than ever. In “Write to Your Dreams,” students discover how to use nonfiction writing as a tool to touch their biggest goals. Author and journalist Tim O’Shei takes them on a high-energy, interactive tour through the stories of presidents, big-league athletes and coaches, Hollywood performers and real-life superheroes. They’ll learn lessons in thinking big, making tough choices, overcoming rejection and being resilient. They’ll also discover exciting ways to use their research, reporting, writing and speaking skills to pursue their dreams.
Format: Keynote or assembly; can be extended into a hands-on workshop.
Audience: Students grades K-12 (content is leveled for age interest); staff development workshop; parent-child programs. “Write to Your Dreams” can be extended with the “Adventures in Nonfiction” workshop.”
Adventures in Truth: The Real Fun of Writing
Nonfiction writing should be fun. But it isn’t always that way, and this workshop is designed to change that. In “Adventures in Nonfiction,” author Tim O’Shei helps you transform writing into a engaging, exciting and active activity. The author of 60-plus books and a veteran journalist who has interviewed presidents, sports stars and Hollywood celebrities, Tim shares the research and storytelling skills needed to create powerful nonfiction.
He reveals:
the three ways to begin a writing piece;
the magic question that injects energy into every part of the writing process;
how to sprinkle gems into writing;
how to dig like a detective and turn small details into big examples;
ways to make writing a fully immersed, participatory experience.
This fast-paced, interactive workshop is loaded with stories about Tim’s own experiences interviewing some of today’s most famous athletes, entertainers and newsmakers (and even an anecdote about his one-time appearance as a boy-band tambourine player). By the end, students, teachers and writers of all kinds will be excited to create clear, engaging and energetic prose.
Format: Workshop for small, mid-size and large groups
Audience: Students grades K-12 (content is leveled for age interest); staff development workshop; parent-child programs. This workshop can be paired with “Write to Your Dreams.”
Creativity & Goal-Setting
Dream-On-Boarding:
Thinking Big, Planning Huge & Creating an Epic Story
Big dreams are also big risks, and the journey to making them happen can involve thrills and accolades, but also mistakes, awkward moments and feelings of failure. Dream-On-Boarding empowers tweens, teens and adults to think big about school, careers, community service and their personal lives, and it also equips them with strategies for handing the tough parts of the journey. Through music, videos and stories, workshop participants will dive deep into the six elements of Dream-On-Boarding: Boundless Curiosity, Resilient Focus, Relentless Effort, Sound Support, Deliberate Optimism and Courageous Creativity. They’ll discover how some of the most successful leaders, businesspeople, athletes and entertainers have used these traits, and then develop their own plan with a goal-setting guide and a Dream Board. This workshop is adaptable for all audiences and has been taught in elementary, middle and high schools, as well as for college students, educators, and for prison inmates. It incorporates elements of the Creative Problem Solving process and improvisational comedy, and can up adapted for groups both small and large.
Audience: Students grades K-12 (content is leveled for age interest); staff development workshop; parent-child programs, and corporate.
Decoding the News: If It Bleeds, It Leads… or Does it?
Our news feeds are jammed with stories that incite more than inspire. How can we filter this barrage of headlines, cut the informational clutter, detect half-spun truths, distill facts, and draw conclusions? Join award-winning journalist, author and educator Tim O’Shei for a tour through the media industry. You will discover what it’s like to cover a Trump rally, a prison break, big pop-culture events, hate-group protests and refugees fleeing for – and from – the United States. You will weigh the factors a reporter considers when probing deep societal issues, learn how content decisions are made, and play the role of journalist by actually making those choices and discussing the consequences. Students and teachers will take home strategies for decoding the news and will be empowered with tools to help them utilize facts as the foundation for forming opinions.
Audience: Students grades 4 and up (content is leveled for age appropriateness); staff development workshop; colleges; general audiences
View authorvisits’s profile on Facebook
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View timoshei’s profile on Instagram
View timoshei’s profile on LinkedIn
View livestarringyou’s profile on YouTube
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Tag Archives: alaska place names
Alaska Baby Names
Baby, it may be cold outside in Alaska, but these names inspired by the state of are hot and ready to be used! Alaska has an expansive and diverse terrain which yields to many great Native names and nature names. Let’s look at some great names from America’s last frontier.
It seems only fitting that we start with this dynamic place name. Alaska comes from a Native American word meaning great land. Not very common as a first name, only 51 little girls were given the first name Alaska last year. Alaska Young is the title character in John Green’s popular novel Looking for Alaska. Alaska may also remind you of Alaska Matthews the pint sized beauty queen from the show Toddlers and Tiaras.
In 1927 13-year-old John Ben “Benny” Benson Jr. won a contest for designing the flag of the then territory of Alaska. Benson is an English name that as you may have guessed means son of Ben. Much less popular than Benjamin, which ranks at Number 6, Benson comes in at Number 428. If you love Ben names you may also consider Benedict, Bennett, Bentley, or Benton.
Denali is a National Park in Alaska that has the highest mountain peak in North America. Denali is a Native American name meaning great one or tall one. 62 girls and 24 boys were named Denali last year. You may also recognize Denali as the name of one of the vampire covens in the Twilight saga.
Name nerds like me will appreciate that Denali is an anagram for Daniel.
Alaska has been nicknamed “The Last Frontier.” Frontier definitely brings to mind images of cowboys and unsettled regions. A bold and uncommon word name, Frontier is two syllables and ends in “r” like Fletcher, Carter, and many more popular boys names. As you may have guessed Frontier is so uncommon as a name that less than 5 babies were named it last year.
Alaska designated Jade as its state gemstone in 1968. Jade is a beautiful precious green stone. As a name Jade has Spanish roots meaning stone of flank. One of the most popular names on our list today, Jade is currently Number 117 for girls. Though this name has clearly gone to the girls, it was still used by 53 boys last year. I’ve also seen Jade commonly used as a middle name in recent years.
Juneau is the capital of Alaska and comes from a french word meaning young. If you do have a connection to Alaska, Juneau is a distinctive place name. The spelling Juno may be assumed when this name is said out loud, in part due to the popular 2007 film Juno. A rarely used name, 10 girls were named Juneau last year.
Kodiak is Alaska’s largest island and the second largest island in the United States. Fittingly, Kodiak is a Russian name meaning island. In addition to being a place name Kodiak is also the name of a species of bear. 25 boys were named Kodiak last year. Nicknames like Koda or Kody may make this untapped place name feel more usable.
Denali was once called Mount McKinley. There is some naming controversy surrounding the highest point in North America. Native’s called the mountain Denali then later William Dickey began calling it McKinley after President William McKinley. Both names are still used interchangeably though locals will call it Denali. In 2015 Obama approved officially restoring the name to Denali. McKinley is a Scottish name meaning son of the fair warrior. Currently more popular with girls were it ranks at Number 428, McKinley was used by 68 boys last year as well.
Alaska’s motto is “North to the future.” This directional name made waves when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West used it for their daughter in 2013. I still associate North with Elijah Wood in the 90’s film North. I think North would make a handsome middle name choice. 11 boys were given the first name North last year.
A land of winter, many people associate Alaska with ice, snow, cold, and a seemingly endless winter. A beautiful seasonal word name, Winter is rising in popularity, currently coming in at Number 506. Winter can also work on the fellas, 45 boys were named Winter last year. I love Winter as a middle name, it yields a clean, crisp (pun intended) sound. I also think Snow and Frost would make for fun cold weather middle names.
The most popular names in Alaska last year were:
1 Liam (#2 in the US)
2 Oliver (#12 in the US)
3 James (#5 in the US)
4 William (#3 in the US)
5 Joseph (#20 in the US)
6 Lucas (#14 in the US)
7 Noah (#1 in the US)
8 Owen (#23 in the US)
9 Logan (#18 in the US)
10 Mason (#4 in the US)
1 Emma(#1 in the US)
2 Olivia (#2 in the US)
3 Amelia (#11 in the US)
4 Charlotte (#7 in the US)
5 Sophia (#4 in the US)
6 Abigail (#8 in the US)
7 Ava (#3 in the US)
8 Elizabeth (#13 in the US)
9 Aurora (#66 in the US)
10 Chloe (#20 in the US)
Posted in Baby Names, boys names, girls names, Nature Names, place names, state names
Tagged alaska baby names, alaska names, alaska place names, alaskan baby names, alaskan names, alaskan place names, baby names, babynames, boy names, cold names, girl names, ice names, names, state names, tulipbyanyname, weather names
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Email Usinfo@urbancombatives.com
Team UK
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Instructor Programme
Study Groups Explained
Study Groups UK
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Study Groups Ireland
Study Groups Canada
Study Groups USA
Study Groups Asia
UK Head Instructor
1st Generation Full Instructor
Jamie Miller has been training in urban Combatives for over 10 years he is a first-generation UC instructor and main representative in training coordinator for UC-UK. He has a vast martial art background and has studied boxing, Thai boxing, ju-jitsu, MMA, JKD and Kali under many well-known respected instructors. Jamie is also a certified personal trainer specialising in strength and conditioning. Having a background in gymnastics he understands natural He continues to Cross-Train in martial arts and other self-protection related methods, to supplement his Combative Training and enhance certain physical and mental attributes. His athletic base is immediately evident when you see him move. Jamie’s UC is outstanding and he is extremely innovative in drill designed and training kit ideas. He currently works with Lee teaching on the international seminar circuit. Working with civilians, security, law enforcement and military groups right up to the highest level of elite special forces. He has taught independently in Holland, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia as well as the US on several occasions. Jamie runs a weekly class on a Thursday Evening in the Leighton Buzzard area and is available for private tuition and group workshops/seminars.
UK Instructor Team
Daniel Morrison
Daniel Morrison is a First Generation Full UC Instructor and has been training since he was 10 years old in a myriad of martial arts. Dan as present throughout the entire growth of UC and understands the essentials of pure Combatives very well. Dan an assistant instructor at our UC Wednesday night class and is available for private tuition, workshops and seminars.
Tom Fryer
Tom Fryer is a First Generation Full UC Instructor. Tom is considered the raw caveman of UC and is available for private tuition in the basic UC curriculum, our barebones combative program and all elements of COM-FIT combative fitness training and routine design. Tom has experience on the international circuit as part of the UC team. Tom is based in the Tring, Bedfordshire and is available for private tuition on request.
Dave Stevens
3rd Generation Full Instructor
Dave Stevens is a Third Generation Full UC Instructor. Dave has 30 plus years of training experience and is a senior level Instructor in Krav Maga as well as a F.A.S.T Defence Instructor. Dave works the International Seminar circuit and has several years of experience of dealing with violence from working the doors. He is a welcome addition to the UC camp. Dave has a vast experience working with Civilians, Police and Military Units Globally. He runs a monthly UC Workshop in Nottingham where he is based.
Simon Grey
Simon Grey is a Third Generation Full UC Instructor. Simon is an ex-Forces Green Jacket, with long background in boxing and Muay Thai. He has been training with Lee for 8 years. Simon is a great instructor with a deep understanding of communication for installing skill sets quickly. Simon is well known for his explosive movement, impact power and his ability to immediately access state. Simon is based in South of England, Salisbury and is currently available for private tuition.
Tom Flint
Tom Flint is a Third Generation Full UC Instructor. Tom started training in UC under a First-Generation Instructor Steve Tomkins (now retired) for 3 years before coming to train with Lee. He previously trained within a myriad of martial methods and had a good physical base to start with. Tom has trained with firearms for the last 15 years and is an experienced firearms instructor in both the UK and aboard. He is a graduate of “Gunsite” Jeff Cooper’s legendary firearms school. Tom runs a weekly class in Croydon, Surrey and is available for private tuition, workshops and seminars.
Adam Stratta
5th Generation Full Instructor
Adam Stratta is a 5th Generation Full UC Instructor. Adam has been training in UC for about 8 years and he is extremely competent in all areas of UC. Adam is currently an assistant instructor for our Wednesday night class and has experience on the international circuit as part of the UC team. Adam is based in the Southampton area and is available for private tuition on request.
UK Apprentice Instructor Team
Bea Morrison
3rd Generation Apprentice Instructor
Bea Morrison is the first Fully Qualified Instructor of the WOLVERINE UNLEASHED Program for Women. She is also the first Female Apprentice UC Instructor in the Full UC Curriculum and an Instructor in the UC/RBSD Program for Children. Bea is available for Women’s classes, Private one on one tuition and Women’s Workshops. Bea is also an Assistant Instructor on the International seminar circuit.
Harj Sohal
5th Generation Full UC Instructor
Harj Sohal is a Fifth Generation Full UC Instructor. Harj has 10 years of training experience in different martial arts including Filipino Martial Arts, Filipino Boxing and a variety of Self Defence Systems. Harj has been predominately involved at a senior level in Krav Maga for the last 10 yrs running classes in the West Midlands area. Harj runs UC Monthly workshops in the city of BIrmingham.
Lee Walker
Lee is now a full UC Instructor. Lee started 25 years ago boxing & moved into kickboxing. Spent a few years competing in amature kickboxing under Trevor Ambrose.. Then move to Krav Maga 4 years ago & passed several ‘gradings’. After hearing about UC & watching UC YouTube posts I made the move for a more realistic form of self protection and been with UC for over 1 year.
Elliot Towsey
Apprentice Instructor
Elliott is an Apprentice Instructor in UC, currently holding grade 2 rank directly from Lee Morrison. But is verse with all things self protection and UC. Elliott has a Bachelor’s degree in Security Consultancy, as well as a foundation degree in Applied Computing. He has been training since the age of 6yrs old in martial methods and combat sports. Elliott is a 1st Dan Black Belt under Geoff Thompson, BCA. A qualified Krav Maga under Itay Gil, Lvl 3 advanced CQC trainer under (Ex) UK SBS special forces CQC trainer and Kings medel recipient. Lvl 3 advanced certificate in security risk management from the security Institute and holds Associate membership (ASyI).
BTEC Lvl 3 Self Defence instructor, use of force and risk management qualifications from NFPS Ltd. Aswell as other qualifications, Elliott considers himself a student, cross training in many systems/methods, but ultimately truly focused on self protection and personal security, due to having been brought up around violence and surviving being shot at, kidernapped, jumped (by multiple assailant’s) and stabbed, which left him having to battle against disability and PTSD. These experiences have fostered a mindset and thirst for knowledge which have only been quenched by UC and has enhanced Elliott into a instructor who is passionate about helping others learn, integrate and apply security practices and assymetrical combative skills.
Andrew Wakeman
Andy is an Apprentice UC Instructor, is on the 2019 Instructor Development Programme and is based in Staffordshire.
He has been involved in martial activities for over 30 years, initially starting with traditional karate, then moving into combat sports including thai boxing, western boxing, wrestling, bjj and MMA. He holds coaching qualifications in many of these areas. He is also a British Combat Association Self Protection Instructor, a level 2 Real Combat System Instructor and also a qualified Krav Maga civilian & women’s instructor.
As well as regularly training in Urban Combatives for the past four years, he also continues to cross train in striking arts and grappling and remains active in shooting disciplines.
In addition to being an enthusiastic practitioner of self protection, he gets a real kick from teaching & continuing to learn and firmly believes the old adage of “an instructor always needing to remain a student.”
Andy is currently active as an assistant instructor in UCworkshops in the Midlands and is currently in the process of establishing UC Staffordshire, pending successful completion of the IDP.
Email Us: info@urbancombatives.com
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Home » US AMOC
The US Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Program
The US AMOC Program, now in its ninth year, was developed as a US interagency program to increase understanding of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in response to the fourth near-term priority of the SOST Ocean Research Priorities Plan. The purpose of the program is to bring together researchers studying the AMOC and to build partnerships among modeling and observational groups to address problems related to AMOC variability, predictability, and climate impacts. During 2016 the program was constituted by over 50 funded projects. Program meetings, held either independently or jointly with the UK RAPID program, have been very successful in bringing together the program PIs to share research results, develop collaborative projects, and identify near-term research priorities.
Program Objectives and Near-Term Research Priorities
Objective 1 Focus: AMOC Observing System Implementation and Evaluation
Near-term priorities
Improving understanding of the meridional coherence (and/or lack thereof) of the AMOC and the mechanisms that control AMOC changes continues to be a high near-term priority. The newly deployed OSNAP array near 55°N, and the augmented elements of the SAMBA array at 34.5°S, will play key roles in this. Furthermore, development of dynamically consistent model-data synthesis methods to combine the heterogeneous observational pieces will also play an important role.
Expansion of the existing observing system to better capture the deep ocean and to better quantify the role of deep temperature and salinity signals in contributing to AMOC variability continues to be a priority. Enhancements such as ‘deep Argo’, ‘bio-Argo’, full-depth gliders, and enhanced moored observations should be evaluated in the context of a full-depth observing system.
Ensuring that AMOC estimates (and the key underlying measurements collected as part of the AMOC estimates) are made available in widely recognized locations such as the World Ocean Database, OceanSITES, the National Ocean Data Center, etc., is a new near-term priority. Improvement to communications between different observing system groups is also a recommended activity, particularly between more established observing system groups and newer groups becoming involved at the national and international levels.
Another new near-term priority is making sure that error estimates are produced and provided alongside AMOC estimates (and the constituent components). These error estimates should be made available on applicable time scales (days, weeks, months, and years) to provide the necessary precision information for analyses, inter-array comparisons, and for numerical model studies (where data are used for validation and/or for assimilation).
Rigorous testing of data assimilation schemes is needed in order to better understand how the systems are using the data collected. Better communication is needed between the US AMOC community and the data assimilation community to test and potentially expand the set of collected observations that are assimilated into models.
Long-term priorities
Finding and/or developing new technologies and methods for studying the AMOC and its key components will be necessary moving forward in order to address the overall observing goals for AMOC in a world of finite resources.
Development of plans to observe and study the shallow and deep pathways of the AMOC through the basin at locations away from the places of the few trans-basin arrays will be important in the long-term. This may involve future Lagrangian studies in the South Atlantic and/or tropical Atlantic regions similar to the ongoing work in the high-latitude North Atlantic, or it may involve the development of new technologies and/or techniques.
Objective 2 Focus: AMOC State, Variability, and Change
Use new and existing observations in combination with modeling experiments to refine our understanding of the present and historical circulation (and related transports of heat and freshwater) in the North and South Atlantic. An emerging priority is to provide a more detailed characterization of AMOC flow pathways and their impact on variability.
Continue development and investigation of AMOC “fingerprints.” Modeling and observational studies that seek to refine our current understanding of the connection of AMOC to large-scale, historically well-observed properties of the climate system should be encouraged.
Investigate connections between surface forcing (e.g., freshwater, heat, and momentum fluxes, NAO-related forcing) and historical AMOC variability.
Develop a more comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of existing global ocean reanalysis products and hindcasts using forward models as tools for investigating the circulation and transports in the Atlantic.
Long-term priority
Synthesize modeling and observational evidence to build scientific consensus on the variability and change of the AMOC over the last 50 years. Efforts within the data assimilation community should focus on reaching an accurate consensus (consistent with other lines of observational evidence) on the evolution of the AMOC over the last 50 years.
Efforts within the data assimilation community should focus on reaching an accurate consensus (consistent with other lines of observational evidence) on the evolution of the AMOC over the last 50 years.
Observational studies should focus on mechanisms and pathways that identify and explain coherent and incoherent signals between different study sites, thereby reaching consensus on which signals represent the large-scale AMOC versus more localized circulation patterns.
Objective 3 Focus: AMOC Mechanisms and Predictability
Investigate how surface exchanges of buoyancy and momentum between the ocean and the atmosphere/cryosphere drive the AMOC circulation across a broad range of timescales from monthly to millennial (i.e., quasi steady-state).
Clarify the apparent disagreement between models of different complexity regarding: i) the role of Southern Ocean winds and ii) the role of Nordic Seas overflows in maintaining and modulating the AMOC.
Quantify the magnitude, location, and physical mechanisms associated with interior diapycnal mixing in the ocean, which contribute to the diabatic AMOC, and evaluate the realism of current ocean GCMs in this regard.
Investigate the role of freshwater forcing and South Atlantic freshwater transports in determining the variability and stability of AMOC.
Expand the use of eddy-resolving models, particularly in regional/process studies designed to: i) test the robustness of AMOC variability mechanisms identified in coarser GCMs or idealized models; ii) address the origins of persistent model bias in the North Atlantic region (e.g., Gulf Stream separation and the North Atlantic Current path); and iii) assess the role of ocean turbulence in AMOC variability.
Quantify the predictability properties of AMOC in idealized and comprehensive models and identify mechanisms that affect these properties.
Explore the mechanisms associated with AMOC variability on centennial-to-millennial timescales, and evaluate the realism of GCMs on these timescales relative to available paleo proxy data, perhaps using proxy-enabled coupled climate models.
Translate the knowledge developed about AMOC variability and predictability mechanisms into reliable decadal climate forecasts.
Incorporate mesoscale eddy-resolving ocean models more fully into the toolkit used for AMOC mechanisms/prediction work, including long coupled GCM simulations, in order to address questions about the role of turbulence in controlling AMOC.
Synthesize results from theoretical, idealized models, and complex GCM investigations into a common conceptual framework regarding key AMOC variability mechanisms and identify the resulting predictability of the AMOC.
Objective 4 Focus: Climate Sensitivity to AMOC: Climate/Ecosystem Impacts
Identify the mechanisms by which AMOC variability, imprinted on SST and/or the cryosphere, affects local and remote atmospheric patterns and phenomena.
Assess AMOC impacts on the cryosphere, particularly Arctic sea ice and the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Assess AMOC impacts on global and regional sea level.
Improve understanding of how AMOC variability affects ocean-atmosphere exchanges of carbon, biogeochemical cycles, and marine ecosystems.
The long-term goal of Task Team 4 is to understand how AMOC variability affects other components of the Earth system – its climate, hydrologic cycle, atmospheric circulation, coupled phenomena (e.g., ENSO, monsoons), cryosphere, sea level, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, and carbon budgets – both locally and remotely.
US AMOC Program Updates
AMOC Science Team Sunset Plans
2018 US AMOC Report on Progress and Priorities
2018 International AMOC Meeting
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231 user 396 critic
PG-13 | 1h 38min | Biography, Drama, Romance | 14 December 2012 (USA)
The relationship between Alfred Hitchcock and his wife Alma Reville during the filming of Psycho (1960) in 1959 is explored.
John J. McLaughlin (screenplay), Stephen Rebello (book)
Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson | See full cast & crew »
Watch on Prime Video rent/buy from $3.99
231 user | 396 critic
Thomas Burman & Martin Samuel Set For Make-Up And Hair Stylists Guild Career Awards
08 January 2020 | Deadline
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Horror Highlights: Ghost Rider #1 Digital Director’s Cut, The Fare, Blood Myth
14 October 2019 | DailyDead
Oscars 2013: Nominated Films
Oscar-Nominated Movies You Can Watch Right Now
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Actresses in last Movies
Movies I watched in 2020
My TOP Biography / History
Search for "Hitchcock" on Amazon.com
Title: Hitchcock (2012)
Favorite Twin Movie Offspring, Second Born
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Dude, Where's My Hair!
How do you organize your DVD movies collection?
Rolling out the Red Carpet
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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 28 nominations. See more awards »
The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
The story of New Zealander Burt Munro (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who spent years rebuilding a 1920 Indian motorcycle, which helped him set the land speed world record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967.
Director: Roger Donaldson
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd, Iain Rea
Living in exile, Dr. Hannibal Lecter tries to reconnect with now disgraced F.B.I. Agent Clarice Starling, and finds himself a target for revenge from a powerful victim.
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Biography | Drama | Romance
A young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.
Director: Peter Webber
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson
My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier, documents the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during the production of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957).
Stars: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh
The Black Dahlia (2006)
Two policemen see their personal and professional lives fall apart in the wake of the "Black Dahlia" murder investigation.
Director: Brian De Palma
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson
The Queen (2006)
Biography | Drama | History
After the death of Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted.
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell
A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Stars: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy
Scoop (2006)
Comedy | Crime | Mystery
An American journalism student in London scoops a big story, and begins an affair with an aristocrat as the incident unfurls.
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman, Jim Dunk
American seminary student Michael Kovak (Colin O'Donaghue) travels to Italy to take an exorcism course.
Director: Mikael Håfström
Stars: Colin O'Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins, Ciarán Hinds
A retired FBI agent with psychological gifts is assigned to help track down "The Tooth Fairy", a mysterious serial killer. Aiding him is imprisoned forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter.
Director: Brett Ratner
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes
Comedy | Drama | Music
A Hollywood fixer in the 1950s works to keep the studio's stars in line.
Stars: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich
A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.
Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
Anthony Hopkins ... Alfred Hitchcock
Helen Mirren ... Alma Reville
Scarlett Johansson ... Janet Leigh
Danny Huston ... Whitfield Cook
Toni Collette ... Peggy
Michael Stuhlbarg ... Lew Wasserman
Michael Wincott ... Ed Gein
Jessica Biel ... Vera Miles
James D'Arcy ... Anthony Perkins
Richard Portnow ... Barney Balaban
Kurtwood Smith ... Geoffrey Shurlock
Ralph Macchio ... Joseph Stefano
Kai Lennox ... Hilton Green
Tara Summers ... Rita Riggs
Wallace Langham ... Saul Bass
In 1959, Sir Alfred Hitchcock (Sir Anthony Hopkins) and his wife, Alma Reville (Dame Helen Mirren), are at the top of their creative game as filmmakers amidst disquieting insinuations about it being time to retire. To recapture his youth's artistic daring, Sir Alfred decides his next movie will adapt the lurid horror novel, "Psycho", over everyone's misgivings. Unfortunately, as Sir Alfred self-finances and labors on this movie, Alma finally loses patience with his roving eye and controlling habits with his actresses. When an ambitious friend lures her to collaborate on a work of their own, the resulting marital tension colors Sir Alfred's work, even as the novel's inspiration haunts his dreams. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
year 1959 | los angeles california | studio executive | censorship board | talking to the camera | See All (190) »
Behind every Psycho is a great woman. See more »
Rated PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content and thematic material | See all certifications »
Official site | Official site [Japan]
14 December 2012 (USA) See more »
Hitchcock See more »
Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA See more »
$287,715, 25 November 2012
Fox Searchlight Pictures, Cold Spring Pictures, The Montecito Picture Company See more »
Dolby | SDDS | Datasat | Dolby Atmos | Dolby Surround 7.1
The photograph Sir Alfred (Sir Anthony Hopkins) picks up and reflects after his fight with Alma (Dame Helen Mirren), is an actual photograph of the real Sir Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville. See more »
When Hitch is seated in front of his TV set watching a cartoon while listening to a classical record album, the piece that is heard, which is correctly credited, is the scherzo movement from Ludwig van Beethoven's 3rd Symphony (Eroica). However the record album cover that is on top of the TV-stereo console is entitled "Beethoven Overtures." See more »
Henry Gein: It's lucky it didn't reach the house.
Ed Gein: Yeah.
Henry Gein: You know, there's gonna be a lot more jobs at that factory in Milwaukee come June. I could put in a word.
Ed Gein: You can't leave us, Henry. She needs us both.
Henry Gein: Can you stop being a mama's boy for one second? I'm not trying to hurt you, but Jesus, you gotta live your own life sometime. That woman can take care of her own god...
[Ed hits Henry with a shovel]
Alfred Hitchcock: Good evening. Well, brother has been killing brother since Cain and Abel, yet even I didn't ...
After the end credits, there is a brief shot of Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock standing in silhouette in a large empty movie theatre before walking out of the shot. This emulates Hitchcock's trademark cameo appearance in most of his films. See more »
References Torn Curtain (1966) See more »
Ain't That a Kick in the Head
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen
Performed by Dean Martin
Courtesy of Capitol records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music
Q: Isn't 'Psycho' a Universal movie?
Q: Is there a scene after the credits?
Finding the intersection between romance, comedy and horror in a Hitchcock biopic
9 February 2013 | by napierslogs – See all my reviews
"Hitchcock" is a mix between a Hitchcockian thriller, a comedy, a biopic, and a romantic drama. And I'm pretty sure that explains the negative reactions to the film. I agree that it's a strange mix but it works with what they are going for. Wanting to focus on the marriage between Alma Reville and Alfred Hitchcock, a romantic biopic can be dry, so staying true to the spirit of the legendary director, the film throws in some wry humour and frames it all with the tone of a thriller.
It's 1950 and Alfred Hitchcock wants to make "Pyscho". Studios are wary, his wife is losing patience, and the battle to get it made could be worse than the subject matter. His long-time actress, Vera Miles (Jessica Biel), is being relegated to supporting status and isn't happy about the lack of respect from Hitchcock. Meanwhile, Hitchcock is ready to cast his new film and is going to turn Janet Leigh (Scarlett Johnasson) into a star. One would assume his wife would feel maligned from that, but she's off trying to forge her own career with screenwriter Whitfield Cook who Hitchcock thinks is a hack.
The film's main purpose appears to just be entertaining. Which is all good, but the rather poor reception is because it could have used some depth into the interesting inner-workings of Hitchcock. At times it comes off as a superficial caricature but the man was a legend because there was so much more to him. Anthony Hopkins appeared to be exactly like Hitchcock both physically and linguistically. He got his sly and comedic mannerisms and phrasing perfect. Which fits the entertaining and humorous frame for the picture.
Personally, I think director Sacha Gervasi used the right cues to make it feel like a Hitchcockian thriller. Throwing in references of his desire for the gruesome, throwing in references to "The Birds", and making us think there might be a wicked twist coming. The twist is just that "Hitchock" could be just a comedy — the material is ripe for that.
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‘It was a bigger boy, sir’: youthful pranks in Rosemary Lane
Rosemary Lane had a reputation for criminality throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The street was one of several in Whitechapel where the police were cautious about patrolling at night and where they would often turn when they needed to locate the ‘usual suspects’ for a bit of local thievery.
In 1847 PC H180 was passing nearby when he heard a terrible noise emanating from the lane and decided to investigate. He soon found almost two dozen young boys gathered together as some sort of impromptu orchestra, making an awful racket. Some were banging pots and pans, others clashing knives and cleavers together; even bones were being used to pound out a rhythm on kettles and saucepans.
The policeman waded into this row and tried to get the lads to disperse. The boys were in high spirits and in no mood to listen. That day there had been a wedding – a Jewish marine store dealer, unpopular in the neighbourhood had married, and the reaction of the boys might have been some sort of youthful communal protest.
From the early modern period right up to the early twentieth century it was not uncommon for communities to express their displeasure or antipathy towards those they disliked or disapproved of by way of a charivari or skimmington. This was an old folk custom involving a mock parade with discordant (or ‘rough’) music.
As the policeman tried to stop the noise and make the crowd of boys go to their homes several of them turned on him and attacked him. One in particular hit him over the head with a kettle, knocking his hat into the gutter (before 1864 the police wore tall top hats, not helmets like they do today). He grabbed the boy and took him into custody, the others ran away.
The next day the child was brought before Mr Yardley at the Thames Police court charged with assaulting a policeman. Isaac Gardiner was so small his face could hardly be seen as he stood in the dock. When the magistrate was told that the boy had uttered the words ‘take that blue bottle!’ as he aimed a blow at the constable there was laughter in court. Isaac denied the charge, claiming some other boy was to blame.
‘It was a bigger boy, sir’, he said; ‘How could I reach up to a tall policeman’s head?’
It was a fair comment even if it was probably untrue. Mr Yardley was in no mood to have his court turned into a comic music hall act however, nor was he about to condone bad behavior by street urchins like Isaac. He told the prisoner that ‘boys must be taught to conduct themselves properly’. Isaac would be fined 5s and, since he had no money to pay, he’d go to prison for three days.
The poor lad was led away whimpering that it was unfair and he ‘didn’t see much harm in having a lark on a weddin’-day’.
[from The Morning Chronicle, Wednesday, October 20, 1847]
By the Police Magistratein Thames Police Court, Uncategorized October 20, 2019 502 WordsLeave a comment
‘So after getting all you could out of him, you walked off with someone else?’: Love, music and discord in Lambeth
The path of true love does not always run smoothly, and when things go wrong love can quickly turn to animosity. James Gray had been courting Georgina Hastings for three years, bringing her gifts and acting as a security for some of her purchases.
One of these was a pianoforte that she needed for her music lessons. Officially Georgina’s music tutor was guarantor for the piano but in reality it was understood that it was Gray that had undertaken to keep up repayments should Georgina miss any. She worked as a concert singer and she was a very attractive young woman, both of which meant that she was not short of admirers.
At some point her love for James cooled and someone else replaced him in her affections. When he found out James took his rejection badly.
After an evening’s work at the theatre Georgina came home around midnight to her rooms at 22 Lambeth Square to find the piano and several items of her clothing missing. She spoke to her landlady (Ellen Hare) and discovered that James had been round and cleared them out. Hare had given him the key after he convinced her that the property was his to take away. Georgina went to the police to get warrant for Gray’s arrest and on 1 August 1854 the couple were reunited in Lambeth Police court.
Gray was represented in court by a lawyer, Mr Wontner, who was to go on to serve as a police court magistrate later in the century. He established that Miss Hastings did not own the piano and that Gray was her de facto guarantor. He also prompted her to agree that the couple were to be married before she had ‘kicked him off for another lover’.
‘I don’t know what you mean by kicking him off’, Georgina replied, ‘but I suppose I had a right to change my mind if I thought proper’.
‘Yes, undoubtedly’, responded the lawyer, ‘but my client is a mason, and would have made you a good husband; and after three year’s courtship, I think it was quite time your loves were cemented’.
By now there was widespread chuckling in the court, though at who’s expense it is hard to judge. Georgina was unmoved, ‘that may be your opinion’ she said (it clearly wasn’t hers).
Mr Wonter continued, outlining the sums of money (amounting to around £100) that James had given his lover either in cash or presents over the three years of their relationship. Georgian challenged this admitting only that Gray had provided her with ‘five, ten, and sometimes fifteen shillings a week’. Even taking the mid point of these figures (7’6d) that still works out at close to £100 over three years so Wontner was not that much far of the mark.
And then, he told her, ‘after getting all you could out of him, you walked off with someone else?’
Georgina ‘did not condescend to answer this question’.
In summing up his client’s defense Mr Wontner told the magistrate (Mr Norton) that his client had removed ‘the property on finding he had been jilted and cut by Miss Hastings, and under the perfect conviction that it belonged to him’. Mr Norton, while he might have sympathized with Gray could not see any justification for taking the lady’s clothing. The lawyer conceded this and said his client was prepared to return the clothes and the piano, so long as he was no longer expected to act as security for it.
The magistrate agreed, and having removed the felonious elements of the charge this became a simple dispute over property. That being settled he was happy to discharge James Gray, who walked away to lick his wounds and find a new lover. Miss Hastings was free to return to her singing and her piano lessons but her reputation had undoubtedly suffered for having her love life publicized in the newspapers.
[from The Morning Post, Wednesday, August 02, 1854]
By the Police Magistratein Lambeth Police Court, Uncategorized August 2, 2019 662 WordsLeave a comment
A paedophile in Trafalgar Square or an innocent case of being overly friendly?
Yesterday’s case involved an alleged assault on a young girl and today’s is clearly similar. I think this demonstrates two things that perhaps we have not really considered: first that a concern about paedophiles is not a new phenomena but that perhaps we take it more seriously than we used to.
In July 1877 Matthew Seton was presented at Bow Street Police court. Seton clutched a roll of music in his hand as he was quizzed by Mr Vaughan but he gave his occupation as a barrister. A Police constable alleged that he’d seen Seton approach two young girls who were sat on the wall by the fountains in Trafalgar Square and engage them in conversion.
According to the witness Seton spoke to Elizabeth Corrington (who was just seven years of age), pinched her legs playfully and then put his hand up her skirt. He arrested him and took him to the nearest police station to be charged.
In court the barrister denied there was anything sinister in his actions.
‘On my way back, to rest a little, I sat next to the little girl on the wall in Trafalgar Square. The little girl kicked her legs at me in a childlike way, and I playfully pinched them, and said, What nice legs you have! I solemnly deny that I indecently assaulted her. If my hand went under her clothes it was an accident, and must have been caused by her slipping down’.
It was very hard to prove of course and today one would hope that no one would touch an unrelated or unknown child in any way, sexual or otherwise. The magistrate clearly had his doubts as he committed Seton for trial. His case came up at the Middlesex Sessions where he was acquitted of indecent assault probably because there was insufficient evidence to convict.
Was the 32 year old lawyer a paedophile? It is impossible to know so we, like the jury, should give him the benefit of the doubt. I am bound to wonder again however, as to why a seven-year-old girl was apparently without adult supervision in the square, just as in yesterday’s case a 10 year-old was roaming the city streets at 10 at night.
[from The Illustrated Police News etc, Saturday, July 14, 1877]
By the Police Magistratein Bow Street Court, Uncategorized July 14, 2018 July 13, 2018 379 WordsLeave a comment
‘Everyone’s a critic’: the German band leader at the centre of a row in Blandford Square.
Joseph William Comyns Carr of the Pall Mall Gazette
Most of us will own some device we use to play recorded music on for entertainment. We might use the radio (for classical, jazz or pop), or a CD player. Perhaps today the most people are moving over to streaming music via an internet music library service or from their own collection.
I imagine very few of us would hire a nine piece brass band to perform outside our house once a week before while we enjoyed lunch inside. However this is exactly what Mr Strawbridge, a City stockbroker did ,and it was causing some consternation in the fashionable London square where he lived.
In early March 1883 a German musician and bandleader, Joseph Deuchseherer, was presented before the sitting magistrate at Marylebone on a charge of ‘annoying a gentleman’ by playing music near his home in Blandford Square (home to the writer Wilkie Collins in the late 1840s – as pictured left).
Joseph W. Comyns Carr was a noted art critic and champion of the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. For the past ten years he had worked for the Pall Mall Gazette as their arts correspondent and, according to him, Fridays were the day when he wrote up his articles for the paper. Carr lived at 19 Blindfold Square and Mr Strawbridge lived at number 11, which was situated at right angles to Carr’s. Thus, while the band weren’t direct;y outside the ‘noise’ travelled any upset the critic.
Carr had no objection in principle to the musicians playing, it was just that they were hired to do so at an inconvenient time for him. He had suggested a number of alternative times to his near neighbour but these had been rejected. Moreover that Friday the band had been hired by another household between 10 and 11 so he’d had little or no respite from the music.
Finally, Carr decided enough was enough and went out to ask Deuchseherer to desist. The musician obliged but on consulting with the stockbroker who had engaged their services, they soon started up again. As a result a prosecution was brought and the German found himself before Mr Cooke at Marylebone Police Court.
The case was presented by Strawbridge’s lawyer (he was unable to attend) as one of principle; he felt Mr Carr was intent on having all street music banned. His private secretary appeared to insist that Mr Strawbridge was quite happy to take this case to a higher court to test this principle. He added that:
‘The band was an excellent one, as many of the inhabitants of the square would be glad to testify’.
Mr Cooke agreed that there was an issue to be solved here, whether or not it went further than his own court. He decided to bind the prisoner (Deuchseherer) over on his own recognisances for a week, presumably so that Mr Strawbridge could attend in person. Hopefully then the two gentleman of Blandford Square might be reconciled to each other.
[from The Standard, Saturday, March 03, 1883]
for other examples of street musicians (albeit not large bands like Herr Deuchseherer’s) see the following blog posts:
Fined for disturbing a mathematical genius
A ‘hideous noise’ in the street and early concerns about immigration
Two Italian musicians in a row about a monkey
By the Police Magistratein Marylebone Police Court, Uncategorized March 3, 2018 546 Words1 Comment
You are ‘ruining my brains’:the effects of imprisonment on one Londoner
Kate Driscoll was a regular in the Clerkenwell Police Court. The 25 year-old book folder* of ‘no fixed abode’ had been sent to prison on numerous occasions in the late 1890s for acts of violence or criminal damage, usually when she was much the worse for drink.
On Saturday, the 7 January 1899 she was entered Frederick Glover’s music shop at 185 Upper Islington. It was just before midnight (and so we learn that in those days shops were sometimes still open, even very later a night) and, as usual, Kate was drunk. This time her ‘poison’ was rum but I imagine she drank whatever she could get her hands on.
Having pushed her way into the shop she collided with a music stand sending it, and the musical score on it, tumbling to the floor. Mr Glover, understandably concerned for his merchandise, remonstrated with her and got a mouthful of abuse for his trouble. As Kate tried to pull over another display Glover grabbed her and managed to manhandle her off of his premises and in to the street.
Kate sat down on the pavement, and removed one of her boots. Slowly pulling herself upright she turned and aimed the heel at the window to express her displeasure at being so rudely ejected. As the boot made contact with the shop window it smashed the plate glass, doing an estimated £4 10s worth of damage.
The sound alerted PC Jones (222C) who arrested her and marched Kate off to the station, but not before she had managed to land him a punch in the face. On Monday she was back in court at Clerkenwell before Mr Bros, the sitting magistrate. There Kate admitted the damage and the assault on the constable.
‘I admit I struck him and knocked his helmet off’, she told Mr Bros, ‘but the officer threw me down. What I did was in self defence’, adding that ‘the drink was in me’.
‘I have no doubt about that’, countered the magistrate, ‘what have you to say’?
”Well these long terms of imprisonment you are giving me are ruining my brains’ was Kate’s riposte; ‘I only came out after doing six months on Saturday last, and, you see, the least drop [of alcohol] upsets me’.
There was little alternative to prison for Kate in 1899; the Police Court Missionary Service had been attending courts for the last couple of decades but they only really helped those willing to ‘take the pledge’ to abstain from alcohol and Kate wasn’t quite ready for that. After 1887 courts could release offenders convicted of certain crimes on their recognisances but this applied only to first offenders, and Kate Driscoll hardly qualified.
So Mr Bros, whether happily or against his better judgement, did what he had to do and sent her to gaol once more. She got two months for the criminal damage and three for the assault.’Five months, oh my heart!’ cried Kate, ‘I can do it’ she added, before she was taken away to start her latest period of incarceration.
[from The Standard, Tuesday, January 10, 1899]
*someone employed by a printer or bookbinder to fold sheets of paper to form the pages of a book. We can now do this mechanically.
You can use this site to search for specific crimes or use the Themes link in the menu on the left to look for areas or topics that interest you. If you are interested in a particular court (such as Bow Street or Marylebone) you can also limit your search to one court in particular. Please feel free to comment on anything you read and if something in particular interests you then please get in touch. You can email me at drew.gray@northampton.ac.uk
By the Police Magistratein Clerkenwell Police Court, Uncategorized January 10, 2018 January 9, 2018 621 WordsLeave a comment
Dancing ghosts and conjuring tricks in Old Street
You might be surprised to know that in 1875 there were newspapers on a Sunday. The Police Courts were closed on Christmas Day so this report must have been from Friday’s business however. It is one in which definitions of the law, and of what constitutes ‘music’ were the at centre of proceedings, but it also involved dancing ghosts and a conjuring trick.
William Wallser ran a traveling fairground show and in December 1875 he set up a tent between two houses in Old Street, in the parish of Shoreditch, and ‘parked’ his caravan next to it. Each night he performed magic tricks and ‘a “ghost illusion” similar to that of the Polytechnic the Worship Police Court was told. This was the use of glass and mirrors pioneered by John Henry Pepper at the Royal Polytechnic Institution in London which became known as ‘Pepper’s Ghost’.
Wallser’s must have been a cheap version of Pepper’s trick and he only charged a penny to get in. As a result it was probably a pretty rough and ready form of entertainment with a lot of noise and boisterous behaviour from the (probably) tipsy paying customers and their children.
It was certainly noisy and disorderly enough to cause a number of people to complain to the parish authorities. The vestry clerk of St Leonard’s brought a complaint that the showman was operating ‘disorderly house’ and Wallser was informed that, if convicted at the Sessions, he faced a possible fine of up to £100, a huge amount in 1874 and an awful lot of penny entrance fees.
Wallser was well-off enough to be defended in court and his lawyer claimed that the act was concerned with places of public entrainment that allowed music and dancing. It had recently been decided, he explained to Mr Hannay (the magistrate) ‘that a booth used by strolling players for the performance of stage plays was not a house within the meaning of the Act, and did not require a license’.
The vestry clerk was adamant that music was being being played as Wallser had both an organ and a triangle and he had heard reports that dancing had taken place. Mr Abbott (defending) said it was the ‘ghosts’ that were dancing and the people that played them were not ‘seen’. In other words they were part of the theatrical performance, dancing and music wasn’t the purpose of the entertainment.
Mr Hannay said an organ and a triangle ‘meant music’. Mr Abbott disagreed but he didn’t win the argument. The magistrate committed the showman to appear at the next Sessions at Middlesex but released him on his own recognisances. I wonder if he managed to magic himself out that one.
This is not the first time Pepper’s Ghost has made an appearance on this blog, if you want to know more then follow this link ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ and the disgruntled scene painter
[from Reynolds’s Newspaper, Sunday, December 26, 1875]
By the Police Magistratein Uncategorized, Worship Street Police Court December 26, 2017 December 24, 2017 484 WordsLeave a comment
Brickbats and stones ‘welcome’ the Salvation Army to Hackney
Congress Hall, Clapton – a Salvation Army mission
None of the London papers reported the business of the Thames Police Court in their editions on the 14th June 1881, but fortunately The Standard did include a report from Worship Street, Thames’ sister court in the East End. Given that the Morning Post did have reports from other courts, this helps me understand that reportage was (as I was fairly certain it was) highly selective.
I have written before about the unpopularity of the Salvation Army in its early days. The Army marched up and down London’s streets and held meetings to draw attention to the moral plight of the working classes. Whether it was the moralising people didn’t appreciate or the supposedly awful row their amateur musicians made, is not clear, but they suffered a great deal of abuse.
What I found most interesting was not the brickbats of the working poor but the relatively lukewarm support they drew from the middle-class magistrates that served in the Police Courts. I would have expected them to approve of the Army’s message but it seems that they saw them as at best a nuisance and at worst an unwelcome example of radical non-conformism.
On Sunday 12 June 1881 a Salvation Army procession was marching, four abreast, though Hackney on the way to a gathering at the Mission hall in Havelock Road(which they soon outgrew, moving in and adapting a former orphanage to build Congress Hall in the later 1880s).
As the marchers processed they were assailed with all sorts of missiles along the route and when they reached the hall some of them found their path barred by a group ‘of rough young fellows’ who had been dogging their progress through Hackney.
Edgar Lagden, a porter and member of the Army was attacked. James Elvidge saw two lads, later named as Israel Stagg and Henry Abbot assault his fellow marcher. Stagg hit Lagden with a stick which drew blood, Abbot had been throwing stones, some of which hit Elvidge and others.
Elvidge broke free and grappled with the boys and seized Stagg, but as he tried to get him under control several men attacked him to release the lad. In giving evidence before the magistrate at Worship Street Elvidge explained that he and his section of the march had been waiting and making space for the female marchers (the ‘sisters’) to get through unmolested when the main trouble flared. He ‘admitted that the crowd appeared to object to their possession of the road’.
That didn’t excuse the violence shown towards them of course, and the magistrate, Mr Hannay was quite clear on that point. Stagg was apparently well known as a troublesome lad in the district and he was described as being ‘in league with the street fighters’. His actions and those of the others who objected to the marching band of the Army was unacceptable, he was told, and ‘very nearly [constituted] a riot’. Mr Hannay sent Stagg to prison for two months and Abbot for seven days, ‘both with hard labour’.
But he wasn’t happy about the tactics of the Salvation Army either, he noted that the ‘course pursued’ by them was ‘such as to induce disturbance’. One gets the distinct impression that he wished they would find some other way to practice their faith, one that didn’t involve marching or the cacophony of brass instruments that accompanied it.
[from The Standard, Tuesday, June 14, 1881]
By the Police Magistratein Uncategorized, Worship Street Police Court June 14, 2017 June 11, 2017 572 Words1 Comment
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“Morgan Delaney” Artwork by Rebekah Lynn
Full Boat
By T. Novan
As the stage made it’s way through town and towards the docks, he watched her sleep. She was an incredibly beautiful woman, despite the dark clothing she wore that emphasized the two pearl handled colts in low slung holsters on each hip and the shotgun strapped to her back. Her hat was pulled down over her eyes and her booted feet were propped up on the other side of his seat. The black of her clothing was accented with silver in all the proper places, the band around her hat, the bolo around her neck, the buttons of her shirt. Her gun belt was hand tooled and inlaid with silver, which only served to enhance the appearance of her side arms. Traveling his eyes down her long legs he wasn’t surprised to find silver spurs at the heels of her boots.
“Something interesting?” She mumbled at him, never opening her eyes or moving a muscle.
Caught of guard, he felt a blush come to his cheeks. “Ah well…no.” The words tumbled from his lips.
She slowly brought her hand up and lifted her hat up with the index finger of her left hand. She opened her eyes to reveal the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen. She looked at him, hard.
“Then stop staring at me before I rip your eyes out.” She said deeply and slowly. She let her hat drop back down over her eyes and closed them again.
He turned his head and watched the world go by from the stagecoach window.
When the stage stopped at the docks. She stretched and sat up. She looked out the window at the steamboat before her and a wicked little grin passed her lips. He pushed the door of the stage open and gestured with his hand. “Ladies first.”
“Okay.” She said as she grabbed him by the back of his jacket and tossed him off the stage. He landed on the ground in a cloud of dust. He rolled over and watched her climb out of the stage. He didn’t know why, but she intrigued him.
She looked down at him and then stuck out her hand. “Sorry about that. I must not be totally awake yet.” Her took the offered hand and she pulled him to his feet. “Morgan Delaney.” She said as she began dusting him off.
“Huh?” He asked as she swatted some dirt from his backside.
“Morgan Delaney. That’s my name and you are?”
“Brisco. Brisco County Jr.” They shook hands as the stage driver tossed their bags to the ground.
“Are you here for the tournament Mr. County?” She asked as she picked up a bag from the ground and handed it to him.
He took the bag and watched as she slung a pair of saddlebags over her shoulder. Oh what he wouldn’t give to be a set of saddlebags right now. “No actually I’m the security for the game.” He hated to admit this to the woman who had just bodily tossed him from the stage. “What about you?”
“Yeah I’m here for the game. Hard to pass up an invitation only game with a half million dollar jackpot.”
“I guess it would be.” He said with a smile that went completely unnoticed by Morgan.
Their attention was drawn to a black carriage that approached fast. The driver reigned the horses and jumped down. He opened the door and two gentlemen climbed out of the coach.
“Excuse me.” Morgan said as she headed for the coach.
Brisco took note of the stylized MD on the door. “Oh so you’re that Morgan Delaney.” He said aloud to himself as he turned on his heels and headed up the plank for the steamboat.
Morgan smiled at the two men as they took up their bags and walked towards her. “So you two ready?” She asked with a grin.
The taller of the two, a huge man with an infectious smile looked to his employer and nodded. “Oh yeah Morgan we’re ready, but you and I both know that you’re the last person who needs a body guard so why the pretense?”
“Henry my friend. Where there’s big money there’s danger. I just like having the thoughts of you two watching my back.”
Before another word could be said another voice cut thought the noise of the passengers as they prepared t board the riverboat. “What do you mean I’m not on the list!” She yelled. “I’d better be on the list. Check it again.”
The purser looked at the pages in his hand and shook his head at the blonde woman who stood before him with her fists clenched in tight balls at her side. “I’m sorry Miss Stafford. You’re not on the list. I can’t let you board.”
“Listen buddy! My boss sent me here to cover this tournament so I know all the arrangements were made in advance. Look again!”
Morgan caught the eye of the poor purser and pointed at the little blonde and then jerked her thumb towards the boat and nodded her head. He gave her a little nod back and took the woman by the arm. “Miss if you’ll come with me I’m sure we can straighten this out.”
“Now that’s more like it.” She said as she went up the boarding plank with the frustrated purser.
Morgan turned her attention back to the two men in front of her. The shorter blonde man smiled at her. “What?” She asked in an exasperated tone that only she could manage.
“Rescuing another fair maiden in distress eh?” He asked with a grin.
“Henry why do you put up with him?” She asked as she addressed the taller man and poked the shorter one in the chest.
“Easy, he’s my best friend.” Henry said with a chuckle.
“I feel sorry for you.” She said with a grin as she readjusted her saddlebags. In reality all three of these people were good friends who thrived on annoying each other.
Behind Morgan someone dropped a box. She turned and as she did, the colt in her right holster cleared leather with a hiss and the sound of the hammer being cocked back was the next thing to be heard. The draw was so fast that neither of the men standing right next to her even saw it happen. When Morgan was sure there was no danger, she eased the hammer down with her thumb and slid the colt back into its holster just as smoothly as she had drawn it.
She turned to her companions and grinned. “Are we ready to go aboard?”
“You go ahead Morgan.” Henry stated. “Isaac and I will make sure all of our gear gets aboard. Besides I’d prefer not to let the strong box out of my sight.”
“Which reminds me. How much?”
“Just like you ordered in your wire…fifty thousand.” He said quietly.
“Well that should get me started.” She grinned and turned on her heels and headed up the plank.
“Whatta woman.” Isaac mused as he watched her walk away.
“Forget it.” Henry warned as he turned back to the coach. His friend followed on his heels.
“Oh I know she’s not interested in me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t lust after her.” Isaac climbed into the carriage and lifted the seat.
“Only until she catches you. Then you’re going to find yourself on the business end of that shotgun.”
“Never happen, she loves me like a brother.” Isaac said as he lifted the strongbox out of the carriage.
“You seem to forget my friend that she killed one of her own brothers.” Henry said with a smirk as he took the strong box.
“That’s only a nasty rumor.” The shorter man said as he jumped out of the coach.
Morgan entered her stateroom and tossed her saddlebags on the bed. She removed her hat and tossed it across the room. It landed perfectly on a hat rack, spinning around a few times then coming to an easy rest on the peg. She removed the shotgun and stowed it in the chest at the foot of her four poster bed. Then she went to the bathroom and poured water into the wash basin. She scrubbed her face and neck and washed her hands. She would wait until later to bathe, after her trunks were delivered to her cabin. As she washed up she heard a familiar voice in the room next door. She went back into the bedroom area of her cabin and placed her ear to the door that connected the rooms.
“Now this is more like it.” The female voice said.
Morgan chuckled to herself when she realized the little blonde from the dock was being put in the room next door. ‘This could be fun’. She thought to herself as she dried her hands. As she tossed the towel to the dresser there was a knock on her door. She opened to find the purser from the dock.
“Miss Delaney. I had to put Miss Stafford in your spare room. There just weren’t any other rooms. When you…I just…” He began to stammer as he took notice of the guns on her thighs.
She looked at his shirt and squinted at his nameplate. “It’s okay, Charlie. You did the right thing.” She reached into her front pocket and produced a money clip thick with bills. She peeled of a five and gave it to him. “Make sure she gets anything she needs.”
“He looked at the five and swallowed hard. “Yes ma’am. Is she a friend of yours?”
“She will be.” Morgan said with a grin. “Tell me when does the first round start?’
“Not until eight tomorrow morning Miss Delaney. Tonight is just dinner, drinks and drawing table lots.”
“How many tables?”
“Ten tables, five players per table”
“Fifty of us huh? Well that should thin out pretty quickly.”
“Yes ma’am. I don’t know why some of these fella’s even bother with you in the game. They gotta know they can’t win.”
She smiled at him. “You’re sweet Charlie but I can lose just a easily as they can.”
“When was the last time you lost a poker game Miss Delaney?”
“Well…” She chewed the inside of her mouth.
“Yeah I thought so. Well I’d better be gettin’ back to work.”
“You do that Charlie and don’t forget what I said about my neighbor over there.”
“Oh I won’t Miss Delaney.” Charlie smiled and went off down the hall.
Morgan was about to her return to her room when the door next to her room opened. She waited until the little blonde came into the hall. Morgan had to get a good look at her. The woman turned right into Morgan.
“I’m sorry.” She said as Morgan’s arms wrapped around her to keep her from falling.
Their eyes met. There they were those beautiful green eyes. Morgan smiled. It was her, the one that invaded her dreams every night. “It’s okay. Are you hurt?” Morgan asked as she released the woman.
“No I’m fine. Thanks. Looks like we’re going to be neighbors.” She offered Morgan her hand. “My name’s…”
“Gabrielle…” Morgan said softly as she took her hand.
Gabrielle looked at the woman who whispered her name. She seemed to have a far off look in her eyes as she said it. The reporter couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the blue of this woman’s eyes. “Ah yes…Gabrielle Stafford. Have we met?”
Morgan was pulled back by the last question. The memories of her dreamscape would have to wait. “No we haven’t.” Morgan said honestly with just a hint of embarrassment in her voice. “You work for a newspaper that I own.” She stated as matter of factly trying to clear her mind.
“You’re Morgan Delaney?”
“Yes.” She purred.
“I always thought you were a man.”
“Well as you can see I’m not. What would make you think that anyhow?”
“Well you’re just so damned elusive. No one ever sees you. I’d love to do a story about you.”
“Miss Stafford I’m sure you can find more interesting things to write about.”
“Funny, I can’t think of any at the moment. Are you playing in the tournament?”
“Yeah I am.”
“It’s the perfect angle. Elusive millionaire Morgan Delaney comes out of seclusion to play in a high stakes poker tournament. It’s perfect. Please?”
There was something about that please that struck deep in Morgan’s soul. She smiled at the shorter woman. “All right, but you have to have dinner with me tonight.”
“I would love that. It’ll give me a chance to get some background information.”
“Fine I’ll see you tonight then.” Morgan was feeling a real need to be away from this woman as quickly as possible. She was beginning to shake inside, she knew soon it would work its way to the outside as well. She stepped back to allow Gabrielle to get past her in the narrow hallway. They smiled at each other as Gabrielle slipped past. Morgan watched her walk away. She gave a low whistle and went back into her room.
She was just about to lie down when there was another knock on the door. “Morgan it’s Henry. I’ve got your trunks.” He yelled through the door.
“Come in it’s open.” She said as she lay back on the bed, her feet still planted on the floor.
Henry pushed the door open and carried one trunk on his back and drug the other into the room. He sat the first on down with a thud and pushed the second up next to it. “You all right?” He asked as he stood up and stretched.
“Yeah I’m fine. It was just a long trip. I’ve got a hell of a headache.”
“Why don’t you take a bath and a nap before dinner?” He said leaning against the trunks.
“You know,” She sat up and ran her hands over the bedspread. “That’s a good idea.”
“Yeah a nice hot bath and a nap in a soft bed…” He yawned. “You know I think I’ll try it too.” He walked towards the door. “Hey you want to join us for dinner tonight?”
“Um…thanks but I’ve got plans for dinner tonight. How ‘bout a drink after.”
“A drink it is then. See you tonight.” He left the room letting the door shut gently behind him.
Morgan sat in the tub of hot water and closed her eyes. She felt herself slipping into sleep, but didn’t resist it.
She recognized the scene. She had dreamt it at least a thousand times. A barn. It was evening from the looks of the shadows. She knelt down next to her companion and prepared medicine for her sick friend.
“You know,” Gabrielle began. “It’s occurred to me that this is just a clever diversion to make me forget about my boots.” She began coughing and wheezing. “My chest feels so heavy…” She gasped.
Morgan could see herself reach forward and put her fingers in the dark sticky substance and then brush her fingers over the blonde’s lips. The worried look on her brow made her heart jump even in the dream state.
“What?” Gabrielle asked.
“I just ran out of time didn’t I?
Morgan could see herself wipe the blood away and kiss the woman on the forehead. It was her, but yet it wasn’t. The clothes were different, very different. No guns, but the nicest looking sword she had ever seen. Then there was her companion in the dream. The blond who looked exactly like Gabrielle Stafford and even shared the same first name. Then the scene shifted…
Sitting on the edge of a stream, together. Laughing and talking. Looking deeply in those green eyes. Absorbing the warmth of that smile.
“Another one’s fallen for you.” Gabrielle said.
” Again?”
“Yeah.” She replied with a hint of disgust.
“Why does this always happen?”
“It’s the blue eyes, the leather. Some guys just love leather.”
The dreams came to an abrupt halt as Morgan found herself fighting for air. She had slid down into the water and it woke her as it slipped into her lungs. She sputtered as she came up for air. She wiped the water from her eyes and then pushed it from her hair trying to regain her concentration.
“This is bad, very bad. How in the hell am I supposed to concentrate on the game now.” She sighed as she settled back in the tub. “Damn.”
After her bath she threw on a robe and went back into her bedroom. She picked out her clothes for the evening and then pulled back the covers on the bed. She took the robe off and climbed into the overstuffed feather bed. She settled down and closed her eyes hoping the dreams would return. They didn’t.
When Morgan awoke she could hear the engines and the paddlewheel of the boat. She knew they were underway. She got up and put her robe on and moved to the window. The sun was starting to set and she could feel a slight breeze coming off the river. A cloak she would need to wear a cloak to dinner tonight. She smiled.
As she appraised her appearance in the mirror she wondered if she should leave her hair loose tonight. Generally she kept it pulled back into a braid or a simple ponytail, but in all her dreams so far it had been loose around her shoulders. Maybe, just maybe. She looked at her attire, properly dressed for dinner in dark trousers and a short black jacket, white shirt and black ascot with a gray vest. The pearl stickpin in the ascot was a nice touch. She pulled her pocket watch from her vest pocket and checked the time, half an hour to dinner. She wondered if she should go next door and escort her companion to dinner or if she should just meet her in the dining room. She clicked the watch shut and replaced it in her pocket. She’d leave her hair loose tonight and meet her companion in the dining room.
She picked up her gun belt and fastened it into place. She tied the leather thongs around her thighs and made the final adjustments. She picked her hat up and started to put it on then she sat it back down, no sense in covering up the hair. She grabbed the long black cloak from the bed and placed it over her shoulders.
She left her cabin and headed for the dining room. On the way she met one Mr. Brisco County. “Good evening Mr. County.”
“Good evening Miss Delaney. My don’t you look…”
She cut him off with a wave of her hand. “Save it for someone who’s buying Brisco.”
“So we’re on a first name basis now are we?” He asked as they continued to walk toward the dining room.
“Oh I don’t see why not. Friends should be on a first name basis and we’ll never be more than friends; so we may as well start there.”
“Gee Morgan you really know how to hurt a guy. You didn’t even get to know me first.”
“It’s not you Brisco. I just know what I want. You’re not it.” She said as they stepped into the dining room. The maitre’d arrived very quickly. Morgan’s notoriety had arrived long before she did and there wasn’t a staff member on board who didn’t recognize her.
“Miss Delaney, good evening. Table for two?”
“Yes actually, although Mr. County and I aren’t dining together. I’m expecting another guest.” She turned to Brisco and smiled. “Might I suggest you join Henry and Isaac.” She said as she pointed to her two companions. “I think you’ll like them and find that you have a lot in common too.”
“Yeah. Thanks I’ll do that.”
She tried to hide the smile as Brisco walked over to the table where her friends were seated. As she followed the maitre’d to her own table; she removed her cloak and took a seat facing the entrance. She looked at her pocket watch again. As she snapped it shut she realized she was just being impatient and tried to relax. This only accomplished two things. She discovered that when bored and nervous she drummed her fingers on the table and second, while trying to stop the first action she spilled a glass of water.
Of course, it was while three waiters were scurrying around trying to get the table cleaned up, that Gabrielle chose to make her entrance. Morgan was brushing the water from the lap of her trousers when she looked up to see Gabrielle smiling down at her.
Morgan couldn’t believe it. She was simply beautiful. Her hair was pulled up exposing her neck and the dress she chose was a green satin number that was pulled off the shoulders. ‘Funny’ Morgan thought ‘How her shoulders and neck meet like that’. She realized two more things. First she was staring and second she was being rude. She stood up and dropped her napkin to the table.
“I’m sorry I had a little accident.” She said with a slight smile.
Gabrielle smiled back. “Yeah I can see that.”
“Please have a seat.” Morgan motioned to the chair across form her own. Gabrielle sat down and waited patiently while the waiters reset the table. Morgan sat back down and watched her dining companion.
Once the table was reset. The waiter brought a bottle of wine to their table. He showed the label to Morgan who just nodded. He opened the bottle and poured a bit for Morgan who sipped it carefully giving it her full attention. “Very good.” She complimented him and he poured for both the women.
Gabrielle sipped the wine and smiled at Morgan. “Excellent choice.”
“Thank you. I hoped you wouldn’t mind.”
“Not at all.” Gabrielle leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table and folded her hands together, resting her chin on top of them. “So tell me what brings the famous Morgan Delaney out of seclusion for a mere poker game?”
“For starters I’m not in seclusion. I just travel…a lot and this is no mere poker game. It’s invitation only and has a half million dollar jackpot.”
“Don’t try and convince me you’re in it for the money. You already have enough of that to last you through three lifetimes. As I understand it, being a blockade runner during the war was quite profitable.”
“Seems to me Miss Stafford that you seem to know quite a lot about me already.” Morgan leaned back in her chair.
“I’ve done some research yes. Asked a few questions. Talked to a few people. Please call me Gabrielle.” She leaned back and took another drink of her wine.
Morgan shifted in her chair and leaned against the right arm, crossing her long legs. “So what else did you find out about me Gabrielle?” She loved the way that sounded as it rolled off her tongue.
“Well for starters, anyone who you call friend is very loyal and trustworthy.”
“And anyone you call an enemy is more than willing to see you hung…or worse.”
Morgan smiled. She knew there were several people who fit into this category.
Gabrielle continued. “There seems to be a healthy mix of both aboard.”
“Yes it could get interesting before the trip is over.” Morgan reached for her glass. She brought it to her lips and drank again, never taking her eyes off the reporter. She put her glass down and smiled.
“What is it?” Gabrielle asked. “You’ve had this silly grin plastered on your face since I arrived. Do I amuse you?”
“No it’s not that. You remind me of someone.”
“I’m not sure.”
“It’s a long story.”
“You’ll have to tell me sometime.”
Before Morgan could respond a tall man approached their table and leaned on it. He looked at Gabrielle and then turned his attention to Morgan. He sneered at her as he spoke. “Hello bitch.” Morgan smiled as she shifted in her chair again and rested her hands on the table.
“Hello Duncan. If you don’t mind I’m trying to have dinner here.” She was being more than polite considering the salutation she had gotten.
“I don’t give a damn what you’re trying to do. I told you that if I ever saw you again I’d…”
His words were cut off by the flick of her wrist. She was on her feet and the derringer in the palm of her left hand was pressed firmly against his throat. “I don’t give a damn that you don’t give a damn. This is not the time or the place.” She growled at him. “If you want a piece of me you can wait until we dock in New Orleans. I’ll be more than happy to oblige you there.”
Before any more words could be exchanged, Henry, Isaac and Brisco were at the table. Brisco and Henry grabbed the man by the arms. Isaac positioned himself between Gabrielle and the possible fight that could erupt. Duncan looked at the men who held him and then back to Morgan. “New Orleans it is.” He growled back as he shook off the men who held him. He straightened his clothes and left the table.
“You okay?” Henry asked as he watched Duncan walk away.
“I’m fine guys thanks.” Morgan took a deep breath and pushed the derringer back up her sleeve. The click of the mechanism told her is was secure once again. She tugged on her jacket and sat back down.
Henry and Isaac nodded at her and returned to their table. Brisco however leaned on the table and glared at Morgan. “You wanna tell me what that was all about?”
“It’s personal Brisco. An old grudge.”
“Anyone else around here with an old grudge I should know about?”
Gabrielle giggled. Brisco turned to her. “Yes?”
“Only about half the passenger list.” The reporter replied with a smile on her lips.
“Oh well that’s just wonderful.” He turned back to Morgan. “You coulda warned me you know?”
“I’m sorry Brisco. I really am. As Miss Stafford said I have more than a few enemies aboard. It’s a good thing I have a few friends too.” She gave him a crooked little smile.
“Oh this is going to be a long trip.” Brisco mumbled as he walked away from the table.
“So,” Gabrielle started. “I guess he falls into the ‘Or worse” category.”
“I guess he does.”
“Another long story?”
“No not particularly. He thinks I killed his brother.” Morgan said as she took a sip of her wine.
“Did you?” The reporter asked flatly, causing Morgan to choke on her wine.
“No.” She said as she cleared her throat. “I am innocent of that particular charge.”
“You have killed though haven’t you?” Gabrielle asked leaning forward again.
“Yes. Yes I have.” Morgan wasn’t proud of the statement.
“It changes everything…everything.” Morgan said quietly.
They ate their dinner in relative silence. Gabrielle knew she had blown it with that last question and now she had to turn the conversation around. She slowly took a bite of her salad and considered what she had to do. “So why poker?” She asked.
“Oh I don’t know there’s something about a game of chance that I can’t pass up. It’s the challenge of the unknown.”
“Is that why you travel so much? The challenge of the unknown?”
“Yeah I guess so in a way. I just hate to stay in one place for too long. Makes me cranky.”
Gabrielle smiled at the cranky comment. “I’d hate to see you cranky. I’ve seen what you do when you’re being polite. By the way that’s a nifty little gadget you have up your sleeve.”
“Thanks. I like to be prepared.”
“You seem awfully well prepared to me.” She said with a smile.
“You have to be. It comes with the job.”
As they finished dinner, Charlie approached the table. “Miss Delaney. I’ve been asked to inform you that the reception for the tournament will begin in about an hour.”
“Thank you Charlie. You’re a good man.” She fished a coin from her pocket and tossed it to him. He smiled at the generous tip and left with a slight bow. “Well it seems I have an hour to kill. Care to take a walk on deck?” She stood and draped her cloak over her arm.
“Sure.” Gabrielle accepted the offer of Morgan’s hand to rise from the table.
As they left the dining room, Morgan could feel someone watching them. It was the eyes of an enemy she was sure of that.
Out on deck, there was a soft but chilly breeze blowing. She placed the cloak around Gabrielle’s shoulders. “Thank you.” The reporter said softly as she leaned against the rail.
“Just another small part of my plan.” Morgan said as she pulled a cigar case from her jacket and prepared a small brown cigar for smoking. Gabrielle turned her attention back to the taller woman and watched intently.
“You’re a very unusual person, Morgan Delaney.”
Morgan leaned against the rail and placed the cigar between her lips, she struck a match on the rail and lit it. Dropping the match into the water below she slowly turned to Gabrielle and took a deep drag of the cigar, before speaking. “What makes you say that?” She let the smoke exit her lungs slowly through her nose and mouth.
“Well look at you. You’re quite the enigma and if I didn’t know better I’d swear you are trying to seduce me.”
“What if I said I am?”
“An enigma or trying to seduce me?” Gabrielle turned back to watch at the shore pass by.
“Well I don’t know about the enigma part, but the seduction part now that’s a different story all together.” Morgan turned to look over the rail as well. She took the cigar from her lips and let it dangle between her fingers, knocking the ashes off with the tip of her finger. “Are you shocked?”
“Do I seem shocked?”
“No you don’t. Mind if I ask why?”
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me.” She said as she took another drag off her cigar.
“We know each other already. From another time and another place, but we know each other.”
Morgan felt her heart skip a beat as she tried to keep her composure intact. “What makes you say that?” She flicked the ashes from her cigar again.
“All my life I’ve had these dreams…” Gabrielle’s voice faltered. She turned to face Morgan. “When I met you in the hall today. I knew immediately you were the one from my dreams.”
“Tell me about them…your dreams.”
“My most vivid one is…”
The snow blowing around them. Soldiers everywhere. Roman soldiers. She turns her head slowly as she hears her name…
She turns to see the battered body on the cross. She tries to find to words the comfort her love in their final moment…
“You’re the best thing in my life…” Xena continues with a slight smile even as the soldiers continue working around them.
“I love you Xena…”
Morgan stiffened and flicked more ashes. “Xena? So that was my name. Don’t like it.” She said before taking another drag without looking over at the reporter.
“What do you mean, that was your name? Have you been…”
Morgan cut her off. “Yup, but I never heard my name.”
“This is almost too weird.” Gabrielle turned to Morgan.
Morgan turned her head to look into those beautiful green eyes. “I consider that an understatement. I thought I was losing my mind and then two weeks ago when I saw you at the paper…”
Gabrielle smiled as the realization hit her. “Oh so that’s how I drew this job. That’s why I was sent to cover the tournament.”
“Guilty. I had to see you. Get to know you. Maybe spend sometime with you. You’ve been invading my dreams almost every night for as long as I can remember. For the longest time I convinced myself you weren’t real and then…” She stopped and turned back to the water. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here like this. It was wrong.” She gave the cigar a hard flick from in between her thumb and forefinger and sent it into the water below. “If you want to get off in New Orleans I’ll understand.”
Gabrielle giggled slightly. “And give up a free trip? Are you crazy?” She placed her hand on Morgan’s arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Besides I called off my wedding for you. Don’t think I’m going to give up that easily.”
“You what?”
“I was suppose to be married last year. I thought I loved him. I really did, but when the dreams didn’t stop…as a matter of fact they got worse. I realized I had made a huge mistake and called off the wedding. I knew I didn’t love him. I couldn’t go through with it. I knew you were out here somewhere.”
“So do you think you love me?”
“I don’t know, but you do seem to be the answer in my dreams.”
Morgan turned to Gabrielle and leaned in, giving the woman a soft gentle kiss on the lips. Gabrielle accepted the kiss without hesitation. When they parted she smiled and sighed. “Yes that’s it. It’s the same kiss.”
“You know I think you’re having better dreams than I am.” Morgan said with a chuckle.
“Well there is this one dream that I keep having…” She smiled.
“I definitely want to hear about that one.” Morgan caressed Gabrielle’s face with the tips of her fingers as she smiled at her.
Suddenly Morgan stiffened and her hands went to her guns. She spun around bringing both colts up and cocking back the hammers. “Okay show yourself!” She ordered making sure that her body was well between the intruder and Gabrielle.
Brisco stepped out from the shadows. He looked completely embarrassed. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt…ah I’ll just be going now.”
Morgan released the hammers of the guns and reholstered them. “That’s a good way to get yourself shot Brisco.”
“Apparently. I’m sorry Morgan…Miss Stafford, please forgive me.”
“Did you need something or were you just spying?” Gabrielle asked.
Morgan bit back the laugh as the spirited young woman stepped around her to confront their uninvited spectator.
“Well actually yes I did have a reason for being here. Morgan do you know Tucker Cantrell?”
“Yeah Tucker and I are old friends. He’s suppose to be here for the tournament, but I haven’t seen him yet.”
“You won’t. He was found dead in his hotel room this morning.”
“What happened?” Morgan asked as she glanced to Gabrielle.
“We’re not sure. The cause of death hasn’t been determined yet. He apparently died with a smile on his face.”
“Yeah that would have been Tucker’s style. Keep me posted will ya’ Brisco?”
“Sure thing. And I’m really sorry for the interruption. They’re going to be drawing table lots in about a half an hour. In the smoking parlor.”
“Thanks I’ll be there.” Morgan said as she pulled out the cigar case again.
“We’ll be there.” Gabrielle corrected. She noticed the look on Morgan’s face. “Hey if I’m suppose to be covering the tournament then I’m going to cover the tournament. They don’t pay me fifty dollars a week for nothing you know.”
“You’re underpaid.” Morgan said as she put another cigar between her lips.
Brisco cleared his throat and waved his good-bye to the pair as he walked away, leaving them alone again.
“So who do I have to talk to about a raise?” Gabrielle teased as she took the match from Morgan’s hand and struck it on the rail. She held the match for Morgan as she leaned down and lit her cigar. After it was lit, Gabrielle brought the match to her lips, her eyes never left Morgan’s as she gave a soft blow putting out that flame, but igniting another in a certain gunfighter.
“I have a few connections at that rag you work for,” Morgan teased back. “Maybe I can pull some strings.”
“How gallant of you. Thanks.” Gabrielle tossed the match overboard.
“Gabrielle how insane does all this sound?”
“Well let’s just say that if we were to tell anyone else I’m pretty sure they’d have us locked up.”
“No they’d have you locked up. I’m rich. They’d just call me eccentric.” She said with a soft chuckle.
“Aww…now that’s not very nice.” The reporter said as she tugged at the cloak, closing it tightly around her.
“It might not be nice, but it is the way the world works Gabrielle. If you’re a working stiff you’re crazy. If you’ve got money, you’re eccentric.” She took a drag off her cigar and put her hand in the small of the woman’s back. “Let’s go inside and get a brandy to warm you up.”
Morgan guided them back inside and to the smoking parlor. She placed Gabrielle in a corner booth and moved to the bar where she ordered two brandies. As she returned to the booth she discovered that Gabrielle had attracted an admirer. Choking back the urge just to shoot him and be done with it, she merely inserted herself between the two and handed a brandy to Gabrielle. “There you go.” She said as she looked into the face of the young man who wanted to challenge her.
“Thank you Morgan.” Gabrielle said as she tugged on the gunfighter’s arm. “Why don’t you sit down.”
Morgan slid into the booth. Never averting her gaze from the young man who was making no move to leave. He just stood there staring at Gabrielle. He was really starting to piss Morgan off.
“This is Jesse Cooper. He’s playing in the tournament too.” Gabrielle offered the introduction hoping to ease the tension.
“That’s nice.” Morgan growled.
“Jesse this is…”
“Morgan Delaney. Yeah I know. I’m looking forward to playing you.”
“You’ll have to make it to the final table. Unless of course you get lucky enough to draw the same starting table that I do.” Morgan sipped her brandy and narrowed her gaze at Jesse. He wasn’t picking up on the ‘leave us alone’ signals that the gunfighter was so clearly sending. If he stayed this stupid she’d have to hurt him just to get her point across.
“Uh Jesse it’s been really nice talking to you, but Morgan and I have some things to discuss…” Gabrielle said sweetly hoping she could get the message across.
‘That’s another method’, Morgan thought, ‘but nearly as much fun as throwing him overboard’.
“Yeah I suppose I should head back over to the guys. It was nice meeting you Gabrielle. I still look forward to it Miss Delaney.”
“Uh-huh.” Morgan snarled into her brandy snifter as she took another drink.
Jesse walked over to a table of men and sat down. From his position behind everyone else it was clear that he hadn’t been invited there either, but at least they were willing to let him join them in some fashion.
“Moron.” Morgan growled as she continued to watch him.
“Be nice. He’s perfectly harmless. Besides why the jealous act?”
“Who says it was an act?”
“Well gee I don’t know, um…let’s see we’ve known each other for all of two hours.”
“Gabrielle I’ve known you all my life. You’ve been in just about every dream I’ve ever had. I don’t know how to explain it, but yes I’m in love with you. I always have been, ever since I was old enough to know what it meant to be in love.”
Just as Gabrielle was about to respond Brisco stood up and called for everyone’s attention. “All right everyone we’re going to draw for tables.” He reached over and took a hat from Isaac. “In this hat there are fifty poker chips. Each one has a number on it from one to ten. The number you draw is your starting table.”
Before he could finish a line started to form and the men started drawing chips. Morgan made no move to go.
“Don’t you want to get your table?” Gabrielle asked.
“Makes no difference which table I start at. What matters is where I end up.” She said with a chuckle as she lit another cigar. “Will you sit with me while I play?”
“Are non players allowed at the tables?”
“You can sit behind me. Besides don’t you want to be where the action is?”
“My you certainly are full of yourself aren’t you Miss Delaney?”
“I’m confident Gabrielle. There’s a difference.”
“I see, if you’re a working stiff you’re cocky. If you’ve got money your confident. Is that it?”
“That’s it.” She said with a smile as she drained her glass and took another drag of her cigar.
When the rush was past Morgan drew herself up and took one of the last chips in the hat. She looked at it and put it in her pocket. She nodded to Brisco and made her way back the booth. She found that Gabrielle had ordered two more drinks. She smiled as she sat down.
“What table did you draw?”
“Number one.” The smile turned into a grin.
They walked back towards their cabins, slowly strolling, neither of them in a hurry. When they arrived, Gabrielle gave Morgan back her cloak. She felt like a silly young girl out with her first crush. Morgan took her key and unlocked her door for her. As she handed her the key, Morgan captured Gabrielle’s hand and pulled her into her arms for another kiss, this one longer, deeper, passionate.
As they pulled back from each other, Gabrielle licked her lips and drew a deep breath. “Oh yeah that’s it. That’s the one.” She moaned, her eyes closed.
“You really must share that dream with me.” Morgan said as she ran her thumb across Gabrielle’s lips and down her cheek.
Gabrielle pushed the door to her room open. “There’s no time like the present.” She took Morgan’s hand and pulled her into the room.
It didn’t take long. Morgan found herself mentally berating herself for having so damn much gear on. Trying to remove her clothes while engaged in one of the most passionate kisses of her life wasn’t the easiest accomplishment in the world. Gabrielle pushed her jacket off her shoulders and it fell to the floor somewhere near the door. Morgan kicked her boots off and growled when the kiss was momentarily broken, while doing so.
As they resumed the kiss Gabrielle fumbled with the ascot and Morgan tugged at the straps that held the derringer in place on her arm. The derringer fell by the wayside somewhere near her jacket. She went for her gun belt next, making sure to undo the leather thongs first, she quickly unbuckled it and dropped it to the floor.
By the time they made it across the room to the bed, there was a trail of clothing from the door to the bed, including Gabrielle’s dress, which had found a home near the table in the center of the room.
Morgan picked Gabrielle up and laid her on the bed. She leaned in and kissed her as her hands began running over the woman’s soft warm flesh. Gabrielle wrapped her arms around Morgan and pulled her onto the bed. Their bodies melted together as if they were made for each other.
“Ohh yesss….” Gabrielle moaned into Morgan’s ear as the gunfighter nuzzled her neck and nibbled playfully on her earlobe. Her hands ran down the length of the gunfighter’s back and ended up on a nice firm backside. Her nails dug in as Morgan trailed soft gentle lips down her neck, across her collarbone and down to her breasts.
Morgan could hear her own heart beating in her ears as she took a firm erect nipple into her mouth and Gabrielle moaned again. Morgan was on fire and she knew that she was going to go up in flames with this woman tonight. It felt so right as the blonde moved under her. Nothing had ever felt so right before.
“God Gabrielle, what are we doing?” Morgan gasped as she returned to the reporter’s neck and whispered in her ear.
“Making love.” She whispered back. “And don’t stop.”
“But…I…” Morgan stammered as she felt a sudden rush of guilt. “Don’t want you to do…anything…”
“Shhh…less talk. I’m not a little girl.” She whispered in Morgan’s ear as her hands wrapped firmly in the long dark hair. “I know what I want…I want you.”
Morgan smiled as she trailed soft warm kisses down the reporter’s body. Her hands roaming all over the soft flesh of her lover. Gabrielle’s soft moans only served to encourage her. She kissed Gabrielle, her tongue requesting and being given entrance into the woman’s mouth. The taste of this woman was as sweet as Morgan had dreamt. Their tongues danced with each other as their hand roamed all over each other.
Morgan broke the kiss as her need to consume Gabrielle overcame her. She trailed soft kisses down her body. She finally found herself just outside what she desired most. The musky scent of her lover’s readiness drove her forward. She gently parted Gabrielle’s leg and slid between them. Her mouth gently and slowly came to rest in the warm wet center. She slid her tongue in for the first taste of her lover. A moan escaped her as she took the sweet liquid into her mouth.
“Ohhh…God…” Gabrielle gasped as her hands found Morgan’s shoulders and her fingertips dug in deeply. “Yes…ohhh…yesss…” She moaned.
Morgan continued her discovery of her lover. Gabrielle’s body moved with her, writhing and pulsing as she continued to take in every ounce that the reporter would give. She could feel the woman’s body tense as she pulled the pleasure point into her mouth and ran her tongue over it.
Gabrielle’s body arched into Morgan. Her hips thrust into the gunfighter’s warm mouth as the first wave hit her. “Please…Morgan…please…” She begged for release.
Morgan used her mouth to bring release to her lover. Gabrielle’s body tensed and shuddered, her breathing was ragged as Morgan returned to the top of the bed and pulled her into her arms. She kissed her on the forehead. “I love you Gabrielle…God how I love you.”
Gabrielle looked into Morgan’s face. In the moonlight streaming through the window she could see a single tear running down the gunfighter’s face. She reached up and wiped it away with her thumb. “Why?” She asked as she rubbed the tear between her thumb and forefinger.
“Because I love you.” Morgan whispered. “And I don’t want to lose you now that I’ve found you.” She pulled the woman closer.
Gabrielle kissed Morgan on the neck and began her own exploration of the gunfighter’s body. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.” She said as she slowly kissed her way down.
Gabrielle lay on top of Morgan, both lovers totally spent and trying to recapture their breath. Morgan ran her hand leisurely up and down the smaller woman’s back. Gabrielle lifted her head from Morgan’s shoulder and looked into her eyes. “That was incredible.” She sighed as she pushed her damp bangs back from her forehead.
“Yes it was.” Morgan agreed breathlessly.
Gabrielle slid off of Morgan and curled up into the crook of her arm, her head lying on the gunfighter’s shoulder. She wrapped her arm snuggly around her waist and sighed.
“I feel complete.” Gabrielle whispered.
“So do I.” Morgan said as she planted little kisses on Gabrielle’s forehead.
“I guess this was meant to be.”
“So it would seem. I wonder if we’ll dream tonight.”
“I don’t know. Somehow I doubt it.”
“Well before we find out there’s something I have to do.” Over the grouchy protests of her lover, Morgan extracted herself from bed and retrieved her gun belt. She looped it through the bedpost and fastened it securely in place. She climbed under the covers and brought Gabrielle back into her arms.
“You got up for that?” Gabrielle teased as she snuggled in next to Morgan.
“Oh yeah. I never go to sleep without at least one gun close at hand.”
“Hmmm…” Gabrielle sighed. She could feel herself drifting of to sleep. She was warm, comfortable and safe in these strong arms that held her.
Morgan caressed her lover’s back and soon fell asleep as well. Neither woman dreamt of anything but each other.
Someone knocking on the door of her cabin next door awoke Morgan in the morning. She carefully slipped out of bed and found her shirt. She slipped it on and buttoned a couple of buttons to hold it closed. She opened the door of Gabrielle’s room and stuck her head out. Henry stood at the door leaning on the wall waiting for an answer.
“Hey,” She whispered. “I’m over here.”
Henry looked at the door he had been knocking on and then over to his friend. He gestured to the first door. “I thought…”
“It is my room I just didn’t sleep there last night. What do you want?”
“First round starts in an hour and a half. Thought you might want to get some breakfast.”
Morgan yawned and considered it. “Yeah that’s a good idea. We’ll meet you down there in a little bit.”
“We?” He asked with a grin.
“Just go and let me get ready.”
“Yes ma’am.” He said as his grin widened.
Morgan ducked back inside and closed the door. She looked over at the sleeping woman and smiled. Quietly she slipped back into bed and pulled her back into her arms. Gabrielle sighed and snuggled close.
“Hey beautiful. I’ve got to get up.” Morgan whispered softly.
“No.” Gabrielle’s arm went around the gunfighter. “You stay. I stay. Perfect.”
Morgan chuckled. “As much as I would love to do that the game starts in about an hour and I need to get cleaned up.”
“Forget the game. Stay here with me. We’ll make love all day.” She said without even opening her eyes.
“Oh that is a tempting offer.” Morgan kissed her on the top of the head.
“Then take me up on it.” She began running her hands over Morgan’s body. She opened her eyes when her hand came in contact with the material of the shirt. “Aww that’s not nice.” She said as she began tugging on the front of the shirt.
Morgan captured the reporter’s hands in her own and flipped her onto her back, pinning her hands above her. She lay over the smaller woman with a wicked grin on her face. Gabrielle grinned back. “Yes?” The reporter asked as she licked her lips.
“Now who’s not being nice?” Morgan asked.
“Well I’ve got to do something to convince you to stay here.”
“Aww come on Gabrielle. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Let’s get up and have some breakfast.”
“You would wouldn’t you?” The reporter asked. “You’d give up the game if I asked you too.”
“Yes.” Morgan said as she sat up on the edge of the bed.
Gabrielle gathered the blankets up around her and sat up. “You’d give up a twenty thousand dollar entrance fee and a half million dollar jackpot for me…”
Morgan turned and caressed Gabrielle’s face. “Yes. I’ll walk away from it. Money doesn’t mean anything to me Gabrielle, it never has. You’re more important.”
Gabrielle got up from the bed and handed Morgan her pants. “Let’s get ready for breakfast you’ve got a game to play.”
Morgan stood and pulled Gabrielle into her arms. “I do love you.”
Gabrielle smiled and played with the buttons on Morgan’s shirt. “I want to say it Morgan, I really do. I just…”
Morgan put her fingers over the reporter’s lips. “It’s okay. You don’t have to. I know how difficult this is and I’ll understand completely…”
Gabrielle leaned up and kissed Morgan, a deep passionate kiss. She broke away from it and caressed Morgan’s face with the palm of her hand. “Just give me time.”
“As much as you need.”
In her room, Morgan cleaned up and dressed for comfort. It was going to be a long day. Not only was she getting ready to start the tournament, but now she was worried about what she had done to Gabrielle. She stared in the mirror as she tied her hair back. “Good going stupid.” She said aloud. “Couldn’t take you’re time…no you had to just jump into bed with her.”
A knock on the door that connected their rooms startled her. She shook her head and opened the door. Gabrielle stood on the other side with the ascot draped over her finger. She was dressed in a blue shirt, tan vest and trousers that where tucked into soft calve skinned boots. Morgan smiled. “Did you forget something?” The reported said as she rocked the ascot back and forth on her finger.
“Well you know, it’s tradition to leave something behind if you’re looking for an invitation back.”
“Oh you have an open invitation.”
“Oh I do, do I?” She asked as she leaned in and stole a quick kiss and took the ascot.
“Oh yeah.” The reporter stated as she leaned against the doorway and watched as Morgan finished getting ready. She looked at this tall beautiful woman. Her dark hair was tied back in the manner it had been the first time she had seen her. She wore a white shirt with black embroidered stitching and onyx buttons. Once again black trousers and her usual boots. Gabrielle wondered if the gunfighter owned a light pair of trousers. She watched as Morgan put her gun belt in place and made the adjustments that would allow her to wear it in relative comfort. She smiled as she watched her tie the leather thongs around her thighs. Oh, she remembered those strong thighs. “Ohhh.” The sound left her lips before she even realized it was there.
Morgan turned her head and smiled. “Yes?”
“Just reflecting…” She said softly.
“Un-huh.” Morgan crossed over to the hat rack and retrieved her hat. She placed it on her head and tipped it forward. Gabrielle came into the room and moved to the gunfighter. She wrapped her arms around Morgan and kissed her on the neck. Morgan leaned down and kissed the reporter. “We really should get going.” Morgan said as her lips gently continued to brush against Gabrielle’s.
“Un-huh.” Gabrielle moaned as she accepted another kiss.
“Gabrielle if we don’t go right now…”
They walked into the dining room together. Morgan guided Gabrielle over to the table that Isaac and Henry were seated at. The two men stood as Morgan pulled out Gabrielle’s chair. After they were all seated Morgan made the introductions. Henry just smiled at Morgan as she prepared her first cup of coffee.
“What?!” Morgan said to her friend as she poured the coffee.
“Oh nothing.” He said, as he suddenly became very interested in the food on his plate.
Gabrielle tried with little success to suppress a smile.
“Oh now don’t you start too.” Morgan said as she passed her a cup of coffee.
“Why do I feel like I’m the only one at the table missing out on the joke?” Isaac asked as he took a bite of his pancakes.
“There’s no joke to miss out on.” Morgan commented as she sipped her coffee.
“So how you feelin’ about the game?” Isaac asked as he took another mouthful of food.
“You know me. I never think about a game before I sit down at the table.”
A waiter came over and took the orders of the two newest arrivals. Gabrielle was amazed when Morgan just ordered toast and two eggs. She thought a woman like that would have an insatiable appetite for food as well.
Brisco scanned the room until his eyes landed on the person he needed to talk to. He walked purposely across the room and stopped behind Morgan’s chair.
Without turning around Morgan smiled. “Good morning Brisco would you like a cup of coffee?”
“No thanks Morgan. We need to talk.” He said leaning down slightly.
“So talk.”
“Privately.”
“Brisco anything you need to say to me you can say in front of my friends.”
“Oh all right. Morgan where were you last night?”
“I don’t see where’s that’s any of your business. I’m an adult.”
“Morgan. Somebody killed Duncan McGuire last night. Shot him through the throat with a derringer. Since that little episode you had with him during dinner…”
“So I’m you’re number one suspect, because he threatened me at dinner last night? I assure you Brisco I did not kill Duncan McGuire.”
“Where’s your derringer?”
“In my cabin.”
“Can you show it to me please?”
As Morgan pushed away from the table Gabrielle started to speak, “Mr. County I can…”
Morgan turned to Gabrielle and shook her head, cutting off the other woman’s words. Gabrielle rose from the table; “Do you mind if I go with you Morgan?”
“Gabrielle this will only take a minute. Just relax and enjoy your breakfast I’ll be right back.” Morgan got up from her seat.
Gabrielle returned to her seat and watched them leave the dining room. “She didn’t kill Duncan.” She whispered, trying to reassure herself that everything would be all right.
“Of course she didn’t.” Isaac said as he laid a reassuring hand on her arm. “She’ll show Brisco her gun and everything will be all right.”
“But I know she didn’t kill him.” Gabrielle said as she turned to look at Isaac. “She was with me all night last night.”
Morgan pulled the derringer out of the dresser drawer and handed it to Brisco. He looked at the gun. Broke it open, removed a round and clicked it close. He sniffed the barrel. “Is this your derringer Morgan?”
“You just saw me get it out of my dresser. Of course it’s mine.”
He held the gun up in the palm of his hand. “Morgan are you absolutely sure this is your gun?”
“For the last time yes.”
Brisco tucked the gun in his pocket and withdrew a pair of handcuffs. “Morgan Delaney you’re under arrest for the murder of Duncan McGuire.” He grabbed her wrists and placed the handcuffs on her, securely locking her hands in front to her.
“Brisco have you lost your mind? I did not kill Duncan.”
“Morgan you’re gun has been fired and there’s a round missing.” He reached over and removed her gun belt. “Any other weapons I should know about?”
“No.” Morgan said as she sighed. “Exactly what are you planning on doing with me Brisco, we are on a boat you know?”
“Yeah a boat the was used as a prisoner transport during the war. There are still a couple of cells below in the storage area. I’ll hold you there until I can turn you over the authorities in New Orleans.”
“Great.” She growled as he led her from the room by her arm. As they entered the hallway they met Gabrielle and Henry.
“What’s going on?” Henry asked as he blocked their path.
“It’s okay Henry. Let us pass.” Morgan said calmly.
As they moved by them Morgan’s eyes met Gabrielle’s. The reporter looked down at Morgan’s manacled hands. “Morgan…” She said catching the gunfighter on the forearm.
“It’s okay Gabrielle.”
“Gabrielle please…don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”
“Morgan he has no right to do this and you know it.”
“Please…” The gunfighter pleaded, but she could tell that it wasn’t going to do any good if the reporter had any say in it.
“Mr. County, I can prove that Morgan didn’t kill McGuire.”
“How?” Brisco asked, he just wanted to get this mess cleaned up as soon as possible.
“Gabrielle…” Morgan growled. “Don’t. It’s not worth it. I’ll get out of this some other way.”
“Oh shut up.” Gabrielle directed this comment to Morgan. “Mr. County. Morgan was with me last night.”
“I know that Miss Stafford, but McGuire was killed late last night, after dinner.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that Morgan spent the night with me in my room.”
“Oh God.” Morgan groaned as she rolled her eyes.
“All night?” Brisco asked, glancing to Henry who just leaned against the wall and shrugged.
“All night.” Gabrielle confirmed.
Morgan just dropped her head and shook it back and forth. Gabrielle could hear a slight growl come deep from with in her lover.
“Why didn’t you tell me Morgan?” Brisco said as he unlocked the cuffs.
Morgan rubbed her wrists. She answered him while looking directly at Gabrielle. “Because discretion is the better part of valor. I didn’t think it was any of your business, where I spent the night.”
“But it’s an air tight alibi.” Brisco reminded her.
“Yeah until people want more details.”
“Brisco’s not going to ask for details.” Henry piped up. “Are you?”
“Who me? No not a one. If Miss Stafford says you were with her last night then that’s good enough for me and I don’t care if you were playing checkers all night.”
“Well then that’s what we’ll call it.” Morgan growled as she stared at Gabrielle. “Checkers.”
Gabrielle grinned and blushed.
Brisco tucked the cuffs away. “Well we still have one problem. Someone killed McGuire with your gun. How do you explain that?”
“I can’t. My gun was with me all night in Gabrielle’s room and it was there this morning when I got up.”
“I’m going to hold on to it for the time being until we find some answers.” He said as he patted the pocket that held the gun.
“Fine, Brisco fine. You do whatever you feel you need to do. Right now, however I have a poker game to play.” Morgan offered her arm to Gabrielle and they started up the hallway with Brisco and Henry trailing close behind.
“Gabrielle I really wish you hadn’t done that.” Morgan said under her breath as the walked back to the parlor.
“Just knowing me is dangerous enough. To let people know you’re involved with me only makes it more dangerous for you.”
“A risk I am more than willing to take.” Gabrielle stopped and pulled Morgan into an alcove. Brisco and Henry continued passed them. “Face it Delaney. You’re stuck with me. You seduced me, I’m yours.” Gabrielle pulled the gunfighter’s head down and they shared yet another soul searing kiss.
Licking her lips as they parted and slowly opening her eyes, Morgan smiled. “You win. God Gabrielle you win.”
“Good. Now let’s go play some poker.” She looped her arm through Morgan’s and they continued on their way.
Morgan was the last player to arrive. As they entered the room she looked carefully at all the tables. Because of the first two “untimely” withdrawals from the game there were two tables that seated only four players. ‘Two out before it even began’, Morgan thought as she made her way across the room and took her seat.
She waved Gabrielle over and pulled a chair up behind her own. She turned to the four men seated at the table. She didn’t know any of these men so she merely addressed them as a group. “Gentlemen this is Miss Stafford. She’s a reporter who will be covering this game. I’ve invited her to join me. Any objections?
The first man rose and extended his hand to Gabrielle. “William Adams, Miss Stafford. Please sit and enjoy the show. I know no one else here will mind. Right boys?” The other men nodded their approval and smiled at the beautiful young reporter.
Gabrielle accepted the man’s hand and nodded her head slightly his direction. “Thank you Mr. Adams.” She said with a sweet smile that lit up the whole room. She took her seat and removed a pad from her back pocket and a pencil from her vest and began taking notes.
Morgan sat down ad adjusted in her seat. Something wasn’t right. She looked down at her lap. ‘Damn’ she berated herself as she waved for Isaac to come over. Her assistant was at her side in a flash. He leaned over as she whispered in his ear, he nodded and took something from her and left the table.
“Must be nice having a staff of servants on board to do all you’re runnin’ fer ya’.” Said a second much older grizzled looking man.
“Isaac is not my servant. He is my friend. I didn’t catch your name, Mr…” Morgan replied dryly, not really caring about his name, but she figured Gabrielle would want to know and she knew the reporter was taking notes.
“Dixon, Frank Dixon.” He said as he let loose with a wad of spit into a near by spittoon.
‘Oh that was attractive.’ Morgan thought as she extended her hand to the man, which was ignored. She settled back in her chair and smiled. “Have I done something to offend you Mr. Dixon?”
“It ain’t right.” He said as he aimed for the spittoon again.
“And that would be what?” She inquired with a grin, wondering if he was upset about the fact that she was a woman or that she had money.
“A woman playin’ poker. Just ain’t right.” He spit again. “Besides what I hear of ya’, ya’ don’t need to play this here man’s game. You already got moe’ money than the good Lord hisself.”
Morgan shook with silent laughter. A rare combination this one. He hated her because of the fact that she was a woman and that she had money. Usually it was one or the other. “I’m sorry Mr. Dixon. If you don’t want to play with me I’m sure you could withdrawal.”
“Hell no woman! I gots twenty thousand dollars invested in this here game.”
“So do I Mr. Dixon. So I guess we’ll just have to tolerate each other until one of us is out.”
“I guess we will.” He spit again.
Morgan watched with some humor as the other men at the table tried to hide their embarrassment at the older man’s attitude. She was grateful that not everyone shared his opinions. She glanced over to Gabrielle who just rolled her eyes and hid her grin behind her notebook.
After that display, the other two men took great pains to introduce themselves politely. Joseph Black was a young man who couldn’t help but stammer all over himself as he watched Gabrielle and introduced himself to Morgan. The only one of the group that seem to be paying attention to the task at hand was Edward James, a man about Morgan’s age. He introduced himself with a polite nod of his head.
Morgan looked up with relief in her eyes when Isaac returned with her gun belt. To the dismay of her tablemates she stood and fastened to belt around her waist and tied it off. She shifted it for comfort as she sat back down. She turned to Gabrielle and grinned. “Much better.” The reporter just nodded her head.
Very soon a waiter came around and took drink orders. Morgan declined as the other men ordered, Adams, a beer. Dixon, whiskey. Black, a beer and finally coffee for James. Morgan could see who her competition was going to be at this table for this round.
With the arrival of the first fresh deck of cards the game began. Adams drew the high card for first deal. Gabrielle watched Morgan, as she became intent on the task at hand. The reporter watched as the gunslinger looked at every card that left the deck with only her eyes. Gabrielle was amazed at the amount of concentration Morgan was putting into each and every movement she made. This was a total opposite of the woman she had been with last night. She found it hard to believe that this was the woman who openly wept after they had made love. The woman at the table was cold and calculating in every move she made.
After two hours of play, a fifteen-minute break was called. Morgan stood up and smiled at Gabrielle. “Coffee?” She asked as she stretched a bit.
The reporter slipped her notebook back into her pocket. “Sure.”
The moved to the bar and Morgan poured two cups of coffee. She passed one to the reporter and slowly brought the other to her lips.
“So all in all how goes it?” Gabrielle asked as she leaned against the bar.
“Well James could be trouble before it’s all over. Dixon will be out soon. Black may hold his own for awhile. Adams isn’t too bad, but he won’t make it past the third round. I’m up about two thousand at the moment, but we’re really just getting started.
“So I guess the next question is are you having fun?”
“Nope. I never have fun when I play Gabrielle. Poker is like war. I’m here to survive and take home the spoils.”
“Interesting analogy. Well then what do you do for fun?”
“Come on Gabrielle you know what I do for fun. You were there.” A sly grin played on her lips as she cocked her head slightly to watch the reporter’s reaction. “I play checkers.”
“And quite well I might add.” The reporter grinned back.
“Thank you. So would you like a rematch?”
“Are you implying that I lost? Personally I think it was a draw.”
“Well then maybe I want a rematch.” She leered at the reporter and waggled her eyebrows.
“I’m sure we could arrange that.” Gabrielle sipped her coffee.
Play resumed. Dixon’s pure luck was starting to have an effect on Morgan. Gabrielle watched as the gunslinger became more and more involved in the tactics at the table. She watched absolutely every move that James Dixon made, and then the shift began. After winning the first four hands of the second stage Dixon began losing, badly. To add insult to injury he was loosing to Morgan. By the time the afternoon break was called for lunch, Dixon was nearly broke.
Morgan pushed back from the table as Henry came over to collect her chips. She pulled the big man down and whispered in his ear. “Tell Brisco Dixon’s cheating.”
Henry just nodded and continued his collection of Morgan’s winnings into a large oak case. Morgan leaned over and again whispered to the big man. “Unfortunately, he’s not even a good cheat.” With that she smiled and got up from her seat and turned to Gabrielle who wasn’t where Morgan expected her to be. She looked around the room to find the reporter speaking with Charlie. The steward had a wide grin on his face as Gabrielle slipped something into his hand. He nodded and turned on his heels, leaving the reporter.
“That boy’s gonna be able to retire before this trip is over.” Morgan said to herself as she made her way over to the little blonde. ” So want some lunch?” She asked as she approached.
Gabrielle turned and smiled. She said nothing, just extended her hand. Morgan cocked her head a little and grinned. She took the offered hand and they left the lounge.
It didn’t take Morgan long to figure out where they where headed. She tried to hold back the smile as Gabrielle pushed the door too Morgan’s room open. Inside there was a nice lunch for two and right in the center of the table, a checkerboard.
“Rematch?” The reporter inquired.
“Absolutely.” The gunslinger said as she pushed the door shut with her foot.
Gabrielle wasted no time in unbuttoning Morgan’s shirt and undoing the gun belt. She heard it drop to the floor as she kissed the gunslinger hard and fast. Pulling the shirt from the taller woman’s trousers and pushing it off her shoulders. Morgan began by pushing Gabrielle’s vest off and unbuttoning the tops of her pants. Somewhere in the back of Morgan Delaney’s mind she began to wonder if there would ever be a time when they would take their time undressing each other or if they were always going to be in such a hurry. She decided now wasn’t the time.
Stripped to the waist, Morgan stopped Gabrielle’s hands from divesting her of anymore of her clothing. She however held firmly to the young woman and continued to remove her clothes as she backed her into the bed. As she pushed the reporter’s pants and undergarments down from her hips she guided Gabrielle gently into sitting position on the bed.
Gabrielle watched with shear delight and raw passion as Morgan knelt before her and removed her boots and pulled her clothing free of her body. Morgan’s hands now began a slow climb up said body. Massaging every inch of flesh they came in contact with. The gunslinger looked into the eyes of her young lover with a silent question and was answered with a slight nod of the reporter’s head.
Gabrielle leaned back on the palms of her hands as Morgan gripped her calves and pulled her forward so that her hips barely rested on the edge of the bed. Soft lips found the inside of the reporter’s thighs. Morgan kissed and nipped at the smooth, warm flesh as low whimpers began to rise from Gabrielle’s throat.
“Yes…Morgan please don’t tease me.” She begged as her hips thrust forward slightly, trying to lure her lover in.
“Patience Gabrielle, patience.” Morgan teased as she ran her tongue firmly up the inside of a quivering thigh.
“Ohhh…God!” The reporter gasped as she fell back on the bed, clutching at the covers. She heard a soft laugh come from the floor. “You are so cruel to me…” She gasped as Morgan’s mouth continued to tease her.
Morgan let her hands travel up Gabrielle’s body. Coming to rest on her breasts, which shook slightly with the pure frustration of the moment. Morgan heard a soft gasp as her thumbs brushed against already hardened nipples.
“Morgan please…please don’t tease me like this.” The reporter begged as she lifted her head and green eyes locked with blue as Morgan gave her a wicked little smile and kissed her on that ever so small space between the top of her thigh and her soft patch of curls. All she could do was growl and watch as Morgan proceeded to brush her lips and face gently across the damp curls. To the other small space where she gave another soft kiss and then followed up by bringing that part of the flesh into her mouth for a firm, but gentle suck and a lick before releasing it. “You’re trying…to kill me…” The reporter gasped as she once again fell back into the bed.
“No I’m not.” Morgan said as she gently parted the folds of her lover and blew a warm breath across the heated flesh.”
“Yes you are!” Gabrielle yelled are her hips thrust forward, finally causing the contact her whole body demanded.
With that Morgan was lost in her own desire. Desire which involved, only to make Gabrielle happy. She dipped into the warm center and drank deeply of the offering she found there.
“Ohhh…God…Morgan…” Gabrielle moaned as the gunfighter explored greater the depths and passions of her young lover.
Gabrielle’s body was on fire at every touch. Morgan Delaney had won. She consumed her, mind, heart, body and soul. They were merging together again. The puzzle was once again complete. The halves were now whole. The union of the soul was complete.
As the swell of desire crashed into her body she sat upright tangling her hands in long dark a hair, holding her lover in place as she rode the waves one after another, murmuring into Morgan’s ear, “I love you. I love you.” The phrase repeated until very last ounce of strength left her body and she finally fell back onto the bed, a trembling, tearful mass.
Morgan gently moved onto the bed and pulled Gabrielle into her arms and held her as her body quaked and her breathing returned to normal. “Shh…I’ve got you go ahead. It’s all right Gabrielle I’ve got you.” She stroked the young woman’s back and held her as close as they could get without being inside each other.
After a few minutes Morgan looked down at the tear stained face resting on her shoulder. “You okay?”
Gabrielle simply nodded words would fail her right now. She didn’t even want to try. Morgan accepted the nod and held her even closer.
“Morgan?”
“Meant it. Every time I said it. I love you.”
“I love you too Gabrielle. Will you think about something for me?”
“When the trip is over. Stay with me. Don’t go back to New York.”
The reporter lifted up and looked into those blue eyes she had known for an eternity. “Really? You want me to stay with you?”
“More than anything. Will you think about it?” She asked as she brushed back soft golden hair from Gabrielle’s face.
“I don’t have too. Yes Morgan I’ll stay with you.”
They gave themselves over to the kiss. The kiss that was so perfect there would probably never be another like it. The kiss, that sealed their destinies in this lifetime.
It was very close to time for the game to resume by the time they emerged for the cabin. Both of them wore silly grins and neither of them cared. Morgan winked at Gabrielle and gave her on last kiss before they entered the lounge. Morgan took her seat and Isaac brought her chips over.
“What were you doing during lunch?” He asked as he opened the box and allowed her to take what she needed.
“Playing checkers.” She said dryly as Gabrielle snickered behind him.
“Umm…yeah. You’re the boss.”
“Where’s Henry?”
“He and Brisco are dealing with ‘that little matter’ you pointed out before lunch.”
The other three players joined her and a fresh deck was laid on the table. No one made an attempt to touch it. Brisco entered the lounge and walked over to the table.
“Morgan can I speak to you for a minute?”
“Is somebody dead?”
“No it’s the other thing.”
She stood up and they walked over to the bar. Brisco turned his back to the room and asked quietly. “What was Dixon doing?”
“Dealing off the bottom of the deck.” She answered just as quietly as she too turned her back to the room and they watched each other in the mirror. This was not a subject that needed to be over heard by everyone else in the room.
“I figured as much.” Brisco said with a sigh. “We found a couple of aces on him too.”
“Why am I not surprised.” She replied as she poured a cup of coffee and returned to her seat.
Brisco came back to the table. “Gentlemen. Mr. Dixon has been disqualified from the game. You are free to start playing at your leisure.”
The three men looked over at Morgan who just shrugged and sipped her coffee. She wasn’t going to tell them if Brisco wasn’t.
They had played about a half dozen hands when the doors to the lounge burst open and Dixon hurled himself into the room. “You bitch!” He yelled as he charged the table where Morgan was seated. She was on her feet in a flash. Through out the room various things occurred. Some of the men remained seated others jumped to their feet at the intrusion. As Gabrielle got to her feet, Dixon charged Morgan and they went flying backward. Morgan crashed solidly into a support beam and found the wind knocked out of her.
Dixon backed off and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her to her feet. He drew back his hand, but before it had time to make contact, a chair crashed over his back. He forgot about Morgan for the time being and turned to find Gabrielle holding the remains of the chair. As he turned to her, Morgan regained her breath and tackled him around the waist sending them both sprawling over the table that they had been playing on earlier in the day.
The fight was on. Some of the men took this as an opportunity to take out hostilities that had been brewing all day and before any one really had any idea what had happened there was a knock down drag out fight going on. Brisco, Henry and Isaac came charging into the fray. They went in three different directions trying to break up more than thirty different fights.
Morgan was holding her own so none of them were concerned for her. Gabrielle on the other hand was an entirely different matter and she soon found herself being backed into a corner. Morgan caught sight of the possible problem and vaulted over the bar. She found a good sturdy broom and broke the handle off at the base.
“Gabrielle!” She called and as soon as she had the reporter’s attention she tossed her the handle.
“And what am I suppose to do with this?” The reporter yelled back as she caught the stick.
“Try hitting them with it!” Morgan yelled back, as she reversed over the bar letting her feet make a solid connection into the chest of a rather large man who was about to break a bottle over Brisco’s head. She landed neatly on her feet and smiled at Brisco. He put his hand on top of her head and pushed down. Forcing her down just in time to strike a punch at another man who was coming up behind them. She stood and looked briefly behind her. “Thanks.” She said as she watched Gabrielle using the broom handle against two men at the same time. “Apparently there are some things you just don’t forget.” She mused aloud as she and Brisco turned and threw identical punches at two men who were approaching from the side.
All and all the fight last less than five minutes, but by the time it was over the room was a wreck. Broken tables and chairs were strewn about the room. The floor was covered in poker chips, glass, blood and bodies. It looked like a war zone. Morgan ran her hand over her own busted lip and smiled. “Well I’ll be damned.” She said as she looked at the blood on the back of her hand. “It’s been a while.” She turned and walked over the Gabrielle who was resting against the bar. She was still hanging onto the broom handle. Morgan took it from her and tossed it behind the bar and drew her into a hug.
“You okay?” She asked as she did a visual check for injuries to the reporter.
“Un-huh.” She answered almost not believing it herself.
“You did good.”
“If you say so.” Gabrielle shook it off and looked at Morgan for the first time. “You got kinda banged up.” She reached for a bar towel and held it to Morgan’s lip.
“Yeah well it comes with the job.” Morgan said as she took the towel and continued pressing it to her lip.
Brisco announced that the game would be suspended for at least the rest of the day. He didn’t even want to announce that it might be cancelled once he spoke with the organizer. Everyone surrounded him with a multitude of questions. Morgan simply put her arm around Gabrielle, began walking through the rubble of the room and retrieved her hat.
“Don’t you need to…” Gabrielle started.
“No. Henry and Isaac will take care of everything for me. Let’s just get out of here.”
“No arguments here.”
They strolled up on deck. Morgan leaned against the rail and took a deep breath. She looked at the rag that she had used to stop her bleeding lip. “I must be getting old.” She said with a chuckled. “That hasn’t happened in a while.”
Gabrielle turned Morgan’s face to her. “Yeah it’s gonna be ugly for a few days.” She kissed her very tenderly on the bruise.
“That made it feel much better thank you.” She grinned.
“Glad to be of service. So can I ask you a question?”
“You know you can?”
“Where exactly did I agree to follow you to?”
“Well I travel quite a bit, but if that doesn’t appeal to you I have several homes to choose from.”
“No traveling sounds very nice. Where are we going next?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it.” Morgan withdrew her cigar case and took one tapping it thoughtfully against the case. “Where would you like to go?” She asked as the placed in between her lips and struck the match. She watched Gabrielle as she considered the question. She watched her a bit too long. “Owww damn.” She growled as she shook her hand and let the match drop over board.
Gabrielle giggled and took her hand. She brought the burnt finger to her lips and kissed it softly and the she took it a little further and brought it into her mouth giving it very sensuous attention inside her mouth with a very soft and loving tongue. Morgan felt her knees go weak, as she watched the reporter, whose eyes never left hers. A smile played on Gabrielle’s lips as her mouth and tongue eased the ache of that particular burn. “All better?” Gabrielle asked as she gave the injured digit a soft kiss.
“It got my thumb too.” Morgan replied with a grin.
“Oh poor baby.” She said as she kissed the tip of the thumb and then lavished the same attention on it.
Morgan heard the little moan that had escaped her throat. She just hadn’t realized it belonged to her until Gabrielle’s giggle made her realize it. She pulled her hand back and grinned. “You are an evil woman Gabrielle Stafford.” She struck a second match and lit the cigar, flipping the match away carefully. “So you were about to tell me where you wanted to go.”
“You mean besides back to the cabin?”
“Yes I mean besides back to the cabin.” Morgan replied as she took a drag of the cigar.
“I know you’re going to think this is crazy…”
“Oh try me. At this point nothing could seem crazy.”
“Greece. I want to go to Greece.”
“Okay. Mind if I ask why?”
“We left something undone there, something important.”
“We did huh?”
“All right Greece is it. We’ll leave whenever you’re ready.”
“Can we go after the tournament?”
“Of course Gabrielle, for you anything.” Morgan drew the reporter into her arms and after a quick glance around to make sure they where quite alone she kissed her. Long and passionately.
Brisco stood over the body. This was not good, not good at all. Another dead player, this one apparently poisoned. “You know some days are just easier than others.” He mumbled as he pulled the sheet over the body. He turned to Charlie. “You found him just like this?”
“Yes sir. Just like this. I came to clear his dishes away and when I didn’t get an answer I came into his cabin to get the food…Oh no.” A realization came to the purser
“Miss Stafford ordered lunch taken to Miss Delaney’s cabin.”
Brisco left he dead man’s cabin and headed for Morgan’s room. He arrived and knocked. Receiving no answer he put his shoulder into the door, he felt it give but it remained locked. Again he put his shoulder into the door. Henry and Isaac where coming down the hallway as Brisco put his shoulder into the door a third time.
“Brisco what are you doing?
“Have you seen Morgan?”
“Then help me get this door open. We just found Charles Clark dead in his cabin. It looks like he was poisoned.”
“What’s that got to do with Morgan?”
“She had lunch in her cabin this afternoon. Just like Clark.”
“They were both at the game before the fight.” Isaac offered.
“Yeah I know then apparently Clark returned to his cabin and died. My guess would be the fight accelerated the poison.” Brisco explained.
“Stand back.” Henry said as he put his body into the door and busted it open.
The three men examined the room. Lunch was there, but untouched. The bed was made, albeit slightly rumpled. The cabin was however empty. As they turned to leave they found Morgan and Gabrielle standing in the doorway. Morgan was examining the busted in frame of her door. She picked a splinter of wood from the frame and held it up in front of her.
“Care to explain guys?” She said as she flicked the wood at them.
“Umm well…” Isaac started.
“We thought you might just be in here dead. Charles Clark was found dead after ordering lunch in his room today.” Brisco finished as he stepped forward. “Did either of you eat any of this food?”
“No.” Morgan stepped further into the room and looked the food over. “Gabrielle who did you order this from?”
“Charlie.”
“Well Brisco. I think we need to go talk to Charlie.”
The young man looked nervous as the men and Morgan stood over him. He glanced over to Gabrielle, who smiled softly at him he smiled back. “It’s okay.” She mouthed trying to calm him. He didn’t know why, but it did.
“Miss Stafford ordered lunch taken to Miss Delaney’s cabin. I put the order in at the galley and then took the tray down myself.” He said as he sipped on a glass of water.
“What about Clark’s lunch?” Brisco asked as he paced back and forth in the lounge
“I don’t know who ordered it. I was just told to take it to the cabin. The chef could probably tell you. Or maybe the head waiter.”
“All right Charlie thanks.” Morgan said to him as she patted him on the shoulder. She turned to Brisco “You want the chef or the head waiter?”
“I don’t care. You do know what this means don’t you?” He asked quietly as they went to a corner to talk.
“Yeah we’re still a half a day out of New Orleans and we can’t be sure it’s safe to eat or drink anything on board. Tell you what. You go talk to the waiter and I’ll send Henry and Isaac to talk to the chef. Gabrielle and I will see what we can do about securing things that might be safe to eat and drink. How many people are there on board?”
“Counting crew and passengers together, about seventy.”
“Okay. We’ll meet in my cabin later. Say in two hours?”
“Two hours it is.”
Morgan put the key to the cell in her pocket as she stood back and surveyed the food items that had been deemed safe to eat and then stored and locked in the cells that she was nearly a prisoner of earlier in the day.
“That should do it.” She said as she turned to Gabrielle who was rubbing tired muscles. “You okay?” She said as she moved to the reporter and began massaging her shoulders.
“Ohhh yeaah…” Gabrielle moaned as she relaxed into the massage. “I’m much better now. Can you do that for the next two hours?” She said as her head lilted to one side.
“For you my love,” Morgan said as she buried her face in the exposed neck. “I can do anything you like all night.” She whispered as she nipped playfully at the neck and earlobe.
“Morgan…ummm…doesn’t it bother…you in…” The reporter was having trouble forming a coherent thought as the gunfighter continued the quest of her neck. “bother…you that…there are three…men dead?”
Morgan stopped and thought about it for a second. “No.”
Gabrielle spun around and looked into Morgan’s eyes. “It doesn’t?”
“No. Gabrielle it doesn’t. It’s the nature of the business. It’s the law of the land. Men die.”
“Somebody is murdering these men Morgan.”
“Yes and I intend to find out who it is, but it doesn’t bother me. I can’t afford to let it bother me. If I did I wouldn’t be able to find out who is doing it. I would be ineffective with what I do.”
“What is it you do exactly?”
“Everything…anything.”
“For a price?”
“No not anymore. I gave that up. Now I do it because it’s the right thing to do. Face it Gabrielle, all of this really isn’t my problem. It’s Brisco’s, but I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t try to help him.”
“You are amazing.” Gabrielle said as she leaned up and kissed Morgan softly.
“Well gee thanks.” The gunfighter teased with a wink. “Come on we’ve got to meet Brisco.”
“Well apparently Clark ordered his own lunch.” Brisco said as he paced back and forth across the cabin. “And he was served from the same food that everyone else ate.”
“Which means someone poisoned just his food or all of the food ordered to be taken to cabins for lunch.” Morgan said as she leaned against the wall smoking one of her cigars.
Gabrielle was beginning to doubt her own sanity in all of this. Even though Morgan and Brisco stood trying to put the pieces of this puzzle together she couldn’t help but notice how damn sexy Morgan really was. She took in every inch of the gunfighter as she leaned against to wall, one leg bent at the knee with her foot tucked behind the knee of the other leg. Then a thought occurred to her.
“Brisco who were the top five contenders for the last round, the last five players expected to be left.” She asked as she stood and crossed the room to face Morgan as Brisco withdrew a list from his pocket.
“Let’s see…umm…McGuire, Cantrell, Clark, Bishop and…”
“Delaney.” Gabrielle whispered as her eyes locked with Morgan and Brisco said it aloud. “Somebody’s killing the top five. Morgan that means you could be next.”
Morgan’s eyebrows arched as she took in what Gabrielle had just said. “Hmm…well what do you know.” She said as smoke exited her nose and mouth. “What about John Bishop? Anybody seen him lately?”
“I think we should go to his cabin and check on him.” Brisco said as they all made for the door. “Hey Brisco whose number six on that list?”
“Some guy named G.W. Resa. Know him?” Brisco asked as they walked down the corridor.
“Never heard of him.” Morgan admitted as they ended up in front of Bishop’s cabin.
Brisco knocked no answer. They waited for a minute longer then Morgan moved into place and kicked the door open. John Bishop was hanging by his neck, dead. Gabrielle turned and left Morgan and Brisco to the task of cutting him down. “I suggest a talk with Mr. Resa is in order.” Brisco said as they laid the man out on the floor of the cabin.
“Definitely.” Morgan agreed as they left the cabin. Morgan wrapped her arm around Gabrielle. “You okay?” The reporter nodded. Morgan kissed the top of her head and they followed Brisco through the corridor.
Suddenly if front of them a group of men appeared. They didn’t look happy and what made matters worse was that they seemed focused on Morgan as their target. “Get her!” One of them yelled and they rushed forward. The trio turned and headed back the way they had come only to be cut off by another group.
“Oh this is bad.” Brisco said, as he looked both ways. “Very, very bad.”
“It isn’t good.” Morgan said as she stopped and took stock of the window in front of her. She removed her hat and covered her hand with it and punched out the window, breaking away the glass and hopefully giving them an escape route. “Brisco hold them off for a second will ya?”
“Oh sure I’d be happy too.” He replied sarcastically.
“I need time to get Gabrielle out the window.”
“Well do it quick!”
“I’m not leaving without you!” Gabrielle started to argue even as Morgan lifted her into the window.
“Oh yes you are!” Morgan said as she helped the reporter out, lowering her feet first and holding her by both arms. Morgan stuck her head out the window to see exactly where Gabrielle was being dropped too. The next deck. It wasn’t going to be a fun drop but then again unexpected flights out broken windows never tended to be fun. “I’ll be right behind you Gabrielle.”
“Morgan no!” Gabrielle tried to hang on to the strong arms that held her, but Morgan released and she fell to the next deck.
As she regained her senses she looked around quickly to make sure she was safe. Then back to the window. A pair of boots were coming out the window. Not Morgan’s, Brisco’s. The lawman dropped to the deck below right next to the reporter. She helped him to his feet and they both looked back to the window. They waited. Gunfire erupted from above them.
“NO!” Gabrielle cried as Brisco put his arm around her and started to pull her away.
“Come on Gabrielle we’ve got to get this boat to shore at the next town.”
“No Brisco I won’t leave…”
“She made me promise to keep you safe now come on!” He yelled as he practically drug her away.
They made a dash for the wheelhouse. So far no one pursued them. Brisco entered the wheelhouse locking the door behind them.
The Captain turned to them. “What in the blazes is going on here? The aged Captain growled as the two leaned breathlessly against the door.
“Captain you’ve got to dock us at the next town.” Brisco said as he gasped for air.
“What? Why? We agreed we’d take care of this in New Orleans.”
“Yeah well there’s been a change of plans. Now prepared to dock us.”
“Shoulda told me that eight hours ago. That was the last town before New Orleans.” The Captain said as he eyed Brisco.
“How long to New Orleans?” Gabrielle asked.
“Five maybe six hours.”
The lawman and the reporter looked to each other. “Can we hold them off for five or six hours?” She asked
“Would somebody please do me the courtesy of telling me what is going on?”
Brisco started to explain as best he could.
Morgan lay in the corridor. One bullet had entered her thigh and was still there. The other had passed straight through her shoulder. Had she ducked just a little sooner they might just have shot each other and gotten it over with the way she had planned, but there always had to be the ONE guy with the itchy trigger finger. She pulled herself up by her one good arm. Which, thank God for small miracles was her right and her primary gun hand. It hurt like hell to stand on the leg, but she had very little choice. She pulled a revolver from its holster and began to make her way to the wheelhouse. She knew that’s where Brisco and Gabrielle should be.
There seemed to be small bands of men moving around the boat looking for her. With the trail of blood she was leaving behind she wasn’t going to be too hard to find. She stopped and pulled a pair of curtains from a small window and ripped them into strips and tied off the leg. A shot rang out and hit just to the left of her head. “Son of a bitch.” She mumbled as she took a deep breath and ducked the wood chips that splintered away. She looked up the hallway and didn’t see anyone. “I should have taken Gabrielle’s offer and stayed in bed. At least I would have died with a smile on my face.” She heard a noise to her right and turned gun up, to find Henry and Isaac. “Oh am I glad to see you.”
“What in the hell is going on?” Henry asked as he offered her an arm to lean on and Isaac took her other side.
“Would you believe I don’t have any idea.” She said as she handed her revolver to Isaac so he could offer them some protection. “Suddenly everyone seems to want me dead.”
“And this is news to you?” Isaac tried to joke as they made their way to Henry’s cabin. Henry laid her on the bed and began ripping her shirt free from the injured shoulder.
“Isaac, get to the wheelhouse and find Gabrielle and Brisco.”
“Yes ma’am.” He started for the door.
“Isaac?”
“Yeah…” He said as he paused at the door.
“Don’t let anything happen to Gabrielle.”
“Right!” He said as he charged out of the room.
“Oww! Damn Henry! Could you be any rougher?” She growled as he wrapped her shoulder.
“Sure I could.” He growled back. “Quit being such a big baby. You’ve had worse.” He reached down and ripped the leg open on her trousers and looked at the leg wound. “Now that’s nasty.”
“No kidding.” She glared at him and answered through clenched teeth.
“I’m going to have to take the bullet out.” He moved to the other side of the room and took out a black bag, which Morgan recognized as the medical kit she usually carried. He returned to the bed and opened the kit taking out a bottle of whiskey he uncorked it and handed it to her.
She took a breath and took a deep drink. She gagged just a bit. Cheap whiskey really wasn’t her thing. She handed the bottle back to Henry who then proceeded to dump some of the contents on the wound. She grabbed the bed covers and growled at him.
“Ready?” He asked as he squeezed a pair of long tweezers at her.
“Oh you’re just loving this aren’t you?”
“Yeah I’m having a pretty good time with this.” He said as he made his first go for the bullet. “Remember the time on the ship when you removed that splinter for me? You tortured me over that for days.”
“I think there’s a big difference…” She grimaced and sucked in a lung full of air. “Between a bullet…” Another grimace. “In the leg and a splinter in your ass.”
“This is the payback for telling the entire crew where it was.”
Isaac, Brisco and Gabrielle made back to Henry’s cabin with very few problems. The ones they did encounter were either unconscious or over board. Henry was washing his hands free of the blood from taking care of Morgan. Morgan was asleep on the bed, her wounds treated and bandaged.
Gabrielle looked to Henry silently for permission and he nodded. She went over and sat on the edge of the bed, taking Morgan’s hand and brushing back a few hairs from her face. “Is she going to be okay?” She asked quietly.
“Oh she’ll be fine. We’ve seen a lot worse than this. Haven’t we Isaac?”
“Yeah this is nothing.” Isaac agreed.
“Oh boy…” The reporter muttered.
The three men left them alone, deciding they could offer better protection to the injured gunfighter by patrolling around the boat and trying to get a handle exactly on what was happening. Brisco left Morgan’s revolvers with Gabrielle, giving her a quick lesson in how to use if the need arose. This was after the reported admitted she had never handled a gun before.
Alone now, Gabrielle just sat and stared at Morgan as the sun began to set. It would only be a few more hours until they were safe in New Orleans. She laid her head down on the bed and let her eyes close.
The tall dark man walked next to her. They seemed to be friends, but something about him bothered her. Even in the dream state her skin crawled.
“We were starting to warm up to each other there weren’t we?” He asked.
“Yeah we were.” She said with a light laugh.
“I didn’t like it.”
“Right back at ya’.”
“Okay.” He agreed and they continued walking.
Gabrielle bolted upright from the bed. She looked over at Morgan. She hated to wake the sleeping gunfighter, but she had the answer. “Morgan…come on Morgan wake up.”
“Not now Gabrielle can’t you see I’m wounded.” She mumbled as she tried to wake up.
“Very funny Delaney. Wake up I know who’s responsible for all this.”
Morgan opened her eyes and turned her head, arching the eyebrow she waited for the reporter to explain.
She took a deep breath and finally said, “Ares. G.W. Resa is Ares”
“As in the Greek God of War Ares?” Morgan said with a hint of disbelief.
“Umm yeah that would be the one.”
“Okay Gabrielle I think we just crossed over the “how insane does this all sound” line.”
“Morgan. In that past life…you two sort of had a ‘thing’. It was sick, it was twisted, but it was a ‘thing’. You two just seemed to love to hate each other.”
“Why don’t I remember any of this?”
“I’m not sure…but I am sure that Ares is behind all of this.”
“Un-huh.” Morgan said as she sat up. “Okay Gabrielle let’s assume just for a minute that you’re right. How exactly does one fight the God of War?”
“Well I’m not sure about that either.”
“Boy you’re awfully quick to invoke a God without having all the answers. Don’t you think that might just piss ‘em off just a little bit?” She said with a laugh.
The flash in the room startled them both, but Morgan found her legs and her gun and stood with it drawn on the man who had just appeared out of nowhere. He was tall, dark haired, with a dark beard and mustache. This was the man from Gabrielle’s dream.
“It’s him.” She whispered out of the corner of her mouth.
“Grrrreat!” Morgan growled as she leveled her gun on him.
“You know what ‘pisses’ me off?” He said as he stared at them. “The fact that you two keep finding each other, lifetime after lifetime. What is it with you and irritating little blondes anyhow?” His last comment was directed at Morgan. “Oh by the way put the gun away Xe…sorry…Morgan. It won’t do you any good.”
“I’ll be the judge of that you just stay were you are and we won’t have to find out alright.”
“Okay tiger. Still the same great warrior you’ve always been. I love the new duds by the way. Not as good as the leather, but very nice. You really should do something about your pants though. Nasty tear you got there. You know you really got on my nerves during that last little conflict I managed to get going. The south was suppose to win, but because of your meddling…” He paused and just shook his head. “So I managed to get you aboard for this little shindig so I could get rid of you and who shows up? Blondie, just what I needed. You know I just hate it when you two get together. You always manage to screw things up for me.”
“Well gee so sorry about that.” Morgan said as she moved forward a bit. “So you want me dead. Do it.”
“You know I can’t do it. It has to be done by someone else, but now you’ve managed to ruin all the fun I was having here too. Or at least she did.” He glared at Gabrielle.
“Morgan. He can only hurt you if you don’t remember who he is.” Gabrielle said, as it all started to fall together. “Once he’s pointed out to you he has to leave you alone.”
Morgan smiled. “And you remembered who he was and pointed him out.”
“Right.” The reporter had a wide grin on her face. “You’ve lost again Ares go home.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll go for now. But you know me Gabrielle…I’ll be back.” He disappeared just as he had arrived, in a flash of light.
Morgan stretched it was a good stretch. Home in her own warm, soft bed with the morning sun coming in through the window. The events of six weeks ago had started to fade and Morgan had come home to Charleston. It almost all seemed to be a dream.
The only thing that made it all that more pleasant and real was the warm form of the reporter lying next to her. She smiled and rolled over pulling the woman close.
“Gabrielle…” She said as she nuzzled the reporter’s neck.
“Wake up love” She purred as she moved closer pulling the woman closer to her, letting her hand slowly travel over the slim form of her lover.
“Make me…” She said with a smile, her eyes remained closed.
“Oh I can do that.” The gunfighter growled as she rolled the reporter over and gave her a long lingering kiss.
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Program Gives City of Phoenix Employees Education Opportunity
By theumphx on August 7, 2019 0 249Views
City of Phoenix employees now have the opportunity to their further education. The city has partnered with Phoenix Community College to provide educational opportunities for current city employees.
The Neighborhood College program began as a pilot for finance department employees. City workers can enroll in classes at the college in subjects such as workplace communication, accounting principles, web development and customer service. If the employee earns a grade of C or better, their tuition is reimbursed.
“As we started to dig into that more and see the kind of demand we were getting, and interest, it expanded to all employees who were interested in pursuing their associate’s degrees,” Matthew Heil, deputy communications director for the city.
The program started last semester. Heil said 110 employees have taken classes. The next session for employees starts Wednesday. Classes are offered online and downtown near the city offices.
“They immediately can get to class; they don’t have to hassle with commutes,” Heil said.
The city sees great value in the program as a beneficial way for current employees to further their careers and also serves as a strong recruiting tool to attract new employees.
“We’re really kind of focused on providing those skills that let them develop professionally into other positions, like the procurement officers in the city, which require some advanced training,” Heil said.
“I hope that people will take another look at working at the city of Phoenix because we really are interested in being an employer of choice here in the Valley,” Heil said.
New Fitness Concept Expands into Arizona
Downtown Phoenix Oktoberfest Returns Sept. 28
OptumCare Arizona Opens Fourth Community Center In The Valley
Registration Now Open For 2020 Pat’s Run
Run To Fight Children’s Cancer
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The incredible Inspector Montalbano returns to the BBC this autumn
Virginia September 26, 2013 15 Comments
“Montalbano sono!” One of my favourite phrases in the Italian language. I am very pleased to have just found out that Inspector Montalbano, a TV series about a Sicilian detective created by the brilliant Andrea Camilleri and played by the incredible Luca Zingaretti, will shortly be returning to UK television for four episodes, with a further six episodes of The Young Montalbano series which began on 7th September 2013.
Andrea Camilleri is the Italian equivalent of Agatha Christie, and his tales of the crime and scandal often involve the Sicilian Mafia, making the TV shows and books even more compelling viewing.
Luckily for non-Italian speakers, BBC4 show these episodes with English subtitles and scores of his books have been translated. For those of you who do want to watch it purely in Italian without the distracting subtitles, BBC iPlayer gives you the option to turn them off.
I’m also excited to watch Inspector de Luca, another Italian detective series that the BBC will be broadcasting this autumn.
Happy viewing and you’re bound to love Montalbano’s adventures just as much as I do. Funnily enough I’ve never been to Sicily, but I’m making a note of all the places featured so I can visit them eventually. Montalbano’s ‘police station’ (commissariato in Italian) is set in the fictional town of Vigàta and filmed predominantly in Ragusa Ilba (see the photo above), although Montalbano’s stunning villa on the beach is actually located at Donnalucata (the photo below), where you’ll frequently see him swimming in the series. The director has done a wonderful job of showing off some beautiful parts of Sicily and it’s possible to go on an organised tour of many of these sites, although I think I’d rather explore the various sites at my leisure with a hire car.
While I was studying languages at university, watching Montalbano was my favourite type of revision and whisked me off to Southern Italy while I was actually sitting in England in mid-winter. Enjoy!
Italy, Videos
Andrea Camilleri, BBC, detective, Donnalucata, Inspector Montalbano, iPlayer, Italy, Luca Zingaretti, Mafia, Montalbano, Novel, Ragusa, Sicily, television, TV, Vigata, Young Montalbano
The itinerary for my coast-to-coast #DTour trip across North America in October
Guest Post: Live Music and Shenanigans at Bestival on the Isle of Wight
Emma in Euroland says:
Absolutely love this show!
indiaalexandra says:
My parents and I LOVE to sit down to BBC Four’s showing of Montalbano and watch him. Although I prefer him “grown up” as opposed to the “young steed” that he once was!
Virginia Stuart-Taylor says:
Montalbano is just too cool. He makes me want to get mixed up in a mafia murder case in Sicily. That’s how cool he is.
Agreed… “Montalbano sono!” One of our fave phrases too, and will often be heard spontaneously throughout the day in our household! Love old and young.
Alan Pittam says:
When is the next series of either the young or older Montalbano?
I’m not sure, but I’d imagine he’ll next be back on the BBC in Autumn 2014…
I tried, but I could not ‘get in to’ Borgen.
Please another series of this super inspector montalbano why no info yet Get a move on BBC here is something we love and you are dragging your feet getting more shows from Italy!! Love the scenery and the stories. Beth swann
Marie Cadavieco says:
His home is actually in Punta Secca, not Donnalucata.
Gunnar says:
I like Andrea Camilleris books and the films are even better. We have travelled alot in Italy but never visited Sicilia. I would like to go there.
I agree, I’d love to go to Sicily! There are even Montalbano tours…
The TV-serie Inspector de Luca,sounds interesting. I shall see if I can find it on some TV-channel or DVD.
Saturday nights is not the same with out him PLEASE BRING THEM BACK
Pingback: The last days of summer: from the Balkans & Sicily, back to London – The Well-Travelled Postcard
pietrp drago ferrante says:
Pietro I love the episode of Montalbano please start again the series thank you
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What is a Wily Scholar?
Program and Community
Origins of Programs
Wily and You
Fund-A-Scholar
Dining Out with Wily
A central component of Wily’s program is our community — our “Pack.” Wily frequently hosts events for Scholars to come together. However, Wily events are not just about sharing a meal or seeing a movie – our program facilitates opportunities for Scholars to connect: a place to belong, to be accepted, to get to know and rely on each other, to develop connections that will serve them now and into their future.
Each month, a local restaurant hosts Wily Scholars and staff for dinner. The meal is provided at no cost to the students, which makes for a relaxing night free of financial worry and a welcome distraction from the hectic pace of campus and the pressures of academics. Some restaurants offer a prix fixe meal, and at others Scholars can order from the menu. Many times the restaurant arranges for a private room, which enhances the Scholars’ experience of sharing this time with their Wily peers. We at Wily are so grateful for our partnerships with Myers + Chang, The Local, Commonwealth, the Fairmont Copley hotel, Trade, Sweet Cheeks, Dillon’s, Boston Public Market and Stella and for their generous in-kind donations.
Fall & Spring Community Day
During the summer of 2018, as the program was growing from 17 Wily Scholars to 28 to start the 2018-2019 school year, we decided to try and bring our Scholars from all seven colleges together. In October 2018, this dream became a reality… Wily Community Day was born. The event was so successful, the Scholars immediately asked to do it again, but didn’t want to wait a year! We now gather for Community Day twice each year, in October and April. Scholars and staff take part in organized activities like workshops and discussions, as well as play games, hang out, and simply get to know each other better.
With Wily, I felt like I wasn’t doing this alone. And something that’s really hard to put down on paper is how much of a family environment Wily has fostered. I’ve met kids in the Boston area that had similar upbringings as mine, understood the situations I’ve been in. But also have similar career aspirations of mine. And I can say that with Wily, I have not only financial support but … You know, family support here in Boston that I can go to with any worries. So, with Wily I am able to do so much more than I would have been able to do.
Wily Scholar, Boston University
The vast majority of Wily Scholars receive financial aid. Each year, Wily’s Financial Aid Coach schedules a “FAFSA Day” at each college to work with Scholars to prepare their FAFSA applications and CSS profiles. The Financial Aid Coach answers Scholars’ questions about the complicated criteria and requirements to ensure their eligibility for financial support is confirmed and maximized. Outside of FAFSA Day, Scholars have the opportunity to work with the Financial Aid Coach individually on their specific concerns, ranging from filing taxes to documenting their status as financially independent.
With Wily, our Scholars move from surviving to thriving.
1920 Centre Street, Suite 1
West Roxbury, MA 02132
(Enter through side doors in the Rockland Trust parking lot)
info@thewilynetwork.org
© 2020 The Wily Network. All rights reserved. A 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization.
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Top 10 Best Home Theater System Reviews In 2020
Posted on December 6, 2019 August 24, 2020
Home theater systems are becoming better and easier to use than ever before. Everyone has a chance to get the real theater experience at the comfort of their home. Choosing the right home theater system for your home is a huge investment. What’s more, it’s a huge decision that requires you to do your homework right prior to making the purchase.
Well, the right home theater system is one that has the necessary functions you need without being overly expensive. From analog speaker systems to latest wireless home theater systems and everything in between, there’s a whole avenue of options you can consider. But taking your audio and video experience to a whole new level isn’t something you get to achieve from just any home theater system. You need the best sound system with good performance. We’ve got a roundup of the best home theater systems that deliver sound and video like no other.
Top 10 Best Home Theater System Reviews
10-Pioneer 5.1 Home Theater System HTP-074
9-Logitech Z506 Surround Sound Home Theater System
8-Onkyo HT-S3800 5.1 Channel Home Theater Package
7-VIZIO SB3851-C0 38-Inch 5.1 Channel Sound Bar
6-GPX HT050B 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System
5-LG Electronics BH5140S 500W Blu-Ray Home Theater
4-AXESS Bluetooth Mini System 2.1-Channel Home Theater
3-Sony BDVE3100 5.1 Channel Home Theater System
2-Yamaha NS-SP1800BL 5.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker Set
1-Samsung HT-J5500W 5.1 Channel 1000-Watt
Pioneer 5.1 Home Theater System HTP-074
Onkyo HT-S3800 5.1 Channel Home Theater Package
VIZIO SB3851-C0 38-Inch 5.1 Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Satellite Speakers
GPX HT050B 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System (Black)
LG Electronics BH5140S 500W Blu-Ray Home Theater System with Smart TV capability (Renewed)
AXESS Bluetooth Mini System 2.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker System Red (MSBT3901)
Sony BDVE3100 5.1 Channel Home Theater System
Alphasonik 15" Portable Rechargeable Battery Powered 1500W PRO DJ Amplified Loud Speaker with 2 Wireless Microphones Echo Bluetooth USB SD Card AUX MP3 FM Radio PA System LED Ring Karaoke Tripod Stand
Samsung HT-J5500W 5.1 Channel 1000-Watt 3D Blu-Ray Home Theater System (2015 Model)
Get it now on Amazon.com
Related: Top 10 Best Touch Screen Radios Reviews in 2020
This home theater system includes 5 compact speakers and a subwoofer. It has a built-in Bluetooth technology that lets you stream music from compatible devices. The system supports the latest video standards, such as 4K videos. You get a truly high-definition experience that lets you hear every detail. An advanced sound retriever comes in handy to restore every minor detail to deliver a quality CD sound. Whether you want a home theater system for gaming, music streaming or surround sound, Pioneer HTP-074 has got you covered.
This is a 5.1 channel home theater system. It delivers 75 watts of balanced power with a clean room-filling sound. The system gives rich surround sound that literally places you in the middle of the action. It provides a versatile setup by supporting multiple connection options. For instance, you can connect to your PC, DVD player, gaming console, and more. In short, there are 6 channel inputs to connect to. It’s an easy plug and play system you don’t want to miss.
True power is the cornerstone of this six-piece home theater system. It’s designed to provide increased speaker control and dynamic audio reproduction. The system delivers rich surround sound for endless entertainment. From HD movie soundtracks to 4K UHD display, this home theater system has you covered. There’s a built-in Bluetooth technology that allows streaming from external devices. This is a solid and compact home theater system ideal for small rooms, dorms, and offices.
Related: Top 10 Best Portable Wireless Speakers in 2020 - Buyer's Guide
This home theater system includes two satellite speakers, sound bar, and subwoofer. The soundbar includes 3 individual speakers that make it more convenient than setting up multiple speakers. This home theater system delivers up to 99% pure harmonic sound. You get 100 dB of crystal clear sound, which is one of the best in its class. There’s a built-in Bluetooth function to allow streaming from other mobile devices. This system is a great streamline fit for those with at least 42-inch class TVs.
If you have a tight budget, this home theater system won’t disappoint. It’s a 5.1 channel system designed to deliver virtual surround sound. The system has a high powered amplifier and quality bass controls that literally makes music and movies come to life. The analog control at the back of the subwoofer makes it easier to operate even by that small kid at home.
This home theater system by LG takes things a notch higher with its smart TV capability. It’s a 500 watt 5.1 channel home theater system that adds an extra punch to your viewing experience. You get premium access to online content and stream latest movies at the comfort of your home. It plays Blu-ray movies and upgrades your DVD movies to a breathtaking 1080p full HD quality. This 3D home theater system goes a step further to let you share audio, photo, and video across a home network.
This is a mini speaker system that includes two full-range speakers and a 4-inch subwoofer. It has a total output of 40 watts and delivers quite a powerful punch at 75 dB. This home theater system has a Bluetooth function for wireless music streaming. It has FM radio and supports USB and SD cards. A remote control is included so you won’t have to get up from your seat.
Related: Top 10 Best DIY Home Security Systems Reviews In 2020
With 1000 watts power output, this home theater system gives you a chance to amp up the action and let your room get filled with that theater-like sound. This is a home theater system with smart features that provide an entertainment experience that’s way beyond the cable. It gives access to more than 100 streaming services. You get a discrete sound with uncompromised quality and noise reduction feature that makes movie watching experience much better. A one-touch Bluetooth function supports wireless connection and streaming from virtually any Bluetooth enabled device.
This home theater system includes 5 satellite speaker and an 8-inch subwoofer. The speakers have a built-in 1/2-inch tweeter that makes the sound quality even more immersive. This home theater system is magnetically shielded to ensure it always provides optimal performance. The subwoofer can hang on the wall with ease to give your space a more presentable look. This home theater system is a low-cost package that delivers way beyond its price tag.
This home theater system is Samsung’s most recent release. With a digital surround sound, this 5.1 channel system transforms your TV into an ultimate online entertainment hub without a hitch. A 3D Blu-ray player literally makes you feel like you’re in the center of the action. This home theater system even has a built-in Wi-Fi that allows access to online content. You get a video upscale feature that upgrades the non-HD video to a near-HD quality. The system has a built-in Bluetooth function for wireless streaming from a tablet, PC, and mobile devices.
Planning to get the right home theater system takes time but in the end, it’s always worth it. We’ve given you a list of the home theater systems that provide one of the best audio and video experience. Now it’s time that you make a choice among the options we’ve given. Regardless of the one you choose, you’re assured to get that audio and video quality you’ve always wanted.
Also find: Bluetooth Shower Speaker
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An Ineffable Transformation
On January 29, 2009 January 29, 2009 By JonathanIn East & West, Gospel, Orthodoxy, Patristics2 Comments
Yesterday we remembered the two saints who are probably the most prominent representatives of the Syriac traditions in the Western churches- St. Ephrem and St. Isaac. A translation by Sebastian Brock of St. Ephrem’s Hymns on Paradise was the very first Patristic work I ever purchased; I don’t recall now why I bought that particular one out of all the Patristic translations I could have picked from.
I don’t recall the first time I came across St. Isaac, but I do know that his writings have impacted me greatly (not greatly enough of course- if I could really assimilate just a handful of his teachings on prayer, peace, silence, and the like- I’d probably not be blogging!). That St. Isaac was and is shared across not only his native Church of the East but also among the Miaphysites, the Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholicism (and I would imagine some Protestant as well) is encouraging and a hopeful sign of the possibilities that- still- inhere within Christianity. Granted, his reception into the Miaphysite and later Chalcedonian communions involved a little ‘fixing up,’ but that does not detract from the importance and significance of his cross-traditions reception.
St. Ephrem and St. Isaac, pray to God for us!
From St. Isaac:
An illustration of what is hidden in seedlings can be seen through the labours which the saints and other godly persons endure in themselves for the sake of God. For under ordinary appearance of seeds at the time when the land is tilled April’s own transformation keeps hidden the abundance of ineffable transformations and the beauty of the glorious variegated colours which it will (in due course) bring out and display, as a wonderful vesture and adornment for the earth that had been nurturing the seeds within herself.
This symbolic significance which can be recognized in tiny seeds holy people engrave spiritually in their minds at times when their ministry is depressing and darkened, as a demonstration that the Creator’s power will be made known in them, and they wait expectantly to see in themselves, as a result of the strength of these ordinary labours, an ineffable transformation which will become perceptible as a result of them, through the working of the Holy Spirit which they will receive subsequently in accordance with the progress of their ascetic conduct.
(From the CSCO translation by Brock, part ii, chapter xxiii.)
Who Is Like Unto You
On January 24, 2009 By JonathanIn East & West, Judaism, Poetry, PrayerLeave a comment
Who is like unto You, for whom the depths are luminous,
You who is surrounded by whispered praises, source of miracles!
Suddenly He transformed nothing into something;
He drew near to hearts, and His image escaped the eyes;
Therefore do no ask, how and where!
The whole world is full of His presence.
If you keep evil desire at a distance,
You will find God in your bosom;
You only need to stroll peacefully-
He raises and lowers the wave of life.
And see the puzzle: the paths of the soul!
Serenely bask in this wisdom-
Therein you will find the grace of freedom:
You are a prisoner, your cell is the world.
Send thought to unite with Him!
Wipe out your own will and do His!
Where would His eye not reach?
His doings know no limits or threshold.
At the very first He lives prior to the specks of the world dust.
And He created. And He keeps. Like a flower
Which wilts, human fame passes:
As a wilted leaf, so it fades quickly.
Judah Ha-Levi (1075-1141)
The Door of Love To All Men
On January 15, 2009 By JonathanIn East & West, Gospel, Orthodoxy, PatristicsLeave a comment
The soul which bears abundant clusters of fruit is the one which has divested itself of anxiety, uncertainty and dejectedness and put on calm, peace, and joy in God; has shut the door of perturbing thoughts, and opened the door of love to all men; has watched continually, night and day, at the door of its heart; has driven out of itself anything that says: ‘This man is good and that man is bad; this man is just and that man is a sinner.’ [It is the soul that] has sat on the high throne of its heart, and contemplated its armies and its helpers who are the mind, the intelligence, the intellect, the knowledge and the discernment; and has ordered and pacified them with meekness so that none of them should snarl with wrath, envy or wickedness, and that the mind should not be obscured by the thick clouds of perplexity. On the other hand the barren soul is the one which is clad in rancour, anxiety, perplexity, distress, dejectedness and perturbation, and which judges its neighbour as being good or evil.
Simon of Taibutheh (d. 680)
Pro-War is Not Pro-Life!
On January 14, 2009 January 14, 2009 By JonathanIn Culture, Gospel, Orthodoxy, Peace, War1 Comment
From Metropolitan Jonah’s message for Sanctity of Life Sunday:
All the sins against humanity, abortion, euthanasia, war, violence, and victimization of all kinds, are the results of depersonalization. Whether it is “the unwanted pregnancy”, or worse, “the fetus” rather than “my son” or “my daughter;” whether it is “the enemy” rather than Joe or Harry (maybe Ahmed or Mohammed), the same depersonalization allows us to fulfill our own selfishness against the obstacle to my will. How many of our elderly, our parents and grandparents, live forgotten in isolation and loneliness? How many Afghan, Iraqi, Palestinian and American youths will we sacrifice to agonizing injuries and deaths for the sake of our political will? They are called “soldiers,” or “enemy combatants” or “civilian casualties” or any variety of other euphemisms to deny their personhood. But ask their parents or children! Pro-war is NOT pro-life! God weeps for our callousness.
Moral Clarity on Gaza
On January 10, 2009 By JonathanIn Current Events, Peace, WarLeave a comment
Steve has a good post on a the ‘war’ in Gaza (the conflict is so one-sided it’s difficult to refer to as a war): Moral clarity, moral ambiguity, moral confusion.
US mainstream media coverage of this conflict is an almost case-book example of war propaganda: part of this is due to the IDF’s ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza, but it’s also very much reflective of American media attitudes and willing compliance with the ideology of American foreign policy, of which the Palestinian conflict is but one- very public- facet. After all, as bears repeating, many of the weapons Israel is unleashing on the people of Gaza are courtesy of Uncle Sam, by way of the compliant American tax-payer.
God have mercy on us all.
He Put On Our Garment To Be Seen By Us
On January 6, 2009 By JonathanIn East & West, Gospel, Orthodoxy, PatristicsLeave a comment
Although worshiped with the Father
he was sent as a messenger;
he put on our garment, to be seen by us;
walked as a servant,
appeared as a healer,
became as a brother,
served as a slave,
spoke as a teacher,
listened as a student,
fought as a mighty man,
succumbed as a vanquished one;
he was sold as a vassal,
he freed as a lord,
he reproved as a judge,
he was condemned as a malefactor.
With the needy he was needy,
with the almsgivers he gave to the poor,
with the fasters fasting,
with the diners dining,
with the persecuted he was persecuted,
with the fighter he fought,
with those subject to the law keeping the law,
with God a rewarder of those who labour;
with the sons an heir,
with the Father a giver of inheritance,
with the supplicators entreating,
with the Father granting petitions,
with the envoys an emissary,
with the sinners a sacrificed lamb,
with the priests an atoning high priest,
with the departed slain,
with God raising the dead,
with the persecuted persecuted,
with God vindicating the persecuted;
with the reviled reviled,
with the wounded smitten,
with God healing,
with the sick as an invalid,
with the strong strong,
with the perfect perfect,
with the deprived as one deprived,
that he might perfect them;
with the redeemers as a redeemer,
with the imprisoned a prisoner,
so that when he was subjected to death
he might redeem the captives.
St. John the Solitary
Contestation and Intertextuality
On January 5, 2009 January 5, 2009 By JonathanIn East & West, History, Islam, Orthodoxy3 Comments
{The following is a paper I wrote last semester, that I thought might be of interest to some readers, even with the particular constraints I had to fashion the paper within. The first half, as you will notice, is mostly a review of some selected secondary works, but I think provides a decent overview of the- very important- subject of Scripture in the Christian-Islamic-Jewish conversation/debate. While I am obviously dealing here with the past, these questions are still very much live ones, and, insha’allah, one of these days I will try to write a little on my views and experience with the question.
Please forgive my non-designatin of emphatic letters in the Arabic transliterations; I’ve not figured out how to mark them on Works- I know, probably something I should have figured out… Also, since I do not know of a way to include footnotes on WordPress, I have simply included a bibliography of the works used; however, if anyone would like a copy of the full paper with notes and all, just e-mail me (jonathan.jallen8460 at gmail.com) and let me know.}
Contestation and Intertextuality: Scripture and Symbol Between Islam and Christianity during the ‘Abbāsid Period (750-1258)
1. Christianity in the ‘Abbāsid Milieu: With the triumph of the ‘Abbāsid Revolution and the many political, religious, and cultural changes that followed in its wake, Christian communities under Islamic rule were faced with an increasing number of challenges from Islam. They were confronted with not only the doctrinal claims and political pressures of Islam, but also an intellectual and cultural environment that was both open to Christian participation (within limits) and deeply challenging in its articulation of pluriform Islamic thought, particularly through the rational theology of kalām. The increasing dominance of Arabic posed its own unique challenge: The Arabic language was and is a distinctively Qur’ānic idiom, with syntax, concepts, and so many of the words themselves being drawn directly from the Qur’ān; the entire language- spoken and literary- resonates with an inescapable Qur’ānic ethos. Christian communities, as they became more and more integrated into burgeoning Islamic culture that expanded rapidly in the wake of the ‘Abbāsid revolution, were forced to deal with this “linguistic hegemony” of Qur’ānic Arabic. While Christians possessed ground upon which to engage Islam, they were also continually on the defensive within and without- not least of all against the slow but ever increasing attrition from conversion. Christians sought to meet direct challenges to their inherited complex of symbols and attendant meanings that were threatened and destabilized by Islamic culture; at the same time, and as part of the process of reply, they also engaged in a creative process of intertextuality with the new religion and culture, integrating themselves into the Islamic milieu on one level, while still marking themselves off as different from the Islamic community. Keeping in mind this dual, interpenetrating existence of resistance and integration, in this paper I will consider, first, the role of the Bible in the world of ‘Abbāsid society through an examination of relevant scholarly works. Second, I will look at the contested symbol of the cross and Christian attempts to situate and defend the complex of meanings and practices oriented around the cross.
2. Scripture Reimagined: Foremost in the field of contested symbols and meanings challenged by Islam was the Bible. Faced with Qur’ānic language and the issue of the Qur’ān itself and Muslim claims for it as the Book to supersede all other Books, the ahl al-kitāb adapted their scriptural discourse in a variety of ways. At the same time, Muslims dealt with the other holy Books and their conflicts with the Qur’ān through a similar plurality of responses.
One of the most immediate questions concerns when and where the Bible was first translated into Arabic. Sydney Griffith addresses the reception of the Gospel in Arabic in “The Gospel in Arabic: An Inquiry into its Appearance in the First Abbasid Century,” while Hava Lazarus-Yafeh looks for evidence of Old Testament translations in his study Intertwined Worlds; their conclusions are similar. According to Griffith, the earliest documented evidence of Gospel translations into Arabic dates to the early ninth century. The first known dated manuscript of an entire Gospel translation comes from Stephen of Ramla, a Palestinian Melkite monk, in 897, while the earliest extended quotation- of John 15:24-16:1, with modifications- by a Muslim writer of a Gospel is in Abū ‘Abd Allāh Muhammad ibn Ishāq (d. 767).
Outside of the province of Palestinian Melkites (who represent a special case due to their particular linguistic vulnerability as Greek speakers cut off from the wider Greek world with the Arab conquests) Griffith contends that there are no indications of complete or even partial Gospel translations until well into the ‘Abbāsid period. Contrary to earlier arguments, there is no evidence of a pre-Islamic translation of any of the Bible; Christians in the Arab world would have used Syriac as their ecclesiastical and liturgical language. Thus the echoes and references to Torah and Gospel in the Qur’ān were likely by way of translations by Christians from the Syriac. This situation apparently continued well into the Islamic period, as Christians translated from Syriac into Arabic as the situation required, whether in texts (such as the testimonia considered below) or orally in arguments and discussions with Muslim neighbors. Muslims, Griffith argues, “learned of the contents of the Torah or Gospel from Jews or Christians viva voce, without reference to an Arabic text, against which to measure the accuracy of their reference to them.”
Lazarus-Yafeh comes to a similar conclusion as Griffith in examining the use of the Old Testament in Islam. Again, contrary to suggestions by some writers, he contends that there is no evidence of written translations of the Old Testament until well into the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Instead, as Griffith also argues, Muslim reception of the Old Testament can be explained by oral translations or piecemeal translations in apologetic works. This reception was gradual; only from the mid to late ‘Abbāsid period do Muslim writers engage the Bible in an in-depth manner.
Such piecemeal translations, David Bertaina argues, are evidence of testimonia collections similar to those first compiled in the early Patristic period for apologetic and theological works. Bertaina cites the work of recent scholars suggesting that many early Christian writers, instead of resorting to a complete Bible, employed collections of scripture extracts, sometime extended passages, other times combinations of verses drawn from throughout the Bible. Bertaina argues that not only did Christians in the early medieval Islamic world compile and use testimonia collections, but that their compilation of testimonia was influenced deeply by the presence of Islam: “Since the biblical verses typically used for debating with Islam are rarely found in pre-Islamic testimony collections, it seems to indicate there was a progressive reliance on qur’anic language for extract collection…” Bertaina proceeds to examine three different texts and their use of testimonia collections.
In the Nestorian “The Apology of the Patriarch Timothy I” (c. 781), Bertaina notes Timothy’s extensive use of coordinated blocks of scripture, particularly quotations from the Old Testament prophets as proof of Christ, a common feature of Patristic testimonia. He also cites blocks of scripture to deal with issues brought up by Muslims, such as that “the Spirit is not Muhammad.” Further, Timothy employs selected verses from the Qur’ān alongside his use of testimonies from the Old and New Testaments; Bertaina interprets both aspects of Timothy’s work as examples of reworking of the Patristic testimonia tradition. In a contemporary Melkite work, Fī tathlīth Allāh al-wahīd, Bertaina sees a similar use of testimonia collections in the anonymous author’s insertion of Qur’ānic text into scriptural “prooftext” blocks. Of particular interest for Bertaina is the manner in which the author inserts multiple verses (often in a format similar to that of testimonia) from the Qur’ān, considerably more so than in Timothy. In the final work he considers- the record of a disputation attributed to Abū Qurrah- he sees the culmination of this process, as the author of the work employs only a handful of Biblical references, instead depending largely upon Qur’ānic references. Bertaina concludes that the Arabic Christian testimonia tradition developed as a way to reinterpret not only passages from the Old and New Testament contested by Muslims, but also to “reinterpret” the Qur’ān to coincide with Christian doctrine. He also argues, reinforcing Griffith and Lazarus, that the variety within Christian scriptural citations reveals Christians working from Syriac into Arabic in lieu of a settled Arabic translation of the Bible.
Turning to the still largely neglected field of Christian Arabic commentary on the Bible, Stephen Davis presents an Arabic commentary on the Apocalypse by Ibn Kātib Qaysar, a Coptic author from the mid-thirteenth century (later than but in the literary and cultural continuum of earlier Christian Arabic writers in Iraq and Syria). As he notes, the Apocalypse suffered from an ambiguous reception in the Christian East; in the Coptic Church, there are no known commentaries before the thirteenth century, the so-called “Golden Age” of Coptic Arabic writing. Ibn Kātib’s commentary drew upon a number of sources, from Hippolytus of Rome to Maimonides to earlier Arabic Christian writers, including Iraqi Nestorians and the other Coptic commentator on the Apocalypse, Būlus al-Būshī. However, as Davis emphasizes, Ibn Kātib seems more attuned to Islamic sensibilities: where, for example, al-Būshī interprets the number 666 as a reference to Muhammad, Ibn Kātib says more judiciously: “The attempt to solve the true identity [of the beast] cannot be realized apart from divine inspiration, seeing as there have already been many inventive solutions proposed.”
Davis spends the remainder of the paper examining aspects of how the text interacts with the broader Arabic world. Ibn Kātib understands there to be three categories of prophecy: “1. Prophecy (al-nubūwah): experienced in a state of sleep. 2. Revelatory vision (al-ru’yā): experienced in a state of semi-wakefulness or light slumber. 3. A divine manifestation (al-tajallī) or message (al-khitāb): experienced in a state of full wakefulness.” While similar schematics can be found in late antique Greek and Latin writers, Davis points to the existence of a whole genre of Arabic writings dealing with prophecy and dreams drawing upon the classical heritage, and argues that Ibn Kātib not only worked out of this tradition but also modified it. For example, where the Muslim tradition tended to interpret the prophecy of Muhammad as ru’hā sent to the Prophet during his deep sleep; in Ibn Kātib’s scheme, while ru’hā is still prophecy, it is the lowest sort, and is beneath that of “semi-wakefulness” in which John received the Apocalypse.
As evident from Bertaina’s treatment of Arabic testimonia, Christians early on began employing the Qur’ān directly in their writings, though their deployment operated on multiple levels. Mark Swanson explores the adoptive use of the Qur’ān in depth in “Beyond Prooftexting.” He considers several early Christian Arabic works and their use of the Qur’ān, pointing “to the fact that the early Arabic Christian literature is not merely literature of translation, in close relationship to Greek and Syriac exemplars; it is also a literature in some intertextual relationship with the Qur’ān…” How then does this intertextuality work? On the one hand, he points out, much early Arabic Christian literature employs the Qur’ān for simple “prooftexting,” often by taking the material out of context and providing an “arbitrary, tendentious interpretation.” In the example Swanson gives, from a very early polemical tract, the Christian author cites sūrāt that, in the original context, are meant to refute Christian belief in Christ as the Son of God. Though the author does not change the words, he manipulates phrases outside of their original context in such a way that the negative sense of the original becomes a positive affirmation of Christian doctrine.
However, Swanson contends, “prooftexting” is not the only method of Christian intertextuality. He then presents several categories of intertextuality with the Qur’ān that he argues reveal a much deeper and subtler Christian approach to the Muslim Book. Christians recast their language of prayer and praise in a deeply Qur’ānic idiom, as in the work Fī Tathlīth Allāh al-Wahīd, in which the introductory poetic prayer resounds continually with Qur’ānic language- in a way, Swanson argues, reveals a much deeper appreciation and appropriation of the Qur’ān than mere “prooftexting.” Further, Christians replot traditional stories along an Islamic line, using the chronology of the Qur’ān and even elements of its stories, when speaking about the lives and missions of the prophets; however, where the Qur’ān posits Muhammad as the apex of the prophetic line, the Christian texts posit Christ. Finally, Swanson sees throughout Christian writers numerous examples of “echoes” of the Qur’ān, allusions and fragments of sūra that would only carry their rhetorical weight for people with considerably cognizance of and appreciation for the Qur’ān.
How are we to interpret this phenomenon of Christian intertextuality? Swanson deploys categories used by Thomas Greene, in his Imitation and Discovery in Renaissance Poetry , for dealing with the relation of Renaissance texts to the classics. Under the heading of “reproductive” or “sacramental” use of the subtext, Swanson interprets such writings as the opening of Fī Tathlīth Allāh al-Wahīd and its creative appropriation of Qur’ānic prayer language. Under the category “eclectic” or “exploitive” Swanson suggests incidental uses of the Qur’ān, as when an author simply employs a particular term or part of a sūra without any other seeming desire to reference the text of the Qur’ān. This category could also include the decidedly “exploitive” use of “prooftexting” as well, though Swanson suggests this pushes the boundaries of Greene’s category. In the “heuristic” mode, in which the author “singles out one text as its putative genesis and. .. defines itself through its rewriting, its ‘modernizing,’ its aggiornamento of that text,” the Christian prophetic narratives within the story-arc (with the one important modification) can be seen. Finally, in the category of “dialectical” language, in which the text and subtext are in a dynamic engagement, Swanson, with qualifications suggests this also appears in the material: “…we may perhaps see something approaching a ‘dialectical’ approach to the Quranic subtext when Christian writers deal with it allusively, allowing it to speak with some freedom from afar rather than constraining or censoring its speech at close range.”
While it is important to keep in mind- as Swanson in fact does at one point in his study- that much Christian engagement with Islam and the Qur’ān (and likewise from the Islamic side) was purely polemical and even manipulative and exploitive in the extreme such an approach does not represent the sum of things. How much though can these texts tell us about actual Christian attitudes, and their prevalence? Swanson does not address this question directly; it might be suggested that the more “positive” engagements with Islam and the Qur’ān are only defensive moves on Christians’ parts, and that the “true” sentiments of Christians (and Muslims) are simply adversarial. However, Swanson would likely argue that the deeply set adaptation of Islamic language in many of our authors- reflections of the “reproductive” mode- reveals writers who are not writing out of pure polemic or even apologetic stances, but have genuinely absorbed not merely Qur’ānic language but the Qur’ān itself, finding within it “a world of prayer and praise which they could happily visit, even if they would not settle there permanently.”
The early Islamic reception of the Bible both differs from and reflects Christian conflict and appropriation of the Qur’ān. In his study Intertwined Worlds, Lazarus-Yafeh examines the various ways in which Muslim authors dealt with the Bible. He lists and examines the various Islamic arguments used against Christian and Jewish scripture: tahrīf (falsification or corruption), naskh (abrogation), lack of reliable chains of witnesses, and the use of exegesis. Under the first heading, Lazarus sees tahrīf as being primarily interpreted as Christian and Jewish corruption, modification, of the sacred text; thus the Bible could not be trusted due to the changes wrought in it by non-Muslims. Yet, as Lazarus notes, the fact that the Qur’ān sometimes speaks positively of the other Books led Muslims to an ambivalent position, in which they at once sought to employ these other Books yet mark them off against the Qur’ān- a situation not unlike, as Swanson notes, that of Christian authors dealing with the Muslim holy Book. As knowledge of the Bible increased in the Islamic world, some Muslims sought to explicate just what things were tahrīf- according to one author, the geographical inaccuracies, numerical problems, examples of preposterous behavior, and theological impossibilities were all signs of corruption.
Under naskh, Lazarus discusses the idea that the Qur’ān supersedes previous scriptures, which developed alongside the idea of naskh within the Qur’ān itself, as one verse was seen abrogating another. This argument was of particular use against Christianity, since Christians were placed, Lazarus argues, in a difficult spot arguing for the abrogation of the New Testament over the old, yet resisting the claims of the Qur’ān.
Of the remaining two claims, lack of reliable chains was fairly straightforward- Christians and Jews could not provide lists of reliable witnesses passing the texts on, which opened room for corruption somewhere along the line. As for the final element, the use of exegesis, Lazarus demonstrates how this opened the way for ambiguity and negotiation over the status of the Bible. In the figure of Ezra, Muslims sometimes found a likely corrupter of the Bible, yet at other times a praiseworthy figure rediscovering for the Jews the Torah (presumably in an uncorrupted state). Muslim attempts to interpret the Bible in order to find proof of Muhammad also reveal levels of intertextuality beyond mere polemic, though sometimes the allegation of corruption was raised- prophecies could not be found because they had been edited out. Other times Muslims found in existing passages proof of Muhammad, raising the question of the validity of the text as-is.
3. The Sign of the Cross Under the Shadow of the Mosque: Like the scriptures, Christian doctrine concerning the cross and crucifixion of Christ came under the pressure of Islam and the Arabic milieu. And just as with scripture, Christian responses to Muslim critiques (and in this case occasional physical assaults) upon the cross of Christ were met with a variety of traditional and innovative arguments and recontextualization specifically geared for the Arabic, Qur’ānic environment. In this section I will examine, first, Muslim challenges to the cross; second, Mark Swanson’s evaluation of early Melkite writings on the cross and crucifixion; finally, I will briefly consider the Jacobite theologian Abū Ra’itah’s defense of veneration of the cross and examine how his arguments seek to contextualize the cross in an Islamic milieu.
Muslims almost universally denied the very historicity of the crucifixion, as the Qur’ān explicitly states that Christ was neither killed nor crucified in Sūrat al-Nisā’ (Q.4:157). Indeed, one of the reasons often advanced to prove tahrīf in the Gospels was their description of Jesus’ death on the cross which meant shameful humiliation for Jesus and, by extension, God who had sent him. That Christians went much further and claimed divinity for Christ, then portrayed him as dying on the cross went from being scandalous to blasphemous, making the cross a sign of the impious folly of the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation- and hence death- of God, one of the greatest points of conflict between Islam and Christianity.
Muslims would also accuse Christians of idolatry for their veneration of crosses and icons. However as King argues in discussing the infamous iconoclastic decree of Yazid II, Islamic iconoclasm is best seen as a manifestation of Muslim rejection, not of images or symbols primarily, but of what those images and symbols represent. Christian veneration of the cross was to be rejected not simply for or even necessarily because of implications of idolatry- after all, as Christian authors pointed out, Muslims venerated the Ka’ba in Mecca- but because of the scandalous doctrine that lay behind it. Nonetheless, as the material below reveals, the charge of idolatry remained a pressing concern for many Muslims and Christians, with or without attention to the broader doctrinal implications.
Besides the afore-mentioned edict of Yazid II ordering the destruction of all imagery in the Islamic empire, there were other occasional outbreaks of outright violence against Christian icons and crosses. According to the “Covenant of ‘Umar,” Christians are prohibited from displaying crosses in public, carrying them in procession. Such regulations in reality usually carried little actual prescriptive power; Christians continued to display their crosses, even in public, with Yazid’s decree being something of an anomaly.
More common than the occasional outbreaks of anti-Christian and iconoclastic violence was Muslim challenging of Christian doctrine and practice, as described by Theodore Abū Qurrah in his treatise on icons: “Anti-Christians, especially ones claiming to have in hand a scripture sent down from God, are reprimanding them [Christians] for their prostration to these icons… and they sneer at them.” Abū Qurrah and other Christian theologians of this period had to deal with a world in which Christians and Muslims mixed freely and exchanged theological barbs and arguments. Muslim attacks and outright mockery on the cross and icons no doubt contributed to the slow but steady attrition of Christians to Islam through the ‘Abbāsid period. In this light, Christian defenses of the cross are best understood as primarily directed at their fellow Christians as a means of shoring up beleaguered practice and beliefs.
In the first ‘Abbāsid century a number of Christian writers offered defenses of the crucifixion of Christ and veneration of the cross; Mark Swanson presents an overview and analysis of some of these early defenses. After briefly examining the pre-Islamic Christian conception of the cross and the Islamic reaction, he turns to two bodies of writing from the early ‘Abbasid period: the works of the Bishop of Harran Abū Qurrah and a treatise, authorship unknown, titled Jāmi’ wujūh al-īmām. Abū Qurrah argues for the necessity of the cross on the grounds of the conflict between God’s mercy and justice; only Christ’s offering of himself to the Father solves the dilemma. Swanson notes that Abū Qurrah’s “cross-soteriology” is central to his apologetic treatises, and hinges upon Abū Qurrah’s insistence on the true humanity of Christ. For the author of the Jami’, however, while including the argument from God’s justice and Christ’s satisfaction of it, hinges his argument upon the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection of Christ as public signs and assurances from God of the general resurrection. In so doing, Swanson suggests, the author implies to possible Muslim readers that only in Christ can one find certainty of the resurrection, a belief shared between Christians and Muslims.
Swanson then notes that neither author explicitly addresses Sūrat al-Nisā’ (Q.4.157) or Muslim disavowal of the reality of the crucifixion. He suggests that this is because for the authors “the reality of the cross of Christ is placed beyond question by the densely-woven coherence of the writers’ entire scriptural/theological fabric, which would be unraveled by the denial of the historicity to the crucifixion…” They do however offer scriptural proof texts, though obviously this method is problematic when writing to Muslims; Swanson suggests that Abū Qurrah’s explicit appeal to the books of Moses may be in hopes of maintaining Muslim attention.
Finally, Swanson takes up Abū Qurrah’s innovative approach to dealing with the “scandal of the cross”: for the bishop of Harran, “the scandalous nature of Christianity’s teaching is, paradoxically, an indication of Christianity’s truth… Christianity, however, with its paradoxical and scandalous teaching has no appeal whatsoever for the common mind; quite the opposite.” The scandalous nature of the cross gives proof of the veracity of Christianity; only through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit would men accept this faith, which offers no earthly rewards and is so hard to accept rationally. Not only that, but the cross, particularly as represented in churches in depictions of Christ crucified- presents, in Swanson’s words, “a demand for a response which must be Yes or No, faith or rejection, loyalty or shame.” The “outsider” must choose to accept or reject Christ when confronted with the cross; the Christian shows loyalty with his humiliated King by being humiliated for his belief, and thus identifies with the sufferings of Christ. Thus, for Abū Qurrah, it is a virtuous thing that Muslims enter churches and mock believers; without the icons of Christ crucified, “it would not occur to most of them to react in the way we have mentioned.”
This scandal of the cross is reflected in the Christian’s life “under the sign of the cross”; not only should the Christian venerate the cross (which, the author of the Jāmi’ argues, is comparable to Muslim veneration of the Ka’ba), but the cross is a sign and an encouragement (and possibly even a direct means!) of the Christian’s ascetic struggle, even martyrdom. Swanson reminds the reader that this was not merely theoretical: martyrs from the ‘Abbāsid period demonstrated the very real possibility of dying for the cross.
The ninth-century Jacobite theologian Habīb ibn Khidmah Abū Ra’itah al-Takrītī faced a situation similar to that of his Melkite contemporaries. In his capacity as a teacher/lay theologian (similar to an Armenian vardapet) he sought to offer his fellow miaphysite Christians tools for debate with their Muslim neighbors; it is likely he also engaged Muslims directly and certainly wrote apologetics directed to them. In one of his four surviving treatises answering Islamic objections, On the Proof of the Christian Religion and the Proof of the Holy Trinity, he presents a defense of Christian veneration of the cross, along with a defense of Christian prayer facing the east. In this short passage his engagement of contested practices and doctrines and use of Islamic language alongside traditional explanations provides a succinct example of what Stephen Davis describes as the “dual function” of apologetics in the Islamic context: “…on the one hand, it seeks to assimilate itself to the language of the dominant culture; and on the other hand, it seeks to distance itself from unpalatable viewpoints within that culture (and thereby to define the boundaries of its own communal identity).”
The passage on the cross comes after a long discussion of the miaphysite understanding of the Trinity and Incarnation and multiple points of defense against Muslim attacks on it. Having treated the vital and hotly contested issues of Incarnation and Trinity he turns to certain Christian practices that were contested by Muslims, including the veneration of the cross:
“As for their statement concerning our exaltation of the Cross (ta’zīmihum al-sabīli), while we forbid the worship of idols, out exaltation of it, O my brother, [even though] it is especially contemptible, is a clear indication of our rejection of the worship of idols, and our repudiation of the veneration (sujudnah) of graven images.”
He then argues that if Christians were in fact idolaters, surely they would worship things more beautiful and noble than the cross- “this despised form”- which form, as both Muslims and Christians would agree, stands for a particularly contemptible instrument of execution. He suggests that Christians do not fashion crosses from “the finest and most beautiful things,” a somewhat odd comment- did Christians in Abū Ra’itah’s area avoid the use of expensive materials in their crosses (perhaps seeking to avoid rapacious “iconoclastic” programs)?
Instead of turning to idols, then, Christians turn (samada) to the cross, and it “has become for us a qiblah, and something particular apart from all things.” At this point the text is unfortunately briefly corrupt, but picks back up with the idea of the cross-as-qiblah: “For how is it possible that the one who turns his toward worship of his Lord be oriented to a quiblah other than His qibla? …who takes up this qibla, apart from all other things, is saved. We, the Christian community, worship our Lord and our God, and do not worship another god from among creatures.”
Continuing the qibla theme, he explains why Christians face east in their prayers, employing two traditional explanations: east is the direction of paradise, and Christians expect Christ to return in the east. Thus the Christian community (ma’sharu al-nasārī) turns their “faces at the time of our prayers toward it.” Finally, Abū Ra’itah addresses the common Muslim objection that “all of the prophets and all of the forefathers did not take the east as the qiblah.” He agrees: instead, the prophets faced Jerusalem for prayer- because, he writes, it was the place Christ lived, bore the “cross of salvation,” died, and rose again. Christ’s work in Jerusalem is the sirr, the secret or mystery, of the ancient qibla, and it is for this reason that Christians turn to the east. The seeming non-sequitor here should probably be understood as suggesting that since Christ has fulfilled the sirr of his mission, Christians now await his coming in the east, as the prophets of old awaited his coming in Jerusalem.
In this brief passage, Abū Ra’itah first deals with the charge of idolatry- an impossible charge, he suggests, in tones reminiscent of Abū Qurrah, because of the despised nature of the cross. If Christians were worshipping creation, they would not worship something as despicable as a cross! It is suggestive, however, that Abū Ra’itah does not continue with the likely objection a Muslim would have then raised: yes, the cross is despicable, because the Christians say God died on it. In fact, in none of his apologetic works does Abū Ra’itah go to the lengths that his Melkite contemporary goes in embracing the “scandal of the cross.” Even in the work under consideration- clearly meant for his fellow Christians as a handbook for disputations- his primary objective is defending the Trinity and Incarnation; his approach- here, anyway- could hardly be considered one of “cross-soteriology.”
If then for Abū Qurrah the cross marks out the Christian and his community through its scandalous demand for a Yes or No, and as a way for the Christian to share in the humiliation of Christ, for Abū Ra’itah, the cross marks out the Christian, first, through his open avowal of it as the true sign of God: “…one who intends to worship Him manifestly believes in [it]”; second, as the true qibla that the community orients itself toward in worship. Just as the Muslim qibla is a key identifying marker for that community- indeed, one term for the Islamic community was ahl al-qibla, people of the qibla – the cross is a locus of Christian identification, in contradistinction to the Muslim qibla. By employing a Qur’ānic concept and its attendant meaning in contemporary Muslim practice, Abū Qurrah at once challenges Muslim practice- the cross of Christ is the true qiblah, not the Ka’bah in Mecca- and also provides a defense for Christian practice that Muslims might be expected to grudgingly accept. If venerating the Black Stone, and facing it in prayer, is allowable, surely the “cross of salvation” is worthy of veneration?
He thus turns the contestation of the cross by Muslims into a contestation of the qibla by Christians- which is reinforced by his answer to the question regarding Jerusalem. No doubt aware that Islamic tradition recognized Jerusalem as the first qibla of the Muslim community, he agrees that it was the proper direction- because of the cross of Christ! Not only that, but it was the original qibla, contrary to a Muslim tradition stating that Mecca was the qibla of Ibrahīm. There is a level of intertexuality going on here, but it should probably be described as primarily “exploitive”: the wresting of Qur’ānic terms into the explicit service of Christian doctrine. While Abū Ra’itah employs Islamic preoccupations, they are carefully aligned within a web of Christian meanings, largely in contradistinction to Islamic meanings. His deployment of traditional and innovative arguments provides a concise instance of the complex process of contestation and intertextuality that Christian writers were forced to deal with in the diverse Arabic-speaking world of ‘Abbāsid Islam.
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Published on VOX, CEPR Policy Portal (https://voxeu.org)
Home > Asking people which aspects of wellbeing matter most
Happiness and satisfaction are not everything: Toward wellbeing indices based on stated preference
Daniel Benjamin, Samantha Cunningham, Ori Heffetz, Miles Kimball, Nichole Szembrot 02 January 2015
There is growing interest in alternative measures of national wellbeing, such as happiness or life satisfaction. This column argues that a small number of survey questions are unlikely to capture all the aspects of wellbeing that matter to people. Using a stated-preference survey, the authors find several aspects of wellbeing to be important that are not commonly included in wellbeing surveys, such as those related to family, values, and security. This approach could be used to provide weights for wellbeing indices.
Good governance and wellbeing [1]
John Helliwell, Haifang Huang, Shawn Grover, Shun Wang
Wellbeing research: Recessions hurt more than booms help [2]
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Michael Norton
In defence of GDP as a measure of wellbeing [3]
Nicholas Oulton
Happiness economics: Can we have an economy of wellbeing? [4]
Carol Graham
GDP has long been used as a measure of a population’s wellbeing, but there is a growing interest among policymakers and researchers to go “Beyond GDP” (Fleurbaey 2009) – to find better measures of a person’s actual lived experience than the value of her income or expenditure.
One idea is to directly ask people about their wellbeing. Recently investigated survey measures of ‘subjective wellbeing’ (SWB) have primarily focused on measuring aspects of SWB such as happiness and life satisfaction. The basic problem faced by single-question SWB measures (such as happiness or life-satisfaction questions) is that they do not manage to capture all the wellbeing aspects that enter into preferences (for recent evidence, see Benjamin et al. 2012 and 2014a). Indeed, a consensus is emerging among researchers that wellbeing is multi-dimensional, and more than one survey question is needed to assess it.
Some governments have begun adding SWB questions to national surveys and expressing intentions to use SWB measures to guide policy. For example, the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) added the following questions to their national Integrated Household Survey:
Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?
Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
But it is not clear that these four questions – or for that matter, any small number of questions taken from the academic literature – are sufficient to adequately measure wellbeing.
Going beyond happiness and life satisfaction
What questions should governments ask instead? How should the responses to these questions be used? In our recent paper “Beyond Happiness and Life Satisfaction: Toward Well-Being Indices Based on Stated Preference” (Benjamin et al. 2014b), we attempt to take on these questions. We propose to go “beyond happiness and life satisfaction” and construct a more comprehensive measure of SWB, an index – with weights based on stated preference – that captures a fuller picture of a person’s wellbeing.
In Benjamin et al. (2014b), we take as a starting point the idea that people have preferences over ‘fundamental aspects’ of wellbeing. The theory is grounded in the economic principle of revealed preference, which holds that a person’s informed choice is the best criterion for judging what increases her welfare. Following that logic, we created a survey that asks a respondent to choose between increases in different wellbeing aspects (so we can learn which option would better improve her welfare). Using her answers, we can estimate the respondent’s relative ‘marginal utilities’ of aspects of wellbeing – meaning how much the respondent values a small increase in each aspect. These relative marginal utilities can then be used as weights to combine the aspects into a wellbeing index for the individual. We find it more attractive to use a person’s stated choice as the sole determinant of the index’s weights, rather than to (paternalistically) rely on the opinions of experts regarding how to weight (i.e. what level of importance to assign) aspects of that person’s wellbeing.
Implementing our approach requires knowing the list of aspects of wellbeing that matter to people – a list that no one really knows. For the time being, we instead construct a long list of all the aspects of life that have been proposed as important components of wellbeing in a sample of major works of psychology, philosophy, and economics (e.g. Maslow 1946, Sen 1985, Ryff 1989, Nussbaum 2000, Alkire 2002, Diener and Seligman 2004, Loewenstein and Ubel 2008, Stiglitz et al. 2009, Graham 2011). To our knowledge, ours is the most comprehensive effort to date to construct such a compilation. Our current list includes 136 aspects. Most are ‘private good’ aspects, or aspects that relate to the individual’s own wellbeing (e.g. ‘your health’), but many are ‘public good’ aspects, or aspects that relate to an entire society’s wellbeing (e.g. ‘equality of opportunity in your nation’).
The drawback of attempting to generate a comprehensive list is that it increases the likelihood of conceptually overlapping aspects (i.e. aspects that describe the same fundamental aspect). We have tested the results we discuss below (i.e. the estimated marginal utilities) to ensure they are not affected by overlap. However, when it comes time to actually construct a wellbeing index by combining these relative marginal utilities, overlap would lead to double counting of some aspects. This is one problem we do not fully resolve in the paper (though we suggest a research strategy for identifying the extent to which the aspects of wellbeing measured by survey questions overlap).
We designed and conducted a stated-preference survey to demonstrate how our framework could be applied in practice, and how wellbeing indices could be constructed using our methodology. A stated-preference survey estimates relative marginal utilities of aspects of wellbeing, to be used as weights, while a SWB survey – like the UK example above – measures levels of these aspects. The survey sample we used was not nationally representative but was demographically diverse and included over 4,600 internet survey respondents. Respondents were asked to choose between two options that differ only on how the aspects in each option changed. For example:
Figure 1. Example survey question
In this example, two aspects are varied: “you not feeling anxious” is “slightly higher” in Option 1, and “how happy you feel” is “somewhat higher” in Option 2. The randomly chosen number of aspects in each scenario was either two, three, four, or six aspects, which were divided between Option 1 and 2.
Each respondent was presented with a sequence of ‘personal-choice’ and ‘policy-vote’ scenarios. Personal-choice scenarios contained only private good aspects, while policy-vote scenarios contained both private and public good aspects. When private good aspects appeared in policy-vote scenarios, the language was changed from “you” to a pronoun that would refer to everyone affected by a policy (e.g. “your health” became “people’s health”).
Because each scenario’s aspects and their ratings (i.e. “slightly higher”, “somewhat higher”, or “much higher”) were randomly assigned, we can estimate the relative marginal utilities of the aspects by running a regression in which the respondent’s choice (Option 1 or 2) is the dependent variable and the aspect ratings are independent variables. Aspects were ranked by the size of their coefficient, which is an estimate of their relative marginal utility. Below we reproduce part of Table 2 from Benjamin et al. (2014b), showing the top ten ranked aspects.
Figure 2. Relative marginal utility estimates
Among the aspects used in the personal scenarios, we found that aspects commonly asked about in SWB questions, such as happiness and life satisfaction, were important to wellbeing (i.e. had high coefficients). However, several aspects not commonly asked about were also important, including those involving family (wellbeing, happiness, and relationship quality), health (general and mental), security (financial, about life and future, and physical), values (morality and meaning), and options (freedom of choice and resources). In fact, in the “Personal” panel in Figure 2, none of the top ten aspects are commonly used as SWB measures.
In policy scenarios, we found that aspects that were high-ranking in personal scenarios retained their high rank. In addition, private good aspects related to freedom (freedom to choose, ability to pursue your dreams, being treated with dignity) and avoiding abuse (avoiding deception, avoiding pain, avoiding emotional abuse) ranked higher as policy than as personal aspects. Public good aspects had among the largest coefficients, including freedom from corruption, injustice, and abuse of power, society helping those who struggle, the morality of other people, freedom of speech and of political participation, and the wellbeing of the people in your nation. Respondents seemed to emphasise expanding their choice set in policy decisions.
The kind of survey we ran could be used to estimate relative marginal utilities of a comprehensive list of wellbeing aspects at regular intervals across a large sample. As noted above, we found several aspects to be important in our study that are not commonly included in SWB surveys, such as those related to family, values, and security. The inclusion of these factors in future research is therefore important. However, due to constrained resources, our survey only accomplishes a first-pass demonstration of feasibility. Ideally, a government would design a survey that contains both SWB and stated-preference components – that is, a survey that first asks respondents to choose levels for different aspects and then to choose between different profiles of aspects in order to estimate marginal utilities.
We have taken a step “beyond happiness and life satisfaction” towards a better measure of SWB, but it is only a first step. Work on measuring SWB is still in its infancy and much more needs to be done before reliable measures of national wellbeing can be generated. Accurate national measures of any indicator cannot be developed quickly – after all, it took decades to refine GDP into the national statistic it is today. We hope that our framework will help accelerate research to find better measures of wellbeing, so that policy may be guided not just by what strengthens a person’s economic and financial portfolio, but by what improves the sum total of all the things that matter in life, in accordance with each individual’s own views.
Alkire, S (2002), “Dimensions of Human Development”, World Development 30(2): 181–205.
Benjamin, D J, O Heffetz, M S Kimball, and A Rees-Jones (2012), “What Do You Think Would Make You Happier? What Do You Think You Would Choose?”, American Economic Review 102(5): 2083–2110.
Benjamin, D J, O Heffetz, M S Kimball, and A Rees-Jones (2014a), “Can Marginal Rates of Substitution Be Inferred From Happiness Data? Evidence from Residency Choices”, American Economic Review 104(11): 3498–3528.
Benjamin, D J, O Heffetz, M S Kimball, and N Szembrot (2014b), “Beyond Happiness and Satisfaction: Toward Well-Being Indices Based on Stated Preference”, American Economic Review 104(9): 2698–2735.
Diener, E and M E P Seligman (2004), “Beyond Money: Toward an Economy of Well-Being”, Psychological Science in the Public Interest 5(1): 1–31.
Fleurbaey, M (2009), “Beyond GDP: The Quest for a Measure of Social Welfare”, Journal of Economic Literature 47(4): 1029–1075.
Graham, C (2011), The Pursuit of Happiness: An Economy of Well-Being, Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.
Loewenstein, G and P A Ubel (2008), “Hedonic Adaptation and the Role of Decision and Experience Utility in Public Policy”, Journal of Public Economics 92(8–9): 1795–1810.
Maslow, A (1946), “A Theory of Human Motivation”, in P L Harriman (ed.), Twentieth Century Psychology: Recent Developments in Psychology, New York: The Philosophical Library, Inc.: 22–48.
Nussbaum, M C (2000), Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Ryff, C D (1989), “Happiness is Everything, or Is It? Explorations on the Meaning of Psychological Well-Being”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 57(6): 1069–1081.
Sen, A (1985), Commodities and Capabilities, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Stiglitz, J E, A Sen, and J-P Fitoussi (2009), Report by the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress.
Topics: Frontiers of economic research [5]
Tags: happiness [6], life satisfaction [7], wellbeing [8], stated preference [9], surveys [10], Happiness economics [11]
Source URL: https://voxeu.org/article/asking-people-which-aspects-wellbeing-matter-most
[1] https://voxeu.org/article/good-governance-and-wellbeing
[2] https://voxeu.org/article/wellbeing-research-recessions-hurt-more-booms-help
[3] https://voxeu.org/article/defence-gdp-measure-wellbeing
[4] https://voxeu.org/article/happiness-economics-can-we-have-economy-wellbeing
[5] https://voxeu.org/content/topics/frontiers-economic-research
[6] https://voxeu.org/taxonomy/term/701
[7] https://voxeu.org/taxonomy/term/2625
[10] https://voxeu.org/category/tags/surveys
[11] https://voxeu.org/taxonomy/term/2506
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January 10, 2020 6:37PM PT
‘Chhapaak’: Film Review
Director Meghna Gulzar and Indian superstar Deepika Padukone are affecting without excess in this fact-based drama about the aftermath of a horrible crime.
By Joe Leydon
Joe Leydon
Film Critic @joeleydon FOLLOW
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Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey, Madhurjeet Sarghi, Anand Tiwari
There’s a scene late in “Chhapaak,” writer-director Meghna Gulzar’s stirringly crafted and intelligently uplifting fact-based drama, where Malti (Deepika Padukone), the survivor of a horrific assault, tentatively expresses her warm feelings to Amol (Vikrant Massey), the crusading activist who has taken up the cause of women who have suffered similar attacks. But, true to form for this fiery idealist, Amol gruffly interrupts her romantic overtures. “This stuff,” he insists, “belongs in the movies.”
It’s tempting to read the exchange as Gulzar’s meta commentary on her own movie, which scrupulously avoids the emotional and stylistic extremes that, for better or worse, have come to define much of contemporary Indian cinema (and not just for Western audiences).
To put it another way: If you walk into “Chhapaak” expecting typical Bollywood razzamatazz, you may be disappointed. There are no lavish production numbers, no exhilarating romantic interludes, no slo-mo acrobatics of any sort — and only two songs, neither of which are sung by anyone onscreen. On the other hand, if you’re up for a conventional yet compelling tale of an exceptional young woman who overcomes brutish mistreatment and regains control of her destiny, you won’t miss the usual song-and-dance at all.
Working with co-writer Atika Chohan, Gulzar has taken a reasonable amount of dramatic license in telling the real-life story of Laxmi Agarwal, a 15-year-old New Delhi girl who, in 2005, was splashed with acid and hideously disfigured by a thirtysomething man whose stalkerish advances she had rebuffed. In “Chhapaak,” the victim is slightly older, and known as Malti. Although Gulzar presents the attack early in the film — shockingly, but with sympathetic discretion — she doesn’t explicitly detail motivation for the crime until a third-act flashback. In the meantime, she smartly focuses on Malti’s efforts to will herself out of despair and depression, undergo a series of restorative surgeries, and press a legal case against her attacker.
Malti’s chief allies are Archana Bajaj (Madhurjeet Sarghi), a crusading attorney who rails against a national legal system that appears to treat acid assaults on women (a commonplace crime in India) as scarcely worse than misdemeanors, and the aforementioned Amol, the type of single-minded zealot who would serve as buzzkill at a party celebrating a legal victory because, well, he didn’t think the ruling went far enough. (It speaks volumes about Vikrant Massey’s underlying charisma that his character doesn’t come across as a complete pill.)
Occasionally calling to mind socially conscious Warner Bros. melodramas of the 1930s, “Chhapaak” repeatedly emphasizes how ludicrously easy it is (or at least was, until recently) for acid-tossers to procure their assault weapon of choice throughout India. Worse, as attorney Bajaj explains in a key scene that is all the more potent for being so matter-of-factly subdued, the attackers are able to avoid appropriately long prison sentences because, according to the criminal code, throwing acid at someone is no more heinous than dousing them with hot tea.
(A nice touch: Bajaj has ample time to do her crusading because her husband, played by Anand Tiwari, assumes without complaint most of the day-to-day parenting responsibilities for their daughter — whose growth, not incidentally, is a primary indication of time passages in the film.)
As Malti, Indian superstar Deepika Padukone relies less on exceptionally convincing makeup than straight-from-the-heart conviction to give her multifaceted performance the solid ring of truth. Neither she nor Gulzar resort to undue yanking of heartstrings while charting the evolution of Malti’s resolve and recognition of her self-worth. At the same time, however, Padukone brings welcome touches of infectious humor and tart sassiness to the character, particularly while dealing with Amol and interacting with real-life acid-maimed women who appear (most notably, and affectingly, during a train trip) in bit parts.
Two observations on the film’s structure are in order. First: When the audience finally gets to see the untouched beauty of Malti in the third-act flashback, we’re brutally reminded of the sheer monstrousness of her attacker, just at the perfect time to make the film’s resolution even more satisfying. On the other hand, be forewarned: The epilogue is quite capable of slapping the smile right off your face.
Reviewed at AMC Studio 30, Houston, Jan. 10, 2020. Running time: 122 MIN.
Production: (India) A Fox Star Studios release and production, in association with Ka Productions, Mriga Films. Producers: Deepika Padukone, Govind Singh Sandhu, Meghna Gulzar.
Crew: Director: Meghna Gulzar. Screenplay: Atika Chohan, Gulzar. Camera: Malay Prakash. Editor: Nitin Baid. Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
With: Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey, Madhurjeet Sarghi, Anand Tiwari, Vaibhavi Upadhyaya, Payal Nair, Vishal Dahiya, Ankit Bisht. (Hindi, English dialogue)
Noémie Merlant on Sundance Player 'Jumbo,' Feature Directorial Debut 'Mi Lubita'
French actor Noémie Merlant plays a young woman who falls in love with a funfair ride in Zoé Wittock’s “Jumbo,” which is screening in Sundance’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Variety spoke to her about the film, and her debut feature as director “Mi Lubita.” Merlant is viewed as one of the most promising actors of [...]
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Women & Tech
Ambient Privacy is Needed in the Digital Age
By: Lee Rickwood
A new global privacy initiative, sponsored by Canada’s federal privacy commissioner, calls on governments, businesses, legislators and users to embrace and protect privacy as an important right with social value in and of itself.
Daniel Therrien is one of some 80 privacy officers and commissioners from around the world calling for an update to and strengthening of their countries’ privacy and data protection laws.
And while they did not use the term, the notion of “ambient privacy” is one that aligns well with their initiative.
Ambient privacy advocates say there is a value in not being monitored on a daily basis. That the very notion of individuality may lie in the fact that “the small details about our lives should pass by unremembered.”
But that’s a far cry from the privacy environment that’s currently evolving.
Therrien and his Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada are among those responding to growing citizen concerns over the use of personal information and data: the vast majority (92 per cent) of Canadians have expressed “some level of concern about the protection of privacy” according to a 2018-2019 survey conducted by the OPC. People feel they have little or no control over how their personal information is being used, be it online or off, be it by companies or governments or other users.
People feel they have little or no control over how their personal information is being used, be it online or off, be it by companies or governments or other users.
“Privacy plays a vital role in enabling other key rights, such as human dignity, freedom, equality and democracy,” the commissioners’ statement reads.
And while they certainly call on legislators to do their part, passing more robust laws to protect personal information and regulate data usage, they also call on businesses to be accountable in their commercial data-gathering activities and to assess risks to privacy, fairness and freedom before using artificial intelligence in their activities.
Crucially, they also call for citizens themselves to be informed about and actively exert their privacy rights.
For example, we citizens or Netizens need to know about the value of our information in the digital age: huge corporations are making millions of dollars by collecting, handling, sharing or analyzing data – our data!
We need to understand that being judged or categorized or liked or unliked based on a digital data trail that can easily be misconstrued or taken out of context is a real risk to us, as individuals or as social groups.
And make no mistake, that digital data trail is longer and increasing more widely available than we might imagine.
“Within the first two or three seconds of landing on a website, your data is often shared with dozens of third-party firms,” describes Ray Patterson, a University of Calgary business technology management professor and author of Techno Creep: A Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy.
Patterson and Hooman Hidaji, a colleague at UCal’s Haskayne School of Business, have tracked the extent and immediacy with which our data is tracked – and shared – without our knowledge.
Online companies of all sorts are actively assembling a comprehensive history of what websites we visit, for how long and in what order, what purchases we make or content we view while there, and so on. Browsing history is one thing, but other digital identifiers can record the type of device we use, its – and therefore our – location, and what we are doing with it on a minute-by-minute basis. That’s our digital ambience.
The data in that environment is valuable not just to for-profit companies which offer online services or product purchase opportunities; the collected and collated data can also be used for social and political influence.
In spite of the social and commercial pressures to give up our data at every click, we have a right to expect privacy and control over our information whether we are sitting at our computer, handling our smartphone or even being out and about!
In an interesting and impactful decision from Canada’s Supreme Court, we should expect some level of privacy even when we are in public!
In public areas where surveillance technology is in use (uhh, that’s a long long list), Canadians do have a right to a reasonable expectation of privacy, judges ruled in a case known as R. vs. Jarvis.
The ruling is another recognition of what our ambient environment really looks like today – covered not just figuratively in the online sense but quite literally in the physical world by surveillance systems and structures of all shapes and sizes.
All activities? Real-world surveillance systems and online data collection tools may get too much information for their own good – seemingly, too much for our good, too.
But, says Maciej Ceglowski, “[w]hat we do at home, work, church, school, or in our leisure time does not belong in a permanent record.” Ceglowski is a web developer, tech activist and founder of a group called Tech Solidarity, out of San Francisco. He calls for “the understanding that there is value in having our everyday interactions with one another remain outside the reach of monitoring.
“Not every conversation needs to be a deposition.”
Think about it this way: nowadays, it can be really awkward when a friend or acquaintance shares too much detail about something that happened to them – it’s TMI, too much information.
In ancient times, as described in the Hebrew Bible and the concept of s’tam b’nei adam, neighbours who have no reasonable expectation that a loud voice won’t carry through walls that are too thin, for example, should speak softly, both to protect their own privacy but also to respect the rights of the folks on the other side of that wall.
One could see that as an environmental concern as much as a privacy concern. We want an environment with good air and water, so why not with personal privacy and social security.
Sure, assessing today’s unique privacy controversies in the context of yesterday’s broad religious pronouncements may not resonate.
But seeing privacy as a kind of natural resource brings the discussion right up to date. Our natural environment is in jeopardy, and millions of people around the world are demanding corrective action as a result.
Ceglowski says we should see privacy in much the same way – it is a valuable natural resource worth protecting, an existential asset that must not be lost.
He reminds us that we have moved from once seeing nature as an inexhaustible resource, there for the picking, to now seeing it as an integral part of our own survival that needs nurturing.
The privacy environment is much the same.
“Privacy plays a vital role in enabling other key rights, such as human dignity, freedom, equality and democracy,” says a group of international privacy commissioners. Sounds a bit like good clean air.
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About Lee Rickwood
Lee Rickwood covers developments in media and technology with particular interest in how such developments affect our social, political and economic activities and interactions.
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Samsung Electronics Declares “Age of Experience” at CES 2020
New Technologies & Team To Support The Canadian Red Cross
Lee Rickwood
December 3, 2019 at 9:14 am -
Yes, thank you, Karen
My mistake: The University of Calgary’s Thomas P. Keenan is the author of Techno-Creep, as the book cover pictured above clearly shows. UCalgary’s Ray Patterson et al wrote a report entitled How Much to Share with Third Parties? User Privacy Concerns and Website Dilemmas. Apologies for any confusion this mix-up may have caused.
Karen Perl-Pollard
December 2, 2019 at 1:38 pm -
The author of Techno Creep is another professor at the University of Calgary. Dr. Ray Patterson, PhD is not the author of Techno Creep.
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Archive for @tvinaword
No Sets Please, We’re British
Posted in American TV (General), American TV Shows, Behind-The-Scenes, British Shows on American TV, TV Acting, TV advertising with tags @tvinaword, America, andrew lincoln, Britain, brody, bruno tonioni, carrie ann inaba, damian lewis, dancing with the stars, david harewood, egg, geico, homeland, ian fleming, jason wood, len goodman, pudding lane, the walking dead on November 5, 2013 by Tom Steward
There are endless reasons why I’m happy to be with G but I’ve always been especially grateful that she’s not an Anglophile or fangirl of British pop culture. I find G’s nonplussed reaction to most things British, including accents and the sights of London, oddly comforting. I suppose it’s just reassuring to know that it’s me she interested in not my country of origin. I say this because you Americans are obsessed with us Brits. Actually, it’s truer to say you’re obsessed with what you think we are. American television is fanning the fires of this fascination like a Pudding Lane bake-off…and you can’t get more British than that!
There’s not a show I’ve seen on American TV that doesn’t either have in it a British performer or someone pretending to be British, often both given the lax standards of background research for writing British characters. It doesn’t even have to be a show. Various American companies have British spokespeople and mascots in their TV advertising. Why am I not flattered? Because the fascination somehow never extends to actually finding out what the diverse and varied life and culture of Britain is like. Instead it’s an incredibly narrow, dated and ignorant version of our national culture (royalty, the swinging sixties, Victorian cockneys) that is continually reproduced across American television.
A Cockney lizard is the Geico mascot…for some season!
I’m sure all non-Americans (even ethnic-Americans) and American minorities have much the same beef and I’m not saying the British have any special claim to reductive racial stereotyping on TV. It’s the inverse relationship between the interest taken and the research done that makes American TV’s obsession with the British so bemusing to me. Why go to the trouble of inorganically adding a British person to the cast of an American-set show or concept and then not do the requisite due diligence to give them a chance of convincing at what they’re supposed to be?
A cynical answer would be that Americans know so little about Britain that TV viewers wouldn’t know the difference. But why then are Brits so prominently placed in American television as leads or major supporting characters, presenters and stars, and commercial representatives? Why are we not marginalised like so many other nationalities that American TV knows next to nothing about?
‘You make one more crack about pocket-rocket and I’ll paddle you!’
There are doubtless innumerable political and historical reasons for this (the need to keep us arcane and aristocratic seems pretty closely related to an age-old American view of the British as colonisers from the old world) but in the superficial now I think it has a lot to do with Britain being a major producer and exporter of TV to an extent not seen before. The US, traditionally a powerhouse of global TV distribution, has to find methods of coping with this new threat and slotting British actors and characters into TV shows (often for no good story reason) seems as good a way of joining the competition as any.
There’s also something about always having to laugh at or undermine British people appearing on TV that means however high up in the pecking order they are, their one-dimensionality will always be more important than their function. Think about how many American shows sacrifice character development for a couple of cheap shots at cross-cultural misidentification or excuses for vicarious swearing (the British obscenity ‘wanker’ frequently passes Broadcasting Standards unnoticed). On Dancing with the Stars, Len Goodman has been hired to impart his technical opinion on dancing, drum up the crowd and occasionally play the pantomime villain. Increasingly, however, he’s been there to provide British slang for the other presenters to mock.
The British wing of the CIA.
There’s a quieter British invasion going on (we don’t like to make a fuss) in TV casting. Most of your favourite American TV shows will boast British cast members, many or all passing as natives. I’ve never quite got over Mancunian Egg from This Life as an Atlantan sheriff’s deputy in The Walking Dead or Homeland’s marine double-agent Brody being as British as the head of the CIA. Often producers are calling on past prejudices about British actors to inject a note of taste but it’s also about an Anglicisation of the American acting workforce taking root over recent years.
All the way from Ian Fleming to yours truly, Brits have recognised that keeping your accent quiet is how to be taken seriously in America. British actors playing Americans may have blended in to TV without a trace but those who chose to wear Britishness on their sleeves will remain the rodeo clowns of television.
Posted in American TV (General), American TV Shows, Behind-The-Scenes, Internet TV, Reviews, TV advertising, TV channels, TV Culture, TV History, TV News, Watching TV with tags 24, @tvinaword, amc, breaking bad, csi, dallas, damages, damian lewis, dynasty, fx, homeland, justified, law and order, mad men, season three, showtime, the sopranos, the walking dead, the wire, timothy olymphant on October 29, 2013 by Tom Steward
It’s tempting to think that we live in an age of serial television, since virtually every programme we see features some kind of story development designed to keep viewers coming back week after week. Nowhere is this more evident than US TV drama. Critics have been telling us for years now that what distinguishes dramatic American TV from its British equivalents and cinematic competitors is the ability to tell stories over time. Yet very few US TV drama series have sustainable premises and even fewer have enough story arcs to outlast a shelf life of one season on the air.
This struck me while watching the early episodes of Season Three of Showtime’s Homeland, patiently waiting for the show to justify its continued existence. The series had the requisite twists and turns for a season of thrills and jolts and spent its second treading water by flipping the premise like a trick coin so that viewers basically watched the first season again in reverse. The third season has already drowned in its own uncertainty over the future trajectory of the show. I’m not at all averse to long-running programmes changing what they are, as long as they change into something!
Damian Lewis tries to hide from disgruntled Homeland viewers…
Homeland is a glorified mini-series but so are many of the contemporary dramas we treasure as serial television. Damages and 24 never deserved to get beyond a single season. The plausibility and novelty of both series is dependent on the events in the fictional world of the show never being repeated. Even TV dramas celebrated for their narrative complexity such as The Sopranos and The Wire barely made it past their first seasons. Both shows came to a story impasse at the end of their pilot runs and had to work hard at finding new characters and concerns to explore.
Let’s get some historical perspective here. The trend towards serial storytelling in US TV drama over the last thirty years didn’t arise from a need to tell stories more complexly and truthfully. As soap operas went primetime in the late ‘70s with Dallas and Dynasty, network executives and advertisers alike recognised that cliffhangers and continuing stories could be a valuable commodity in finding and keeping viewers. I’m not saying this didn’t lead to more complex television storytelling (and often the viewers who liked this most were those targeted by sponsors) but serial television had to be sellable to stay prevalent.
Serial storytelling in US primetime!
Serial storytelling is a neat way to illustrate television’s differences from books and movies (at least those that aren’t series). But the truth is for much of its history, dramatic storytelling in US TV was delivered in self-contained episodic form along a more generous, less competitive principle of not alienating viewers who might miss a week occasionally. The legacy of episodic storytelling is still discernible in American TV today. The successful CSI and Law & Order franchises paid only lip service to serial form and the best show currently on the air, FX’s Justified, is based principally around episode-specific stories.
Most contemporary US TV dramas are better described as walking a tightrope between episodic and serial storytelling. In order to attract casual viewers and get syndicated, TV series must have a loose enough storyline to be broken up and watched out of sequence without too much loss. But as the options for TV viewing multiply exponentially and the landscape of dramatic entertainment become ever more fragmented, stories that run across episodes and seasons remain a tried and trusted technique for encouraging repeated viewing and customer loyalty. A step too far each way takes you into daytime or days gone by.
Justified, the last outpost of episodic TV!
AMC currently holds a reputation for producing television that showcases the best of American serial drama, something alluded to in their last two slogans ‘story matters here’ and ‘something more’. But let’s look at the facts. The recently-completed Breaking Bad is a fallacy of serial storytelling, compacting six years of television into two years of onscreen time. Mad Men produces an occasional episodic masterpiece but watching the series continuously quickly gets tiresome, making it preferable to cherry-pick instalments from digitised series archives. The Walking Dead escaped Stephen King mini-series status by the skin of its teeth (pun very much intended!).
A television drama that is genuinely serialised runs counter to so many of the qualities of US TV we hold dear, like individually crafted episodes and storyline resolution. There’s also a lot of lame ducks out there with nowhere to go and no story to advance dodging cancellation each year.
TV in a Word
Posted in American TV (General), American TV Shows, BiogTV, British Shows on American TV, Reviews, TV channels, TV Culture, TV History, TV in a Word with tags @tvinaword, bbc2, Chillian, conn, downfall, Enterprise, george orwell, gillian anderson, hbo, jabberwocky, lewis carroll, nbc, newspeak, prometheus, revolution, star trek the next generation, the fall, the shield, the walking dead, Twitter on September 18, 2013 by Tom Steward
If this were in print I’d feel obliged to emblazon the word ‘Advertisement’ over it but as all online writing is faintly promotional anyway I’m content to leave it at this bashful disclaimer.
A month ago I started the Twitter account @TVinaword which creates new words to describe TV shows by compounding three words that are synonymous with each individual programme. For example: ‘The Shield. Vic, Visceral, Vicious. In a word: Viscous’. The account had a long evolution. I originally wanted it to consist of reviews of films that were 1 sentence or 140 characters long (those of you who regularly read this blog know it could go either way) such as ‘Downfall: When you’ve seen one Nazi officer shoot himself in the head, you’ve seen them all’ or ‘Prometheus: 124 minutes of film to explain one dodgy special effect’. I quickly reconsidered upon realising that there were several accounts like this already, not surprising given that it’s only a slight adaptation of what Twitter does anyway. I also felt it was slightly peevish to create an account simply to allow me to take my revenge on a medium that hasn’t given me much to enjoy in the past few years. Cinema deserves better from its critics than simple mockery-even if currently worthy of it-and anything written about it should always stress how great it can be and look past momentary phases of decline.
The Viscous Vic Mackey!
Whatever the account was going to become I knew at that point it would be about TV. I’d be sending up the medium from a position of affectionate mockery and in light of my unadulterated admiration for it. I also wouldn’t mind being reductive about TV given that I devote hundreds of words a week to exploring it in excruciating detail. I still hadn’t figured out what form this Twitticism would take when after finishing BBC2’s detective serial The Fall I took to Twitter to try to describe what was unique about the programme. It wasn’t just that it was chilling; it wasn’t just that it was brilliant, but it was both these things and Gillian Anderson. It seemed to me that any word that tried to account for The Fall needed to have these three elements in play. That’s how the word ‘Chillian’ came about. After tweeting this new word, I realised this was exactly the problem with TV criticism. The same old words are trotted out each time we write about a programme (if I see the words ‘complex’ and ‘HBO’ in the same sentence again I may scream) and yet the programme itself is entirely unique.
The Fall…Chillian.
After coming up with a name and tweeting a few more words, I began to see that it was particularly effective when the word, despite being completely new, seemed to describe the TV show perfectly. Like Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky, the words make sense because of the imagery they evoke not because they have shared meanings. The breakthrough in this respect was Star Trek: The Next Generation. The word was ‘Connferscience’ which incorporated ‘Conn’ (the Enterprise’s command which is forever being transferred like a verbal Frisbee), ‘Conference’ and ‘Conscience’. If you were to ask what happens in Star Trek: The Next Generation Connferscience, despite its Newspeak qualities, would be as good an answer as any. Sometimes words arrange themselves in ways that sums up the show more directly that the three words they amalgamate. The Walking Dead was represented through the words ‘Humanity, Humidity, Stupidity’ which becomes ‘Humanstupidity’, a word that could conceivably work as the show’s subtitle. It’s always gratifying when the word resembles one we know, especially if that word is the opposite of what the show is. Three words that sprang to mind when watching Revolution were ‘Swords, Gourds, Bored’, creating ‘Sworgourdsbored’, which it most definitely is not.
Swords? Bored! Revolution.
Every TV show-good and bad-is different and they each deserve a different word. There’s always something that can’t be accounted for in existing language, like a character or an actor. What makes a TV programme is a cocktail of different energies and when one or two of those are removed from the mix, it’s not the show anymore. I’ve tried to make this problem disappear by writing a lot and hoping that enough combinations of words will eventually do justice to one programme. Now I’m doing the exact opposite, whittling these descriptions down to a few words and creating a brand new one distinctive to a programme. TV is a variety of individuals, each with a name.
Posted in American TV (General), American TV Shows, Reality TV, Reviews, TV channels, TV News with tags @tvinaword, abc, bristol palin, brook, celebrity wife swap, chris harrison, dancing with the stars, desiree, emily, european reality formats, jerry bruckheimer, joan rivers, melissa joan-hart, nick broomfield, reality tv, sarah palin, the bachelor, the bachelorette, wife swap, willow palin on August 20, 2013 by Tom Steward
Despite the name, reality TV is unflinching in its adherence to the conventions of their rigid formats. It’s tantalising when a reality TV show throws out those conventions but then doubly deflating when they still manage to collapse under the crushing weight of formula after deviating from format. Breaking with convention has also become a branding strategy for many reality shows (especially the long-running ones) so it becomes difficult to separate an experimentation with format from marketing bullshit. I’ve encountered a couple of instances of this recently. Celebrity Wife Swap is the US version of a European reality format in which the long-term partners of male celebrities exchange lives for a week. The latest season began with an episode that changed the rules of the game significantly and almost to the point of abstraction. Instead of men swapping partners it was the women that exchanged their significant other, who were also women. The partners were not romantic peers but live-in blood relatives, and different relations on each side. Comedienne and broadcaster Joan Rivers took in Bristol Palin, reality-star celebrity daughter of Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, while Rivers’ daughter, TV producer Melissa Rivers, went to live with Willow Palin, Bristol’s sister.
You’re my wife/daughter/sister now!
This loose interpretation of the format may have been motivated simply by the draw of the personalities involved and the prospect of an entertaining confrontation between Joan Rivers and Bristol Palin after Rivers’ frequent jokes about the Dancing with the Stars contestant’s weight in the press. But the sister and daughter swap had the potential to undercut the patriarchy of the format and suggest alternative living arrangements or definitions of family (alas none of them gay or friendship-based). It also promised that something different would happen, since the roles of daughter and sister are so incongruous and the impact of exchanging family members unknown territory. Somehow the formula of reality TV resisted these challenges from the reality of family life to reproduce the same outcomes. The couples struggled to understand each other, they seem like they will never overcome their differences, then they do, quickly, saving recriminations for their own spouse and ending with the promise of the couple having a better relationship in the future because of the experience. The peculiar dynamics of the relationships seem to make no difference-be it sibling parents or inter-generational mothers-and are entirely secondary to ticking these boxes every week, more Bruckheimer than Broomfield.
Families are all the same…or they will be by the time we’re done.
This year’s season of The Bachelorette was billed by host Chris Harrison as having the ‘most dramatic finale ever’. Even the studio audience balked at that. By the host’s own admission, all season finales are preceded by puffed-up rhetoric promising shocking and surprising twists and turns in the normal course of the show, with a gap between promise and outcome big enough to make it a standing joke with viewers. Last year the final episode of The Bachelorette was cut in half by the contestant choosing her partner early. This was a departure from format that seemed to suggest that contestants were able to mould the conventions of the programme to their desires rather than being cogs in a media machine. But the disruption also annoyed viewers by eliminating the suspense built into the final stages of the competition. It seems that if reality TV was more like reality, with all its loose ends and uneven surfaces, fans of the genre wouldn’t necessarily want to watch it. This year’s season finale had nothing to live up to and everything to prove. It had to stick to the format to the bitter end while looking like it was a breakthrough moment.
‘Keep crying…we’ve got an hour to fill’
Like last year’s finale, the competitive element was jettisoned when eponymous bachelorette Desiree was dumped by her first choice and forwarded the rejection to her most ardent admirer, leaving only one suitor in the running. The finale was split into two parts making a cliffhanger out of the dumping, which only intensified the feeling that Desiree was going home with nothing (excuse the language of commodity exchange but this is basically a game show with prizes). The suspense of the finale strategically shifted to speculation that Desiree’s first choice would return to make a two-horse race and doubts over whether she would accept a proposal from her Plan B. The proposal happened, she accepted, and the other man in her life didn’t come back to complicate things. It almost seems like the opposite of drama to me, and as conventional an outcome as could be mustered. The viewer was not as cheated by the rhetoric as before but only because the reveal was better paced not because it broke free of the restraints of format. It feels like reality TV shows have become propaganda films for their own formats, defending their orthodoxy against any challenges the outside world might bring.
For an account of TV in 799 less words, follow @TVinaword on Twitter…
Selling TV to Americans
Posted in American TV (General), American TV Shows, Internet TV, Reviews, TV channels, TV Culture, TV History with tags 24, @tvinaword, breaking bad, bryan cranston, cheers, damages, david lynch, don and betty draper, huluplus, macgyver, mad men, malcolm in the middle, meth, moose, netflix, northern exposure, ted danson, the shield, twin peaks, underpants on August 7, 2013 by Tom Steward
My unofficial job title for the last couple of months has been PR Officer for American TV. Recently I’ve been introducing G to a number of my favourite US TV shows using the vast-if routinely inaccessible-archive of programming on Netflix and HuluPlus as well as my DVD collection, which lies within a handful of colossal CD carry cases in an object-fetishist’s version of efficient storage. Some programmes sold themselves. It didn’t take long for G to figure out that Northern Exposure was an engaging, endearing and intelligently written piece of television and not the geriatric-baiting fodder she suspected. Despite its nausea-inducing camerawork, the viscerality, complexity and wit of The Shield also won G over instantly. But there was always a fly in the ointment, and in every application. G took issue with the titles of both shows, Northern Exposure for its meandering moose and The Shield for its kid-friendly jingle. I tried to explain that these were some of the most iconic and beloved aspects of these shows but it fell on deaf ears and blind eyes. Much as I love them, I can see why G thinks these gimmick-driven, one-dimensional titles might be doing a disservice to the shows.
‘Stupid moose’-G
But sometimes G’s sales resistance is difficult to break down. Her response to the Pilot of Breaking Bad was ‘That’s it?’. I wanted to argue with her but it did seem slight in comparison to later episodes and I didn’t think my observation that it was a ‘postmodern version of MacGyver’ would make it seem any more profound. Twin Peaks was apparently ‘all dialogue’, which is a new one for Lynch critiques, and only became visually stimulating when the donuts came out. In these instances, I did what every good salesperson should and tried to associate the product with something the customer knows and likes. ‘It’s like Northern Exposure…but with murders’ I said of Twin Peaks. ‘It’s Malcolm in the Middle on meth’, I said of Breaking Bad. ‘You watch Malcolm in the Middle? What are you, 10?’ G responded. I guess my cold reading skills aren’t as good as I thought. Or maybe the prospect of Bryan Cranston in underpants isn’t as alluring to the rest of the world as it is to me.
Just me, then…
On other occasions I became a victim of my own salesmanship. I’ve managed to hook G on a hoard of arresting novelty shows that I’m fast losing interest in. This means I’m watching their tiresomely protracted runs again as exactly the point when I’ve given up on them. 24 and Damages are the chief culprits here, both of them wildly overlong elaborations on an initially brilliant premise. I didn’t think I could lose much more respect for 24 than had already gone but sitting through those final few seasons again with their automated scenarios and tedious twistiness I think it went subterranean. Worse, as the gruesome compulsion to clear all the episodes in as little time as possible accelerated, the show became like wallpaper in our house, an ever-present wall-adornment barely noticeable to our jaded eyes. G is still at the point in Damages where the promise of finding out what will happen in the ongoing story arc is yet to be beaten down by the knowledge of what does happen. But I can see this fading fast. G’s already worked out that they’re only keeping a serial story strand so as not to lose Ted Danson from the series.
A reason for sticking with Damages.
Although G came to Mad Men much later than me, thus allowing me to cherry-pick the most tolerable episodes from the dreary first few seasons, we’ve both turned sour on the series at about the same time. Actually, G got there first before I was willing to admit that the party was over. Midway through the most recent season, the sixth overall, I remember her asking ‘Where’s the advertising gone?’, which should have been enough of an alarm bell given that it’s the equivalent to Cheers forgetting to feature beer. For me, though, it was the sexual reunion of one of the series’ estranged couples that signalled the end of quality. Breaking a rule of good television established in Northern Exposure, it haphazardly thrust (in every sense of the word!) two characters together whose entire function was to carry the suggestion of romantic involvement without ever reaching that point. G turned to me the other day and said ‘I miss British TV’. I think it might be time to start offering a new product line.
If you like these blog posts why not follow my new twitter account @tvinaword where I create new words to describe TV shows. Send your own and if I like them I’ll retweet them!
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Tag Archives: short story
A Short story, Urban Fantasy
November 30, 2019 W. C. McClure Leave a comment
Would he need to learn to sew? He wondered how hard that would be. Michael knew nothing of fabrics or the mysterious art of sewing machines, but there were probably video tutorials he could watch to catch up on the basics. He also wondered if there was an alternative to the whole spandex and underwear thing. See, Michael had recently discovered certain powers, and every comic book and movie on the subject suggested that the thing to do now was to become a vigilante superhero, saving humanity from itself. Step one was a clever name and a costume to protect his identity.
For names, he’d gotten as far as “Chill Dude.” He liked the double-entendre. As for a costume, well. That posed a bigger problem. It would have to be something comfortable that he could wear under his clothes. Every day. He pictured the itching and sweating. He’d have to make seven, so he could have one for each day. Maybe he should make them different colors. Mix things up a bit. Okay, he’d have to circle back to that later.
As for his powers, he was going to need to practice. He’d managed to freeze a single flower in a bouquet, so he had selective targeting skills. Distance also didn’t seem to play much of a factor, provided he could see his target. He could also cause a cool mist to form more generally, though he hadn’t found a practical application for that talent yet. Plus, it was unpredictable. He might need to study martial arts. He made a mental note to check out local martial arts schools. It needed to be a style that looked wicked cool with a lot of spins.
With a name, costumes and refined skills, last, he’d need a way to know where there was trouble. He considered trying to listen in on police radios, but that seemed like a good way to run afoul with the police force. He’d seen too many movies about that complication to fall into that trap. No, he’d have to walk the forgotten shadows of the world so he could be where the law wasn’t. He checked his calendar. It was November 30th.
“Let’s see,” he said, gliding over the days and weeks with a red pen at the ready.
He planted a thick red circle around January 1st.
“Show time.”
‘Show time’ ended up being late February, as it turned out. Sewing was a lot trickier than he’d guessed, and don’t even get started about the martial arts lessons. Who could have known people spent years of their life perfecting those moves?
He managed a single costume by the end of December by altering a set of thermal underwear. It wasn’t anything close to what he’d envisioned, but it did keep him comfortably toasty on cold winter nights, and the stylized “C” and “D” painted in silver over the chest were pretty sick. A black mask from the Halloween store covered his face. It took all of January to produce a passable roundhouse kick. He didn’t send the kicking bag flying, like the other students, but it wobbled. That had to count for something. February was spent wandering city streets in a long overcoat, watching for signs of trouble that the police couldn’t handle. Turned out he lived in a pretty tame city.
Finally, in the last week of February, his efforts bore fruit. He heard the fight and had to go searching for it. Tossing his overcoat at the edge of the alley, he ran into the moving shadows, his silvery chest gleaming with righteous justice. A kid was on the ground, covering his head, while blows rained down from four shouting boys.
“Freeze!” Chill Dude cried. He’d thought of that ahead of time.
One of the attackers glanced up. He started to laugh.
“You’ve got to be joking,” he snickered, drawing the attention of the other three attackers.
The kid on the ground shuffled to his feet, wiping at his lip. Michael was surprised that he wasn’t running for safety.
“You’re safe now, son,” he said in an authoritative way.
Still, the kid didn’t run.
“CD man?” one of the attackers laughed. “Nobody owns a CD player anymore. You’re like a generation ago.”
“I’m Chill Dude,” Michael announced, trying not to sound shaken. He needed to rework his emblem.
All five boys doubled over in laugher. The one who’d been on the ground leaned against two of his former attackers, howling.
“Are you okay, son?” Chill Dude pressed, addressing the kid who had been on the ground. “Are you safe?”
“You should mind your own business,” the kid said, still laughing.
Michael didn’t like how the kid’s hands shook. He may have interrupted something among friends. That was what it looked like. Still, that kid had taken a beating. Not the kind of friends he ought to be spending his time with. And where were these kids’ parents? It was late.
He concentrated. Just a little show of might to get these kids to think again about fighting in the streets. He focused on the collars of their coats. Just the boys who’d given the beating. He knew it was working when the laughter stopped and the swearing began.
“You need to get new friends,” he said to the astonished boy with the cut lip.
He turned and retrieved his overcoat and went to find his car.
By mid-March, the Chill Dude costume had been refined with a less readable emblem and he’d made one late-night news report. His long coat had been mentioned in the news report, so he began to switch up his jackets and his hats as he prowled the night streets for trouble. He began to get a feel for it. A taste in the air. A buzzing in his senses. He used his mist a few times, but mostly he chose to spot-freeze. That needed a better name.
Then came the day that changed everything. The first day of spring. The city was restless, and both Chill Dude and the police had been busy all week. He’d known that he’d confront firearms at some point, and thought he had a pretty solid plan for how to handle it. He’d target the trigger first, to keep it from moving, then mist the gun, then spot-freeze the handle so it would be too cold to hold. What he didn’t account for was a criminal who didn’t stand and toss bold statements around with the gun pointed menacingly, like they did in the movies. This guy just turned the barrel his way and started shooting.
Luckily for Chill Dude, the guy’s focus was on shooting, not aiming. There was no targeting, like he’d planned. He ran and cowered behind a dumpster. Instinct took over, and he felt the build-up and release of a spot-freeze.
Chill Dude hazarded a peek to see what had made the man shout and drop his gun. It couldn’t have been the spot-freeze. He’d done it blind. He needed to see what he was freezing. That was how his power worked.
He heard the man’s hasty retreat.
“You alright?” another man asked.
Chill Dude looked up to see the man who had been handing over a wallet with shaking hands when he’d come upon the mugging. He accepted the man’s help up.
“Thanks,” the man said. “Chill Dude, right?”
Chill Dude nodded, though his attention had been drawn to the small object on the ground.
“Is that…” he frowned.
“Yeah,” the man said. “A flower.”
Chill Dude knelt over the small mound of moss. A violet flower waved gently, stirred by his breathing.
“I thought you were all ice and stuff,” the man said.
“Me too,” Chill Dude muttered.
“It turned green and crumbled in his hand. He booked. I really appreciate it. I don’t know how you do this. I think I’ll be shaking for a week.”
Chill Dude smiled weakly and wished the man a safe evening, trying not to show how shaken he was. The whole vigilante thing had just gotten very real. The thermal underwear would have done exactly nothing against those bullets. If that man had aimed even one shot, game over.
Then there was the matter of the spot-freeze. The only thing that had been different about it was that it had been instinctive. Did he have more powers than he knew?
He waited until he was home before testing it out. The spot-freeze was gone. In its place was something he didn’t know how to name. He could turn things into plant materials. Fertile plant materials. Flowers sprouted up around his apartment. The cold mist had turned into a cloud of pollen. His allergies tortured him through the next week.
Michael took a step back from the vigilante superhero thing, challenging himself to find other ways to help improve the world with his unique gifts. A new motto of patience and learning descended over him. He walked the streets of the city during the daytime, visiting abandoned lots and leaving them blooming. Window boxes across the city suddenly flourished. Again, his efforts made the news, though this time there was no one taking credit for the improvements.
On the first day of summer, Michael was only mildly surprised to discover that the spot-freeze turned spot-flower had transformed again into spot-heat. He took up baking and opened a stand at his local farmer’s market. When autumn rolled around and his abilities switched to something that either aged or decayed things, he wasn’t clear, he started a leaf collection and mulching service that did pretty well. By the time his spot-freeze returned on the first day of winter, Michael was already ready for it, having just completed his ice sculpting classes.
And if and when he ever spotted trouble, well, there was no superhero leaping into view, but the darnedest things happened to people causing mischief.
This short story was made possible by my patrons at https://www.patreon.com/wcmcclure.
A special Thank You to Dustin Martin, Rainy City Ukulele School, Nicole Tuma, Stephanie Tuma, and my eternal gratitude to my World Shapers, Ann & Jess. Thank you for your support!
chill dudeseasonsshort storysuperhero
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