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Irish Export Insights
Practical Guidance for Irish and Northern Irish Companies on Doing Business in the U.S.
Presentations, Links, Template Documents, and Other Resources
Alerts and Updates
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IP Update: Irish and Northern Irish Businesses Now Must Be Represented by a U.S.-Licensed Attorney on USPTO Matters
September 10, 2019 Mike Burke Intellectual Property, Life Sciences
As of early August, all Irish and Northern Irish persons and entities (whose permanent legal residence or principal place of business is outside the U.S.) are required to be represented by a licensed U.S. attorney in good standing in all matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. This is a significant change for Irish and Northern Irish companies with IP registrations in the US, especially those protecting their brands.
This new rule applies to (i) new application filings and subsequent filings in pending applications; (ii) maintenance filings in connection with existing registrations; and (iii) ex parte appeals and contested proceedings before the TTAB, including, opposition and cancellation actions.
Irish and Northern Irish applicants, registrants and parties now need to engage a licensed U.S. attorney to file submissions on their behalf.
If you have any questions about the impact of this changed rule, contact me –AGG has a great IP practice that represents a number of Irish and Northern Irish businesses on US IP matters.
@agglaw
The First Thing You Should Do…
June 15, 2017 Mike Burke Distribution Agreements, Economics, Life Sciences, Smart Exporting ireland doing business in the united states, ireland export, ireland exporter, ireland us affiliate, irish export, irish exporter, northern ireland doing business in the united states, northern ireland export, northern ireland exporter, northern ireland us affiliate
Well, after taking the survey at http://agglaw.polldaddy.com/s/irelandnisurvey that is…
The first thing you should do when considering whether to export your product to the United States is determine whether the product can be marketed or sold in the United States, or if there are license or registration requirements in connection with marketing or selling your product here. From time to time, I have seen companies go through the time and expense of setting up operations here or take other significant steps, only to discover that their product either needs prior approval/registration to be marketed or sold in the US or can’t be imported here at all.
There is an obvious reason to think of this issue first–you don’t want to waste time, effort or money if they US market is closed to your product, or if your product needs a license/registration to be sold here. You should take into account the time and cost of a license/registration process when building and analyzing the economic/business case for expansion to the US market. Another, perhaps less obvious, reason is timing–you want to build enough lead time for your product launch in the US to account for any licensing/registration issues. You don’t want to leap into the US market without having a properly registered/licensed product.
Many products don’t need a license or registration to be marketed and sold here. But several products do, including products in areas where Irish and Northern Irish companies do well:
Pharmaceuticals and medical devices require authorization from the FDA to be imported, marketed, and sold here.
Certain ingredients in cosmetics are not allowed in the US (some ingredients may be banned on a state-by-state basis).
Food and drink imports may need prior approval from the US Department of Agriculture.
Medicinal foods require prior approval from the FDA.
Certain consumer products–especially those that are used by children–may need to be reviewed by the US Consumer Products Safety Commission.
There are other products that require license/registration to be marketed and sold here.
The primary observation of this post is that you should be sure whether, and on what terms, your product may be imported, marketed, and sold in the US before you set up a affiliate, create a distribution network or take any other substantive step to expand here. It’s a small up-front expense compared to the expense of finding out later and having to correct a mistake.
The Survey Says?
June 14, 2017 June 14, 2017 Mike Burke About, Choice of Entity, Distribution Agreements, Formation Issues, Life Sciences, Smart Exporting About, doing business in the united states, ireland doing business in the united states, ireland export, ireland exporter, ireland us affiliate, irish export, irish exporter, northern ireland doing business , ireland doing business in the united states, ireland export, ireland exporter, ireland us affiliate, northern ireland doing business in the united states, northern ireland export, northern ireland exporter, northern ireland us affiliate
The good news is that we’re going to re-start our webinar series on US legal topics for Irish and Northern Irish businesses expanding to/operating in the US. But we need your help: we’re looking for feedback on the topics that might be of interest to an audience of Irish/Northern Irish businesses, their advisors, and other interested parties. The survey is at http://agglaw.polldaddy.com/s/irelandnisurvey
Please take a moment to give us some feedback, and please feel free to forward along to your colleagues and contacts. Thank you in advance for your help.
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mike.burke@agg.com
Michael Burke is a partner in the Corporate Practice of Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP, in the Washington, DC office. He provides creative, effective, efficient, and 'business-sensible' legal advice so companies of all sizes, including emerging growth companies, can turn legal challenges into business opportunities. He has a specific focus on advising Irish and Northern Irish companies on doing business in the United States.
He is a past chair of the 23,000-member American Bar Association Section of International Law, and was the youngest person elected chair of that Section. Mr. Burke has an AV Preeminent™ Rating from Martindale-Hubbell; was named to Washington DC Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters; was awarded the Business & Finance Magazine Global 100 Irish Business Leaders 2014; and was named to the Irish Legal 100 in 2012 and 2013.
His father's family is from Cahir, Tipperary, and his mother's family is from Castlerea, Roscommon.
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A HACCP-based approach to mastitis control in dairy herds. Part 1: Development
Lies Beekhuis-Gibbon1,
Paul Whyte1,
Luke O'Grady1,
Simon J More1 &
Michael L Doherty1
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) systems are a risk based preventive approach developed to increase levels of food safety assurance. This is part 1 of a pilot study on the development, implementation and evaluation of a HACCP-based approach for the control of good udder health in dairy cows. The paper describes the use of a novel approach based on a deconstruction of the infectious process in mastitis to identify Critical Control Points (CCPs) and develop a HACCP-based system to prevent and control mastitis in dairy herds. The approach involved the creation of an Infectious Process Flow Diagram, which was then cross-referenced to two production process flow diagrams of the milking process and cow management cycle. The HACCP plan developed, may be suitable for customisation and implementation on dairy farms. This is a logical, systematic approach to the development of a mastitis control programme that could be used as a template for the development of control programmes for other infectious diseases in the dairy herd.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a preventive risk management approach that has been extensively used by food industries to increase product safety and protect public health [1]. HACCP has been adapted to all stages of the food chain, and is now widely used in dairy and meat processing, and in retail and catering [2, 3]. Following the introduction in the European Union of the 'Hygiene Package' in 2004, HACCP-based food safety management systems are now required at all stages of the food chain within the European Union, apart from primary production [4–6].
As yet, agreement has not been reached on robust and practical systems relevant to food safety during primary livestock production. Several papers have examined the potential application of HACCP methods to livestock production [7–9]. However, the recent hygiene package [4], recommends exploration of the feasibility of the application of HACCP during primary production. As an alternative, significant emphasis has been placed on guides to good farming practice (GFP), to encourage the use of appropriate hygiene practices at farm level [4]. These guidelines represent minimum agricultural standards [10], and do not lend themselves to certification, nor do they properly demonstrate the current status of the dairy farm with regard to food safety, animal health and welfare. A more specific approach to managing risks through the application of HACCP at farm level should be more effective in addressing these issues as well as being amenable to certification.
In many European countries, practicing veterinarians have introduced herd health programmes, specifically focusing on animal health and fertility management. Widespread adoption of herd health programmes has been problematic. In a recent United Kingdom (UK) report on veterinary expertise in food animal production, there was a perception among farmers that veterinary input was too focussed on individual animal care, did not 'add value' and was not targeted on profitability, one of the key objectives of optimal herd health implementation [11]. Lievaart et al. [12] highlighted several concerns with herd health programmes, including a lack of structure and clear execution and suggested that HACCP-based programmes could contribute to herd health management, facilitating the delivery of quality control measures for farmers, veterinarians and the consumer.
Milk quality is one of the most important issues facing the dairy industry internationally [13]. Somatic cell counts (SCC) are a key measure of milk quality, reflecting the health status of the mammary gland and the risk of non-physiological changes to milk composition. High SCC has a significant, negative, impact on farm profitability and on milk processing [14]. The five-point mastitis control programme was first devised in the late 1960s [15], and remains the basis for infectious mastitis control. Subsequently, many national mastitis control programmes have been established including those in Australia [16], the Netherlands [17] and the United States [18]. Despite the importance of this issue, and the availability of effective control strategies, in many countries milk quality remains a concern. In a recent review of milk quality internationally and in Ireland, More [14] suggested that the important constraints to national progress towards improved milk quality were problems with effective translation of knowledge to practice, rather than incomplete knowledge per se. Furthermore, several authors have highlighted specific problems relating to the effective implementation of mastitis control programmes, including time constraints and insufficient direct economic benefits [19, 20] and poor knowledge transfer to farmers [21].
As mentioned previously, concerns have been raised about the feasibility of implementing HACCP systems during primary livestock production. However, there has been limited work examining the application of HACCP systems to milk quality. Therefore, the objective of the present pilot study was to develop, implement and evaluate a HACCP-based approach for the control of mastitis on six Irish dairy farms. This paper (part 1 of the study) will describe the development of a template, based on HACCP principles, suitable for the control of mastitis on dairy farms. The desired output of part 1 of this study was to develop a HACCP-based control programme for mastitis that could be readily customised for use on individual farms.
An innovative, HACCP-based approach was used to create a mastitis control programme that could be applied as a disease management tool on individual Irish dairy farms, whilst also enabling external verification.
HACCP principles, as developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission [22] and further adapted by Noordhuizen et al. [9], were applied to mastitis control in a systematic manner ensuring that all relevant stages, processes or activities taking place on a dairy farm were considered. In brief, this process involves multiple steps, which include assembling a multi-disciplinary team, the creation of a number of process decomposition flow diagrams, identification of hazards and risks and subsequent identification of Critical Control Points (CCPs). For each CCP, appropriate critical limits, monitoring strategies, corrective actions and verification procedures were considered.
The selection of critical control points was carried out initially using a series of flow diagrams developed as part of the study with consideration of the definitions and the decision tree developed previously by the Codex Alimentarius Commission [23] and those of Pierson and Corlett [24]. These state, respectively, that a CCP is 'a step at which control can be applied and is essential to prevent or eliminate a safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level' or 'any point in a specific system where loss of control would result in a high probability of a health risk.' It must be acknowledged that the identification of individual steps or processes on farm where hazards and risks can be eliminated or controlled in absolute terms is limited due, for example, to the nature, variation and uncertainty associated with biological systems as encountered on farms. As a result, CCPs met the selection criteria above with the caveat that hazard elimination could not be guaranteed. Noordhuizen et al. [9] suggested the use of Points of Particular Attention (POPA) as an alternative to CCPs for such scenarios while others have recommended the adoption of less rigorous 'type 2' CCPs which require less stringency in terms of outcome/performance as well as, for example, less formal establishment of critical limits and monitoring procedures. In the current study, it was decided to use the formal approach of selecting CCPs and applying them at farm level, while acknowledging the associated uncertainties. It was envisaged that this would enable risks to be reduced to acceptable levels at 'critical' stages through the establishment of objective and measurable critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions and verification procedures. Furthermore, it is expected that the development of a formal HACCP-based system incorporating CCPs will highlight the 'critical' nature of these steps to individual farmers and increase the likelihood that they will focus efforts on these areas and, therefore, increase levels of compliance. Consideration was also given to the fact that such an approach could be more amenable to verification by farm advisors and others.
In the first instance, an interdisciplinary team comprising the five authors, with expertise in veterinary epidemiology, bovine health management and food safety, was assembled. In order to create a HACCP-based system for mastitis control, it was necessary to create two process flow diagrams describing the milking process and the annual cow management cycle, respectively. To identify the potential hazards associated with the key stages in the mastitis infection process, it was also considered necessary to generate a flow diagram representing a deconstruction of the infectious process in mastitis. These flow diagrams were used to identify CCPs by cross-referencing the risk factors for each of the hazards identified in the infectious process flow diagram to the two production process flow diagrams using a colour-coded table (data not shown). Identification of the CCPs was then finalised by cross-referencing these steps with the infection process using the Codex Alimentarius decision tree adapted by Noordhuizen et al. [9]. Subsequently, the establishment of critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, and verification and documentation procedures were created by reviewing the peer-reviewed scientific literature with a focus on papers dealing with implementation of mastitis control measures [21, 25, 26] and by drawing on the expertise within the HACCP team.
The production process flow diagrams
Two production process decomposition flow diagrams, the Milking Process Flow Diagram and the Cow Management Cycle Flow Diagram, were developed to identify the relevant management activities in the context of mastitis that might occur on an Irish dairy farm. The team considered the potential risks associated with each activity after considering relevant published literature [27–31].
Milking Process Flow Diagram
A Milking Process Flow Diagram (Figure 1) was developed to illustrate the milking process. From left to right, the diagram is divided into three sections relating to cow factors, locations and milking machine factors. The diagram is applicable to two situations. In situation A, the cow does not leak milk before milking, while in situation B, leaking of milk takes place before milking. Both scenarios involve different risks for the incidence in mastitis [32, 33].
The milking process flow diagram.
Cow Management Cycle Flow Diagram
The Cow Management Cycle Flow Diagram (Figure 2) illustrates the lactation process and is divided into three phases representing the dry period, the calving period and the milking period. The various components relevant to each period are displayed on the right hand side of the diagram. The A and B scenarios are also presented, and the diagram is applicable to both pregnant maiden heifers and cows.
The cow management cycle flow diagram.
The Infectious Process Flow Diagram
This conceptual flow diagram (Figure 3) represents a deconstruction of the process of infection occurring in mastitis. The diagram describes the process of infection with mastitis-causing pathogens, up to the clearance of those pathogens. Three steps are critical before establishment of infection (step IV) can take place [34, 35].
The infection process flow diagram.
The critical steps for the establishment of infection are as follows:
Presence of mastitis pathogens on the teat orifice.
An open teat orifice.
Physical introduction of mastitis pathogens.
Establishment of infection.
Before the establishment of infection can occur, mastitis pathogens have to be present on the teat orifice and subsequently introduced to the mammary gland via an open teat orifice. When the teat orifice is closed, physical introduction of pathogens is unlikely to take place. The pathway described is consistent for either environmental or contagious mastitis. In both cases, bacteria have to enter the teat canal, and subsequently the parenchyma of the mammary gland, to cause mastitis.
A slight modification of the Infectious Process Flow Diagram takes account of infection due to bacterial contamination of milk that enters/re-enters the teat canal, e.g. in the parlour as follows:
Ia.
Bacterial contamination of milk, e.g. due to the presence of mastitis pathogens on the teat orifice.
IIIa.
Bacterial contamination of milk and physical introduction of mastitis pathogens.
A separate pathway was identified for those rare cases in which mastitis develops as a result of haematogenous infection, but was not considered further [36].
When a cow develops mastitis by the mechanisms described, the disease may be clinically detectable or subclinical. The Infectious Process Flow Diagram also represents the shift between clinical and subclinical infection and acute and chronic disease, as well as the various ways in which mastitis can be cured. Cure can take place during lactation or in the dry period, and it can occur spontaneously or as a response to treatment [37].
Identification of critical control points
The next step in the HACCP-based approach involved the identification of CCPs (see above). To generate these critical control points within the present study, the Infectious Process Flow Diagram (Figure 3) was cross-referenced to the two production process flow diagrams (Figures 1 and 2). Each step identified in the Cow Management Cycle Flow Diagram and Milking Process Flow Diagram was considered in the context of the infection process, to determine if the necessary criteria i.e. the presence of mastitis pathogens on the teat, the teat orifice being open and whether pathogens could be physically introduced, could occur at any of the steps. Specifically, each step identified in the Milking Process Flow Diagram and the Cow Management Cycle Flow Diagram (Figure 1 and 2) was entered in a colour-coded table and assessed in the context of the various mechanisms of exposure; I, Ia, II, III and IIIa (Figure 3). Step IV was not included in this list, because the establishment of infection depends on intrinsic factors, many of which are difficult to influence with most mastitis control measures, e.g. mammary gland immunity and the ability of bacteria to invade mammary tissue [38].
Thereafter, the HACCP team decided when exposure to the various stages of infection could occur. In order to identify CCPs, it was important to ascertain whether stages I, II and III of infection, controlling teat contamination and physical introduction of bacteria could be prevented. When the team decided that exposure at a particular stage could be prevented, the event was highlighted and risk factors for each step(s) were identified based on team expertise and published literature. Six CCPs were identified based on the key principle of preventing physical introduction of mastitis pathogens into the udder and the subsequent establishment of infection, as follows: udder preparation, cluster attachment, post-milking teat disinfection, milking machine monitoring, drying off process, and the calving period.
The determination of hazards, control measures, monitoring strategies, verification methods, corrective actions and critical limits or targets for every identified CCP is fundamental to the HACCP system. After these were determined, all the various components were represented in a table for each CCP (Table 1). Hazards identified by Roman numerals refer back to the various mechanisms of exposure identified in the Infectious Process Flow Diagram (Figure 3).
Table 1 Summary of Critical Control Points (CCP) for mastitis control.
Table 1 and other documentation, such as additional in-depth information regarding each CCP, and monitoring sheets were used to create a HACCP-based handbook as previously published [39]. This handbook was then used as a basis for facilitating the development and implementation of HACCP-based mastitis control programme for participating farms. A summary of the contents of the HACCP-based Handbook is presented in Table 2.
Table 2 Summary of the contents of the HACCP Implementation Guideline Handbook issued to farmers participating in the study (Beekhuis et al., 2010).
HACCP systems have mainly been applied in the food industry [40], while reports and experiences on the suitability and practicality of applying HACCP systems on farm are variable. Cullor [7] suggested that the HACCP approach was mainly a tool to control food borne and waterborne pathogens. However, evaluation of the applicability of quality control programmes like GFP and HACCP on dairy farms concluded that the HACCP-based approach would yield the best results in the context of animal health, animal welfare and food safety [3]. Noordhuizen et al. [9, 41, 42] considered that HACCP was a system that could be used as an overall management tool on farm to address all aspects of herd health management. These authors introduced a list of 'General Measures of Prevention' comprising a wide variety of hazards on farm from preventative measures for mastitis, e.g. teat disinfection, up to claw health programmes. Noordhuizen et al. [9, 41, 42] stated that a wide range of possible hazards would focus attention and increase farmer awareness of herd health. The HACCP-based approaches created by Noordhuizen et al. [9] also identified 'Points of Particular Attention' (POPA) in addition to formal CCPs. However, as many of the POPA were already part of herd health management plans, they do not add significantly to the amount of monitoring and verification required by the system. In the current study, as mentioned previously, it was decided to use the Codex definition for CCP selection in combination with the flow diagrams developed during the study. However, in order to provide sufficient flexibility in our HACCP-based programme on dairy farms, it was acknowledged that CCPs would not necessarily in all instances eliminate risk in a classic HACCP context, but rather control risks to an acceptable level. It was considered that using a more formal approach around the CCP concept would emphasise to individual farmers the need to focus attention on key areas with relevant critical limits, monitoring procedures and corrective actions. In addition, the authors were aware of the need to streamline documentation requirements within the HACCP-based programme so that the administrative burden for farmers and their advisors would be minimised.
A HACCP case study on calf rearing [43] reported positive responses from the farmers involved in terms of animal health benefit, whilst highlighting concerns about establishing CCPs and the time-consuming methodology of the HACCP programme. Gardner [8] reported that HACCP would be inadequate and too costly to use on-farm, as it would require costly diagnostic tests for chemical and drug residues and microbes. Ruegg [44] stated that 'widespread adoption on dairy farms is unlikely because HACCP programmes require critical multidisciplinary review of existing management processes, the establishment of limits via identification of critical control points, the use of routine surveillance procedures, effective record keeping, and documentation of standard processes'.
In the present study, an attempt was made to create a mastitis-focused, streamlined, user-friendly system that would be practical to implement on farm, would minimise on-farm documentation and record keeping but would also facilitate verification. It was also envisaged that the system would also lend itself to further streamlining of monitoring and documentation procedures following implementation at farm level.
Willock et al. [19] and Valeeva et al. [20] reported that farmers were not inclined to change many management factors simultaneously. However, when a preventive approach is focused on performance and the farm-specific mastitis situation, it will result in a more tailored and targeted approach, as mastitis problems on individual farms frequently have different risk factors [45].
The objective of the present study was to ascertain if a HACCP-based approach could be created for potential use as a mastitis control programme. For optimal implementation of the HACCP-based approach developed at farm level, specific tailoring based on an understanding of the mastitis problem on an individual farm will be critical, allowing the opportunity to concentrate on relevant CCPs for each specific farm situation or to specific control measures within CCPs, making the system easier to apply and more adaptable to individual farms. The results of the present study have allowed the creation of a HACCP-based handbook, which can be customised at farm level and facilitate verification (Table 2). The HACCP-based handbook would also provide structure and direction facilitating a 'coaching' role by the veterinarian in the HACCP team and outlining the responsibilities within the partnership of the farmer and veterinarian to tackle mastitis within herds.
While European legislation has not yet made HACCP mandatory for primary production, member states have been prompted to adopt 'HACCP-like' plans to meet the issues of food safety, public health and animal health and welfare [46]. The HACCP-based approach described in the present study offers a logical, structured and formalised approach to mastitis control, which has the potential to be customised for individual dairy farms. The approach developed in this study will be taken to farm-level to assess its practicality and feasibility of implementation [47]. The approach adopted may provide a template for developing a HACCP-based control programme for other infectious diseases of significance to the dairy herd.
A novel approach based on a deconstruction of the infectious process, the milking process and the cow management cycle was used to develop a HACCP-based system to prevent and control mastitis in dairy herds. The study was the basis for the creation of a HACCP-based handbook, which can be readily modified for specific dairy farms and implemented in collaboration with the veterinary practitioner and farmer. The HACCP-based approach is designed to be user friendly in its implementation, and to lend itself to independent verification with minimal documentation and administrative requirements. The approach adopted may provide a template for developing a HACCP-based control programme for other infectious diseases of significance to the dairy herd.
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Goodger WJ, Galland JC, Christiansen VE: Survey of Milking Management Practices on Large Dairies and Their Relationship to Udder Health and Production Variables. Journal of Dairy Science. 1998, 71: 2535-2542. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(88)79842-2.
Goodger WJ, Farver T, Pelletier J, Johnson P, DeSnayer G, Galland JVE: The association of milking management practices with bulk tank somatic cell counts. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 1993, 15: 235-251. 10.1016/0167-5877(93)90096-C.
Bradley AJ: Bovine Mastitis: An Evolving Disease. The Veterinary Journal. 2002, 164: 116-128. 10.1053/tvjl.2002.0724.
Barkema HW, Schukken YH, Zadoks RN: Invited Review: The Role of Cow, Pathogen, and Treatment Regimen in the Therapeutic Success of Bovine Staphylococcus aureus Mastitis. Journal of Dairy Science. 2006, 89: 1877-1895. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72256-1.
Kelly PT, O'Sullivan K, Berry DP, More SJ, Meaney WJ, O'Callaghan EJ, O'Brien B: Farm Management Factors Associated with Bulk Milk Somatic Cell Counts in Irish Dairy Herds. Irish Veterinary Journal. 2009, 62: 45-51.
Schukken YH, Grommers FJ, Van De Geer D, Erb HN, Brand A: Risk Factors for Clinical Mastitis in Herds with a Low Bulk Milk Somatic Cell Count. 1. Data and Risk Factors for All Cases. Journal of Dairy Science. 1990, 73: 3463-3471. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(90)79045-5.
Elbers ARW, Miltenburg JD, De Lange D, Crauwels APP, Barkema HW, Schukken YH: Risk Factors for Clinical Mastitis in a Random Sample of Dairy Herds from the Southern Part of the Netherlands. Journal of Dairy Science. 1998, 81: 420-426. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(98)75592-4.
Pankey JW, Eberhart RJ, Cuming AL, Daggett RD, Farnsworth RJ, McDuff CK: Uptake on Postmilking Teat Antisepsis. Journal of Dairy Science. 1984, 67: 1336-1353. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(84)81443-5.
Nickerson SC: Immune mechanisms of the bovine udder: an overview. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 1985, 187: 41-45.
Fox LK, Kirk JH, Britten A: Mycoplasma Mastitis: A Review of Transmission and Control. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series B. 2005, 52: 153-160. 10.1111/j.1439-0450.2005.00845.x.
Harmon RJ: Physiology of Mastitis and Factors Affecting Somatic Cell Counts. Journal of Dairy Science. 1994, 77: 2103-2112. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(94)77153-8.
Sordillo LM, Streicher KL: Mammary gland immunity and mastitis susceptibility. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology Neoplasia. 2002, 7: 135-146. 10.1023/A:1020347818725.
Beekhuis-Gibbon L, O'Grady L, Devitt C, More SJ, Whyte SJ, Doherty ML: HACCP Implementation Guideline Handbook - A Tool for Mastitis Control in Dairy Herds. 2010, University College Dublin, ISBN 9781905254552
Reilly A, Käferstein F: Food safety hazards and the application of the principles of the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system for their control in aquaculture production. Aquaculture Research. 1997, 28: 735-752. 10.1111/j.1365-2109.1997.tb00999.x.
Noordhuizen JP, Wentink GH: Developments in veterinary herd health programmes on dairy farms: a review. Veterinary Quarterly. 2001, 23: 162-169.
Noordhuizen JPTM, Metz JHM: Quality control on dairy farms with emphasis on public health, food safety, animal health and welfare. Livestock Production Science. 2005, 94: 51-59. 10.1016/j.livprodsci.2004.11.031.
Boersema JSC, Noordhuizen JPTM, Vieira A, Lievaart JJ, W. Baumgartner W: Imbedding HACCP principles in dairy herd health and production management: Case report on calf rearing. Irish Veterinary Journal. 2008, 61: 594-602.
Ruegg PL: Practical Food Safety Interventions for Dairy Production. Journal of Dairy Science. 2003, 86: E1-9. 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(03)74034-X.
Smith KL, Hogan JS: Environmental mastitis. Veterinary Clinics of North America Food Animal Practice. 1993, 9: 489-498.
Smulders FJM: A practical approach to assessing risks for animal welfare - methodological considerations. Food safety assurance and veterinary public health. Edited by: Smulders FJM, Algers B. 2009, Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, the Netherlands, 5: Welfare of production animals: assessment and management of risks
Beekhuis-Gibbon L, Devitt C, O'Grady L, More SJ, Whyte P, Redmond B, Quin S, Doherty ML: A HACCP-based approach to mastitis control in dairy cows. Part 2: Implementation and evaluation. The Veterinary Journal.
School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Lies Beekhuis-Gibbon, Paul Whyte, Luke O'Grady, Simon J More & Michael L Doherty
Lies Beekhuis-Gibbon
Paul Whyte
Luke O'Grady
Michael L Doherty
Correspondence to Michael L Doherty.
LB-G conducted the literature review and co-ordinated the overall approach to the study. PW provided specific expertise in relation to HACCP principles. LOG, SM and MD provided expertise on bovine health management and epidemiology as it applies to mastitis control. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Beekhuis-Gibbon, L., Whyte, P., O'Grady, L. et al. A HACCP-based approach to mastitis control in dairy herds. Part 1: Development. Ir Vet J 64, 2 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-0481-64-2
Somatic Cell Count
Dairy Herd
Critical Control Point
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PSEG Queen Creek Solar Farm in Arizona Begins Commercial Operation
게시됨 2012. 10. 8.
PSEG Solar Source today announced the commercial operation of the 25.2 megawatt DC (19 megawatt AC) Queen Creek Solar Farm in Queen Creek, Arizona. Salt River Project (SRP) has a 20-year agreement to acquire all of the solar energy generated by the project and has begun accepting power from the plant.
The solar plant, located on148 acres of land approximately 30 miles southeast of Phoenix, contains approximately 90,000 crystalline panels operating on a single axis tracking system. It is owned by PSEG Solar Source, a subsidiary of PSEG, a diversified energy company based in New Jersey. juwi solar Inc. (JSI) developed the project, served as EPC contractor and will provide operation and maintenance services for the project.
"We are pleased to be providing clean, solar energy to Salt River Project," said Diana Drysdale, president, PSEG Solar Source. "Arizona has the attributes we look for when choosing a project – good sun, a receptive regulatory environment and supportive local officials. It is exciting to be adding Arizona to the list of states where we have operational solar facilities even while we are beginning construction on an additional site in Delaware."
The solar power generated by the project offsets approximately 21,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions each year, the equivalent of taking approximately 4,100 cars off the road.
The plant, which will produce an amount of energy equal to that needed to serve about 3,300 SRP customers' homes, requires no water and supports development of the solar energy industry within Arizona.
"As we look for ways to diversify our portfolio, it's also important that we continue to invest in the state and the local economy," said SRP General Manager Mark Bonsall. "Queen Creek Solar not only provides our customers with clean energy, but it's also a resource that is located right here in Arizona."
The SRP Board has set a goal to meet 20 percent of SRP's retail electricity requirements through sustainable resources by the year 2020. Currently, SRP meets about 10 percent of its retail energy needs with sustainable resources including wind, solar and geothermal energy, hydro power and conservation and energy-efficiency measures.
"juwi solar is excited that the Queen Creek solar project is now energized and producing power on a commercial basis. The state of Arizona has tremendous natural resources that make projects like this prosper, "said Michael Martin, CEO of juwi solar Inc. "Organizations like SRP and PSEG Solar Source provide shining examples on how to positively impact the economic future of the solar industry. Having completed our roles as developer and contractor, we are very pleased to remain involved with the project through our ongoing operations and maintenance services."
PSEG Solar Source owns four additional solar projects all of which were built by JSI:
• The PSEG Jacksonville Solar Farm, a 15.0MW DC solar farm in Jacksonville, Florida, the second largest solar farm in Florida.
• The PSEG Wyandot Solar farm, a 12.0MW DC solar farm in Wyandot, Ohio, the largest in Ohio.
• The Mars Solar Garden, a 2.2MW DC facility located adjacent to the Mars Snackfood's US headquarters in New Jersey.
• The PSEG Milford Solar Farm, a 15MW DC solar farm in Milford, Delaware, the largest in Delaware (under construction).
제공: PSEG
Juwi (솔라패널 설치): https://kr.enfsolar.com/juwi
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‘116 posts of doctors referred to PSC,96 more being referred’
Observer News Service | June 10, 2016
Srinagar: Minister of State for Health and Medical Education, Ms Asiea Naqash today informed the House that efforts are on to meet the shortage of doctors in the hospitals, adding that Government has already referred 116 posts of doctors to Public Service Commission (PSC) and 96 more posts of doctors are being referred to PSC for fast-track selection. She said that the four specialties of Super-Specialty hospitals of Jammu and Srinagar have already started functioning. She said that after fulfilling the requisite formalities, the Medical Colleges in the respective districts would be set up shortly.
Replying to the question of Mr Rajesh Gupta, the Minister said that land for establishment of AIIMS at Jammu and Srinagar has been identified, adding that in Jammu land has been indentified at Samba, whereas for Srinagar, the site has been identified at Awantipora, Pulwama.
The Minister said that these projects are to be executed by the Centre and necessary details in this regard are to be intimated by the State Government to the Centre. She said that the funds, amounting to Rs 2000 crore each have been earmarked under PMs Package for setting up of two AIIMS in the State.
Observer News Service
NHRC for Rs 3L Compensation To Udhampur Families
2 Held With Arms Dropped from Drone: Police
Jammu Man Succumbs To Covid-19
Kashmir Shivers Under Intense Cold Wave
Severe Cold Claims Lives of Siblings in Kulgam
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Walz Tweaks Budget Plan to Reflect Slower Economic Growth
Governor Tim Walz, photo courtesy of the Governor's Facebook page
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Gov. Tim Walz has announced a series of tweaks to his budget proposal to reflect projected slower economic growth.
Walz told reporters Friday that his administration took a hard look and scaled back some proposals while sparing priority areas like education and health care.
Altogether the changes include reductions in proposed new spending of $131 million, tax changes that would bring in an additional $65 million, returning $142 million in unspent health care reinsurance funds to the general fund, and new spending of $37 million that would go mostly to higher education.
Republican leaders criticized the Democratic governor for standing by his proposals for a 20-cent gas tax increase and for preserving a tax on health care providers that expires at the end of the year despite a projected surplus.
Filed Under: budget, Minnesota, Tim Walz
Mayo Clinic Announces Special Lighting for MLK Holiday
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Watch Blake Shelton Join ‘The Voice’ Coaches for Epic ‘More Than Words’ Cover
The Voice via YouTube
The Voice is set to return for its seventeenth season on NBC, and Blake Shelton and the other coaches got together to promote the upcoming premiere with a very special performance of the classic ballad "More Than Words."
The iconic reality television singing competition is set to return on Sept. 23. Shelton's team turned to Twitter on Friday (Sept. 13) to share a video of Shelton joining fellow coaches John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani in performing the classic song, which scored Extreme a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 and became a hit all over the world when the rock band released it as the third single from their sophomore album, Pornograffitti, in 1991.
The Voice host Carson Daly shows off his own musical skills by joining in on acoustic guitar, helping Shelton in rendering the song's famous percussive rhythm figure while the coaches trade lead vocals and join their voices in various permutations to recreate the shimmering harmonies that made the song so timeless.
The Way They Were: See Blake Shelton and Adam Levine's Bromance
Season 17 is bringing major change to The Voice. Adam Levine decided not to return after 16 seasons, and Stefani is re-joining the show alongside Shelton, Clarkson and Legend as coaches.
While Shelton admits he was sad about his longtime friend Levine's departure, he's enjoying having his girlfriend back on the set.
“I always love having Gwen on the show," Shelton says in a promo video for Season 17. "She literally makes my day 100 percent better."
Darius Rucker has also signed on to mentor Shelton's team members during the battle rounds. Usher will mentor Legend's team, while will.i.am will mentor Stefani's team and Normani joins Team Kelly as her adviser.
The Voice Moments We'll Never Forget
Country's 10 Most Successful The Voice Contestants Yet:
Source: Watch Blake Shelton Join ‘The Voice’ Coaches for Epic ‘More Than Words’ Cover
Filed Under: blake shelton, kelly clarkson, the voice
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Eight New COVID-19 Related Deaths Reported by Officials
Emily Slape
Igor Ploskin
On May 27th, The City of El Paso Department of Public Health has reported 68 new COVID-19 confirmed cases, which brings the total confirmed cases in El Paso, Texas to 2,461.
Sadly, eight new COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in El Paso, Texas. The total is now at 68.
The eight patients who died, had underlying health conditions:
two females both in their 80s
one female in her 90s
one male in his 40s
Dr. Hector Ocaranza, City/County Health Authority was "at a loss for words" while sharing the news. He stresses in the City of El Paso's press release for our community to not put others at risk. Even though 1,385 people have recovered from COVID-19, there are 1,008 active cases within the county.
El Pasoans are strongly urged to follow safety precautions as the city begins to reopen, along with the rest of the state of Texas. Have some common sense when going out and about El Paso. Even though there has been a drop in cases, that might just mean results have not come in yet. We must continue to practice social distancing as we work to create our new normal in our community.
Download The KLAQ El Paso Mobile App
PLEASE, PLEASE stay home if you do not need to be out.
LIVE UPDATES: Coronavirus in El Paso, TX
If you need any questions answered, please call the 21-COVID hotline which is operational from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For referral, services contact 2-1-1 and select option six (6). For more information, visit www.epstrong.org.
From Wuhan to New York City: A Timeline of COVID-19's Spread
Source: Eight New COVID-19 Related Deaths Reported by Officials
Filed Under: Coronavirus (COVID-19), COVID-19 Coronavirus, el paso, texas
Categories: Local / El Paso, News, Public Service / Charity
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Quick Start Guide to Getting Started on Facebook
How to Set Up Your Facebook Business Manager, Ad Account and Page
This guide takes you through how to get yourself up and running, so that you can start building your Facebook ad campaigns. We cover:
Setting up a Facebook Business Manager (to manage your Facebook assets)
Adding people to your Business Manager
Setting up a Facebook Ad Account
Setting up a Facebook Page
Assigning assets to people in your Business Manager
Set up a Business Manager account
Head to https://business.facebook.com. Complete your Business profile. From here you will be able to manage all your assets like ad accounts and pages, and also assign permissions on who can access what.
Add People to your Business Manager
Go to https://business.facebook.com/settings/people
Invite people to be added to your Business Manager. Once added, you can assign them to have access to the ad account and Facebook page that you will create.
Create Facebook Ad Account
Now go to https://business.facebook.com/settings/ad-accounts
Click “Add New Ad Accounts”, then click “Create a New Ad Account”
Make sure you add billing details to the account, so that you can run ad campaigns.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/create
Follow the steps through to create your Page. This is the page that will be attached to your Facebook ad campaigns.
Assign assets to people
Got to https://business.facebook.com/settings/ad-accounts, and click “Add People”.
This is where you will assign who has permission to access the ad account.
Now go to: https://business.facebook.com/settings/pages, and Add People to have access to manage and advertise on behalf of this page.
Add your Facebook Pixel to your website
Go to https://business.facebook.com/pixels.
Go to the Actions menu, and click View Pixel Code. Copy and paste your pixel code, and ask your website admin to add it across your website, just before the tag.
You definitely want to get your pixel added to your website as soon as possible. Not only will it enable you to track conversions, but you can also build website custom audiences of people to retarget with your Facebook ads (i.e. retarget people that have visited your website).
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Lisa Schweitzer
Working to understand the complex connections between people, cities, and environments
Aristotle and the worst of animals
01/06/2016 01/06/2016 Lisa Schweitzer
Therefore the impulse to form a partnership of and the source of man’s chief good. this kind is present in all men by nature; but the man who first united people in such a partnership was the greatest of benefactors. For as man is the best of the animals when perfected, so he is the worst of all when sundered from law and justice. For unrighteousness is most pernicious when possessed of weapons, and man is born possessing weapons for the use of wisdom and virtue, which it is possible to employ entirely for the opposite ends. Hence when devoid of virtue man is the most unscrupulous and savage of animals, and the worst in regard to sexual indulgence and gluttony. Justice on the other hand is an element of the state; for judicial procedure, which means the decision of what is just, is the regulation of the political partnership.
I’m so irritated this morning by the Oregon militia dudes. It’s not that I am unsympathetic to the Hammonds–these mandatory minimums always strike me as utter bullshite, but everybody but me seems to hate judicial discretion, and this is what you get when you have mandatory sentencing. But the Bundys don’t want to talk about that. They just want to talk about how they have to pay to graze and GUMMINT and MY GUNZ! etc etc.
I’m not sending them any snacks.
The car and the city in the Magnificent Ambersons
The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner
Dolly Cepeda and Sonja Johnson, two stories seldom told about Dodgers Stadium or Chavez Ravine
De'Londa Brice: one of the Wire's most misunderstood characters
LA and California History viewed through Perry Mason and Paul Drake's Hair
The Smartest Boy Urbanist in the Room
Can we retire the whole "public agencies aren't real estate developers" myth soon?
The Blue Line Hits a Cop
Introducing High-Speed Suburbia
Plato's Timeline
"Unlinked" versus "Unliked" transit trips
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ARSCLIST June 2014
Very interesting book about early synthesizers, focused on Moog
Sun, 22 Jun 2014 15:15:42 -0400
I'm very much enjoying this book, and definitely recommend it:
http://www.amazon.com/Analog-Days-Invention-Impact-Synthesizer/dp/0674016173/tomslinx
I've found it very interesting to find the early synth recordings on YouTube and listen as I read
the related text in the book. Very educational to me is the different styles that emerged almost
immediately on the two coasts. To hear the contrasts, I recommeding finding YouTubes of the
West Coast - "The Zodiac - Cosmic Sounds" and "The Nonesuch Guide To Electronic Music." These
feature the work of Paul Beaver and Bernard Krause, the West Coast pioneers of the Moog synthesizer.
Also of interest are Morton Subotnick's works on the Buchla syth, also the Buchla-influenced stuff
that came out of the Tape Recording Lab in San Francisco.
East Coast - Walter Sear was Bob Moog's first distributor and was influential in Moog's development
of the synthesizer. Sear and Walter/Wendy Carlos were the first NYC-based Moog users and
programmers. "Switched On Bach" by Carlos was probably the most famous early synth album Columbia
also made "Switched On Rock" to glom off the success. Walter Sear worked mainly with Command
Records, making one album of his own and programming the Moog for Dick Hyman (2 albums) and Richard
Hayman (1 album). Walter's Moog effects were also used on numerous comemrcials and sound-for-picture
An interesting thing that both Beaver and Krause and Sear say in the book is that, very soon after
certain Moog sounds they had programmed were used on a few successful recordings, those were the
sounds everyone wanted. Paul Beaver got very frustrated that it came down to 30-50 sounds, and no
one wanted to experiment any further. The curious thing, to my ears, is that Beaver and Krause got a
different few dozen sounds that took hold in L.A. and Hollywood, vs the sounds Sear came up with
that took hold in NYC. There's a bit of crossover, but there are distinct differences. I think all
of this went away when program pre-sets and automation came along, then everyone could copy the same
sounds on any device. Nowadays it's almost all "virtual," and the possibilities are actually wider,
but it's the same set of sounds.
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NewsClips
TownMapsUSA.com • bit.ly/2wksehd
Deacon to Plant New Church
Clips, News
Deacon Thomas Barron
The Diocese of Georgia and the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will start a new church in Grovetown. The Rev. Thomas Barron, a deacon, will begin work Oct. 1 as the church planter.
“I have a passion for connecting with people who are outside of any church, but still curious about the bigger questions of life,” Barron said. “I am excited to move to Grovetown and beginning to help people discover the life-giving good news of Jesus.”
“Thomas is experienced in this ministry,” said the Rt. Rev. Scott Benhase, Bishop of Georgia. “He started a successful community church in Virginia Beach a few years ago. He knows what it takes to do it well. He knows a congregation is built one soul at a time as each is brought together in a vibrant community focused on the gospel of Jesus.”
Grovetown is a small city near Augusta that has seen unprecedented growth in recent years as singles and young families have moved to the area near Fort Gordon. The Army Cyber Operations Center being built now is adding jobs to the already growing base population. Since 2010 the population has grown by 49 percent, and it is anticipated to grow another 30 percent in the next five years.
The new effort is supported by a $100,000 anonymous gift to the Campaign for Congregational Development. The Episcopal Church will match that $100,000 through its fund for church startups. The synod will apply for a matching ELCA grant.
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina, will use this church plant as a site for field education placements to give seminarians experience in starting a new congregation.
Barron will meet with community leaders, preach in Augusta-area Episcopal and ELCA churches, and develop a core team that will assist him in starting the new church. As the core team develops, he will identify an initial signature ministry for the church. The goal for the first 12 months is to develop the core team, begin holding launch-team worship, and work toward a launch of public worship by Christmas 2018.
Adapted from the Diocese of Georgia
church growthevangelismMission
The Met Comes Calling
Church Debates its Namesake
Navajo ‘Evangelism’ No Longer Means ‘Assimilation’
Mission as Learning, Connecting and Reconciling
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Boy injured by IDF dog in arrest raid in Balata camp
IDF dog-bite 298.88
(photo credit: Orly Halpern)
Nablus hospital doctor calls wound serious, IDF calls it light.
Eleven-year-old Basel Abu Daoud was injured in his left thigh when an IDF dog bit him during an arrest raid in the Balata refugee camp on Monday. Although the IDF apologized for the incident and said the injury was light, Dr. Khaled Saleh, head of Orthopedic Surgery Department at Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, called the wound serious, saying it crushed the muscle of his leg. "The injury is deep - it enters four to six centimeters into his leg - and it's open. He'll probably need one or two surgeries to close it." In a written statement to The Jerusalem Post, the IDF said it "regrets the injuring [sic] sustained to [sic] the Palestinian youth," explaining that "during an IDF activity for the arrest of wanted Palestinians in the city of Nablus, an IDF force searched a building in which it suspected a wanted Palestinian was hiding. "During the activity, a search dog that was with the force exited through the back door of the building and approached a nearby alley. At the same time, the door of an adjacent house was opened and the search dog attacked the person that opened it. As soon as the force identified that the person was an unarmed Palestinian youth, the soldiers called the dog back immediately and took him away from the youth." The family said that the dog was inside the house terrorizing the family for some 8-10 minutes before the soldiers entered and that a neighbor knocked on their door to tell them that the IDF wanted to enter their home. The IDF denied using the method known as "the neighbor procedure," which has been outlawed by the Supreme Court. "I heard my son screaming," said Waleed Abu Daoud, who was outside when the dog entered his house. "I yelled at the soldiers that my son is crying and I want to go to him. They told me to shut up." Basel said it started with the sound of shooting before dawn on Monday. He and his family woke up and went to the living room. Then a neighbor came and knocked on the door. "She said, 'The army's here. They want you to come outside,'" said Basel. Waleed went out, leaving the door open behind him thinking he would be right back. But he was held outside with other neighbors, each a distance from the other and with soldiers next to them. Basel's sister went to close the door and as she did a dog jumped on it from the other side, pushing it open. The family ran for safety. The dog, he said, chased after him closely behind, finally jumping on Basel and grabbing his arm with his teeth. Basel pulled away and a dark red cut marks that spot. "Then he went for my leg," said Basel. "He bit into me. Then he pulled me to towards the door." Basel's brother Muhammad yelled from the top of the stairs for Basel to grab the handrail. When he did, Muhammad dropped a metal chest on the dog, which landed on its back. The dog released Basel, who ran for the bedroom. His sisters closed the door. In a few minutes soldiers arrived and called a medic, he said. A soldier carried Basel to a military jeep that drove him to a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance waiting to take him to the hospital, according to both Basel and the IDF. This is not the first attack of an innocent person by an IDF search dog. Y-net reported that about two weeks ago a dog attacked a 12-year-old boy in Jenin refugee camp during a similar type search.
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Apple remembers Robin Williams with iTunes Store section featuring 40+ films, stand-up routines
Tuesday, August 12, 2014 4:57 pm 17 Comments
“Following the tragic news of the death of Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams, Apple has created a ‘Remembering Robin Williams’ dedicated section of the iTunes Store housing many of the actor’s popular movies and stand up comedy routines,” Juli Clover reports for MacRumors.
“Along with offering movies organized into categories like ‘Essentials,’ ‘Comedy,’ and ‘Drama,’ the Robin Williams iTunes Store section includes a photo of the actor along with a short paragraph on his decades-long career and his involvement in Comic Relief USA, a charity that’s raised upwards of $50 million for homeless assistance,” Clover reports. “Robin Williams’ performance in Dead Poets Society is of special importance to Apple as his character, John Keating, delivered the famous ‘What will your verse be?’ speech that inspired its ‘Your Verse’ line of iPad advertisements. Williams also provided the voice over for one of the commercials, which began airing back in January.”
Clover reports, “Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about Williams’ death, calling him an ‘incomparable talent and a great human being.'”
Heartbroken by the news of Robin Williams' passing. He was an incomparable talent and a great human being. Rest in peace.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 12, 2014
Apple, Samsung and ‘cheap’ iPhones
Apple now prominently advertising Beats Music to new iOS device users
lynnw
Heartbreaking news. Genius talent, crazy in a great way, kind, big heart and loyal. I can’t think of anyone that didn’t love Robin Williams. I hope he is at peace wherever he is and knows just how much the world loves him. Very nice tribute from Tim Cook. He too is a special person.
Apparently Williams struggled with depression, drug addiction and alcohol at various times in his life and just recently spent time in rehab. Having lost my last living Uncle who had issues with depression just last year, the news carried a little extra sting for me.
At least he is free of whatever demons drove him to this tragic act and is at peace.
RastaMouse
Rest In Peace Robin. X
Sad 🙁
He made my family laugh since Mork and Mindy.
Williams entertained many. We may never know what psychological issues he struggled to overcome. Sadly, this is another example of why to stay away from drugs and alcohol. This is not an isolated incident, just a famous well-publicized incident. Most tragic is that outward appearances and basic facts indicate that Williams was really very lucky, raised in an upper-class home, always had support of family and friends, career success, and wealth. How sad that he chose to self-medicate himself with drugs and alcohol rather than seek professional psychiatric help.
Not to draw too big a line, but before ‘purchasing’ the trust of a professional, keep a few things in mind about depression-
Would you take driving lessons from an instructor that had never driven, yet studied it ad naseum and ‘knew’ every maneuver possible?
From a ‘chef’ that had never cooked but knew what he liked to eat?
Would you take music lessons from a musician that had never played an instrument but loved great music?
I don’t want to knock psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, analrapist or whomever, but if they don’t have a deep understanding of depression by association, then they could possibly do more damage than good. It is juggling a chemical imbalance on a razor’s edge while drunk and blindfold that I am sorry to say I have had all too much experience in dealing with.
Just like a sneeze can be a sign of a full-on allergy attack in waiting, or a picture or song can trigger a thousand memories, or some porn can awaken needs that haven’t been realized, depression can start as a normal state of sadness over a relatively small event and become exponentially larger and more terrifying because of the imbalance of chemicals in the brain, whether prescribed, illegal or natural, and they can set off like a brush fire in August.
Those that are aware of this know the darkness, the abyss, the plunge into despair that becomes deeper and darker the longer left alone or when dealt with in the wrong manner. That’s what happened to Robin Williams, and millions of other Americans heard the news like I did and thought ‘Well, he almost made it’.
You battle this just as you do alcoholism or any other affliction of the mind and that is one day at a time. The problem is, you only have to lose this battle one afternoon for it to be permanent.
So yes, seek help if you need it, but make sure they are qualified or you may end up worse off than before. It damn near killed me…..
llibsetag
He battled his addiction but was sober for over 20 years. He also voluntarily admitted himself into rehab multiple times. He also had psychological professions helping him at his requests. Wise up. Seek the truth before dismissing somebody with an incurable illness.
Nekogami13
Lauren Bacall just passed.
Bad week.
botvinnik
“You know how to whistle, don’t you Steve?”
art2arch
Art is long & Life is short… Thank you Apple for using the Art of Whitman’s poetry + Robin Williams’ narration of it from The Dead Poets Society movie in you very poignant commercial. Today it is more powerful than ever…
trondude
RIP RW. We will miss you.
Dear Robin:
Your humor meant so much to me, and I will spend the remainder of my life learning to understanding why.
In Peace.
CHA-CHING Time to make some more money
Yea, this iTunes “tribute” leaves me cold too. Would be nice if Apple were contributing all the monies made to one or several of Robin’s supported charities. I’d feel a lot better about Apple’s behavior here.
sowecreate.com
Hey, any event like this is a commercial move whether intentionally or unintentionally.
That’s life, businesses make money out of death.
Just look at Elvis for that when he died.
Walter issacson made a small fortune over Steve jobs death with his book.
terrym10
Capitalism encourages making a buck off of someone’s misfortune. I don’t care if it’s Apple, it’s a cash grab.
Yep. It’s a cash grab.
Any celebrity dieing makes money for someone somewhere – that’s life! – or should I say death.
Death is a billion dollar business in the US.
Tags: Apple, Dead Poets Society, death, feature films, itunes store, John Keating, Robin Williams, suicide, Tim Cook, Your Verse
Apple begins early work on a foldable iPhone
Friday, January 15, 2021 5:32 pm 10 Comments
While planning only minor “S year” changes for the 2021 iPhone line, Apple has begun early work on an iPhone with a foldable screen…
Students encouraged to use iPads to craft stories to find their inner MLK Jr.
Danox on Apple working new Mac Pro models; one half the current size with Apple Silicon
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Mac › Games › Adventure › Back to the Future Ep 5 - OUTATIME
Back to the Future Ep 5 - OUTATIME
Back to the Future Episode 5 - Outatime is the final episode of this game.
Back to the Future Episode 5 - Outatime is the final episode of this game. Back to the Future: The game puts you in Marty McFly's shoes roughly six months after the events of the last Back to the Future movie. In the first four episodes of the game, you play through a lot of different adventures that have consequences in your timeline. Episode after episode, you try to solve many problems that arise due to your travels in time. Episode 5 is the conclusion. One interesting fact about episode 5 is that Michael J. Fox makes an appearance. I will not divulge more about that so that I don't end up spoiling the fun for you.
At the start of episode 5, you wake up to a call from Emmet. He asks you to bring him a static accumulator, which is back at the lab. When you are on your way there, you run into Doc, who tries to steal the accumulator from you so that Emmet can't succeed at his science project. Doc thinks that by making Emmet fail, he will lose his interest in science and thus never make a time machine. He thinks that a life without a time machine is a solution to his misery. Your first goal is to find the static accumulator and bring it to Emmet.
Episode 5 wraps up the series quite well. It provides a nice ending and most of the questions are answered.
After playing the 5 episodes, I have to say that this is a great game. It has its downs and its ups. I really enjoyed this new adventure for Marty and Doc. I particularly loved the soundtrack and the voice acting. The dialogs were also great, but sometimes you have to play trial and error to find the right things to say.
You can get all 5 episodes from Telltale games for $24.99 and there are special bonus bundles for collectors and die-hard fans.
JF Senior editor
José Fernández
Michael J. Fox cameo
Nice voice acting
Nice ending
Diego Dinosaur Rescue
ClueFinders 5th Grade
Simon the Sorcerer
Choice of Robots
Cassandra's Journey 2: The Fifth Sun of Nostradamus
Strange Cases - The Lighthouse Mystery
Columbus: Ghost of the Mystery Stone
LEGO The Lord of the Rings
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London Daily
London Daily News
LondOn!
Hackers' broad attack sets cyber experts worldwide scrambling to defend networks
Suspected Russian hackers who broke into U.S. government agencies also spied on less high-profile organizations, including groups in Britain, a U.S. internet provider and a county government in Arizona, according to web records and a security source.
More details were revealed on Friday of the cyber espionage campaign that has computer network security teams worldwide scrambling to limit the damage as a senior official in the outgoing administration of U.S. President Donald Trump explicitly acknowledged Russia’s role in the hack for the first time.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on the Mark Levin radio show “I think it’s the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity.”
Networking gear maker Cisco Systems Inc said a limited number of machines in some of its labs had been found with malicious software on them, without saying if anything had been taken. A person familiar with the company’s ongoing probe said fewer than 50 were compromised.
In Britain, a small number of organizations were compromised and not in the public sector, a security source said.
Shares in cyber security companies FireEye Inc, Palo Alto Networks and Crowdstrike Holdings rose on Friday as investors bet that the spate of disclosures from Microsoft Corp and others would boost demand for security technology.
Reuters identified Cox Communications Inc and Pima County, Arizona government as victims of the intrusion by running a publicly available coding script here from researchers at Moscow-based private cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. The hack hijacked ubiquitous network management software made by SolarWinds Corp. Kaspersky decrypted online web records left behind by the attackers.
The breaches of U.S. government agencies, first revealed by Reuters on Sunday, hit the Department of Homeland Security, the Treasury Department, State Department and Department of Energy. In some cases the breaches involved monitoring emails but it was unclear what hackers did while infiltrating networks, cybersecurity experts said.
Trump has not said anything publicly about the intrusion. He was being briefed “as needed,” White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern told reporters. National security adviser Robert O’Brien was leading interagency meetings daily, if not more often, he said.
“They’re working very hard on mitigation and making sure that our country is secure. We will not get into too many details because we’re just not going to tell our adversaries what we do to combat these things,” Morgenstern said.
No determinations have been made on how to respond or who was responsible, a senior U.S. official said.
Cyber spies spent months secretly exploiting SolarWinds software to peer into computer networks, putting its customers including the U.S. Commerce Department on high alert.
SolarWinds, which disclosed its unwitting role at the center of the global hack on Monday, has said that up to 18,000 users of its Orion software downloaded a compromised update containing malicious code planted by the attackers. The attack was believed to be the work of an “outside nation state,” SolarWinds said in a regulatory disclosure.
People familiar with the matter have said the hackers were believed to be working for the Russian government. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations.
On Friday, U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch, head of the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform panel’s national security subcommittee, said the information provided by the Trump administration was “very disappointing.”
“This hack was so big in scope that even our cybersecurity experts don’t have a real sense yet in terms of the breadth of the intrusion itself,” adding that it would take some time to fully vet all the agencies and targets.
The breach appeared to provide President-elect Joe Biden with an immediate headache when he takes office on Jan. 20. His transition team’s executive director Yohannes Abraham told reporters on Friday there would be “substantial costs” and the incoming administration “will reserve the right to respond at a time and in a manner of our choosing, often in close coordination with our allies and partners.”
Microsoft, one of the thousands of companies to receive the malicious update, said it had notified more than 40 customers whose networks were further infiltrated by the hackers.
Around 30 of those customers were in the United States, Microsoft said, with the remaining victims found in Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Spain, Britain, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Most worked with information technology companies, some think tanks and government organizations.
#Donald Trump #Joe Biden
Oh ya 29 days ago
But dont worry your bitcoin is safe behind some smal firewall somewhere. LOL a fool and his money will so be parted
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Heathrow busy with people fleeing UK before travel rules change
New pictures have emerged showing hordes of people queueing at Heathrow Airport during lockdown.
Rishi Sunak is coming under pressure to ditch council tax and stamp duty completely.
'Superweed' flooding UK as people switch to cannabis for Dry January
Brits are turning to ‘super weed’ from California to help them get through Dry January in lockdown, it has been reported.
Japanese Influences Grace
The serene, two-bedroom residence outside San Francisco offers the chance to go off-grid in spectacular settings.
UK could face 'gonorrhoea outbreak' after lockdown ends
The UK could face a gonorrhoea outbreak once lockdown comes to an end, as high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) return, medics have claimed.
Lord Sumption tells woman with stage four cancer her life is 'less valuable'
A former Supreme Court judge and anti-lockdown campaigner has told a woman with stage four bowel cancer that her life was ‘less valuable’ than others.
Gavin Williamson’s ‘incompetence’ has left children hungry
Children have gone hungry because of Gavin Williamson’s “incompetence” as Education Secretary, Labour has said, ahead of a Commons debate on free school meal provision.
‘Every UK adult to get dose of coronavirus vaccine by September’
The Government plans to offer a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine to every adult in the UK by September, Dominic Raab said on Sunday.
Britain invites G7 leaders to Cornish resort for June summit
Britain announced plans to hold the first in-person meeting of the G7 for nearly two years in June, inviting the leaders of major developed economies to a picturesque seaside vi...
UK must not do trade deals with rights abusers, foreign minister says
Britain should not engage in free trade with countries that abuse human rights, but proposals that the country’s courts should decide whether genocide has been committed by trad...
Joe Biden to blitz controversial Donald Trump policies hours after entering Oval Office
The new president will redirect the country in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency without waiting for Congress.
Eleven people have been arrested after an anti-lockdown protest in Birmingham.
Coronavirus: Concerns over bosses breaking Covid safety rules
Concerns have been raised about employees forced to go into workplaces that are not Covid-compliant during lockdown.
Covid: Church of England services hit by pandemic
More than half of the Church of England's 14,000 parishes will not open for Sunday services later, as places of worship are hit hard by Covid-19.
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Fiction and Fact From Old New Mexico
LorettaMilesTollefson.com
Book Review: Following The Royal Road January 15, 2021
The Dragoons Arrive in Santa Fe!!! January 12, 2021
Churches of Northern New Mexico December 28, 2020
Christmas in 1837 – An Excerpt From No Secret Too Small December 23, 2020
Making Bread in 1837 December 16, 2020
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lorettamilestollefson in fiction, New Mexico, Northern New Mexico, Old New Mexico sample, Taos November 25, 2020 October 22, 2020 2,654 Words
Another Excerpt from No Secret Too Small
This is another excerpt from my new Old New Mexico novel, No Secret Too Small.
When the children appear in the doorway to the kitchen, Consuela looks up in surprise.
“Grandfather said we should have tea here,” Andrew tells her.
The cook waves a hand at the table. It’s covered with flour, baking utensils, and a tray that holds a blue-flowered teapot and a plate piled with biscuits. “There is no room.” In the corner fireplace, a big copper kettle begins to burble. She turns toward it. “And I am baking. It is not a good time.”
“We can go into the courtyard,” Alma offers. “We can have our tea there.”
“Two places,” the cook sniffs. She lifts the teakettle from the fire, moves to the table, and begins filling the flowered pot. She glances at the corner cupboard, where there’s another pot, a simple brown one. “Two teas and not one.”
“I can help.” Alma moves to the cupboard, lifts the pot from its shelf, and carries it to the table.
Consuela picks up the flowered pot, pours the water from it into the brown one, then drops tea leaves into the first pot and adds more hot water. She looks up and jerks her chin toward the cupboard. “The tea is in the wood box.”
Alma returns to the corner, lifts down a flat ornately carved container, and carries it to the table. When the cook lifts the lid, the rich scent of black tea fills the air. Alma leans forward to examine the oblong of compressed leaves inside. Three of the squares have been cut out and used already, so the block is no longer rectangular. The piece that juts out has been reduced to perhaps half its original size.
Consuela drains the water from the brown pot, then reaches for a small knife. She carefully slices a sliver of tea off the block, places it in the pot, and pours more hot water in. As she pours, she nods toward the pot on the tray. “You should take that in now. Before it gets bitter.”
Alma looks at her in surprise, then realizes the cook doesn’t know why she and Andrew were sent out of the room. She takes a deep breath and gingerly lifts the tray. When she nears the doorway, Andrew snatches a biscuit from the plate, then retreats into the hall and out the courtyard door. It thuds behind him as she moves carefully toward the parlor.
The tray is heavy and requires both hands. Alma pauses outside the door, uncertain how to hold it and open the door at the same time. She braces the edge of the tray between the adobe wall and her hip and reaches for the door.
Then she stops. Inside the room, her mother’s voice rises in frustration. “Tarnation! You haven’t heard a word of what I’ve just said!”
“I have heard you very well,” Alma’s grandfather answers. “However, I believe you are not being entirely truthful with yourself or with me.”
“Truthful! How dare—” There’s a short silence, then she speaks again. “Would you care to explain yourself?”
“Before Gerald asked me for your hand you made it very clear that you saw no need to pry into his background.” His voice drops. Alma has to strain to hear him. “You were in love.”
“I didn’t want you to discover something that would make you refuse him.” Her tone sharpens. “You were convinced I was too young. You would have latched onto anything to make us wait.”
“Hmm.” It’s the voice he uses when he doesn’t want to say what’s really on his mind.
“My age at the time is not relevant to this discussion.” Her mother sounds downright sulky. “He lied to me.”
“He wasn’t completely forthcoming. It’s not quite the same thing.”
A chair squeaks. When she speaks again, it’s clear she’s moved across the room. Her voice has changed. She sounds more puzzled than angry. “Doesn’t this news surprise you, at least? Concern you in any way?”
His tone is carefully neutral. “Why would it?”
“You knew.” There’s a pause, then she says again, “You knew! And you didn’t think I should be told?”
“You said you didn’t want to know anything about him but what you had seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears. Perhaps not in those words. But that was clearly your intent.”
“Tarnation!” she says again.
There’s another moment of silence. Then suddenly the door to the room flies open. Alma straightens and lifts the tea tray. Her mother glares down at her. “You undoubtedly knew, also!” She stalks into the hall and toward the courtyard door. “Everybody seems to have known but me!”
The next morning, she stays in bed. Old One Eye Pete has gone off to visit friends at the pueblo. The children and their grandfather eat breakfast in silence at the kitchen table, although Alma stirs her porridge more than she eats it. There’s a hard lump in her belly that’s been there since her mother stormed out of the parlor.
Alma watches Andrew gulp down his food. When he eyes her dish, she scoots it across to him. When the bowl scrapes the table top, her grandfather looks up but doesn’t comment. Alma sits with her hands in her lap, waiting dully for whatever is going to happen next. She’s very tired. The night was a long one.
Finally, Grandfather Peabody puts his spoon in his bowl, drains the last of his strawberry leaf tea, and nods to the cook. “Thank you, Consuela. That was a fine repast.”
“I am sorry there were no eggs for you this morning, señor,” she says. “Gregorio is still trying to understand where the snake is entering the coop.”
“I’ll manage without eggs every morning,” he says. “Though I do enjoy them when they’re available.” He turns to Andrew. “I wonder if that dog of yours might help to locate the reptilian entrance point.”
Andrew nods eagerly. “Chaser can find anything!”
Consuela sniffs. “He is so big, he will destroy the nest boxes.”
Alma’s grandfather strokes his chin beard. “He might at that. Perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea.” He turns back to Andrew, whose mouth is twisted in disappointment. “But I know he is an excellent companion. Perhaps we should take him to the plaza with us and introduce him to mis vecinos.”
On the way to the center of town, their grandfather explains that the Don Fernando de Taos plaza consists of joined abode buildings constructed around a large hollow square. It has four entrances, each with a big wooden gate that can be barred and locked.
“To keep the Comanches out?” Andrew asks.
He nods. “Comanches or Utes or Navajo. It was constructed many years ago. Nowadays, the only Indians who raid in New Mexico are the Navajo and they’re more interested in the pastures than the towns. They primarily want sheep.”
Alma reaches for his hand. She’s heard the stories. “And boys to herd them and girls to spin and weave the wool.”
He squeezes her fingers in his. “But you have a mastiff to protect you. At any rate, I’m certain you aren’t foolish enough to wander the fields by yourself.”
Alma thinks wistfully of her mountain valley streams and their fat trout, and nods. Chaser Two loops around behind Andrew and her grandfather and nudges at her hand. She smiles at him and pats his big head.
They’re at the northeast corner of the plaza now. It looks like a much larger version of her grandfather’s courtyard, except instead of plants and woodpiles on its edges there are long, covered porches and people sitting or squatting in their shade.
Some of the people have laid out blankets and arranged produce, pots, or other goods on them for sale. Others stand talking or move from vendor to vendor, shopping. The sun beats down from a bright blue sky with a single white cloud in it.
Andrew steps to one side to investigate the contents of a blanket. He picks up a wooden whistle and turns to show it to Alma. “It looks like the one Old Pete made me!”
His grandfather gently takes the whistle from the boy’s hand and returns it to the blanket with an apologetic word to the vendor, a man wrapped in a big red-striped white blanket. “You must not touch something unless you are interested in purchasing it,” he tells the children. “It’s not polite.”
“Oh.” Andrew puts his hands behind his back and turns to the man. “Perdóneme.”
The corner of the man’s eyes crinkle as he smiles at the boy, then his sister. “De nada.”
“Are your grandchildren stealing again?” a deep voice says from behind them.
The children jerk around, but their grandfather only laughs. “Ah, Padre,” he says. “You’ve caught us at last.”
A thick-chested man with a high forehead and wearing a long black robe smiles at Andrew, then Alma, benevolently. There’s a sharpness in his eyes that doesn’t match his expression. Alma offers him a small smile anyway. Andrew studies him wide-eyed.
“Padre, these are my grandchildren, Alma and Andrew Locke,” their grandfather says. “Children, this is Padre Antonio José Martínez.”
Alma gives him a small curtsy, as her mother has taught her, and the priest laughs in delight. Andrew says, “I’ve heard about you!”
The Padre chuckles and gives their grandfather a sideways glance. “Only good things, I hope.”
“You share books with Grandfather Peabody and talk with him about important things,” Alma says before her brother can repeat the gossip Old One Eye Pete and Bill Williams have brought to the cabin. Things about women and money and power that she doesn’t really understand. Padre Martínez smiles at her, then turns back to her grandfather. “She looks remarkably like her father. That square-shaped face and that hair.”
Alma takes her grandfather’s hand and turns her head so the priest can’t see her left cheek. She should have worn her sunbonnet.
But the men aren’t paying attention to her anymore. Another man has joined them, a man taller than Grandfather Peabody. She tilts her head to get a better look. His skin is almost as pale as her New England grandfather’s, and he has dancing brown eyes and wavy black hair. He’s standing still, but it almost feels like he’s moving. Energy seems to radiate from him. He gives her a bright glance, then nods respectfully at something her grandfather is saying. Next to Gregorio, he’s the handsomest man she’s ever seen.
Then Grandfather Peabody turns to her and says her name. “This is Señor Donaciano Vigil.” He gives the man a questioning look. “I believe he’s a relative of Ramón.”
“Juan Ramón Chavez of Don Fernando de Taos?” The man laughs and spreads his hands, palms up. “Isn’t everyone in nuevo mexico related to Ramón?”
“I thought you were in prison for insubordination,” Padre Martínez asks. “Or can they jail presidio soldiers for insubordination when you aren’t being paid?”
Señor Vigil laughs again. “I am in town for only a short time, on an errand for the governor, but I have to report to el calabozo as soon as I return to Santa Fe.”
Padre Martínez looks at Alma’s grandfather. “Surely you’ve heard the story.” He nods toward the newcomer. “This one here didn’t give his superior officer due deference and the credit the officer thought he deserved at Valencia’s mercantile. As a result, the señor here was arrested for insubordination.”
Vigil spreads his hands, palms up. “Because Governor Pérez ran out of money for the troops, I was assisting my cousin in his store, translating and clerking, fetching and carrying.” He grimaces. “Now I’m either sitting in jail or running errands for the governor.” Then he grins. “Actually, working in the store and being in jail are much alike. Both involve a great deal of sitting around, interspersed with activity. Except for the pay and not carrying a weapon, I still have the duties of a soldier.”
“You’re a soldier?” Andrew breaks in. He stares at the tall man in admiration.
Alma’s grandfather frowns. Donaciano Vigil gives him a swift glance, then nods at the boy. “I am. But right now there is no money to pay me, so I do other work. Soldiering is not a good livelihood if one has a family. And it’s often quite boring.”
“Like the Navajo campaign you returned from in March,” Padre Martínez observes.
Señor Vigil grins. “That was both boring and cold.” He turns to Alma’s grandfather. “Although your man Gregorio Garcia comported himself well. I was glad to make his acquaintance.”
“He is not my man,” he answers. “Although he does work for me occasionally. But I will pass your kind words on to his mother, who was not pleased when he joined the militia.”
Padre Martínez frowns. “I will speak to her also. It is a man’s duty to participate in the militia when it is called upon. The Navajo are a constant danger to us and must be repelled at all costs. I and my brothers have lost many sheep and even cattle to them over the years.”
Señor Vigil is looking past Alma’s grandfather to the northeast entrance of the plaza. “Ah, but here is the man himself.”
Alma turns. Gregorio moves toward them, a bundle of linens in each hand. She smiles brightly at him, but he’s focused on her grandfather and the other men. He moves his hands toward his back, making the bundles seem smaller.
“Gregorio Garcia!” the priest says playfully. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you at mass!”
Gregorio nods respectfully to each of the men in turn. “Sargento,” he says to Señor Vigil.
“We were just speaking of you and military service,” Alma’s grandfather says.
Gregorio smiles slightly. “Although the campaign last winter was a cold one and we didn’t see any Navajo, I found I enjoyed it.”
Señor Vigil claps him on the back. “Good man!” He peers at Gregorio’s bundles. “And now, like me, you have returned to town and all the duties pertaining thereto.” He grins conspiratorially. “We do what we must to keep our households fed and warm.”
Gregorio gives him a rueful look. “My mother launders, I deliver.” Then he turns to Alma’s grandfather. “And assist others where I can. I will come this afternoon to search again for that snake.”
“Ah, Consuela will be glad to hear it.” He nods toward Chaser, who’s still standing patiently beside Alma. “Andrew and the mastiff may be of some assistance to you, also.”
“I can help too.” Alma looks into Gregorio’s face. “I’m not the least bit afraid of snakes.”
“Like mother, like daughter,” the priest chuckles.
Alma’s head jerks toward him. She certainly hopes not. She opens her mouth to say so, but his eyes are sharp as a serpent’s, even though his lips are smiling. She looks at Gregorio instead.
He grins back at her. “Of course you can help, nita.” He glances at her grandfather. “If your abuelo agrees.” He nods and gives the children a stern look. “Catching a snake is serious business. You must exercise caution and obey Señor Garcia in whatever he tells you to do.”
from No Secret Too Small
american west historical fiction
Locke family novel
Loretta Miles Tollefson
Loretta Tollefson
No Secret Too Small
Old New Mexico
old new mexico novel
southwest fiction
Southwest historical fiction
Taos fiction
What’s a Buckboard Wagon?
New Mexico’s Rebellions
Old New Mexico Books
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OHSU History
Guide to resources on the history of Oregon Health & Science University and its predecessor institutions
Histories of schools, departments, and programs
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Meg Langford
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Subjects:History
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Liberalism, Religion and Politics
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RAMBI: Index to Articles on Jewish Studies
Extensive searchable bibliography "of articles in the various fields of Jewish studies and in the study of Eretz Israel." From the Hebrew University. 1966- . Rutgers-restricted Access
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The American Jewess
The first English-language periodical targeted to American Jewish women. April 1895 to August 1899.
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Browse more than 100 German-language Jewish periodicals published between 1806 and 1938.
Felix Posen Bibliography Project on Antisemitism
Search two extensive (about 50,000 items) bibliographic databases: The Annotated Bibliography on Antisemitism (1965- ); and the "'Jewish Question' in German-Speaking Countries, 1848-1933". Works on the Holocaust are included as part of the history of anitsemitism in the 20th century. From the Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism.
Historical Jewish Press
Search 35 Jewish newspapers published in the 19th and 20th centuries in various countries. Most newspapers in Hebrew, although other languages are included. Includes the Palestine Post, 1932 to 1950.
Index to Yiddish Periodicals
Bibliographic database of about 210,000 articles published in the Yiddish press in Czarist Russia, in Poland, in the Ukraine, Russia and Soviet Russia, in Rumania, in the U.S., and in Palestine.
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Business News for Decision Makers & Corporate Executives
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Home › Economy & Finance › Qantas To Axe 20% Of Workforce In Response To Covid-19
Qantas To Axe 20% Of Workforce In Response To Covid-19
By admin2 on June 25, 2020 • ( 0 )
Australia’s Qantas said on Thursday that it would implement a massive $10 billion cost-cutting program in response to the Covid-19 crisis, which will include jobs cuts of at least 20 per cent of its total workforce and the grounding of at least 100 planes for at least a year.
The program also involves half the company’s 29,000 staff remaining on leave for months which is also an essential part of a three-year plan to save Australia’s flag carrier from “the biggest crisis our industry has ever faced”, said the airlines CEO Alan Joyce.
“This year was supposed to be one of celebration for Qantas. It’s our centenary,” Joyce said in a statement. “Clearly, it is not turning out as planned.”
Qantas has already been forced to cancel nearly all its international flights until at least October and slash domestic routes because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
It is expected that international air travel to and from Australia will remain closed to most passenger traffic until next year even though there has been a slight pickup in domestic travel after most Australian regions have able to contain the epidemic successfully.
But a reminder that the pandemic still remains a threat was realized a recent surge in new Covid-19 cases in Melbourne, Australia’s second-biggest city.
“We have to position ourselves for several years where revenues will be much lower. And that means becoming a smaller airline in the short-term,” Joyce said in unveiling the “post-Covid-19 recovery plan”.
Qantas expects that there would most likely be no international travel of any meaningful scale until July 2021, said Joyce and added that the only potential exception to this would be the proposed “travel bubble” between Australia and New Zealand.
Qantas also plans to raise up to AUD$1.9 billion ($1.3 billion) in equity in addition to the AUD$15 billion that the company hopes to achieve in cost-cutting.
Joyce said that both Qantas and its budget subsidiary Jetstar would be hit by the planned 6,000 job losses and the company is hopeful that at least half of the 15,000 staff that has been placed on leave since March would be able to return back to work by the end of the current year.
Non-operational and ground operations staff will account for about half of the jobs that would be axed while a mix of cabin crew, engineers and pilots will make up the remained of to-be-axed jobs.
Qantas said on Thursday about 150 of its aircraft have remained grounded since March because of the pandemic which includes most of its wide-bodied planes and about 100 of those will be kept grounded and thus out of service for at least a year.
With different Australian states reopening their borders to air travel, Qantas has started to ramp up its domestic fights and expects that by the end of July, the airline would be able to achieve 40 per cent of its normal capacity. It also expects to reach about 70 per cent capacity by the next financial year and 100 per cent by 2022.
“The last thing I wanted to do is leave when we are in the biggest crisis in our history,” said Joyce.
(Adapted form ChannelNewsAsia.com)
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Psychedelic Guides
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The Next Step In My Evolving Purpose: Creating New Moon Psychedelic Retreats
2019, three quarters through and so far, what a year. This blog has been quiet, falling behind my average snail’s pace of one post a month, but I have good excuses. My year has been jam packed with a healthy blend of projects along with the usual and ongoing quest to simultaneously find and create myself in an ever changing world.
I’ll get to some of the other stuff in other posts as I take stock to digest and process in this final quarter but today I’m writing about the entity that has by far and away received the most of my time, energy and focus this year:
New Moon Psychedelic Retreats.
New Moon Retreats is the culmination of my journey over the last decade; a psychedelic retreat integrating meditation and mindfulness practices.
My first psychedelic experiences, almost a decade ago, made me more creative and curious, and encouraged me to adventure and explore the world. They also kickstarted my meditation practice. Because of how much I felt I’d benefitted, I was inspired to create this blog in an effort, amongst other things, to share information and make the experience more accessible to others.
I see New Moon as a natural extension of what I aimed to do with Maps Of The Mind; making psychedelic experiences accessible, but more than by means of information: by directly offering physical spaces and in person guidance.
Finding My Way
Two years ago I had an experience that was itself a culmination of my journey to that point – a fruit of my travels inner and outer, readings and writings, studies and practices; a peak experience that I felt profoundly grateful to have had. It gave my path a new direction and clearer purpose, and a vision crystallised.
That vision was a centre where people can go to learn meditation and have deep psychedelic experiences. A place where anyone can go and have the opportunity to dive deep within, to develop understanding of themselves and others. Not everyone has access (yet), but creating New Moon Retreats has been a significant step towards that vision.
The venue we host New Moon Retreats
With direction and fresh inspiration, I committed more fully to my path and began going to trainings, workshops and conferences. I began to facilitate privately in the therapeutic model of using headphones and eyeshades, and was fortunate enough to spend time and work on retreat with Myco Meditations in Jamaica, where I learnt a tremendous amount about psilocybin mushrooms and group retreats. After moving to Berlin, I completed a mindfulness coaching course and began a meditation meet up. Through it all, my personal practice has remained fundamental, and I’ve continued to write about my learnings to consolidate them, journal my thoughts to reflect on them, and continued to make an effort to develop and evolve my personal meditation practice.
Finding The Others
On my way I met the others who currently make up the rest of New Moon. During my year travelling through Latin America – when I documented my explorations with ayahusaca in the amazon, San Pedro in Peru, peyote and DMT in the Mexican desert, and mushrooms in the mountains of Oaxaca – I met Tuk whilst staying at a hostel Buenos Aires. He was in the continent to explore psychedelics too and our shared interest provided fertile ground for a budding friendship. After exploring the capital together we reconnected in Peru and remained in touch after our American travels.
Whilst visiting Tuk in Copenhagen, I met his mother Ulla at the Psychedelic Symposium, and then a couple months later volunteered alongside Maria at Altered Conference in Berlin. A year later, whilst at Beyond Psychedelics, I decided to move to Berlin, where, finding myself two weeks later, I reconnected with Maria and together we began to organise psychedelic integration events at her studio. When the seeds for New Moon began sprouting, the team was already connected.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls”
What Is Different About The Retreats?
Our retreats place the psilocybin sessions amidst meditation and mindfulness practice because I understand this to be the perfect container for deep and rewarding psychedelic sessions. I haven’t seen meditation as an integral part of the program on other psychedelic retreats and is something I wanted to offer. Our program includes an accessible course of meditation practice with guided meditations and mindfulness exercises.
Small groups & high ratio of facilitators to participants
We have 4 facilitators for each group of 8 participants. This is so that we can give each person due attention and care, allows us time for one to ones with everyone, and aims to enable a deeper level of connection and intimacy with each group.
Option of 1 or 2 psilocybin sessions
We currently have two retreat formats: a 3 night and a 5 night. The 3 night format is with one psilocybin session and the 5 night format is with two. The five night is for people who want to explore psilocybin more deeply and includes further integration activities and awareness practices. Having multiple sessions on a retreat is something I felt was excellent about Myco Meditations as it allows people to go deeper.
A New Moon Dawns
The garden at the retreat venue
On the New Moon of the 1st August, we commenced our first retreat, and over the next 11 days guided 11 participants through two retreats: a 4 day with 1 psilocybin session, and a 6 day with 2. We had two groups of people who came with honest and earnest intentions to learn and grow, and we were fortunate that everyone who came was understanding and accommodating in that it was our first retreats.
Working with people so intimately over these 11 days was humbling, heart opening, inspiring, and ultimately, meaningful. Spending time in a small community in nature surrounded by people who are making an honest effort to work on themselves, in an environment where everyone is encouraged to open up and share themselves, was hugely enriching.
Reviewing The First Retreats
So how did the retreats go? Overall, I’d say they went as well as we could’ve hoped for. Though I don’t believe psychedelics are a panacea or cure all, they certainly can facilitate potent and powerful experiences capable of triggering significant shifts. And our participants did have powerful experiences. From their end, the feedback we have received has been good and of the 8 people who’ve completed our anonymous feedback form, all have given us a final 5/5. That is something I wish to maintain.
Psychedelic truffles used on the retreats
Our initial aim was to do 2 retreats this year as pilots and then to assess if we’re doing a good thing and should continue. The first wave of feedback has been enough to affirm this and has supported my belief that this is the most impactful way I can have a positive influence on a world on which I feel significant and drastic change is needed.
Though the retreats have given me confidence and courage to go on creating these spaces and offering this experience, I feel now more than ever the importance of developing as a facilitator, a leader, and a person. The feeling has only become more certain and one of my favourite adages, that ‘there is always room for improvement’, remains as true as ever. In a new field that is directly involved with people’s mental wellbeing but that has no cultural container or tradition in the West, I feel a growing sense of responsibility and the requirement to live with integrity and be accountable for my actions. I realise too that the people I want to work and surround myself with are also those who won’t rest on their laurels or get caught up patting themselves on the back, but who seek continued growth.
With the encouragement from our first groups, New Moon will move forward and we have booked our next retreat for the end of November. Moving on, I would like to develop the mindfulness part of the program and, after being inspired by seeing Vanja Palmers talk recently, feel more drive than ever to make it happen. I have some exciting ideas to integrate these schools and look forward to implementing them.
The integration, follow up and aftercare is also an area I would like to develop. Specifically, I’d like a focus on community, empowering people to find and create communities where they can find support and accountability on their path. I’d also like to introduce aspects of habit formation psychology that I’ve found hugely beneficial, and some means of loosening the grip of digital addiction, something I want to continue working on myself and which I honestly see as a major epidemic contributing to much of the mental health problems in the world today.
As for a longer term vision, we would ultimately like to make the experience more financially accessible. As I’ve mentioned before, something like vipassana system where anyone can go for free and make an optional and anonymous donation at the end would be ideal. That is something we can only do once we are financially stable, but in the shorter term, having a free spot per retreat or a donation based retreat a year might be a good stepping stone.
Much to do and plenty to be getting on with then. But, one thing at a time, and as we go, let’s try to enjoy the ride.
Thanks for reading and hope to see you on retreat soon.
LSD: The Aftermath - Nihilism & Loss of Meaning
Explorer's Guide: Taking San Pedro in Peru
30th September 2019 /by John Andrew
Tags: blog, Meditation, psilocybin, psychedelic, retreat
https://mapsofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/paraiso-venue.jpg 975 1300 John Andrew https://mapsofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MAPS-MIND-LOGO-29.png John Andrew2019-09-30 12:26:132020-07-25 19:06:51The Next Step In My Evolving Purpose: Creating New Moon Psychedelic Retreats
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Home » Blog » Anti-money laundering » Trump’s Foreign Policy May Further Strain Foreign Correspondent Banking (Derisking)
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Trump’s Foreign Policy May Further Strain Foreign Correspondent Banking (Derisking)
Foreign correspondent banking relationships (FCBRs) have come under strain in recent years as major global and regional banks have de-risked from FCBRs that have posed (or have been perceived to pose) more legal risk and administrative costs than commercial benefits.
The de-risking trend and its resulting diminishment of access to legitimate financial services by individual customers, classes of customers, and regions (among others) has raised concern among national governments and multilateral institutions that have, from 2015 most noticeably, conducted studies on de-risking to determine its extent and effects, as well as to identify potential solutions. Regional government and banking associations have sounded alarms about the deleterious effects of de-risking on regional financial services sectors– among these are, for example, the Arab Monetary Fund and the Caribbean Association of Banks. Indeed, the Middle East and Caribbean regions stand out among regions affected by de-risking.
The Trump Administration’s “America First” Foreign Policy, Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and Foreign Correspondent Banking Relationships
Within a day of Donald Trump becoming the 45th President of the United States, the Trump Administration’s “America First Foreign Policy” was posted to the White House website. The “America First” policy, a notably brief publication, states that “[d]efeating ISIS and other radical Islamic terror groups will be our highest priority.” Achieving this goal, according to the Trump Administration, will include “aggressive joint and coalition military operations when necessary” and working “with international partners to cut off funding for terrorist groups, to expand intelligence sharing, and to engage in cyberwarfare to disrupt and disable propaganda and recruiting.”
The America First policy is consistent with candidate Trump’s presidential campaign statements (e.g., defeating ISIS/ISIL) and with Trump’s inaugural address, in which he stated that the United States, under his leadership, would “unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth”). The Trump Administration’s plan to work with “international partners” to combat terrorism is more striking, as it is one of few statements or plans articulated by Trump– whether as a candidate, the President-elect, and now President–that centers on or clearly values multilateralism.
The Trump Administration’s positions on countering the financing of terrorism were articulated by Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin during his confirmation hearings, where he expressed his commitment to working unilaterally and multilaterally to combat terrorism financing (see, for example, hearing segment starting at 55:18).
The Trump Administration’s interest in strengthening CFT is shared on the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue, where the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Financial Services recently released the results of a 2-year investigation of terrorism financing and, among other measures, recommended that the United States adopt a “whole-of-government” strategy to combat terrorism financing.
Action Steps for Banks
For U.S. and foreign banks doing business across borders, the Trump Administration’s early prioritization of CFT is worth noting, and subsequent steps by the Administration should be followed closely. Foreign correspondent banks, particularly those in regions, like the Middle East and the Caribbean, that have been or may be affected adversely by FCBR de-risking, should take steps to work with, among others, their foreign bank partners, national regulators, and multilateral institutions, to take remedial and preemptive steps to avoid further losses or curtailments of correspondent banking relationships. Such steps would include:
monitoring U.S. policy, legislative, regulatory, and other developments;
developing policy positions and practical action plans to position themselves as participants in or contributors to efforts to address terrorism financing (and money laundering and other financial crime); and,
develop, implement, and document demonstrably effective capacity building programs that actually improve capacity to detect, prevent, and report terrorism financing at the individual financial institution and broader levels.
How MassPoint Can Help
MassPoint PLLC is a boutique law and strategy firm that offers customized compliance services to foreign banks, focusing on AML/CFT, anti-corruption, and sanctions compliance. MassPoint’s services, which the firm provides independently and working in teams that the firm assembles to meet client needs, include:
Legal, regulatory, and international standards counseling that caters to the specific needs of foreign banks, including: (1) geographic presence, (2) personnel demographics, (3) lines of business, (4) and organizational dynamics.
Customized compliance needs assessments, compliance program design, and compliance program execution (on one-off or continuing bases).
Commissioned legal, regulatory, and policy research and analysis and advocacy to inform and represent client interests before governmental, policy, and industry entities.
Design and execute programming and initiatives that bring together banks (correspondent and respondent), outside financial services industry representatives, policy professionals, and other experts and stakeholders for informational, training, and educational exchanges; policy forums; and to further other objectives.
For more information about MassPoint and its services, please contact the firm’s Principal, Hdeel Abdelhady, at habdelhady@masspointpllc.com
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Concert Review: Brazz Tree, Metro Strings and Alessandra Belloni & I Giuliari di Piazza at Drom, NYC 1/12/09
The APAP annual shindig AKA the booking agents’ convention usually creates a decent handful of extra-interesting double and triplebills around town, and this was one of them, starting out funky and fun and ending up completely hypnotic. The star of the early evening was violinist/songwriter Mazz Swift, who played with both opening act Brazz Tree as well as Metro Strings, the quintet who followed, and showed off the rare kind of talent that will probably outlast both bands. A gifted, fiery violinist with a casually soulful vocal delivery, her strongest suit is her tersely crystallized songwriting and particularly her lyrics. Randi Russo is the most obvious comparison, in spirit if not stylistically: the two share a gift for a savage, offhandedly apt turn of phrase and a defiant, nonconformist sensibility. You’ll be hearing a lot more about her in less obscure corners than this.
In a too-brief set with Brazz Tree, she was accompanied by a talented acoustic guitarist and a drummer who played one of those electrified wooden drum boxes that were all the rage about ten years ago and strikingly replicate the sound of a fullsize kit. Their first song, Out of Time sauntered along on a haunting Middle Eastern inflected riff. Then the guitarist artfully lay down a loop and they continued in a similar vein with a new one titled Everyone Will Be a Star, a snide commentary on reality tv and the cult of celebrity. The rest of the show was a mixed bag: on several occasions, the guitarist had the chance to go for the jugular and really nail a phrase or bring a chorus to redline but each time he backed away into generic Dave Matthews-esque open chords. That may resonate with the hacky sack crowd now, but when Dave finally hangs up his guitar and goes off on the hacky sack senior tour, those cliches won’t cut it anymore. The guy obviously has the chops to do more, as he proved throughout the set and on the trio’s closing song, a darkly funny hard-times anthem with a wickedly catchy, upbeat chorus. They’re off on the college circuit at the moment, with a stop back here at the National Underground at 11 on Jan 31.
Metro Strings seem to want to go in the same direction as the Turtle Island String Quartet (they augment theirs with a drummer) but don’t yet have the material. Of their brief seven-song set, only a Swift composition, a bouncy yet reflective number perhaps titled Shine On, stood out from the group’s soporific if cerebrally orchestrated pop and bombastic yet emotionless ELP-inflected prog rock.
Noted Italian percussionist/singer Alessandra Belloni and her all-female trio of dancer/singer/percussionists I Giuliari di Piazza were a striking contrast with the ornate feel of the previous two acts: one wouldn’t think that simply vocals and percussion would be enough to hold an audience for a full forty-five minutes, but they did that and then some. As the lights onstage went down, it was as if the crowd had been transported to a secret clearing somewhere in the Piemonte to witness some wonderfully obscure, mystical ritual. Alternating between high, eerie incantations and earthy folk melodies and playing a small museum’s worth of percussion instruments, they wove a sonic web not unlike another very popular vocal group, le Mystere des Voix Bulgares. As head spell-caster, Belloni was so wrapped up in the music herself that she’d back off the microphone, eager to launch into the next song, even as she announced what it would be. In addition to melodies from various parts of Italy as well as Brazil and a couple of impressive solo turns from band members, their dancer whirled through the club, finally dragging a couple of audience members out on the floor as the drums and voices wailed high overhead. It was a performance that was as physically gripping as it was sonically captivating, even psychedelic. Belloni will no doubt be back in New York before long; watch this space.
January 14, 2009 Posted by delarue | Live Events, Music, music, concert, New York City, review, Reviews | Alessandra Belloni, brazz tree, drom nightclub, folk music, I Giuliari di Piazza, italian music, le mystere des voix bulgares, mazz swift, metro strings, string quartet, world music | Leave a comment
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Inspiration Behind the Scenes with a Female Sniper
March 6, 2019 May 21, 2019 Lynette M Burrows
She was seventeen years old in June of 1943. Klavdiia Efremovna Kalugina (also spelled Klavdiya Yefremovna Kalugina) a Russian, born in 1926 came from a “not rich” family. She became the youngest sniper-in-training at a school for Komsomol (Communist Union of Youth). All the other pupils were eighteen. She could stay in the school as long as she didn’t “fall behind.”
Public Domain image via Wikimedia Commons
Sniper School
They divided the young women into pairs. Marusia Chikhvintseva, Klavdiia’s first partner, became her best friend.
Accustomed to hard work, Klavdiia helped build the firing range for the school. But when it came time to shoot, she could only hit “milk” (jargon for a complete miss). Her squad commander took her aside and gave her private lessons.
She learned tactics and camouflage and ballistics. And she qualified as a sniper.
After graduation, they grouped pairs into squads and sent them all around the front. On March 1, 1944, six pairs of snipers, including Klavdiia and Marusia, were sent to the Belorussian front.
On the Front
They rode in cattle cars with heaters as close to the front as they could get. The truck sent to take them to the fighting couldn’t get through the snow. Klavdiia said they carried the truck on their backs.
The first day at the front, German soldiers who cleared snow from their trenches and equipment were easy targets. But neither Klavdiia nor Marusia could make themselves to shoot. They berated themselves that night. Why come to the front if they weren’t going to shoot? So, the next day they shot their first Germans.
As a sniper, Klavdiia’s job was defensive. When her mission was to clear a machine gun nest or a sniper, she would find a position during the day. At night, she’d camouflage herself and take up the position and sit as still as possible. Her partner always sat within an arm’s reach. When her eyes grew too tired to watch, her partner would take over.
When the time came, Klavdiia moved to a firing position. She took her shot. Once she fired, she returned to her watch position and waited for Marusia to take her shot. Then, Marusia returned to the watch position where they would wait without moving a muscle until after dark.
After lying all day in the swamp or the snow, she’d return to her base camp and tear off her foot wrappings. Her feet always hurt. Everyone’s feet hurt.
When she wasn’t being a sniper, Klavdiia stood in for the soldiers. She kept watch during the daylight while the Russian soldiers slept. The soldiers kept watch at night. One day when she grew tired, Marusia shifted her position to take over watch. A single shot killed her instantly. Klavdiia screamed so loud the soldiers begged her to stop for fear they’d get targeted. She cried all day.
Klavdiia recounts that the snipers carried the wounded to safety. Sometimes the wounds were mortal. One time she recalls that there were more wounded than the sniper team could carry in a retreat. Germans moved in and bayonetted the wounded who remained in the trenches. How did Klavdiia know? Because of their screams.
Eventually, Klavdiia got assigned another partner. She and her partner fought in several different locations on the front.
Klavdiia has been credited with 28 kills. Kills were any German who fell when she shot him. The commander of the trench she stayed in would write her kills down on a slip of paper that she then carried until she could turn them in. Only her sniper shots were counted. The Germans she shot during an attack didn’t count toward her total killed.
A total of 2,484 Soviet female snipers fought at the front, of whom only about 500 survived. An interview with Klavdiia is available at histomil. As far as I can determine, Klavdiia is still alive today.
I’m sharing this information with you for several reasons. It’s women’s history month and these women should be remembered as much as any male sniper.
I learned of the female Soviet snipers during my research before writing My Soul to Keep. Reading about these women helped me create the character of Beryl.
“Inspiration Behind the Scenes with a Female Sniper” is also part of my celebration. The hardcover version of My Soul to Keep is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Your local bookstore should be able to order it as well. Watch for special celebratory ebook pricing beginning March 10th.
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2 thoughts on “Inspiration Behind the Scenes with a Female Sniper”
I had no idea there were female snipers in WWII – thanks for sharing this fascinating bit of history!
Lynette M Burrows says:
I’m glad you found it fascinating. Thanks for reading, Jennette.
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MathAlive
MathAlive! hosted in Ras Al Khaimah for Families and School Groups
MathAlive! appeared Al Khaimah at HCT’s Women’s Campus 25 March – 18 April.
The traveling exhibition offers visitors the chance to ride a snowboard in a 3D experience, design (and play) their own video games, capture their 360-degree images in a unique interactive, program a Mars rover, and even design custom skateboards for “pop” – the quick, snapping motion that allows a board to do the best tricks. Plus, visitors in Ras Al Khaimah will have the opportunity to test their goalie skills in a new football interactive challenge.
MathAlive! is presented by Raytheon and Higher Colleges of Technology Ras Al Khaimah Women’s Campus, in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Tolerance.
The MathAlive! exhibit uses 40 unique, interactive experiences to transform math from its native form into the fascinating applied worlds of design, engineering, technology and science.
There are six themed main galleries covering more than 500 square metres space:
Outdoor Action … Adventure Sports
Build Your World … Environment
Future Style … Style and Design
Kickin’ It … Entertainment
Game Plan …Video Games and Other Games
Robotics and Space
Visitors can choose videos of people working in a range of fields and industries–including many in the region–and hear how they use mathematics in their professions or crafts.
There is no charge for admission into the exhibition. Reservations are recommended.
School Groups are Welcome
The exhibition is appropriate for primary school groups (grades 3 and above) and secondary school groups. Reservations are recommended. Attendants will be in the exhibition to help. RAK Women’s Campus provides parking and other accommodations for school groups. Admission for school groups to the exhibition is free. Click here for more information for school groups, including special timings.
Middle East Tour Announcement
Middle East Tour Announcement – English
Middle East Tour Announcement – Arabic
MathAlive! breaks records at Smithsonian
MathAlive!, powered by Raytheon, has set an attendance record at the Smithsonian International Gallery, located in the S. Dillon Ripley Center. With daily average attendance of more than 4,000 during its three-month live schedule, the high level of turnout is credited to interest both from families and school groups, with particular appeal for math classes.
MathAlive!
https://mathalive-me.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MathAlive-Kuwait-Version-5-LowRes.mov
Explore MathAlive!
Highlights and Interactives
Exhibit video
https://mathalive-me.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Math_Alive_Final.m4v
MathAlive! is a trademark of Evergreen Exhibitions, LTD. 2021. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy
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How to End a Proof
Ben Orlin Math October 2, 2019 September 26, 2019 3 Minutes
Here’s a proof for you.
Premise #1: Mathematical proofs are perfect.
Premise #2: Perfect things are good.
Premise #3: All good things must come to an end.
Conclusion: All mathematical proofs must come to an end.
Does that bring a tear to your logical eye? Fear not, my blog-reading friend. The end of a proof is not an occasion for mourning, but for celebration. The proof is done, which means the theorem may live forever.
How do we mark this festive occasion? I offer you eight ways.
First, the classic:
It’s a Latin abbreviation; the Greek equivalent goes back to antiquity. It stands not for “Quite Easily Done” (as my high school math teacher Mr. Sherry insisted) or “quantum electrodynamics” (as the heathens in the Physics department would insist).
No, if you want to know what it stands for, we must move to Proof Ending #2: the pretentious flourish.
This translates to “what was to be shown.” In other words: “We did it! We proved the thing!” For constructions, Euclid and others occasionally used the alternative “Q.E.F.” which stands for “quod erat faciendum,” i.e., “what was to be done.”
But please don’t think that, just because proofs are timeless, we must necessarily end them with tired old ritualistic Latin abbreviations. In fact, the 20th century gave us a delightful alternative, a 3rd way to end a proof: the conclusion of maximal concision.
Originally a way to end magazine articles, this little box was first used for mathematics by Paul Halmos, in 1950. (Some have called it the “halmos” in his honor.)
And it goes to show: one way to end a proof is with your quirky personal stamp. When I first taught mathematical proof, my students in Oakland chose to invent their halmos equivalents. One of their favorites was Option #4:
One student preferred the variant “Alabama!” which, stripped of its geographic associations, does indeed sound like an enthusiastic interjection (or possibly a spell from Harry Potter). My current students in Saint Paul prefer “Boom!” (or, for reasons I cannot fully decipher, “Big Brain!”).
Less appropriate for students is Option #5, the conclusion one might give to a particularly sexy proof:
(Note: This blog does not endorse cancer. Perhaps you can just let an unlit cigarette dangle between your lips, like the heartthrob fellow from The Fault in Our Stars.)
Which proofs merit a post-coital cigarette? I might nominate one of the many proofs of the divergence of the harmonic series, or perhaps some proofs without words.
(And I’d love to hear your nominations in the comments!)
What if you’re proving not a theorem, but (Option #6) a mere lemma?
A lemma is a stepping-stone theorem, a base camp from which you ascend to a larger, more formidable theorem.
At least, that’s the idea. Some lemmas are pretty impressive in their own right. Proving the “Fundamental Lemma” from the Langlands Program, for example, was enough to win Ngô Bảu Châu a Fields medal.
(I’m reminded of watching Battlestar Galactica, Season 2. Most episodes ended with gut-wrenching cliffhangers. But every so often, an episode would leave the characters in a relatively safe and comfortable place. These episodes, and only these, would end with “To Be Continued…”, as if to say, “Don’t worry! We would never let the characters you love actually stay happy! Anyway, this oxymoronic usage of “To Be Continued” echoes the oxymoron of a “Fundamental Lemma.”)
Now, Option #7: for “a proof from the book”:
Itinerant math-loving alien Paul Erdos loved to refer to “The Book,” where God kept all of the most beautiful and perfect proofs. “You don’t have to believe in God,” he said, “but you should believe in the book.”
Which proofs belong? G.H. Hardy heaped praise on Euclid’s proof of the infinitude of the primes, as well as the classic proof of the irrationality of the square root of two. Many mathematicians might add the proof of Euler’s identity.
(The mathematicians Martin Aigner and Gunter M. Ziegler attempted to write their own version of the book. It no doubt suffers from the limitations of every human attempt at divine scripture, but as with organized religion, it makes a decent starting point.)
And finally, Option #8, for sneaky proofs:
For some examples, check out my post “The Joy of Slightly Fish Proofs”, including the ridiculous, adorable idea of using Fermat’s Last Theorem to prove the irrationality of the cube root of 2.
Anyway, that’s all, folks. For now. I once pledged to write a book titled “101 Ways to End Your Proof, from QED to Boomshakalaka.” Only 93 more to go.
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23 thoughts on “How to End a Proof”
You left out one of my favorites, the Andrew Wiles finale: “I think I’ll stop here.”
(…although I gotta admit I’d like it just as well if he had concluded with, “Boomshakalaka!”
The boomshackalak, it a the brand new style.
Ross Presser says:
A slightly updated version, probably to become indecipherable after a decade or two passes, would be “Bazinga!”
Steve Spivey says:
I’m certain the “boomshakalaka” is popularized (if not coined) by Rev. J.D. Manning, who uses is frequently in his sermons and speeches.
Chrissy S says:
My calc professor would end particularly long or hard proofs with “Result Is Proven”, abbreviated RIP.
I thought at first that this was going to be your farewell posting: I very much hope it is not.
I think the Book probably contains the proof that horses have an infinite number of legs:
1. A horse has two legs in the back and forelegs in front.
2. That makes six legs
3. Six is an odd number of legs for a horse to have.
4. But six is even.
5. The only number that is both odd and even is (affine) infinity.
6. Horses have an infinite number of legs. ∎
Disclaimer: This proof may be inoperable in Scotland, Ireland, certain Caribbean islands, and India, and among older Southern Americans, New Englanders, and African Americans.
I think that one should be terminated by a slightly incredulous response, like “Dude!” or maybe “Riiiiiight.”
Lawrence Braden says:
I had my students gave us “W7”. (Which Was What Was What We Wanted)
viviangirlbeat says:
Similar to Lawrence – my geometry teach used to use “W5” (which was what we wanted). 🤓 It always stuck with me!
Steven Stowers says:
Did Euclid really use Latin abbreviations?
Susan Goldstine says:
No, he wrote in Greek. QED and QEF are how his proofs were ended in Latin translation, and because of the continuing popularity of the Elements and the reach of the Roman Empire, they’re the version that proliferated.
My classmates and I convinced the class next door that QED was Latin for “In your FACE!”. Not sure how that came about as an expression of triumph, but loved it.
Alternative translations included “Yay, we did it!”, ” Boom!” and “Phew!”.
Wondering if the “Big Brain” idea is a reference to PULP FICTION, when Samuel L Jackson says, “Check out the big brain on Brett,” after Frank Whaley’s character gleans that the metric system accounts for the fact that French McDonald’s serve “Royales With Cheese” rather than Quarter Pounders.
J.P. McCarthy says:
We have quarter pounders in Ireland and we use the metric system.
Xander Henderson says:
My preferred ending to a proof is the open square (in LaTeX, this is the `\square` command provided by the amssymb package) rather than the filled square (`\blacksquare` in LaTeX). This is particularly useful when reading a paper or proofreading my own work, as I can put a little checkmark in the box to indicate that it is correct, or that I have understood it, or whatever. I also sometimes use baseball scorekeeping symbols (a single for “I need to spend a lot more time on this”, a home run for “ah! I got this”, and a backwards K for “WTF? I’m never gonna get this!”).
On the other hand, for particularly long and tedious proofs, where getting to the end feels like a real accomplishment, I like to end with QEMFD, which, of course, stands for “*quod erat demonstrandum*”.
I like “BOOM!”.
I hate “0 = 0 \tickmark”
I actually use \bullet as in a very bold full stop.
I thought ‘Proofs from the Book’ was superb.
John Quintanilla says:
1. When I first introduce QED to my students, I tell them that it’s Latin for “dilly dilly.”
2. Instead of lighting a cigarette after a major proof, I do the Cristiano Ronaldo goal celebration: a small jog in front my students, and then a 180-degree jump with a twirl of the right arm before landing with arms extended in exultant celebration. Sadly, there’s no symbol for this in LaTeX.
Avi Beskrowni says:
You forgot these:
“Obviously.” The universally accepted truths for lazy mathematicians.
“Yeah!” My student’s favorite ending.
“The End.” A classic. Some prefer the shorter “Fin”.
“This proof was written by .” I get this a lot during tests.
“Fsiufusqqqqyyyyy.” I was teaching my students how to write in LaTeX, and I vaguely leaned my elbow on the keyboard, and this was produced.
“YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Another version of the aforementioned “Yeah!”
“End of the proof. Your brain goes Kabloof!” An aspiring poet (apparently)’s favorite proof.
And of course, “In your FACE!” Also known as QED.
Pingback: STEM Academia: The Game – Math with Bad Drawings
xander says:
I can’t believe that I missed the opportunity to say this in October, but my favorite way to end a proof is with a smiley face. This was how Gerald Edgar finished all of the proofs in the first edition of his book on fractal geometry and measure theory. Unfortunately, I only own the second edition, and my masters advisor was unwilling to trade. :\
That’s great! FYI, I added this to my document of notes for a future book on mathematical notation, and found that I’d already copied and pasted your earlier comment on this post, too.
Pingback: How to End a Proof by Ben Orlin, Badly Drawn Math – mathematics matters…
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Charles Ray Merritt’s originally told SDSO investigators (in 2010) that on February 4, of that year, he was home all night watching a movie with his live-in girlfriend. (He also told them that he spoke with Joseph McStay when a call came in from Joseph at 8:28pm. see Missed Call) Cell phone plotting for Merritt’s phone later revealed that there are major problems with this alibi. This is certainly a Gotcha! moment for SBC investigators, but is it possible that there was some confusion as to time of night being asked about and also which of Joseph McStay’s phone calls Merritt thinks he answered?
CNN Randi Kaye/Chase Merritt Alibi
Joseph McStay’s cell phone log from 2010. Chase Merritt’s number is highlighted in blue.
The Trial of Charles Ray Merritt, Blog at WordPress.com.
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Home » Online » how to buy avodart online pharmacy without prescription
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In November, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services took several new steps to help U.S. hospitals manage the crush of new patients as the COVID-19 crisis worsens. Among them were new allowances for telehealth and remote monitoring, for what CMS is calling the Acute Hospital Care at Home program.
Additionally, the agency expanded its Hospitals Without Walls initiative, with even more regulatory flexibility for ambulatory surgery centers to provide care as a “relief valve” to help overburdened hospitals.
Keeping patients at home
Simply put, home hospital involves delivering hospital-level care at home instead of in the hospital, said Dr. David Levine, assistant professor of medicine and medical director of strategy and innovation for Brigham Health Home Hospital at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“So, synthroid order on line it’s a sick person who shows up at the emergency department, and instead of staying at the hospital and getting admitted and receiving all that hospital care, that person actually turns right around and goes home with a specialized home hospital team that delivers all the same care that they would have received in the hospital, but they get it at home,” Levine explained.
“And so you imagine this is a pretty amazing way to get your care,” he added. “We’ve got randomized control trials. We’ve done them at Brigham at Harvard. They’ve been done all across the country, all across the world. Actually, we’ve had randomized control trials showing that when patients get their care at home instead of in the hospital, they get readmitted less often. They like it more. And they end up moving a lot more and therefore preserving their strength.”
In addition to fewer readmissions and a better patient experience, the care costs less.
“We’ve actually shown in the U.S. in our most recent randomized control trial that care actually costs less, so there’s a societal benefit as well.”
Dr. David Levine, Brigham Health Home Hospital
“We’ve actually shown in the U.S. in our most recent randomized control trial that care actually costs less, so there’s a societal benefit, as well,” Levine said. “The CMS waiver is a really huge step forward. It’s what we’ve been waiting for some time now. Previously with Medicare, programs like mine had no way to bill for care. Now this is the opportunity to bill Medicare for home hospital-level care, and this is going to be offered all across the country.”
There is going to be a huge explosion of home hospital care; already there are 56 sites that have signed up in a month, he added.
Remote monitoring, wearable biosensors, AI and analytics
Boston-based Biofourmis, a vendor of digital therapeutics and virtual care that powers personalized predictive care, has codeveloped with Brigham and Women’s home hospital technology.
“From a technology standpoint, Biofourmis recognized several years ago that safely and effectively delivering inpatient-level care within patients’ homes was highly feasible, especially given the advances and increased adoption of remote monitoring, wearable biosensors, artificial intelligence-based analytics, and consumer technology such as mobile devices,” said Kuldeep Singh Rajput, CEO and founder of Biofourmis.
“During the past few years, we have been working with Brigham and Women’s Hospital to provide the remote monitoring technology for Brigham Health Home Hospital, a program they started in 2016,” he said. “Brigham conducted a randomized controlled trial of their home hospital program and published the results early in 2020 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.”
The study demonstrated improved outcomes, decreased costs and increased mobility in home hospital patients when compared with a control group that received usual care in the hospital.
Launching the new technology
Biofourmis launched the Biovitals [email protected] solution shortly after the CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home program was announced. This was an extension of CMS’ Hospitals Without Walls program announced in March, which provided broad regulatory flexibility that allowed hospitals to provide services in locations beyond their existing walls.
“When the CMS program was announced, Brigham already had years of experience with this care model, so they were one of only six health systems already approved by CMS to participate when the announcement was made right before Thanksgiving,” Rajput explained. “Since then, several other health systems have been approved for the waiver program, with CMS administrator Seema Verma regularly announcing them on Twitter.”
“Wearable biosensors continuously collect multiple physiological parameters from patients, and AI-based analytics are applied to that data across a wide range of complex chronic and acute conditions, including heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and others.”
Kuldeep Singh Rajput, Biofourmis
Technology is an extremely important component of delivering hospital-level care in a patient’s home, enabling clinicians to remotely monitor patients as they deliver personalized high-quality care, he added.
“Wearable biosensors continuously collect multiple physiological parameters from patients, and AI-based analytics are applied to that data across a wide range of complex chronic and acute conditions, including heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and others,” he said. “[email protected] is a modular solution that is easily customized to specific patient populations and conditions.”
Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms rapidly personalize the baseline for each patient, starting within the first several hours of monitoring. This approach provides clinical teams with a real-time look at a patient’s disease-trajectory that can enable them to detect, predict and prevent serious medical events before they occur by flagging any signs of decompensation that require intervention, Rajput said.
What clinicians expect
The idea from an operational standpoint is there are a lot of different things that need to be made portable and brought to the home because clinical staff expect all of these things in the hospital; there is no end-to-end software and hardware solution that does this right now, said Levine of Brigham Health Home Hospital.
“Our team, for example, uses something like eight or nine apps every day to manage our patients’ care,” he said. “Applications with different interfaces. And we use different monitoring sensors and different lab sensors and so on. And as you can imagine, that is clumsy. That is time-consuming. And frankly, it’s expensive as a result.”
So the idea was codevelopment of a system that would enable this care model in an easier fashion, he said.
Patients will receive 24/7 remote monitoring through the [email protected] solution for five to seven days. If needed, the monitoring period can be extended to up to 30 days. Biosensors will collect vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, activity and other metrics that clinicians who are monitoring the patients can view from their dashboards.
Along with tracking sensor data, providers will communicate by text and video with patients through their mobile devices and complete clinically validated questionnaires on the [email protected] patient-facing app.
“The patients’ individualized biometric signature is dynamically updated and shared with the patient’s clinicians,” said Rajput. “Continuous analysis and refinement of the patient’s biosignature through machine learning can alert clinicians to signs of decompensation that in some cases may be flagged weeks before an event would have otherwise occurred without any intervention. When such a warning sign is detected, clinicians who round daily on patients can then perform any needed interventions to prevent a medical crisis.”
Preventing potential costly medical crises in this way can prevent readmissions and ED visits, which in turn lowers healthcare costs, he added.
Analytics offer actionable insights
“The analytics insight also can make home visits or virtual visits more efficient, because the clinicians entering the encounter have more actionable insight into how to accelerate recovery and shorten the admission based on the analytics data,” he said.
Brigham’s research has demonstrated that they can deliver hospital-level care in patients’ homes with lower readmission rates, more physical mobility and a positive patient experience. In Brigham’s randomized controlled trial of the home hospital program, they found the adjusted mean cost of the acute care episode was 38% lower for home hospital patients versus control patients treated in the hospital. In addition, only 7% of program patients were readmitted within 30 days, compared with 23% of hospital-admitted patients – more than a 70% improvement.
Home hospital patients had a median of three laboratory tests compared with 15 for hospital-admitted patients. Likewise, only 14% of home hospital patients required imaging studies, compared with 44% of hospital-admitted patients, and only 2% of the home patients required consultations with other physicians, compared with 31% of hospital-admitted patients.
Home patients only spent 12% of the day sedentary, compared with 23% of the hospital-admitted patients; and they only spent 18% of the day lying down, compared with 55% for hospital patients.
Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.
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Propaganda in the First World War - A selection of WW1 postcards
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A selection of WW1 postcards
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From the 'Postcard books of the First World War' series.
Published by Reflections of a Bygone Age
Brand: Reflections
Product Code: YWW106
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Publisher: Independently published (May 25, 2018)
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Will their collective actions defeat Chapman who promises to Restore America?
It’s 2024, and America is entrenched in social and political upheaval. Ringleader of the Agitators, Earl Dutch Chapman, could unseat President Drummond, bringing about a new era of isolationism despite the threat of WWIII. Caught in the middle is Lou Denslow, a Secret Service Agent connected in more ways than he’d like. Lifelong friends and a widower father become intertwined in the personal and professional quandaries facing Lou. Will their collective actions defeat Chapman who promises to Restore America?
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Van Lear’s portrayal of the making of a presidential candidate was fascinating.Sue Ready
Van Lear's portrayal of the making of a presidential candidate was fascinating. Chapman learned at an early age the power of persuasion and how to capitalize on the fears of the populous with the age old method of allegiance building and finding a scapegoat. Chapman is cunning and opportunistic, and the Hajjis were an easy target. Though he was not the official head of the Agitator movement, Chapman did share their belief of white dominance and used it to his advantage. His camp team of xenophobia propagandists set their sights on creating strategies to alienate groups and set them apart. Van Lear hopes readers will reflect on the possible consequences of allowing divisiveness to run rampant offering some morally problematic possibilities of a better world.
The author uses the setup to deftly editorialize how the destruction of the American middle class by moneyed interests fosters a climate of blame and bigotry too easily exploited by political cabals.
In a near-future America rocked by anti-Muslim sentiments, a Secret Service agent weighs a top-secret mission to thwart a vile, racist presidential candidate from achieving the Oval Office.
Featuring Allen Drury–like Washington, D.C., polemics of yesteryear; down-home Minnesota color; and pure sci-fi fancy, this debut cautionary novel opens in election year 2024. Although future benefits include renewable energy, self-driving cars, and sensible gun control laws (a consequence of neo-Nazi snipers murdering 263 in a single strike), the U.S. is in turmoil thanks to an economic recession combined with an influx of “Hajjis,” unassimilated Muslims fleeing a fierce Islamic civil war ravaging the Middle East. Even without guns, organized right-wing, white militants, aka Agitators or “Agits,” clash with Hajjis in deadly street fights in major cities. Republican presidential hopeful Earl “Dutch” Chapman only benefits, as he’s an unashamed Muslim hater with a “Make America Great Again” platform. Meanwhile, Lou Denslow, a Secret Service special officer, revisits his aged father and old pals in Minneapolis. Fair-minded Lou loathes Agits and is uncomfortable with the prospect of guarding a neo-fascist White House occupant, as Chapman gains support over feckless incumbent President Drummond. Chapters alternate between Lou and his personal life and flashbacks detailing the rise to power of the rabble-rousing Chapman. While real-life names and incidents (9/11, of course) have cameos here, Van Lear skillfully makes Chapman as far from being a Donald Trump look-alike as practical. The illegally adopted son of an odious Texas oilman, Chapman is a former Dallas mayor, Lone Star State governor, and Beirut war veteran with a fondness for punk rock, gratitude for Barack Obama’s nailing Osama bin Laden, and an arrest record stemming from his addictions. While Hajjis are described as being insular and harboring a few jihadis among their hordes, they are sympathetic and law-abiding compared to the scruffy Agits—flag-waving, drug- and alcohol-abusing louts from broken homes, not unlike their favorite candidate. The author uses the setup to deftly editorialize how the destruction of the American middle class by moneyed interests fosters a climate of blame and bigotry too easily exploited by political cabals.
Copyright © 2018 - 2020 ~ Mike Van Lear | MikeVanLear.com
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Tulln District
The district is located in Tulln Tulln field in the eastern half of Lower Austria, north-west of Vienna. The Danube flows through the county from west to east. According to the new classification of Lower Austria, the district of Tulln will be counted in the main region " Lower Austria Center".
Originally belonged to the court of the district of Tulln and Klosterneuburg ( in the then limits) for District Commission Hernals, 1890 for a short time Bezirkshauptmannschaft Waehring, the former judicial district of Kirchberg am Wagram to Bezirkshauptmannschaft Krems and former Judicial District Atzenbrugg to Bezirkshauptmannschaft St Pölten. After the abandonment of the district Waehring due to the incorporation of the district capital of the district of Tulln to Vienna was founded in 1892 ( Reich Law Gazette No. 179/1891 ).
Klosterneuburg, as well as the surrounding communities then independent Kierling, Maria Gugging and Höflein on the Danube, which now belong to Klosterneuburg were separated and incorporated in 1938 to Vienna, came back in 1954 to Lower Austria, but the newly built district of Vienna environment.
Regions in Lower Austria
Traditionally, Lower Austria is divided into four "quarters" that must, forest, wine and industrial area. Since there are neither binding nor legally relevant areas, no exact boundaries have been defined. If the Tullnerfeld previously attributed to the cider district as Lower Austria is divided according to a new division on the part of the country into five main regions, the "center of Lower Austria " consists of the four mentioned and the new area, which includes the entire district of Tulln is counted, thereby no longer falls simultaneously in two areas.
The major thoroughfares intersect the district in east-west direction. North of the Danube runs the Stockerauer expressway S5, it is part of the spacious landscaped around Vienna ring road. At the western end of the district of the Kremser Expressway ( S33) branches off from the S5 direction from St. Pölten, what with the main traffic artery of Austria, the Western Highway, connects the region and therefore excludes the beltway. The Federal Highway 1 is another important compound, which runs through the Tullner field.
From Vienna to Tulln the route of the Franz Josef Railway is located south of the Danube, crosses it and then performs on the north bank continues to Gmünd and Krems on the Danube. The Tullnerfelder path branches off to Tulln and runs along the south bank of the Danube to St. Pölten. At the same time this route was connected to the new course of the Western Railway. The Tullner field station provides a commuter train station represents the node
The Danube itself can be crossed only in two places in Tulln in the district, the newer Rose bridge was constructed as a relief for the old Tulln Danube bridge, over which runs the railroad.
The district of Tulln is divided into 21 municipalities, including a city and 16 market towns.
The most important of the abbreviations used are:
M = center of the municipality
Stt = district
R = Rotte
W = hamlet
D = village
ZH = Scattered houses
Sdlg = settlement
E = bowery (only if they have their own locality code)
The complete list that uses the Statistics Austria, can be found at Topographic settlement Labelling according to STAT
Please note that some places may have different spellings. So Katastralgemeinden write differently than the same localities.
Source: Statistics Austria - List of Lower Austria (PDF)
BezirkslisteTabellenkopfVersteckt
$ $ AllCoordinatesSectionEnd
Krems-Land District Muckendorf-Wipfing Amstetten District Bruck an der Leitha District Hollabrunn District Horn District Korneuburg District Lilienfeld District Melk District Mistelbach District Neunkirchen District, Austria Scheibbs District Waidhofen an der Thaya District Wiener Neustadt-Land District Zwettl District
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The Language House
Over the years, The Language House (TLH) has helped thousands of students develop language skills since its founding in 1990. TLH has distinguished itself as the first school in Malaysia to introduce intensive study courses. By now we offer language training in ten languages, ranging from Japanese, Mandarin to German and Spanish. With highly trained and passionate teachers and over 45 different language courses on offer, TLH is synonymous with excellent language education.
At our state-of the art facilities, TLH offers specially designed courses certified by the Malaysian Ministry of Education and approved by the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs for recruitment of foreign students. TLH also provides assistance on accommodation, offers internships and a “work in Malaysia” component to exceptional, advanced students who wish to take advantage of Malaysia’s vibrant work culture.
With the acquisition of TLH, our Holding Company, Advance Synergy Berhad (ASB), aims to provide the business experience, expertise and resources needed to grow and propel TLH to the next level.
The ASB Group
The ASB Group comprises operating subsidiaries and associates that service business and consumer markets in a variety of industries. These operating companies are grouped under the various Key Business Divisions of the ASB Group, including:
Hotels and Resorts;
Information and Communications Technology;
Travel and Tours.
For more information on each of these business areas above, please click through to the Key Business Divisions section of our website.
Your One Stop Education and Travel Centre
The Travel and Tour Business Division of ASB Group is represented by Orient Escape Travel. The Language House (TLH) and Orient Escape Travel (OET) are operated under the same management team. This means we are your one stop centre when you choose to come to Malaysia. All your travelling needs can be taken care of. Whether it is Currency Exchange Remittance, visa application, buy travel tickets and other tour arrangements, OET and TLH will work hand in hand to ensure a smooth and pleasant journey for you.
To be an internationally acclaimed language institution, a leader and innovator in education delivering result-orientated language training.
To deliver effective language courses that satisfy students’ educational andprofessional needs.
All our education and language programmes are certified by Ministry of Education and Ministry of Home Affairs, Malaysia.
Our purpose-built classrooms are clean, modern and spacious. Each classroom is fitted with an internet connection and audio-visual equipment essential for learning.
We also have a library and computer lab.
Intensive English Programme
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
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Coming Soon: The 2020 Tarot Deck Nobody Could Have Predicted
23rd July 2020 by addpeople
2020 has already been a dramatic year with so many twists and turns it feels like a decade since the year began. With the coronavirus pandemic, Australian wildfires, Black Lives Matter protests and more disrupting our perception of ‘normal’ life or ‘business as usual’, it’s no wonder more people are turning to fortune telling in these uncertain times.
Now, the most unexpected and memorable events and trends of 2020 so far have been immortalised as popular Tarot cards. While most of the topics contained within the deck could have never been foretold, they serve as representations for the common processes of our lives that cartomancers divine whenever they do a fortune telling.
For Tarot fans, the 2020 Tarot deck is a must-have to remember that while we may forecast the future, it is always open to interpretation.
Featured: Major Arcana
The Hierophant
The Empress
The Tower - 5G
Meaning: Destruction, Chaos, Confusion
5G is one of the most-Googled trends of 2020. Implementation of these new towers in a number of countries has been met with hostility and suspicion. This hostility has been fuelled by high-profile conspiracy theories that their installation is related to the coronavirus pandemic in some way.
Well-known celebrities including Amanda Holden, M.I.A and Amir Khan all posted statements on social media regarding their suspicion of the technology, with Keri Hilson claiming that the deaths cased by the disease were, in fact, the side-effects of radiation.
The relationship between 5G and The Tower goes beyond being a physical tower, encompassing the confusion and destruction these structures have caused and seen.
The Fool - Haircuts
Meaning: Beginnings, Innocence, Spontaneity
With hair salons closed to halt the spread of coronavirus, many had to take matters into their own hands. With mixed results.
Many men turned to their partners to maintain their hair but we as a society will be leaving lockdown with a renewed respect and appreciation for our hairdressers after discovering what a challenging skill it can be.
Whether it’s a spontaneous shaving of the head, an innocent slip of the hand or a new fringe, new you, our home haircuts have a close relationship to the symbolism of The Fool.
The Magician - Bidet
Meaning: Manifestation, Resourcefulness, Power
The beginning of lockdown measures across the world resulted in a range of items being panic-bought to the extent that they were impossible to find.
The most concerning of these was toilet paper. With toilet paper completely sold out in Australia, America and the UK, Google searches for bidets went through the roof. While most plumbing work also halted during lockdown, it’s clear many people yearned for a bidet to solve their pressing toilet paper problems.
The Magician represents manifestation and resourcefulness, which is definitely reflected in our sudden desire for this humble bathroom device.
The Hierophant - Facemasks
Meaning: Conformity, Institutions, Tradition
Though not everything is known about the transmission of coronavirus, governments everywhere have implemented forms of mask guidance to reduce the spread of the virus in the air.
While the facemask is a tradition in some Asian cultures, to the West it is completely foreign. However, searches for ‘DIY facemasks’ shot up early in the lockdown as many of us searched for a way to create our own cloth facemask to wear when we ventured outside.
The Hierophant is related to conformity, institutions and tradition, which are all present in our newfound approach to mask-wearing.
The World - Dalgona Coffee
Meaning: Completion, Integration, Accomplishment
Dalgona coffee was a Tik Tok trend that took the world by storm in April.
Made by whipping instant coffee, water and sugar into a creamy froth that sat on top of milk, the sweet treat could be found on Instagram stories everywhere for a week or two, before falling off and being replaced by the next trend.
The World represents accomplishment and completion, which reflects the intense satisfaction of actually getting the coffee to whip properly and not turn into a grainy mess. Its relationship with integration is represented in its existence as a major, if short-lived, social trend.
The Sun - Virtual Tours
Meaning: Positivity, Success
Aeroplanes were grounded everywhere as countries closed their borders to halt the international transmission of coronavirus.
As the travel industry all but ground to a halt, a new type of experience emerged in the form of virtual tours. Those with the travel bug have been temporarily satisfying their wanderlust by exploring beautiful scenes of nature, city streets and landmarks across the world virtually.
In addition to replacing the sun many of us had originally hoped to soak up on holiday this year, virtual tours have invited positivity into our lives at a time when many of us felt trapped and uncertain.
The Hermit - Zoom Dating
Meaning: Soul-searching, Isolation
With self-isolation being practised everywhere, singletons, whether living alone or with room mates, had to put their love lives on hold.
As 2020 has proven, necessity is indeed the mother of invention. With much of our socialising being done through our webcams, those looking for love attempted Zoom dating via the networking app with a 40-minute limit.
There were even a number of Zoom weddings for lovers whose ceremonies were cancelled but were still insistent on being married.
The era of the Zoom date highlights the profound isolation many have lived through in lockdown, as well as the presence our social relationships have in our lives.
The Empress - Houseplants
Meaning: Beauty, Nature, Femininity
Houseplants have always been a symbol of Millennial society. A generation with little in the realm of world possessions has embraced the concept of keeping living things at low maintenance.
This has been amplified in lockdown, with so many people, especially city-dwellers flexing their green thumbs. Whether that’s those who have been unable to work exploring a new hobby or those simply interested in the visible passage of time through growth.
Houseplants have been a connection to the natural world while in isolation, as well as an appreciation for its beauty.
Justice - Barnard Castle
Meaning: Fairness, Law, Cause and Effect
Barnard Castle was the site of one of the most talked-about political scandals in the UK during lockdown.
When it was discovered that special advisor to the prime minister, Dominic Cummings, had broken lockdown rules to travel to the historical castle in the North East, the story occupied the news for several days.
Though many believed Cummings’ behaviour to be reckless and worthy of him stepping down from his prominent political position, he remained and there was no further justice for his disregard for the rules that the UK had implemented to halt the virus’ spread.
Barnard Castle is now a kind of emblem for a view of one rule for the rulers and another for everyone else, as well as the dispute of fairness during the pandemic.
Strength - Joe Wicks
Meaning: Strength, Courage, Influence
As schools closed for several weeks, children across the UK were without structured teaching and, vitally, regular exercise.
To fill in this gap, fitness influencer Joe Wicks stepped up and began an online fitness series to keep kids exercising despite limited ability to go outside.
His Youtube series has been viewed by over 22 million people, enriching children’s days and helping parents structure their children’s days without the order of school.
Joe Wicks was chosen as Strength not only for his physical strength but also for how he has used his social influence.
We asked Chris Riley, psychic to the stars, about why fortune telling has seen a resurgence in 2020 and how Tarot can help in times of uncertainty.
1. Why have more people turned to fortune telling and tarot in 2020?
Tarot reading is an easy way of receiving specific insights and guidance into your life and situations, whether that’s work, career prospects or matters of the heart. I’ve found that as we have collectively gone through some trauma this year, people are becoming more aware of spirituality as a way of looking for guidance for their lives now and the future. It can be a great way to relieve some of the worry surrounding the uncertainty of this year and with many people being dealt life-changing situations, many people have been turning to Tarot reading as a form of support.
2. What do you think the benefit of doing tarot during such uncertain times is?
The benefit of Tarot reading is that you’re able to receive guidance to questions, whether that’s something happening in your life right now or in the future and the cards that you draw will give you insight into your situation based on their meanings. It’s based off a gut feeling and I think it really encourages people to trust in themselves.
3. What would be your advice for newcomers on learning more about tarot?
My advice for anyone who is new to learning Tarot would be to trust your gut feelings and trust the feelings you get intuitively when you’re looking at the cards.
Fortune telling is seeing a rise in popularity thanks to the unprecedented events of 2020. Whatever the rest of the year has in store for us is unclear but no doubt it will be history-making.
If you are turning to Tarot to help you make sense of your future in this time of uncertainty, the 2020 Tarot deck will certainly be for you.
The Story Behind the 2020 Tarot Deck
The 2020 Tarot Deck draws on the biggest trends that have captured our attention during the last six months.
For all the trends chosen, we’ve identified the increase in searches between January 2020 and the height of their popularity during the past six months.
Comments Off on Coming Soon: The 2020 Tarot Deck Nobody Could Have Predicted
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Veteran - Vintage - Classic - Modern
Understanding the Automobile
Motor car History
Motor Car
Ferrari 375 America (1953-1954)
Ferrari 375 America
11 produced
2-door coupe
2-door roadster
4.5 L V12
2,800 mm (110 in)
1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
Another Pinin Farina and Vignale bodied Americas, the 375 used the new 4.5 L Lampredi engine with up to 300 PS (221 kW; 296 hp). The 375 were expensive and exclusive - only about 11 were built from late 1953 through 1954. 3 Vignale Coupés were designed by Giovanni Michelotti.
Ferrari 365 P2 Race (1965-1966) 53 / 115 Ferrari 400 (1976-1979)
Ferrari 375 America car history from 1953 to 1954
Italian Automotive 1950s | Vehicles launched in 1953 | Italian Sports Cars | Giovanni Michelotti | Vignale | Pininfarina | Sports Cars
Read more in this section
Ferrari 275 P (1964)
Ferrari California (2008–2013)
Ferrari 208 308 GT4 Dino (1973-1980)
© 2021 Motor Car History
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Black sabbath never say die review
5/28/2020 In Hirstglen Categories: Old Mill Kundana Rainbow Nundroo Napier Baird Bay Liverpool Barwidgee East Kempsey Nobbys Creek Goodwood Tummaville Rushcutters Bay Bidan Community Freeling Berlang Macquarie Plains Hirstglen Kingston Se Revesby Heights Harlin Northcote Eton Madeley Come By Chance
Black Sabbath Never Say Die (2003 DVD) Discogs. Never Say Die! Wikipedia.
Read and write album reviews for Never Say Die! - Black Sabbath on AllMusic. Black Sabbath Critic Reviews for Black Sabbath: Never Say Die. There are no critic reviews yet for Black Sabbath: Never Say Die. Keep checking Rotten Tomatoes for updates! Audience
Black Sabbath Never Say Die Lyrics AZLyrics.com Never Say Die! is the eighth studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released in September 1978.It was the last studio album with the band's original lineup and also the last studio album to feature original vocalist Ozzy Osbourne until the 2013 album 13.It was certified Gold in the U.S on 7 November 1997 and as of November 2011 sold 133,000 copies in the United States since the. Great Sabbath album that has a weird story for me too. When I was involved in a hit and run accident , this album was in my napsack and saved my back from being broken. How weird is that " Never Say Die …. 15/09/2015 · Never Say Die has an end result of being a Sabbath album that's far more reliant on JAZZ and moderate rock than on the crushing heaviness and SCARY imagery that Black Sabbath had been known for previously. But Sabbath excelled as musicians no matter what imagery the album may or may not have had and with that understanding, it's not unpleasant..
T-Shirts – Black Sabbath Official Store All tracks by Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, Ward. Never Say Die! is the final album to feature the original Black Sabbath line up. "Swinging the Chain" features Bill Ward on vocals because Ozzy Osbourne refused to …. 22/04/2009 · People going nowhere, taken for a ride Looking for the answers that they know inside Searching for a reason, looking for a rhyme Snow White's mirror said "partners in …. 04/09/2017 · "Never Say Die" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath. It is the title track from their 1978 album of the same name. It was their first UK single to chart.
Black Sabbath Never Say Die! (album review 2) Sputnikmusic Black Sabbath Critic Reviews for Black Sabbath: Never Say Die. There are no critic reviews yet for Black Sabbath: Never Say Die. Keep checking Rotten Tomatoes for updates! Audience. All tracks by Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, Ward. Never Say Die! is the final album to feature the original Black Sabbath line up. "Swinging the Chain" features Bill Ward on vocals because Ozzy Osbourne refused to …. Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and Sabotage were all undisputed classics that are beloved by heavy metal fans all the world round. But Black Sabbath’s classic lineup recorded eight albums, not six. What of the other two? Technical Ecstasy (1976) and Never Say Die!.
NEVER SAY DIE CHORDS by Black Sabbath @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com Ozzy Osbourne’s last word in Black Sabbath comes in the form of Never Say Die!, a fitting title for a band that would sack its vocalist a year later.Quite literally dried up and doped up to the eyeballs, Sabbath entered a studio in Canada knowing full well that all was not well within its ranks; Ozzy had already quit the band the previous year, but with record company pressure they wheeled. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 DVD release of Never Say Die on Discogs.. Never Say Die is what you get when Ozzy is so far out of reality that he has no clue what he's even doing anymore. This was the end of an era for Sabbath, they were no longer the Sabbath playing sold out concerts with hard rock anthems like Iron Man or Sweet Leaf, but a band releasing albums just to satisfy the record company agreement..
YONEX Tennis Rackets. Beginners and professionals love YONEX tennis rackets due to their innovative designs that not only look great but really help to enhance performance on the tennis court. One of the company's most notable innovations comes in the form of its isometric shaped head which provides a hitting area that is 7% more effective than standard rackets. EZONE DR 98 (285g) Lite Yonex racket specs RacketLogger ... Yonex Dr 98 Lite Review01/07/2017В В· The Yonex Ezone DR 98 is a very arm friendly racquet. In fact it is an upgrade to the Yonex Ezone Ai 98, which is currently on my top 10 list. The DR 98 could easily replace the Ai 98 on my list since it has all the arm friendly technology of the Ai 98 while it has even more arm friendly specs being more flexible and more head light.. Find the new Yonex EZONE rackets. Shop the models 98, 100, Lite, Feel, Alpha for great spin, precision and power.
BLACK SABBATH Never Say Die - Amazon.com Music
BLACK SABBATH – Never Say Die! (1978) Album / EP Reviews. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Never Say Die: Live in 1978 [Video/DVD] - Black Sabbath on AllMusic - 2003 - A pro-shot Black Sabbath show from their Never…, 17/10/2017 · 50+ videos Play all Mix - Black Sabbath - Never say die ( Original Footage Top Of The Pops 1978 ) YouTube Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven LIVE - Duration: 10:59. Pikalika 18,668,879 views.
Readers' Poll The Ten Best Black Sabbath Albums Rolling
Hidden Gems Black Sabbath's "Never Say Die!" Magnet. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Never Say Die: Live in 1978 [Video/DVD] - Black Sabbath on AllMusic - 2003 - A pro-shot Black Sabbath show from their Never…, Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Black Sabbath - Never Say Die at Discogs. Complete your Black Sabbath collection..
Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Never Say Die! - Black Sabbath on AllMusic - 1978 - After going their separate ways for a brief… Never Say Die! is a heavy metal music album recording by BLACK SABBATH released in 1978 on CD, LP/Vinyl and/or cassette. This page includes BLACK SABBATH Never Say Die!'s : cover picture, songs / tracks list, members/musicians and line-up, different releases details, buy online: ebay and amazon, ratings and detailled reviews by some experts, collaborators and members.
Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and Sabotage were all undisputed classics that are beloved by heavy metal fans all the world round. But Black Sabbath’s classic lineup recorded eight albums, not six. What of the other two? Technical Ecstasy (1976) and Never Say Die! Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Never Say Die! - Black Sabbath on AllMusic - 1978 - After going their separate ways for a brief…
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 DVD release of Never Say Die on Discogs. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 DVD release of Never Say Die on Discogs.
He was replaced for some live dates by former Savoy Brown singer Dave Walker, then returned in January 1978. Black Sabbath recorded their eighth album, “Never Say Die!” (September 1978), the title track becoming a UK Top 40 hit before the LP's release and „Hard Road" making the Top 40 afterwards. 23/07/2017 · zzzzz
04/09/2017В В· "Never Say Die" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath. It is the title track from their 1978 album of the same name. It was their first UK single to chart Black Sabbath Critic Reviews for Black Sabbath: Never Say Die. There are no critic reviews yet for Black Sabbath: Never Say Die. Keep checking Rotten Tomatoes for updates! Audience
Never Say Die! is a music studio album recording by BLACK SABBATH (Prog Related/Progressive Rock) released in 1978 on cd, lp / vinyl and/or cassette. This page includes Never Say Die!'s : cover picture, songs / tracks list, members/musicians and line-up, different releases details, free MP3 download (stream), buy online links: amazon, ratings and detailled reviews by our experts, collaborators 23/07/2017В В· zzzzz
04/03/2003 · Share this Rating. Title: Black Sabbath: Never Say Die (1984) 7.5 /10. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. Great Sabbath album that has a weird story for me too. When I was involved in a hit and run accident , this album was in my napsack and saved my back from being broken. How weird is that " Never Say Die …
Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Black Sabbath - Never Say Die at Discogs. Complete your Black Sabbath collection. Read and write album reviews for Never Say Die! - Black Sabbath on AllMusic
Black Sabbath Never Say Die (1984) IMDb
Never Say Die! Black Sabbath Songs Reviews Credits. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2016 Digipak CD release of Never Say Die! on Discogs., View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 DVD release of Never Say Die on Discogs..
Never Say Die Live in 1978 [Video/DVD] Black Sabbath. 11/10/2018В В· Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Black Sabbath - Never Say Die! at Discogs. Complete your Black Sabbath collection., The original lineup of Black Sabbath was on its last legs when they went into the studio to cut Never Say Die! in early 1978. It was their eighth album in as many years and they were simply tapped.
Never Say Die! Wikipedia
Black Sabbath Never Say Die Lyrics AZLyrics.com. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1983 Vinyl release of Never Say Die! on Discogs. https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_(Black_Sabbath) 14/05/2013В В· Never Say Die is the last Black Sabbath album to have Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals until their final ever release, 13. And, well, to be honest, this was much better than I expected..
14/05/2013 · Never Say Die is the last Black Sabbath album to have Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals until their final ever release, 13. And, well, to be honest, this was much better than I expected. 'Never Say Die', recorded from one of the last shows with the original line up from 1978 shot at Hammersmith in London. This DVD shows Sabbath playing some of …
04/09/2017В В· "Never Say Die" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath. It is the title track from their 1978 album of the same name. It was their first UK single to chart The original lineup of Black Sabbath was on its last legs when they went into the studio to cut Never Say Die! in early 1978. It was their eighth album in as many years and they were simply tapped
Ozzy Osbourne’s last word in Black Sabbath comes in the form of Never Say Die!, a fitting title for a band that would sack its vocalist a year later.Quite literally dried up and doped up to the eyeballs, Sabbath entered a studio in Canada knowing full well that all was not well within its ranks; Ozzy had already quit the band the previous year, but with record company pressure they wheeled 11/10/2018 · Discover releases, reviews, credits, songs, and more about Black Sabbath - Never Say Die! at Discogs. Complete your Black Sabbath collection.
He was replaced for some live dates by former Savoy Brown singer Dave Walker, then returned in January 1978. Black Sabbath recorded their eighth album, “Never Say Die!” (September 1978), the title track becoming a UK Top 40 hit before the LP's release and „Hard Road" making the Top 40 afterwards. The original lineup of Black Sabbath was on its last legs when they went into the studio to cut Never Say Die! in early 1978. It was their eighth album in as many years and they were simply tapped
All tracks by Osbourne, Iommi, Butler, Ward. Never Say Die! is the final album to feature the original Black Sabbath line up. "Swinging the Chain" features Bill Ward on vocals because Ozzy Osbourne refused to … Black Sabbath Official Store. Vol. 4 Film Strip Black T-Shirt. $30.00. Black Sabbath Official Store. Vol 4. Cover Art Grey T-Shirt. $30.00. Black Sabbath Official Store . Vol. 4 Live Photo White T-Shirt. $30.00. Black Sabbath Official Store. Never Say Die Circle T-Shirt. $30.00. Black Sabbath Official Store. Never Say Die Helmet T-Shirt. $30.00. Black Sabbath Official Store. Witches T-Shirt
Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for Never Say Die! - Black Sabbath on AllMusic - 1978 - After going their separate ways for a brief… Speaking of credibility (Insufferable Blows Thereto department) Break Out is Black Sabbath's foray into disco music. I wish I were kidding. I wish "Black Sabbath's foray into disco music" were just a Regurgitated Cow Fetus song title, with absolutely no bearing in physical reality, sorta like "being anally violated with an entire warehouse
17/10/2017 · 50+ videos Play all Mix - Black Sabbath - Never say die ( Original Footage Top Of The Pops 1978 ) YouTube Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven LIVE - Duration: 10:59. Pikalika 18,668,879 views Great Sabbath album that has a weird story for me too. When I was involved in a hit and run accident , this album was in my napsack and saved my back from being broken. How weird is that " Never Say Die …
'Never Say Die', recorded from one of the last shows with the original line up from 1978 shot at Hammersmith in London. This DVD shows Sabbath playing some of … View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2003 DVD release of Never Say Die on Discogs.
Never Say Die! is a music studio album recording by BLACK SABBATH (Prog Related/Progressive Rock) released in 1978 on cd, lp / vinyl and/or cassette. This page includes Never Say Die!'s : cover picture, songs / tracks list, members/musicians and line-up, different releases details, free MP3 download (stream), buy online links: amazon, ratings and detailled reviews by our experts, collaborators 17/10/2017В В· 50+ videos Play all Mix - Black Sabbath - Never say die ( Original Footage Top Of The Pops 1978 ) YouTube Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven LIVE - Duration: 10:59. Pikalika 18,668,879 views
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Jackson’s Trust by Violet Duke
Posted by Nerd & Lace on June 30, 2016 June 30, 2016
JACKSON’S TRUST
By Violet Duke
Series: Fourth Down
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Sold by: Random House LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports
It’s no secret that sports analyst Jackson Gray doesn’t do relationships. What is a secret, however, is the reason why. Jackson’s life is . . . complicated. And it doesn’t help that his current hands-off “friendship” is with the cute-as-hell new sideline reporter he’s assigned to train. Turns out, not only is the woman damn sweet, she also knows as much about football as he does. Like it or not though, Jackson has to remind himself that sex is the only thing he has to offer . . . until now.
Leila Hart’s fast-growing friendship with Jackson is something she’d never risk, no matter how unbelievably seductive the reward. Becoming an NFL sportscaster has always been the goal, and thanks to Jackson’s fierce support and mentoring, it all finally seems within reach. Problem is, a girl can only take so much of that sexy-as-sin voice whispering dirty, filthy football stats in her ear before she loses all self-control. A workplace romance with Jackson is a disaster waiting to happen, especially for someone with big dreams . . . and secrets of her own.
A DEE REVIEW
Remember how I said I had a love-hate relationship with the last book I reviewed for May The Best Man Win by Mira Lynn Kelly? Well that was me being dramatic, because I wanted the characters to get together and they were being hard headed. But I really have a love-hate relationship with Jackson’s Trust by Violet Duke. I know, I’m so sorry, not every book can be a 4 out of 5 Nerd Glasses review. And as much as I loathe writing these kind of reviews, this is a place where we share our honest opinions with you. So that’s exactly what I am going to do.
Let’s start from the beginning. Jackson and Leila are two extremely intelligent and successful people. Jackson, for his own reasons, doesn’t do relationships. Leila is trying to be taken seriously as a sideline reporter for a big name sports channel. Which let’s face it, having smart women that know the game on the sidelines, is NOW becoming a thing. In the past, it has just been a pretty face that can distinguish a home run from a touchdown.
Unlike what the books blurb claims, I never felt that they were ever friends. They had the hots for each other from day one, and a steamy scene in his office proves that. As much as one person tries, when you have the hots for someone, you can’t just be their friend. It’s almost impossible. Trust me, I’m the professional girl in the boys club. It’s not like they sat there and talked about their relationship woes, and went out for froyo to talk about their feelings. Their “friendship” was more of a waiting game until they gave into the lust. Which is exactly what happened.
I have to give credit to Ms. Duke for well researched and beyond intelligent characters. I loved that they were smart and were not afraid to show you that. But at times it felt like they were almost too perfect. Like they could do NO wrong. And when they made a mistake it wasn’t one of those, “GASP OMG!” moments. It was more like, “Really? Where did that come from?”.
There was something BIG that happens towards the end of the book that came out of left field. No, I did not see it coming, but again it wasn’t a GASP, but more like a “Seriously, why?” moment. It felt almost like it was an after thought because the characters were too perfect and they needed a conflict in there somewhere.
Every time I read one of Violet Dukes books, I feel like something is missing from her writing. I can’t pin point what it is. But there’s something that’s definitely not there. I do love her characters and that’s what keeps me going back to her books. They are funny, smart, interesting, and you really can’t wait to see how they all find their happily ever after (HEA). It almost feels like she spends most of her efforts in character developing.
Now, not everything is bad about this book. Like I said, I do looove her characters and Jackson’s friends are a blast. I mean, I want to be in their boys club. It sounds like it would be amazing having them as my dudes. And the characters alone make me to give this book 3 Nerd Glasses out of 5. The story however, left me feeling a little flat. But even with that, I am looking forward to Bennett’s book due out early next year. It sounds good, so we shall see!
Remember this is just my personal opinion, I know plenty of people that loved this story, and it actually has 4.5 starts on Amazon. So if you’re one of the ones that did love this story, share your why with us. Would love to hear it. Share with us below, on Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, Facebook, and or/ Tumblr.
Before we go, just reminding everyone that we are holding a Summer Reading Challenge. It’s never to late to join.
XOXOX!
BookBook LoverBook NerdBook ReviewBook ReviewsBook SeriesBook WormBookieBookie ThursdayBooksFourth Down SeriesJackson's TrustViolet Duke
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Ashley Lobo
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Ashley Lobo was conceived on 18 March, 1967 in Mumbai, India. He is an extremely well talented Indo-Australian choreographer. Ashley’s mom is a decently famous and regarded musical drama vocalist and theater identity. While experiencing childhood in Mumbai, a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, he succeeded with various people in his line including many renowned administrators and dance kings/queens like Alyque Padamsee Alyque Padamsee (originally born Alyque Charanya) >> Read More... , Celia Lobo (Ashley’s Mother) and numerous others.
Ashley shifted to Sydney when he was 22 years old where he laid his full concentration on learning dance at the “Bodenweiser Dance Center” which is one of the most reputed Dance Organization currently located in Sydney. He conquered his goal of mastering his favorite dance forms - Classical Ballet and Jazz and now he is one of the best choreographers in these 2 dance forms.
Ashley has also developed extremely high quality skills in Contemporary styles in excess of 5 years. He additionally did TV work with various famous personalities such as Peter Andre, Teen Queens and got an opportunity to work with many more.
Ashley made his TV entrance as a host in the dance fitness show which was named as Good Morning India Good Morning India is an Indian show which telecas >> Read More... , a daily indicate telecasted on Star Plus which ran in excess of 250 episodes which was a big achievement for Ashley and the show itself.
Ashley has likewise been a part of the visitor instructor staffs of the Barry John's IMAGO School of Theater Studies and National School of Drama. Both of these schools are well reputed which resulted in strengthening the career of Ashley Lobo.
He has remained a choreographer of many Bollywood movies such as Namastey London Click to look into! >> Read More... , Blue, Rockstar, Cocktail and many more. At present he is an adjudicator in the dance reality show “India's Dancing Superstar” telecasted on Indian TV channels.
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7 October 2020 by Fast Company
The next pandemic: Why biodefense experts say we need to prepare now
At the Fast Company Innovation Festival this week, experts laid out what we can do to prevent the next COVID-19 from ever happening. The world is still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic , but a group of people is already thinking about the next global disease—and how to be ready. Read Full Story
Here are some articles similar to "The next pandemic: Why biodefense experts say we need to prepare now"
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Our economy was sick long before this pandemic arrived. We’ll need to build a more egalitarian society if we’re going to survive the next one. For many of us, the coronavirus has been a terrifying reminder of our own mortality. Just as frightening are the headlines about the coming economic collapse, with some experts predicting 30% unemployment, mass bankruptcies, and a downturn to rival the Great Depression. Read Full Story
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The conditions created by the pandemic will make it easier for local governments to adopt technological solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic will be “a lubricant for the smart city,” according to one urban planning expert. Read Full Story
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We talked to experts across industries to see what impact COVID-19 will have on the future. 2019 marked the end of a decade. And with it came all sorts of predictions for what 2030 would look like . The future seemed so clear. But then 2020 happened, and you know how the story goes. COVID-19 struck. And the world fast-forwarded five years in five months. Read Full Story
3 August 2020 by Fast Company
What we know so far about ‘long-haul COVID,’ the next chapter in our pandemic nightmare
Symptoms of COVID-19 can persist for months in some patients, but the reasons why are still poorly understood. In a new chapter of our collective COVID-19 nightmare, more and more reports are emerging of “long-haul” COVID-19, a debilitating and ongoing set of symptoms that persists for weeks or months in the aftermath of the disease, which is minimally understood by scientists. Here’s what we know so far: Read Full Story
16 March 2020 by Entrepreneur
COVID-19 Will Fuel the Next Wave of Innovation
This global pandemic will shape businesses for decades to come.
24 April 2020 by Fast Company
Here’s what to expect during the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Bill Gates
In the next few months, developed countries will begin opening their doors again. But this “semi-normal” will still be far from what we were used to. Bill Gates has published a fascinating post over on his blog, GatesNotes, which looks at where the COVID-19 pandemic goes from here. In the post, Gates explores everything from the virus’s exponential growth to treatment and vaccine timelines. The TL;DR version of it is: There’s a lot still to be done, and the effects of the pandemic will continue to go on for a long time. Read Full Story
2 July 2020 by Fast Company
How COVID-19 has changed the way we eat, according to five experts
Top executives from General Mills, Impossible Foods, Land O’Lakes, and more talk about how the pandemic has changed our relationship to food. For Fast Company’ s Shape of Tomorrow series , we’re asking business leaders to share their inside perspective on how the COVID-19 era is transforming their industries. Here’s what’s been lost—and what could be gained—in the new world order . Read Full Story
Here are the top tech trends of 2021, according to 30+ top experts
During the year ahead, technology will help us emerge from the pandemic in ways big and small, obvious and surprising. As we come to the end of a crazy 2020, many of us are suffering from COVID-19 exhaustion. But as two vaccines begin their rollouts, we’ve also begun to visualize what post-pandemic life might be like. Read Full Story
What to do if you’re laid off during COVID-19: Start with these unemployment resources
The U.S. Department of Labor has set up a website with a compendium of resources for the unemployed, including a page dedicated to coronavirus. If you get laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. Job loss is rampant among businesses ranging from movie theaters to aerospace manufacturing. Unemployment claims have skyrocketed to record highs, and things are only getting worse: Experts predict up to 37 million jobs could be cut in the next few months, and the country’s unemployment rate could reach 30% (it’s currently 3.5% ). Read Full Story
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Tag Archives: exciting
And so we’ve followed The Shadow Line all the way to its vanishing point. But did all the pieces of Hugo Blick’s puzzle fit together into a satisfying big picture? Or was all the build up ultimately a disappointment?
Well depending on where you stand, the big reveal that the whole mess was about pensions might be a letdown. There are few less exciting words in the English language. If pensions were a colour they would be grey. They are grey pounds collected from grey post offices in dreary grey villages by grey haired foot soldiers of the drab and grey retirement brigade. All the talk of far reaching Cold War and government conspiracies on internet forums seems rather laughable now. But wouldn’t it have been more interesting and satisfying to find out that it was all more significant than a pension fund? Doesn’t all that killing seem rather OTT for a secure retirement?
A part of me was certainly a little underwhelmed by the explanation of it all, delivered by the retired Commander Penney on his yacht before he blew his own brains out. He explains to Gabriel, who refuses to let the case drop even after the really bad copper at the top has been found out and given the boot because Petra was hired by him to take out Gatehouse, that Counterpoint was official at first. But then after amassing £70 million through drug deals the authorities ordered it to stop, as its activities were entrapment and therefore useless to prosecutors in the courts. Counterpoint carried on, below the radar and unofficially. It laundered money through its deals in order to fund the pensions for the entire police force.
My initial reaction was; seriously? But by the end of the episode I liked the idea and I was sold on it as a good explanation. The way Blick ties things up again emphasises what this series was about; the lives of both sides of the line, cops and crims, and the overlap in between. Police corruption was vital to the entire series and it was fitting that the solution to most of the questions raised throughout was one of complete self interest on behalf of the boys in blue. More than anything though I liked the Britishness of the pensions answer, in keeping with earlier lines like “typical fucking British car chase”. Blick could have tried too hard for a grand an all important finale. But right until the end this series remained original despite emulating the production standards and story arcs of popular American shows.
So what about Gatehouse? Were the shadows around him illuminated with a little light? Yes, a little. We find out that he’s a MI5 agent and in charge of the operations of Counterpoint in the field. He set up Glickman and Harvey Wratten long ago, and by the end of this episode he’s found replacements for them in Jay Wratten and rent boy Rattalack.
Incidentally Jay, who was completely absent last week, has been cunningly manoeuvring behind the scenes. He put the cops onto his uncle in the first place. As Gatehouse says, he has “hidden depths”. Jay gets some of his best lines in a climactic scene with Babur; “It’s never nice to watch an old man refuse to leave a disco…someone had to bundle him off the dance floor”. For all his camp menace, I think most of us who followed The Shadow Line to the end came to love Jay as a character, slimy pantomime villainy and all.
For Gatehouse the whole thing was about control, as Glickman hinted in previous weeks. The head honchos of Counterpoint thought he might have gone rouge to pocket the money for himself, hence the UV tags, but he was only ever trying to restore the stability of the system. With replacements in place, by the end it’s like he’s hit the reset button on the whole series.
Our two principal characters on either side of The Shadow Line, Christopher Eccleston’s Joseph Bede and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Jonah Gabriel, are both extinguished. Bede is shot in a car in exactly the same way Harvey Wratten was and then officers examine the carnage as they did in the very first scene of the series. Bede knew he was going to his death, he’d been warned and had his own suspicions about Jay, but in a powerful piece of understated acting from Eccleston, he leaves his gun on the kitchen table. His plan to save his wife had failed; she attempted suicide twice and was put into care.
As for Gabriel, it seemed like he could do no more. He might just have to accept the promotion that his corrupt superior Patterson, but perhaps slightly less corrupt in that he only follows Counterpoint rather than pocketing the cash for himself, had given him. But then Gatehouse phoned him. They arrange a meet and Honey accompanies him, after repeatedly assuring him throughout the episode of her loyalty to him.
Yeah it was fairly obvious. Honey has her gun trained on Gatehouse but after some final tying off of loose ends and some chit chat about shadows, Gatehouse flicks his lighter and Honey shoots Gabriel dead. So Gatehouse always wins, Counterpoint is back to normal. Honey seems to feel a bit remorseful but Gatehouse assures her she’ll get over it, presumably in retirement with a nice fat pension.
At times The Shadow Line was atrociously bad, usually in a funny way. At times it tried far too hard to be stylish, with one example of this being a fetish during the last two episodes in particular for a close up of cigarette tips as they were lit. However overall it was ambitious and absorbing TV. I haven’t seen anything like this on the BBC or anywhere else. Hugo Blick should be applauded and I hope he gets the chance to make more things in the mould of The Shadow Line. I shall miss both watching and blogging about such twisty, exciting and quality television.
What were your thoughts on the answers, the pensions and the series as a whole? Did you want more? Would you welcome a second series or a spin-off for a particular character?
Tagged 2, 9pm, affair, Anthony, arc, assassin, baby, BBC, Bede, best, Blick, Brydon, Chiwetel, Christopher, climax, cops, corruption, Counterpoint, criminals, dead, deceit, drugs, Eccleston, Ejiofor, episode 7, Eve, event, exciting, finale, Gabriel, Gatehouse, Glickman, Harvey, Honey, Hugo, iplayer, Jay, Jonah, Joseph, Kierston, line, Marion and Geoff, menace, Money, Mrt'sblog, Nicholson, online, pensions, Peter, Petra, police, Rafe, Rea, Rebecca, reveal, Rob, schedules, secrets, Series, series blog, shadow, Sher, son, Spall, Stephen, story, television, The, The Guardian, The Shadow Line, Thursdays, tradgedy, tragedy, tragic, TV Guide, Wareing, website, wife, Would I lie to you?, Wratten
This penultimate episode started to bring things closer to the big reveal and end of series climax. However rather than my usual attempt to sort out the threads of the plot, I am driven by a minor detail to starting this week’s summary with a rant about realism and the suspension of disbelief.
Gatehouse, played with quiet menace by Stephen Rea, has been the most mysterious figure in a story arc stuffed full of secrets and deceit. In this episode he finally appeared to meet his match. Anthony Sher’s Glickman, who had that thrilling standoff with Gatehouse last week, uses Chiwetel Ejiofor’s confused Detective Jonah Gabriel, the one with the bullet in his brain, to set the perfect trap for Gatehouse. Both men lie in wait for Gatehouse in the home of Gabriel’s secret family.
After a tense conversation between Gatehouse and Gabriel, Glickman pounces from the little boy’s room (the son’s bedroom not the toilet). He fires several times with his silenced weapon, hitting Gatehouse decisively at least twice. The action slides into dramatic slow-mo as Gabriel’s son runs from his room, getting caught in the crossfire. Glickman shoots Gatehouse to make sure before stumbling from the horrific and tragic scene his trap has inadvertently created. Even in death Gatehouse finds and hurts the weak points of those in his way.
Except Gatehouse isn’t dead. He’ s taken to hospital and Gabriel says the doctors insist he has the heart rate of a twenty year old. I said last week that Glickman seemed to be far more human than Gatehouse despite his similar efficiency, and I was right. Distraught after accidentally killing an innocent boy, Glickman rings Petra, his jilted girlfriend. She meets him in an alleyway to console him. And then she stabs him several times, leaving him to die in a heap.
That was certainly a surprise I didn’t see coming. I had assumed Glickman’s abandoned love was simply to give his character weight and also give Christopher Eccleston’s Joseph Bede a forbidden love interest to spice up his inner battle with his wife’s dementia. But no, it turns out she’s an assassin. Who is she working for? With Gatehouse taken out, we assume he has powerful friends or subordinates seeking swift revenge.
However then she turns up, right at the end of the episode, at Gatehouse’s private hospital room. His only security is a nurse with a fondness for Dairy Milk and an unfortunate knack of dropping her precious snack to the floor as killers lurk outside looking to sneak past. Petra is clearly a cunning and formidable opponent to deceive so easily and completely someone as wary and careful as Glickman. Here she unzips her top to reveal an ample cleavage and a mass of wires clinging to her chest. She proceeds to hook herself up to the immobile Gatehouse, seemingly doing something complicated to swap heart beat readings. She has a lethal injection ready and waiting. As she says aloud “bleep bleep” to make sure she gets the timing of the switch right, Gatehouse rolls over, says “bleep” and kills her like he was just having a power nap.
And so, finally, to my big gripe. Gatehouse has not a single sign of being shot on his body. Blood could be seen spreading around his head and trademark black coat after Glickman fired. He must have been substantially wounded, taking bullets somewhere on the torso. I am quite willing to accept that Gatehouse turns out to be the unbeatable top dog, as he has been all along. I wouldn’t have minded Gatehouse summoning the strength to kill his would be killer, if there had simply been a bandage or stitch or something to indicate the earlier ordeal. We get that Gatehouse is stronger than normal men. But such inconsistency and laziness of detail when shooting a pivotal scene, severely limits the audience’s ability to inhabit the increasingly sensational story.
Most of you are probably thinking I’ve blown such a tiny detail out of proportion. I may have done. But for me things like that have always been important. It is often a trait of men to pick fault in the believability of a story. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the excitement of the scene and all that went before it. And it’s not that I wish everything to be so plausible that it becomes mundane.
Such mistakes leave me with a feeling of annoyance though. This is a huge shame because The Shadow Line has been largely consistent and quality in terms of such details. And all I really wanted to do was commend this episode. Of course, it might be revealed next week that Gatehouse knew Glickman was planning a trap and had taken precautions. In which case this was an even more pointless rant.
What about the rest of the episode then? Well finally we got some satisfying focus on Gabriel’s character. For most of the episode he was the narrative focal point, right up until Glickman’s trap was sprung, adding to the drama, emotion and awfulness of the death of his son. We start by watching him get a brain scan; it seems he’s getting his memory back. His wife nearly loses the baby but then things turn out to be fine. Glickman tells him to follow the money, not the drugs as he said last time. Would have helped if he hadn’t mucked us about wouldn’t it? He tells Gabriel to harass the retired police commander about Counterpoint, which will bring Gatehouse out of the shadows to hunt down his weak point. We learn that the journalist, otherwise known as M’s assistant in Casino Royale, met his maker because he pestered the commander too much.
The police corruption goes higher and deeper than anyone could have imagined. A senior civil servant seems to be pulling the strings as he issues instructions to our crooked inspector at a funeral. He orders the convincing suicide and murder of Gabriel and his family. Does this mean Gatehouse is working for people within the law and government (as he killed Andy Dixon in the same way)? Meanwhile Gabriel finds out he’s a good cop. He didn’t log the operation the night he was shot because he knew there were rotten elements on the police side. And the police were buying the drugs as well as selling them. Baffling.
Other asides: rent boy Rattalack is getting his money from Gatehouse to buy Bede’s drugs. But with Gatehouse almost dead, everyone gets panicky when the money doesn’t turn up. And Bede’s right hand man is going to sell details of the deal. We still don’t know what Counterpoint is or who Glickman’s ex was working for, seeking to tidy up the situation with some slick murders. Gabriel’s wife gets a lecture from his ex, the mother of his dead child, at the boy’s funeral. She basically tells her to get Gabriel out of the mess and that the truth isn’t always worth it. Will he be able to keep a family together even if all the mysteries are solved?
Next week, light will illuminate the shadows. Will everything fit together? Supposedly Hugo Blick plotted the whole series with massive interconnecting mind maps, so it should. And will Jay Wratten, absent this week, go out with a whimper or a bang?
Tagged 2, 9pm, affair, Anthony, arc, assassin, baby, BBC, Bede, best, Blick, Brydon, Chiwetel, Christopher, cops, corruption, criminals, dead, deceit, drugs, Eccleston, Ejiofor, Eve, event, exciting, Gabriel, Gatehouse, Glickman, Harvey, Honey, Hugo, iplayer, Jay, Jonah, Joseph, Kierston, line, Marion and Geoff, menace, Money, Mrt'sblog, Nicholson, online, Peter, Petra, police, Rafe, Rea, Rebecca, Rob, schedules, secrets, Series, series blog, shadow, Sher, son, Spall, Stephen, story, television, The, The Guardian, The Shadow Line, Thursdays, tradgedy, tragedy, tragic, TV Guide, Wareing, website, wife, Would I lie to you?, Wratten
A quick note on the WordPress “just write” feature
I used to write all my blog pieces in Word and simply copy them. I shall probably still end up doing this in future when writing about certain things. But lately, especially writing about personal or passionate topics, I’ve taken advantage of the newly improved full screen mode on WordPress or the “just write” feature.
I honestly didn’t realise how relaxing it would be. With nothing but your words on the screen it’s far easier to find a rhythm and concentrate on your flow of thought. It’s also easier to think about the quality of each individual sentence and how the whole thing will look when you’re done. Whilst your typing, no matter what theme you have, it will feel clean and professional.
I can’t believe that such a simple improvement in usability has spurred me on to write, about anything at all. It’s made the technicalities of the process more enjoyable and exciting again. And by getting rid of distractions you feel able to deliver your best more often.
I’ve been meaning to write about the doubts I’ve been having about my writing for some time. But with the novelty of this new feature, I shall just plough onwards and try to write through it.
Well done WordPress.
Tagged 2011, blog, blogging, calm, carry, clean, Coraline, distraction, divert, doubts, each, easily, enjoyable, exciting, feature, free, full, going, improved, in, individual, just write, keep, Liam, May, midnight, mode, monday, Mrt'sblog, note, On, pleased, post, professional, quality, quick, relaxing, screen, sentence, technical, The, theme, tools, Trim, updated, white, writer, writing
Black Shorts for the Edinburgh Fringe – Play submission 1: The Mannequin in Black Shorts
In the past month I submitted 3 scripts for plays and sketches to a theatre company that were looking to showcase new writers at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this August. Against all of my expectations, one of my submissions, a sketch, was accepted and shall fingers crossed, be performed. My work will feature in the Laughing Horse, free fringe programme.
Nearer the time I shall probably shamelessly publicise the event all over Mrtsblog. If anyone reading this lives nearby or was planning to visit the excellent festival, as I was anyway, I would love it if you could check out my work! But as I say, details can wait. In the meantime I will look forward to all the brilliant acts and possibilities of the festival, from comedy to drama, and touring the city with itself, with its fascinating history. I am tremendously excited about the opportunity of having my own work realised on the best of stages and platforms. I have read about famous faces in comedy and culture, from Michael McIntyre to Stephen Fry, who learnt their craft dabbling in the cuthroat thrills of the Fringe. I cannot wait.
To further wet my own appetite, and hopefully tug a little at yours, I thought I would post the two submissions that weren’t successful here. The theme was Black Shorts and a short script with minimal props was required. My first submission, The Mannequin in Black Shorts, literally features a pair of Black Shorts, whereas the other two were merely dark and snappy in tone. Clearly, as they were unsuccesful submissions, these ideas are riddled with faults that I am the first to recognise. I am still learning, constructive criticism is welcomed.
Anyway here we are then. A taste of my play/script/sketch writing skills, that I hope to develop considerably in the future after such an honour and opportunity:
The Mannequin in Black Shorts
Two men sit across from each other on chairs. One (C) holds a pen and paper but rarely uses them. The other (Adam) occasionally sips from a glass of water and avoids eye contact now and then to fiddle with it. There is a prolonged silence before anyone says anything.
Adam: See I knew she was from London cos she rode on the right.
C: Sorry? What?
Adam: I knew she was from London because she stood on the right hand side.
C: So we’re on escalators now? Am I right? What’s your tenuous link to escalators Adam?
Adam: Do you have to call me that?
C: It is your name.
Adam: My emotions are up and down, escalators ferry people up and down. How’s that for a link?
C: What makes you so certain she was from London? Anyone could choose to stand on the right.
Adam: Anyone could choose to yeah. But she didn’t choose to, it was habit.
C: How do you know?
Adam: We went up like three or four of the things and every time she’s straight there on the right, gliding like a pro. And I know.
C: She could have been…
Adam: The way she dressed was very urban, no…metropolitan, too. She wasn’t from some rural backwater, she’s used to hustle, bustle, rushing and pushing and cruising on auto pilot through crowds and up and down incidental features of the landscape like escalators.
C: She could have been anyone.
Adam: She wasn’t.
C: Why?
Adam: Why what?
C: Why wasn’t she just anyone? Why does she have to be from London?
Adam: Because I know what I saw.
C: You have no evidence again. People from London could just as easily stand on the left couldn’t they? In fact if you were so used to standing on the right you might just stand on the left for no reason; just because you could. She could have been breaking a habit, couldn’t she? Admit that’s a possibility.
Adam: It would be a possibility if I was wrong.
C: Which you might be.
Adam: I’m not.
C: Well I do it.
Adam: Sorry? Are we here to discuss what you do?
C: I stand on the left just to mix things up. I get tired of standing on the right on the Tube.
Adam: You just proved my point.
C: Enlighten me.
Adam: You don’t live in London.
C: I don’t. But I don’t see why someone who goes there very regularly can’t have a strong habit or inclination to follow or break a routine.
Adam: If you lived there you’d just do it naturally. Like this girl. Without a second thought. BAM. “I’ll stand on the right”. No she doesn’t even think about it, it just happens.
C: Why is it so hard for you to accept that you might be wrong? Where do you get this unfounded certainty from?
Adam: I’m not wrong.
C: But can’t you at least admit that you could be?
Adam: You just don’t understand second nature.
C: mm…
Adam: See! You think too much.
C: Don’t you pay me to think?
Adam: I pay you to talk.
C: Does it matter what I say?
Adam: No.
Adam gets up and wanders out of sight, returning with a fresh glass of water. C makes a point of loudly tearing the paper he’s been using for notes, starting on a new piece.
C: (lets out a big sigh) I think we’ve strayed off the point somewhat. Why don’t you keep telling me about the dream?
Adam: What dream?
C: The recurring one.
Adam: I already told you.
C: Hardly. I think you’re avoiding the subject. What are you afraid of?
Adam: Why do you ask so many questions?
C: Why do you like answering mine with your own?
Adam: How about answering mine and I’ll consider answering yours?
C: How do you expect me to do my job if I don’t ask you things?
Adam: You have no job. And by only asking questions you don’t do any work, you’re just trying to get me to help myself. Classic shrink. If I could do that I wouldn’t be sitting here.
C: I don’t need to work if I don’t have a job. You’ve told me before I’m not your shrink.
Adam: You’re not.
C: So what exactly are we doing here Adam?
Adam: Don’t call me that!
C: I’ll call you what I like Adam, especially if you’re not my employer. If I’m not your therapist, your psychologist, your counsellor, what am I?
(a pause)
Adam: It’s a nightmare.
(a longer pause, Adam looks away and C reflects)
C: Ah, so are we willing to admit you were avoiding the subject now?
Adam: Shut up.
C: Fine. That won’t get us anywhere though.
Adam: You don’t need to “get anywhere”. It’s my dream.
(Adam is visibly angry. C adopts a comforting tone, as if addressing a child)
C: Quite right. It’s your dream Adam, your problem. But would you like me to help?
Adam: Of course I want your fucking help.
C: Then perhaps I best not shut up just yet.
Adam: (heavy with sarcasm) Perhaps not.
Adam downs his glass of water and stares into the empty glass. C watches and waits. There’s silence for a time.
C: Are you ready to talk about the dream again yet?
Adam: Nightmare.
C: So you say.
Adam: What’s that supposed to mean?
C: It didn’t sound so horrific.
Adam: Why do you have to be so fucking aggressive?
C: And you’re not? I’m not aggressive.
Adam: Cruel then, you’re cruel.
C: I’m not cruel Adam. This wouldn’t do you any good if I wasn’t frank. That’s all I’m trying to do; be honest with you. So. Can you tell me about the recurring dream again? How often does it happen?
Adam: I get the nightmare every night, sometimes more than once a night these days.
C: And what happens?
(Adam grunts and says nothing for some time)
C: What happens in the nightmare Adam?
Adam: I told you. I wake up in my bed and for some reason I go to the mirror. I look at myself and I’m looking at this waxwork model, like this shop dummy thing…
C: A mannequin.
Adam: … with no real face or anything original about it. I try to move away from the mirror but I can’t. I’m just this lifeless figurine.
C: Do you remember what the mannequin was wearing? Last time you wouldn’t say what it was wearing? Are you naked as the mannequin Adam?
(Adam laughs derisively with a snort)
Adam: No. You’d have liked that wouldn’t you?
C: Go on.
Adam: I’m wearing black shorts, like the type I’d wear to football practice when I was younger.
C: Do you have any memories of that football practice? Do you regret giving up football?
Adam: No the shorts were…They…
(His voice breaks and he seems unable to go on)
C: Yes?
Adam: The shorts were stained.
C: Stained?
Adam: You heard me.
C: Marked with mud? Stained from playing football maybe?
Adam: No not that sort of stain.
C: Then what sort of stain?
Adam: I…
C: Blood?
Adam: (quietly) No
C: Sorry?
Adam: I said no. Not blood.
C: Are you sure? There’s no need to lie Adam.
Adam: Not blood ok?
C: Do you know what sort of stain it was?
Adam: Of course I do! It was my dream.
C: Well you clearly don’t know everything about it.
Adam: Just…
C: Would you rather not say what sort of stain it was?
Adam: I think…
C: You think…?
C: You…?
Adam: I think YOU SHOULD LET ME TALK! I don’t want to talk about it.
C: But you said…?
Adam: I don’t want to say what type of stain, ok?
C: That’s fine.
Adam: Would you like a biscuit?
Adam disappears for a while. C puts his pen and paper on the floor. He taps his hand against the side of the chair while he waits. Adam returns.
Adam: There weren’t any.
C: Don’t worry.
Adam: Do you think Doctor Who is for kids?
C: Adam…
Adam: Answer the question.
C: Yes. Yes I do.
Adam: Was that a loaded question?
C: I wouldn’t say so no.
Adam: What is a loaded question?
Adam: Surely all questions are loaded? To an extent.
C: Perhaps they are. I think you have a point there.
Adam: Why is Doctor Who just for kids?
C: I didn’t say it was just for kids.
Adam: Just answer the question.
C: Cos you pay me to talk right?
(Adam says nothing. There’s a pause.)
C: I think we’re all kids. I like Doctor Who.
Adam: Why do you like it?
C: It can be anything. It’s original and creative escapism. And it’s about running from loneliness. Anyone can relate to that.
Adam: Can they? And who says it’s about that? Isn’t that a bit heavy for kids?
C: I say it’s about that. It isn’t about that for everyone. It’s my interpretation.
Adam: I think it’s childish.
C: Well not everything can be everyone’s cup of tea.
Adam: What does that even mean? You talk rubbish.
C: You chose this tangent. I’d rather talk about your dream.
Adam: Well I feel like ranting about the flaws of British television.
C: Adam stop this.
Adam: Stop what? Why don’t you sell me the merits of Doctor Who? You’re not even trying!
C: You should like him. He’s clever and he’s a bit like all the detectives you like.
Adam: I do not like detectives. I glean what I can for my own observational skills.
C: “Glean” is a very good word Adam.
Adam: Don’t patronise me.
C: You’re a walking dictionary.
(C leans forward exasperated)
C: Well listen to yourself! What are you even doing with your life? How old are you!?
The lights abruptly go down. When they slowly return Adam is no longer on stage. At the centre and towards the rear C stands next to a Mannequin in Black Shorts. At the front and to the left a security guard sits on a chair. At the front to the right a woman with a shopping bag hovers about as if browsing clothes on a rail. C’s appearance is the same as before but somehow scruffier and dishevelled.
C: (pacing around in frustration) I said listen to yourself Adam!
C: I’m sorry Adam but it’s your name. For Christ’s sake grow a pair.
(Another, lengthier, pause)
C: No, no, Adam you listen! (C turns and walks up to the Mannequin. He takes some deep breaths to calm himself before seemingly addressing it directly) Tell me about the dream. No buts or excuses this time.
(There’s a substantial spell of silence. The security guard stifles a burp and then coughs. The shopper bends down as if to feel the quality of material or inspect a price tag. She gets a text message on her phone. C tries to make eye contact with the Mannequin, occasionally looking away and nodding or shaking his head now and then.)
C: Well…I’ve never heard such self-involved, deluded bullshit…
(A brief pause)
C: Ha! It might be just my interpretation, but I can assure you that yours is further from the truth. You are not some tortured or fallen genius Adam. That dream is either a meaningless fart of activity from your brain or a yelp from your sub-conscious.
C: It means that maybe you know somewhere inside that thick head of yours that your personality is a lifeless empty shell you’re constantly trying to fill. And none of this endless madness is doing you any good.
(Brief pause)
C: (with a raised voice) Oh please! (shouting now) Last week you were insisting you were the heir to Hercule bloody Poirot!
(The browsing shopper glances round in C’s direction. As does the security guard who groans and starts to make a call on his phone.)
C: Sorry Adam but someone has to be honest with you…I’m you’re what!?…Friends don’t have an hourly rate…
(Security guard is up and walking towards C)
Guard: (in a thick masculine accent) Not you again. C’mon pal away from here…
C: You may feel you’re someone else here Adam, but I’m not going to call you anything besides your name…Are you paying by cheque this week? As usual?
Guard: (laying a hand on C’s shoulder) Listen, shut it Sigmund. People are tryin’ to shop.
C: (straining to talk to Mannequin) If that’s how you feel we needn’t meet again…(screaming at top of his voice as Guard begins to pull him away. Shopper glances anxiously repeatedly towards C and hurries off stage.)… BUT YOU MUST PAY ACCORDING TO OUR ARRANGEMENT!
(The Guard slowly guides C off stage, grappling now and then to keep him from the Mannequin. C begins to make indecipherable, animalistic noises)
Guard: Oi! Put a sock in it will ya, ya bloody loony!
They exit the stage.
Tagged actors, actress, autobiography, awesome, Black, breakthrough, capital, chance, comedians, Comedy, company, creative, dialogue, drama, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Fringe, exciting, fail, failure, Festival, fiction, flop, free fringe, Fry, group, history, international, Laughing Horse, laughs, Liam, Life and Laughing, literary, McIntyre, Michael, minimal, Mrt'sblog, news, opportunity, performance, playwright, props, Scotland, set, Shorts, sketch, sketches, snappy, stage, Stephen, submission, success, Theatre, thrilling, Trim, writers, writing
Chance and fate are like twin sisters; biologically related but far from identical. They are concepts we all know and experience day after day. Yet their effects fluctuate so wildly that no human being can define, prove or explain what exactly they are, or indeed confirm their existence with any certainty. The best, most brilliant minds throughout history have focused their attention on these beguiling, fascinating, unknowable sisters at some point. Everybody, from genius to crack addict, ponders the cruelties of chance, the favours of fate.
Was it chance that brought the girl of your dreams out onto the street in front of you? Was it just bad luck that you were spitting out your gum at the time, so that she walked head on into a potent projectile of sugared saliva and masticated goo? Or were you doomed to failure? Manipulative Miss Fate may have singled you out as her joke of the day. Then again, perhaps she was just redressing the balance after she took out the lights in the bar that time. Your powers of attraction increased tenfold in near darkness, allowing you to raise your standards considerably. That girl, let’s say Linda, barely noticed the peculiar crook of your nose, for instance, or the irrepressible leering tint to your eyes. But then again maybe there’s no balance at all, no order. Maybe it’s just Miss Chance, a bored, daydreaming secretary at her desk, absentmindedly jabbing at her keyboard.
Often the only way we can begin to explore or talk about these sisters is through storytelling. And George Nolfi’s first feature film as a director, The Adjustment Bureau, is fairly explicitly about the human relationship between our free will, each and every choice that we make, and our fate, the possible destiny that may be already determined for us, laid out beyond our control. The Adjustment Bureau is also a film that can claim to be a “sci-fi romantic thriller”; a distinctive and intriguing description of any story.
Indeed ever since I saw the trailer for The Adjustment Bureau I have been anticipating a thoroughly different blockbuster. Several of Phillip K. Dick’s stories have been taken on and adapted by Hollywood, and several more such as The Man in the High Castle (an alternative history of the Cold War), would make excellent movies. Dick had a knack for capturing fascinating science based or philosophical questions, within a captivating narrative framework that really made you think about the issue. Apparently Nolfi has expanded considerably on Dick’s short story, Adjustment Team, for this project, and that may account for some of its failings.
Numerous reviews have pointed out the plot holes in The Adjustment Bureau and lamented its implausibility. For a film marketing itself as exciting, the lack of engaging thrills has also been highlighted. It’s certainly something that requires a greater than usual suspension of disbelief to really enjoy it. However, critics have also been quick and correct to heap praise upon the performances of the two leads.
In interviews Emily Blunt and Matt Damon have talked of how they “dicked around” on set and tried to transfer some of this interaction, this genuine banter, to the screen. It’s a technique that worked tremendously well. Much of Nolfi’s dialogue in this film is good, but inevitably when trying to encompass such grand themes and deal with an issue like love at first sight, the odd passage is clunky, cliché and cheesy. These bad moments have the potential to seriously deflate the quality of a film. But Damon and Blunt’s brilliance ensures that these dances with disaster become strengths. Whenever an emotional speech is about to over step the mark, one of the characters, usually Blunt’s, makes a jokey remark to both lighten the tone and preserve the intensity of what went before. With such sensational plot components Blunt and Damon’s incredible, immense believability and appeal makes the romantic element of the story feel constantly real and affecting.
Damon in particular is excellent as the focus of the tale and adds another impressive notch to his CV. He appears to have truly arrived as a top Hollywood leading man. Here he plays up and coming senator David Norris, who concedes a mammoth lead in the polls thanks to some revelations about his wild shenanigans in the past. It was a step too far for voters, who had been willing to back the fresh faced, young and local candidate. Damon is completely convincing as a politician passionate for change but disillusioned with the system he must embrace to achieve it.
Underneath it all, Norris just wants company and affection, and this Damon portrays well too. In the Gents after his election defeat, he bumps into Elise, a contemporary ballet dancer. After an odd (but believable!) first meeting, Norris is as infected with the chemistry between them as the audience is. He abandons his conservative losing speech in favour of a frank, electrifying exposure of behind the scenes campaigning and the nature of politics as a whole. His popularity sky rockets (one of the film’s multitude of interesting ideas and points is how the public wants honesty in politics but good men are continually stifled from being themselves).
However when Norris tries to pursue his instant infatuation with Elise, he’s warned off by mysterious looking types in 1950s style period suits, wearing silly hats. This is The Adjustment Bureau; the people that make things happen according to plan. They are not all powerful, as they appear to be governed by their own set of rules and frequently require greater levels of “authorisation”, but they can flit about New York City by teleporting through doors and predict the choices you make. John Slattery, Anthony Mackie and Terrence Stamp, all give decent performances as agents of this supernatural organisation.
The dated look of the agents has come in for considerable criticism; but I rather liked it. Whilst the film could be more thrilling, it’s refreshing to watch a blockbuster that’s still exciting and engaging without being stunt heavy. The focus is not on the action but on the plot and the romance between Elise and David. As for the plot holes, especially increasingly silly ones towards the end, these are probably due to the fact that The Adjustment Bureau is ideas heavy. Sure some of these musings on such debated subjects as the limitations of free will, determinism, God, chance and love are far from subtle. But to me that doesn’t matter, especially given the convincing chemistry at the heart of the film driving it forward as the narrative focus. It’s extremely admirable, valid and bold to make a mainstream film about any of these ideas at all. The Adjustment Bureau will get you thinking and talking about them, and hopefully exploring these fascinating areas further.
Besides, in my opinion, not all of the film’s ideas are as flat and basic as some reviews would have you think. The corporation like structure of The Adjustment Bureau for example (with God referred to as The Chairman), made an extremely relevant point about the limitations of our free will today, in supposedly completely liberated western societies. We no longer realistically worry ourselves with tyrants and dictators, but money, class and big business can substantially shape our paths through life and the hold the powerful keys to turning points in our destiny.
I applaud the abundance of ideas in The Adjustment Bureau then, even if it could have been a better film. Because of all the talking points and its compelling romance, it is still a good and worthwhile watch. Perhaps the most resonant, but also cliché, point that it makes though, and chooses to conclude with, is that love is worth fighting for. Whatever uncontrollable obstacles life throws in the way, be it distance/geography, illness/injury or rivals/opponents, love can be enough and worth holding on to. No matter what.
Oh god. Did I actually just type that? Shoot me now. Yes their performances really are that good.
Tagged 50s, acting, action, Adjustment, aftermath, applaud, Aristotle, authentic, award, bad, ballerina, ballet, bar, believable, Blade Runner, blockbuster, blog, blunt, Bourne, Bradbury, Bureau, Business, cameos, chance, charming, chat, cheesy, chemistry, chewing, choice, cliche, Cold War, Collinson, Comedy, compelling, contemporary, convincing, cool, corporation, cute, Daily Show, Damon, dance, darkness, David, debated, debut, decisions, destiny, determinism, dialogue, dick, dicking around, different, Do Androids Dream Electric Sheep?, doors, drive, embarassing, Emily, ethics, exciting, fashion, fate, faults, feature, fight, film, first, Flickering, focus, framework, free will, funny, Gary, George, god, goo, good, Guardian, gum, hard, hats, holes, Hollywood, Hume, ideas, image, incident, Jason, John, Jon Stewart, K, Kant, leads, Leibniz, Liam, liberty, line, losing, love, luck, Mad Men, manhattan, masticated, mate, Matt, meaning, method, Minority Report, mix, Money, movie, musings, myth, narrative, new, New York, Nolfi, Norris, novel, pacing, path, performances, perhaps, Phillip, philosophy, Ping, plot, points, policy, Politics, postwar, praise, Ray, resonant, Review, romance, route, sci-fi, screenplay, script, Senator, set, sex, sight, sisters, skyscrapers, Slattery, soul, speech, Stamp, statue, story, Street, stunts, style, suits, superb, symbol, talking, technique, teleport, Terrence, The, The Man in the High Castle, thinking, thriller, ties, toilets, top, Trim, turning, tv, twists, UK, Ultimatum, up, valid, Verdict, water, Webb, winning, worthwhile, writing
The i: Media revolution or pointless newspaper flop?
At Waterloo station the other day I finally succumbed to curiosity. I found myself staring blankly at a WH Smiths emblazoned with a small red letter “i”. In just one moment, demoralised and waiting for a train, all the hype and advertising culminated for me. It was only 20p, let’s see what all the fuss is about. I lugged my stuff over to the store, handed over my solitary coin and headed for a drink to dissect the nation’s latest news phenomenon.
Or is such a big deal? I sit here with two copies, having purchased a second for the purposes of writing this piece. And from the outside it doesn’t look so extraordinary. Sure I’m familiar with the concept, the image they’re trying to sell. It’s a concise compilation of news and opinion, an intelligent but manageable information snack to be devoured by your busy city type. It ought not to appeal so greatly here in my rural setting, and yet the first two local shops I tried were sold out yesterday. Not just a paper for commuters rushing through London terminals and underground stations then? Perhaps it does have some foundations of longevity; having said that, it could simply be the novelty buy of the moment.
If you’re reading this and saying to yourself “what on earth is i?” I am frankly astounded. I don’t believe you can have avoided the marketing blitz accompanying its release. It adorns the side of London buses, plasters newspaper stands and rules the ad breaks at times. The strap-line at the top of the front page reads: “As seen on TV: Britain’s concise quality paper”. They’re fully aware of the exposure i is getting and I’m guessing the idea is to hook regular readers early. The dirt cheap price will be crucial to the appeal, as will the two key selling points; concise and quality. It’s broadsheet meat in tasty tabloid nuggets.
Essentially it’s a bite-size version of The Independent. The fact that it’s The Independent launching the i does bode well in many respects; The Independent is the newest established national paper in this country. Launched in the eighties it knew how to exploit gaps in the market with price, design, image and politics. Nicknamed the Indy, it used the slogan “It is. Are you?” at its birth in 1986. Such lines show that even back then this was a paper that knew how to bag itself a target market of aspiring intelligent types looking to distinguish themselves from The Guardian or The Times. It would be simultaneously liberal and opinionated, and respected and trusted. In 2003 it took on a tabloid format, which begs the question, why the need for the i?
The clue is in the name. The i is unashamedly jumping onto the Apple bandwagon. We arrive in a new decade, the teenies or whatever follows the noughties, grappling with the coming of the iPad. The iPad seems to herald a new media age in a lot of ways. Countless commentators and reviews argue over its purpose, with many concluding it does not have a particularly functional one. In technology the iPad is halfway between a laptop or netbook and a smartphone or iPod. It fails to do certain things these old staples do so well, whilst also doing some new things no one is quite sure whether we want yet. Most reviews also conclude that the iPad is so much fun, it scarcely matters what it’s for. It’s an inexplicable indulgence, until the content starts to catch up.
But unavoidably the ethos around the iPad is the direction of travel, the way things are going. People want everything they do, everything they consume, to be aesthetically dazzling and finely crafted. They want to look cool when they read the news and they want to feel cool. They want it to be easy but still be well informed afterwards. They want colour and images. The i is the newspaper equivalent of the iPad; it’s well designed and bright and fun, but it hovers in a new uncertain territory between purposes. Is it broadsheet or tabloid? Paper or magazine? Light or heavy news?
At first I was reading the i trying to work out whether it lived up to its brief of “concise quality” sufficiently, and even if it did, whether it was good enough to warrant such a category of publication. I mean can’t even the busiest person simply selectively scan their favourite paper? I was judging each article to decide whether it had the depth of broadsheet and snappy digestibility of tabloid. The selection of topics for articles is certainly suitably intelligent, with nothing too light or smutty about cheap celebrities creeping in. On the snappy front the opening double page has a “news matrix” with summaries of the day’s top stories, so the reader has at least an overview of everything. This does seem surprisingly handy.
In fairness to most of the articles about serious stories, they do an admirable job of cutting right to the point without being patronising or watering the issue down. But unavoidably there is an unsatisfying lack of depth. Everyday there is a fairly substantial opinion piece however, which can’t be accused of cutting corners. Indeed the opinion section of the paper is a good example of successful fusion between manageable and satisfying content. An “opinion matrix” summarises views from other publications, a bold and genuinely informative move in keeping with The Independent tradition, adjacent to an article from one of their writers. I really like that it quotes other papers, and I imagine the average commuter without the time to buy and read a range, does too. There is only the one opinion piece per day though.
This week the content of the i has been somewhat heavy on anti-Murdoch sentiment, what with the ongoing hacking story and the takeover of Sky forever raging, which I found tiresome. It’s of course admirable to expose such stories, under reported in other papers, but it compromises the potential for other news and comment in such a small paper, and also The Independent tradition of staying above the fray (despite an undoubtedly left-wing reputation).
The television schedule is well designed, split as it is into categories with key programmes, and a smaller list with the all junk underneath. Ideal for those that work all day. There’s also a section called “iq” which seems to be dedicated to the likes of style and recipes and again has a good balance between brevity and depth. The arts area of the paper seems somewhat recycled each day, with film and theatre listings and descriptions; no reviews. Not being a businessman I wouldn’t know if the business section was adequate, but it has its own “news matrix” which seems a good, broad introduction to all the main action of the day. The sports pages are really quite short but do touch on all the main issues; football transfer gossip, Six Nations, Andy Murray.
After all this analysis though I remembered how crucial the comparison with the iPad is to understanding the i. Frequently I toy with it in those cavernous Apple stores, knowing full well I haven’t the funds for such an extravagance or even if I would use it at all, should I win the lottery or rob a bank. But every time I go in for a discrete fondle of the touch screen, that indescribable feeling Apple manufactures so well washes over me. That feeling of being at the forefront; the vanguard of technological advancement. As if I’m in an incredibly cool sci-fi film, not my mundane life. That feeling of childish play, somehow fused with the realisation you’ve arrived as an adult with the James Bond gadget to prove your maturity and success. Look at the tech they let me unleash! Behold the luxuries that make up my exciting everyday existence!
Like the iPad, the i is a symbol of a life style choice, a lot more than just a paper. Now it might be the case that your choice of paper has always been a significant indicator of outlook and ambition, but the i is a heightened version, harnessing the 21st century Apple fever. It popularises that choice and makes it available to the masses as a statement of intent. “Look at me, I am intelligent but too busy to stop, I’ve arrived!”
Even if you don’t consciously think this, the colourful design and appeal of the i put it on that similarly luxurious plain to the iPad. It really is well designed, easy to read and pretty to look at on some pages. And why shouldn’t intelligent news be a pleasure to look at? Why does it have to be bunched in dense text and an excruciating eyesore? Especially when you’re jammed in like sardines on the tube. The colour coded pages help you swiftly find what you’re looking for and the multitude of colour photographs let you feel the news, experience the world, rather than simply read about it. Like the touch screen of the iPad, the i feels interactive at times and immersive despite its concision.
One thing that really baffles me is the continually shabby state of The Independent website following the launch of the i. To truly capitalise on the stylish Apple-like aesthetic they’re cultivating with the i, they would lure people to their equally swish website. But for ages The Independent’s website has been the drabbest online newspaper around. Some would simply call it functional, with its white background and lack of trimmings. But a hideous mustardy brown colour is used across the top and the font is squat and awkward to read. It’s a real shame, because it’s so bad it often puts me off delving into the regularly insightful, impressive content, which has real depth that goes beyond the snippets in the prettier i.
I would do well not to push the comparison with the iPad too far. The i lacks the level of interactivity and excitement cutting edge technology like the iPad can provide. It is, at the end of the day, a slimmed down newspaper. But its design and marketing reflect a cultural trend. There’s nothing wrong with what the i is trying to achieve, and it’s admirable in fact to see something try and keep print publications fresh and competitive. The threats of the iPad and the internet could jeopardise journalism and courageous solutions are needed. The i does the right thing by embracing the challenge of our new aesthetically obsessed, Apple stuffed world, rather than denying it. With its colour, cool and seamless advertising spaces and refreshingly un-patronising news, the i has the potential to be more than an early 2011 fad. Crucially, at 20p, you may as well give this stylish “essential daily briefing” a whirl, before properly digesting your preferred daily in the evening.
Tagged 1986, 2011, 20p, 21st century, ability, advert, aesthetic, app, Apple, article, arts, Bethnal Green, bite-size, bold, Bond, branch, breadth, brevity, brief, briefing, broadsheet, bus, Business, busy, cheap, childish, choice, chunks, circulation, City, colour coded, colourful, commuter, concise, content, controversy, cool, crafted, cultural, culture, Daily, decade, depth, design, drab, eighties, essential, exciting, experience, fad, fashion, feel, fever, fine, flop, font, format, fray, fresh, gadget, gamble, global, hacking, headline, heavy, i, immersive, Independent, Indy, info, information, intent, interactive, internet, iPad, ipod, iq, James, jobs, journalism, Liberal, lifestyle, light, listings, Liverpool Street, London, longevity, magazine, marketing, matrix, media, MI6, multitude, Murdoch, needed, new, news, news matrix, News of the World, newspaper, noughties, nuggets, of, off, online, opinion, opinionated, paper, patronising, phase, photographs, photos, piece, play, point, pointless, political, popular, pretty, print, publications, purpose, Q, quality, quotes, read, refreshing, respected, revenue, revolution, risk, Rupert, rural, shabby, SIS, Sky, snappy, Society, sport, stale, statement, Steve, stylish, Sunday, tabloid, takeover, tech, teenies, terminals, territory, The, The Evening Standard, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Star, The Sun, The Telegraph, The Times, trend, trusted, tube, tv, type, typography, uncertain, underground, urban, varied, Waterloo, web, website, World
Ed Miliband can learn from Obama the salesman
President Obama’s State of Union address was a politically shrewd and inspirational sales pitch. At times it felt like a return to the stirring rhetoric of his election campaign which so captured the hearts of not only Americans, but citizens across the globe. He was playing his back-up card, his own magnetic charisma and charm, in an attempt to recover the legacy of his first term. It was a bold speech but it wasn’t flawless; occasionally Obama uncharacteristically tripped over his words and the key policy goals won’t win over everyone. But often his tone and message seemed perfectly tailored to the mindset of his nation. Despite the patriotic focus on America however there are numerous lessons leaders of left-wing political parties around the world, especially Labour’s Ed Miliband, can learn from the tactics, execution and content of the President’s speech.
There was a somewhat forced emphasis on pluralism and cooperation across the political spectrum. Ed Miliband has already started to learn this lesson himself. He began his tenure as leader aggressively pursuing the Lib Dem vote and he has now softened his approach to encourage teamwork against the worst of the cuts, and leave the way clear for a Lib-Lab coalition. In particular he’s gone to considerable lengths to retract comments he made about Nick Clegg, in the heat of the moment swept up by the public venom for the man, to appease the Lib Dem leader in the event of a close parliament once again at the next election. President Obama repeatedly praised the new Republican leader of Congress and even incorporated the story of his humble background into the appealing sense of patriotism and history coursing through the blood of his words.
This search for common ground with Republicans was of course necessary. The Mid-Term results left Obama in a desperate legislative position and in dire need of supporters for his landmark policies on both sides of American politics. Health Care has bogged down Obama’s Presidency thus far and in this speech he sought to draw a line under it. In the spirit of national cooperation, which Obama highlighted so much during his election campaign and then unwisely forgot during his first years in power, he asked anyone with improvements to the Health Care Bill to come forward and work with him. He also quipped that he had heard some people still had problems with it, laughing off the gaping ideological divide. Instead he set his sights firmly on a new ambitious primary objective and set about selling it in a way that would appeal to both hesitant Republicans and indifferent voters.
At the core of this address was a striking commitment to green-tech and clean energy. You could see the firm imprint of the devastating Gulf of Mexico oil leak on the President’s words as he announced wave after wave of intention to develop green programmes. I urged David Cameron on this blog to utilise the platform presented by the oil leak for green growth and it seems Obama is finally seizing the opportunity to push through his Climate Change objectives under a different guise. And that’s the vital point about this speech; the way in which Obama sold the solutions to Climate Change and the environmental challenge.
Nowhere do the words “climate” or “global warming” appear in the text of the address. At no point does he bellow any frightening warnings about the excess of the American way of life, but the implications are there. He uses the guilt, anger and worry people feel about the oil leak to smuggle in leftist policies like the removal of subsidies for oil companies, who are “doing just fine on their own”, and tax breaks for millionaires. He cites the deficit, the Republican’s Holy Grail (much like the Conservatives here) as his main reason for such money saving measures, not punishing success, an obstacle so often to the removal of unfair, outdated tax relief for the wealthiest in the States. He reinforces his deficit argument still further by promising a prolonged spending freeze which he backs up with figures that claim to eat away at the debt at unprecedented levels. Could some Republicans be warming to the President’s policies?
You’d think not if he was emphasising investment for green energy and massive cuts to emissions. But Obama’s presentation of the measures was key. He talked about “winning the future” and set up the race for clean energy between America and China, drawing comparisons with the Communist struggle and the space race. He set about inspiring his countrymen, and patriotic Republican opponents, by fusing the need for a green revolution with a sense of historic nationalism and pride in America’s achievements.
“The first step in winning the future is encouraging American innovation. …
We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology — an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people.
Already, we are seeing the promise of renewable energy. Robert and Gary Allen are brothers who run a small Michigan roofing company. After September 11th, they volunteered their best roofers to help repair the Pentagon. But half of their factory went unused, and the recession hit them hard.
Today, with the help of a government loan, that empty space is being used to manufacture solar shingles that are being sold all across the country. In Robert’s words, “We reinvented ourselves.”
That’s what Americans have done for over two hundred years: reinvented ourselves. And to spur on more success stories like the Allen Brothers, we’ve begun to reinvent our energy policy. We’re not just handing out money. We’re issuing a challenge. We’re telling America’s scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we’ll fund the Apollo Projects of our time.”
When Obama was elected, even I in rural England, felt a part of real history for the first time in many years. It’s easy in our modern world to feel like it’s all been done and there are no discoveries left, no bold new challenges to conquer or visions to forge and realize. But with Obama’s reference to the “Apollo projects of our time” he excites people and presents Climate Change and its problems as an opportunity to reinvent in fairer, bigger and better ways. He pledged to aim for 80% of American energy to be green by 2035 and for 80% of Americans to have access to the enormous potential of high-speed rail within 25 years. When these figures are all about doom and gloom Climate Change, which some people still doubt, they leave voters cold. But simplify the message to security, better environment and more jobs and a stronger economy, and they’re interested.
I’ve thought for a long time that Climate Change is the challenge of our generation, one we cannot afford to ignore, but that it is also an opportunity for a reinvention of society with the potential to banish unfairness and find sustainable solutions to poverty. Green politicians are constantly going at the issue in the wrong way, an alienating way. Ed Miliband and his new Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls need a plan for growth. This plan needs to not only be credible and obviously a better route to deficit reduction than Coalition cuts, but inspirational and worthy of votes. Miliband needs his own “Big Society” idea and sell green growth, like Obama in his State of Union address, and he has it; a popular economic policy with a vision that can define his new party. Britons too have a strong sense of history, when it’s properly stimulated, and Miliband could make the case for Britain becoming a world leader on green growth. In fact follow Obama’s example and major policy areas suddenly entwine and give much needed direction; the economy and the deficit, security and Britain’s foreign policy role, our partnership with America and Climate Change.
Of course Obama might not succeed and it certainly seems unlikely he’ll achieve everything he aimed for in his speech. But he has set out a direction for the end of his term. One that could potentially change his country and the world for the better. Ed Miliband can’t afford to dither much longer about the direction of his party. The longer he waits the harder it will be to achieve genuine policy goals he has long committed to, like a banking bonus tax, a solution to tuition fees and investment instead of cuts. Sell it all under the right sort of green banner and he has a refreshing, substantive alternative to Cameron’s bruising cuts and hollow “Big Society”.
Tagged 2035, 80%, Address, America, Americans, Balls, Barack, Biden, Big Society, Bill, Britain, Britons, bumbling, Cameron, card, challenge, Chancellor, change, charisma, charm, China, clean energy, Clegg, Climate, Clinton, competition, congress, cooperation, Cuts, David, deficit, direction, dither, Ed, election, emissions, England, environment, exciting, fairness, first, Foreign, freeze, generation, global, global warming, goals, Green, greentech, growth, Guardian, Health Care, high-speed rail, history, house, indifferent, infrastructure, inspiring, investment, jobs, Labour, leader, leadership, learn, left-wing, legacy, lessons, markets, Mid-Term, Miliband, nationalism, new, Nick, Obama, opportunity, Opposition, Osborne, patriotic, patriotism, planet, pledge, pluralism, policy, Politics, poverty, President, race, recover, reduction, reinvention, Republicans, results, revenues, rhetoric, Russia, salesman, save, security, senate, shadow, Society, Soviet, Space, speaker, speech, spending, Sputnik moment, stammer, State of the Union, States, stumble, stutter, sustainable, taxes, technology, term, threats, unifying, uplifting, USA, USSR, vision, voters, Washington, White House, World
On London/Birdsong at the Comedy Theatre
Posted on November 14, 2010 | 1 comment
I have fallen in love again. How refreshing though that it’s not a woman that is the focus of my affection, but a city. Like a woman, this city is indifferent to me, but unlike with women this vast, inexpressible indifference merely adds to the irresistible charm of the place. I like feeling insignificant and anonymous within its boundaries, in fact I positively relish the sense of oblivion. The hustle and bustle, the noise, the possibilities; it all submerges every little, trivial concern I might have. I drown in the ocean of seemingly limitless fuel for my imagination and oh how good it feels. To feel simultaneously satisfied that I am gradually gaining a geography of the place, whilst barely scratching the surface of what is really there, of all that’s on offer. Gorgeous girls galore, lines and lines of landmarks, tearaway taxis, bulging buses, teeming theatres, pulsing pavements and many marvellous museums; it’s all there. If variety is the spice of life then London has a hot twang I am acquiring a ravenous taste for.
But now I am worried, I do not have my next trip lined up, pencilled in the diary. I am hungry for the city and fear the withdrawal symptoms. Having only recently discovered the joys of walking the capital I crave the stroll crammed with sights and sounds. How can anything else compare? Things simply happen in London. And on such a majestic scale that it still feels like the centre of a world empire, still feels like a great, churning engine of commerce that could achieve so much. There’s so much to discover. I’m not one for shopping, unless it’s an awe inspiring jaunt through the grandeur of Harrods, not buying anything but soaking up my surroundings. And yet this weekend the scale of the shops in London surprised my senses and seduced me. Why I don’t know, I’ve always known they were there, been there before. But this time I found myself thinking how wonderful it would be to able to pop out from home, my own base, to these places, perhaps with one item in mind, only to leave with others you forgot you wanted or didn’t know you did. I could have spent hours and hours trawling through books, it seemed impossible that they would not have what you wanted and even if they didn’t there was bound to be at least three or four alternatives you’d never have thought of. You’d feel nervous about the state of your bank balance and a little guilty, but in an exciting way; how could life ever be boring? And in some places things were cheaper anyway! What am I still doing out in the dead limbs of the countryside, when everything gathers there at the heart of everything?
Of course I know this is naive and not everything about London is great. I felt pursued by Cafe Neros the whole weekend for example, to such an extent that my train even passed one of their out of town storage facilities. They seem to have an outpost on every street. It’s either them or Pret A Manger, or often both. And I know perhaps a prolonged stay might have me cursing the dirty grime and toil and danger of city life. But increasingly now, in what I would like to think of as my clearer moments, I am realising that “life is islands of ecstasy in an ocean of ennui”, as The Dice Man puts it, and London is the sort of place that the islands are more frequent. I mean for me at the moment simply a glimpse of the skyline is thrilling and I can’t imagine that thrill ever dying out completely. So I think I’ve decided as one of my life’s few certainties that I want to live in our glorious capital city, even if I must wait a few years: London is the goal.
Anyway onto the main event then, after the distracting diversion of my musings. I was in London yet again to see a stage adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ successful novel Birdsong. It seemed appropriate that I would see this acclaimed First World War story dramatised a day before Remembrance Sunday, but insensitively inappropriate, if only in a trivial way, that the home of the production was the Comedy Theatre on Panton Street, just around the corner from Trafalgar Square. Whilst there were moments of comedy in Birdsong this was hardly stand-up and the key overarching themes were mainly grim and immensely serious. Nevertheless I swallowed my grievances about the suitability of the theatre and purchased a programme.
Perusing it prior to the start of the play I was intrigued by the sensitive artwork and pleasantly surprised to recognise a number of the performers. I knew Ben Barnes, of Prince Caspian fame, was playing central character Stephen Wraysford but couldn’t really care less about his previous body of work. However Nicholas Farrell has an impressive stage, film and TV CV. I think it was predominantly Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet that I recognised him from, in which he played Horatio. But he’d also been in Torchwood and Spooks. Spooks is one of my favourite series, not least because of its endless vistas of a glamorous London, and I was delighted to find that Isabelle Azaire, the main female love interest of Stephen, would be played by Genevieve O’Reilly, who played a double crossing CIA agent in the last series, working for a shadowy secret organisation and seducing MI5 officers with sultry American tones. The other most recognisable face was that of Lee Ross, playing the role of vital sapper character Jack Firebrace, whose credits included Eastenders and The Catherine Tate Show.
I did have slight misgivings about the fact that Farrell would play both cruel, unloving French husband Rene Azaire in the early scenes and Captain Gray later on, just as Iain Mitchell would play both the insufferable French oath Berard and then the insufferable English oath Colonel Barclay. But both actors produced such accomplished performances that I was willing to overlook this choice of economy. In fact in my view Farrell’s experience clearly showed and he was the highlight of the play in terms of quality acting. I had wondered if the performers would adopt French accents for the French scenes but was relieved they did not, with Farrell differentiating between his two characters sufficiently with a well executed Scottish accent for Captain Gray. The fact that everyone was speaking English in France was dealt with as matter-of-factly and skilfully as in the novel, with one of the characters remarking at some point that Stephen’s French was excellent, for which he thanked them.
I had always liked the novel by Faulks. In fact at the time I had first read it I was enthralled by it. A friend of mine remarked the other day that it had felt too much like a novel and I know what she means. It feels terribly contrived at times and is riddled with cliché and the play does not get away with them so well. I really should have re-read the book in order to properly critique the play and also in order to recall whether or not it was truly as good as I remember. Perhaps I was simply seduced by the period as the war fascinates me, as well as the romance, I’m a hopeless romantic. But from memory I know that the narrative sucked you into Stephen’s predicament so you felt strong ties with him. What I liked was the way the powerful and passionate love scenes early on gave Stephen a back-story and purpose that differentiated him from the usual heroes of the trenches. The book is rich with incident and historical detail but is not overloaded with it; here I disagree with my friend. I have read historical fiction that makes a fetish of research, David Mitchell’s latest The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet did it for long periods, but Birdsong did not. In Birdsong the focus was the emotional and timeless themes of humanity.
Some of the most affecting and accurate of these themes are difficult to express in words on a page, let alone dramatically on stage. There’s no doubt that a lot of what is good from the novel does not successfully transfer and the shame for the play is that Rachel Wagstaff tries to convey Stephen’s motivations and musings poorly. Neither Wagstaff’s writing nor Ben Barnes’ acting is up to the long passages in which Stephen is supposedly composing thoughts for his diary, alone at the front of the stage. Much of the first act, in which Stephen falls for the married Isabelle, is driven by his private reflections. Of course it was always going to be impossible to transform the explicit, erotic sex scenes of the novel to the stage without creating a very different type of production altogether, but for the entire first act you can sense Wagstaff wrestling with the dilemma of how to convey the intensity of Stephen’s love adequately, knowing how vital it is to the events that follow. Somehow in the novel you get caught up and follow Stephen along, not questioning whether this is just seedy, passionate lust or misguided youthful emotions. In the play though when Barnes says “I love you and I always will”, each time it sounds childish and clichéd and I would find myself agreeing with my friend more and more. Barnes just seemed far too smitten in a sickening sense, rather than a stirring, moving one.
In the programme I found that Wagstaff’s first play had been called The Soldier and was set in 1915. So she was on more familiar ground in act two when the action jumps forward to The Somme in 1916 and a wartime setting. It’s disappointing that someone could not have done a better job of act one though as I know how riveted and gripped by it I was in the book and genuinely despondent to find the action skip so far ahead. And caring about the love story becomes so crucial later on. Nevertheless I am making it sound worse than it was. Despite the clunky awkwardness of Barnes’ soliloquy like sections at times, the actual scenes were passable to good, if lacking the emotional power (and erotic excitement) of the novel. And act two was a considerable improvement, despite the tedious diary format continuing, only this time with working class lad Jack Firebrace’s toned down, simpler reflections on things and letters back home. Generally though the camaraderie of the front Wagstaff captures well, with the humour of jolly idiot Berard in act one replaced by male banter and the idiocy of officers.
Another friend of mine, this one a fellow fan of Birdsong, was eager to hear how the tunnels were reproduced on stage. For this was another unique feature of Birdsong’s take on the war: action in the competing tunnels both sides dug out beneath no man’s land for various reasons. There were communication tunnels, fighting tunnels and explosive tunnels for blowing up the enemy from below. Birdsong has nearly been made into a film several times and I always thought that the claustrophobic, atmospheric scenes in tunnels, particularly the shoot-out, would make dramatic action set pieces. And so they did on stage too. Much of the effect of being underground was created through lighting, with blackness enveloping the stage besides gentle amber glows at the front. The rest was done by a low overhanging wall that came about half-way down the stage. The actors would then crawl beneath this, before emerging into the front of the stage, further along the tunnel where you could stand. Then for the fight with German soldiers, when two tunnels found each other, dust poured out along with sounds of an explosion. The Germans emerged stunned and surprised, brandishing pistols at the elevated rear of the stage, looking down on the Brit characters at the front. Shots that smash your ear drums were fired and an even louder, brighter grenade thrown. I had never seen such exciting scenes on stage.
But then I’m still a relative newcomer to theatre. I now have the inclination to discover more of it (particularly the charm and sophistication of Shakespeare) but it’s a world that was mostly cut off to me whilst growing up. Edging my way to my seat was still an act of deft, death defying balance as far I’m concerned. This is not me moaning though; I absolutely love the look and feel of the theatre. Just to know the building oozed history compared to the local multiplex was so interesting and fascinating to me. And even my balcony seat, when suitably armed with £1 binoculars, was the best of both worlds; broad overview of everything coupled with close-ups.
In the final act Birdsong came into its own. Even Barnes, who had struggled to convince me he had the required acting heft to play Wraysford, upped his game a gear. It was now that I remembered how this portion of the novel was the most moving and the play benefitted considerably from ditching the unnecessary modern day section of the novel, which seemed to be there simply to reflect Faulks’ own experiences in researching the book. Faulks and Wagstaff had both been heavily dependent on the diaries of soldiers in their writing process, but the difference was Faulks had interweaved his research in a different, rich style, whereas Wagstaff had actually simply used the diary device in her drama; it seemed unimaginative and unable to truly engage the audience. In this final chunk of the play the lonely speeches at the front of the stage were ditched almost completely and when they were used they worked much better. There was also more time on stage for both Jeanne and Stephen, who had a connection I did not recall from the novels but was intriguing. Jeanne was wonderfully played by Zoe Waites. She seemed strongly drawn to Stephen, desperate to share her sister’s secret with him to ease his gloomy woe but too loyal to break her promise.
Then there were the big climatic scenes: a reunion between Stephen and Isabelle and a claustrophobic collapse that imprisons Jack and Stephen in the tunnels. I wish I could remember the novel better, as I have a feeling there were changes, particularly as I remember a bird being used in the tunnel and Stephen’s phobia manifesting itself down there. Generally though this theme was dealt with well, with some nice dialogue between Stephen and Jeanne when she tries to lift him from depression and they debate the merits and evils of Birdsong. The scene in which Stephen sees Isabelle again was so moving, far more so than the joyous larking about of the early affair by the river and despite these scenes not completely convincing me. I was so affected by the speeches about love, even with some corny, cheesy lines, that I had to rush to the toilet when the play had finished and dispatch a rash text to the one I love in vain; my equivalent of a drunken splurge of affection, so intoxicated was I by the drama that I simply had to tell her I loved her, it was all that mattered. The effect this scene had on me somewhat overshadowed the final scenes with Jack in the tunnel and the rescue and the end of the war. But these were also well done. I was so relieved the play ended on a high and overall there’s no doubt that it was a quality production, if a little flawed at times. From my recollections of the novel though it was never going to surpass its brilliance, merely echo it and be good in different ways.
Tagged 3, A Week in December, adaptation, American, Amiens, army, Azaire, banter, bar, Barnes, Ben, Berard, binoculars, birds, Birdsong, bomb, Britain, bullets, buried, bus, Captain Gray, career, central, Charlotte Gray, CIA, City, Colonel Barclay, Comedy, compelling, convey, country, dead, diary, drama, dying, Eastenders, erotic, exciting, explosion, Farrell, Faulks, fidelity, fight, film, First World War, foe, France, friend, gas, Genevieve, Germany, girls, goal, Gregg Lowe, Hamlet, Harrods, HMV, Horatio, humour, Iain, illuminations, imagination, infedility, Isabelle, Jack Firebrace, Jeanne, Joe Coen, John Napier, Kenneth Branagh, lads, Lee Ross, life, Lisette, London, love, machine guns, male, Mitchell, mud, nation, new, Nicholas, night, O'Reilly, Owain Arthur, Panton Street, passion, patriotism, Paul Hawkyard, phobia, Picadilly, play, poetry, poppy, pressing, programme, prose, Rachel, Remembrance Sunday, Review, River, rural, sapper, Sassoon, scene, Sebastian, sex, Shakespeare, shell, shellshock, shots, Song, Song of Lunch, Spooks, stage, Stephen Wraysford, taxi, text transformation, textiles, The Catherine Tate Show, The Girl at the Lion D'Or, the red room, Theatre, thoughts, Trafalgar Square, trenches, Trevor Nunn, trivial, tube, tunnel, Wagstaff, Waites, war, water gardens, Waterstones, Wilfred Owen, wound, Zoe
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EFDSS sacking of Nick Hallam - wtf?
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George Papavgeris 13 Aug 10 - 10:43 AM
Will Fly 13 Aug 10 - 10:47 AM
GUEST,Ed 13 Aug 10 - 10:54 AM
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GUEST,Ed 23 Sep 10 - 07:08 AM
mikesamwild 28 Oct 10 - 07:37 AM
Subject: EFDSS sacking of Nick Hallam - wtf?
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 10:43 AM
From Facebook here :
Nick Hallam has been Director of Marketing at EFDSS for 11 months. On Monday he was told he would not be confirmed in post at the end of his first year because he "does not understand the organisation and what it's about."
Nick has done more to engage with the folk community in England in the past year than anyone at EFDSS in the last 10 years, working tirelessly and often at his own expense to immerse himself in the folk community on EFDSS's behalf.
He has been a public face for the organisation, coming to gigs, making new partnerships, and generally working very hard to re-introduce EFDSS as a relevant and contemporary folk organisation, which many in the folk world had previously thought was an old-fashioned society stuck in the 19th century. His sacking is utterly without any real foundation.
I would certainly appreciate an explanation for the action and a basis for the manner of its execution. I have signed the petition, perhaps you could also, if you agree.
Subject: RE: EFDSS sacking of Nick Hallam - wtf?
From: Will Fly
Other than on Facebook, where else has this been announced?
Nowhere that I am aware of yet, we are talking minutes...
It was not "announced" formally anyway - rather it was reported by Sidmouth goers who met Nick there. This is precisely why I would appreciate someone from the EFDSS giving us the lowdown from their perspective, to avoid this being a one-sided report.
From: GUEST,Ed
I don't know anything about this.
However, if the Facebook page is to be believed, it sounds more like a one year contract that isn't going to be renewed than a 'sacking'.
I don't think that such pejorative language helps anyone.
You're right Ed, it is emotive, but I am simply copying the wording of the petition, such as it is.
From: The Sandman
where is ruth archer when she is needed?
Subject: Nick Hallam fired by EFDSS?
From: Richard Bridge
Cut and paste from gopetition follows: -
http://www.gopetition.com/petition/38391.html
"Re-instate Nick Hallam at EFDSS 26 Signatures
Published by Folkfan on Aug 13, 2010
Target: The EFDSS Board
Background (Preamble):
Petition:
We, the undersigned, call on the Board of the English Folk Dance and Song Society to re-instate Nick Hallam as its Marketing Director.
Nick has brought the society's profile on by leaps and bounds in the past year, forging new partnerships with many of us and changing our perceptions of the EFDSS. He has quickly become a popular and figure in the folk community, regularly attending our gigs and events. He has clearly done an excellent job in raising the society's profile and bringing it out to new audiences and potential members.
We feel that sacking him would be a backward move for the society, as it will lose one of its most passionate advocates."
I do not know the facts but I bet some here do.
Thank you for the instant move, mudelf!
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 12:00 PM
i have signed it.
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Did they say HOW he "does not understand the organisation and what it's about" or offered any evidence in support of this statement? I have been away a long time: is the job of "Director of Marketing" the same position that - many moons ago - Jessica Gold (for whom I worked at one time) had?
How are they justifying this?
From: GUEST,anon...
FYI: It's not just a non renewed contract. It is a sacking. Just to clarify for the thread..reasons given on the f/b petition...
From: Old Vermin
From memory, EFDSS had recently been very pleased to get about £0.4M of funding, I think from the Arts Council. How secure is this - DCMS/Hunt are being perhaps over-zealous in cutting - and could it have a bearing?
>reasons given on the f/b petition
I am a Facebook member but not a Friend of Nick Hallam, and therefore can't see anything of substance because the page won't let me in (and only letting in Friends is rather like preaching to the converted). I have seen the GO Petition from the link in Richard's post but it just repeats what George's original post says.
What are these reasons, and where are they cited? They must be justifying it somehow...?
EFDSS[imo] have justified a few bad decisions over the years, the first one was not relocating the house, the second was closing the shop, the third was discontinuing branches, another was the scrapping of competitions [way back].another was discontinuing running festivals.
I feel ambivalent about competitions, but they are a great money spinner for Comhaltas., and they and the fleadhs boost the local economies., the fleadhs of course boost the music.
when are EFDSS going to relocate the library so that it can expand
From: VirginiaTam
Hard to say what is going on. Cuts are happening everywhere. If fire, police, schools and social services are feeling the axe, certain arts and culture are not immune. They are understandably low priority on the coalition government agenda. It may not be the person that is going away but the post. Is there money for marketing? Is marketing going to be joined up with coalition of arts and culture groups?
Exactly who said "he does not understand the organisation and what it's about" and who created the petition and is promoting Nick?
She has signed the petition.
Actually, as a matter of (applicable, therefore UK) law, non-renewal of a fixed term appointment is a dismissal. Not all dismissals bring in their train unfair dismissal rights or unlawful dismissal rights, nor indeed redundancy rights.
From: Surreysinger
I'm a bit wary about signing a petition at the moment where I am not in possession of the full facts of the case.Reference was made to Facebook, but the only information I have gleaned from this thread so far is a link to a non- Facebook petition produced by a third (or even fourth) party to the original info acting under a nom de plume rather than a real name. There is very little direct indication of the circumstances in the case (a posting by someone calling themselves Anon makes me feel a little wary) , who the individuals involved are(other than Nick Hallam) involved,the dates and sequence of actions etc etc. Does anybody have any concrete facts and details, or links to further information?
As I said above - probably someone here has the facts. I agree that at present the position looks odd but there is little that is concrete.
I can only say that I was nearly lured to joined the EFDSS this year as I thought it was showing signs of putting DEAFASS behind it.
From: Folknacious
His sacking is utterly without any real foundation.
That's a very dubious statement and a very one-sided petition. Are axes being ground? I wasn't aware of the man and I question the statement about him being "the public face" of the EFDSS, but people don't get sacked for no reason all. It could be something like not fitting in with co-workers, not being a good team player, which makes a position untenable. But really, that's just as wild speculation as anybody else is doing. Merely in the interest of damage limitation, shouldn't the EFDSS be putting out its own statement to clarify matters.
I too have been very impressed with what the EFDSS have been up to in recent years to shake off the DEAFASS image, through the efforts of remarkable new activists like Sam Lee and long-established ones like Malcolm Taylor. The magazine greatly improved its production values under Derek Schofield, but all this started earlier than the last 11 months so so at the very least this is over-hysterical..
From: Jack Campin
The fRoots article about Hallam's appointment in 2009 makes him look like a product of the commercial pop/rock marketing biz:
Whilst at Royal & Derngate, Nick started to develop a folk and world music strand bringing in the likes of Richard Thompson, Kate Rusby, Cara Dillon, Oysterband, Waterson:Carthy as well the more eclectic Imagined Village.
Given what I see EFDSS as being about, that choice of bedmates would have me wondering "is that really all he can see in folk music?" - he can't have had a lot in common with the rest of the staff.
because he "does not understand the organisation and what it's about."
That would tally with what Jack Campin has quoted above, though since they hired him knowing his main interests were somewhat off the society core ones, it seems strange it took them so long to realise the incompatibility. I still think there must be more detail to this than the petitioner is stating. How was he appointed in the first place?
A year ago, during Sidmouth week, Nick was "presented" to a group of EFDSS members at a semi-formal gathering in the arts centre. I spoke to him briefly (seconds), and he seemed an OK bloke. There was much gushing about his outside experience being a valuable addition to the organisation's outlook and much was clearly expected of him. It may be that he disappointed in that respect somehow, though I don't know how. Like other posters here, I have been favourably impressed with the EFDSS' marketing moves - yes, Sam Lee and others have been main participants, but not necessarily the main organisers.
So when I saw (on Facebook) the announcement of the petition I was somewhat taken aback. Like Surreysinger I hesitated before putting my name to the petition, as I did not (and still don't) know anything other than what was being written there. What persuaded me was some of the names of people who signed before me, people whose views I value and whose opinions I respect, like Jim Moray's. So I signed. But the reason I started this thread is because I know that some EFDSS members closer to the board than myself sometimes visit Mudcat, and so I posted the thread as an invitation for those who know to present both sides of the story in a more coherent fashion.
From: SPB-Cooperator
There is an increasing level of incidence where employers are 'dismissing' staff just before employment rights start to kick in, whereby as long as contractual process is followed the employee seems to have little or no recourse. I think I will enquire with ACAS to find out what there steer is on such cases.
IF EFDSS are behaving in such a manner, they are doing little to hold themselves up as a reputable employer, and organisations with a public face should be seen to be engaging best practices in all areas of management.
As far as this case goes, the reasons given for dismissal are pretty vague as they hint at what the 'problem' is without going into any specific incidences to support the argument/case.
I once lost a contract due to 'failure to communicate with staff members'. This 'lack of communication' was one incidence when I was working under immense pressure to meet a deadline, including regularly working late into the evening, and not having time to answer a question about how tax was calculated (by a worker who rarely did more than an hour's work a day, frequently went home early because of stress at work).
Anyway, to get a clearer idea, are EFDSS prepared to state the specific targets/milestones/key performance indicators that were not met that support their assertion?
If one's job is to Sell something, then their work is to sell it (in the PR-sense). Famously, it doesn't necessarily matter hugely what the product is. Marketing skills are not the same as "folk/trad/whateveryouwannacallit" skills.
If he was hired for this expertise, then why is it all of a sudden found wanting? I still don't feel that I know enough of the story from both sides to make an informed decision. What does Nick himself say? (Or is it legally wiser for him to keep quiet?)
From: GUEST,JM
I can see why you would think that, but Nick has thrown himself with vigour into traditional arts since his appointment, attending as many events and festivals as he can and taking up the melodeon. He even proudly showed me some vintage EFDSS memorabilia that he'd bought from ebay for his personal collection. I found all this heartening because this is what I felt the EFDSS and folk music in general really needed - he'd converted himself to the cause (of British traditional music and dance) and now he was out to convert others through his approachability and enthusiasm.
I have heard from a range of sources what happened here - its obviously complicated with many sides to the story which can't really be discussed on Mudcat. However, I do think that this is a backwards step.
From: Howard Jones
I don't think it is helpful to either party to speculate about this on a public forum. It seems to me this is an HR matter between the EFDSS and Nick Hallam. The decision was presumably reached after a formal appraisal and communicated to him, and the details should be kept confidential. Possibly the EFDSS will make a formal statement in due course, but even then we shouldn't expect them to reveal any more detail than we have already, and why should we?
At the moment the understandable reaction is to support the underdog, but we don't know the facts, and speculation could be damaging to both parties, especially if rumours and half-truths start to leak out.
From: GUEST,JeremyRS
I've signed it, which is something I wouldn't normally do without knowing the full facts, but the list of signatories contains many people who are closer to the organisation than I am and whose opinions I respect.
Howard - your post makes absolute sense to me, and I repeat my comment in my first post here (#2): Other than on Facebook, where else has this been announced?
By "announced", I mean formally, as in public statements by the EFDSS or by Nick Hallam himself. I haven't seen any yet and, until we do, we haven't got the faintest idea of the true situation. People can be got rid of for any number of reasons - inefficiency, poor staff relations, financial imperatives, reorganisation, etc. - and the only quote we have: [he] does not understand the organisation and what it's about, comes from some unknown source.
I rarely sign petitions in any case, being unpersuaded of their value in general, and I can't believe that any petition would result in the reinstatement of an employee - should he/she be willing to return to an organisation which didn't want him, in any case - and the fact than folk "names" have signed it cuts no ice.
Let's wait for some formal statements and more factual detail.
Howard, I would agree with you 100% but for two things:
a) Nick himself has obviously talked about this at Sidmouth, naturally giving his personal viewpoint, and that conversation led to the creation of a public petition. This is now in the public domain albeit still giving only one side of the story and it is therefore important to have the other side also presented - if not in full, then some appropriately edited version.
b) The EFDSS depends largely on its membership, and there are several of its members here on Mudcat, myself included. Indeed some of us periodically try to persuade others to join also (I joined myself barely 2 years ago). The last thing we need is to have another batch of disappointed members leaving over something like this. Some appropriate statement - not here, but on its website - would go a long way towards aiding understanding and hopefully calming the waters.
This is not simply sick interest in matters that do not concern us. While there is an HR dimension, more important are the directional implications for the organisation. The public image of the EFDSS has often been the topic of discussion here and the position of Marketing Director is crucial in that area. Having said all of that, I do agree with you that uninformed speculation does not help anyone.
From: MC Fat
The timing of this seems strange surely to 'not renew the contract' of the marketing guy withe 2012 Olympics round the corner is a bit short sighted. The cultural opportunites that the Olympics and asociated events could bring to the Folk Dance and Song of our Isles is immense. Not to have a specialist in post at this time is crass incompetence
What we know of the facts so far (not a lot) seems to point at two possibilities. The vagueness of the reported accusation may mean that the real reason is being kept hidden - it might be a totally stellar chap or chapess lined up to step in and hit the ground running. Or at least a relative of a person with influence in the organisation. But the business about "does not understand the organisation and what it's about" does look rather like a bierkeller putsch by DEAFASS or at least those who are wholly focussed on a backward looking folk music. I say this with all due care since I am a staunch 1954 definitioner and a firm believe that the archiving and preservation function of the EFDSS (or at least the English Song Society) is its most important aspect, but an archive that is not used and where treasures may be lost to physical corruption for lack of funds can be as much a hindrance as a help.
The impression I'm getting, reading between the lines and putting out feelers, is that this petition is being organised by somebody with quite a high profile in the current folk world who is probably quite persuasive. No doubt she/he has various high profile friends who'd sign such a petition on trust, and then the ball's rolling. Oh look, so-and-so's signed it - must be true. George Papavgeris admitted above that he's one of those. Am I alone in being slightly nervous that the instigator of the petition, "Folk fan", has not done something this important under their real name? I'd personally want more information.
It may be that the EFDSS have chosen to keep a dignified silence, as has, it seems, Nick Hallam. Or it may be that the EFDSS are currently a headless chicken without their marketing head. The latter doesn't seem to be born out by the continuing flow of upbeat Facebook postings about autumn events in the past few days though. Do they already have somebody else in place?
The important thing to remember is that the EFDSS rennaissance has been going on for some years, not the past 11 months, which is why I think this is all a bit hysterical and am beginning to be concerned that the person behind this petition might have another agenda. I do hope the EFDSS isn't going to be thrust into 1980s style factionalism again, which did none of us any good.
From: GUEST,Folkiedave
I believe that Nick was on 6 month contracts - it is the second one that is not being renewed. Either way it is effectively a sacking.
Many people believe Nick has done a great job and the reason giving for the non-renewal of his contract is spurious. To see these reasons go to the petition and click on the comments - under VIEW.
My own experience having met him for the first time at Sidmouth is that he was concerned to make the EFDSS a less London-centric organisation. That can only be a good thing.
However the members appoint a board and what this petition effectively does is ask the board to look at the non-renewal of the contract. Can't see any worries about signing such a petition.
And I am a member.
From: GUEST,Silas
DEAFASS?
Sorry to be a bit thick here - can anyone translate?
Dance Earnestly And Forget About Singing Songs.
Another possibility might be that although he seemed to have a lot of experience at the outset, his ideas were finite and had already reached their horizons. In a case like that, which has happened where I work, it's better to stop at the end of a probation period before somebody gets entrenched while no longer justifying their employment. A good director must be able to see such things and take tough decisions. This is, I point out, entirely speculation, which is no more than anybody else is doing here of course.
From: The Borchester Echo
Dance earnestly and forget about song, I think. A long-gone chief executive (under whom I worked) took the view that staff should just work in the office and take no part in the tradarts. I did think they were moving away from that regressive attitude in recent years, but appparently not entirely.
Another possibility might be that although he seemed to have a lot of experience at the outset, his ideas were finite and had already reached their horizons.
IMHO I think he was just beginning.
IMHO I think he was just beginning
Well, as you said, you met him once at Sidmouth. I haven't met him at all. So you're more likely to be right. No doubt all will become clearer with time and, if it becomes clear who is behind it, I still might consider signing the petition. Not as things stand though.
The cultural opportunites that the Olympics and asociated events could bring to the Folk Dance and Song of our Isles is immense.
"could" in the sense that "pigs might fly". The sports establishment has no interest in traditional arts and no way in hell are they going to bung any money that way.
The only way the Olympics could feature in an EFDSS marketing officer's remit is as a catastrophe they need a survival strategy to deal with.
I think Folknacious might have it right - EFDSS thought they needed someone with mainstream music biz skills, then found out they didn't need those skills that much, or needed some other kind of experience more.
From: GUEST,Guest/Skye
The petition is to provide an opportunity for those who have worked with Nick to share their views. The nature of on-line petitions is such that it reaches a much wider audience.
Thanks Richard - all is now clear.
From: johnadams
As chairman of Ryburn 3 Step folk development group in West Yorkshire, I agreed to collaborate on the proposed online folk directory being planned by Nick Hallam. Nick came and met with me as part of a whistle stop fact finding tour to Yorkshire and we spent a long time talking and comparing ideas.
If the term "does not understand the organisation and what it's about." has truly been used about him then I can say that it is nonsense because he has a solid and well informed view of the folk scene, the society and the possibilities for the future. I say this as a folk activist with 40+ years of experience as a performer and organiser and ten years experience as a trustee of the EFDSS.
As well as being a pleasant and amiable man, he has a keen mind, an ability to think strategically, and a new found enthusiasm for folk music which has even got him learning the melodeon ( ok, so nobody's perfect, but it could have been the banjo!) ducks!
Another thing that came over strongly was his commitment to activity in the regions. He is the only EFDSS officer who has come out of London to talk to us and seek our viewpoint.
While the staff team team at C#H appear stronger than they have been for some time, there is still a long way to go and it was clear to me that Nick has engaged with the regional needs of the society as well as the general marketing and that he has the ability to make things happen. It is also clear to many others that I have talked to who came to the same opinions.
Whatever the reasons for not renewing his contract and taking him into full employment status, it is not his ability or his commitment or his enthusiasm. I'm guessing it is something more mundane and to do with personalities.
Up until very recently (since Cam and Clegg got into bed) Essex CC Heritage and Arts Service has been and are still working on and receiving money and external funding for a number of projects linking London Olympics to cultural heritage of Essex county. This includes CDs and talks on How to Speak Essex which highlight old Essex dialect, songs, stories and poems.
Heritage and Arts is working closely with Essex 2012 Legacy in a number of projects. Celebrating former Essex Olympians with displays and exhibitions at the Record Office, assigning Essex artists to Essex Olympic athletes who will chronicle their "Journey to the Podium." Regenerating communities and reassigning old buildings (Hadleigh Old Fire Station into a gallery space) in areas where Olympic events will take place. So money is being used for more than just sports.
Our festival manager who works in tandem with the 2012 team regularly contacts the Morris Ring to invite sides to participate in festivals and events. She tries to include singers of traditional songs specifically from or about Essex, but it is difficult to find anyone to do this.
Money is/was out there and may be again even more accessible under the white paper other initiatives that put responsibility for individual health and wellbeing back into the hands of respective communities.
I am sure EFDSS has the means to show the need and compose projects that link traditional song and dance to the Olympics and thereby get funding if it so wished. Perhaps it already has.
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Did he suggest having a Show of Hands gig at Cecil Sharply House, by any chance...?? ;0) Bet he did..and all the old farts fell over sideways in shock!
"....because he "does not understand the organisation and what it's about."
I understand....it's easypeasy...It's about a whole pile of boring, humourless, up their own arses folks who don't want *their* music to reach the ears of anyone else. Far better to have it stuck in libraries and behind doors of drab and dreary buildings with names that would put even the most ardently excitable person off entering its doors...
I mean...The English Folk Dance and Song Sociey... ?
Gawd...I can smell the mothballs from here, and see the crotcheting members of the audience putting in their ear stoppers for anything slightly more exciting than a Walter Pardon Evening...
Pardon Me.... ;0)
SocieTy, that is...
Actually, I think they should take a leaf from George's book and rename the EFDSS as:
WTF It's FOLK! Society
WTFIFS is FAR more catchy... ;0)
(Disappears under table before Boring Ol' Farts appear tishtishtishing)
And that was the considered view of a person who, on her own admission, has never attended an EFDSS event, read a publication nor even set foor in CS House. If you are not already doing so, ignore.
Lizzie: remove the foot from whatever orifice you've inserted it in and go stick EFDSS in the search box on YouTube. Zone in on some of the video from Sam Lee's recent Folk Rising gigs at Cecil Sharp House, for example. That's the EFDSS in recent years, not some received wisdom of a DEAFASS scenario from the 1980s. I know getting facts right isn't your strong point, but . . . since I think you've admitted you've never actually been there, that's the least you can do on your arse in front of a PC screen.
From: Chris Partington
Thanks Lizzie for you measured contribution to this thread. I like slapstick, in its place.
It seems to me that some people here are using this as an opportunity to tilt at windmills. This is a matter for the board and the members of the EFDSS. If you want to vote on it then pay your subs.
It may be an outrageous act of folly, but on the other hand it may not, and until more is known, (bearing in mind also that it may not be Nick Hallam's wishes to discuss his employment matters on the internet) I, as a longstanding member ('old fart'?) in favour of the current modernisation of the EFDSS, will not be jumping to any conclusions.
If somebody (above) thinks it's a Bierkeller putsch, then they should say why they would want to make such a damaging assertion.
Otherwise, everything I've heard so far comes under the heading of Wild Unsubstantiated Speculation.
Well, as you said, you met him once at Sidmouth. I haven't met him at all. So you're more likely to be right.
Not at all - in fact I based my opinion on the work he was doing not the fact I met him. Although he kindly asked me to get involved in a small project of his. And I was happy to do so.
Chris P -"Otherwise, everything I've heard so far comes under the heading of Wild Unsubstantiated Speculation."
In the absence of reliable information, the rumour-mill spins ever faster. T'was ever thus.
"And that was the considered view of a person who, on her own admission, has never attended an EFDSS event, read a publication nor even set foor in CS House. If you are not already doing so, ignore."
Now now, Sweetums, please remember that you who hath trod those hallowed halls have said yourself how boring it all is...
Now a 'What The Fuck It's Folk! Society' would appeal to me a thousand times more than the dreariness of the vision contained within The English Folk Dance and Song Society, which truly conjours up, conjours up.....well......dreariness, even if said members of said Society are whooping it up nakey inside!
I'm sorry, but you could have Brad Pitt as the leading member of the EFDSS and I'd still go "Ohhhhhhhh Gawd, get me outta here!"
Now of course, if Brad belonged to the 'WTFIFS' I'd be down there shoving Angelineee out the way in order to whisk him around the room to a Seth Lakeman number!
I am soooooo giggling on the other side of this screen. Visions of Nakey Morris Men and Straight Laced Lassies, faces scrubbed clean of Daring Do Mascara are filling my head!
"Lizzie! HOW can you be so disrespectful towards English Dance and Song?!!"
"Er....actually, EVERSOEASILY!"
Makes me die laughing that the old codgers have got rid of a chap who dared to like pop and rock music!
Hey, Nick...there's a spare chair over here, next to me, in the 'We sure sent THEM packing!' department of the wonderful, all welcoming, all understanding, all inclusive English Folk World!
And she patted the velvet seat next to her, whilst getting her Glittery Eyed eyelashes ready to flutter at yet another casualty of Those Who Know Best But Really Know Fuck All... ;0)
From: open mike
what IS the EFDSS and what IS it about?
Is this a paid position?
best of luck to all involved...
not likely to sign as I do not know the organization or sitution.
Would U.S. and / or non-members signatures be welcomed, or not?
http://www.efdss.org/
From: McGrath of Harlow
Interesting that this doesn't qualify as "news" on the EFDSS website.
Instead there is "Wear your badge with pride - Special offer for members: Introduce a friend to the EFDSS and get a free silver sword lock badge for yourself and the new member. It is exciting times for the EFDSS and for the folk world in general; more and more people are joining or returning to the Society."
Which, one might have thought, implies that Nick Hallam must have been doing quite a good job.
It really must be difficult dancing when you have this habit of shooting yourself in the foot...
From: Steve Gardham
As a trustee is there any way you can find out what is going on and enlighten the rest of us? All of this wild speculation seems to be fuelling the boo boys and girls.
Steve, I ceased to be a trustee a couple of years ago.
I still support the society with some web work and with directing Folkopedia but I'm mostly out of the loop with regard to the politics.
From: Manitas_at_home
Why should it appear on the website yet? The staff there do not work 24/7 and I understand a lot of this sort of thing is done by volunteers. On Monday they'll have a chance to react to the petition.
From: John Routledge
Well said Manitas!!
Well, according to George's opening post in the thread, this happened on Monday 9th August. It takes no longer to write a news item than it does to write a post here.
On Monday he was told he was not *confirmed* in the post according to the OP. It would have been a bit precipitate of EFDSS to have made an announcement at that point and probably a breach of privacy. I note above that the original contract was for 6 months only and was renewed only for another 6 months, surely this is an indication that the post was never meant to last long regardless of the reasons given above for its discontinuation. Can we wait until EFDSS has had a chance to read the petition and comment on it?
The petition may be an interesting development of the story - but the story is the one mentioned in the opening post, and that is the one ion which it seems reasonable to expect a EFDSS press release without delay.
If that quote ""does not understand the organisation and what it's about" is accurate it needs to be explained. If it is not it needs to be corrected.
The Facebook campaign is not verifiably Hallam's initiative, is it?
Surely EFDSS shouldn't respond to anonymous third parties stirring it?
If Hallam himself had made some sort of public statement, they might be entitled to a rejoinder. As it is, it isn't normal practice for an organization that sacks somebody to make a public announcement about it.
They seem to have been put in a situation where they CAN'T say anything at present.
They can say what they've done and what they haven't done, and why. Open and honest, not a bad way to behave.
From: GUEST,anon
Jack Campin: "They seem to have been put in a situation where they CAN'T say anything at present."
That is, as I understand it, pretty much what's happened. I doubt it's a coincidence that anyone with any genuine knowledge here is having to be anonymous and cryptic.
From: treewind
"does not understand the organisation and what it's about"
This doesn't ring true on the face of it, and it looks to me like code for a personality clash, as John Adams has suggested.
I have heard a strong hint from within that the decision may not be unanimous across the board. I don't know any more, so don't ask.
I notice that Nick Hallam's name doesn't appear on the list of board members on the EFDSS web site, but is still listed under "staff" and as a contact address on various pages.
Let's not forget that this story has emerged only in the last few days, and only as the result of an anonymous leak. I have no doubt that EFDSS intends to issue a statement at the appropriate time. However there are procedures to be followed in these circumstances, and confidentiality is important for the sake of both parties. I will be very surprised if the official statement, when it comes, adds anything to what is already being circulated.
It is important for any organisation that new appointments not only have the necessary technical skills but also that their "face fits". It is common practice for positions to be offered on a probationary basis.
I suspect that for reasons of confidentiality the EFDSS will be constrained from giving the full details behind the decision, even at an AGM. The Board is entrusted with the day to day running of the Society, and the question is, therefore, what can EFDSS members do when the Board makes a decision they disagree with?
"reasons of confidentiality" means not being open and honest. That makes sense if you're playing poker, but dealing with people isn't a game of cards.
"I will be very surprised if the official statement, when it comes, adds anything to what is already being circulated. So would I, and that is a pretty sad thing.
If, as is possible, there have been internal staff personality clashes in any institution, then "reasons of confidentiality" doesn't necessarily mean that the institution isn't being open and honest. Dealing with people is certainly not a game of cards, but preserving people's right to privacy in internal personal matters - for their own sakes - is important.
If, for example (and who knows), there have been difficult internal politics at a personal level, then the inevitable complications of all of that may not be suitable for airing in public.
There's still no official statement from anyone regarding this affair, so all of this thread is speculation.
Well we don't know whether the EFDSS has been "open and honest" with Nick Hallam. I'm not sure they have any responsibility to be "open and honest" with anyone one else - on the contrary, in the interest of his future career and employment prospects it would be better if any discussion of his shortcomings, real or perceived, were kept private between the parties. It's usual in these circumstances, and usually in the interests of both parties, for it to be portrayed in public as a regrettable but mutual parting of the ways, whatever the private reality may be (which we don't know).
If Nick himself want to place this in the public domain that is up to him, although he too may be subject to a duty of confidentiality. However so far all we have is an anonymous petition and comments by a lot of people who probably don't know all, or indeed any, of the facts.
Just because this is of interest to the public does not mean the public has a right to know. Speculation in public, while perhaps inevitable, is more likely to damage rather than benefit both parties.
From: GUEST,another anon
It's worth bearing in mind, as online speculation continues here, that such is the nature of online petitions that everyone gets to see them - but you don't have to sign them and you may not even have an opinion, in which case you shouldn't sign. The people that have signed clearly know Nick Hallam, or the work he has done for the EFDSS, and feel strongly enough about it to sign and comment. If you don't know him or his work don't sign it.
Howard, Will, I agree that "just because this is of interest to the public does not mean the public has a right to know" and also that "speculation in public... is more likely to damage rather than benefit both parties". I would expect an appropriately edited/worded statement however, because:
a) the only (third-party/unconfirmed) view available at the moment is that Nick "does not understand the organisation and what it's about", which is hardly a "as a regrettable but mutual parting of the ways", indeed it is damaging to Nick.
b) the membership may entrust the day-to-day running of the organisation, however the board would need to explain major decisions such as this, preferably in advance of them being leaked to the public, certainly soon after, or AGM questions may result. And the explanation, while not necessarily containing all the unnecessary/damaging detail, should help the membership to understand the decision taken. A "mutual parting of the ways" kind of explanation should be good enough for most in this case; though any organisation that uses this too frequently would soon lose my membership, as I have no wish to support secretive societies (but I don't believe the EFDSS has abused the term so far).
As an interested member, this is what I have seen so far:
- A guy brought in to improve the organisation's marketing
- a lot of positive results in marketing since his arrival
- a (yet unconfirmed) message/petition referring to his employment being discontinued, backed by a (yet unconfirmed) statement that in the public domain is damaging to this person
As a member both of the organisation and the interested public, I need therefore to see something that will put the above into some perspective and explain the situation sufficiently. I ask for no more than that, as can be verified by all my posts in this thread. I ask for no speculation, no "dirt" on anyone and no undue control over the board's operation. I only ask for someone to help me understand the decision.
Also, if I was Nick's prospective next employer, and all I have seen to date is what has been made public by some unknown person, I might well think twice. I think there might be some moral responsibility there too.
I hope that those who know me, and certainly many of the Mudcatters, would agree that I am no shit-stirrer. But I need to know if there is a bank standing order I need to re-think.
From: mattkeen
The executive staff are of course accountable to the Board (by the way the Board Members are the Trustees not the executive staff whether they are called "director" or not).
The Trustees and I suggest the Members (and I am one) should want to leave the Operational side of running the organisation with those that have been employed to do it, wherever possible. But this looks like a situation where explanation is due - but not possible yet.
To balance this up, I have known Nick for many years and the improvement in the Marketing and Communications side of the EFDSS as been terrific in the last year. Well done Nick.
But as is obvious we don't actually know what has gone on.
In any case, its a bloody shame.
Sorry mattkeen, terminology got the better of me, in the heat of posting; you're right about the relationship between Board, executive staff and membership. And I agree 100% with the rest of your post too.
Surely it's correctly and appropriately the responsibility of the Director to do what she considers best for the day to day running of the Society?
Were this petition to result in the board taking the side of the sacked member of staff, it would in effect be a vote of no confidence in the Director, who has steered a period in which the society's reputation and profile has greatly improved, massive Arts Council funding has been gained and then - only comparitively recenty - the marketing manager appointed as a result of this funding being available. It would make her position very difficult.
I begin to wonder if this petition could be part of an attempt at a palace coup by people who want the director replaced or maybe even fancy the job themselves. It would be a terrible thing if the society were to be torn apart by infighting as happened in the 1980s, just as its achieving so many good things.
Therefore, I still think that signing this petition without a full knowledge of both sides of the story is, to say the least, unwise bearing in mind those ramifications.
Agree with you Folknacious
From: Paul Davenport
"does not understand the organisation and what it's about" is an interesting statement coming from an organisation which has recently branded its national headquarters as 'London's Folk centre' . I walked past and found that a revealing insight as to the current direction of the said 'national' organisation.
Basically the membership deserves to be told what's going on
From: mikesamwild
I know Nick from his time as an undergrad and post grad on our courses at Sheffield Hallam University and know him to be a good and professional person. At the moment he can not comment so I think we should let it lie till me know more.
As to EFDSS I yesterday recieved, as a member, my nice coloured September - December 2010 diary. granted it did say'at Cecil sharp House, but nowt down for us up in t'North!
So I hurled it across the room.
Like all the other arts it's an example of the poor subsidising the rich!
I got that programme too. As you point out, it specifically says "At Cecil Sharp House" and doesn't purport to be anything other than a programme of events there. I registered that it was far better designed and printed than EFDSS output of old, and that there was some really good stuff coming up that I mostly can't go to other than on weekends but am very pleased to see happening. It looks like exactly the sort of thing a centre of excellence ought to be doing as a lighthouse to inspire people elsewhere.
It depends on whether you're running on positive or negative, I suppose.
From: John P
If you were sacked, would you want the details to be aired and discussed on a website? If you were an employer, in which universe would it be appropriate to discuss the contents of an employee's personnel folder with a bunch of anonymous people on Mudcat?
I work for a company that is part of the folk music community, and have sometimes had to sack people who are well-known members of the local folk scene. This is never done without lots of long discussions, soul-searching, and being very sure that there isn't another solution. Almost everything I've seen in this thread so far has been very similar to I've experienced in those situations: people who don't know (and shouldn't know!) the details feel free to make comments and insist that the organization that did the sacking "explain themselves". I've been accosted at parties with "what the hell are you people doing over there"? Unfortunately, as an employer, it would be rude, inappropriate, damaging, and possibly illegal to give any substantive details.
If you are a member of the organization, contact them and find out what they have to say. If you disagree with what they say, start working for change in your organization. If you're not a member, you have no standing to say anything at all.
"I got that programme too. As you point out, it specifically says "At Cecil Sharp House" and doesn't purport to be anything other than a programme of events there. I registered that it was far better designed and printed than EFDSS output of old, and that there was some really good stuff coming up that I mostly can't go to other than on weekends but am very pleased to see happening. It looks like exactly the sort of thing a centre of excellence ought to be doing as a lighthouse to inspire people elsewhere.
It depends on whether you're running on positive or negative, I suppose."
the fact that it is better designed and printed, is just your subjective opinion., it doesnt necessarily mean it is.
again, your comment some really good stuff coming up, maybe , maybe not, depends on what you like as regards folk music.
but as the EFDSS is very london orientated perhaps it should rename itself, the london folk dance and song society would [imo]be more appropriate.
"It depends on whether you're running on positive or negative, I suppose."
I'll take that as a negative then. Strangely predictable . . .
take it how you want.
its neither negative or positive its merely pointing outthat everything you have written in your postis purely subjective and is not necessarily fact.
can anything be strangely predictable?its either predictable or unpredictable.one thing that is fact is that the EFDSS is london based and london biased
Nurse!
;0)
Found on a train, somewhere in London:
'The London Almost Evening Standard - August 2010'
"News came through today that Civil War has erupted within the confines of The English Folk World.
At Sharpingham Palace no-one was prepared to discuss the matter further, so we beat a path over to fRoots tOwers, but the blinds were drawn, the phones unanswered, the door locked.
As consternation began to grow, rumours started to abound that a recently employed, forward-thinking member of staff had suggested booking Seth and Sean Lakeman, Cara Dillon, Sam Lakeman, Kate Rusby, Show of Hands....and.................Mumford & Sons!
People had, allegedly, been beating upon the doors of Sharpingham Palace in order to obtain tickets, but so far, this has been fruitless.
Other rumours are circulating of Guillotines being erected in The Gardens...and that Damian Hirst has been commissioned to do a new sculpture entitled 'Chopped Heads of Folk Who Tried To Bring Folk Out To The People'
A spokesperson from FAF, Folk Against Folkies, was heard to say that no-one had the right to remove the Aspic from around Sharpingham Palace, and that Walter Pardon Evenings would continue, ad infinitum, for this was The Way Forward.
We will be letting you know of any future developments the moment we are privvy to what is being discussed inside The Privvies of Sharpingham Palace."
Wow! Who'd a thought it, eh?????????? ;0)
From: GUEST,Captain Jack Sparrow
This thread needs a folk song!
The EFDSS Civil War
It still needs a folk song.
:0) I like that, Cap'n Jack!
Hey, they took my Ian Anderson and 'Nursie!' post away....
What a load of spoilsports...bet they're all members of the EFSDDSDDES Society..
From: Matthew Edwards
The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) posted the following notice on its website on 16 August 2010:-
"The board of EFDSS is aware of the debate on folk music internet forums concerning Nick Hallam. However the board and senior management of EFDSS must deal with internal procedures in a private and confidential manner."
While this is quite right and proper, I feel that the Board and senior management need to respond more fully to the concern expressed by many members about the direction of the Society in the light of these matters. It is not the role of the Board, and still less of the membership, or the many articulate supporters who are not members, to interfere in staffing matters. However all these parties do have a legitimate interest in asking what the Society sees its role to be. I can understand that a genuine differences of opinion can exist between members of staff, and would feel that healthy debate can only serve to ensure that the Society's aims and objectives are clear to all. If, in the end, there are still strongly incompatible views, then obviously something has to give. What mustn't happen is for the Society to close the doors and not communicate with the membership. In the internet age good communication is essential. I'd like to invite the parties involved to be allowed to make brief public statements explaining their positions - but not going into matters which are personal and confidential.
We sometimes forget what a small organisation the EDFSS is, with a staff of only 16 people some of whom work part-time, a membership of 2,908 (at 31 March 2009), and an annual income in 2008-09 of only £730,496. Given these very slender resources it is something of a miracle that the EFDSS achieves as much as it does. My own impression has been that Nick Hallam's work has very strongly promoted the interests of the Society in London and beyond, and for that reason I have signed the petition in favour of his reinstatement.
Matthew Edwards
Earlier I wrote
The more this continues here and in other forae (?), and the more rumours I hear of some lingering sour grapes out in folk undergrowth about the director getting the job in the first place because of her not being "a proper folkie", the more I am concerned that this is the case. Please spare us from "proper folkies" and their muddy machinations!
"...Please spare us from "proper folkies" and their muddy machinations!.."
Amen to that, Nurse!
From: GUEST
the director getting the job in the first place because of her not being "a proper folkie", the more I am concerned that this is the case. Please spare us from "proper folkies" and their muddy machinations!
Not if you read the views of those who have signed the petition and he commented on there.
The general feeling on there is that Nick was moving the Society away from its London-centric stance and was doing great things in the regions. This is my experience too.
Nothing to do with Katy Spicer's appointment.
Say, please remember to use a consistent name when you post. Thanks.
-Joe Offer-
From: GUEST,eliza c
Lizzie. Not a rebel, not a naughty girl, not funny. Ignorant and seeming to delight in ignorance. Leave a struggling organisation that is trying to do its best alone, please.
eliza c, with respect[a struggling organisation that is trying to do its best]quote.
that is hardly relevant, this thread is about the sacking of nick hallam, if it is relevant then you must be suggesting that the sacking of nick hallam, is just someone trying to do their best.
I am sorry , but I find that a very strange way of looking at the matter.
here is a fact : the EFDSS is london based, is it london biased? was nick hallam trying to make it less london biased, was this the reason he was sacked?
I am sorry Eliza, but I have watched the EFDSS carve itself up before, over the subject of london bias, in the 19890s there was a majority faction that wanted to keep it as a london dance club, and resisted any move to make it less london concentric, is this the reason for his sacking?Dick Miles
Dick, Eliza's comments about Lizzie seem to apply to you as well. You are both out of touch and irrelevant. Something EFDSS increasingly generally ISN'T these days. It isn't "the 19890's" any more (when was that, anyway???? ...no, don't answer, I'll die of ennui)
From: RTim
I wondered how long it would take for Dick to use this thread to beat the EFDSS.
Dick - you do your thing, and others will do their thing - this applies to Lizzie too!
If we were to be as critical of you, like you are critical of others - then God help us!
Tim Radford
'Guest eliza c'
Awwww...cone on, lighten up, kid.
You see, that's half the trouble with the English Folk World and those at the EDSFSDDS&M...they take themselves soooooooo seriously.
I mean, 'eliza c' could you explain to me why, for years, they verbally punched the hell out of Show of Hands, saying they weren't 'folk'...but then...THEN they have Goldfrapp performing at Sharpingham Palace?
Beats me, that's fer sure...but hell, what do I know..?
Traditional Goldfrapp
And how come Jim Moray's the Traddies darling, doing all that electronicwhirlyjerlyderly stuff, but Seth Lakeman is a big nonononononono.....
The English Folk Dance and Song Society is nothing more than the headquarters of the Folk Mafia, who for way too long have sterilised this music.
Hello? It's the music of the people....Peasants, NOT Professors..as I've said before...It doesn't need to be 'guarded' like the Crown Jewels, but set free and given back to the peasants, of which I am one.
And if yer average peasant doesn't want it, well....blame Cecil Sharp, because he and like minded folks made this music the life blood of the Folk Intellectuals, who put it in drawers, behind cupboard doors, into aspic and then re-wrote it all with new rules and regulations, whilst sniffing down their long aristocratic, upper class snobby noses at the poor peasants who simply were so stupid that they just used to *sing* the songs with no understanding of the meaning, the history, the chords, the dates, the origins, the lyrics, the oompahpahpalava...
Oy Vey!
Sorry, but the sooner Sharpingham Palace becomes the 'What The Fuck It's Folk Society' the better off we'll all be....taken back from the Professors and given to the Peasants once again...
Oh, Poooooooooo, Tim! SMILE for gawd's sake...
Hey, how about a new genre...English Smiley Folk?
Ooh noooooo, that'd *never* work!
:0) <
From: Ruth Archer
"could you explain to me why, for years, they verbally punched the hell out of Show of Hands, saying they weren't 'folk'"
Who did? Where? Provide evidence that anyone at EFDSS or Cecil Sharp House ever said this, or retract it as the outright lie that it is.
"THEN they have Goldfrapp performing at Sharpingham Palace?
Beats me, that's fer sure...but hell, what do I know..?"
What indeed? The Goldfrapp gig happened as part of the BBC Electric Proms when they took place in lots of venues in Camden. A money-spinner, I'm sure, but not programmed by EFDSS. So the answer to your question would appear to be "not a lot".
"And how come Jim Moray's the Traddies darling, doing all that electronicwhirlyjerlyderly stuff, but Seth Lakeman is a big nonononononono....."
If you're referring to the fact that Jim has been booked and Seth hasn't, maybe you could have a word with your friend Seth and see if he'd do CSH a deal on his fee - I'm sure they'd be happy to have him. Knowing how much he normally goes out for, it would be impossible to book him into a venue the size of Cecil Sharp House without losing shedloads of money, which would explain his absence from the programme.
Would it be totally and utterly unfair of me to consider joining the EFDSS for the entertainment value of the feuding?
Ha! Flushed out at long last, eh? NOW you can answer the questions your people have been asking....
(I knew Goldfrapp would do it!) ;0)
There ya go, folks...she's all yours...I'm off back to Facebook....
Ooh, YES, Old Ratty, that'd be great! (sorry, just had to say that before I vrooooom!) :0)
Lizzie: fuck off. There's a dear.
"My" people? I left the Board of EFDSS several months ago, so it's nothing to do with me. Sorry to disappoint.
Dear stirrers:
Nick Hallam either wants to continue working at the EFDSS or he doesn't.
If he doesn't, a campaign to reinstate him at all costs is not doing him a lot of good. Having a reputation as a destructive social-network-abusing troublemaker won't do a lot for his employment prospects elsewhere.
If he does, slagging off the EFDSS as being an organization too stupid to live makes him look like an idiot for wanting to stay there.
Either way, the line you're taking is not helpful.
(In the absence of any concrete information at all, I see no reason why a parting of the ways on terms of mutual respect should not be a feasible outcome. Sorry if you have tabloid expectations that every dispute has to be conducted like a celebrity bust-up or football sacking).
[clears throat, spits on floor, wipes cider from beard with sleeve]
Jim Moray the darling of traddies? What?
Seen the man a couple of times - most recently at last Towersey was bored stiff within ten minutes and went back to the Ceilidh tent.
As for Lakeman - stood through a festival gig of his this summer. Instruments too bloody loud. Perfectly comprehensible except when he started singing. Pop. Being male and over - say - forty I'm really not his target demographic.
Perhaps folk benefits by being done on a shoe-string for love rather than money? Discuss, please, while I go and get another Sheppys.
I started this thread in hopes of finding out any pertinent facts on this and what it means for the EFDSS, and I (along with several others) made repeatedly the point that speculation was not required, helpful or indeed welcome. Some people here (and it is obvious to any reader who they are) ignored that, strayed off the point and more or less shat all over the thread and my intentions. Thanks.
I should have known better than take a serious subject to the Cat...
Mr P, may I humbly suggest that any available information has been gathered here. If not, then perhaps because it is not available. You take my inelegantly expressed point?
That being so, it might be asking rather a lot of human nature to take the unfortunate gentlemen concerned - and one feels for him - and indeed the EFDSS so earnestly as to exclude all levity or indeed rancour.
Have you tried simply asking the officers for a statement? If it has not been forthcoming, then should you be seeking confidential information?
Mr V (can I call you Old? let's be friendly), Matthew Edwards gave the published Board's statement in his post of 18 Aug 10 - 09:30 AM above. I repeat it here: "The board of EFDSS is aware of the debate on folk music internet forums concerning Nick Hallam. However the board and senior management of EFDSS must deal with internal procedures in a private and confidential manner."
OK, it's a holding statement, so I am prepared to hold fire. I am all for levity and levitating, not least because I am gravitationally challenged myself, and I have also been known to crack inappropriate jokes, now and again - mostly again. It's just that this subject didn't feel condusive for such treatment.
I said I am prepared to hold fire, so for now I'm aout of here.
Have a good evening.
my comments are not irrelevant in fact they are relevant, I asked
was NICK HALLAM trying to make it less london biased?was that threason he was sacked.
that is not EFDSS beating, it is asking a Pertinent question.
From: GUEST,Liz C
I suspect that Liza C and Lizzie C are both in fact one and the same person. Evidence? Well, I've never seen them both in the same room - have you? Same goes for Dick Miles and Noel Edmonds btw, although the evidence there is stronger as they wear identical jumpers.
"However all these parties do have a legitimate interest in asking what the Society sees its role to be"
I thought this was all laid out in the Annual Report.
I am not out of touch, I have been asking questions which ought to be answered, what was the reason for his sacking?
my other post asked what does the society intend to do about the library?how does the society intend to deal with the library re expansion .
Anahata[treewind] and Tim Radford, before you jump down my throat read my posts carefully.
THE EFDSS has become less relevant than it was in the 1950/1960/1970, because it no longer organises festivals, because it has closed its shop, because it no longer has the network of branches that it used to
many folk clubs are now organised without any affiliation to the EFDSS, the only society/group organising tuition on a national basis is Comhaltas.
this is not EFDSS bashing but stating facts, EFDSS is handicapped by not receiving the same funding as Comhaltas, but its present situation is partly due to previous poor management, for example Comhaltas is run in a more business like manner, their fleadhs and exams and competitions generate a lot of income, these are all facts.
the relevance of the above post should be obvious ,but I will spell it out , is this another poor decision [along with those I have mentioned] by the board?
Its irrelevant Dick cos all the things you list that the EFDSS no longer shows that you do not understand what is relevant for the organisation. Who needs the EFDSS to organise festivals for fXXks sake! We need it to be doing exactly what it has started to do in the last few years. Communicate better; take into account a younger audience; promote the music and educate
The shop hasn't closed. It's on-line at http://folkshop.efdss.org/. do keep up!
From: greg stephens
Dick: it is not very relevant here, but as you stated your opinion so vehemently, I will also mention mine. Firstly, I have zero interest in the EFDSS using its resources in organising festivals. That is a job others are doing very adequately. Also my interest in its organising competitions, in a business-like or un-business-like fashion,is in the region of zero.
"I am not out of touch"
Then don't bring up non-issues like being London-centric, which is old news.
"I have been asking questions which ought to be answered, what was the reason for his sacking?"
First, that adds no weight to your claim not to be out of touch. Anyone can ask questions.
Second, of course we'd all LIKE to know what happened but a person's employment status is a private matter between him and his employer. Even other EFDSS employees don't have an automatic right to know the answer to that question. Still less, members of the society who are not employees, and as it's a matter of public record that you are not even an EFDSS member you really are a long way down the pecking order of "right to know". This is not our elected government...
"my other post asked what does the society intend to do about the library? how does the society intend to deal with the library re expansion"
Irrelevant to this thread.
In any case the library is not a problem area in terms of services provided with the resources available, and the recent work putting it on the web is surely a good move.
Lack of resources is another matter, but since the EFDSS has several recent fundraising achievements behind it, that hardly seems a topic for urgent critical investigation either.
I posted this three days ago. Many of you apparently need to read it again and again and again until you understand the basic concepts involoved. In short, GET A CLUE!
I agree with a lot of what John P says, but I have to take eaception to his opinion "If you're not a member, you have no standing to say anything at all". This is pure baloney. The government, in its infinite wisdom, allocates funding to arts organisations by various routes, in this case chiefly through Arts Council England. Arts Council England in its turn assesses the merits of various organisations and people connected with folk music, and allocates funds to some and not to others. Now, it is entirely right and proper that any tax payer(or anybody else for that matter) who is interested in folk music should feel free to discuss this, to criticise, to enquire about the use the grants are put to, etc etc. It doesn't matter one jot whether you are a member of the EFDSS or not.
In this particular case, however, I haven't the remotest idea why Nick Hallam was sacked and will therefore not be passing an opinion(unlike some!).
RE: EFDSS sacking of Nick Hallam - wtf?
From: GUEST,Liz C - PM
I suspect that Liza C and Lizzie C are both in fact one and the same person. Evidence? Well, I've never seen them both in the same room - have you? Same goes for Dick Miles and Noel Edmonds btw, although the evidence there is stronger as they wear identical jumpers. <<<
Nope, I'm me, not she. And it's 'eliza c' not 'liza'...'cos liza with an 'e' goes er..er...
Anyway, Joe says I have to go sit on the Naughty Step in this thread, and I have some gruel to eat too...But that attitude just goes to show how humourless those who adore the EFSDSSDFFD are, 'cos if you can't enjoy a good giggle, yes, even over traditional folk music, how are you going to attract others in?
Right..Naughty Step here I come! :0)
Actually, I'm going to sit on the Naughty Twohey Step and remember back to the first ever Sidmouth Folk Week when Duncan McFarlane and his band blew the roof of the Ham Marquee with their brilliant electric folk music, filled with enthusiasm and excitement and all that's GOOD about the folk world. Heck but that was such a great night!
You can hear it here...and I'll be good now, Joe, 'cos my feet are tapping to the Twohey Step on my Naughty Step..
DMcF Band - 'The Twohey Step'
It gets better, because here they are at that very Sidmouth gig!
DMcF Band and 'Jigalo' - Live at the first Sidmouth Folk Week
From: Les in Chorlton
I think this, from John P above, should be reposted every other post:
"I posted this three days ago. Many of you apparently need to read it again and again and again until you understand the basic concepts involoved. In short, GET A CLUE!
If you are a member of the organization, contact them and find out what they have to say. If you disagree with what they say, start working for change in your organization. If you're not a member, you have no standing to say anything at all."
L in C#
EFDSS member - just about and with many reservations
treewind,you say i am a long way down the pecking order.
greg stephens says quote
" Now, it is entirely right and proper that any tax payer(or anybody else for that matter) who is interested in folk music should feel free to discuss this, to criticise, to enquire about the use the grants are put to, etc etc. It doesn't matter one jot whether you are a member of the EFDSS or not. "
Treewind,I have been a member of the EFDSS in the past, I have also been performing in folk clubs and at folk festivals for over 35 years[quite possibly longer than you], I have also run a number of folk clubs, I reckon that gives me a right to know why someone has been sacked from the EFDSS or not regardless of whether I am currently a member.
Treewind,I am not out of touch at all, to me it is blatantly obvious that the EFDSS is london biased, it is also clear [whether you like this idea or not] that Comhaltas is the only organisation providing tution on a national basis in England , that Comhaltas makes alot of money out of their fleadhs, examinations and competitions, the fleadhs also provide much needed money to the host towns and help to boost the national economy.
IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG WITH FACTS AND FIGURES
I have many criticisms of Comhaltas , but they are IMO much more business like than the EFDSS.
From: Dave MacKenzie
As a long term member of EFDSS, the facts as far as I can ascertain are that Nick Hallam has been employed by EFDSS on a series of short term contracts, the second of which is curtainly up for renewal.
Apart from that, to read the previous posts, it would appear that the Borg have landed in North London and assimilated the EFDSS Board.
Once I know more, I shall feel free to comment.
From: BTNG
It's 19th August 2010 and Nick Hallam is still listed as being on staff at the EFDSS nick.hallam@efdss.org.
quite frankley this endless speculation and innuendo is getting really rather tiresome.
"this, from John P above, should be reposted every other post:
"I posted this three days ago. Many of you apparently need to read it again and again and again until you understand the basic concepts involoved. In short, GET A CLUE!"
Perhaps PCTN (people close to Nick) could help?
"Perhaps PCTN (people close to Nick) could help?"
now there's an idea! We need facts here, some solid facts.
Oh, I know, we're all entitled to our opinions, but you know what they say about opinions....
I've more than once started to post something on this thread, and more than once deleted it and thought "Let them get on with it". However, I find it disturbing that a number of people seem to think it fit that the EFDSS should plaster details of whatever has happened over their news section, or, indeed, report back to the world in general. As has been pointed out more than once, this is currently a private matter between employee and employer. What has not been pointed out by anyone is the fact that employment legislation exists to cover situations such as we are given to understand may exist. Legislation provides courses of action which must be followed when and if a course of employment is terminated. It also provides procedures which should be followed in the event of an appeal/dispute regarding the matter.In the circumstances it would be very remiss of the EFDSS to publish any information about the situation (whatever it may be), unprofessional, and possibly prejudicial to any action that either side might wish to take.
PS I've been a member of the Society for nearly 40 years - frightening thought- but I don't consider it gives me any right to blow by blow details of a private employee/employer matter at this stage.
Well sais Ms / Mr Surreysinger.
I suspect Nick would seek peace and quiet until things are sorted hence my earlier post
My feelings also Les ... and it's Ms {grins}
I thought of suggesting a 'slag off the EFDSS' thread to divert tension away from here but I'm not sure that would be a good thing.
Might be an idea Les. How about a thread called "Protest at Show of Hands Israeli-backed attack on EFDSS". That might sop up the usual suspects for a while.
From: IanC
Anybody else reminded of the cover picture from the old Penguin Book of English Folk Songs?
Starring the EFDSS as the second figure from the left on the front.
From: GUEST,Ralphie
This a really weird thread!
A load of loonies banging on about something they don't understand...
Good one Greg, I think:
"Protest at Show of Hands Israeli-backed attack on EFDSS"
could open a competition for the best anti EFDSS headline. We could do headlines in the style of different newspapers:
Cancer link to EFDSS Morris dancing fanatics - The Daily Mail
Topless dancers sacked in EFDSS dancing scandle - See page 3 for picies - The Sun.
As for the front of the English Book of Penguin Folk Songs - I like the way the bear seems to be giving the man with the stick intelligent consideration.
From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray
Or, to give its proper title, The Dancing Bear by W F Witherington. The original hangs in The Walker Gallery in Liverpool, as credited on the back of the PBOEFS, but even so the first time I saw it in there I confess to coming over a little giddy. Either way I thing bear baiting and dancing bears are two different things.
"This a really weird thread!
A load of loonies banging on about something they don't understand."
to the contrary, I understand the EFDSS very well, in the past they have made some poor management decisions, over the last 5 years they appear to have been doing much better, and putting on good events, and being involved in some useful projects., Nic Hallam has playued a part along with others, so why is it unreasonable to ask why was he sacked?.
the EFDSS is supposed to promote folksong and dance on a national basis, years ago they did this by running Sidmouth, Whitby,Chippenham and Laycock festival and others,they also ran competitions, they had a national network of branches, and a shop situated in Cecil Sharp house, now , they are not involved in any of these activities,they have none of these things,apart from an online shop, these are facts.
they do not provide national music tuition on a national basis, however Comhaltas does provide tuition on a national basis.
whether one likes comhalts and competitions[i have my reservations]the competitions and examinations and the fleadhs bring in considerable revenue:fact.
Ralphie,instead of throwing insults around, you would do better as I am doing to stick to facts.
Someone should make a film of this thread (probably Ken Russell).
GSS:
Nic Hallam has playued a part along with others, so why is it unreasonable to ask why was he sacked?
How would you like all the folk club organizers who haven't booked you to post here saying why not?
Think about what you're asking.
From: Bloke from Poole
instead of throwing insults around, you would do better as I am doing to stick to facts.
Sticking to facts is always a good idea.
Apart from anything else, you get to choose the facts that you want to to stick to, and ignore the ones that you don't.
These are my facts, if you don't like them I have others
Several people here should go and get fact.
(Cheap, I know, but this thread has more farce than Brian Rix's entire career)
Hi Ralphie!
Can I use your slogan for my T-shirt?
I must be a looney...
I don't understand the EFDSS!
Ta muchly,
Refresh? Why, for God's sake?
The EFDSS has now issued an interim statement on the Nick Hallam matter, saying what many of us had already pointed out, that they can't discuss what is a private matter between the Society and an employee. Presumably when the matter is settled they will make a further statement. In the meantime there is no point in discussing it further on here.
If you want a discussion about the EFDSS then start another thread, although I should have thought there have been enough of these already. But please don't go on about festivals or competitions, those topics have already been thoroughly discussed previously.
From: GUEST,Uncle Rumpo
Blimey..
there weren't this much fuss to get me reinstated
when I got fired
from Butlins back in 1983.
Good job no one else wanted to replace me
sweeping out around the bins at the back of the main cafeteria...
They offered to take me back
and even promote me to washing up as well
before I'd even got on the coach back home...
refresh ,why for gods sake?
well, Howard so that people can see there is a petition and sign it if they want to, we live in a democracy, people are entitled to different opinions, nobody is forced to sign a petition, on the other hand the people that put the petition online, probably want it publicised ., if not they will probably ask for this thread to be closed
While there is a privacy issue, there is also a matter of public importance - namely the impact of whatever is behind the assertion that the departing officer failed to understand the organisation, when many seem to think that he plainly did and was very instrumental in its preservation and progress. The institution itself is of public importance being a repository of our cultural heritage, so its survival and progress, and things that impact that survival and progress are or public importance too.
I'd forgotten about the petition. That has rather dropped out of the discussion. I suspect anyone coming to the thread in response to Dick's "refresh" would have had to go right back to the beginning to learn about the petition.
Has the person who started the petition identified themselves yet?
why should they, Howard?
please go back to the beginning and if you want sign the petition.
OTOH, why shouldn't they identify themselves? What has Folkfan got to hide. You can't ask EFDSS to conduct their affairs in public while not expecting the same of the author of a petition against it's decisions
well it aint me, manitas
manitas,
i have no idea of your identity , apart from the fact that you have some connection with LTS, So you to use the mantle of anonymity, [as I do] that is reasonable,[but I frequently sign myself Dick Miles, thus: everyone knows who GSS is]why? is it not reasonable that the author of the petition remains anonymous.
I would turn the question around? Why should the person starting the petition feel the need to remain anonymous?
They may have good reasons - perhaps they are employed by the EFDSS or serve on the committee or are otherwise closely involved, and fear repercussions. Nevertheless their anonymity raises questions, and suspicions that they may have a hidden agenda.
maybe, maybe not, why not just think about the question without seeing conspiracies, and let people sign if they want to, I have heard about a big improvement in the last 5 years, NICK has played a part in this with a number of other people, it seems an ungracious way to thank somebody, by sacking them, and saying what they have said.
"it seems an ungracious way to thank somebody, by sacking them, and saying what they have said"
.. wouldn't be the first or last time that kind of injustice is inflicted on good valuable people
in the ruthlessly capricious/vindictive Arts and Community Projects employment sector...
That's right, and not just in the Arts sector. It's a rough world out there and it's not always fair.
Besides, we don't know for certain what was said, because both parties are understandably refusing to debate this in public. All we have is an unsubstantiated comment quoted in the original petition by someone anonymous. Perhaps it's completely accurate, or perhaps it's inaccurate or taken out of context - we simply don't know.
I very much doubt whether any public statement will contain anything other than anodyne comments, and based on my own recent experience any settlement may well be covered by a confidentiality clause so its unlikely that we'll ever know for certain, although bits may leak out via "friends of friends".
From: Continuity Jones
This discussion reminds me of the Brass Eye episode about peodophilia which was broadcast and then shot down by numerous do-gooders, 96% of whom had never seen it. Except in this case, I'd suggest that the amount of people ignorantly hypothesising about why Nick was sacked (on both sides of the argument) is far higher than 96%.
But I tell you this, if he was sacked for throwing stones at an immigrant then we should string him up!
But if he was sacked for stopping a BNP man throwing stones at an immigrant, then he should be made a Knight!
All! Or nothing! But in complete ignorance!
From: mayomick
Have any of you considered that this might all be a big wind-up? It could be all part of a slick marketing strategy devised by Hallam himself to get the EFDSS much-needed publicity .They could be up to the same tricks as the jokers at the Wookey Holes Cave theme park in Somerset. Have people been following it?
"Painting your face green and dressing in a witch's costume might be an effective enough disguise for most people, but not Fiona Robertson.
Robertson chucked a sickie to audition for Britain's most popular TV talent show, The X-Factor, in April but was recognised by her bosses yesterday when pictures of her singing a number from hit musical Wicked were used to promote the show's forthcoming season.
The giveaway? The 25-year-old children's entertainer was wearing her work uniform."
For the full story just follow this magic blue clicky link I have created to the Green Witch story :
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/green-but-not-sick-employee-busted-on-tv-show-20100820-12w43.html?from=smh_sb
The Wookey Caves theme park crowd are now inviting people to contact them to help them decide if Fionna should get the sack or not .
Daniel Medley, Director of Wookey Hole Caves told the press ,
'I was genuinely shocked when I saw our Witch in the papers, she was even wearing her Wookey Witch costume! And to think she may have taken a day's sick leave as well to attend the audition, this is just totally unacceptable and we are considering disciplinary action'.
This is from the Wookey Witch website .
"Bosses are making up their mind whether to sack the Witch of Wookey or to let her stay in post for the rest of her contract – we want you to help us decide – should the Witch of Wookey stay or should she go????
Vote for the Wookey Witch – should she stay or should she go? You decide….."
http://www.wookey.co.uk/web/great-witch-sacking-–-not-again
Dick, I am not really anonymous and I can be contacted by PM. Folkfan can't be contacted at all - I tried the link on the petition page.
I'm pretty sure my identity has been revealed on the forum before but if you really need to know without a search then I am Paul Draper of London and I am an EFDSS member.
There's a new development in this story today - EFDSS temporary maketing assistant post announced. The background info puts some perspective on what they're generally up to as well.
From: Vic Smith
Ken said:-
Here it is as a press release /job advert circular. I reproduce it in full below. It sounds like it might be a nice quiet job, not in the least controversial from what I have read on this thread:-
The EFDSS have announced a vacancy for a temporary marketing assistant.
See http://www.efdss.org/front/vacancies/vacancies/214217
TEMPORARY MARKETING ASSISTANT
(2-3 DAYS PER WEEK, DEPENDING ON WORKLOAD)
The EFDSS is a national folk arts development organisation. It is multi-faceted being a membership society with nearly 4000 members, an arts venue (Cecil Sharp House), an education, training and development agency, a publisher, an advocate and lobbyist, and the custodian of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, which is the only dedicated folk arts library and archive in the UK.
The Society is going through a major period of change. It was reviewed and restructured in 2007 with the objective of re-positioning itself as the leading folk arts agency in England.
To meet the aim of reviving the Society we are increasing and diversifying our activities to bring the folk arts to a wider public. During the past two years the Society has:-
• Received a grant of £154k from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a major archiving and national education project using six of the song collections in our archive (Take Six project).
• Introduced its own regular programme of events at Cecil Sharp House including The Irrepressible Tradition music season, showcasing the best new talent on the folk music circuit.
• Worked with partners to produce events e.g. Mary Neal Project, National Gallery, Sadler's Wells, BFI, Miles of Smiles, The Local, The London Gypsy Orchestra.
• 'EFDSS on the Move' – supporting programmes at the Cambridge, Sidmouth and Furness Folk Festivals, summer 2009.
• Introduced a Family Friendly programme of events.
• Invited external programmers such as BBC 3 broadcaster Verity Sharp, who curated 'Apple Day' in October 2009.
• Developed a visual arts programme.
• Developed a professional development programme including the appointment of an artist-in-residence post (visual artist) and run a choreographic project for professional choreographers on morris and contemporary dance forms.
• Expanded our education programme into new contexts and areas and is developing opportunities for training teachers in the folk arts.
Over the next 5 years EFDSS will continue to develop -
• Cecil Sharp House as the folk arts centre in London.
• Outreach and education programmes to impact on the national curriculum and the training of music and dance artists and teachers.
• Advocacy and lobbying on behalf of the folk arts working in association with other folk arts agencies and organisations.
• Develop partnerships with a broad range of organisations to attract new audiences and to widen the profile of the Society.
• Prepare for a major capital project to provide the library with increased and climatically suitable space for its ever growing collections.
In October 2009 EFDSS became a Regularly Funded Organisation of Arts Council England's Music Department. The Society is now looking to a whole new area of development as the Folk Development Agency for England and as part of this process is developing the Marketing Department to communicate the aims of the Society and to market the EFDSS programme of events and activities; both at Cecil Sharp House and beyond, to both a folk and a non-folk audience.
From: Desert Dancer
That's the background info on the organization. The position opening is for an assistant to the Marketing Administrator, with these duties (available at the link Vic posted):
Job Title: Temporary Marketing Assistant (2-3 days per week)
Based at: Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park Road, London, NW1 7AY
Responsible to: Marketing Manager
Responsible for: Volunteer Marketing Assistants
Summary Job Purpose: Assisting the EFDSS Marketing Manager by providing general administrative
support for marketing of EFDSS, all of its programmes, activities and projects.
• Compiling monthly 'What's On' listings of events at Cecil Sharp House.
• Adding listings of EFDSS' events and activities to online listings sites.
• Adding regional member group's events to the EFDSS website.
• Updating and compiling databases.
• Co-ordinating and implementing mail outs - recruiting volunteers to assist with this when needed.
• Designing of both digital and paper marketing materials on request of the Marketing Manager.
• Carrying out research for the 'Folk Song a Day' online resource and other projects around
increasing public awareness of the folk music and dance sector.
• Working with the Education team to update and create Education databases and assist with
Education mail outs.
• Assisting the Society and Marketing Administrator with the distribution and creation of print and
posters around Cecil Sharp House.
• Be an Ambassador for the Society.
• Carry out any other duties that may be reasonably requested.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential:
• Computer and internet literate.
• An understanding of social media and online marketing.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Understanding of Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Good people person and a team player.
• Administrative experience in a similar role within the arts or PR industries.
Desirable:
• Interest in folk arts, music, dance, arts education and participatory arts.
• A keen eye for design and an understanding of print media.
• Competence using Adobe Photoshop or other design packages.
• Positive, enthusiastic, proactive and keen to use your own initiative in an extremely busy fast-moving
team environment.
• Attention to detail.
• Resilience – ability to cope well with change and challenge.
Salary: £18,000 pro rata.
Hours: 2-3 days per week depending on workload.
Term: This post is fixed term until Friday 17th December 2010.
Probation: This post carries a 1 month probation period.
Applicants should complete the EFDSS application form, CVs will not be accepted. Applications can be
made by e-mail to recruitment@efdss.org or by post to:
Rosie Pagan
EFDSS
Cecil Sharp House
2 Regent's Park Road
London, NW1 7AY
Closing date is 5.30pm on Wed 8th September. Interviews will be held at Cecil Sharp House on Friday
Thurs 16th September.
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Rosie Pagan? Is that a made-up name???
events at Cecil Sharp House
BBC 3 broadcaster Verity Sharp
Sudden revalationary thought. Are they by any chance related? Folkie dynasties and all that.
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 08:37 AM
An email circular from the prominent Folk/Roots/World music agency Frusion - www.frusion.co.uk - informs that Nick Hallam has now joined them, at least in the short term. The relevant part of the circular says:-
Hello good morning or maybe good afternoon if you've got round to opening your email late in he day ( happens to us too!) or good evening if you're reading this whilst grabbing a glass or two :-)
Its time to introduce to you our new agent ( and a couple of new acts too! ) Mr Nick Hallam, a great guy and until recently working in the UK at EFDSS , and before that at a number of excellent UK venues including De Montfort Hall , Royal and Derngate ..well the list goes on.
The good news is that Nick is a great arts professional well used to the vagaries of working in venues and with a great overview of what it takes to put on a great show. His specialism is English Folk , but he goes far beyond that of course in working with us here at Frusion. Though all of the acts you can of course still talk to me about , your main man is Nick for these artists.
A couple of the acts you'll see "in association with Nick Hallam" and these artists have been brought to Frusion by Nick as he will be forming his own agency .. so this being the start we've got them under the Frusion banner so you'll get the normal deal from us with all the shows serviced from Frusion's offices in the UK , it makes no difference at all to how we work. ( in fact in the next couple of months watch out for Nick's own website and brand springing up very soon! )
In particular, he will be responsible for working with O'Hooley & Tidow and Hannah James and Sam Sweeney
You can email Nick by clicking here
------------Link fixed. JoeClone
From: GUEST,Morris-ey
"url not found"
I have no idea who Nick Hallam is, nor do I care.
What astonishes me is that anyone here thinks they have should a say in any employer/employee relations of any organisation. I am similarly concerned that all this results from what is, frankly, hearsay.
Where on this board, or elsewhere, did Hallam, personally, make this complaint?
Frankly, if any employee chooses to ask, encourage, or suborn others to raise a petition on their behalf – I would sack them for that alone.
I don't think there is any need to go through the arguments again, GUEST, Morris-ey. Thanks to Vic for posting the news; I'm glad to hear that Nick Hallam's talents are being well used in his new position, and I wish him every success in the post.
Morris-ey
The EFDSS is the titular flagship organisation of English folk music (and dance) so its direction is a matter of legitimate concern.
If the employment decisions of such an organisation give cause for concern about its policies and priorities within that remit then that too is a matter of legitimate concern.
What do you mean by "a matter of legitimate concern"?
Do/did you employ this person?
Are/were you legally entitled to be consulted as to his employment or dismissal?
Do you normally involve yourself in employment issues based on hearsay?
Yes, well though most sources could cope with just the "www" abberviation, Mudcat cannot so you need the full http://www.frusion.co.uk/
Not that you will find anything about Nick Hallam on that site, as Nick's employment there seems to be a temporary arrangement until he gets his own business fully set up.
Good luck to him in this venture.
It is a matter of legitimate concern to the folk constituency. It isn't simply a matter of private employment law.
From: GUEST,Jimmy Nail
Date: 21 Sep 10 - 12:10 PM
What business is this of mine? Why did you bother to post it on a website I may accidentally look at? Now, I have no choice but to get very self-righteous about the whole thing.
If anyone else feels they have something to add, please would they check this first.
Your point, Matthew, precisely?
The EFDSS is a registered charity number 305999. The concept behind the various advantages that attach to being of charitable status is public benefit (of various kinds, subject to the recent Charities Act). The way in which the charity serves the public and its perspectives on the arts within (in this case) those bounds are therefore matters of legitimate public concern.
Richard Bridge wrote:-
"Your point, Matthew, precisely?"
My point was that this argument is over; adding to it doesn't help anyone. This thread has passed on. It has expired. This is a dead topic.
Nick Hallam has moved on. The EDFSS will go on without him. Good luck to them both.
It doesn't matter now who was right. Raise the issue by all means at the AGM if you are a member of the Society, but otherwise please let it drop.
why are you so insistent that it should be dropped?
it doesnt matter now who was right?
For the reasons I set out above the reasons of the EFDSS impact its public function and so are of legitimate public concern.
RB said: "The EFDSS is a registered charity... The way in which the charity serves the public and its perspectives on the arts within (in this case) those bounds are therefore matters of legitimate public concern."
Not convinced (as in this case) this assertion can be extended to include internal human resourcing issues. If we were talking major policy change, maybe. In any case, the way forward is to become a paying member and air concerns through the appropriate channels.
As to the specifics, if I was NH, an internet forum and all that entails would be the last place I'd want them chewed over.
The key question, Guest, would seem to be whether the end of the appointment does involve a change of direction of the charity, or a continuation in a questionable direction. That question would seem to be raised by the stated references to "not understanding the organisation" or whatever the exact quote so far above was.
It does not matter whether an organisation is a charity or not, the simple fact is you have no entitlement to be consulted about who they hire or fire.
From: Joe Offer
Many Mudcatters have been members of EFDSS for most of their lives, so they have a feeling of "ownership" of the organisation. You can't blame them for being curious about the reason for the sacking of Nick Hallam, even though I agree that the subject is not appropriate for open discussion on an Internet forum.
Are you going to raise the matter at the AGM? It's in November so there's probably still time to become a member and propose a motion.
From, I think, Richard Bridge "EFDSS is the titular flagship organisation of English folk music (and dance)"
Much amused at the idea of the stuff I do having a flagship.
The metaphor suggests that we are sailing wayward dinghies on varying courses.
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Its a membership organisation so we (I am a member)do have more of a say - but the lines get blurred. We dont have a say in operational day to day matters but have an input into direction and overall policy. Yes I also think the specifics of hiring and firing are not an appropriate subject for net forums
Spleen Cringe/Nigel
From: Alan Day
Having read most of the postings on this subject I cannot understand why this discussion is rolling on rudderless.
From what I understand of it all Nick Hallam was employed on a short term contract which he served admirably. At the end of the contract, that was it. He was not sacked and no new contract was offered, so what. The EFDSS decided that there was no need to create another contract and they are perfectly entitled to do that as his employer. Until someone proves to me that the EFDSS are not doing a good job ,I am happy to see them get on with it. There seems to be more
activity and drive about the current board and at some point you have to accept that they are doing the job to the best of their abilities, if you take the opposite view then put yourself forward for election, or at least voice your opposition to the way it is being run to those in charge.
>> Having read most of the postings on this subject I cannot understand why this discussion is rolling on rudderless.
Or me, Al. Nothing new has been raised in any of the posts added in the last few days, and things have rolled on in the world. If the parties concerned most intimately - ie ex-employee and employer - have not taken it to appeal, or beyond, then this really is flogging a dead horse pointlessly. (Interestingly enough, I think the marketing post that was advertised at the time of Nick Hallam's departure was _not_ a like-for-like replacement, which smacks more of organisational reform/reorganisation. At the end of the day a short term post is just that .. a temporary one)
Here's the quote about the reason for termination or non-renewal (a you please): "because he "does not understand the organisation and what it's about.""
Many seem to have felt that he understood it very well, and that the alleged reason therefore smacked of a rejection of the nature of the work he had done.
If that is so then there is a question of the direction of the organisation. That is not just an issue for members, but is a matter of wider relevance since charities enjoy benefits and have obligations as matters of public law.
I agree,Richard.
What is the source of that quote?
The direction of the organisation is quite separate from the issue of who does or does not work there.
Richard - who said that? It's a third person quote, taken from a petition set up by someone who didn't even put their own name to the petition, all of which has contributed to the existence of this thread. It's not a comment made in public by any of the parties to the events in question, and, in my books, is hearsay. Until such time as I hear something publicly expressed by any of the parties who DO know something about the events concerned first hand I would not dream of starting to criticise, or express an opinion on the matter. Incidentally, are you actually a member of the EFDSS ... if so, go give your happorth at the AGM.
Richard and Dick the reasons for your postings regarding EFDSS direction is understood and your concerns, but as Surrey Singer says there is no firm evidence of any wrong doing on any ones part. If this information came from anywhere I would suspect that there would be a strong possibility that NH was a bit miffed at not getting his contract renewed and voiced that to somebody.This is only speculation however and not based on any fact.
From: banjoman
I happen to know of one person who was interviewed for the recently advertised post. No result advised.
However, having spent some time reading through this thread, I have to conclude that for once I completely concur with the views of Richard Bridge. There is a lot wrong with EFDSS and I feel that unless things alter then the Charity Commissioners may start to have a close look at how it runs
banjoman: if you think there is enough wrong with the EFDSS to make the Charity Commisioners look into it, why not tell us what your concerns are? Vague insinuations and mutterings don't do a lot for this situation, if it is indeed a situation. Put your money where your mouth is.
I agree with you Greg, this posting is not one of concern of direction as voiced by Richard and what most of us would agree with,it seems to be a posting to stir up problems for the EFDSS which may have no substance.
Please list what you are concerned about and the facts so that we can all make a judgement.
Watching from a distance, I have to say that I'm with Alan and Greg. Richard B spouts a good deal of nonsense.
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 07:37 AM
Nick is now a Director at Albion Folk Ltd in Northampton so he got on his bike. Good luck to the venture!
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The effects of hyperfine interaction and radical concentration on the relative contributions of ST0 and ST_ mixing in CIDEP
Resolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2614(89)85336-9
Search for: Adrian, F.J.; Search for: Akiyama, K.; Search for: Ingold, K. U.1; Search for: Wan, J.K.S.
National Research Council of Canada
The simplicity of the phosphorus-centered radicals, R2P(O), afforded a correlated study of the effects of hyperfine interaction and radical concentrations on the relative contributions of ST0 and ST_ mixing radical pair mechanisms in CIDEP. © 1989.
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You are here: Home / Archives for President Xi Jinping
Queen says Chinese officials are rude; has she forgotten something?
May 24, 2016 By Assunta Ng
By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Queen Elizabeth II ranted about Chinese officials being “very rude,” before President Xi Jinping’s visit in London last year, in a private conversation with a police commander on May 10. A pool cameraman recorded the conversation on the Buckingham Palace lawn. Lucy D’Orsi, the Gold Commander, was in charge […]
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March 21, 2015 By Northwest Asian Weekly
AP Wire Service BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese military’s former second-highest ranking officer, Xu Caihou, who had been under investigation for alleged bribe-taking and brokering of promotions, has died in a hospital of cancer, the state Xinhua News Agency reported early Monday. He was 71. A former deputy chairman of the ruling Communist Party’s Central […]
Filed Under: World News Tagged With: 2012, 2015, Beijing, CMC, Central Committee, Central Military Commission, Communist Party, Ex-top China, Gu Junshan, Hong Kong-based, Hu Jintao, Liberation Army, Phoenix Weekly, President Xi Jinping, Vol 34 No 13 | March 21 - March 27, Xinhua News Agency, Xu Caihou
COMMENTARY: Jackie Chan’s son sentenced to 6 months prison for pot possession
January 16, 2015 By Northwest Asian Weekly
By Reid Mukai For Northwest Asian Weekly On Friday January 9, Jaycee Chan, son of legendary martial artist Jackie Chan, was sentenced to six months in prison and fined $320 for pot possession. Jaycee was arrested in August at his Beijing apartment along with fellow celebrity Ko Chen-tung and others. Jaycee and Ko admitted smoking […]
Filed Under: Commentaries Tagged With: 2009, 2015, Beijing, Cascadia Vape, China, Chinese, Drug War, Drunken Master, Emperor Shen Nung, Goodwill Ambassador, Jackie Chan, Jaycee Chan, Ko Chen-tung, President Xi Jinping, Reid Mukai, Vol 34 No 4 | January 17 - January 23
China to investigate ex-President Hu’s top aide
January 6, 2015 By Northwest Asian Weekly
By Didi Tang Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — The top aide to former Chinese President Hu Jintao has been placed under investigation for unspecified disciplinary violations, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday, in a sign that President Xi Jinping is removing his predecessor’s influences while consolidating his power. The evening announcement came two years […]
Filed Under: World News Tagged With: 2012, Bo Xilai, China Policy Institute, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Chinese University, Communist Party, Hong Kong, Ling Jihua, Premier Li Keqiang, President Xi Jinping, Standing Committee, Steve Tsang, United Front Work Department, Willy Lam, Youth League
Scholar and journalist tried in closed hearings
November 29, 2014 By Northwest Asian Weekly
By Erica Kinetz Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — Closed-door court hearings of a prominent journalist and a noted minority scholar held on Friday were sharply criticized for violating due process and chilling freedom of expression as Chinese authorities tighten oversight of public speech.
Filed Under: World News Tagged With: 2014, Aritz Parra, Associated Press, Beijing, China, Communist Party, European Union, Guzelnur Ali, Han Chinese, Hong Lei, Human Rights Watch, Ilham Tohti, Intermediate Court, Journalist Gao Yu, Mo Shaoping, Muslim Uighurs, Nicholas Bequelin, President Xi Jinping, Vol 33 No 49 | November 29 - December 5, Xinjiang High Court
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Home Images and media interactive Panorama: Ayes lobby at Parliament
Panorama: Ayes lobby at Parliament
See non-flash (HTML 5) version of this panorama (works on iPhone / iPad) - note this opens in full screen mode. Also, you can hear a related commentary by John O'Sullivan.
Panorama of the Ayes lobby of the House of Representatives.
For best results we recommend viewing this panorama in full screen mode. An audio description and hotspot links can be activated from the relevant menu buttons.
On the opposite side of the chamber is the Noes lobby. Until 1996, votes were recorded in the lobbies.
Transcript of related commentary by John O'Sullivan, former General Manager of the Parliamentary Service:
Either side of the main debating chamber there are doors leading to the Ayes lobby and the Noes lobby. We are here in the Ayes lobby. It is here that members would come to record their vote in support of a particular motion before the House. The lobbies are now only used when an individual vote is required. Since the introduction of MMP most of the votes in the House are taken on basis of a party vote so that an individual vote is not required to be taken.
This interactive Appears In 2 Articles:
The House of Representatives
Parliament Buildings
Panorama photography: Brian Donovan, 2004.
A QuickTime (QTVR) version of this panorama is also available.
RELATED TO PANORAMA: AYES LOBBY AT PARLIAMENT
Political and constitutional timeline
Māori and the vote
Parliament's culture and traditions
See 2 more related articles...
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Home » Asian Cup » Asian Cup 2015: United Arab Emirates attack can provide edge
Asian Cup 2015: United Arab Emirates attack can provide edge
United Arab Emirates begin their Asian Cup adventure in need of a boost, having failed to defend their 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations trophy by exiting in the semi-finals to hosts Saudi Arabia.
As a hub of commerce, the Arabian Peninsula nation are a prime destination for expats, with their seven emirates housing just 1.4 natives from a population of around 9.2m.
With such a small populace, Gulf Cup triumphs in 2007 and 2013 are an impressive feat for UAE, a nation which made its first, and only, World Cup appearance at Italia ‘90.
The Whites’ best-ever finish in the Asian Cup was second place in 1996, when they suffered the pain of a spot kick shoot-out roulette, but it seems unlikely they will best that in this edition.
Their recent record in this continental competition is certainly not as rosy, as the UAE have been unable to make it past the first round on their past three attempts.
Encouraging warm-up results, including a draw with hosts Australia, bodes well for a better assault on the Asian Cup this time out, as does the White’s exciting potential up front.
Veteran striker Ismail Matar is the fourth most-capped player in the United Arab Emirates’ history, but it is 24-year-old forward Ali Mabkhout who is most likely to surpass the legendary Adnan Al Talyani’s record of 161.
Magnificent Mabkhout was crucial for 2013 Gulf Cup success and, after being prolific in the Under-20s, the poacher has made fair weather of the step up to the senior side.
The UAE’s most potent forward threat, Mabkhout, fired an early warning to Asian Cup competitors by grabbing five goals to ensure the Whites finished in third place in their most recent Gulf Cup challenge.
Fellow forward Ahmed Khalil also chipped in with brace in the semi-final and, although the 23-year-old boasts slightly less impressive scoring stats, provides a vital foil to Mabkhout’s magic.
Coach Mahdi Ali has also recently experimented with Khalil and Mabkhout playing out wide in support of fellow fleet-footed forward Ismail Al Hammadi. With their versatility and pace up front they should provide a much sterner test for opponents this winter.
« Asian Cup 2015: Controversial Qatar keen to prove themselves
Asian Cup 2015: Ray Wilkins to jump-start Jordan in Australia »
Holly Thackeray
Holly is a member of the content team, and can often be found on the sports desk writing about favourite topics Serie A and East Asian footballing nations. A recent darts convert, she is also a fully-fledged member of Barney's Army and a proud Leeds-born Manchester United fan.
England draw title holders Sri Lanka for 2016 World Twenty20
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Seven awesome Australia stars to have graced the Premier League
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null Excellus BCBS issues $21 million in premium refund credits as part of its COVID-19 pandemic response
Excellus BCBS issues $21 million in premium refund credits as part of its COVID-19 pandemic response
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is issuing $17.6 million in medical premium refund credits to about 700 large group employer and union-sponsored plans that are prospectively rated as part of its comprehensive community response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This comes one month after the health insurer issued $3.4 million in premium refund credits to employer groups who offered the plan’s dental coverage.
“Keeping health care affordable is our mission as a non-profit insurer and it starts with not collecting more than we need to pay claims and run the business,” said Christopher C. Booth, CEO of Excellus BCBS. “When upstate New York went into lockdown and elective medical care decreased, our claims payments also declined. We are returning a portion of the premium.”
The medical premium credit will appear on the bills being sent out in November.
The dental premium refund was credited on the groups’ October invoice.
To date, the health plan has spent or expects to spend more than $300 million this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This has taken the form of COVID-19 related claims and expanded coverage during the state of emergency, reductions in the administrative burden for health care providers, distribution of personal protective equipment for employers and providers, and contributions to food banks and food pantries throughout the health plan’s upstate service territory.
“Our priority continues to be taking care of the customer and making sure members have access to the care they need,” Booth said. “Our claim volumes have returned to normal levels given the demand for elective procedures and routine care that may have been put off during the quarantine. We are also still bracing for a possible second wave in COVID-19 related costs. We hope it doesn’t come but we are prepared if it does.”
For the latest information on the health plan’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, members, providers and employers are encouraged to visit https://www.chooseexcellus.com/covid19
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Pakistan Telecom News ► Ufone News | Telenor News | Mobilink News | Warid News | Zong News | Wateen | wi-tribe | PTCL News | PTA News
Pakistan Live News » Unlabelled » Best Android Tablets in Pakistan with latest Price
Best Android Tablets in Pakistan with latest Price
Since the advent of Tablets, researchers have already started expressing concern that these tablets will start replacing regular desktops and laptops within the next few years. This change won’t be surprising as all the tablets are equipped with state of the art technology; their portability and user friendly build is an added advantage.
Pakistan’s electronics market is flooded with various tablets and it has become difficult to decide which ones have the right specifications that will serve our needs.
Some of the best tablets with new and extraordinary specifications that are available in Pakistan are:
Acer IconiaTab B1-A71:
Acer tablets have gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Acer Iconia is equipped with Android Jelly Bean (4.1) with Mediatek dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 8-GB internal storage, can support an SD card of up to 32-GB, 0.3 front camera for video conversation and 7 inch of capacitive multi touch screen. The best part is that all of these features and specifications are available at a price of only PKR 18,999.
So if you are looking for a great tablet, which is also reasonably priced then this is the tablet to get.
Google Nexus 7:
Google nexus 7 is powered by Android 4.1 OS and it comes with all your favorite Google apps. It has a 1.2 megapixel front camera for video conversations and stand-by is about 300 hours with 10 hours of web browsing and 9 hours of video HD playback. That’s not it, it has a 7 inch display with 1280 x 800 resolutions and has a Tegra 3 Quad Core processor which is one of the fastest working processors today.
Overall, this tablet is perfect for game lovers. But, it has its perks for others users as e.g. you can download up to 60,000 apps; watch unlimited number of videos and movies, read e-books etc.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 P3110:
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 3110 is one of the best tablets that has been introduced by Samsung in Pakistan. The tablet comes with a 7-inch display with 1024 x 600 resolution and 8 GB internal storage which can go up to 32-GB via micro-SD. It is powered by Android Jelly bean (4.1) OS, 1-GHz dual-core processor, 1-GB RAM and it is also equipped with 3-megapixel focus rear camera and a VGA front-facing camera.
One of the main highlights of this tablet is that besides the Wi-Fi only version, the company also has a Wi-Fi and 3G version and all of this comes in just PKR 20,999.
Sony Tablet S:
Sony tablet S has 9.4-inch display screen with 1280 x 800 resolutions. The display had served to be the main source of attraction when it came to Sony tablets, but now they have added 8 mega pixel camera at the rear and front 1 mega pixel camera and a splash proof design which has been greatly appreciated by the people.
Now coming to the core points, it has a NVIDIA Tegra 3 Quad Core processor which works at a speed of 1.4 GHz. It is great for heavy duty work; you can play games and watch movies without any interruption. It also has a 1 GB RAM and an external memory of up to 64 GB. With all of these features combined, Sony tablet S makes for a great tablet.
So, you can use this information and latest tablet PC prices in Pakistan to get whichever tablet you want according to your specification and that too without spending much. Also, for more information or easy access to these tablets, you can go to Azmalo.pk as all of these products are available there.
This is a Guest Post by Basit Rahman.
Posted by Ali Naz
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Your First Bite of The Delicious Last Course with an Update from Studio MDHR on Cuphead DLC
by Chad Moldenhauer, Co-Director, Studio MDHR • Jul 2, 2019 @ 12:46pm
Hello, old friends and new!
First and foremost, we wanted to thank the wonderful Xbox community for the kind words about our recent Free Content Update. From those who had been itching to play as Mugman, to players who were able to visit the Inkwell Isles for the first time in a new language, we’ve received a whole new wave of support for our little animated adventure. We really wouldn’t be able to do what we love without you folks! On that note, we know fans have been hungering for more info about our upcoming Cuphead DLC.
While we initially announced a 2019 release date for the Delicious Last Course expansion, our highest priority is making sure this new adventure meets the meticulous level of care and quality we always strive for. We want to be absolutely certain that this next adventure feels at home in the world of Cuphead and is full of moments that surprise and delight players. Furthermore, the development of the original game taught us a great deal about the importance of making things in a way that’s healthy and sustainable for our team.
With that in mind, we’re taking a page out of Chef Saltbaker’s book, and spending the necessary time to get the recipe just right – this means that we’ll be moving the release of The Delicious Last Course to 2020. This wasn’t an easy decision to make, but we’re confident it’s one that will result in a higher quality experience that’s all the sweeter when it does arrive.
Rest assured, we remain hard at work on this new isle, which will bring a whole bevy of screen-filling bosses, exciting weapons & charms to wallop with, and of course, a brand-new playable character…the lovely Ms. Chalice!
Not only will Ms. Chalice have a distinct play style and unique abilities – like double-jump! – but she’ll be playable across every isle, allowing you to re-experience the original Cuphead in a completely fresh way. We’ve learned so much about animation and really honed our technique during the development of Cuphead, so expect some particularly wacky and wild moments this time around! As well as a few surprises we aren’t prepared to talk about just yet.
So, while the wait for The Delicious Last Course is set to be a little longer than expected, just know that we’re pushing to ensure the end result is cooked to perfection. And in the meantime, we hope this amuse bouche teaser will whet your appetite for the feast to come next year!
Celebrating Cuphead’s 2-Year Anniversary
Oct 4, 2019 @ 2:30pm
A Refined Cuphead Experience is Coming Soon as Free Content Update
Mar 20, 2019 @ 11:00am
GDC 2019: Evolving the ID@Xbox Program for Developers with Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live
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Home South Africa News Man sentenced to life in jail for killing young man accused of...
Man sentenced to life in jail for killing young man accused of stealing cellphone
The Sterkspruit Regional Court in the Eastern Cape has sentenced a 48-year-old man to life imprisonment for murdering a young man he accused of stealing his cellphone.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, a group of men from Cathberg Village accosted Mookamedi Phomane, 20, at his home on 14 November 2016 and demanded that he return a cellphone they accused him of stealing from Sipho Mphumanto.
Phomane repeatedly denied any knowledge of the phone. After a long interrogation, Mphumanto demanded to further question Phomane. He drove past the police station, dropped his friends in town, and took Phomane to an unknown place.
“After several hours, Mphumanto returned [Phomane] to his mother. He had sustained multiple injuries on both his upper and lower limbs, suggesting he was severely assaulted. The following day he succumbed to the injuries in hospital,” Tyali said.
Mphumanto denied assaulting Phomane but the State convinced the court that the only reasonable inference to be drawn was that Mphumanto had planned to kill Phomane.
The court found no substantial or compelling circumstances justifying a deviation from the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment.
-The Citizen
In other news – Big blow for the Viewers – List of Actors who dumped Isibaya in 2020
Mzansi’s magic hit soapie Isibaya has had a terrible year in 2020, from losing some of its actors to getting canned, it seems there was so much drama behind the scenes that many could not handle on the show.
The award-winning show first aired its first episode on 18 March 2013 and it became a household name. The show started as a telenovela and it went on to become a long-standing soapie on the channel. Learn More
National Prosecuting Authority
Sipho Mphumanto
Sterkspruit Regional Court
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nexialist
constructing soundscapes since the year 2000
Fragment King: Here Music Dies
Originally released as a cassette and T-shirt package in 2014, we now present HERE MUSIC DIES, the collaborative release by FRAGMENT KING and THEOLOGIAN, available in its entirety as a digital release for the first time. The A side featured the original FRAGMENT KING EP, with side B containing THEOLOGIAN remixes of that material, presented here mixed as a single file. A small number of shirts from this run are available here. "Endless spite is filtered through soul-numbing distortion, accompanied by bitter, crisp electronic rhythms that glide across the edge that separates dark industrial, crushing metal and paranoiac breakbeat, featured here are tracks assembled by THEOLOGIAN using FRAGMENT KING source material. This is the death of music." FRAGMENT KING will release a new EP, titled RETREAT, later in 2019.
HERE MUSIC DIES by THEOLOGIAN+FRAGMENT KING
annihilvspowerelectronix.bandcamp.com
at April 25, 2019 No comments:
Labels: ambient, bandcamp, composition, drone, electronic, experimental, fragment king, industrial, metal, nexialist, noise, release, video, youtube
URBAN EVOLUTION (Heterotopia #070129)
Urban Evolution site specific performance from Mark Kammerbauer on Vimeo.
Cities are examples of how building, destroying, and rebuilding occur over and over again. Such processes that can be triggered by crisis, disaster and other societal, political or market phenomena or actors. However, how can such processes become an experience to be perceived by others? Urban Evolution intends to answer this question within a performance in public space on the Theaterplatz square in Weimar, Germany, developed in the context of a research project at the Bauhaus Universität Weimar. By doing so we reimagined a quasi-historic process of cycles of rebuilding, demolition and rebuilding again and again that remains invisible unless some sort of signs indicate this process. European cities may actually be a case in point, considering wartime destruction and postwar modernist planning schemes that drastically altered historic cityscapes. Yet, while physical or social traces may remain, the context was hardly the design of memory or history as a creative practice, and the resulting void was coincidental. Therefore, there is a need to go beyond such examples and research whether transferable models of such processes can be established to better understand their design relevance.
The Urban Evolution performance consists of different steps including movement, climax and void. These steps are indicated by signs of their occurrence – „scar tissue“, perhaps – that are marked on the surface of the square with chalk. Structures measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 7 feet made of wood frame lined with cardboard are „manned“ by one person each who moves them from the inside along the square. Chalk tracings are drawn on the paving from inside the structures. The structures move in steps towards a climax of maximum density – a speculative pre-existing condition. They then withdraw from the square completely, laying bare a resultant condition of removal as a post-event situation. The spatial void becomes complicit to the documentation of its appearance as the chalk signs marked on the surface of the square indicate the action of removal, until rainfall washed them away. Within the Urban Evolution performance, the void becomes perceivable as well as the action that preceded and generated it (Javier Barona, Mark Kammerbauer, Arne Löper).
Labels: discourse, experimental, heterotopia, live, nexialist, performance, urbanism, video, youtube
Nexialist Presents: Schismotecture (The Navidson Record)
Schismotecture: The Navidson Record by M. Kammerbauer
Schismotecture a.k.a. “The Navidson Record” is a conceptual cycle of recordings inspired by the concept of the house that is larger on the inside than on the outside from Mark Z. Danielewski's novel “House of Leaves.” Similar to the design of Friedrich Kiesler's “Endless House” it declares a state of perceptive emergency by dissolving the conventions of architectural geometry into a continuum, thus eerily creating an intellectual counterpart to the cave by having emerged from the depth of the earth. Schismotecture takes these spatial concepts into the realm of the audible. The recordings combine electroacoustic composition and improvised sessions (synthesizers, effects) with field recordings and electric guitar and bass guitar.
Labels: album, ambient, Architecture, bandcamp, collage, drone, electronic, experimental, improvisation, industrial, music, nexialist, noise, release
MIMESIS (Heterotopia #040515)
The Nexialist Operation “Mimesis” is an experiment in using architecture as a music instrument. The object used was a particularly suitable one, a studio building by Peter Haimerl in Munich with pneumatic facades that served as percussion instrument. The video features four parts (for those who want to scroll forward): 00:10 - 03:00 Soundcheck; 03:00 - 05:00 Session: sound of space; 05:00 - 08:00 Mirror Image: space of sound; 08:00 - 09:30 Triangulation: space/sound/instrument.
The following is the original concept text of the project: “We conducted an operation in the studio building Mimesis, designed by architect Peter Haimerl. The building as such was used as a sound creation device in this operation. Located in Putzbrunn, Munich, Germany, the studio complex consists of two cube-shaped buildings ca. 6 x 6 x 6 m each, one of which, with two pneumatic transparent vinyl facades, was used for the operation. The resulting sounds were recorded by electro-acoustic, digital-acoustic and digital-video means. During and in the course of the operation the created and recorded sound material was processed in situ and used as the source of an electro-acoustic / digital-acoustic improvised composition.
The specific spacial acoustic characteristics of the building were utilized for the creation, projection and recording of the recorded and processed sound. The result is an acoustic signature equaling a spacial-acoustic context, portraying the identity of the building/space in successive levels. This is inspired by the motif of the “turning of the mask” as described by Vilem Flusser. Session 1: recording the resonance of the pneumatic facade: strikes with hand, roll of tracing paper, stick measure [folded] and a dynamic microphone. Session 2: percussive, rhythmic, improvised composition for four hands and pneumatic vinyl facade. Session 3 : electro-acoustic, improvised composition for digital-audio recording, analog effect unit, speaker combo and building interior. Session 4: improvised composition for bass guitar, effect units, building interior and facade. Mark Kammerbauer + Nedim Tezkosar 2004.”
Labels: ambient, Architecture, discourse, experimental, heterotopia, improvisation, industrial, live, music, noise, percussion, performance, urbanism, video, youtube
Xenakis-Emulator
The Xenakis-Emulator is an audiovisual adaptation of two key works of architect/composer Iannis Xenakis - the composition “Metastasseis” and the facade for the monastery “La Tourette” by master architect Le Corbusier. We created a synergetic digital animation of an interpretation of the facade and the music composition. The facade strips, which reflect the “Glissando”-motif of “Metastasseis”, float in an abstract space, followed by a vertical strip that “plays” our music interpretation in realtime and synchronous with the vertical facade elements.
Iannis Xenakis was born in Romania in 1922. His family returned to Greece in 1932. He studied architecture and math and became a resistance fighter, fleeing from Greece to France in 1947, where he worked in the office of Le Corbusier. He was a student of Olivier Messiaen, and as first composer within New Music, he used mathematical probability in composition, becoming the inventor of stochastic music. Xenakis composed pieces for orchestra, scenic works for chorals, ballet music, and radio pieces.
Working in the office of Le Corbusier, Xenakis collaborated on the monastery La Tourette from 1953-1955, developing the design and the placement of the vertical elements for the strip windows on the western facade of the building. The motif of “decreasing-increasing” of intervals of the vertical posts is derived from the composition “Metastassis”, on which Xenakis worked at the time as well. Metastassis for orchestra is defined by the extraordinary and debut implementation of glissandi within a composition. The glissando – the sliding movement within the tonal scale, for instance with a string instrument – is the defining motif of both the composition and the facade design for the monastery La Tourette. This connection is interpreted within an adaptation of both works.
Measurement of the facade division results in the definition of a system consisting of 48 intervals that comprise the increasing-decreasing appearance of the facade. These intervals can be interpreted as the 1st to 48th factor of a smallest common interval. Beyond that, minima and maxima can be identified, meaning points of largest and lowest density in the facade system, as well as the distances between them.
Labels: ambient, Architecture, composition, discourse, drone, electronic, experimental, heterotopia, Iannis Xenakis, music, nexialist, theory, youtube
Collaborations with Z’EV
In early August 2011 “The.Bänd” (z'ev, Alexandra von Bolz'n, Fragment King) played live at the prestigious Klangbad Festival in Scheer near the Faust Studios location, alongside Goldene Zitronen and Wire. We got together two days beforehand and permitted ourselves the luxury of a full day of sessioning. Beginning with some tuneing the bass to the amps and vice versa, z'ev steps in with shamanoid percussion, soon to be complemented by Alex’ vox. Mixed trio and duo constellations emerged followed by a violent riffage crescendo. We pretty much followed that road map for the live set, with some in-situ alterations and quirks and stuff. The Klangbad folks, genius as they are, put together a video documentary that features The.Bänd in its first six minutes or so with some live footage and interviews on our views on music and playing together. In addition, a compilation was released on occasion of the festival that features an exclusive and otherwise unreleased track.
Bad Klang In A Thunder by Z'EV / ALEXANDRA von BOLZ'N / FRAGMENT KING
Originally named "The.Bänd", the collaboration between Z'EV, Alexandra von Bolz'n, and Fragment King recorded music and played live between 2007 and 2013. They recorded an exclusive track for the Klangbad Live Scheer Festival sampler in 2011.
Labels: ambient, drone, experimental, faust, industrial, klangbad, live, percussion, performance, z'ev
Nexialist Presents: Halforganic
Halforganic is the title of a series of compositions and performances that were recorded and packaged with artwork in various formats between 2000 and 2003. Alltogether, ten different CDs, cassette tapes and vinyl records and accompanying print materials were produced and released in limited editions under the nexialist imprint. They collect the output of a creative progression ranging from danceable electronic tracks to spatial-acoustic explorations via live performances to improvised, analog-digital pieces. The live performances took place mostly in New York City and led to a shift towards a more noisy, spontaneous sound. The final step was a farewell to all genre restrictions and conventional song structures structures to an unrestrained, improvisational direction influenced by ambient and experimental performers and modern classical composers.
The video contains the following edited tracks:
0:00 Doorway (Torso: M. Kammerbauer), taken from nex000
1:30 Train to Instantbul (Instantbul: Tezkosar, M. Kammerbauer), taken from nex003
5:30 Protocol (Uncreated: N. Deiker, N. Tezkosar, M. Kammerbauer), taken from nex004
9:30 Black Iron Prison (Fragment King), taken from nex005
13:30 Total Now (Fragment King), taken from nex008
17:30 Jitterbug (Nexicon: T. Spann, L. Bartow, M. Kammerbauer), taken from nex010
21:30 Strategy II (Torso: M. Kammerbauer), taken from nex006
25:30 Session 6 (Torso: M. Kammerbauer), taken from nex009
Nexialist Halforganic releases:
nex000 NEXIALIST PRESENTS: HALFORGANIC. 2000. CD
nex001 FRAGMENT KING: FORENSIUM. 2001. CD
nex002 FRAGMENT KING: THE CELLMAKER’S SINISTER JAZZ. 2001. CD
nex005 INSTANTBUL: S/T. 2000. CD
nex004 UNCREATED: PROTOCOLS. 2000. CD
nex005 FRAGMENT KING: LIVE AT SI. 2001. CASSETTE TAPE
nex006 TORSO: GENERATING SPACE. 2002. CD
nex008 FRAGMENT KING: VIVISECTION. 2002. 3" CD
nex009 TORSO: FLESHSOUNDS. 2002. CD
nex010 SIMPLE THINGS ARE OFTEN MONSTROUS. 2003. 12" VINYL
Review in Debug (nex000): “Halforganic is a sound collective of sorts, consisting of multiple acts (Instantbul, Torso, Fragment King, N.Deiker, Pathomechanical and various constellations thereof). The tracks oscillate between noisescapes, dark analogue electro-breaks, chipmonster-drumandbass, and dark worlds bordering electronica. Darkness seems to be a necessity, just as the city center of Stuttgart, and Fragment King sometimes peeks through the modestly morbid vision with some silly ideas, with a solid joy for the dissonant and clattery. Get your warm stuff on, it’ll be a cold winter.”
Review in Debug (nex010): “Joy for all friends of the noisy postdrumandbassnirvana. 2 tracks by fragment king, who loads and towers destroyed bassdrums and screeching breaks in front of him, digs and probes the heap as if it were the innards of a heavy metal sauce for gourmets, who love to gobble up fresh roasted tiniti for breakfast and on the flipside two tracks by nexicon, which sound a lot more like broken machinery than breaks or beats. this is no fast silly funny broken music, but honest and righteous terror with fragments of slime and digital gall.” - Bleed/DeBug
Review in Ibol (nex006): “What an evil trick! Someone took an unsuspecting minimalist, plugged him into a marshall stack and recorded it on their hard-drive. Or at least that is what torso makes me think of. There are almost no discernible source sounds in this recording, only (apparently) digital manipulation. An extremely crisp, distilled and singular vision of music, these 16 tracks are layed out in 3 larger groupings, for a total of 67 minutes of noise. Most of the textures are fairly harsh, but the presentation is more ambient (ubiquitous, surrounding).”
Labels: ambient, bandcamp, composition, drone, electronic, experimental, fragment king, industrial, music, nexialist, percussion, release, youtube
Nexialist Presents: Fleshfilm / Fleshsounds
“Hyperintimacy as ambience” - The Fleshsounds were created in 2002 for the Halforganic Series, the Fleshfilm was produced in 2005 as a live video for select Nexialist Operations. Both take the term “pink noise” literally and were intended as the audible and visual ambience for live installations exploring human proximity. The six compositions and the video were developed by use of source material that was cut up, treated with various effects and a significant amout of digital blur. The “Unschärfe” veils what is seen, disintegrating sound and image into near-obscurity: a visual encoding process similar to distortion. While nothing is recognizable, the undulating pink surfaces continuously refer to the echo of their origin. The grittiness of the effects betrays the age of the production. All things Burroughs were a significant influence, Vito Acconci as well, and the story that Rem Koolhaas had written porn film scripts.
Labels: ambient, composition, discourse, drone, electronic, experimental, heterotopia, industrial, music, nexialist, noise, theory, video, youtube
Wallywoods (Heterotopia #080913)
On September 13, 2008, we joined experimental percussion legend z'ev on stage. The line-up featured Marcelo Aguirre (Evil Spirit, Spastic Dementia) on drums and Alexandra (von Bolz'n) on vocals as well as Mark Kammerbauer (a.k.a. Fragment King) on treated bass guitar. We played a single, throbbing, droning, half-hour piece at Gallery Wallywoods in berlin. The set was completely improvised, with superfast blasting grindcore drums contrasted by superslow detuned bass riffage, enlivened by percussion clang and bang and guttural growls and piercing screams. Hai no banda? Im gegenteil. “The Bänd” had arrived that evening, t'banned, not canned, but with powerful release of physical acoustic force.
Labels: drone, electronic, experimental, fragment king, heterotopia, improvisation, industrial, live, metal, music, nexialist, noise, percussion, performance, shows, video, youtube, z'ev
CRITICAL VOID (Heterotopia #130724)
Critical Void is an analytical audio work based on an urbanist study of the MaximiliansForum in Munich and its planning history. By employing interviews with key individuals and document research, Z‘EV, Alexandra von Bolz'n and Mark Kammerbauer developed a site-specific audio performance and work that was performed live on site on 24.07.2013. The project was curated by the Kulturreferat of the City of Munich. This is a step-by-step documentation of the project. The location that includes the MaximiliansForum art space can be found beneath the crossing of Maximilianstrasse and Altstadtring in Munich. It has escalators that are currently in disuse. It is denominated officially as pedestrian tunnel. It is by far the largest of its kind in the city. Rumor has that original planning intended a traffic tunnel. So, what happened here?
On Wednesday, 24.07.2013 at 19:00 we performed CRITICAL VOID live after a very friendly introduction by Elisabeth Hartung of the Culture Office of the City of Munich. The first half of the performance included a dramatized conversation between Alexandra von Bolz'n and MK on the results of the study with audio ambience by Z'EV. Here, we identify the planning crisis that took place. A tunnel was supposed to be built but conflicts emerged with regulations as well as public interest. Postwar traffic planning had resulted in a broad intersection in what had previously been an enclosed urban plaza (the original “Forum” above ground). In addition, urban revitalization aims led to affordable housing problems in the adjacent quarter (“Lehel”). One result was the creation of the “Münchner Forum” where citizens became involved in urban planning in the city.
As result of these events, planning was confronted with crisis, and planning aims were discontinued, resulting in the ambiguous character of the open space beneath the street crossing. After dramatizing these aspects in the first half of the performance as a narrative “conversation”, the second half of the performance featured a performance of the crisis. This music piece is titled “MythEater” as inspired by Z'EV and includes an interpretation of “Yuki’s Song” from Akira Kurosawa’s film “Hidden Fortress” by vocalist Alexandra von Bolz'n. It is intended to symbolize the conflict between tradition and modernism as root of the crisis that gave birth to this CRITICAL VOID within the urban fabric of the city of Munich.
Labels: ambient, Architecture, composition, discourse, drone, electronic, experimental, heterotopia, improvisation, industrial, live, music, nexialist, percussion, performance, shows, urbanism, video, youtube, z'ev
KLANG+RAUM Interdisciplinary Seminar
KLANG + RAUM by KLANG + RAUM Student Group Beginning last year my colleague Carola Dietrich from Technische Hochschule Nürnberg - Fakultät...
The Xenakis-Emulator is an audiovisual adaptation of two key works of architect/composer Iannis Xenakis - the composition “Metastasseis” a...
Critical Void is an analytical audio work based on an urbanist study of the MaximiliansForum in Munich and its planning history. By emplo...
Urban Evolution site specific performance from Mark Kammerbauer on Vimeo . Cities are examples of how building, destroying, and rebuildi...
nexialist.com
Nexialist Presents: Schismotecture (The Navidson R...
fragment king
heterotopia
klangbad
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Airway Compromise Due to Wound Hematoma Following Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery
Mark A Palumbo*, 1, Jessica Pelow Aidlen1, Alan H Daniels1, Nikhil A Thakur1, Joseph Caiati2
1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
2 Department of Anesthesia, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Received Date: 23/12/2011
Electronic publication date: 5/3/2012
© Palumbo et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.
* Address correspondence to this author at the Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 2 Dudley Street, Suite 200, Providence, Rhode Island 02905, USA; Tel: 401-457-5195; Fax: 401-457-2141; E-mail: mpalmd@aol.com
One of the most serious adverse events associated with anterior cervical spine surgery is wound hematoma resulting in airway compromise. The reported incidence of this postoperative complication has varied from 0.2% to 1.9%. Obstruction of the airway secondary to bleeding presents a challenging clinical scenario given the rapidity of onset, distorted anatomy of the upper respiratory tract, urgent need to act and potential for catastrophic consequences. This high-risk, life-threatening clinical scenario requires specialized knowledge and a well-designed treatment protocol to achieve a positive outcome. In this review, we report a case of airway compromise secondary to wound hematoma following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, followed by a review of relevant literature, anatomy, etiologic factors and diagnostic considerations. We also propose guidelines for the prevention and management of postoperative airway obstruction due to wound hematoma.
Keywords: Anterior cervical spine surgery, adverse event, airway obstruction, hematoma.
Anterior cervical spine operations are commonly performed by orthopedic and neurological surgeons. These procedures generally involve decompression of the neural elements by discectomy or corpectomy in combination with reconstruction of the spinal column at one or more levels. Available reconstructive techniques include arthrodesis (with or without instrumentation) and disc arthroplasty. Reported rates of clinical success are high and complications are generally infrequent.
One of the most serious adverse events associated with anterior cervical spine surgery is postoperative airway obstruction due to wound hematoma. The reported incidence of this complication has varied from 0.2% to 1.9% [1-4]. To date, there have not been any Level 1, 2, or 3 studies published examining the topic of airway compromise due to wound hematoma following anterior cervical surgery. Current treatment protocols are based on Level 4 and 5 data derived from case reports, retrospective series and expert opinion.
Airway compromise caused by hemorrhage presents a challenging clinical scenario given the rapidity of onset, limited time to act, and potential for catastrophic consequences including cerebral ischemia and death. Further, standard airway control measures may prove difficult to employ due to anatomic distortion of the upper respiratory tract and ventral neck.
Specialized knowledge and advance planning is necessary to respond efficiently and effectively in the setting of this life-threatening complication. Due to the low incidence of the problem, however, it is not universal policy for the medical team to formulate a specific protocol for the prevention and management of airway compromise. The primary objective of this review is to describe a systematic approach to the patient with airway obstruction due to wound hematoma after anterior cervical spine surgery. Guidelines for prevention and management will be preceded by a review of clinically relevant anatomy, etiologic factors and diagnostic considerations.
A 52 year old female presented with a two year history of neck and right upper extremity pain along with paresthesias involving the thumb and index finger. The pain was progressive in nature and had become disabling despite comprehensive nonoperative management. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed a moderate paracentral disc herniation to the right of midline at the C5/6 level with compromise of the exiting C6 nerve root.
Her past medical history was significant for emphysema, bipolar disorder and epilepsy. There was no history of prior neck surgery. Physical examination was significant for low grade weakness of the right wrist extensor muscles and a decreased right brachialradialis reflex.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) was performed at the C5-6 level through a transverse, left-sided incision utilizing iliac crest autograft and anterior plate fixation (Fig. 1). There were no intraoperative complications. At the time of wound closure, hemostasis was adequate. The patient was extubated and transferred to the recovery room in stable condition. Six hours following completion of the operation, the patient began complaining of difficulty swallowing and breathing. She was agitated and tachypneic; oxygen saturation was >95% on room air. Her neurologic exam was unchanged from her preoperative exam. Examination of her anterior neck revealed fullness and submandibular edema. The suture line was intact with no incisional drainage. The hemovac drain reservoir showed minimal bloody drainage and the tubing appeared to be clotted.
Intraoperative lateral cervical spine xray showing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion of C5/6.
Immediate consultation with anesthesia and an otolaryngologist was obtained. The patient was taken emergently to the operating room. Bag-mask assisted ventilation was instituted. An attempt at awake intubation was compromised by poor visualization of the upper airway landmarks and edema of the pharyngeal wall, thus bag mask assisted ventilation was continued with the plan to attempt endotracheal intubation after hematoma evacuation. Next, the incision was opened under local anesthesia and a large hematoma was evacuated from the space between the carotid sheath and the midline viscera. After hematoma evacuation, standard endotracheal intubation was still unsuccessful due to upper airway edema. With the patient becoming more hypercarbic and tachycardic, emergent open tracheostomy was performed by the otolaryngologist through the prior left-sided incision, which was extended across the midline. After securing the airway, formal wound exploration revealed no clear source of arterial or venous bleeding.
Postoperatively, she was transferred to the intensive care unit. Her tracheostomy was removed on postoperative day #4 and she was discharged home on the fifth postoperative day. The remainder of her postoperative course was unremarkable. She experienced major improvement in her preoperative pain symptoms and had normalization of strength in the right C6 innervated musculature.
Effective management of airway compromise after cervical spine surgery requires an understanding of the surface anatomy of the anterior neck, the internal structure of the upper respiratory tract, and the surgical approach. The relevant external landmarks consist of the hyoid bone, the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage. Internally, the epiglottis separates the oropharynx from the laryngopharynx at approximately the level of the fourth cervical vertebra (Fig. 2). The larynx, extending from the lower pharynx to the trachea, is composed of a cartilaginous skeleton which includes the thyroid and cricoid cartilage along with the intervening cricothyroid membrane. Integration of ligaments and muscles with its cartilage components allows the larynx to serve as a soft tissue sphincter preventing passage of food and liquid into the tracheal lumen during swallowing.
Midsagittal section of the upper respiratory tract. OP: oropharnyx. LP: laryngopharnyx. TR: trachea. ES: esophagus. EP: epiglottis. TC: thyroid cartilage. CC: cricoid cartilage. Arrow A: path for direct laryngoscopic orotracheal intubation. Arrow B: path for surgical cricothyrotomy. Arrow C: path for high surgical traceostomy.
The surgical exposure for anterior cervical spine surgery can be performed from either side of the midline via a transverse or longitudinal incision. Access to the vertebral column is achieved by dissection in the plane between the carotid sheath and the midline viscera (Fig. 3) [5]. During surgery, the upper airway structures and esophagus are retracted in a medial direction. The longus colli musculature is elevated off the ventral surface of the spine to expose the vertebral bodies and disc spaces. This exposure creates a potential space along one side and directly posterior to the larynx and trachea.
The anterior cervical approach to the spine (cross-sectional view): note the potential space created by dissection in the plane between the carotid sheath and the midline viscera. The carotid sheath structures are retracted laterally, and the esophagus and trachea are retracted medially to expose the ventral surface of the spine. Adapted with permission from: Albert T, Balderston R, Northrup B. Surgical Approaches to the Spine. Philadelphia: WB Saunders 1997; p. 10 [5].
Hematoma following anterior cervical spine surgery may be the result of inadequate control of arterial or venous bleeding during the operation, and has been reported due to superior thyroid artery dissection [6]. In other instances, a hematoma can form after surgery irrespective of adequate intraoperative hemostasis. Postoperative hemorrhage may occur secondary to coagulopathy, increased blood pressure during emergence from anesthesia, or elevated venous pressure due to the Valsalva effect of coughing at the time of extubation [7].
There are two potential pathophysiologic mechanisms by which hematoma can produce airway compromise. The first is direct mechanical compression leading to reduction in the cross-sectional area of the airway lumen. The second mechanism involves the development of intrinsic airway edema in response to the mass effect of collected blood within the surgical wound. In this situation, impaired venous drainage from the head leads to secondary swelling of the supraglottic structures, the epiglottis and the arytenoids. This mechanism of progressive airway obstruction has been promoted as more plausible than extrinsic compression given the low pressure required to occlude the venous and lymphatic systems in the neck and the relatively high pressure required to directly collapse the airway [8].
Cephalad to and including the glottic opening (at the C4 level), the airway can be deformed and obscured by both external compression and internal edema of the layngopharyngeal soft tissue. Caudal to the glottic opening, the airway is more resistant to external compression due to support provided by the laryngeal and tracheal cartilage. The subglottic region, however, is vulnerable to luminal narrowing when mucosal edema develops within the confines of the cartilaginous skeleton. The individual or combined effects of edema and mechanical compression can compromise both spontaneous respiration and the execution of laryngoscopy.
DIAGNOSTIC CONSIDERATIONS
The underlying cause of airway compromise is suggested by the elapsed time to onset after the spine operation. Upper airway compromise that occurs during the immediate postoperative period (within 12 hours of completion of surgery) is most commonly the result of an expanding wound hematoma. It is noteworthy that obstruction evident within the first hour after extubation may be related to residual neuromuscular blockade or hypoventilation from narcotic medication. Although delayed hematoma is possible beyond the first twelve hours, alternative causes of airway obstruction (e.g. pharyngeal/prevertebral edema, spinal construct failure, cerebrospinal fluid collection or retropharyngeal abscess) become more probable.
In general, airway compromise after spine surgery can produce a spectrum of clinical findings. The patient may progress at a variable rate from being asymptomatic to exhibiting symptoms and signs of partial occlusion and then complete obstruction (Table 1). In the early stages, complaints of difficulty talking and breathing predominate. Subtle changes in voice quality may be evident. Breathing problems may be exacerbated by the supine position. As the process evolves, the patient may become restless and agitated due to hypercarbia (with or without hypoxia). Dyspnea, inspiratory stridor and cyanosis develop during later stages of airway compromise with potential progression to respiratory failure/arrest.
Clinical Findings Associated with Postoperative Wound Hematoma
Additional Risk Factors For Postoperative Airway Compromise
Exposure of > 3 vertebral bodies Morbid Obesity Suboptimal airway visualization No 24 hour in-house anesthesia care
Exposure of C2-C4 levels Obstructive Sleep Apnea Multiple intubation attempts No 24 hour in-house surgical staff
Blood loss > 300 ml Pulmonary disease Need for fiberoptic intubation
Operative time > 5 hours Cervical Myelopathy
Dual approach operations Prior anterior cervical surgery
Compared to other potential causative factors, wound hematoma tends to produce a more rapid rate of progression of respiratory compromise along with certain characteristic signs. Post-operative hemorrhage can be associated with significant drain output, suture line bleeding, progressive swelling of the anterior neck and submandibular region, facial edema/plethora and tracheal deviation [7, 9-11]. Sudden hemodynamic instability has been observed in the setting of an expanding neck hematoma after anterior cervical surgery. In the report by Sethi et al., bradycardia and hypotension was attributed to mechanical distortion of the carotid sinus with activation of the baroreceptor reflex [7].
Wound hematoma after anterior cervical spine surgery is difficult to predict and prevent. The complication often occurs in the absence of predisposing factors. Nonetheless, the probability of postoperative hemorrhage can theoretically be reduced by attention to certain basic surgical principles. Specifically, an effort should be made to control all soft tissue and osseous bleeding during the operation. Placement of a closed suction drain is also reasonable (though with recognition that the measure will not negate the potential for hematoma formation).
Postoperative measures to protect the upper respiratory tract can be employed in the patient at elevated risk of hemorrhage into the wound. The presence of a bleeding diathesis (e.g. anticoagulant therapy, severe liver disease, hereditary bleeding disorder) and/or excessive intraoperative blood loss should raise concern for bleeding after surgery. Monitoring in an intensive care unit for 24-72 hours (with or without delayed removal of the endotracheal tube) should be considered. The threshold for delaying extubation should be even lower in the presence of additional risk factors for postoperative airway compromise [12-14] (Table 2).
MANAGEMENT OF POSTOPERATIVE AIRWAY COMPROMISE
Postoperative airway compromise due to hematoma poses a challenging clinical scenario. This situation typically involves a patient who is extubated immediately after surgery and then develops respiratory distress after transfer to the post-anesthesia care unit or the surgical ward. The time to onset of this complication (< 12 hours after surgery) is such that the on-site night staff will often have responsibility for acute management of the patient [7, 9, 11].
An efficient and systematic approach to treatment is necessary to achieve a positive outcome. Early detection and intervention before the onset of occlusive laryngopharyngeal edema generally portends a positive outcome. The initial assessment functions to characterize the severity of airway obstruction. Based on this clinical information, the appropriate location to render care and the specific treatment methodology is established.
Following anterior cervical spine surgery, a patient with symptoms attributable to the airway must be evaluated immediately. If available in the hospital, the responsible spine surgeon and anesthesiologist should assess the situation. At this point, preparation to secure the airway is a priority; multispecialty assistance should be mobilized as rapidly as possible.
Upon reaching the bedside, the first responders must rapidly assess the clinical situation. A focused physical examination incorporates removal of the orthosis, visualization of the anterior neck tissues and identification of signs of airway obstruction. Identification of an expanding wound hematoma is based on exam findings and knowledge of the time elapsed since surgery. Any other immediately available data are taken into consideration (e.g. pulse oximetry, review of patient comorbidities, assessment of available hospital resources, etc).
The severity of airway compromise is characterized in order to determine whether the patient can be safely transported to the operating room. Non-critical airway compromise is associated with minimal/partial loss of airway patency. Clinically, the patient is not in extremis. Complaints of difficulty breathing and talking may be accompanied by dyspnea and subtle changes in voice quality. Characterization of the airway compromise as non-critical reflects a clinical judgment that the situation is not immediately life-threatening and that transfer of the patient to the operating room is reasonable.
Critical airway compromise is associated with near-total or completes loss of airway patency. Representative signs include a look of fear or panic associated with air hunger, excessive salivation, a rocking motion of the head and chest with the respiratory cycle, use of accessory muscles of respiration, inspiratory stridor and, eventually, central cyanosis. Characterization of the airway compromise as critical is indicative of a situation judged to be immediately life-threatening; management must be initiated at the bedside.
The primary treatment objective is to establish and maintain patency of the airway by placement of an endotracheal tube. Intubation can be achieved by direct laryngoscopy, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, or by surgical means. In this regard, there are certain fundamental principles pertinent to the emergency management of airway compromise after anterior cervical spine surgery.
The optimal setting to secure the airway is in the operating room suite.
When supplemental oxygen is available, delivery of 100% oxygen via non-rebreather facemask should be the first step in treatment.
The use of intravenous sedatives should be minimized. Sedation can reduce voluntary efforts to maintain airway patency and risks converting partial occlusion to complete obstruction.
If direct laryngoscopy is the chosen method of intubation, it should be undertaken with full recognition that visualization of anatomic landmarks and endotracheal tube passage can be challenging due to edema of the pharyngeal wall, epiglottis and vocal cords. The first attempt provides the best opportunity for intubation and should be executed by the most qualified provider.
It is mandatory to proceed through the airway management protocol with maximal efficiency. Repetition of failed intubation attempts is to be avoided. Delay in the establishment of a surgical airway prolongs the period of hypoxia and can lead to cerebral ischemia.
If surgical airway access is deemed necessary, cricothyroidotomy provides a rapid means of securing the airway and is the procedure of choice.
Non-Critical Airway Compromise
For the most common scenario of non-critical airway compromise, the patient is efficiently transported to the operative suite. The surgical team should be assembled and ready with a tracheostomy tray available. Standard monitoring is initiated and the patient is hyper-oxygenated by face mask ventilation. Awake intubation utilizing a fiberoptic (or direct laryngoscopic) technique is attempted if there is imminent danger of losing the airway.
In the case of failed intubation and an obvious space-occupying hematoma, the incision is opened under local anesthetic while maintaining bag-mask ventilation. Separation of the subcutaneous tissue is followed by removal of all sutures reapproximating the platysma muscle. Blood clot is evacuated from alongside and posterior to the midline viscera. After decompression of the wound, a second trial of intubation is executed.
If intubation is unsuccessful, a surgical airway will need to be established by cricothyroidotomy. The spine surgeon, anesthesiologist, intensivists, and house staff must be competent in the execution of this procedure. The technique of cricothyroidotomy following anterior spine surgery incorporates extension of the original incision across the midline. The cricothyroid membrane is sharply divided and the opening dilated using a curved hemostat. A small endotracheal or tracheostomy tube (6-7 mm diameter) is inserted, and the cuff inflated.
In the presence of a space-occupying lesion, tracheal deviation and submandibular soft tissue swelling can substantially increase the technical difficulty of the surgical procedure. If time allows, recruitment of a specialist with expertise in surgical airway creation is beneficial. General anesthesia is instituted once the endotracheal tube is in place. The surgical team proceeds to formal wound exploration for complete evacuation of the hematoma and control of any ongoing hemorrhage.
Critical Airway Compromise
In the situation of critical airway compromise, the emergency response system is activated and treatment is initiated at the bedside. The first step is to administer 100% oxygen via non-rebreather facemask. If adequate bag-mask ventilation can be established, the patient is transported to the operative suite for definitive airway control. If ventilation is inadequate, awake intubation by fiberoptic airway management or direct laryngoscopy is attempted. In the case of successful endotracheal tube placement, transfer to the operating room is arranged for wound exploration.
If the initial intubation attempt fails (or airway management equipment is not immediately available), the surgical wound is opened and blood clot removed. Following wound decompression, another trial of face mask ventilation is initiated. If adequate ventilation is not possible and the clinical status allows, an additional attempt at intubation is performed.
If intubation is not rapidly achieved, a surgical airway is established by cricothyroidotomy. Once the endotracheal tube has been secured and ventilation restored, the patient is moved to the operative suite for formal wound exploration and control of any ongoing hemorrhage. Conversion to a tracheostomy can be performed during the same operation or at a later time.
Airway obstruction due to wound hematoma is a rare but potentially lethal complication of anterior cervical spine surgery. This clinical scenario is challenging given the often rapid onset of airway compromise, the limited time to act and the distortion of the upper respiratory tract and ventral neck anatomy. Furthermore, the clinicians of first response are often ill-prepared to deal with this unique type of airway emergency. We report a case of hematoma causing airway compromise following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in which quick action to evacuate the hematoma and appropriate consultation with otolaryngology to secure the airway led to a successful outcome. There are no Level 1, 2 or 3 studies upon which to base guidelines for this challenging clinical scenario. To optimize outcome, specialized knowledge and a systematic approach to management is necessary. Progress through the airway management protocol must be maximally efficient. Delay in securing the airway prolongs the period of hypoxia and can lead to cerebral ischemia and death. As such, all medical personnel responsible for patient care after cervical spine surgery should be aware of this potential complication to respond effectively to this adverse event.
We would like to acknowledge Michelle L. Daniels, DMD for assistance with illustrations.
[1] Tew JM, Mayfield FH. Complications of surgery of the anterior cervical spine Clin Neurosurg 1976; 23: 424-34.
[2] Bertalanffy H, Eggert HR. Complications of anterior cervical discectomy without fusion in 450 consecutive patients Acta Neurochir (Wien) 1989; 99: 41-50.
[3] Emery SE, Bohlman HH, Bolesta MJ, Jones PK. Anterior cervical decompression and arthrodesis for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy: Two to seventeen-year follow-up J Bone Joint Surg Am 1998; 80A: 941-51.
[4] Marotta N, Landi A, Tarantino R, Mancarella C, Ruggeri A, Delfini R. Five-year outcome of stand-alone fusion using carbon cages in cervical disc arthrosis Eur Spine J 2011; 20(Suppl 1): S8-12.
[5] Albert T, Balderston R, Northrup B. Surgical approaches to the spine. Philadelphia: WB Saunders 1997; p. 10.
[6] Yu NH, Jahng TA, Kim CH, Chung CK. Life-threatening late hemorrhage due to superior thyroid artery dissection after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2010; 35(15): E739-42.
[7] Sethi R, Tandon M, Ganjoo P. Neck hematoma causing acute airway and hemodynamic compromise after anterior cervical spine surgery J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2008; 20(1): 69-70.
[8] Carr EM, Benjamin E. In vitro study investigating post neck surgery haematoma airway obstruction J Laryngol Otol 2009; 122: 662-5.
[9] Lee HS, Lee BJ, Kim SW, et al. Patterns of post-thyroidectomy hemorrhage Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol 2009; 2(2): 72-.
[10] Gwinnutt CL, Walsh GR, Kumar R. Airway obstruction after anterior cervical spine surgery J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 1992; 4(3): 99-202.
[11] Shakespeare WA, Lanier WL, Perkins WJ, Pasternak JJ. Airway management in patients who develop neck hematomas after carotid endarterectomy Anesth Analg 2010; 110(2): 588-93.
[12] Sagi HC, Beutler W, Carroll E, Connolly PJ. Airway complications associated with surgery on the anterior cervical spine Spine 2002; 27(9): 949-53.
[13] Kwon B, Yoo JU, Furey CG, Rowbottom J, Emery SE. Risk factors for delayed extubation after single-stage, multi-level anterior cervical decompression and posterior fusion J Spinal Disord Tech 2006; (19): 389-93.
[14] Terao Y, Matsumoto S, Yamashita K, et al. Increased incidence of emergency airway management after combined anterior-posterior cervical spine surgery J Neurosurg Anesthesiol 2004; (16): 282-6.
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Elementary Algebra 2e
8.4 Add and Subtract Rational Expressions with Unlike Denominators
Elementary Algebra 2e8.4 Add and Subtract Rational Expressions with Unlike Denominators
1 Foundations
1.1 Introduction to Whole Numbers
1.2 Use the Language of Algebra
1.3 Add and Subtract Integers
1.4 Multiply and Divide Integers
1.5 Visualize Fractions
1.6 Add and Subtract Fractions
1.7 Decimals
1.8 The Real Numbers
1.9 Properties of Real Numbers
1.10 Systems of Measurement
Review Exercises
2 Solving Linear Equations and Inequalities
2.1 Solve Equations Using the Subtraction and Addition Properties of Equality
2.2 Solve Equations using the Division and Multiplication Properties of Equality
2.3 Solve Equations with Variables and Constants on Both Sides
2.4 Use a General Strategy to Solve Linear Equations
2.5 Solve Equations with Fractions or Decimals
2.6 Solve a Formula for a Specific Variable
2.7 Solve Linear Inequalities
3 Math Models
3.1 Use a Problem-Solving Strategy
3.2 Solve Percent Applications
3.3 Solve Mixture Applications
3.4 Solve Geometry Applications: Triangles, Rectangles, and the Pythagorean Theorem
3.5 Solve Uniform Motion Applications
3.6 Solve Applications with Linear Inequalities
4 Graphs
4.1 Use the Rectangular Coordinate System
4.2 Graph Linear Equations in Two Variables
4.3 Graph with Intercepts
4.4 Understand Slope of a Line
4.5 Use the Slope-Intercept Form of an Equation of a Line
4.6 Find the Equation of a Line
4.7 Graphs of Linear Inequalities
5 Systems of Linear Equations
5.1 Solve Systems of Equations by Graphing
5.2 Solving Systems of Equations by Substitution
5.3 Solve Systems of Equations by Elimination
5.4 Solve Applications with Systems of Equations
5.5 Solve Mixture Applications with Systems of Equations
5.6 Graphing Systems of Linear Inequalities
6 Polynomials
6.1 Add and Subtract Polynomials
6.2 Use Multiplication Properties of Exponents
6.3 Multiply Polynomials
6.4 Special Products
6.5 Divide Monomials
6.6 Divide Polynomials
6.7 Integer Exponents and Scientific Notation
7 Factoring
7.1 Greatest Common Factor and Factor by Grouping
7.2 Factor Trinomials of the Form x2+bx+c
7.3 Factor Trinomials of the Form ax2+bx+c
7.4 Factor Special Products
7.5 General Strategy for Factoring Polynomials
8 Rational Expressions and Equations
8.1 Simplify Rational Expressions
8.2 Multiply and Divide Rational Expressions
8.3 Add and Subtract Rational Expressions with a Common Denominator
8.5 Simplify Complex Rational Expressions
8.6 Solve Rational Equations
8.7 Solve Proportion and Similar Figure Applications
8.8 Solve Uniform Motion and Work Applications
8.9 Use Direct and Inverse Variation
9 Roots and Radicals
9.1 Simplify and Use Square Roots
9.2 Simplify Square Roots
9.3 Add and Subtract Square Roots
9.4 Multiply Square Roots
9.5 Divide Square Roots
9.6 Solve Equations with Square Roots
9.7 Higher Roots
9.8 Rational Exponents
10 Quadratic Equations
10.1 Solve Quadratic Equations Using the Square Root Property
10.2 Solve Quadratic Equations by Completing the Square
10.3 Solve Quadratic Equations Using the Quadratic Formula
10.4 Solve Applications Modeled by Quadratic Equations
10.5 Graphing Quadratic Equations in Two Variables
Find the least common denominator of rational expressions
Find equivalent rational expressions
Add rational expressions with different denominators
Subtract rational expressions with different denominators
Be Prepared 8.13
Before you get started, take this readiness quiz.
If you miss a problem, go back to the section listed and review the material.
Add: 710+815.710+815.
If you missed this problem, review Example 1.81.
Subtract: 6(2x+1)−4(x−5).6(2x+1)−4(x−5).
If you missed this problem, review Example 1.139.
Find the Greatest Common Factor of 9x2y39x2y3 and 12xy512xy5.
If you missed this problem, review Example 7.3.
Factor completely −48n−12−48n−12.
When we add or subtract rational expressions with unlike denominators we will need to get common denominators. If we review the procedure we used with numerical fractions, we will know what to do with rational expressions.
Let’s look at the example 712+518712+518 from Foundations. Since the denominators are not the same, the first step was to find the least common denominator (LCD). Remember, the LCD is the least common multiple of the denominators. It is the smallest number we can use as a common denominator.
To find the LCD of 12 and 18, we factored each number into primes, lining up any common primes in columns. Then we “brought down” one prime from each column. Finally, we multiplied the factors to find the LCD.
12=2·2·318=2·3·3LCD=2·2·3·3LCD=3612=2·2·318=2·3·3LCD=2·2·3·3LCD=36
We do the same thing for rational expressions. However, we leave the LCD in factored form.
Find the least common denominator of rational expressions.
Step 1. Factor each expression completely.
Step 2. List the factors of each expression. Match factors vertically when possible.
Step 3. Bring down the columns.
Step 4. Multiply the factors.
Remember, we always exclude values that would make the denominator zero. What values of x should we exclude in this next example?
Example 8.38
Find the LCD for 8x2−2x−3,3xx2+4x+38x2−2x−3,3xx2+4x+3.
Find the LCD for8x2−2x−3,3xx2+4x+3.Find the LCD for8x2−2x−3,3xx2+4x+3.
Factor each expression completely, lining
up common factors.
Bring down the columns. x2−2x−3=(x+1)(x−3)x2+4x+3=(x+1)(x+3)LCD=(x+1)(x−3)(x+3)x2−2x−3=(x+1)(x−3)x2+4x+3=(x+1)(x+3)LCD=(x+1)(x−3)(x+3)
Multiply the factors. The LCD is(x+1)(x−3)(x+3).The LCD is(x+1)(x−3)(x+3).
Try It 8.75
Find the LCD for 2x2−x−12,1x2−162x2−x−12,1x2−16.
Find the LCD for xx2+8x+15,5x2+9x+18xx2+8x+15,5x2+9x+18.
When we add numerical fractions, once we find the LCD, we rewrite each fraction as an equivalent fraction with the LCD.
We will do the same thing for rational expressions.
Rewrite as equivalent rational expressions with denominator (x+1)(x−3)(x+3)(x+1)(x−3)(x+3): 8x2−2x−3,3xx2+4x+3.8x2−2x−3,3xx2+4x+3.
Factor each denominator.
Find the LCD.
Multiply each denominator by the 'missing' factor and multiply each numerator by the same factor.
Simplify the numerators.
Rewrite as equivalent rational expressions with denominator (x+3)(x−4)(x+4)(x+3)(x−4)(x+4):
2x2−x−12,1x2−16.2x2−x−12,1x2−16.
Rewrite as equivalent rational expressions with denominator (x+3)(x+5)(x+6)(x+3)(x+5)(x+6):
xx2+8x+15,5x2+9x+18.xx2+8x+15,5x2+9x+18.
Now we have all the steps we need to add rational expressions with different denominators. As we have done previously, we will do one example of adding numerical fractions first.
Find the LCD of 12 and 18.
Rewrite each fraction as an equivalent fraction with the LCD.
Add the fractions.
The fraction cannot be simplified.
Add: 1130+712.1130+712.
Add: 38+920.38+920.
Now we will add rational expressions whose denominators are monomials.
Add: 512x2y+421xy2.512x2y+421xy2.
Find the LCD of 12x2y12x2y and 21xy221xy2.
Rewrite each rational expression as an equivalent fraction with the LCD.
Simplify.
Add the rational expressions.
There are no factors common to the numerator and denominator. The fraction cannot be simplified.
Add: 215a2b+56ab2.215a2b+56ab2.
Add: 516c+38cd2.516c+38cd2.
Now we are ready to tackle polynomial denominators.
How to Add Rational Expressions with Different Denominators
Add: 3x−3+2x−2.3x−3+2x−2.
Add: 2x−2+5x+3.2x−2+5x+3.
Add: 4m+3+3m+4.4m+3+3m+4.
The steps to use to add rational expressions are summarized in the following procedure box.
Add rational expressions.
Step 1. Determine if the expressions have a common denominator.
Yes – go to step 2.
No – Rewrite each rational expression with the LCD.
Rewrite each rational expression as an equivalent rational expression with the LCD.
Step 2. Add the rational expressions.
Step 3. Simplify, if possible.
Add: 2a2ab+b2+3a4a2−b2.2a2ab+b2+3a4a2−b2.
Do the expressions have a common denominator? No.
Rewrite each expression with the LCD.
Simplify the numerator.
Factor the numerator.
Add: 5xxy−y2+2xx2−y2.5xxy−y2+2xx2−y2.
Add: 72m+6+4m2+4m+3.72m+6+4m2+4m+3.
Avoid the temptation to simplify too soon! In the example above, we must leave the first rational expression as 2a(2a−b)b(2a+b)(2a−b)2a(2a−b)b(2a+b)(2a−b) to be able to add it to 3a·b(2a+b)(2a−b)·b3a·b(2a+b)(2a−b)·b. Simplify only after you have combined the numerators.
Add: 8x2−2x−3+3xx2+4x+3.8x2−2x−3+3xx2+4x+3.
The numerator is prime, so there are no common factors.
Add: 1m2−m−2+5mm2+3m+2.1m2−m−2+5mm2+3m+2.
Add: 2nn2−3n−10+6n2+5n+6.2nn2−3n−10+6n2+5n+6.
The process we use to subtract rational expressions with different denominators is the same as for addition. We just have to be very careful of the signs when subtracting the numerators.
How to Subtract Rational Expressions with Different Denominators
Subtract: xx−3−x−2x+3.xx−3−x−2x+3.
Subtract: yy+4−y−2y−5.yy+4−y−2y−5.
Subtract: z+3z+2−zz+3.z+3z+2−zz+3.
The steps to take to subtract rational expressions are listed below.
Subtract rational expressions.
Step 1. Determine if they have a common denominator.
Step 2. Subtract the rational expressions.
Subtract: 8yy2−16−4y−4.8yy2−16−4y−4.
Subtract the rational expressions.
Factor the numerator to look for common factors.
Remove common factors.
Subtract: 2xx2−4−1x+2.2xx2−4−1x+2.
Subtract: 3z+3−6zz2−9.3z+3−6zz2−9.
There are lots of negative signs in the next example. Be extra careful!
Subtract: −3n−9n2+n−6−n+32−n.−3n−9n2+n−6−n+32−n.
Factor the denominator.
Since n−2n−2 and 2−n2−n are opposites, we will mutliply the second rational expression by−1−1−1−1.
Simplify the rational expressions.
Somplify the numerator.
Subtract: 3x−1x2−5x−6−26−x.3x−1x2−5x−6−26−x.
Subtract: −2y−2y2+2y−8−y−12−y.−2y−2y2+2y−8−y−12−y.
When one expression is not in fraction form, we can write it as a fraction with denominator 1.
Subtract: 5c+4c−2−3.5c+4c−2−3.
Write 33 as 3131 to have 2 rational expressions.
Do the rational expressions have a common denominator? No.
Find the LCD of c−2c−2 and 1.1. LCD = c−2.c−2.
Rewrite 3131 as an equivalent rational expression with the LCD.
Factor to check for common factors.
There are no common factors; the rational expression is simplified.
Subtract: 2x+1x−7−3.2x+1x−7−3.
Subtract: 4y+32y−1−5.4y+32y−1−5.
Add or subtract rational expressions.
Step 2. Add or subtract the rational expressions.
We follow the same steps as before to find the LCD when we have more than two rational expressions. In the next example we will start by factoring all three denominators to find their LCD.
Simplify: 2uu−1+1u−2u−1u2−u.2uu−1+1u−2u−1u2−u.
Write as one rational expression.
Factor the numerator, and remove common factors.
Simplify: vv+1+3v−1−6v2−1.vv+1+3v−1−6v2−1.
Simplify: 3ww+2+2w+7−17w+4w2+9w+14.3ww+2+2w+7−17w+4w2+9w+14.
Section 8.4 Exercises
In the following exercises, find the LCD.
5x2−2x−8,2xx2−x−125x2−2x−8,2xx2−x−12
8y2+12y+35,3yy2+y−428y2+12y+35,3yy2+y−42
9z2+2z−8,4zz2−49z2+2z−8,4zz2−4
6a2+14a+45,5aa2−816a2+14a+45,5aa2−81
4b2+6b+9,2bb2−2b−154b2+6b+9,2bb2−2b−15
5c2−4c+4,3cc2−10c+165c2−4c+4,3cc2−10c+16
23d2+14d−5,5d3d2−19d+623d2+14d−5,5d3d2−19d+6
35m2−3m−2,6m5m2+17m+635m2−3m−2,6m5m2+17m+6
In the following exercises, write as equivalent rational expressions with the given LCD.
LCD (x−4)(x+2)(x+3)(x−4)(x+2)(x+3)
LCD (y+7)(y+5)(y−6)(y+7)(y+5)(y−6)
LCD (z−2)(z+4)(z+2)(z−2)(z+4)(z+2)
LCD (a+9)(a+5)(a−9)(a+9)(a+5)(a−9)
LCD (b+3)(b+3)(b−5)(b+3)(b+3)(b−5)
LCD (c−2)(c−2)(c−8)(c−2)(c−2)(c−8)
LCD (3d−1)(d+5)(d−6)(3d−1)(d+5)(d−6)
LCD (5m+2)(m−1)(m+3)(5m+2)(m−1)(m+3)
In the following exercises, add.
524+1136524+1136
827+718827+718
710x2y+415xy2710x2y+415xy2
112a3b2+59a2b3112a3b2+59a2b3
12m+78m2n12m+78m2n
56p2q+14p56p2q+14p
3r+4+2r−53r+4+2r−5
4s−7+5s+34s−7+5s+3
8t+5+6t−58t+5+6t−5
7v+5+9v−57v+5+9v−5
53w−2+2w+153w−2+2w+1
42x+5+2x−142x+5+2x−1
2yy+3+3y−12yy+3+3y−1
3zz−2+1z+53zz−2+1z+5
5ba2b−2a2+2bb2−45ba2b−2a2+2bb2−4
4cd+3c+1d2−94cd+3c+1d2−9
2m3m−3+5mm2+3m−42m3m−3+5mm2+3m−4
34n+4+6n2−n−234n+4+6n2−n−2
3n2+3n−18+4nn2+8n+123n2+3n−18+4nn2+8n+12
6q2−3q−10+5qq2−8q+156q2−3q−10+5qq2−8q+15
3rr2+7r+6+9r2+4r+33rr2+7r+6+9r2+4r+3
2ss2+2s−8+4s2+3s−102ss2+2s−8+4s2+3s−10
In the following exercises, subtract.
tt−6−t−2t+6tt−6−t−2t+6
vv−3−v−6v+1vv−3−v−6v+1
w+2w+4−ww−2w+2w+4−ww−2
x−3x+6−xx+3x−3x+6−xx+3
y−4y+1−1y+7y−4y+1−1y+7
z+8z−3−zz−2z+8z−3−zz−2
5aa+3−a+2a+65aa+3−a+2a+6
3bb−2−b−6b−83bb−2−b−6b−8
6cc2−25−3c+56cc2−25−3c+5
4dd2−81−2d+94dd2−81−2d+9
6m+6−12mm2−366m+6−12mm2−36
4n+4−8nn2−164n+4−8nn2−16
−9p−17p2−4p−21−p+17−p−9p−17p2−4p−21−p+17−p
−13q−8q2+2q−24−q+24−q−13q−8q2+2q−24−q+24−q
−2r−16r2+6r−16−52−r−2r−16r2+6r−16−52−r
2t−30t2+6t−27−23−t2t−30t2+6t−27−23−t
5v−2v+3−45v−2v+3−4
6w+5w−1+26w+5w−1+2
2x+710x−1+32x+710x−1+3
8y−45y+2−68y−45y+2−6
In the following exercises, add and subtract.
5aa−2+9a−2a+18a2−2a5aa−2+9a−2a+18a2−2a
2bb−5+32b−2b−152b2−10b2bb−5+32b−2b−152b2−10b
cc+2+5c−2−10cc2−4cc+2+5c−2−10cc2−4
6dd−5+1d+4−7d−5d2−d−206dd−5+1d+4−7d−5d2−d−20
In the following exercises, simplify.
6a3ab+b2+3a9a2−b26a3ab+b2+3a9a2−b2
2c2c+10+7cc2+9c+202c2c+10+7cc2+9c+20
6dd2−64−3d−86dd2−64−3d−8
5n+7−10nn2−495n+7−10nn2−49
4mm2+6m−7+2m2+10m+214mm2+6m−7+2m2+10m+21
3pp2+4p−12+1p2+p−303pp2+4p−12+1p2+p−30
−5n−5n2+n−6+n+12−n−5n−5n2+n−6+n+12−n
−4b−24b2+b−30+b+75−b−4b−24b2+b−30+b+75−b
715p+518pq715p+518pq
320a2+1112ab2320a2+1112ab2
4x−2+3x+54x−2+3x+5
6m+4+9m−86m+4+9m−8
2q+7q+4−22q+7q+4−2
3y−1y+4−23y−1y+4−2
z+2z−5−zz+1z+2z−5−zz+1
3dd+2+4d−d+8d2+2d3dd+2+4d−d+8d2+2d
2qq+5+3q−3−13q+15q2+2q−152qq+5+3q−3−13q+15q2+2q−15
Everyday Math
Decorating cupcakes Victoria can decorate an order of cupcakes for a wedding in tt hours, so in 1 hour she can decorate 1t1t of the cupcakes. It would take her sister 3 hours longer to decorate the same order of cupcakes, so in 1 hour she can decorate 1t+31t+3 of the cupcakes.
ⓐ Find the fraction of the decorating job that Victoria and her sister, working together, would complete in one hour by adding the rational expressions 1t+1t+3.1t+1t+3.
ⓑ Evaluate your answer to part (a) when t=5.t=5.
Kayaking When Trina kayaks upriver, it takes her 53−c53−c hours to go 5 miles, where cc is the speed of the river current. It takes her 53+c53+c hours to kayak 5 miles down the river.
ⓐ Find an expression for the number of hours it would take Trina to kayak 5 miles up the river and then return by adding 53−c+53+c.53−c+53+c.
ⓑ Evaluate your answer to part (a) when c=1c=1 to find the number of hours it would take Trina if the speed of the river current is 1 mile per hour.
Felipe thinks 1x+1y1x+1y is 2x+y.2x+y.
ⓐ Choose numerical values for x and y and evaluate 1x+1y.1x+1y.
ⓑ Evaluate 2x+y2x+y for the same values of x and y you used in part (a).
ⓒ Explain why Felipe is wrong.
ⓓ Find the correct expression for 1x+1y.1x+1y.
Simplify the expression 4n2+6n+9−1n2−94n2+6n+9−1n2−9 and explain all your steps.
ⓐ After completing the exercises, use this checklist to evaluate your mastery of the objectives of this section.
ⓑ On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your mastery of this section in light of your responses on the checklist? How can you improve this?
Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/elementary-algebra-2e/pages/1-introduction
Authors: Lynn Marecek, MaryAnne Anthony-Smith, Andrea Honeycutt Mathis
Book title: Elementary Algebra 2e
Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/elementary-algebra-2e/pages/1-introduction
Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/elementary-algebra-2e/pages/8-4-add-and-subtract-rational-expressions-with-unlike-denominators
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“My life only goes well if everyone's life goes well!”
— Nikki Neretin
We are an exciting original indie/rock band, starting a revolution for music, fun, community and wide world change. Our original, provocative and catchy rock/pop songs cover many real-life themes. My music covers the 4 M's, music, medicine, motherhood and marriage.
We pack clubs, usually starting BEFORE 9 pm: Our fans will be home to relieve their babysitters and get good nights' sleep or be ready to go out and party all night long. We do a fundraiser at each gig and have collected over 1,000 pairs of socks for the homeless. We are also making an album where a portion of the proceeds will go into a fund to help my clients when they are housed in order to buy essentials to create a home.
The video "Pictures" inspired by a visit to a Nazi propaganda camp where they staged benign pictures of the jewish inmates in order to confuse the world into believing that life wasn't as brutal as it truly was. Social Media also has a way of confusing us into believing that some peoples lives are better than our own and visa versa. Given the destructive power of fake news it is important always be thinking and do things that are pro-human.
Nikki Neretin, MD (lead singer, guitarist and creator) is the Director of Homeless Services for the Institute for Family Health in NYC seeing clients at soup kitchens, shelters and on the street always and more importantly during this covid 19 crisis. Presently heading up the NYC chapter of health save, a grass roots organization that works on promoting health from a vegan perspective in order to ultimately bring a plant based eating lifestyle to schools, jails, hospitals and vulnerable communities. her new album's, Elemental, music touches on many relatable theme ranging from someone bullying her child to a rap response to present time misogynist rap.
Her work with street homeless clients for the last 30 years has helped to create the meaningful backdrop of this influential and important music. Nikki uses her vast experiences with the Five M's - medicine, music, motherhood, marriage, Menopause and commitment to social activism towards creating a compassionate and sustainable world through music and action.
Nikki has fronted numerous bands including the popular Pretenders tribute band "Nikki and the Tatooed Love Boys" and her previous original rock band "Dysorderlies"
As I Go You Go!!!!
Bookings and Inquiries
Changes 4:23
Nikki and the Human Element - Rock and Roll Music Band
Pictures 5:27
Atone 4:27
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Tag Archives: child actor
The Fallen Idol (1948): Learning to Lie
Posted on May 26, 2013 by Nitrate Diva
A child of eight can’t act. I wasn’t looking for an exhibitionist. Adults have habitual features and defenses. A good actor must take something away, lose a part of himself before he can create a role.
But with the right sort of child such as Bobby, there is nothing in the way. There is absolutely no resistance. He will do everything you tell him.
—Sir Carol Reed
To call Bobby Henrey a “child actor” would disgrace the uncanny skill and patience of such professional children as Freddie Bartholomew and company.
Bobby starred in only two films: one of them a masterpiece, the other a flop. According to Guy Hamilton, the assistant director of The Fallen Idol, “Bobby had the concentration of a demented flea.” He succumbed easily to boredom and never ceased fidgeting. Co-star Ralph Richardson refused to act with Bobby at a certain point. A padded-up Hamilton often stood in to preserve Richardson’s sanity.
However, seen by the camera and reassembled by editing, Bobby emerged as something much more extraordinary. He wasn’t acting the part of a child, full of calculated dimples and Victorian postcard sweetness. He was simply, sincerely, and sometimes maddeningly a child.
Carol Reed’s The Fallen Idol, scripted by the great Graham Greene, refreshes the tropes of noir by making this child an unwilling participant in a lurid quadrangle of passion and betrayal. Bains, an English butler working at the French embassy in London, falls in love with Julie, a typist working there, and the pair conceal their relationship from Bains’s shrill, vindictive housekeeper wife.
Left in the care of Bains and Mrs. Bains, little Philippe, or ‘Phile’ (pronounced ‘Phil’), the lonely son of the ambassador, gets embroiled in this tangle of lies and conflicting loyalties. When Mrs. Bains accidentally plummets to her death in the midst of a jealous rage, the child witnesses only part of the scene and concludes that Bains, his hero, murdered her.
Unlike the typical voyeur-witness in film noir, with an obvious duty to tell the truth and shame the devil as in Rear Window or The Window, Phile toddles into a complex empirical and ethical situation. Should he tell the truth and risk incriminating his idol? Or keep on lying—which might put Bains’s head in the noose even more quickly?
The fact that a twitchy, rather selfish child has to navigate this labyrinth of moral quandaries not only heightens the suspense, but also suggests how these kinds of human heart dilemmas bewilder us all—reducing us to little more than children.
When Phile cries out, “We’ve got to think of lies and tell them all the time!” at a key tense moment of the film, he’s actually articulating the code of the adult world, a protocol of deception, running the gamut from genteel fibs to half-truths to full-on backstabbing.
Like his character Phile, Bobby Henrey also encountered an adult world far too soon. The French-born only child of two writers, he grew up in the bomb-shattered London of World War II. No wonder he had the attention span of a “demented flea,” with bombs going off around him during his formative years!
Bobby’s silky blond hair and bow lips gave him a fragile, angelic appearance. When the boy’s parents featured him on the cover of one of their books, A Village in Piccadilly, the brilliant English director Carol Reed spotted the child and resolved to cast him in The Fallen Idol. Serendipitously, Bobby spoke French as well as English, and the script called for just such a bilingual child.
Even when speaking English, the lispy remnants of a French accent—R’s catching in his throat, S’s and T’s bleeding into each other—made Bobby’s treble voice both more adorable and more annoying. We sense his displacement every time he opens his mouth.
His strange inflections remind us of the difficulty of making oneself clear as a child. Just as all children wrestle with understanding the world around them, even the most verbal child struggles to make himself understood to the world. These little people grasp for words, putting together sentences like small-holed beads not easily strung together. Bobby spoke his lines like that: haltingly, off-key.
And yet, I marvel at his casual fluency in adult idioms of the “old chap” variety.
When asked whether or not he’d like an ice cream cone, he stodgily replies, “I wouldn’t say no, Bains. “As he pours himself a drink, he mutters, “Hit me,” like a businessman after a long day at work.
We can imagine him echoing his diplomat father when he moans, “Now, will someone listen to me?” as though he were corralling a contentious summit of attachés.
More important, Bobby’s Phile shines with a need to give love that rescues him from the label of the incorrigible embassy brat. You can feel a lingering and intimate engrossment in close shots of Phile’s hand caressing MacGregor, a glistening garden snake—the boy’s only friend other than Bains. Those images come across as some of the most poignant (and unlikely, given how little boys love to torment creepy-crawlies) representations of childhood affection ever to grace the screen.
Not realizing that snakes can’t recognize themselves, he puts a pocket mirror up to the tiny serpent, whispering, “Hello, MacGregor. Look—you’re very pretty, you know.” I’m sorry, I know of very few eight-year-old boys who profess their love to reptiles. He wants so badly to share his tenderness with something, even the most cold-blooded of critters.
Bobby’s rendition of Phile thus plays out as one-third little girl, one-third little gentleman, and one-third utter terror. In his unformed innocence, he contains fragments of all of the other characters in the film: Bains’s sedate bravado, Julie’s melancholic kindness, and Mrs. Bain’s self-absorption.
The Fallen Idol opens with an iteration of its most striking motif. Phile peers through the bannister bars of the ornate townhouse that he calls home, looking down at the people who bustle around on the parquet floor below. In the language of the camera, high angle shots usually suggest superiority, literally looking down on others.
Yet, In a peculiar way, we recognize Phile as both a mini-tyrant—forever showing up at exasperating times, puncturing a tragic romance with impunity—and a victim.
Throughout the film, Phile’s point-of-view shots often observe the comings-and-goings of the characters from this vantage point, from a high perch.
Staring down at the drama from his roost, he sees things he really shouldn’t, traumatic, twisted adult things that he’s not ready to see. The high angle shots reveal both Phile’s precarious isolation and the odd degree of power that he ends up holding over the fates of the main characters.
Only towards the end of the film do we see Phile from the vantage point that once was his, after his lies have spun completely out of control and his credibility has totally collapsed.
By lying poorly and slipping himself up, he casts suspicion on his hero whom he now views as a killer. And in so doing, he sheds his status, in his own eyes, as a special sort of child, a privileged charge and a secret-keeper.
The genius of The Fallen Idol resides in its ability simultaneously to suggest the child’s perspective, to wink at the audience, and, most tantalizingly, to indicate that the Phile can digest much more than you might assume.
For instance, when Bains plots a clandestine excursion with Julie under the pretense of a visit to the zoo, Phile walks right past the door of the room where Bains is talking to her. Then, getting his wind up, he drolly tiptoes backwards. Cut to a point-of-view shot as the camera carefully tracks to eavesdrop as the butler insists, “The boy knows nothing.”
Later, when Bains pretends to be surprised at Julie showing up, Phile corrects him, saying that he was talking to her earlier. This son of a diplomat has not only been taught to lie precociously, he can also catch others in their lies, at times.
However, we’re not encouraged to view Phile condescendingly. He only has a piece of the puzzle, true, but he’s no more muddled than any of the so-called adults.
His confused perspective parallels the equally anxious positions of the grown-ups. Indeed, the only one who gets the full story is the viewer. For instance, Mrs. Bains dies alone and only we know exactly how it happens.
Phile watches Bains and Mrs. Bains struggle. Boy, is this kid gonna need therapy!
And so we arrive at the villain of the piece, the monstrous and pitiful Mrs. Bains. We’ve all had to deal with a Mrs. Bains. You know, that sadistic adult in your life who, out of her own bitterness, yelled at you not for doing anything really wrong but merely for being a child, for possessing the innocence and freedom that destiny had deprived her.
Now, Phile may not be the easiest child star to love, but I want to hug him when he turns to that malicious harridan over the dinner table and matter-of-factly tells her, “I hate you.”
Her nostrils flair: “Master Philip, you’ll say you’re sorry for that.” His head barely poking up over the tablecloth, the tiny boy objects, “I’m not sorry.” As this dangerous exchange takes place, we get a reaction shot of Bains and can discern how impressed he is at Phile telling his wife what he’d probably most like to tell her!
Phile brings about this confrontation of cataclysmically pure honesty. So, of course, he’s sent to his room with no supper. It’s the last fully honest moment in the film.
For an only or lonely child raised in an ambiance of high-stakes adult games like education or politics, childhood is a state of endlessly being patronized and dismissed.
Believe me. I know.
I grew up as a faculty brat, proud of my encyclopedic knowledge of secrets, of the petty rivalries and schemes that cropped up at the private school where my mother worked.
Take my word on it: long before most children can pronounce the word, they’ve come to hate hypocrisy. And by the time they can pronounce it, they’ve usually been coerced to embrace it.
Children are the world’s dupes. Not because they lack intelligence, but rather because they possess far more of it than most grown-ups tend to realize. Children live in worlds governed by rules and they know all too well when they—or the adults around them—have broken a rule.
Whereas a child’s faults are often painstakingly reflected back to him and punished, the child who points out the transgressions of his elders faces a terrible and implacable resentment. People take criticism quite easily from those who can be discounted by their own vices. But reproach from a child stings. The guilty do not like to be rebuked by the guiltless.
We observe the double-bind that every child faces when Mrs. Bains wakes Phile up to ask him where Bains and Julie can be found in the house. The boy’s cherubic head rests on the pillow. A bobby pin drops next to him on the pillow.
Phile opens one eye. A cut comes quickly—almost too quickly—to jolt us with the frenzied face of Mrs. Bains. “Oh, you know all about them.” She hisses. “You’re not such a child as you pretend to be! You’ve got a nasty wicked mind and it ought to be beaten out of you!”
The jilted wife treats the child as if he’s an extension of her cheating husband. Phile’s trilling, high voice chokes with horror. He can’t totally process what fuels the adults’ envy and passion, but he knows that he has no place being talked to like this.
He’s been swapped out for a grown man in a lover’s quarrel, feeling the heat of blame for his idol’s infidelity. It scares the hell out of him. Sex is like some algebraic variable that he hasn’t discovered but can discern from the facts, leaving the entire equation lob-sided and all the more alarming.
The Fallen Idol stands out as one of the most haunting, stomach-churningly tense films I’ve ever seen. In terms of suspense, it schools Hitchcock, whose films rarely (if ever) showcased a performance as vulnerable and exquisite as little Bobby Henrey’s.
Carol Reed, gifted at handling kids as his Oliver! proved, charmed every ounce of that child’s cuteness, his mischief, his ability to bug the living daylights out of his elders.
Crack cameraman George Perinal, who belongs in the cinematography greats pantheon with Jack Cardiff, captures Bobby’s face so as to wring every emotional nuance out of it. In one scene, when an inspector bends over to talk to the boy, a ray of light drifts over his face, giving him the look of a living painting.
Most stunningly, as a terrified Phile runs through the noirish streets at night, his miniscule, pajama-clad body flickers through the chiaroscuro, a single point of focus in composition after composition of slick darkness and urban decay.
I think that I am scarcely exaggerating when I conclude that The Fallen Idol represents the best film ever made about childhood and one of life’s most important rites of passage: learning to lie. And it all would’ve been unthinkable without Bobby Henrey.
N.B. I am very much indebted to and fully acknowledge an article in the UK Guardian, “What Bobby Saw,” about Bobby’s involvement in the film for certain quotes that I’ve cited in this post and a lot of useful background information.
Although the analysis here is all my own, I would also like to recommend Geoffrey O’Brien’s essay “Through a Child’s Eyes, Darkly” which comes in the Criterion Collection booklet accompanying the DVD of The Fallen Idol, which gave me some great inspiration as I wrote this post.
This post is part of the Children in Film Blogathon hosted by Comet over Hollywood. Join us in celebrating child stars and heck out the other posts! They’re really wonderful.
Posted in 1940s, Blog Events, blogathon, Film Noir, suspense | Tagged 1940s, blog events, blogathon, bobby henrey, british, carol reed, child, child actor, child star, childhood, dishonesty, drama, england, film noir, french, george perinal, graham greene, london, love, lying, michele morgan, psychology, ralph richardson | 8 Replies
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Welcome to a Sharing Economy
Posted by oregonhibbs
JWH: This is a terrific read by Tom Friedman, New York Times
Welcome to the ‘Sharing Economy’
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
IT all started with air mattresses.
Brian Chesky’s parents wanted just one thing for him when he graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design — that he get a job with health insurance. He tried that for a while with a design firm in Los Angeles, but he got fed up and packed up his Honda Civic and drove up to San Francisco to crash with his pal, Joe Gebbia, who agreed to split the rental of his house with Chesky. “Unfortunately, my share came to $1,150 and I only had $1,000 in the bank, so I had a math problem — and I was unemployed,” said Chesky. But they did have an idea. The week Chesky got to town, in October 2007, San Francisco was hosting the Industrial Designers Society of America, and all the hotel rooms on the conference Web site were sold out. So Chesky and Gebbia decided, why not turn their house into a bed and breakfast for attendees?
The problem was “we had no beds,” but Gebbia did have three air mattresses. “So we inflated them and called ourselves ‘Airbed and Breakfast,’ ” Chesky, 31, recalled for me in an interview. “Three people stayed with us, and we charged them $80 a night. We also made breakfast for them and became their local guides.” In the process, they made enough money to cover the rent. More important, though, it spawned a bigger idea that has since blossomed into a multimillion-dollar company and a whole new way for people to make money. The idea was to create a global network through which anyone anywhere could rent a spare room in their home to earn cash. In homage to its roots, they called the company Airbnb, which has grown so large, so fast that it is now the equivalent of a major global hotel chain — even though, unlike Hilton, it doesn’t own a single bed. And the new trend it set off is the “sharing economy.”
I first heard Chesky describe his company two years ago and thought it was a quaint idea that would find limited traction with niche travelers. I mean, how many people in Paris really want to rent out their kid’s bedroom down the hall to a perfect stranger who comes to them via the Internet? And how many strangers want to be down the hall? Wrong. Turns out there is an innkeeper residing in all of us!
On July 12, Chesky told me, “Tonight we have 140,000 people around the world staying in Airbnb rooms. Hilton has around 600,000 rooms. We will get up to 200,000 people per night by peak this summer.” Airbnb has 23,000 rooms and homes listed in New York City alone, and 24,000 in Paris. Worldwide, “we have listings in 34,000 cities and 192 countries,” added Chesky. “We are the largest short-term rental site of its kind in China today, and we have no office there.”
Chesky then fires up his iPad and shows me on Airbnb.com the rooms and homes being offered for rent: “We have over 600 castles,” he begins. “We have dozens of yurts, caves, tepees with TVs in them, water towers, motor homes, private islands, glass houses, lighthouses, igloos with Wi-Fi; we have a home that Jim Morrison used to live in; we have treehouses — hundreds of treehouses — which are the most profitable listings on our Web site per square footage. The treehouse in Lincoln, Vt., is more valuable than the main house. We have treehouses in Vermont that have had six-month waiting lists. People plan their vacation now around treehouse availability!”
In 2011, Prince Hans-Adam II offered his entire principality of Liechtenstein for rent on Airbnb ($70,000 a night), “complete with customized street signs and temporary currency,” The Guardian reported. You can rent any number of Frank Lloyd Wright homes — and even a one-square-meter house in Berlin that goes for $13 a night.
While it sounds like Chesky is just a global rental agent with more scale, there is something much bigger going on here. Airbnb’s real innovation is not online rentals. It’s “trust.” It created a framework of trust that has made tens of thousands of people comfortable renting rooms in their homes to strangers.
To rent a yurt in Mongolia, you go to the Airbnb Web site, sign up for it and pay Airbnb by credit card. It takes 6 percent to 12 percent of the fee from the guest and 3 percent from the host. The fee is paid to the renter after the first night. Through Airbnb, guests and hosts can verify each other’s driver’s license or passport, e-mail address and phone number, and connect Facebook profiles. No one is anonymous. They work out their own exchange of keys.
Afterward, guests and hosts rate each other online, so there is a huge incentive to deliver a good experience because a series of bad reputational reviews and you’re done. Airbnb also automatically provides $1 million in insurance against damage or theft to nearly all of its hosts (some countries have restrictions) and only rarely gets claims. This framework of trust has unlocked huge value from unused bedrooms. “In the last 12 months in Paris, we’ve generated $240 million in economic activity,” Chesky said.
Airbnb has also spawned its own ecosystem — ordinary people who will now come clean your home, coordinate key exchanges, cook dinner for you and your guests, photograph rooms for rent, and through the ride-sharing business Lyft, turn their cars into taxis to drive you around. “It used to be that corporations and brands had all the trust,” added Chesky, but now a total stranger, “can be trusted like a company and provide the services of a company. And once you unlock that idea, it is so much bigger than homes. … There is a whole generation of people that don’t want everything mass produced. They want things that are unique and personal.”
There’s more. In a world where, as I’ve argued, average is over — the skills required for any good job keep rising — a lot of people who might not be able to acquire those skills can still earn a good living now by building their own branded reputations, whether it is to rent their kids’ rooms, their cars or their power tools. “There are 80 million power drills in America that are used an average of 13 minutes,” says Chesky. “Does everyone really need their own drill?”
More than 50 percent of Airbnb hosts depend on it to pay their rent or mortgage today, Chesky added: “Ordinary people can now be micro-entrepreneurs.” Jamie Wong, co-founder of Vayable.com, a platform through which locals anywhere can become custom tour guides of their area, told me: “I moved out of my apartment in central San Francisco, rented a cheaper annex in a friend’s home, and ‘airbnb-ed’ my apartment for $200 a night and earned about $20,000 in a year. It enabled me to bootstrap my start-up. Airbnb was our first round of funding!” And just think how much better all this is for the environment — for people to be renting their spare bedroom
About oregonhibbs
I'm passionate about improving access to education, worldwide, sailing, Duck football (I live in the shadow of the University of Oregon in Eugene) and connecting with people with ideas and work that "can change the world". With this in mind, I am the "Skipper" for Global Learn Day, which you can find out more about at OREGONHIBBS.COM ; Write to skipper@bfranklin.edu
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Posted on July 24, 2013, in Flipped Fraternities & Restoration. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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The Impact Of European Imperialism In Africa
European Imperialism started in the early1800's; with the goal to prove they had wealth andpower. European nations competed with each otherto gain territory in Africa. The more they gain themore powerful they thought they would become.Africa was soon bled of it's human resources. TheEuropeans induced slavery for the beneift of theMuslim countries, from the nineth century to thenineteenth century. The last four centuries of whichwere regular slave trade to help the Americas and theChristian states of Europe. Approximatelytwentyeight to thrityseven million slaves were takenfrom Africa during those ten ccenturies.Due to therades by Europeans a regular comme ...view middle of the document...
Spread of ImperialismEuropean rule came over Africa like a fire.African chief's made agreements with someEuropean trading companies that allowed them topursue trade. Companies alson needed protection;therefore, had the European government take over,making that area now a European nations territory.The European nations sold their protection like a mobin the 1930's. Tricking many African cheifs bintotreaties that they did not understand, not knowingwhat they would be giving up. From 1860 till the1880's mineral discoverieshad a great impact onSouthern Africa. Dimonds and gold were the prize inthe European eye. Europeans migrates all theoughAfrica seeking that which could make them wealthier.In their pursuit of greed large gold mining companieswere established and took over perhapse the bestforigne investment of all time. Later in the nineteenthcentury European nations had become unamagablymore powerful, and were seeking new markets topurchase raw materials anf to create new markets, tosell their new goods, polictians and financers entereda new phase by tring to build an empire this phaselasted from the 1870's until the begining of WorldWar One .Resistance Against European ImperialismOriginaly Africans tried to oppose the Europeandomination, but even though the Africans werefighting on their own soil their technoligy of spears,and muskets could not with stand the semi-automaticrifle of the Europeans. In London 1900 a Pan-Africanconference was created, mostly consisting ofAmerican or West Indian blacks, that saw thedomination of their home land with horror and
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Resident facing future eviction for LRT expansion calling for rent replacement bylaw if homes can't be saved
Ted Raymond Digital Multi-Skilled Journalist
@TedFriendlyGuy Contact
Published Saturday, November 28, 2020 1:16PM EST
An artist's rendering of the proposed Knoxdale Station on Ottawa's future Stage 3 LRT line. Building the station would require the city to buy and demolish 120 homes in the Manor Village and Cheryl Gardens area along Woodroffe Avenue. (Photo: City of Ottawa)
OTTAWA -- An Ottawa woman, who is among hundreds of people facing an eventual eviction from their Nepean area homes so that an LRT track can be built, says she wants to see greater protections for renters who face expropriation and eviction.
On Wednesday, Ottawa city council voted 18 to 4 to approve a plan to build light rail transit to Barrhaven through the Manor Village and Cheryl Gardens neighbourhoods. The plan would require the City to buy and destroy 120 homes in the area, though the City notes that construction is many years away and contingent on funding from higher levels of government.
Alison Trowbridge lives in Manor Village, along Woodroffe Avenue, and is the Manor Village ACORN Tenant Leader. She tells Newstalk 580 CFRA's "The Goods with Dahlia Kurtz" that City Council's decision has created a lot of stress for her and her seven-year-old son, Lucas.
"Unfortunately, he has been watching all of this happen and it’s causing him tremendous stress. That's not stress a seven-year-old should be having," she said. "As much as he understands, he doesn't understand the idea of a housing a homelessness crisis but he understands the words, 'you're going to lose your home' and those aren't the things he should be worrying about as a child.
"He has nothing nice to say about Mayor Watson," Trowbridge said.
ACORN is a national group that advocates for low- and moderate-income families.
Trowbridge was among the tenants from Manor Village who protested outside Mayor Jim Watson's home last Tuesday, the day before the city council vote.
"We didnt want to come here but if our homes aren't off limits than neither is yours" - Alison Trowbridge, single mother of a 7 yr old boy who says she'll be sleeping in her car if @JimWatsonOttawa demovicts #ManorVillage for Stage 3 LRT #SaveOurHomes pic.twitter.com/I9ptreLwdd
— Ottawa ACORN (@OttawaACORN) November 24, 2020
"(Watson) didn't appreciate that," Trowbridge told The Goods. "We, as tenants and ACORN members, stand behind our decision to go to his house 100 per cent. We tried to reach out to him through phone calls and emails, over and over, and he wouldn't take the time to meet with us."
She said that ACORN members "didn't appreciate having to be" in Watson's neighbourhood but they felt they had no choice.
"In all seriousness, we had to be on that sidewalk and we had to get our voices heard and it did look like a great neighbourhood and that's all we're fighting for, is our own neighbourhood," she said.
ACORN calling for rental replacement bylaw
Earlier this month, several residents of Manor Village told the transportation committee they wanted to stay in their homes because of the affordable rents.
"You are not just tearing down buildings, you are tearing apart homes and families," resident Lisa Bilow stated at committee. "It’s not just houses, it’s three to four hundred people or more. These are families. We want to stay together. We want to stay here and we have made this community our own."
The transportation committee voted to set up a working group to find solutions for the tenants, including Ottawa Community Housing.
Trowbridge told "The Goods" on Saturday morning that ACORN is pushing for a rental replacement bylaw.
"Right now, our main goal is a rental replacement bylaw specifically for our tenants but future tenants as well," she said. "In the city, we need those protections for tenants like ourselves, so we're really pushing for that rental replacement bylaw."
Trowbridge says such a bylaw would ensure that tenants have a new place to live and have expenses covered in the event that tenants are evicted for the purpose of demolition, coloquially known as a 'demoviction'.
"If a landlord, or in this case the City of Ottawa, is going to be tearing down these homes it means that they have to step up for us tenants. They have to make sure that whatever we're losing we're granted in the end," she said. "It means the landlord or the City would have to cover the moving costs, they would have to cover the rent difference for the location that (tenants) have to stay in before they can go into the place that they were given."
'We need the public on our side'
Trowbridge says she's hopeful a rental replacement bylaw can be passed in Ottawa, but she says the public needs to get involved.
"It's going to take another fight. It's going to take having the public on our side; we need that bigger voice," she said. "I know a lot of people think one voice isn't going to be heard but, as a whole, we will be heard. We need to fight for what is most important and, right now, what's important is this housing and homelessness crisis."
In January, City Council officially declared a housing and homelessness crisis in Ottawa. One of the main goals is to build between 5,700 and 8,500 affordable housing units in the city over the next ten years and preserve the existing amount of affordable housing stock, but the mayor says all three levels of government need to make "urgent investments" in housing and homelessness to make the plan a reality.
Trowbridge says having the public engage with these issues is the key to success.
"We need people to keep listening. We need people to pay attention when we're out there," she said. "Watch the ACORN updates and stand behind us whenever you see anything regarding the rental replacement bylaw or inclusionary zoning or an eviction moratorium and use your voice. Add your voice to ours and make this problem heard."
Ottawa's LRT
Council approves route for light rail transit to Barrhaven, demolishing 120 homes
$3 Billion Barrhaven LRT plan gets first approval
Light Rail Transit fare to Barrhaven is $3 billion
City declares housing and homelessness a crisis and emergency
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Holiday Sales to Grow Between 3.6% and 5.2%, NRF Says
The season ‘will be unlike any other,’ according to the federation.
(PRESS RELEASE) WASHINGTON – With retail sales rebounding strongly due to continued consumer resilience, the National Retail Federation forecast that holiday sales during November and December will increase between 3.6 percent and 5.2 percent over 2019 to a total between $755.3 billion and $766.7 billion. The numbers, which exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, compare with a 4 percent increase to $729.1 billion last year and an average holiday sales increase of 3.5 percent over the past five years.
“We know this holiday season will be unlike any other, and retailers have planned ahead by investing billions of dollars to ensure the health and safety of their employees and customers,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Consumers have shown they are excited about the holidays and are willing to spend on gifts that lift the spirits of family and friends after such a challenging year. We expect a strong finish to the holiday season, and will continue to work with municipal and state officials to keep retailers open and the economy moving forward at this critical time.”
NRF expects that online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total, will increase between 20 percent and 30 percent to between $202.5 billion and $218.4 billion, up from $168.7 billion last year.
“Given the pandemic, there is uncertainty about consumers’ willingness to spend, but with the economy improving most have the ability to spend,” said NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz. “Consumers have experienced a difficult year but will likely spend more than anyone would have expected just a few months ago.
“After all they’ve been through, we think there’s going to be a psychological factor that they owe it to themselves and their families to have a better-than-normal holiday. There are risks to the economy if the virus continues to spread, but as long as consumers remain confident and upbeat, they will spend for the holiday season.”
Kleinhenz said households have strong balance sheets supported by a strong stock market, rising home values and record savings boosted by government stimulus payments issued earlier this year. Jobs and wages are growing, energy costs are low and reduced spending on personal services, travel and entertainment because of the virus has freed up money for retail spending.
As a result of store shutdowns and stay-at-home orders last spring, not all retailers and categories have rebounded as quickly, including small and mid-sized retailers. However, in the aggregate retail sales have seen a V-shaped recovery, growing both month-over-month and year-over-year each month since June. As calculated by NRF, sales were up 10.6 percent in October versus October 2019, likely driven in part by early holiday shopping. For the first 10 months of this year, retail sales were up 6.4 percent versus the first 10 months of 2019.
With ecommerce sales up 36.7 percent year-over-year during the third quarter, many households are expected to depend on digital shopping to make many of their holiday purchases, just as they have for much of their everyday spending this year. The online spending includes websites operated by bricks-and-mortar retailers, which have become major players in the online market as retail channels have merged.
Weather traditionally plays a role in holiday sales, and while details vary by region, the National Weather Service is forecasting cooler and wetter weather in the north and warmer and drier weather in the south. Kleinhenz said that combination has correlated with stronger retail holiday spending in the past and could be a factor this year.
The NRF forecast is based on an economic model that takes into consideration a variety of indicators including employment, wages, consumer confidence, disposable income, consumer credit, previous retail sales and weather. NRF defines the holiday season as November 1 through December 31. Numbers forecast by NRF may differ from other organizations that define the holiday season as a longer period or include retail sectors not included by NRF, such as automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.
The forecast comes as NRF’s latest research shows 42 percent of consumers started their holiday shopping earlier than usual this year. NRF’s “New Holiday Traditions” campaign has urged consumers to shop safe and shop early amidst the pandemic, and 59 percent had begun by early November, up from 49 percent at that point a decade ago.
NRF expects retailers to hire between 475,000 and 575,000 seasonal workers to help accommodate additional demand during the holiday season. That compares with 562,000 in 2019. Some of the hiring may have been pulled forward into October as many retailers have implemented holiday sales campaigns earlier than in the past.
Related Topics:Latest News TopNational Retail Federationretail
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PIDS Connect
FPIDS
Fellowship Positions
Vaccine Education Program
Training Program Resources
Fellowship Training Directory
Transplant & Immunocompromised Host ID
Fellows Survival Guide
JPIDS
Antibiotic Resistance Resources
Pediatric ASP Toolkit
PIDS Foundation
Training Program Directory Cover Letter
To Candidates for Fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases:
The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) offers free membership to all trainees and offers many resources for pediatric and medicine-pediatric residents seeking to pursue a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases. Membership includes a subscription to the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, as well as access to the fellowship training directory, the fellows’ survival guide, and the PIDS career brochure and video testimonials outlining different career opportunities.
The Fellowship Training Directory as a helpful reference for trainees as they evaluate which training programs may best fit their educational goals. The directory contains general information about pediatric infectious diseases fellowship programs accredited by The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (CPSC), as well as a link to each program’s website (if one is available).
Candidates are encouraged to carefully review the information and to contact program directors with specific questions. Pediatric infectious diseases specialists within your own institution are another excellent source of information about fellowship programs. Almost all Pediatric infectious disease fellowship programs participate in The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Pediatric Specialties Fall Match. Important dates can be found at NRMP Pediatric Specialties Fall Match website.
The fellows’ survival guide is another useful resource for prospective fellows with information on getting started in a career in pediatric infectious diseases. You also will find information on how to become a member of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society as a trainee.
Many local, national, and international opportunities exist for physicians trained in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. They cover the entire spectrum of medicine, including academics (basic and clinical research and quality improvement), hospital-based, clinic and private practice, antimicrobial stewardship, public health, regulatory (Food and Drug Administration), industry, microbiology, and infection prevention and control. A PIDS We look forward to having you join us in one of the most professionally stimulating and personally satisfying careers in medicine.
Paul W. Spearman, MD, FPIDS
President, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Angela L. Myers, MD, MPH
Chair, Training Programs Committee
Improving the health of children worldwide through philanthropic support of scientific and educational programs.
PIDS Headquarters
© 2020 Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All Rights Reserved. • Sitemap • Privacy Policy • PIDSFoundation.org
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Why I'm Here
Romina Astudillo, campus journalist
by Romina Astudillo
From being a campus journalist who records history to being part of the Struggle that will create the change needed by history. I am here because we have a world to win.
“I hate activists.”
I said this to myself when I entered college. I swore never to join activists. To me they were good-for-nothing and traffic-causing people who are wasting their time with irrelevant slogans and principles.
Sham is a campus journalist, and a journalist for the students, youth and the people. Photo by Efren Ricalde, from Sham’s Facebook account
Upon entering college, I eagerly joined Trinity Observer, the official student publication of my alma mater. Little did I know that my publication is a progressive one. It didn’t take me long to know that I fed myself to the one thing I hated. I was about to leave the publication despite my passion for writing.
And then a documentary flipped my decision.
Tudla Productions’ “Sa Ngalan ng Tubo”, the documentary of the struggle of the farm workers of Hacienda Luisita who earn Php 9.50 a day, somewhat stopped me from committing a big mistake, think things through and observe more. So I took a step back from the doors of our student publication and made a great leap.
All my years in college as a campus journalist exposed me to the data I needed to contribute in writing the people’s epic. I met fellow student leaders and exchanged tuition hike struggles with them, went to picket lines of workers from Kowloon House in West Avenue to the workers of Advan and Triumph south of Manila, I once helped a family in Tondo who sheltered us activists in their humble home to pack their things because their house was to be demolished to give way for the Philippine National Railways modernization.
My college days were the hype of the growing dissent and eventually the isolation of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. These were the days of frequent mobilizations calling for the ouster of the US-Arroyo regime in the streets of Makati where employees from building to building would throw confetti from their office windows to show solidarity. Our sembreaks were for trainings and seminars. Our summer vacations were for community organizing and integration with farmers and workers.
There were times that I skipped classes and exams to join mobilizations or cover certain events. But I never regret every single time I cutclass to attend such activities. In my young days as a student activist, I’ve always abided with Jose Pepe Alcantara’s words: “Ang aklat ng isang tunay na mga-aaral ay ang lipunang kanyang ginagalawan, ang kanyang guro ay ang mamamayan, at ang kanyang pagsusulit ay ang pagsasagawa ng mapagpalayang pagkilos.”
A writer’s sanctuary is with the people. Photo by Efren Ricalde, from Sham’s Facebook account.
Having grades lower than what I usually get, I was sure no citation was to be printed on my diploma. Yet to my surprise, a medal was waiting for me on my graduation.
After graduation, it didn’t take me long before I decided to set aside academic achievements and be a full-time activist or, to use the tibak lingo, an FT. I ditched my interview for a post at Viva Films the day I decided to be an FT.
Deciding to be a full-time activist while being in a struggling middle class family was hard. My family would constantly persuade me to work instead of being an activist. I’d constantly say to my mom that I can’t be the daughter she wanted me to be, but I hope she’ll be proud of the daughter I came to be.
To my surprise, it was also in the Struggle that I learned stories about my father that were unknown to me. He was a Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) lawyer during the Martial Law period, an organization of lawyers that handles human rights cases in the Philippines. He was arrested and became a political detainee. There were only two FLAG lawyers in the province of Abra that time and they were both detained by Ferdinand Marcos.
It made me proud as a daughter knowing that I am now in the same Struggle that he tried to help and defend in his own way. I’m more than proud to say that I took his place in the Struggle.
The happiness of serving the masses. Photo by Efren Ricalde, from Sham’s Facebook account
I continued to organize fellow campus journalists under the banner of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines as its Secretary General and eventually as its Chairperson. Devoid of academic responsibilities, I was able to dedicate all my time in tasks given to me. I became more engaged in people’s issues be it in the barricades of the urban poor across the metro who are to be demolished, on the hot pavements of Manila where we planked against oil cartels and budget cuts on social services orat a farm in Laguna harvesting palay with farmers who don’t have their own land to till.
To know that we live in a society where class struggle dichotomizes everything we know in two is one thing. To be in the Struggle that aims to end class antagonism which is a continuous process of learning and unlearning is another.
There is so much cruelty in the world, so many villains with sidekicks, so many diabolical plans to maintain the status quo. In my years as a full-time activist, I’ve learned that the world doesn’t need Superman (with excuses to Lois Lane).The people don’t need saviors in spandex or remarkable individuals such as kings and queens.History was not made by people in capes. History was made through the collective action of the oppressed and exploited. The masses create history.
Sham is Kabataan Partylist’s Second Nominee. | Photo from Kabataan Partylist
Romina Astudillo
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GagaOOLala goes global!
By RedApril 27, 2020June 5th, 20205 Comments
Taipei-Based Streaming Service boasts one of the largest selection of Gay films and Series!
Film Journal ScreenDaily interviewed Jay Lin in 2018 and reported on the LGBTQ+ scenes in Asia. As the CEO and prime mover of GagaOOLala, among others, Mr. Lin is known for his “planting trees”, a special term he uses about his many projects that serve the LGBTQ+ community. This article is a precursor to a special feature we’ll be launching about the streaming service and of Mr. Lin.
– Edited by TheFNGee
“A lot of premium LGBT-themed content just wasn’t finding any buyers in the region, whether theatrical, TV or digital,” says Lin. “But OTT (an ‘over-the-top’ media service is a content provider that offers standalone streaming media as a product) exists beyond borders and beyond traditional cable restrictions, and that motivated us to create an LGBT service that was greater than just Taiwan.” Initially launched in Taiwan in March 2017, GagaOOLala is now also available in Hong Kong, Macau, and the ten ASEAN territories (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam). |Full article @ScreenDaily|
Fast forward 2 years later, the streaming service has expanded globally – and will be accessible from anywhere in the world in a few days. It targets May 2020 for a global launch.
Six features (among many) at the GagaOoLala app, which is readily available on Google Play or Apple and on the internet via the GagaOoLala website.
Jay Lin is a recipient of Newsweek’s 15 members of Creative Class of 2019. The award salutes “innovators who have developed creative solutions to the problems that face our world,” and Mr. Lin was recognized as an LGBTQ rights activist.
Jay Lin is the CEO of Portico Media, a Taiwan-based media company specializing in the distribution and production of digital content for Film, TV, and the internet. He is also a prolific producer of web-video content through his HahaTai, LalaTai, GagaTai websites. In 2014, Jay co-founded the Taiwan International Queer Film Festival (TIQFF) and, in 2016, launched GagaOOLala and Queermosa Awards. He is also a gay day and father of twin boys and is learning every day how to juggle work, civic participation, child-rearing, and getting that occasional but very crucial sleep-in.
Jay Lin and Family
GagaOoLalaJay Lin
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adishakthihereJanuary 18, 2021
UPDATED: Psycho BL Awards 2020
Mals!January 11, 2021
Opinion: Psychomilk Takes a Look Back @ 2020, the Year in Worldwide BL
TheFNGeeJanuary 2, 2021
exxuss says:
At last, at last!
Pingback: Bromance, Gay, and BL series/movies- What’s the difference? [Opinion] – Psycho Milk
Thanks for this information. I didn’t know that there’s such an app where I can get more access to “pink” dramas and films that are still kind of heavily censored nowadays.
I can tell that there is a wellspring of courage and passion within Jay Lin. I take my hat off to him. 🙂
I also discovered this app only last year, but they are new. It was launched in 2016 but gradually. Now they go global, and I think it says a lot about their management and the available films/TV series they offer.
This is definitely something to celebrate!
Pingback: Spotlight on Jay Lin, LGBTQ+ Rights Activist and Founder of GagaOOlala – Psycho Milk
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You are here: Home / Archives for Fantasy
Wings of Fire by Stephanie Mirro
About Wings of Fire by Stephanie Mirro:
I wasn’t always the bad guy…
Once upon a time, I was simply Veronica Neill: daughter, sister, phoenix. But now I’m all alone, and life as the Falcon—an avian shifter and acquirer of fantastical things—is dangerously sexy and fun.
Some might even call me a thief, just never to my face.
But when my latest acquisition is stolen before I arrive and a gruesome murder is blamed on me, I’ve got a choice to make: 1) get taken in by the hotter-than-hell agent sent by the Death Enforcement Agency and let them charge me with a crime I didn’t commit, or 2) wait for my bloodsucking client to realize I’ve failed at the job he hired me for.
I don’t like either door, so I’ll take the window instead: track down the real killer and clear my name.
If I don’t solve this murder, and fast, then I might just be facing a lifetime in a grim prison—or worse, a lifetime of servitude to the man who hired me, a man who’s turning out to be more dangerous than I realized. And my kind lives for a very long time.
If you loved Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunters, Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels, or Seanan McGuire’s InCryptid series then you will devour The Last Phoenix series.
WINGS OF FIRE is the 1st book of 7 in The Last Phoenix series, a kickass urban fantasy containing fast-paced action, snarky humor, sexy grim reapers, horrific vampires, a hearty dose of swearing, and a healthy splash of romance.
A Promise of Iron
About A Promise of Iron:
A Promise of Iron, book one of the Echoes of Illyria saga:
Long ago, the Illyrian Empire fell and the world of men fell with it. The Illyrians are gone now. Nobody knows where. All they left behind are miles of dark roads and unanswered questions.
From the darkness the Cyllian Empire has emerged. It straddles the old thrones of men and brings a tenuous peace, filled with the unease of hate and the impatience of idle spears.
The Mere grow restless in their mountain homes. They strike at the lands of men with a boldness not seen since the days of Illyria.
The Ruk bear the scars of a long-lost war. Toiling under the heel of the Empire, they have little hope for a better life.
Born out of hatred, a young man seeks to bring it all down, stone by stone, brick by brick. He’s no hero. Heroes are fools and dead men. But he hears the words upon the wind. And he seeks a promise… A PROMISE OF IRON.
Echoes of Illyria is an ongoing fantasy series. The epic saga blends elements of epic fantasy and adventure with a focus on realism, relatable characters, and true moral dilemmas. Set in a world where metal is incredibly rare, three friends battle the evils of empire while unraveling the secrets of a forgotten past…. And a hidden foe.
I tried to write believable characters. I want realism… accessibility… relatability. Once I established the backstory for each character, their mannerisms became a reflection of that story, of the world around them and their place in it.
Faerin— protagonist and main point of view as the story is written in the first person. His life has been one of suffering and hate. Born of two worlds, yet belonging in neither, he seeks to improve the worth of his salt…. by any means necessary.
Crylwin— rich, powerful, charming…. and a drunken playboy who grapples with the weight of familial responsibility. He is also Faerin’s best friend. Quick to laugh, quick to temper, he is impulsive and an absolute blast to write.
Lira— born into a life of privilege, one not equally shared with the lowly of the world. She seeks to use her wit, coin, and influence to tip the scales. Defiant, radiant, commanding; she is the moral heartstring of the story.
Secret Royalty (Witches Academy Series Book 4) by Suzanne Jenkins
About Secret Royalty (Witches Academy Series Book 4) by Suzanne Jenkins:
When a certified letter from England and an invitation to attend a special night class at the Witches Academy of Sorcery came on the same day, waitress Eden Aubrielle discovers her humdrum life might get a little more exciting. A waitress attending night school at the academy discovers, along with the gift of magic, she has royal blood flowing through her veins. America’s latest foodie channel sweetheart is a real charmer, who discovers not all the magic happens in the kitchen. Clair struggles with taking control of her magical powers until she meets a guy who really needs her help. A beautiful witch, empowered with the gift of creating strong magic spells since childhood, now refuses to use them––until her friend’s murder changes everything. An investigative reporter’s strange visions force her to really use her powers. When a rival tries to mess with her magic a witch must find a way to rekindle her flame.What do eight enchanted witches have in common? They’ve all attended the Witches Academy of Sorcery in the Big Easy, the foremost school of magic in the world. From coast to coast, each of these bewitched women will work at becoming who they are meant to be, using their powers to the fullest capacity.Jen Talty – The New OrderNatalie Ann – Passionate VisionJudith Lucci- Seer of JusticeSuzanne Jenkins – Secret RoyaltyAnna Celeste Burke – Kitchen MagicSR Mallery – Endangered SpellsMargaret A. Daly – WicklessTamara Ferguson – Enchantress
A Curse in the Night by Lauren Hulme
About A Curse in the Night by Lauren Hulme:
Lorek Aegir thought he knew exactly who he was. He was the crown prince of Tevara. But that all came crashing down around him. Now he knows that he was never truly a prince at all. He’s not even Tevaran. It’s Vansir blood that runs through his veins. A race that all Tevarans consider their enemy. After a terrible decision to charge a Vansir camp, Lorek’s father imprisoned him within the palace. During his imprisonment he discovers a strange spell that claims to reveal memories of the past. He planned to use it to his advantage, until he came across a mysterious stranger from years ago.
This mystery woman broke through all of Lorek’s defences and now she is all he can think about. He is determined to find out more about her and becomes entrenched in her memories. But the more he discovers, the deeper the mystery becomes. Until he learns that she was never really a stranger after all. He has unearthed something sinister and Lorek must solve the mystery of her disappearance before he loses her forever.
Retribution (The Redemptive Chronicles Book 1) by D.M. Kurtz
About Retribution (The Redemptive Chronicles Book 1) by D.M. Kurtz:
Magic… A staple of extraordinary abilities among those of royal blood. The Creator designed it himself as a gift for the righteous, but what he meant for good was corrupted by darkness at the hands of a jaded prince. When such power became harnessed by evil, the dragons rose up and fought for the free peoples, but they were defeated. Now they are known only as the forgotten race that failed to protect their allies and fled when extinction was all but certain. Daedrin knows such stories well, but he never really believed that they could be true… Until he becomes plagued by memories that are not his own. Flashes of people and places that are entirely foreign and yet somehow familiar invade his thoughts and flood his mind. Soon after the visions, certain strange abilities begin to surface that cannot be explained. With them comes a darkness, masked by a consuming anger. It seeps into his soul, seeking to devour all goodness and corrupt the power within. Where is the Creator? Why did he abandon his people in their greatest hour of need? These questions overwhelm the unlikely hero as he struggles to find his way, and thus the only query that truly matters is kept from his view… Will he recognize the growing evil in time to defeat the darkness, or will he succumb to the serene deception of silent whispers?
Reparation (The Redemptive Chronicles Book 2) by D.M. Kurtz
About Reparation (The Redemptive Chronicles Book 2) by D.M. Kurtz:
With the lines between friend and foe altogether blurred, our heroes search for answers amidst the chaos. Shadow surrounds and threatens to envelop all that is cherished, while certain voices shift to insidious whispers that beckon for Daedrin’s tortured soul to embrace the vengeful rage that burns within. Will alliances crumble and allow the realm to be choked by the cloud of ash that haunts his visions? In this thrilling continuation of The Redemptive Chronicles, can light truly crest the horizon, or will it be forever snuffed out by the overwhelming tide?
Buy the Book On Amazon. [Read more…]
Regen (Penchant for Trouble Book 1) by Cassie Greutman
About Regen (Penchant for Trouble Book 1) by Cassie Greutman:
One foster kid. Two worlds. If she can’t catch a dangerous convict, she’s going to lose the only thing she cares about in either of them. Her foster parents.After years of being shoved from home to home, sixteen-year-old Trisha Penchant finally found a foster family that she won’t admit she loves. Life is looking up. Until the night she wakes up in the woods covered in blood, sporting a bullet-riddled dress.Without her supernatural ability to heal, she’d be dead. And now the Faerie Council has given her an ultimatum. Catch an escaped fugitive, or be taken to Faerie, a place her missing mother told her horror stories about. A place without the foster parents she’s just learning to connect with. Trying to appease the Council, keeping her powers hidden from her foster parents, and learning to work with the ex-boyfriend who killed her, Trisha’s brushes with death and frustration are on the rise.Pushed to the brink, she struggles to walk a fine line of doing what’s right, and doing what’s necessary.Her choices will change lives. Forever.Regen is the first book in the action-packed Penchant for Trouble YA urban fantasy series. If you like strong heroines, dangerous secrets, and fast-paced quests, then you’ll adore Cassie Greutman’s tightly woven adventure.
The Mourning Rose by Morgan Smith
About The Mourning Rose by Morgan Smith:
Manners meet magic in this tale, where curses mix with curtseys, and Charm takes on a whole new dimension Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen fans will love this romantic fantasy, set in a Regency that never was.Eglantine Mayland is this Season’s Reigning Toast, and seems destined to make a good marriage. When the wealthy Lord Valremer, a confirmed bachelor, begins to court her seriously, Eglantine’s cousin Polyantha senses that not all is well. Too many of his actions seem to be part of a web of evil that twines itself around the Mayland family.And why is a well-known rogue and smuggler so interested in their plight?
The Apprentice Storyteller
About The Apprentice Storyteller:
The Alchemist meets fantasy with a splash of space opera.
Viola Alerion, a renowned storyteller in the Haldrian Empire, wants to be left in peace. For years, she’s been hounded by her past, never to find a moment’s rest. Then she meets a boy who wants to become her apprentice. He refuses to take no for an answer, and she reluctantly yields, even though she knows taking him with her could endanger his life.
As their journey progresses, Viola begins to understand she’s not the only teacher in the equation. The nameless boy also has something to teach, but Viola makes for a reluctant student.
Can she give way to possibility and embrace a future in alignment with what she’s always wanted? Can she find the courage to embrace the principles that will transform her life? Can she overcome her circumstances and face her past? Or will she keep on running with nowhere to hide?
And what of the boy who guards untold secrets and exhibits mysterious powers that defy belief?
Book Zero by Peter Bach
About Book Zero by Peter Bach:
To advance society, it takes a body count. Have you noticed? Because the gods and elite establishment want their future. It is only Human to crush the competition and kill for a better tomorrow, or is it?
Balance Kenkovan, thought so as he skated through life on the GI bill in 2300 AD, in a cyber-controlled world which solves problems — no attention to the flotsam and jetsam of deadly technologies needed. His ideas applied to bio-science by another student begets a nanorobot swarm.
Life on earth faces obliteration. Yet, the world solves the crisis. The military kills the leaks, and recruits Balance as a world government Shadow Chaser. As promised, our brighter tomorrow still comes. Yet for Balance, under the establishment’s pressured control, he gets forged into the defender of government wrongs.
Chasing shadows, he climbs the elite ladder, while those genuinely in power topple society in a war amongst themselves. Most Humans don’t make it. Evil picks up where civilization drops it. And the world becomes a garden of dim, brutal Humanity. Dragons, wizards, and many mutant creatures now set Humanity’s future.
Salvation rests in two genuine powers remaining to help or hinder Humanity, the controlling homicidal female, Isis, and Osiris, the male who forgot he was a god. Balance survives despite his sister-wife’s intentions. Living, but not entirely understanding what he can do or which side he is on- the Humans, or the Anunnaki gods.
The Legacy (2nd Edition)
About The Legacy (2nd Edition):
The planet will only continue to host our species as long as we remain respectful guests…The Legacy is a suspenseful thriller with a glimpse into the world of the paranormal.
Ellen was born to suffer and to watch those around her succumb to their misfortune. Through the loss of both of her natural parents, and the gain of religiously fanatical adoptive parents, Ellen experienced more sadness, loss and tragedy than any one person would endure during several lifetimes.
Her lot in life was only a mere distraction for the real test that awaited her…
Clayton lost his father in a mysterious accident before he was old enough to remember him. The questions that surrounded the family tragedy followed Clayton, and his vivid dreams of others were drawing him closer to who he was always meant to be —even without his knowledge.
Johanna was a shut-in destined to endure a cycle of addiction and depression as she attempted to remember her life before her abduction. Shedding her former life, and being lost without ever claiming another, Johanna was forced outside of her zone of tolerated discomfort and directly into the middle of an ancient force of nature.
In The Legacy, Ellen, Clayton and Johanna are related to one another in the most unique way, the way of saving the human race from itself. Their individual grief is installed to thwart each of them from fulfilling their purpose.
Initiation (Wolfpack University Book 1) by Apryl Baker
About Initiation (Wolfpack University Book 1) by Apryl Baker:
Clementine Townes is running from a nightmare no one should ever have to endure, a horror of glowing eyes, unspeakable violation…and death.Her father only ever asked one thing of her—that she attend his alma mater, Appalachia University, fondly known as Wolfpack U. With nothing left to lose, she decides to honor her father the only way she knows how.The sleepy college town of Jacob’s Fork, West Virginia is far from California. But is it far enough away to escape the terrifying darkness that plagues her dreams and memories?Then she meets Cole Walker.The quarterback of the football team and all-around campus alpha, he represents everything that terrifies her. But despite her fear and reluctance, she finds she’s drawn to Cole in ways she can’t explain.As if all that weren’t enough, she discovers the people in this small town have a secret, and they seem to know more about her history than she does. What she finds is a past her father hid from her—a past she’s not sure she wants to embrace.But before she can even begin to think about any of that, her nightmare comes rushing back to torment her, threatening the new life she’s trying to build. Can she trust Cole to protect her, or is her only hope to keep running?
Dark Gate Angels Complete Series Omnibus by Ramy Vance & Michael Anderle
99 cents from Dec. 28-Jan. 3
Meet the Dark Gate Angels! Just be sure you don’t tick them off, or you might lose your head!
Grab this action-packed boxed set of all four books in this exciting series today!
A battle-elf, gladiator and super genius walk into a bar… Actually, there’s no punch line.
But you can guarantee someone’s getting decapitated.
Anabella is a supermodel with a secret. She’s really an elf. And she’s bored, bored,bored. Born and bred as a warrior, Anabella wants nothing more than to trade her tiara for a dagger and a gun.
When orcs invade Earth, will Anabella have her chance?
Abby is a robotics engineer and certifiable genius (as well as simply certifiable). When Abby’s father is killed by the orcs, she plans on using her intellect to avenge him.
Terra is the toughest person in Kansas. Too bad she’s not in Kansas anymore. She was kidnapped by orcs to fight in their sick and twisted battle games.
Both Abby and Terra want revenge in the form of gloopy, green orc blood. Will the blood be green, or red?
Alone, none of them stand a chance. But together theyjustmight be enough to bring evil to its knees.
These three warriors didn’t start the war…but you can be damn sure they’re going to try to finish it. Will they succeed?
This boxed set of almost 1800 pages includes the following books:
Dark Gate Angels
Shades of Death
The Allies of Death
The Deadliness of Light
From the twisted minds of Michael Anderle and Ramy Vancecomes a new epic science fantasy adventure unlike anything seen before.
Join Anabella, Abby and Terra as they kick ass … no name-taking necessary.Scroll UP and click Read Now or Read for Free to join the fight!
Get This Fantasy Book From Amazon.
Visit the Author’s Facebook Fan Page.
Visit the Author’s Twitter page.
Beauty’s Quest: A Historical Fantasy Fairy Tale Retelling of Sleeping Beauty (Once Upon a Princess Book 2) by C.S. Johnson
About Beauty’s Quest: A Historical Fantasy Fairy Tale Retelling of Sleeping Beauty (Once Upon a Princess Book 2) by C.S. Johnson:
“You want to be free,” Theo told her. “But you don’t even allow yourself to dream of it, even with small things, like singing a song.” A new wave of anger, both at him and at herself, washed over her. “If I am free, I am free to refuse,” she muttered. “It’s not a matter of freedom, but fear.” “I am not afraid!”“Aren’t you?” Theo asked quietly. “No.” Rose waited to hear Theo argue with her. But he said nothing. In order to defeat the sorceress Magdalina, and free herself from her curse, Rose, the Princess of Rhone, has set out to find dragon’s blood. As she travels toward the Romani territory, where the Serpent’s Garden resides, she is accompanied by her faithful group of friends, including their newest member, Prince Philip of Einish. But when the group ends up shipwrecked on the small island of Maltia, they find themselves trapped without supplies and a way off the island. With time, money, and new enemies working against them, Rose remains determined despite her despair to rise to each challenge. But can she face the growing fear—and longing—inside herself? Sweet, suspenseful, and full of surprises, Beauty’s Quest is the second book in the Once Upon a Princess saga from C. S. Johnson. Enjoy Part II of this historical fantasy retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale!
Cast of Fate (The Esfah Sagas Book 3) by Christopher Varney
About Cast of Fate (The Esfah Sagas Book 3) by Christopher Varney:
Dragons are bad enough, but now the sky is falling!
Elves at war, dwarven spies, and a secret goblin invasion…
…from the creators of Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance.
The Volcano City of Karakto is home of the morehl: the red-skinned lava elves. The blue-skinned coral elves, known as the selumari, believe the morehl corrupted and mad—driven to violence by the god of Death. Decades ago, the selumari conquered Karakto with the help of their dwarven allies, the vagha. Now, the coral elves live in an uneasy truce with their hated enemies and rule over the spoils of war.
Can the morehl be redeemed? Calantha, the city’s selumari governor adopted a morehl child, hoping to prove that nurture can overcome nature. But that child, Orric, has grown into a capricious rogue, brilliant and witty, but prone to danger and rage.
As tensions grow in Karakto, secret armies move, and voices whisper of a coup. Perhaps the morehl are not as evil as Orric was told, and perhaps neither are the selumari and vagha as good as claimed. With the lava elves looking to Orric to lead them, Calantha struggles to hold their brittle alliance together in the winds of rebellion… and a new and dangerous evil brews with an omen in the sky.
Originally published in 1996, Cast of Fate was the first book published in the world of Esfah, a gaming universe set in TSR’s award-winning Dragon Dice game system. Cast of Fate was intended to kick off another universe alongside Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance. Instead, TSR was purchased the following year by WotC and its assets sold. Dragon Dice is still very much alive and celebrating its 25th anniversary with reviving this literary universe, The Esfah Sagas!
Also included are the original stories Tome of the Tarvanehl (which includes three short stories) and Heart of Stone and Flame. These books were originally published in 1995 (just prior to Cast of Fate) and only available from TSR with the purchase of specific Dragon Dice products, but are now available in this single volume! (Also the new short: Thunderfist and the Dragon).
Awfully Appetizing by Leod D. Fitz
About Awfully Appetizing by Leod D. Fitz:
Walter Keppler is a quiet, private man. He lives in a trailer park at the edge of town, and is working hard to pay off the startup loan he needed for his funeral home. In his spare time, he likes to camp, fish, and eat roadkill.
Walter Keppler is a ghoul, raised by humans. He’s one of the many monsters who calls the town of Collinswood Colorado home, but he’s spent most of his life struggling against his darker nature, and trying to stay as far away from the rest of the creatures of the night as he possibly can.
Unfortunately, they’re not willing to stay away from him. After an attempt on his life, Walter must abandon his quiet life and embroil himself in a world of blood, violence, and political intrigue. And somewhere in all of that, he needs to buy his mother a birthday present.
The Necklace of Goddess Athena: A Greek gods supernatural suspense fantasy story set in Athens by Effrosyni Moschoudi
About The Necklace of Goddess Athena: A Greek gods supernatural suspense fantasy story set in Athens by Effrosyni Moschoudi:
Phevos, a 20-year-old from ancient Greece, arrives in today’s Athens on a time-traveling mission shocked and confused. His mysterious father has just sent him there without any explanations. Phevos can only imagine this may have something to do with his mother, who disappeared when he was a little boy and whom he hardly remembers. As he makes new friends and finds romantic love, he begins to discover old family secrets, but little does he know he’s about to be caught up in an ancient war between two Olympian Gods…
Ashes of Ailushurai: The Relic Quests 1 (The Esfah Sagas Book 2) by Christopher Schmitz
About Ashes of Ailushurai: The Relic Quests 1 (The Esfah Sagas Book 2) by Christopher Schmitz:
Dwarves, elves, & goblins collide…
…Esfah is another world originally from the creators of Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance.
Here there be dragons!
When a reluctant Dwarven adventurer undertakes a quest on behalf of his blind father, he accidentally awakens an ancient evil banished ages ago. Now, with dark elves and goblinoid trogs snapping at his heels, Hy’Targ must prevent a powerful lich from reuniting with the ancient bones of his lover. Failure means a new age of darkness will spread across the land.
Prince Hy’Targ of the Irontooth vagha would much rather stay in the library and read about the exploits of others. In his studies, however, he uncovers the tale of a powerful artifact he believes could restore his father’s sight. On his quest, he accidentally triggers a trap that releases an ancient undead general that was long ago sealed away to prevent him from beginning a planet-wide uprising of the dead. Hy’Targ knows that this fiend must be destroyed before he can regain his full strength, and he knows where the lich has escaped to.
Journeying towards the creature’s dark tower, he enlists the help of the few souls who believe him, one of whom is an imprisoned thief that must first be freed… a thief who is linked to their problems more closely than they realize. He stole the sacred bones the lich is after and undead scouts pursue his every move. Can this band of unlikely heroes prevent a second rise of the Black Tower?
Karolina Dalca, Dark Eyes by M. R. Noble
Blindsided by an attack that destroys her home and blamed for murder, Karolina Dalca, a half-vampire, escapes, only to plunge into the magical societies from which she was sheltered.
Betrayed by those around her, she abandons her dreams of becoming an investigator and flees, trusting only herself. Her police internship would never prove more useful. Hoofing it through the wilderness, she makes it to her university dorm, disheveled but delightfully deflowered.
Enter a full vampire: one wielding dark magic and a ride out of Canada. A fugitive from the law, Karo complies with his demands to escape, unsure whether his requests are bewitched. She vows to clear her name and avenge her mother’s death, but Karo’s family secrets aren’t so easily left behind.
“This book grabs you by the throat and does not let go! A fast paced, enthralling journey through a hidden underworld of vampires, werewolves, and other beings of the night. Compared to the more stay-at-home-type of vampires and werewolves I know, these protagonists are pushed beyond the human limit. I Highly recommend you acquire this book and hole up somewhere safe for the ride.”—Stuart Rutherford, actor from WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
“Fans of Kim Harrison will be drawn into the imagery of Noble’s first book of the Dark Eyes series. In between bouts of fighting and the intensity of paranormal, dark fantasy, there are moments of comedy that make this series opener a real page-turner.”—Booklist.
The Sand Prince
About The Sand Prince:
Two worlds. Bound by magic. Divided by a door.
On the barren, war-ravaged demon world of Eriis, the fierce queen Hellne fights to keep her people alive and her son Rhuun’s heritage a secret.
On the green and gentle human world of Mistra, demons have faded into myth. Only a handful of old men and fanatical children still guard The Door between the worlds.
Different and shunned by his demon kin, Rhuun finds refuge in a book that tells of a human world of water and wonder. Forced by his mother’s enemies to flee Eriis, he finds himself trapped on the other side of The Door in the very place he has read and dreamed about—Mistra.
Chained to the deadly whims of a child who guards The Door, Rhuun must balance serving and surviving, even at the risk of exposing his true identity. Riskiest of all is his task of kidnapping an infuriating young woman who is about to find out that the demons of Eriis are much, much more than just an old bedtime story.
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Machines Beat Humans on a Reading Test. But Do They Understand?
A tool known as BERT can now beat humans on advanced reading-comprehension tests. But it’s also revealed how far AI has to go.
In the fall of 2017, Sam Bowman, a computational linguist at New York University, figured that computers still weren’t very good at understanding the written word. Sure, they had become decent at simulating that understanding in certain narrow domains, like automatic translation or sentiment analysis (for example, determining if a sentence sounds “mean or nice,” he said). But Bowman wanted measurable evidence of the genuine article: bona fide, human-style reading comprehension in English. So he came up with a test.
In an April 2018 paper coauthored with collaborators from the University of Washington and DeepMind, the Google-owned artificial intelligence company, Bowman introduced a battery of nine reading-comprehension tasks for computers called GLUE (General Language Understanding Evaluation). The test was designed as “a fairly representative sample of what the research community thought were interesting challenges,” said Bowman, but also “pretty straightforward for humans.” For example, one task asks whether a sentence is true based on information offered in a preceding sentence. If you can tell that “President Trump landed in Iraq for the start of a seven-day visit” implies that “President Trump is on an overseas visit,” you’ve just passed.
The machines bombed. Even state-of-the-art neural networks scored no higher than 69 out of 100 across all nine tasks: a D-plus, in letter grade terms. Bowman and his coauthors weren’t surprised. Neural networks — layers of computational connections built in a crude approximation of how neurons communicate within mammalian brains — had shown promise in the field of “natural language processing” (NLP), but the researchers weren’t convinced that these systems were learning anything substantial about language itself. And GLUE seemed to prove it. “These early results indicate that solving GLUE is beyond the capabilities of current models and methods,” Bowman and his coauthors wrote.
Their appraisal would be short-lived. In October of 2018, Google introduced a new method nicknamed BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers). It produced a GLUE score of 80.5. On this brand-new benchmark designed to measure machines’ real understanding of natural language — or to expose their lack thereof — the machines had jumped from a D-plus to a B-minus in just six months.
“That was definitely the ‘oh, crap’ moment,” Bowman recalled, using a more colorful interjection. “The general reaction in the field was incredulity. BERT was getting numbers on many of the tasks that were close to what we thought would be the limit of how well you could do.” Indeed, GLUE didn’t even bother to include human baseline scores before BERT; by the time Bowman and one of his Ph.D. students added them to GLUE in February 2019, they lasted just a few months before a BERT-based system from Microsoft beat them.
As of this writing, nearly every position on the GLUE leaderboard is occupied by a system that incorporates, extends or optimizes BERT. Five of these systems outrank human performance.
But is AI actually starting to understand our language — or is it just getting better at gaming our systems? As BERT-based neural networks have taken benchmarks like GLUE by storm, new evaluation methods have emerged that seem to paint these powerful NLP systems as computational versions of Clever Hans, the early 20th-century horse who seemed smart enough to do arithmetic, but who was actually just following unconscious cues from his trainer.
“We know we’re somewhere in the gray area between solving language in a very boring, narrow sense, and solving AI,” Bowman said. “The general reaction of the field was: Why did this happen? What does this mean? What do we do now?”
Writing Their Own Rules
In the famous Chinese Room thought experiment, a non-Chinese-speaking person sits in a room furnished with many rulebooks. Taken together, these rulebooks perfectly specify how to take any incoming sequence of Chinese symbols and craft an appropriate response. A person outside slips questions written in Chinese under the door. The person inside consults the rulebooks, then sends back perfectly coherent answers in Chinese.
The thought experiment has been used to argue that, no matter how it might appear from the outside, the person inside the room can’t be said to have any true understanding of Chinese. Still, even a simulacrum of understanding has been a good enough goal for natural language processing.
The only problem is that perfect rulebooks don’t exist, because natural language is far too complex and haphazard to be reduced to a rigid set of specifications. Take syntax, for example: the rules (and rules of thumb) that define how words group into meaningful sentences. The phrase “colorless green ideas sleep furiously” has perfect syntax, but any natural speaker knows it’s nonsense. What prewritten rulebook could capture this “unwritten” fact about natural language — or innumerable others?
NLP researchers have tried to square this circle by having neural networks write their own makeshift rulebooks, in a process called pretraining.
Before 2018, one of NLP’s main pretraining tools was something like a dictionary. Known as word embeddings, this dictionary encoded associations between words as numbers in a way that deep neural networks could accept as input — akin to giving the person inside a Chinese room a crude vocabulary book to work with. But a neural network pretrained with word embeddings is still blind to the meaning of words at the sentence level. “It would think that ‘a man bit the dog’ and ‘a dog bit the man’ are exactly the same thing,” said Tal Linzen, a computational linguist at Johns Hopkins University.
A better method would use pretraining to equip the network with richer rulebooks — not just for vocabulary, but for syntax and context as well — before training it to perform a specific NLP task. In early 2018, researchers at OpenAI, the University of San Francisco, the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence and the University of Washington simultaneously discovered a clever way to approximate this feat. Instead of pretraining just the first layer of a network with word embeddings, the researchers began training entire neural networks on a broader basic task called language modeling.
“The simplest kind of language model is: I’m going to read a bunch of words and then try to predict the next word,” explained Myle Ott, a research scientist at Facebook. “If I say, ‘George Bush was born in,’ the model now has to predict the next word in that sentence.”
These deep pretrained language models could be produced relatively efficiently. Researchers simply fed their neural networks massive amounts of written text copied from freely available sources like Wikipedia — billions of words, preformatted into grammatically correct sentences — and let the networks derive next-word predictions on their own. In essence, it was like asking the person inside a Chinese room to write all his own rules, using only the incoming Chinese messages for reference.
“The great thing about this approach is it turns out that the model learns a ton of stuff about syntax,” Ott said.
What’s more, these pretrained neural networks could then apply their richer representations of language to the job of learning an unrelated, more specific NLP task, a process called fine-tuning.
“You can take the model from the pretraining stage and kind of adapt it for whatever actual task you care about,” Ott explained. “And when you do that, you get much better results than if you had just started with your end task in the first place.”
Indeed, in June of 2018, when OpenAI unveiled a neural network called GPT, which included a language model pretrained on nearly a billion words (sourced from 11,038 digital books) for an entire month, its GLUE score of 72.8 immediately took the top spot on the leaderboard. Still, Sam Bowman assumed that the field had a long way to go before any system could even begin to approach human-level performance.
Then BERT appeared.
A Powerful Recipe
So what exactly is BERT?
First, it’s not a fully trained neural network capable of besting human performance right out of the box. Instead, said Bowman, BERT is “a very precise recipe for pretraining a neural network.” Just as a baker can follow a recipe to reliably produce a delicious prebaked pie crust — which can then be used to make many different kinds of pie, from blueberry to spinach quiche — Google researchers developed BERT’s recipe to serve as an ideal foundation for “baking” neural networks (that is, fine-tuning them) to do well on many different natural language processing tasks. Google also open-sourced BERT’s code, which means that other researchers don’t have to repeat the recipe from scratch — they can just download BERT as-is, like buying a prebaked pie crust from the supermarket.
If BERT is essentially a recipe, what’s the ingredient list? “It’s the result of three things coming together to really make things click,” said Omer Levy, a research scientist at Facebook who has analyzed BERT’s inner workings.
The first is a pretrained language model, those reference books in our Chinese room. The second is the ability to figure out which features of a sentence are most important.
In 2017, an engineer at Google Brain named Jakob Uszkoreit was working on ways to accelerate Google’s language-understanding efforts. He noticed that state-of-the-art neural networks also suffered from a built-in constraint: They all looked through the sequence of words one by one. This “sequentiality” seemed to match intuitions of how humans actually read written sentences. But Uszkoreit wondered if “it might be the case that understanding language in a linear, sequential fashion is suboptimal,” he said.
Uszkoreit and his collaborators devised a new architecture for neural networks focused on “attention,” a mechanism that lets each layer of the network assign more weight to some specific features of the input than to others. This new attention-focused architecture, called a transformer, could take a sentence like “a dog bites the man” as input and encode each word in many different ways in parallel. For example, a transformer might connect “bites” and “man” together as verb and object, while ignoring “a”; at the same time, it could connect “bites” and “dog” together as verb and subject, while mostly ignoring “the.”
The nonsequential nature of the transformer represented sentences in a more expressive form, which Uszkoreit calls treelike. Each layer of the neural network makes multiple, parallel connections between certain words while ignoring others — akin to a student diagramming a sentence in elementary school. These connections are often drawn between words that may not actually sit next to each other in the sentence. “Those structures effectively look like a number of trees that are overlaid,” Uszkoreit explained.
This treelike representation of sentences gave transformers a powerful way to model contextual meaning, and also to efficiently learn associations between words that might be far away from each other in complex sentences. “It’s a bit counterintuitive,” Uszkoreit said, “but it is rooted in results from linguistics, which has for a long time looked at treelike models of language.”
Finally, the third ingredient in BERT’s recipe takes nonlinear reading one step further.
Unlike other pretrained language models, many of which are created by having neural networks read terabytes of text from left to right, BERT’s model reads left to right and right to left at the same time, and learns to predict words in the middle that have been randomly masked from view. For example, BERT might accept as input a sentence like “George Bush was [……..] in Connecticut in 1946” and predict the masked word in the middle of the sentence (in this case, “born”) by parsing the text from both directions. “This bidirectionality is conditioning a neural network to try to get as much information as it can out of any subset of words,” Uszkoreit said.
The Mad-Libs-esque pretraining task that BERT uses — called masked-language modeling — isn’t new. In fact, it’s been used as a tool for assessing language comprehension in humans for decades. For Google, it also offered a practical way of enabling bidirectionality in neural networks, as opposed to the unidirectional pretraining methods that had previously dominated the field. “Before BERT, unidirectional language modeling was the standard, even though it is an unnecessarily restrictive constraint,” said Kenton Lee, a research scientist at Google.
Each of these three ingredients — a deep pretrained language model, attention and bidirectionality — existed independently before BERT. But until Google released its recipe in late 2018, no one had combined them in such a powerful way.
Refining the Recipe
Like any good recipe, BERT was soon adapted by cooks to their own tastes. In the spring of 2019, there was a period “when Microsoft and Alibaba were leapfrogging each other week by week, continuing to tune their models and trade places at the number one spot on the leaderboard,” Bowman recalled. When an improved version of BERT called RoBERTa first came on the scene in August, the DeepMind researcher Sebastian Ruder dryly noted the occasion in his widely read NLP newsletter: “Another month, another state-of-the-art pretrained language model.”
BERT’s “pie crust” incorporates a number of structural design decisions that affect how well it works. These include the size of the neural network being baked, the amount of pretraining data, how that pretraining data is masked and how long the neural network gets to train on it. Subsequent recipes like RoBERTa result from researchers tweaking these design decisions, much like chefs refining a dish.
In RoBERTa’s case, researchers at Facebook and the University of Washington increased some ingredients (more pretraining data, longer input sequences, more training time), took one away (a “next sentence prediction” task, originally included in BERT, that actually degraded performance) and modified another (they made the masked-language pretraining task harder). The result? First place on GLUE — briefly. Six weeks later, researchers from Microsoft and the University of Maryland added their own tweaks to RoBERTa and eked out a new win. As of this writing, yet another model called ALBERT, short for “A Lite BERT,” has taken GLUE’s top spot by further adjusting BERT’s basic design.
“We’re still figuring out what recipes work and which ones don’t,” said Facebook’s Ott, who worked on RoBERTa.
Still, just as perfecting your pie-baking technique isn’t likely to teach you the principles of chemistry, incrementally optimizing BERT doesn’t necessarily impart much theoretical knowledge about advancing NLP. “I’ll be perfectly honest with you: I don’t follow these papers, because they are extremely boring to me,” said Linzen, the computational linguist from Johns Hopkins. “There is a scientific puzzle there,” he grants, but it doesn’t lie in figuring out how to make BERT and all its spawn smarter, or even in figuring out how they got smart in the first place. Instead, “we are trying to understand to what extent these models are really understanding language,” he said, and not “picking up weird tricks that happen to work on the data sets that we commonly evaluate our models on.”
In other words: BERT is doing something right. But what if it’s for the wrong reasons?
Clever but Not Smart
In July 2019, two researchers from Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University used BERT to achieve an impressive result on a relatively obscure natural language understanding benchmark called the argument reasoning comprehension task. Performing the task requires selecting the appropriate implicit premise (called a warrant) that will back up a reason for arguing some claim. For example, to argue that “smoking causes cancer” (the claim) because “scientific studies have shown a link between smoking and cancer” (the reason), you need to presume that “scientific studies are credible” (the warrant), as opposed to “scientific studies are expensive” (which may be true, but makes no sense in the context of the argument). Got all that?
If not, don’t worry. Even human beings don’t do particularly well on this task without practice: The average baseline score for an untrained person is 80 out of 100. BERT got 77 — “surprising,” in the authors’ understated opinion.
But instead of concluding that BERT could apparently imbue neural networks with near-Aristotelian reasoning skills, they suspected a simpler explanation: that BERT was picking up on superficial patterns in the way the warrants were phrased. Indeed, after re-analyzing their training data, the authors found ample evidence of these so-called spurious cues. For example, simply choosing a warrant with the word “not” in it led to correct answers 61% of the time. After these patterns were scrubbed from the data, BERT’s score dropped from 77 to 53 — equivalent to random guessing. An article in The Gradient, a machine-learning magazine published out of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, compared BERT to Clever Hans, the horse with the phony powers of arithmetic.
In another paper called “Right for the Wrong Reasons,” Linzen and his coauthors published evidence that BERT’s high performance on certain GLUE tasks might also be attributed to spurious cues in the training data for those tasks. (The paper included an alternative data set designed to specifically expose the kind of shortcut that Linzen suspected BERT was using on GLUE. The data set’s name: Heuristic Analysis for Natural-Language-Inference Systems, or HANS.)
So is BERT, and all of its benchmark-busting siblings, essentially a sham? Bowman agrees with Linzen that some of GLUE’s training data is messy — shot through with subtle biases introduced by the humans who created it, all of which are potentially exploitable by a powerful BERT-based neural network. “There’s no single ‘cheap trick’ that will let it solve everything [in GLUE], but there are lots of shortcuts it can take that will really help,” Bowman said, “and the model can pick up on those shortcuts.” But he doesn’t think BERT’s foundation is built on sand, either. “It seems like we have a model that has really learned something substantial about language,” he said. “But it’s definitely not understanding English in a comprehensive and robust way.”
According to Yejin Choi, a computer scientist at the University of Washington and the Allen Institute, one way to encourage progress toward robust understanding is to focus not just on building a better BERT, but also on designing better benchmarks and training data that lower the possibility of Clever Hans–style cheating. Her work explores an approach called adversarial filtering, which uses algorithms to scan NLP training data sets and remove examples that are overly repetitive or that otherwise introduce spurious cues for a neural network to pick up on. After this adversarial filtering, “BERT’s performance can reduce significantly,” she said, while “human performance does not drop so much.”
Still, some NLP researchers believe that even with better training, neural language models may still face a fundamental obstacle to real understanding. Even with its powerful pretraining, BERT is not designed to perfectly model language in general. Instead, after fine-tuning, it models “a specific NLP task, or even a specific data set for that task,” said Anna Rogers, a computational linguist at the Text Machine Lab at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. And it’s likely that no training data set, no matter how comprehensively designed or carefully filtered, can capture all the edge cases and unforeseen inputs that humans effortlessly cope with when we use natural language.
Bowman points out that it’s hard to know how we would ever be fully convinced that a neural network achieves anything like real understanding. Standardized tests, after all, are supposed to reveal something intrinsic and generalizable about the test-taker’s knowledge. But as anyone who has taken an SAT prep course knows, tests can be gamed. “We have a hard time making tests that are hard enough and trick-proof enough that solving [them] really convinces us that we’ve fully solved some aspect of AI or language technology,” he said.
Indeed, Bowman and his collaborators recently introduced a test called SuperGLUE that’s specifically designed to be hard for BERT-based systems. So far, no neural network can beat human performance on it. But even if (or when) it happens, does it mean that machines can really understand language any better than before? Or does just it mean that science has gotten better at teaching machines to the test?
“That’s a good analogy,” Bowman said. “We figured out how to solve the LSAT and the MCAT, and we might not actually be qualified to be doctors and lawyers.” Still, he added, this seems to be the way that artificial intelligence research moves forward. “Chess felt like a serious test of intelligence until we figured out how to write a chess program,” he said. “We’re definitely in an era where the goal is to keep coming up with harder problems that represent language understanding, and keep figuring out how to solve those problems.”
All Rights Reserved for John Pavlus
Techie Software Soldier Spy
Secret Amazon Reports Expose the Company’s Surveillance of Labor and Environmental Groups
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Fajr Dawn
Shuruq Morning
Calculation Method Islamic Society of North America Shia Ithna Ashari (Jafari) University Of Islamic Sciences, Karachi Muslim World League Umm Al-Qura, Makkah Egyptian General Authority of Survey University of Tehran Union des Organisations Islamiques de France
Juristic settings Shafii Hanafi
Prayer times in Steinbach, Manitoba for January 18, 2021
Dhuhr Noon
The upcoming prayer is Asr 01:35
Asr Afternoon
Maghrib Evening
Isha Night
Prayer Times › Manitoba › Steinbach
Namaz timetable
Week January
Shuruk
18, Mon
19, Tue 07:39 09:14 13:38 15:41 18:02 19:37
20, Wed 07:38 09:13 13:38 15:42 18:04 19:38
21, Thu 07:38 09:12 13:38 15:44 18:05 19:39
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Check out how to position yourself to face Qibla in Steinbach. The line on the map shows the direction towards the Kaaba in Mecca.
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Fire scars Grove's downtown
By Steven Coburn-Griffis, Sentinel Editor
Nine fire departments from across the region responded to Friday's fire which devastated four businesses and devastated two historic buildings in the village. (Photo courtesy of Brenda (Clymer) Davis)
COLUMBUS GROVE — Four businesses and a section of Columbus Grove’s historic downtown were consumed by flames late Friday night.
According to a release issued jointly by the Columbus Grove Police Department and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received a 911 call at 9:52 p.m. regarding a structure fire at 101 North High Street, a building occupied by the restaurant Pizza 101.
Firefighters with the Columbus Grove Fire Department responded within minutes, but the fire, according to CGFD Chief Bob Brubaker, was already burning out of control.
“It was an old building. The fire was way ahead of us when we got there. The smoke was already in the second floor,” Brubaker said. With the CGFD on point, mutual aid was called for, and answered from all quarters. Arriving on scene were firefighters and equipment from Kalida, Pandora, Ottawa, Fort Jennings, Glandorf, American Township, Bluffton, Cairo, and Beaverdam. Also on scene were police officers from Pandora, Ottawa, Glandorf and the PCSO, as well as Grove, Pandora, and Putnam County EMS units.
Despite the best efforts of emergency personnel and equipment — including three ladder trucks pouring water onto the roofs of the structure — the fire raged west, consuming three other buildings and businesses: The Rowdy Rooster, The Bloom Boutique, and Heffner Printing. And the building to the north of Pizza 101 — known locally as the Old Unique Design building — also sustained significant damage. Brubaker deemed the building unsafe, and it, too, will come down at some point in the future.
As to the cause of the fire, officials with the State Fire Marshall’s Office are still investigating. Even so, conversations Brubaker had with the investigators and with Todd Hoffman — who, along with his wife, Dee, own Pizza 101 and the adjacent Old Unique Design building — offered some insights.
From his conversations, Brubaker said employees at the restaurant were aware of what they described as a strange smell, but paid it little heed.
“I don’t think (the employees) pinpointed it until it really blew the light out in the bathroom, and then sparks flew,” Brubaker said. “The way it sounds, it started somewhere in the back of the pizza place. (Investigators are) thinking more on the electrical side of it.”
While the blaze caused catastrophic damage to buildings in the 100 block of High Street, no injuries were reported by firefighters or building owners and employees.
“We’re extremely thankful the kids got out, and it was late enough that all the other businesses were closed,” Dee Hoffman said on Monday. “So we’re grateful for that.”
As devastating as the fire was, the cataclysm — as is common in these rural communities — brought out the best in residents here.
“I tell you what, our county is awesome,” Brubaker said. “The support we had from every fire department, the manpower that came out in this county and from outside, I’m just overwhelmed. They’re just awesome.”
But that support wasn’t limited to emergency personnel. Brubaker, Columbus Grove Mayor Ken Wright, and Columbus Grove Village Administrator Jeff Vance — who serves as a firefighter with the CGFD — all commented on the response of village residents, as well as that of those from outside the community.
Even as the flames leapt into the night sky, as Friday rolled over into Saturday, contributions of food and drink were shuttled to the site by concerned area residents.
“I looked up, and there were cases of water waiting in the park across the street,” Vance said.
Brubaker extended particular thanks to Ottawa Shell, which provided tankers to refuel the engines, and to Gerding Excavating for volunteering equipment and personnel for initial demolition efforts, thereby mitigating any potential harm from falling debris.
And immediately in the aftermath, private efforts were undertaken offering financial support to the owners of the buildings whose livelihoods were brought to a sudden stop.
Ottawa’s Jason Ball, owner of Tony’s, started a GoFundMe account on Sunday — the Columbus Grove Small Business Fire Relief Fund — an effort supported by the Union Bank and Fort Jennings State Bank. Stephanie and Dane Jesko, along with Fast Trax, have organized a T-shirt sale with all proceeds going to support the small business owners. As of press time, over $30,000 was raised between the two efforts, with donations continuing to pour in.
“We’re completely overwhelmed by the support we’re getting and everybody’s donation, just everybody reaching out,” Dee Hoffman said. “We don’t have words to thank everybody for how great the community’s been to us and all the other businesses. We definitely have a great community. That’s for sure.”
Brubaker seconded Hoffman’s comments, saying, “Columbus Grove has a thing right now: #GroveStrong. I say we’re Putnam County Strong.”
As to when, or if, the businesses will rebuild, the disaster is still too fresh. Insurance adjusters will visit the site and the business owners over the course of the coming week. The results of those investigations, those conversations, will determine the future of The Rowdy Rooster, Heffner Printing, The Bloom Boutique, and Pizza 101.
Speaking on behalf of her business, Dee Hoffman commented, “We’re just kind of taking it day by day right now. We don’t have an answer to that yet. We’ll have to see how things play out.”
Where and how to donate
GROVE/PUTNAM COUNTY - In the wake of Friday's fire, two separate efforts are underway to provide financial support to the business owners whose livelihoods suddenly came to an end.
Ottawa's Jason Ball, owner of Tony's, on Sunday set up a GoFundMe account on Facebook. To donate to the fund, visit the Columbus Grove Chamber of Commerce Facebook page, scroll down to the appropriate post, and click on the link at the bottom of the post.
Donations can also be made locally at the Fort Jennings State Bank in Columbus Grove or at any Union Bank location. Checks can be made out to the Columbus Grove Chamber of Commerce with the notation "Columbus Grove Small Business Fire Relief Fund."
Donations can be dropped off or mailed to:
CG Small Business Fire Relief Fund
c/o Ft. Jennings State Bank
302 Delphos Road
Columbus Grove, OH 45830
The Union Bank has locations in Columbus Grove, Kalida, Delphos, Paulding, Ottawa, Leipsic, Lima, and Findlay.
In a second effort, Stephanie and Dane Jesko, in concert with Fast Trax and a host of local businesses are offering T-shirts for sale, all proceeds from the sale of which will support the business owners.
The red, short sleeved T-shirts bear the slogan #CGSTRONG, COLUMBUS GROVE, THE DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY in white block lettering.
Available at a cost of $20, the shirts may be purchased by visiting https://cg-strong.myshopify.com/
Stephanie Jesko will announce when the shirts are received, and they will be available for pick-up in Columbus Grove.
For more information, or for answers to questions, contact Stephanie Jesko at CG-StrongShirts@gmail.com
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There are several displaced workers who are suddenly unemployed. Will these fundraisers assist them? If not, how can our community help these people? This comment has been hidden due to low approval.
Jeannine Setser
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Collingwood Car Accidents Involving Bad Weather
Collingwood is in the Snowbelt. Located in the lee of the Great Lakes, it is in a part of the province that frequently gets intense weather storms in the winter and thunderstorms in the summer. People attribute the especially bad weather of this area to it being farther north. Collingwood also has a number of relatively high-speed roads in the area where people tend to drive fast because they are in a hurry.
For these reasons, Collingwood car accidents involving bad weather are unfortunately common. You should enlist the help of a local auto collision lawyer for assistance with recovering your accident-related losses.
What to Do after a Crash Triggered by Severe Weather Conditions
If you are involved in a car crash in Collingwood due to inclement weather, the first thing you should do is try to determine the cause of the collision. Were you at fault, or was the other driver at fault? Did somebody ignore a traffic control like a sign or a light? Was someone speeding? Was somebody driving inappropriately for the conditions? Was there a problem with the road such as a failure to salt or sand that contributed to the wreck? You should use your phone to take pictures of the accident scene to back up the position you might need to advance later.
How Can Dangerous Weather Impact the Assignment of Fault for a Crash?
Slippery road conditions due to winter weather can impact fault for a crash, because licensed motorists are legally obligated to drive safely according to the present conditions. For example, driving the speed limit does not always equate to driving safely. If the weather is bad, drivers should take into account whether they need to travel slower than the speed limit because of the inclement road conditions.
Liability for an auto wreck can also be influenced by whether the at-fault party was paying attention to streetlights and road signs at the time of the collision, as it may be necessary to take extra care to obey those during low visibility conditions, for example. You may also file a lawsuit against the municipality if it failed to meet its statutory duty to keep the roads properly safe for the circumstances.
Gathering Evidence to Prove that Weather Conditions Caused a Collision
One of the things that accident victims should be encouraged to do is to try to create an evidence record as soon as possible after a collision caused by bad weather. Most importantly, take out your cellphone and take some pictures, as that evidence might be crucial after the weather has changed.
In addition to that, a lawyer from our firm could gather weather, police, ambulance, and fire department records to demonstrate the conditions’ severity. We could also get an accident reconstruction done and even examine the black box evidence of the vehicles to help determine liability. We may also look at news footage from the day of the crash to obtain outside collaborative evidence that can be analyzed by a forensic engineer.
Ask a Collingwood Lawyer about Car Accidents Involving Bad Weather
A lawyer at our firm could help you advance your claim for statutory accident benefits, lost wages, and medical compensation. Let our team help gather evidence of liability for a lawsuit against the at-fault driver who caused the accident and perhaps the road authority that contributed to the poor conditions. Regardless of who is at fault for a Collingwood car accident involving bad weather, you can call Rastin Law Trial Lawyers today to get started on your claim.
Collingwood Car Accident Lawyer
Drunk Drivers
Highway / 400 Series
Settling a Case
Examination for Discovery Process
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Marina and Me: Nina Kossman’s “Other Shepherds: Poems with Translations from Marina Tsvetaeva”
December 21, 2020 · by smilkova · in Russian · 2 Comments
By Sibelan Forrester
This is only the second book I’ve read from Poets & Traitors Press, but I have to say that it’s a risky undertaking. The better Nina Kossman’s versions of Marina Tsvetaeva’s poems, the harder it is on her own poems in comparison. Still, interspersing a poet’s own verse with their poetic translations offers them a chance to respond to the poems they are translating, or to show how that work has penetrated their own writing, or simply to demonstrate how poet and translator have responded to the same kind of question or event or expressed an analogous feeling. The translations of Tsvetaeva’s poems are always given first, so that Kossman’s own poems can work as commentaries or what have you; each poem is labeled with the author’s initials, MT (hmmm, should be MTs) and NK.
Nina Kossman is an established translator of Tsvetaeva; her first book of translations came out in 1989, on the eve of a boom in both scholarly study and translations of this poet. Tsvetaeva’s history of emigration and her closed archive[1] meant she could never be adequately addressed in the USSR until the tail end of the glasnost years. Kossman provides a very personal introduction to this edition, and part of her authority is that she too is an émigrée from Russia (the USSR). In her interpretation, this means she has black-sheep origins (tied to the poem from which the title springs), and of course her identity as a poet is another kind of alliance with Tsvetaeva.
Interestingly, some of the translations aim to be formally closer to the originals (maintaining rhyme, at least slant rhyme, and meter), though most of them are in free verse, as are Kossman’s own poems. The free verse translations might be compared to those of Elaine Feinstein, Tsvetaeva’s first important translator into English and an interesting poet herself. Feinstein’s versions of Tsvetaeva, often reprinted in various configurations, convey her emotional intensity well, though I’ve sometimes had to intervene when students try to launch interpretive projects based on translation effects. The strong push away from formal equivalence among Anglophone translators (and the implicit or explicit insistence on forming the translation the way the translator writes their own poems) has largely ended now, perhaps reflecting the increased presence of native and heritage speakers among translators and readers of translated Russian poetry today. Kossman notes that she preserves “the rhythm and rhyme pattern of the original” in few translations, but her occasional metrical translations could be compared with the outstanding Anglophone translators who have aimed for closer formal “congruence,” such as Diana Burgin, Alyssa D. Gillespie, and Angela Livingstone, all Ph.D.s with distinct poetic gifts and deep reading and academic knowledge of Tsvetaeva’s life and work. I find I am more impressed by Kossman’s more metrical and rhyming translations than by the freer ones—as if the work required to balance form and meaning double-distills and purifies the results. When Kossman does the extra work to get a few poems with especially important formal elements into rhyme and meter, the results are spare and moving.
If you know Tsvetaeva well, it’s hard not to reconstruct the original mentally while reading the translation. The woe of translating a well-known Great Poet whose work is that well known to her readers, almost memorized by repeated reading. I have to comment that Kossman’s lovely and well-chosen title “Other Shepherds,” in the plural, in Tsvetaeva’s original is singular (“To you, who bid farewell to love,” 38). “Other Shepherds” suggests all manner of possibilities, besides perhaps making us think of poets and translators. But the original, “Another shepherd” or “The other shepherd,”[2] suggests not just a single alternative to the poem’s addressee (a man who seems to make almost religious demands for certain kinds of behavior), but also the best-known shepherd in Western culture, Jesus Christ as the God who created the speaker as a black sheep. That implication might not be what Kossman wants, but it is certainly there in the original (Tsvetaeva’s grandfather was a Russian Orthodox priest, and any gestures toward religion in her writing are there consciously).
As mentioned above, Kossman has been “with” Tsvetaeva a long time: In the Inmost Hour of the Soul in 1989 offered 108 poems (some of them reproduced here unchanged; “My veins slashed open,” for instance, is identical to the version in Other Shepherds except for one word no longer italicized). The difference, and a significant one, is the presence of the interspersed poems by NK herself, and the sparks they strike against the translations. More of Kossman’s translations were published in 1998 in Poem of the End by Ardis (a well-known publisher of work in, from and about Russian); this collaborative collection has six of Tsvetaeva’s long poèmy and a number of lyric poems. Here too some of the same poems are identically translated, such as “My Light Tread” (1918).
So the new edition is also bringing earlier translations back into print. I wonder why Other Shepherds only gives the years of Tsvetaeva’s poems while in Poem of the End they are all dated with day and month as well, as Tsvetaeva usually did—perhaps a habit picked up from Aleksandr Blok?—and I wondered about the dates of Kossman’s own poems, because of the juxtaposition in the Poets & Traitors edition. Some of the blurbs from deceased poets or readers on the back of the Other Shepherds edition must have sprung from these earlier editions. Most of Tsvetaeva’s poems here are from 1918-19, with only a few dating from her years in Prague and Paris.
Kossman’s own poems tend to be longer and looser than Tsvetaeva’s. Tsvetaeva (like Pasternak) is one of those poets whose ideas and word choices (logical chains of association) are so striking that the trot alone can make for good reading. That spareness stands out against the poems of her own that Kossman includes. There are clear relationships among the poems (for instance with the swallow and Psyche, 25)—suggesting the ways reading someone and living in their works, as a translator does, can seed our own poetry.
The book has a beautiful cover, with vibrant colors and the impression of textured watercolor paper on the smooth printing. It’s Kossman’s own painting, dating from her childhood and described in her introduction.
In some of NK’s poems it’s precisely the formal artistry that appeals to me, as with the ere/ore sounds in “Psyche” (25):
I evoke you but you’re asleep.
I awaken you but you don’t hear.
Your sleeping breath reaches from here to there
In a majestic arc thrown from shore to shore.
Compare the effective slant rhymes and other phonetic orchestration in her translation of Tsvetaeva’s 1920 “Earthly Name” (36):
When parched with thirst, give me water,
One glass, or else I’ll die.
Persistently—languidly—melodically—
I pledge my feverish cry.
Repeated at length—yet still more fiercely,
Once more—again—
Tossing all night for sleep,
Aware all sleep is spent.
As if the fields were not abounding
In herbs that grant relief.
Persistently—senselessly—redundantly—
An infant’s babble repeats…
Thus each utterance more final:
Noose—at the neck joint…
And if it’s but an earthly name I’m moaning—
That’s not the point.
Tsvetaeva seems to inspire long-term fidelity in her translators (и не только: I defended my dissertation on her 30 years ago and am still not tired of her or of the insights she inspires in scholars). Other Shepherds is an enjoyable collection that brings back some translations of Tsvetaeva’s work along with some new ones, intertwining all with Kossman’s own poems and introducing both authors to new readers.
Kossman, Nina. Other Shepherds: Poems with Translations from Marina Tsvetaeva. Poets & Traitors Press, 2020.
Sibelan Forrester teaches Russian language and literature at Swarthmore College and has translated fiction, poetry and scholarly prose from Croatian, Russian and Serbian.
[1] Tsvetaeva’s heir and only surviving daughter, Ariadna Efron, specified in her will that the archive was not to be opened until 25 years after her death, which took place in 1975. Thus, the archive was closed until 2000, though a number of texts sneaked out before that.
[2] Russian has no articles, so the translator has to decide whether the singular shepherd is definite or indefinite, which might indeed inspire a move to plural to avoid the issue.
Tags: literary reviews, Literary translation, Marina Tsvetaeva, Nina Kossman, Poets & Traitors Press, Russian poetry, Sibelan Forrester, translated poetry
Matthew Salomon · December 22, 2020 - 6:13 pm · Reply→
Thank you for your review of this work, Professor Forrester. I have read Nina Kossman’s “Other Shepherds” and found it to be enlivening in precisely the respect the author had hoped.
Kossman makes her aims crystal clear in the introduction. The “strange pairings” of her original poems (written at different times over decades) with her translations of Tsvetaeva’s poems (dated) are directed by motifs in Tsvetaeva’s work that parallel her own work. “The aim is not to emulate her but to create a dialogue between her poem [i.e. Tsvetaeva’s] and mine, a resonance possible between not only two poets but between two eras. My goal is not to aspire to her heights, which are unscalable, as they are hers and no one else’s, but to approach her and to speak.”
Given this clarity of intention, Dr. Forrester, I confess my disappointment that your review largely ignores the dialogical aspect of “Other Shepherds.” I found the dialogue between the poems in a pair and, even more magically, the evolution of the dialogue across the pairings to be utterly transforming. I think “Other Shepherds” might productively be thought of as a dramatization of a dialogue between poets of different eras. Both sides of the poetic ledger are alive in this way.
Sibelan Forrester · December 23, 2020 - 11:31 am · Reply→
Thank you for your comment, Mr. Salomon – it adds a lot here. It’s great that you focus on the book as a collection of poetry, rather than as translations (and poetry, of course).
And great to get a comment on a review! – That doesn’t always happen.
← Translators and Their Ghosts: Iginio Ugo Tarchetti’s “Fantastic Tales,” Translated from Italian by Lawrence Venuti
Writing Through Memory and Digging Through Secrets of the Past: Mykola Bazhan’s “Quiet Spiders of the Hidden Soul,” edited by Oksana Rosenblum, Lev Fridman, and Anzhelika Khyzhnia →
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Digital Subscriptions > Men's Interest > Gay > DNA Magazine > DNA #107
DNA Magazine Preview
ISSUE: DNA #107
He’s big in Brazil. He’s big everywhere. He’s big on the cover of DNA this month. It’s male supermodel Edilson Nascimento who’s wild, wet and happy to see you! Not only do we have 16 pages of sheer male delight with Edilson, it’s also our much-anticipated Swimwear Issue featuring the latest looks for the 2009 summer. You’ll love this season’s cuts and colours - and physique god Skye Boyland modelling them. While we’re talking man-candy, this issue also features interviews with two of the most popular stars from the adult world of entertainment. First up, Steve Cruz, masculine, bearded and with a nice pelt across his chest tells us all about his new website designed to ensure that safety is a priority in the bedroom - and on the eve of World AIDS Day that message couldn’t be more timely. Then cute Brent Corrigan tells us all about his early career - including a controversial revelation. What’s more he makes a cameo appearance as Stan The Mer Man in an up-coming film you are going to want to see! Find out more in the issue. Our news feature this month concerns the archaic laws in Saudi Arabia, where recently two young men were sentenced to 7,000 lashes for the crime of kissing at a party. Torture, public floggings and even beheading is common - and guess who’s being singled out for this extraordinarily cruel treatment? We also delve into the secret history of the United States Of America from pre-European colonisation to Stonewall. Who knew Abraham Lincoln wrote love letters to his room mate? We review new music from Matt Alber and Kate Miller-Heidke, take a sample of the Tom Of Finland fragrance, discover the new Aussie undie range, Jock Revolution, and play with some of the latest gadgets on the market.
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DNA Magazine |  DNA #107
He’s big in Brazil. He’s big everywhere. He’s big on the cover of DNA this month. It’s male supermodel Edilson Nascimento who’s wild, wet and happy to see you! Not only do we have 16 pages of sheer male delight with Edilson, it’s also our much-anticipated Swimwear Issue featuring the latest looks for the 2009 summer. You’ll love this season’s cuts and colours - and physique god Skye Boyland modelling them.
While we’re talking man-candy, this issue also features interviews with two of the most popular stars from the adult world of entertainment. First up, Steve Cruz, masculine, bearded and with a nice pelt across his chest tells us all about his new website designed to ensure that safety is a priority in the bedroom - and on the eve of World AIDS Day that message couldn’t be more timely.
Then cute Brent Corrigan tells us all about his early career - including a controversial revelation. What’s more he makes a cameo appearance as Stan The Mer Man in an up-coming film you are going to want to see! Find out more in the issue.
Our news feature this month concerns the archaic laws in Saudi Arabia, where recently two young men were sentenced to 7,000 lashes for the crime of kissing at a party. Torture, public floggings and even beheading is common - and guess who’s being singled out for this extraordinarily cruel treatment?
We also delve into the secret history of the United States Of America from pre-European colonisation to Stonewall. Who knew Abraham Lincoln wrote love letters to his room mate?
We review new music from Matt Alber and Kate Miller-Heidke, take a sample of the Tom Of Finland fragrance, discover the new Aussie undie range, Jock Revolution, and play with some of the latest gadgets on the market.
Every month, you'll find great feature stories, celebrity profiles, pop culture reviews and sensational photography of some of the world's sexiest male models in our fashion stories.
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DNA #251 – Dive In
DNA #250 - The 20th Anniversary Issue
DNA #249 – We Are Family
DNA #248 – Sexiest Men Alive 2020
DNA #247 – Stay Sexy
DNA At Eurovision 2019
Sexiest Men Alive Online 2015 Photo Special
2015 Mardi Gras Photo Edition
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Free Speech: Ten Principles for a Connected World
Duration: 0:48:55 | Added: 19 May 2017
In this keynote lecture, leading political writer Timothy Garton Ash will present his ten guiding principles for a connected world, and offer a manifesto for global free speech in the digital age.
Drawing on a lifetime of writing about dictatorships and dissidents, Oxford Professor of European Studies Timothy Garton Ash will argue that we are currently experiencing an unprecedented era in human history for freedom of expression.
If we have internet access, any one of us can publish almost anything we like, potentially reaching an audience of millions. Never was there a time when the evils of unlimited speech flowed so easily across frontiers: violent intimidation, gross violations of privacy, tidal waves of abuse. A pastor burns a Koran in Florida and UN officials die in Afghanistan.
In this connected world that he calls cosmopolis, the way to combine freedom and diversity is to have more but also better free speech. Across all cultural divides, we must strive to agree on how we disagree.
Professor Garton Ash will draw on a unique, thirteen-language global conversation and online research project, freespeechdebate.com, alongside his latest book, Free Speech, to present his ten principles for a connected world.
He will illustrate his talk with vivid examples from his personal experience of China's Orwellian censorship apparatus, to the controversy around Charlie Hebdo, to a very English court case involving food writer Nigella Lawson, and propose a framework for civilized conflict in a world in which we are all becoming neighbours.
Foundation for Law, Justice and Society
Podcasts from the Foundation for Law, Justice and Society, an independent institution affiliated with Wolfson College and the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Oxford.
<iframe width="640" height="400" src="https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/embed/68c1e2e4c55b3eaa0fe6" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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The incidence, prevalence, nature, severity and mechanisms of injury in elite female cricketers: A prospective cohort study
Nirmala Kanthi Panagodage Perera
Alex Kountouris
Joanne L. Kemp
Corey Joseph
Caroline F. Finch, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
Perera, N. K. P., Kountouris, A., Kemp, J. L., Joseph, C., & Finch, C. F. (2019). The incidence, prevalence, nature, severity and mechanisms of injury in elite female cricketers: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 22(9), 1014-1020. Available here
Incidence, prevalence, nature, severity and mechanisms of injury in elite female cricketers over two seasons from March 2014 to March 2016, inclusive.
Prospective cohort study.
Injury data collected via Cricket Australia’s Athlete Management System on all elite female players over two seasons were analysed. Profiles of the nature, anatomical location and mechanism of injuries were presented according to dominant player position. Injury incidence rates were calculated based on match playing hours.
There were 600 medical-attention injuries; with 77.7% players reporting ≥1 injury. There were 79.5% acute injuries compared to gradual onset injuries. Of the all medical-attention injuries, 20.2% led to time-loss; 34.7% were match-time-loss injuries. Match injury incidence was 424.7 injuries/10,000 h for all injuries and 79.3 injuries/10,000 h for time-loss injuries. Of all the injuries, 31.8% were muscle injuries and 16.0% joint sprains. Wrist and hand (19.8%), lumbar spine (16.5%) and knee (14.9%) injuries were the most common time-loss injuries. Six players sustained lumber spine bone stress injury that resulted in the most days missed due to injury (average 110.5 days/injury).
There is a need to focus on specific injuries in female cricket, including thigh, wrist/hand and knee injuries because of their frequency, and lumbar spine injuries because of their severity.
10.1016/j.jsams.2019.05.013
Sports Sciences Commons
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N evolution and physiochemical structure changes in chars during co-pyrolysis: Effects of abundance of glucose in fiberboard
Deliang Xu
Ming Zhao
Yu Song
Karnowo
Hong Zhang
Xun Hu
Hongqi Sun, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Shu Zhang
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/19/5105
Xu, D., Yang, L., Zhao, M., Song, Y., Karnowo., Zhang, H., ... Zhang, S. (2020). N evolution and physiochemical structure changes in chars during co-pyrolysis: Effects of abundance of glucose in fiberboard. Energies, 13(19), article 5105. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13195105
© 2020 by the authors. The simple incineration of wood-based panels (WBPs) waste generates a significant amount of NOx, which has led to urgency in developing a new method for treating the N-containing biomass residues. This work aims to examine the N evolution and physiochemical structural changes during the co-pyrolysis of fiberboard and glucose, where the percentage of glucose in the feedstock was varied from 0% to 70%. It was found that N retention in chars was monotonically increased with increasing use of glucose, achieving ~60% N fixation when the glucose accounted for 70% in the mixture. Pyrrole-N (N-5) and Pyridine-N (N-6) were preferentially formed at high ratios of glucose to fiberboard. While the relevant importance of volatile–char interactions to N retention and transformation could be observed, the volatile–volatile reactions from the two feedstocks played a vital role in the increase in abundance of glucose. With the introduction of glucose, the porous structure and porosity in chars from the co-pyrolysis were dramatically altered, whereas the devolatilization of glucose tended to generate larger pores than the fiberboard. The insignificant changes in carbon structure of all chars revealed by Raman spectroscopy would practically allow us to apply the monosaccharides to the WBPs for regulating N evolution without concerns about its side effects for char carbon structures.
10.3390/en13195105
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Quill Driver Books » Products Page » *FEATURED TITLES* » Upon This Rock
by David Eugene Perry
Read a free sample
Intrigue, terrorism, history, art, and the secrets of the Church collide in a relentless page-turning thriller.
An American couple in Italy investigate the suicide of a cleric in the picturesque Italian city of Orvieto — and find themselves plunged into a conspiracy that may destroy the Catholic Church. In the stunning thriller Upon This Rock, San Francisco business executive Lee Maury and his husband Adriano come to Orvieto to soak in the city's beauty and rich history, but Lee becomes fascinated with a local tragedy, the suicide one year earlier of Deacon Andrea, a much-loved candidate for the priesthood.
Growing obsessed with learning the truth behind Andrea's death, Lee finds that everyone in Orvieto has some connection with Andrea: the handsome former Swiss Guard and bisexual prostitute Grigori; the kindly elderly priest Don Bello; the gossipy American expat blogger Lady Peg; the secretive young German doctor Luka; the irascible nonagenarian baker La Dona Volsini and her USA-loving grandson Marco; African immigrant street musician Dawud and his sister Maryam, who is en route to Italy with black market smugglers; the exiled Episcopal priest Rev. Vicki; Orvieto's new bishop, Arnaud, a sexually conflicted member of Opus Dei; the powerful head of the Vatican press office Cardinal Maltoni; and the secretive political fixer Magda Carter. Woven throughout is a 500-year-old backstory — the plight of Medici Pope Clement VII who sought refuge in Orvieto following the Sack of Rome, whose time in Orvieto is somehow linked to the mysteries of the present.
As Lee and Adriano struggle to make sense of the relationships tying all these people to Andrea's suicide, they stumble upon a conspiracy of terrorism, human trafficking, and a plot to destroy one of the Church's most sacred shrines. Before they know it, Lee and Adriano's dream vacation becomes a race to save innocent lives — and not get killed in the process.
A Dan Brown–esque tale of intrigue, history, art, the secrets of the Church, and the conspiracies of the powerful, Upon This Rock is a relentless page turner that will keep readers on edge from its original premise to its startling denouement, set in the stunning background of one of Europe’s most captivating cities.
About the Author: David Eugene Perry is the founder and CEO of the public relations firm David Perry & Associates, Inc. Perry is also the host/producer for the weekly LGBT TV show 10 Percent and a journalist who has contributed to several national publications. Perry and his husband make their home in San Francisco and Palm Springs.
$18.95 US • Trade Paperback • 6" x 9" • 402 pages
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Kirkliston (1866-1930)
Opened on the South Queensferry Branch (North British Railway).
This was a single platform station. The platform was on the west side of the line and there was a loop on the east side. The goods yard, looped sidings, was on the east side. The signal box was on the west side at the south end of the platform. This opened in 1894, not long after the Forth Bridge route opened.
At the south end the line passed over Kirkliston Viaduct, over the River Almond. Although double track it only carried the south end of the loop.
To the south of the station, and north of the viaduct, sidings took off to the south west to Kirkliston Distillery.
The station closed in 1930 but remained as a goods station. The signal box closed in 1933 and was replaced with a ground frame.
The line closed in 1966.
Nothing remains of the station site itself, it is now housing. The viaduct to the south remains as does the loading bank at the distillery.
Ingliston Park and Ride [Tram]
Turnhouse
Gogarburn [Tram]
Edinburgh Gateway [Tram]
Kirkliston Viaduct
Hallyards Siding
Ingliston Shale Pits No 36 and 37
Ingliston Branch Junction
Newbridge Junction
Ingliston Shale Pit No 33
Royal Elizabeth Yard
Queensferry Junction
Newliston Shale Mines
Almond Valley Viaduct
Broxburn Viaduct
Kirkliston Distillery
Dundas Castle
22/09/1930 South Queensferry Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)
Ratho (Low level) to Kirkliston to Dalmeny Junction closed to passengers.
Ratho (Low level) to Kirkliston to Royal Elizabeth Yard closed to freight.
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Anti-IL-20 antibody improved motor function and reduced glial scar formation after traumatic spinal cord injury in rats
Lee, J. S., Hsu, Y. H., Chiu, Y. S., Jou, I. M. & Chang, M. S., 2020 五月 14, 於: Journal of Neuroinflammation. 17, 1, 156.
Cicatrix
Anti-inflammatory principles from Lindera aggregata
Kuo, P. C., Wu, Y. H., Hung, H. Y., Lam, S. H., Ma, G. H., Kuo, L. M., Hwang, T. L., Kuo, D. H. & Wu, T. S., 2020 七月 1, 於: Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 30, 13, 127224.
N-methyllaurotetanine
isoboldine
Lindera
Sesquiterpenes
Bioactivity
Antimicrobial escalation is not beneficial for Gram-negative bacteremia in adults who remained critically ill after appropriate empirical therapy
Ho, C. Y., Lee, C. H., Yang, C. Y., Hsieh, C. C., Ko, W. C. & Lee, C. C., 2020 九月, 於: Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy. 26, 9, p. 933-940 8 p.
Cross Infection
Hospital Mortality
Antrodia cinnamomea confers obesity resistance and restores intestinal barrier integrity in leptin-deficient obese mice
Tsai, Y. T., Ruan, J. W., Chang, C. S., Ko, M. L., Chou, H. C., Lin, C. C., Lin, C. M., Huang, C. T., Wei, Y. S., Liao, E. C., Chen, H. Y., Kao, C. Y. & Chan, H. L., 2020 三月, 於: Nutrients. 12, 3, 726.
Taiwanofungus camphoratus
Obese Mice
A nuisance at sea: Decoding tourists’ comfort on whale watching vessels
Chuang, L. Z. H., Chen, C. L., Kung, C. W. & Shih, Y. C., 2020 二月 1, 於: Ocean and Coastal Management. 184, 104915.
A numerical and experimental investigation of wave generated by submerged landslides
Li, H. J., Jin, Y. C. & Tai, Y. C., 2020 十二月 15, 於: Ocean Engineering. 218, 108203.
Velocity distribution
Flow fields
A numerical study on the ventilation coefficients of falling lobed hailstones
Wang, P. K. & Chueh, C. C., 2020 四月, 於: Atmospheric Research. 234, 104737.
Navier-Stokes equations
Reynolds number
An unexplained recurrent syncope
Chen, C. Y. & Chen, J. Y., 2020 八月 1, 於: European Heart Journal. 41, 28, p. 2877 1 p.
研究成果: Comment/debate › 同行評審
An unusual route for intracardiac cardioverter-defibrillator ventricular lead implantation in a ventricular tachycardia patient with tetralogy of fallot
Lee, J. Y., Tsai, M. D., Chen, J. Y., Huang, T. C. & Lee, P. T., 2020, 於: Acta Cardiologica Sinica. 36, 5, p. 525-527 3 p.
研究成果: Letter › 同行評審
An upgraded electro-Fenton treatment of wastewater using nanoclay-embedded graphene composite prepared via exfoliation of pencil rods by submerged liquid plasma
Senthilnathan, J., Selvaraj, A., Younis, S. A., Kim, K. H. & Yoshimura, M., 2020 十月 5, 於: Journal of Hazardous Materials. 397, 122788.
Exfoliation (materials science)
Hexachlorocyclohexane
A parametric study on the effects of displacer-cylinder-circumferential-wall thermal conditions on the performance of a γ-type LTD Stirling engine
Li, Y. H., Yang, Y. C. & Chen, W. L., 2020 一月 2, 於: International Journal of Ambient Energy. 41, 1, p. 19-30 12 p.
A PCB alignment system using rst template matching with cuda on embedded gpu board
Le, M. T., Tu, C. T., Guo, S. M. & Lien, J. J. J., 2020 五月 1, 於: Sensors (Switzerland). 20, 9, 2736.
Template matching
A performance guide for major risk factors control in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Taiwan
Li, Y. H., Chen, J. W., Lin, T. H., Wang, Y. C., Wu, C. C., Yeh, H. I., Huang, C. C., Chang, K. C., Wu, C. K., Chen, P. W., Huang, C. W., Chen, Z. C., Chang, W. T., Huang, W. C., Wang, C. Y., Lee, M. Y., Chao, A. C., Fu, W. R., Tsai, L. K., Tang, S. C. 及其他5, Chan, H. L., Yang, Y. C., Wu, Y. W., Hwang, J. J. & Lin, J. L., 2020 三月, 於: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association. 119, 3, p. 674-684 11 p.
Cerebrovascular Disorders
A perspective on stage-structured mutualism and its community consequences
Nakazawa, T., 2020 三月 1, 於: Oikos. 129, 3, p. 297-310 14 p.
A pilot study of hip corrective taping using kinesio tape for pain and lower extremity joint kinematics in basketball players with patellofemoral pain
Tsai, Y. J., Huang, Y. C., Chen, Y. L., Hsu, Y. W. & Kuo, Y. L., 2020, 於: Journal of Pain Research. 13, p. 1497-1503 7 p.
A pilot study on the association between the blood oxygen level-dependent signal in the reward system and dopamine transporter availability in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Lin, S. H., Chi, M. H., Lee, I. H., Chen, K. C., Tai, Y. C., Yao, W. J., Chiu, N. T., Yang, D. Y., Lin, C. Y., Chen, P. S. & Yang, Y. K., 2020, (Accepted/In press) 於: CNS Spectrums.
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
A population-based case-control study on the association of Angelica sinensis exposure with risk of breast cancer
Chen, J. Y., Wang, Y. H., Hidajah, A. C. & Li, C. Y., 2020 九月, 於: Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. 10, 5, p. 454-459 6 p.
A population-based study on the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in association with temperature in Taiwan
Su, W. L., Lu, C. L., Martini, S., Hsu, Y. H. & Li, C. Y., 2020 四月 20, 於: Science of the Total Environment. 714, 136747.
Application Assessments of Using Scarp Boundary-Fitted, Volume Constrained, Smooth Minimal Surfaces as Failure Interfaces of Deep-Seated Landslides
Kuo, C. Y., Tsai, P. W., Tai, Y. C., Chan, Y. H., Chen, R. F. & Lin, C. W., 2020 七月 14, 於: Frontiers in Earth Science. 8, 211.
Application of an Artificial Intelligence Trilogy to Accelerate Processing of Suspected Patients with SARS-CoV-2 at a Smart Quarantine Station: Observational Study
Liu, P. Y., Tsai, Y. S., Chen, P. L., Tsai, H. P., Hsu, L. W., Wang, C. S., Lee, N. Y., Huang, M. S., Wu, Y. C., Ko, W. C., Yang, Y. C., Chiang, J. H. & Shen, M. R., 2020 十月, 於: Journal of medical Internet research. 22, 10, e19878.
Isolation Hospitals
Application of Ceria in CO2 Conversion Catalysis
Chang, K., Zhang, H., Cheng, M. J. & Lu, Q., 2020 一月 3, 於: ACS Catalysis. 10, 1, p. 613-631 19 p.
Application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on the raceway design for the cultivation of microalgae: a review
Kusmayadi, A., Suyono, E. A., Nagarajan, D., Chang, J. S. & Yen, H. W., 2020 五月 1, 於: Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. 47, 4-5, p. 373-382 10 p.
Microalgae
Application of Healthcare ‘Big Data’ in CNS Drug Research: The Example of the Neurological and mental health Global Epidemiology Network (NeuroGEN)
Ilomäki, J., Bell, J. S., Chan, A. Y. L., Tolppanen, A. M., Luo, H., Wei, L., Lai, E. C. C., Shin, J. Y., De Paoli, G., Pajouheshnia, R., Ho, F. K., Reynolds, L., Lau, K. K., Crystal, S., Lau, W. C. Y., Man, K. K. C., Brauer, R., Chan, E. W., Shen, C. Y., Kim, J. H. 及其他10, Lum, T. Y. S., Hartikainen, S., Koponen, M., Rooke, E., Bazelier, M., Klungel, O., Setoguchi, S., Pell, J. P., Cook, S. & Wong, I. C. K., 2020 九月 1, 於: CNS Drugs. 34, 9, p. 897-913 17 p.
Application of heterogeneous photo-Fenton process for the mineralization of imidacloprid containing wastewater
Liu, F., Ai, J., Zhang, H. & Huang, Y. H., 2020 二月 23, 於: Environmental Technology (United Kingdom). 41, 5, p. 539-546 8 p.
Application of Lanthanide Shift Reagent to the 1H-NMR Assignments of Acridone Alkaloids
Lam, S. H., Hung, H. Y., Kuo, P. C., Kuo, D. H., Chen, F. A. & Wu, T. S., 2020 十一月 17, 於: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). 25, 22
Acridones
acridone
Lanthanoid Series Elements
Application of metallic nanoparticle-biochars with ionic liquids for thermal transfer fluids
Huang, H. L., Huang, Z. H., Chu, Y. C., Lin, H. P. & Chang, Y. J., 2020 七月, 於: Chemosphere. 250, 126219.
Metal Nanoparticles
ionic liquid
Application of piezoelectric actuator to simplified haptic feedback system
Yeh, C. H., Su, F. C., Shan, Y. S., Dosaev, M., Selyutskiy, Y., Goryacheva, I. & Ju, M. S., 2020 三月 1, 於: Sensors and Actuators, A: Physical. 303, 111820.
Application of Taiwan's Human Rights-Themed Cultural Assets and Spatial Information
Lin, S., 2020, 於: Complexity. 2020, 5205970.
Application of Whale Optimization Algorithm to Inverse Scattering of an Imperfect Conductor with Corners
Lee, K. C. & Lu, P. T., 2020, 於: International Journal of Antennas and Propagation. 2020, 8205797.
Method of moments
Applying a fuzzy, multi-criteria decision-making method to the performance evaluation scores of industrial design courses
Li, J., Li, Z., Liu, S. F. & Cheng, M., 2020 二月 17, 於: Interactive Learning Environments. 28, 2, p. 191-205 15 p.
decision making criterion
Applying Holo360 Video and Image Super-Resolution Generative Adversarial Networks to Virtual Reality Immersion
Feng, C. H., Hung, Y. H., Yang, C. K., Chen, L. C., Hsu, W. C. & Lin, S. H., 2020, Human-Computer Interaction. Design and User Experience - Thematic Area, HCI 2020, Held as Part of the 22nd International Conference, HCII 2020, Proceedings. Kurosu, M. (編輯). Springer, p. 569-584 16 p. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); 卷 12181 LNCS).
Applying microwave vacuum pyrolysis to design moisture retention and pH neutralizing palm kernel shell biochar for mushroom production
Wan Mahari, W. A., Nam, W. L., Sonne, C., Peng, W., Phang, X. Y., Liew, R. K., Yek, P. N. Y., Lee, X. Y., Wen, O. W., Show, P. L., Chen, W. H., Chang, J. S. & Lam, S. S., 2020 九月, 於: Bioresource technology. 312, 123572.
Applying sentiment analysis to automatically classify consumer comments concerning marketing 4Cs aspects
Lin, H. C. K., Wang, T. H., Lin, G. C., Cheng, S. C., Chen, H. R. & Huang, Y. M., 2020 十二月, 於: Applied Soft Computing Journal. 97, 106755.
Online searching
Applying the colocation quotient index to crash severity analyses
Kuo, P. F. & Lord, D., 2020 二月 1, 於: Accident; analysis and prevention. 135, 1 p.
Approaches for measurement system analysis considering randomness and fuzziness
Chen, L. H. & Chang, C. J., 2020 四月 1, 於: International Journal of Fuzzy System Applications. 9, 2, p. 98-131 34 p.
Appropriate use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Comparison of recommendations from different guidelines or consensus around the world
Lin, J. L., Huang, P. H., Yeh, H. I. & Li, Y. H., 2020, 於: Acta Cardiologica Sinica. 36, 5, p. 403-408 6 p.
National Health Programs
Approximation algorithms for the p-hub center routing problem in parameterized metric graphs
Chen, L. H., Hsieh, S. Y., Hung, L. J. & Klasing, R., 2020 二月 2, 於: Theoretical Computer Science. 806, p. 271-280 10 p.
Metric Graphs
Routing Problem
Center Problem
Spanning Subgraph
Approximation algorithms
A Pre-Bootstrapping Method for Use in Gate Driver Circuits to Improve the Scan Pulse Delay of High-Resolution TFT-LCD Systems
Lin, C. L., Deng, M. Y., Chiu, W. C., Shih, L. W., Chang, J. H., Lin, Y. S. & Lee, C. E., 2020 八月 1, 於: IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. 67, 8, p. 7015-7024 10 p., 8842621.
Thin film transistors
Liquid crystal displays
A preliminary study on updating a detected traffic cone's coordinates obtained from a stereo camera on a pseudo high definition map database
Lagahit, M. L. R. & Tseng, Y. H., 2020 一月 1.
A programmable EEG monitoring SoC with optical and electrical stimulation for epilepsy control
Lee, S. Y., Tsou, C., Liao, Z. X., Cheng, P. H., Huang, P. W., Lee, H. Y., Lin, C. C. & Shieh, G. S., 2020, 於: IEEE Access. 8, p. 92196-92211 16 p., 9091806.
A proposed extended version of the hadi-vencheh model to improve multiple-criteria abc inventory classification
Lin, P. C. & Chang, H. C., 2020 十一月 2, 於: Applied Sciences (Switzerland). 10, 22, p. 1-15 15 p., 8233.
nonlinear programming
A Protection Tent for Airway Management in Patients With COVID-19 Infection
Fang, P. H., Lin, Y. Y. & Lin, C. H., 2020 六月, 於: Annals of Emergency Medicine. 75, 6, p. 787-788 2 p.
A psychometric analysis of a short form of the Chinese version of the ISPCAN child abuse screening tools – Children's home version (SC-ICAST-CH) using multidimensional item response theory
Feng, J. Y., Chen, C. C., Chang, Y. T., Chang, H. Y. & Shih, C. L., 2020 十一月, 於: Child Abuse and Neglect. 109, 104693.
Aptamer probed isolation of circulating tumor cells in cholangiocarcinoma patients
Gopinathan, P., Chiang, N. J., Wang, C. H., Sinha, A., Tsai, Y. C., Tu, H. C., Hung, S. C., Hsu, P. H., Shan, Y. S. & Lee, G. B., 2020 十一月 1, 於: Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical. 322, 128569.
A quantitative robustness measure for gene regulatory networks
Wu, W. S., 2020 六月, 於: International Journal of Computational Intelligence in Control. 12, 1, p. 1-11 11 p.
Gene Regulatory Networks
Aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. root (burdock) enhances chondrogenesis in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells
Wu, K. C., Weng, H. K., Hsu, Y. S., Huang, P. J. & Wang, Y. K., 2020 十二月, 於: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 20, 1, 364.
Arctium
Collagen Type II
glucosaminoglycans
Arabidopsis chloroplast J protein DJC75/CRRJ mediates nitrate-promoted seed germination in the dark
Ciou, H. S., Tsai, Y. L. & Chiu, C. C., 2020 六月 1, 於: Annals of Botany. 125, 7, p. 1091-1099 9 p.
chloroplasts
Arabidopsis
A Rare Cause of Misplaced Port Catheter: Episternal Ossicles With Abundant Fibrous Capsule
Lee, H. Y., Huang, W. L., Cheng, L. L. & Huang, L. T., 2020 五月, 於: Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 109, 5, p. e391
A rare complication of ipsilateral femoral neck fracture after removal of the long Gamma nail in a healed intertrochanteric fracture
Huang, C. K., Hong, C. K., Su, W. R., Huang, Y. H. & Chao, L. Y., 2020 一月 1, 於: Tzu Chi Medical Journal. 32, 1, p. 88-90 3 p.
Femoral Neck Fractures
Hip Fractures
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https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/2020/12/03/rockets-media-day-highlights-stephen-silas-and-demarcus-cousins/
Rockets Media Day highlights: Stephen Silas and DeMarcus Cousins
Less than 24 hours after the blockbuster trade involving John Wall and a future draft pick for Russell Westbrook, members of the Houston Rockets met with the media on Thursday afternoon from training camp.
Thursday’s speakers were new head coach Stephen Silas and recent signing DeMarcus Cousins. For Silas, it was his first availability to reporters since the team’s flurry of offseason moves — which culminated with the Westbrook-for-Wall swap on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, Cousins discussed not only his own decision to join the Rockets, but also his friendship with Wall after playing with the 6-foot-4 guard at the University of Kentucky more than a decade ago.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” said Cousins, who called Wall a “brother for life” in his comments about playing with Wall in Houston. “This is something that me and him have planned and dreamed about for a long time.”
See below for a social media compilation of the most important takeaways from Thursday’s media session at Toyota Center.
DeMarcus Cousins on how he feels, mentally and physically: "Incredible. My body is in a great place, my mind is in a great place." #Rockets pic.twitter.com/P9QxdbWc7N
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) December 3, 2020
Cousins on reuniting with Wall: "It's an incredible feeling. This is something that me and him have planned and dreamed about for a long time." https://t.co/ygQqIJUWMS
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) December 3, 2020
Cousins spoke to Christian Wood already about their fit, says he has some of the same intangibles as Anthony Davis. Also believes he can be First Team All-NBA.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIkoNBA) December 3, 2020
Cousins: "It's been a tough road but I'm happy with where I'm at… It is a fresh start. I haven't played a full season in almost two years. Like I said, it's just about putting this plan in place and following through with it."
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) December 3, 2020
DeMarcus Cousins on playing with John Wall: "We're super excited. There's obviously chemistry between us from our college days…That's one of my better friends in the NBA."
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) December 3, 2020
DeMarcus Cousins on John Wall & James Harden teammates: “I think it can work.I honestly do.I think John will make James’ job easier.He doesn’t have to handle the ball &make plays for everybody as much or at the rate he’s done in the past.He won’t be as gassed at the end of games”
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) December 3, 2020
Silas: "I haven't spoken to James since the trade. To be honest with you, when stuff like this kind of happens and there's a little indecision, I take a step back and allow the guy some space."
Silas mentions potentially using Christian Wood in similar ways on offense to how he used Porzingis in Dallas.
Coach Silas says Houston can play “big ball” with Demarcus Cousins and Christian Wood on the roster now.
"If it weren't for Russell Westbrook, I probably wouldn't have this job. The way he vouched for me is the first thing I thought about when this trade was made. " – #Rockets HC Stephen Silas
Stephen Silas says the #Rockets should have their entire roster available at Toyota Center by Sunday, which is when group work begins at training camp.
Silas on Harden and Wall: "They fit very well. Most of the stuff I wrote on my board stayed up there because they really fit the way I want to play. To have John Wall pushing the ball up the floor… it accentuates to play the way I want to play."
He said the second thing he thought of is how dynamic John Wall has been in his career and the excitement of the possibilities now adding him. #Rockets
— Cayleigh Griffin (@cayleighgriffin) December 3, 2020
Silas: "Now that roster is set, there is more excitement than anything else. There were moments you don't really know what's going on during … free agency and roster flux. You're looking around trying to figure everything out. Now… seems like everybody's in a positive place."
Coach Silas says Wall and Harden can play together and he doesn’t have to have a prototypical point guard, he needs playmakers.
Stephen Silas on Danuel House Jr. and the incident: "I wasn't really privy to everything that happened. It was very much second-hand info that I received, when it came to his situation."
"For me, it's clean slate. We're going to build a relationship based on today and tomorrow."
Coach Silas on his confidence level Harden will be here and ready to go when the season starts @HoustonRockets #Rockets pic.twitter.com/AjJNHK4en7
— SportsTalk 790 (@SportsTalk790) December 3, 2020
Coach Silas says James Harden will be all in.
“I’m confident he’ll be here when we get started.”
Woj: James Harden wanted John Wall in Houston over Westbrook
Report: John Wall wanted trade from Wizards to Rockets
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Science and Anthropology in a Post-Truth World
A Critique of Unreason and Academic Nonsense
H. Sidky
At the end of 2019, Americans were living in an era of post-truth characterized by fake news, weaponized lies, alternative facts, conspiracy theories, magical thinking, and irrationalism. While many complex interconnected factors were at work, this post-truth era was partly the culmination of a cadre of anthropologists and other academics in American universities and colleges during the 1980’s and 1990’s. In Science and Anthropology in a Post-Truth World, H. Sidky examines how their untoward dalliance with problematic and dangerous ideas by Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Jean-François Lyotard, Bruno Latour, and Jean Baudrillard informed and empowered a forceful assault on science and truth in the following decades by corporate organizations, politicians, religious extremists, and right-wing populists.
Pages: 240 • Trim: 6¼ x 9
978-1-7936-0651-8 • Hardback • November 2020 • $100.00 • (£77.00)
978-1-7936-0652-5 • eBook • November 2020 • $95.00 • (£73.00)
Subjects: Social Science / Anthropology / General, Language Arts & Disciplines / Journalism, Political Science / American Government / National
H. Sidky is professor of anthropology at Miami University.
Chapter 1: The War on Science and Reason and the Way to Post-Truth
Chapter 2: De-legitimizing Science in the Academy: Ideological Underpinnings
Chapter 3: Science Studies and the Anthropology of Science: How Postmodernists Sought to Demystify Truth
Chapter 4: The Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity, Incomprehensibility, and the Sokal Hoax
Chapter 5: American Intellectual Contributions to Science Delegitimation: Kuhn and Feyerabend
Chapter 6: Epistemic Relativism: Is the World Truly Unknowable?
Chapter 7: Epistemology: How Do We Know What We Know?
Chapter 8: The Problem of Pseudoscience in Post-Truth America
Chapter 9: Postmodern Anthropology: Epistemic Relativism and Incoherence as an Experimental Moment?
Chapter 10: Paranormal and Theistic Anthropology: From Postmodernism to Post-Truth Supernaturalism
Chapter 11: From Postmodernism to Post-Truth United States
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Posts on ‘August 17th, 2010’
Cairn Energys $8.5 billion Mid-Life Crisis
Cairn bought the exploration licenses in Rajasthan from Royal Dutch Shell, who believed the properties contained no oil, in 1997 for just $7 million.
By James Herron
Instead of settling into the respectable middle tier of global oil producers as its major oil discoveries in Rajasthan, India, gradually come onstream, the U.K.-listed Cairn Energy has decided to do the oil industry equivalent of selling the Volvo, buying a Harley and cruising off into the sunset.
Cairn Energy will sell the bulk of its stake in Cairn India, which owns and operates the Rajasthan fields, to metals and mining company Vedanta Resources. Cairn Chief Executive Sir Bill Gammell leaves behind dreary subjects like pipeline maintenance and enhanced oil recovery and will instead focus his companys resources on the exciting business of exploring for new fields. read more
Shell fuel manager defends advertising accusations
The Dominion Post
A Shell fuel technology manager says he had not wanted advertisements to quantify fuel savings from a petrol additive because he did not want to end up in court defending it.
But Eric Holthusen ended up in court anyway, where he said yesterday that he believed a 2006 advertising campaign for the “fuel economy formula” additive did not mislead.
The Commerce Commission has laid 22 charges alleging misleading advertising or engaging in conduct liable to mislead. Shell’s defence to the charges continues in Wellington District Court today. read more
Drilling Permits for Deep Waters Face New Review
By JOHN M. BRODER
A version of this article appeared in print on August 17, 2010, on page A1 of the New York edition.
WASHINGTON The Obama administration said Monday that it would require significantly more environmental review before approving new offshore drilling permits, ending a practice in which government regulators essentially rubber-stamped potentially hazardous deepwater projects like BPs out-of-control well.
The administration has come under sharp criticism for granting BP an exemption from environmental oversight for the Macondo well, which blew out on April 20, killing 11 workers and spewing nearly five million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. read more
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When Shell senior management had a collective mental health crisis
As New-Age Style Came In,
Geology Skills Lost Out;
Imitating Jerry Springer Oilmen at a Rainy Playground
By CHIP CUMMINS and ALMAR LATOUR
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: November 2, 2004
In late 2000, the head of the Dutch exploration unit at Royal Dutch/Shell Group asked his planners to deliver five-minute skits pitching ideas for discovering oil and gas.
In one skit, a naked employee ran on stage to catch the boss’s attention, say two people who attended. Another featured a mock episode of the Jerry Springer show, the incendiary daytime TV talk program. A third, after a bit of fun and games, promised to extract large quantities of natural gas cheaply from seemingly declining Dutch fields.
Long known for its sober geological expertise and conservative image, the Anglo-Dutch energy giant in the 1990s embraced New Age management. At other meetings, managers were told to shake their arms up and down in “energizer” exercises or stare into the eyes of colleagues while confiding their innermost thoughts, say attendees.
This cultural revolution ultimately led Shell into one of the worst crises in its history as the company turned to accounting maneuvers to hide its failures in finding energy. This year it admitted that it dramatically overstated its oil and gas reserves.
Last week, Shell said it plans to consolidate its Dutch and British parents under a single board and a U.S.-style chief executive — ending a dual structure that dated to 1907 and was long criticized as opaque. The current chief executive, Jeroen van der Veer, says he is committed to reform. His predecessor, Sir Philip Watts, and Shell’s exploration chief were ousted earlier in the year, and a company investigation placed much of the blame for the reserves overstatements on the two men.
The root of the problem, however, goes significantly further back than Sir Philip’s reign, which began in 2001. The skits in 2000 were an illustration of how Shell had increasingly discarded its traditional modus operandi in the 1990s as it adapted to the seemingly permanent fall in oil prices. Some of the new management stunts might have appeared relatively harmless. But the push for unconventional thinking also undermined discipline in Shell’s core business of finding oil and gas. A bonus system prodded some managers to make rosy forecasts that they couldn’t necessarily meet. Sound estimation of reserves often went out the window in favor of accounting maneuvers.
These deeper roots are significant because the company has yet to make a full break with its past. Mr. van der Veer is a longtime Shell executive who sat on the committee that received — and dallied over — warnings about the accounting problems. He says he was aware of potential reserves problems but didn’t know about improper bookings. Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, chairman from 1998 to 2001, remains on the board of Shell’s English parent although he is set to step down when the reorganization is complete next year. He declined to comment about reserves issues.
And Shell still can’t seem to get a handle on its reserves. After assurances earlier this year that it had finished cleaning up its accounts, Shell said last week that it may have to slice reserves by another 6%, or the equivalent of 900 million barrels of oil. Standard & Poor’s announced Friday that it will review Shell’s double-A-plus credit rating for possible downgrade.
Shell agreed in August to pay about $150 million in fines to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and British regulators to settle charges that it misled investors about its reserves, without admitting or denying wrongdoing.
Shell’s accounting problems stemmed from an industrywide struggle to find energy in a world increasingly picked over or closed off to exploration. When oil prices were low in the 1990s, many companies cut back on exploration spending because they thought it wouldn’t bring a return sufficient to satisfy investors. That contributed to today’s soaring price of oil — which, in a twist, may prove to be Shell’s rescuer. Shell is confident prices will stay high, so its explorers are again well-funded.
But to find oil and gas effectively, they’ll have to restore the standards that made Shell’s exploration-and-production unit — or E&P — the elite of the industry. Among its feats was the discovery of huge oil and gas reserves in the North Sea in the 1970s.
Until the mid-1990s, a cadre of senior executives known as the “peetvaders,” Dutch for godfathers, groomed young executives. The peetvaders sent promising people to the toughest jobs in Shell’s empire — places like Nigeria — before granting them lofty titles at headquarters.
That started to change under Cor Herkstroeter, a Dutch finance expert who became Shell’s top executive in 1993. He began to phase out the peetvader system and let employees apply for openings. “The practical consequence was that the most talented people no longer went to places where we needed them the most,” says one current Shell executive. Mr. van der Veer, Shell’s current chief executive, says in an interview that Shell wound up with “gifted amateurs” in key jobs. Mr. Herkstroeter also introduced bonuses to better align pay with performance — a system that several current and former Shell employees believe encouraged short-term maneuvers to boost results.
Two controversies in 1995 had further distracted management. Protests by environmentalists forced Shell to abort a plan to scrap an old oil platform by sinking it in the ocean. Later, Nigeria executed Ken Saro-Wiwa, who had campaigned against Shell’s operations in the Niger River delta.
Mr. Herkstroeter and his heir apparent, Sir Mark, hired consultants and mapped out a campaign to improve Shell’s image. Executives were sent out to demonstrate Shell’s sense of social responsibility.
Paddy Briggs, a retired Shell communications executive, recalls one event where he and about 40 executives were issued shovels and pick-axes and dispatched to a Dutch village to help it restore an old playground. The oilmen gave up around lunchtime amid heavy rain. Such gimmicks became the butt of jokes, “but nobody said, ‘Hey, have we lost our minds here?’ ” says Mr. Briggs.
Mr. Herkstroeter, now independent chairman of Dutch insurance giant ING Groep NV, declined to comment about the culture changes.
In 1998, Sir Mark, who had led the E&P division, took over from Mr. Herkstroeter as Shell’s top executive and redoubled efforts to mend Shell’s reputation. In one incident, masked environmentalists hoisted a sign that read “Murderers” on his country home. Sir Mark and his wife served the protesters — some still wearing masks — coffee and tea on the lawn. As Shell’s image softened, he won a knighthood in 2000 from Queen Elizabeth II.
Sir Mark took a more defensive approach to Shell’s core business. The Asian economic crisis sent oil prices tumbling, and he clamped down harder than rivals on spending. He also sat out the merger frenzy in which BP bought Amoco and Exxon took over Mobil. Such mergers replenished rivals’ exploration prospects and smoothed the way for cost-cutting, but Sir Mark insisted he could slash fat at Shell without a merger. He also wanted to shake up what he saw as a complacent culture to get through the tough times.
The new style of management was on display in 2001, when a team gathered at the Golden Tulip, a lakeside business resort in northern Holland, to map out a drilling plan for a Dutch gas field. For a week, managers gave motivational speeches to accountants and geologists, pumping them up during breaks by playing loud rock music, according to one person who attended.
A prominent feature of the meeting was the “fishbowl.” Participants sat in a circle, with an empty chair in the middle facing the leader. Anyone who wanted to speak out against a plan by the group had to take the empty chair. The setup was designed to nurture consensus by discouraging “blockers,” people resistant to bold moves, according to executives familiar with the method.
By the end of the week, the group decided new investment could double the estimated gas reserves in the field, according to one participant. The forecast won the group coveted funding from headquarters. But after spending about $125 million drilling, engineers didn’t find new gas, says this participant. He calls the whole process an example of how Shell’s new management culture undermined the checks and balances that underlay traditional planning.
Current and former Shell employees say another feature of such meetings was the “energizer” exercise, in which managers held the hands of their colleagues and rapidly shook their arms up and down. On at least one occasion, employees were told to hold the hands of a colleague and reveal their innermost thoughts. A male employee recalls finding the exercise awkward when he was paired with an attractive Italian female colleague.
“If I look back, there was a bit of … the ‘dot-com’ culture,” says Mr. van der Veer, the current chief executive, in an interview. Describing Shell’s euphoria at the time, he says, “Everyone thought that trees would grow into heaven.”
Veteran engineers began trading grim jokes about falling standards, according to current and former employees. New hires were called “Nintendo” engineers, a jibe at a generation more familiar with computer modeling than field experience. E&P at Shell, went another line, stood for Excel and PowerPoint.
In the summer of 2000, E&P planners met in The Hague. The participants concluded that Shell’s way of allocating capital to projects “appears to be flawed with overstatements of key parameters to secure funds,” according to briefing papers from the meetings.
By 2001, Shell was replacing only 74% of the oil and gas it depleted. At Exxon and BP, this “reserve-replacement ratio” was above 100%, according to a February 2002 memo prepared for Shell’s Committee of Managing Directors, at the time the company’s top executive body.
In addition to its ambitious plans to discover new oil and gas cheaply, Shell under Sir Mark was redefining how it counted existing reserves. These are defined as oil and gas in the ground that a company expects to pump and sell. Oil companies have long had to report reserves to the SEC but have wide discretion over assumptions behind the calculations.
Sir Mark’s point man was Sir Philip, an Englishman who once donned a space suit at a meeting in Maastricht, Netherlands, in 1998 to pump up his troops. In a June 1998 memo, Sir Philip declared that he would bring Shell’s reserves accounting “more in line with industry practice.” People familiar with the situation say this meant matching what Shell saw as more aggressive reserves booking by Exxon and others in mature fields. At the same time, according to an SEC investigation released in August 2004, Shell kept its existing booking method for young fields, which was more aggressive than others. Sir Philip has said he depended on internal and external auditors to assure him that reserves were solid. Through his lawyer, he declined repeated requests for an interview.
By the end of 2001, the revised accounting procedures boosted Shell’s reserves by 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, according to internal estimates contained in Shell briefing notes in 2002. That equaled some 6% of Shell’s reserves. The SEC this year determined that Shell failed to justify the new bookings with adequate analysis, though it isn’t clear how much of those bookings were inappropriate by SEC standards.
Although regulators have focused much of their fire on the 1998 change, it explains only a fraction of the over-booking problem, which has totaled 4.47 billion barrels so far according to Shell. In many cases, according to Shell employees and internal documents, it was zealous E&P managers at Shell units around the world who boosted reserves estimates — not necessarily by using new rules but by applying their own discretion to revise numbers upward. They were egged on in some instances by a new culture that rewarded what was perceived as risk-taking and unconventional thinking.
The new numbers made Sir Philip look like a star. In 2001, he was rewarded with the top job, succeeding Sir Mark. But Shell’s internal reserves auditor, Anton Barendregt, was raising red flags. Mr. Barendregt’s job was to review Shell’s annual submission to the SEC. In an audit report in January 2001 filed to Sir Philip and other E&P bosses, Mr. Barendregt concluded that engineers felt pressure to book reserves aggressively in part because they were tied to bonuses. In at least one instance, Mr. Barendregt found such pressures led engineers to produce an “extremely marginal reserves booking” for a Shell field in Angola.
Shell’s Angola staff had booked new reserves equal to 74 million barrels of oil, Mr. Barendregt wrote. He met with the Angola staff late in 2000 and encouraged them to craft a development plan to justify the booking as economically realistic. In his year-end audit report, however, Mr. Barendregt wrote that while a plan was submitted, the planners made it clear they were doing so only to get the new reserves counted. He signed off on the booking as “only just supportable” — an example of his reluctance to rock the boat, which later led the SEC to criticize Mr. Barendregt as insufficiently independent from Shell.
In 2002, Mr. Barendregt warned top executives at E&P that problems persisted. The SEC in 2001 had issued clearer guidance about booking reserves but some executives weren’t familiar with it, he wrote. In February 2002, the new E&P chief, Walter van de Vijver, warned Sir Philip and other managing directors that about one billion barrels of reserves — about 5% of Shell’s total at the time — might run afoul of the SEC’s guidelines.
In another memo to top management that July, Mr. van de Vijver discussed Shell’s problems finding new oil and gas and suggested ways to deal with the problem, including a simple accounting maneuver. At the time, Shell was considering partially removing a Russian affiliate from its books for unrelated business reasons. By holding off on the move, Mr. van de Vijver suggested, Shell could maximize its reserve bookings from the affiliate in years to come.
“This would serve only to temporarily mask our underlying problem,” he wrote. But the impact of keeping the affiliate fully on the books “whilst essentially being a ‘paper’ gain would in effect solve our reserves replacement issues at least until the end of 2004.” Ultimately the unit was kept on the books, but Shell has also disclosed the effect of such deconsolidations.
In correspondence made public by Shell in April, Mr. van de Vijver increasingly made clear his frustration about the problems at E&P to his boss, Sir Philip. In an e-mail dated Nov. 9, 2003, he told Sir Philip: “I am becoming sick and tired about lying about the extent of our reserves issues and the downward revisions that need to be done because of far too aggressive/optimistic bookings.”
On Jan. 9, 2004, Shell announced it would erase about a fifth of its reserve bookings, sparking U.S. and British regulatory probes. Its dual boards ousted Sir Philip and Mr. van de Vijver in March. Both men deny wrongdoing. Mr. van de Vijver, who declined requests for an interview, has said he acted aggressively to flag problems internally. Shell later cut its reserve bookings three more times.
Shell is now trying to regroup. It is retraining its 3,000 petroleum engineers and technicians in SEC compliance. In a frank speech to Shell’s top brass in May, Mr. van der Veer said Shell under his leadership will set achievable targets, lengthen job tenures and reduce reliance on consultants. Shell, he said, will have “no new gurus. We will do it ourselves.”
Posted in: Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, Shell Oil Reserves Scandal.
Tagged: Oil · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Shell
← Shell Handed A Get-Out-Jail Card As Its $70 Billion Bid For BG Hits An Obstacle
Actors join campaign to draw attention to Arctic issue →
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News / Madras HC declares civic poll notification null and void
Madras HC declares civic poll notification null and void
1:36 PM, 5 Oct 2016
In a setback to AIADMK government, the Madras High Court on Tuesday declared the notification for civic polls in the state, scheduled for October 17 and 19, as null and void, holding that it violated the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Election Rules.
The court directed the State Election Commission to issue a fresh notification for holding local body elections and complete the poll process before December 31.
On a writ plea filed by DMK leader and Rajya Sabha member RS Barathy, the court, in its interim order, declared the poll notification dated September 26 null and void.
The DMK had sought adequate reservation to the Scheduled Tribes, and necessary rotation of seats in all the posts as mandated in the Constitution. Another plea of DMK related to the civic polls is pending in the Supreme Court.
Quashing the notification, the court said, “the notification informing the public about election is to be issued first as per rule 24 (2) (i) of Tamil Nadu Panchayat Rules.” Only thereafter, the poll schedule notification should be published according to rule 24 (1), it said.
However, in this case, the poll schedule was announced in the press conference on September 25 and no notification to the public about the conduct of election was made, it said.
Referring to non-compliance of stipulation for separate public and election notifications on two different dates, the court held that “it only proves clear violation of Rule 24 of Tamil Nadu Panchayat Rules. To put in a nutshell, the election notification issued by State Election Commission is null and void.”
“There is non-compliance of Rule 24 of Tamil Nadu Panchayat (Elections) Rules, 1995 by issuance of Public Notice, firstly about the conduct of election as per rule 24(2) (i) and notifying the poll schedule under Rule 24(1) subsequently.”
The government was directed by the court to amend Rule 26 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Election) Rules 1995 mandating the contestants to file a separate affidavit furnishing full information falling under five categories which includes criminal background if any.
The court directed the SEC to reject the nominations of candidates who fail to file such an affidavit besides directing the state government to appoint special officers till the elections were held.
The court asked the SEC to sensitise the public about cases if any against the candidates by issuing advertisement. The court posted the matter to first week of January 2017.
It also observed that there was a delay on the part of the state government in commencing the process of reservation of seats for Scheduled Caste and Tribes, and women.
“Last minute announcement would definitely cause prejudice to the political parties including the candidates and voters. There is no necessity for the state government to delay in identifying and reserving seats for weaker sections.”
(With inputs from the PTI)
AIADMK, Civic Polls, DMK, Madras High court, Panchayat Polls, State government, Tamil Nadu
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SECTION LVIII
"Bhishma said, 'Protection of the subject, O Yudhishthira, is the very cheese of kingly duties. The divine Vrihaspati does not applaud any other duty (so much as this one). The divine Kavi (Usanas) of large eyes and
austere penances, the thousand-eyed Indra, and Manu the son of Prachetas, the divine Bharadwaja, and the saga Gaurasiras, all devoted to Brahma and utterers of Brahma, have composed treatises on the duties of kings. All of them praise the duty of protection, O foremost of virtuous persons, in respect of kings. O thou of eyes like lotus leaves and of the hue of copper, listen to the means by which protection may be secured. Those means consist of the employment of spies and servants, giving them their just dues without haughtiness, the realisation of taxes with considerateness, never taking anything (from the subject) capriciously and without cause, O Yudhishthira, the selection of honest men (for the discharge of administrative functions), heroism, skill, and cleverness (in the transaction of business), truth, seeking the good of the people, producing discord and disunion among the enemy by fair or unfair means, the repair of buildings that are old or on the point of falling away, the infliction of corporal punishments and fines regulated by observance of the occasion, never abandoning the honest, granting employment and protection to persons of respectable birth, the storing of what should be stored, companionship with persons of intelligence, always gratifying the soldiery, supervision over the subjects, steadiness in the transaction of business, filling the treasury, absence of blind confidence on the guards of the city, producing disloyalty among the citizens of a hostile town, carefully looking after the friends and allies living in the midst of the enemy's country, strictly watching the servants and officers of the state, personal observation of the city, distrust of servants, comforting the enemy with assurances, steadily observing the dictates of policy, readiness for action, never disregarding an enemy, and casting off those that are wicked. Readiness for exertion in kings is the root of kingly duties. This has been said by Vrihaspati. Listen to the verses sung by him: 'By exertion the amrita was obtained; by exertion the Asuras were slain, by exertion Indra himself obtained sovereignty in heaven and on earth. The hero of exertion is superior to the heroes of speech. The heroes of speech gratify and worship the heroes of exertion. 1' The king that is destitute of exertion, even if possessed of intelligence, is always overcome by foes like a snake that is bereft of poison. The king, even if possessed of strength, should not disregard a foe, however weak. A spark of fire can produce a conflagration and a particle of poison can kill. With only one kind of force, an enemy from within a fort, can afflict the whole country of even a powerful and prosperous king. The secret speeches of a king, the amassing of troops for obtaining victory, the crooked purposes in his heart, similar intents for accomplishing particular objects, and the wrong acts he does or intends to do, should be concealed by putting on an appearance of candour. He should act righteously for keeping his people under subjection. Persons of crooked minds cannot bear the burden of extensive empire. A king who is mild cannot obtain superior rank, the acquisition of which depends upon labour.
[paragraph continues] A kingdom, coveted by all like meat, can never be protected by candour and simplicity. A king, O Yudhishthira, should, therefore, always conduct himself with both candour and crookedness. If in protecting his subjects a king falls into danger, he earns great merit. Even such should be the conduct of kings. I have now told thee a portion only of the duties of kings. Tell me, O best of the Kurus, what more you wish to know."
Vaisampayana continued, "The illustrious Vyasa and Devasthana and Aswa, and Vasudeva and Kripa and Satyaki and Sanjaya, filled with joy, and with faces resembling full-blown flowers, said, 'Excellent! Excellent!' and hymned the praises of that tiger among men, viz., Bhishma, that foremost of virtuous persons. Then Yudhishthira, that chief of Kuru's race, with a cheerless heart and eyes bathed in tears, gently touched Bhishma's feet and said, 'O grandsire, I shall to-morrow enquire after those points about which I have my doubts, for today, the sun, having sucked the moisture of all terrestrial objects, is about to set.' Then Kesava and Kripa and Yudhishthira and others, saluting the Brahmanas (assembled there) and circumambulating the son of the great river, cheerfully ascended their cars. All of them observant of excellent vows then bathed in the current of the Drishadwati. Having offered oblations of water unto their ancestors and silently recited the sacred mantras and done other auspicious acts, and having performed the evening prayer with due rites, those scorchers of foes entered the city called after the elephant."
120:1 Eloquent Brahmanas learned in the scriptures are heroes of speech, Great Kshatriya kings are heroes of exertion.
Next: Section LIX
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sahararjmand.com
Question: What Was The Average Age Of A Viking?
What was the Viking Age called?
What age did Vikings die?
Why was Ragnar killed?
Did Vikings kill monks?
Who was the most famous Viking?
What was the average lifespan for a Viking?
What age did Vikings get married?
How tall was an average Viking?
Did Vikings kill children?
Did Vikings have tattoos?
What language did Vikings speak?
Did Vikings have blue eyes?
Did Vikings ever sack Paris?
Did Vikings kill innocent?
Do Vikings share their wives?
The Viking Age (793–1066 AD) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest and trading throughout Europe, and reached North America.
It followed the Migration Period and the Germanic Iron Age..
The Viking age ended when the raids stopped. The year 1066 is frequently used as a convenient marker for the end of the Viking age. At the Battle of Stamford Bridge, the Norwegian king Haraldr harðráði was repulsed and killed as he attempted to reclaim a portion of England.
Ragnar’s death brings the Great Heathen Army to England Ragnar knew that his death would be the jumping-off point for his sons to come back and seek revenge. … He wants them to seek revenge and even convinces Ecbert to give him up to Aelle of Northumbria. Ragnar tells Ecbert that he must kill him.
The Vikings attacked Britain’s holy places, slaughtered its monks and carried away countless treasures. Well designed boats and convenient winds helped the Vikings come and go as they pleased.
Ragnar LodbrokProbably the most important Viking leader and the most famous Viking warrior, Ragnar Lodbrok led many raids on France and England in the 9th century.
40-45Given the average life expectancy of 40-45 in the Viking Age, it was important that early on children could help and carry out the work of an adult. In Iceland males were legally adults at the age of 16. Girls married at a very young age. They were regarded as adults once they were married.
Women tended to marry between the ages of 12 and 15, and families negotiated to arrange those marriages, but the woman usually had a say in the arrangement. If a woman wanted a divorce, she had to call witnesses to her home and marriage bed, and declare in front of them that she had divorced her husband.
about 5 ft 7-3″The examination of skeletons from different localities in Scandinavia reveals that the average height of the Vikings was a little less than that of today: men were about 5 ft 7-3/4 in. tall and women 5 ft 2-1/2 in.
The vikings had no qualms about killing and enslaving anyone. If it wasn’t profitable to keep a person alive, they were fair game. And small children, babies, who couldn’t be sold would serve no purpose for a viking. Of course the taste for murdering individual people is based on their own personalities.
Did they actually have tattoos though? It is widely considered fact that the Vikings and Northmen in general, were heavily tattooed. However, historically, there is only one piece of evidence that mentions them actually being covered in ink.
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian was a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements from about the 7th to the 15th centuries.
It turns out most Vikings weren’t as fair-haired and blue-eyed as legend and pop culture have led people to believe. According to a new study on the DNA of over 400 Viking remains, most Vikings had dark hair and dark eyes.
Siege of Paris, (November 25, 885–October 886), nearly year-long Viking siege of Paris, at the time the capital of the kingdom of the West Franks, notable as the first occasion on which the Vikings dug themselves in for a long siege rather than conduct a hit-and-run raid or fight a battle.
Vikings were far from the only ones to plunder and they did not do it to kill innocent people or sate some sort of bloodlust. … They raided and plundered to gain a higher social status, to gain silver to buy food for their families and to capture slaves to work the fields instead of their wives and children.
Did vikings share their wives like in the TV series? Extremely unlikely. Some written laws survive from the period directly after the (pagan) Viking age.
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Home Business Simplifile Recognized as an Innovative Mortgage Technology Company on 2018 HW Tech100
Simplifile Recognized as an Innovative Mortgage Technology Company on 2018 HW Tech100
Simplifile
PROVO, Utah /ScoopCloud/ -- Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has been included on the fifth annual HW Tech100 list published by housing and mortgage industry trade magazine HousingWire. This year marks the third consecutive year Simplifile has made the Tech100 list, which recognizes, "the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing, and investments."
In its profile on Simplifile in the April issue, HousingWire focused on the integration of Simplifile's services, including e-notarization and e-recording, with mortgage document and technology provider Docutech's Solex e-closing solution to deliver a more streamlined digital platform to lenders, settlement agents, and borrowers.
"Simplifile is committed to helping lenders and settlement agents make each mortgage transaction as 'e' as it can be, and by combining our suite of services that automate key portions of the real estate process, like document collaboration, post-closing and recording, with complementary platforms like Docutech's, we are better able to make our goal of facilitating eMortgages a reality," said Simplifile President Paul Clifford. "On behalf of Simplifile, I'd like to thank the HousingWire editorial staff for judging our efforts in this area worthy of recognition on this year's Tech100 list."
The level of competition for the 2018 HW Tech100 was higher than in previous years, the magazine's editorial staff noted, citing in its announcement of this year's winners a significant increase in the number of applicants and the presence of 55 first-time winners on this year's list.
"The number of fintech companies serving the mortgage industry has exploded over the last several years - making the choice of just 100 companies this year very difficult," said HousingWire Magazine Editor Sarah Wheeler. "Companies in the 2018 Tech100 represent the leading edge of solutions and services that will propel mortgage companies toward success."
"These companies provide innovative solutions and are moving the housing finance industry forward as technology rapidly changes how the landscape operates," said HousingWire Online Editor Caroline Basile.
The full list of this year's winners is available at https://www.housingwire.com/articles/42985-the-2018-hw-tech100.
About HousingWire:
HousingWire is the nation's most influential source of news and information for U.S. mortgage markets, boasting a readership that spans lending, servicing, investments and real estate market participants as well as financial market professionals.
Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B-to-B Banking/Business/Finance, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International.
About Simplifile:
Simplifile, the nation's largest e-recording network, was founded in 2000 to connect settlement agents and county recorders via its e-recording service. Today Simplifile has broadened its services to include collaboration tools and post-closing visibility for mortgage lenders and settlement agents working together on real estate documents. Through Simplifile, users can securely record, share, and track documents, data, and fees with ease.
To learn more, visit https://simplifile.com/ or call 800-460-5657.
Simplifile, a leading provider of real estate document collaboration and recording technologies for lenders, settlement agents, and counties, announced that it has been included on the fifth annual HW Tech100 list published by housing and mortgage industry trade magazine HousingWire. This year marks the third consecutive year Simplifile has made the Tech100 list, which recognizes, "the most innovative technology companies in the U.S. housing economy, spanning real estate, mortgage lending, mortgage servicing, and investments."
Related link: https://simplifile.com/
This version of news story was published on ScoopCloud™ (ScoopCloud.com) - part of and © the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved.
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5 Hacks for Writing a Killer Opening Scene
By: Shanee Edwards
Lawrence of Arabia. Photo courtesy: Columbia Pictures
The first scene in a movie has many jobs to do. Not only must it nail down the tone, time and place where the story is being told, it must also tease the journey ahead. It’s no wonder some writers spend months conceiving and writing the first five pages of their screenplay.
Screenwriters have the additional pressure of capturing the reader’s attention, so grabbing them in the first five pages is an excellent strategy. While there are a million exciting ways to start your movie, we’ve identified five of the most successful ones.
No. 1 — The circular start
Many movies, especially historical ones, have a circular structure. They start in the present where the protagonist is in crisis, then flashback to the beginning of the story.
If we take Lawrence of Arabia, the opening scene is literally the end of the story as it sets up T.E. Lawrence’s (Peter O’Toole) death. The choice to start with this scene is a message about fate: despite having survived the dangers and evils of World War I, no one knows when their time is up. Something as petty as a motorbike could be your killer. The real Lawrence was only 46 when he died.
In addition to establishing the cruel irony and utter randomness of life that will be demonstrated throughout the film, the scene teases a story about a fearless man, high-speed vehicles, unforeseen obstacles and the sacrifice Lawrence will make for innocents – implied in the way he swerves to miss the children on bikes. This is both visual and philosophical storytelling at its best.
Other films with opening scenes that start in the present before flashing back in time include Pulp Fiction, The King’s Speech, Citizen Kane and Lost Highway.
No. 2 — The mini-movie
The “mini-movie” opening scene, also called a “cold open,” plays like a short film with a beginning, middle and end that sets up the adventure that will take place in the rest of the film. Basically, it’s showing you what kind of ride you’re on. This type of opening often happens in action-adventure or fantasy films as a way to whet the appetite of the audience by giving them just a taste of the fun.
Raiders of the Lost Ark has perhaps the most iconic “mini-movie” opening scene of all time. Not only do we meet our handsome, rugged, adventurous protagonist, we see him in action demonstrating all the skills he’s going to need later in the film. We also learn he has a flaw: he hates snakes. It’s a flaw that makes him relatable and human. What a perfect hero!
Other movies that open with a “mini-movie” include the new Tomb Raider, Baby Driver, Skyfall, and The Matrix.
No. 3 – The Slow Burn
Movies that want to set up suspense, as well as complicated antagonists, begin with scenes that slowly lay the groundwork for the entire film brick by brick. These opening scenes are popular in war movies and political dramas because the screenwriter needs to take time to explain the circumstances of the war/political event and remind the audience of the major players.
The opening scene of Inglourious Basterds plays like a master class in creating tension. Col. Landa (Christoph Waltz), a Nazi, patiently drinks his milk and smokes his pipe while we see Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent), presumably a Jew, hiding beneath the floorboards. The sublime acting only adds to the drama and suspense. From this scene we learn the film will be violent, the antagonist malevolent but the fact that Shosanna escapes shows us there is hope.
Other movies that open with a slow burn are The Godfather, It Follows and A Clockwork Orange.
No. 4 – Purely visual with no dialogue
Sometimes, the best way to open a film is through purely visual storytelling. These sequences are often set to specific music that evokes a particular mood and show a life-changing event.
In the opening of Antichrist, we see a perfectly normal married couple making love to the point of ecstasy while Handel’s “Lascia Ch’io Pianga Prologue” plays in the background. We also see their young child stirring in his crib then curiously heading toward an open window. The tragic fate of all three individuals is quickly sealed as the child falls to his death. Sometimes, life is so cruel, there just are no words.
Other films that have all-visual opening scenes are There Will Be Blood, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Apocalypse Now.
No. 5 — The blindside
Many movies open with scenes that make you think you’re settling in for one kind of story but within a few minutes, we realize this is a something else entirely. As screenwriters, we’re taught to include the story’s “inciting incident” by page 17 – the event that calls the protagonist to their journey, but some movies include it right away. This immediately gives the audience the feeling that the normal world has been disrupted or that the protagonist was severely deluded.
The opening scene of Legally Blonde makes us all think Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is about to be proposed to by her college boyfriend. But when he breaks up with her instead, the rug is pulled out from under her feet. She is blindsided and must reevaluate her entire life, sending her on an adventure that includes law school.
Other opening scenes with blindsides include Up, Birdman and Waterworld.
What is the opening scene of your current screenplay? Let us know in the comments section.
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Shanee Edwards
Shanee Edwards graduated from UCLA Film School with an MFA in Screenwriting and is currently the film critic for SheKnows.com. She recently won the Next MacGyver television writing competition to create a TV show about a female engineer. Her pilot, Ada and the Machine, is currently in development with America Ferrera's Take Fountain Productions. You can follow her on Twitter: @ShaneeEdwards
6 Replies to "5 Hacks for Writing a Killer Opening Scene"
Edward Ybarra February 28, 2018 (9:17 am)
In my current screenplay, ‘Chair 4’, angry voices scream at a barely conscience, gravely injured man urging him to fight through his mental fog. When he finally awakens enough, he discovers the voices are from two other injured men who, like himself, are tied to chairs in an abandoned warehouse. The two men tell the third not to try and get out of his chair as an explosive is under one of the chairs and if the wrong one gets up, all will die.
Catherine February 28, 2018 (9:29 am)
Very helpful article, thanks Shanee. It definitely helps boost the ideas for an adventure story I have and its opening setup. Love the Indiana Jones movies. Congratulations on the new series development! – Catherine
Vonnie February 28, 2018 (2:04 pm)
Vonnie – February 28, 2018
Nice article. Let me take a break from work and give an opening a try:
In the context of a lavish celebration, a young woman is introduced as new chairman of the board following her successful hostile takeover of an international food company. But she is in for an unexpected crisis when a heckler asks a question and his echoing voice triggers her memory of a fiery car crash. Her answer to the question is incomplete, but not for long as she comes face to face with the heckler whose completion of her answer tells her that she and America are in imminent danger because of a chemical formula she invented. Cut to a lab where her assistant is being forced to eat cake by a mask men while another seizes a bottle of clear liquid identified as MA 1793.
Phillip Nawa February 28, 2018 (6:01 pm)
The teaser for the Breaking Bad pilot is my favorite example of 1 and 2 as well as just visual storytelling to some extent. We see Walt in over his head driving the RV in his underwear. A knocked out passenger lays beside him and two bodies are floating back and forth in a sea of broken chemicals and glass. How could that not grab anyone’s attention?
Raymond Kenneth Petry March 9, 2018 (4:18 pm)
In my “The StarTrails Game” -Never say, simulator, again!-
(a contemporary space sciences adventure, PG-13 Sci³fi feature) <>
The story opens on a fully-dimensional 3D aural grab, caricatured comic starship captain up-against his own computer-gone-dreaming, and they have to figure-out what’s-real from what’s-its-dream…
But short-to-conclusion they’re stuck for 2 hours (that’s what it is, a 2.5 min. comicbook short scene)
And we immediately learn that we are in a live movie, reading a comicbook—and it’s lunchtime….
We’ll return several times to this sidebar comicbook motif, many short-shorts pumping our-story, but very quickly we find the comicbook is as a schoolbook leading the child into the future-NASA:
[TOP OF PAGE#17]
FREEZE-PAGE-FLIP TO:
COMIC LIEUTENANT
Gentlemen, It’s simple: You recall, Freshman Complex Calculus Theory:– There’s matter… And there’s anti’ … Which have opposite-charge for each corresponding nucleon and wavicle…
COMIC PAUL
Clear enough, But why so much Boom-Power? If you’ll pardon the slight…
Okay… How do you get from positive-one to negative-one conservatively?
We rotate, the unit-vector, through the complex-imaginary-plane, pass-I or minus-I, to the negative-unit….
That should be obvious, gentlemen: You can’t get from matter to anti-matter without an unconservatively big, bang, Unless you phase-rotate through imaginary-mass….
Dan August 1, 2018 (6:51 am)
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STS - Short-Term Statistics
Title STS - Short-Term Statistics
Data source European Commission (Eurostat) and European Central Bank calculations based on Eurostat and ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers Association) data
Catalog Download the series catalogue of the dataset STS in CSV format, i.e. full list of series and associated metadata: Excel 2013 (zipped) or the earlier Excel versions.
Data presentation - Summary description Industrial producer prices, industrial production, industrial new orders, industrial turnover and retail sales data are published by the European Commission (Eurostat). Euro area results are obtained by aggregating data for individual countries compiled by national statistical authorities. They are broken down following the classification of economic activities in the EU (NACE) and by the Main Industrial Groupings (MIGS) derived from it.
Industrial producer prices reflect the ex-factory-gate prices (transportation costs are not included) of all products sold by industry excluding construction on the domestic markets of the euro area countries, excluding imports. They include indirect taxes except VAT and other deductible taxes.
Industrial production reflects the volume growth of value added of the industries concerned.
Industrial new orders measure the orders received during the reference period and cover industries working mainly on the basis of orders – in particular textile, pulp and paper, chemical, metal, capital goods and durable consumer goods industries. The data are calculated on the basis of current prices.
Indices for turnover in industry and for the retail trade measure the turnover, including all duties and taxes with the exception of VAT, invoiced during the reference period. Retail trade turnover covers all retail trade excluding sales of motor vehicles and motorcycles, and except repairs.
Unemployment rates published by the European Commission (Eurostat) and conform to International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines. They refer to persons actively seeking work as a share of the labour force, using harmonised criteria and definitions. Please note that since December 2020 the dataset is published under the Labour Force Survey Indicators (LFSI) naming convention. Please refer to the mapping between discontinued STS series and the LFSI codes for more information.
The labour cost indices are published by the European Commission (Eurostat) and national statistical authorities and measure the changes in labour costs per hour worked in industry (including construction) and market services. A breakdown of hourly labour costs for the euro area is available by labour cost component (wages and salaries, other labour costs) and by economic activity (NACE sections).
The new passenger cars data for euro area are seasonally and working day adjusted by the ECB based on data compiled by ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers Association). New passenger car registrations cover registrations of both private and commercial passenger cars.
Data presentation - Detailed description Link to the NACE Rev2 detailed structure: PDF
Time period Monthly, Quarterly
Classification system Data Structure Definition
Statistical concepts and definitions For information about the naming convention (series key dimensions and metadata), refer to the STS underlying DSD (ECB_STS1) maintained by the ECB.
Metadata last update 13/JAN/2021 10:47:09
Title Complement Euro area 15 (fixed composition) - Standardised unemployment, Level, Total (all ages), Total (male & female); Eurostat; Seasonally adjusted, not working day adjusted
Series Key STS.M.I4.S.UNEH.LTT000.4.000
Unit Thousands of Persons
Reference area Euro area 15 (fixed composition) as of 1 January 2008 (I4)
Collection indicator Average of observations through period (A)
Domestic series ids UNET.M.VAL.FINAL.LEVELS.EA15.T.T.MON.UNEM.SA
Source agency Statistical Office of the European Commission (Eurostat) (4D0)
Publication source New Cronos
Title Unemployment levels
Frequency Monthly
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Topic Infrastructure and cloud
SubTopic Mobility software
Mobility software
Ivelin Radkov - Fotolia
SAP iPad application gives NHL coaches real-time stats
Design thinking and SAP HANA database tech are the keys to an iPad app that will allow NHL coaches to access real-time stats on an Apple iOS tablet -- and others could follow.
Jim O'Donnell, News Writer
NHL coaches are about to get an assist from an SAP iPad application that will bring SAP HANA database technology to an area where pen-and-paper have been the long-standing tools of choice.
The league recently unveiled the SAP/NHL Coaching Insights App for iPad, which will provide NHL coaches with in-game, real-time statistics. The app has been in development for the past year, and it is expected to be rolled out to all NHL clubs in February, according to David Lehanski, NHL senior vice president of business development and innovation.
The SAP iPad application will provide NHL coaches with more than 60 individual and team statistics that offer insights into game action and performance. The application can be customized to display the most relevant stats for each coach. There are also video clips that coaches can use to analyze action almost as it happens.
The SAP iPad app for coaches is a niche product that was built for a very specific user base, but it can be the basis for other business applications in the future. The amount of data being consumed, the environment it's consumed in and the way the data needs to be customized can be valuable to other types of users, Lehanski said.
David Lehanski
"We feel there's already a tremendous amount of learning that we've gathered that we can apply to other experiences and products that we may want to build in the future," Lehanski said. "Most certainly for coaches and players, but also for other use cases for fans, media partners [and] broadcasters. So there's a tremendous amount of opportunity to leverage this for other businesses."
SAP, Apple and the NHL team up
The SAP iPad application is the result of close collaboration between SAP, Apple and the NHL, Lehanski said. It builds on an iPad-based video application the league introduced for coaches prior to the 2017-2018 season playoffs. SAP is a technology partner of the NHL and has helped to develop fan-facing applications, like the league's statistics application, which is based on the SAP HANA database.
"For the 2017-18 season, we captured feedback from all of the clubs on an ongoing basis about the video application and it became clear that there were stats and data points that the clubs would love to have on the bench in real-time, as well," Lehanski said. "We went to SAP and said, 'Let's try to figure out some way to take some of the work we've done with the fan experience in the past few years and see if we can build an app that gives the coaches what they want.'"
SAP and several league clubs collaborated to determine which statistics were the most important to display in the application for in-game analysis. Every team identified time-on-ice for players and faceoff win and loss percentages as the top priority stats, according to Lehanski. But this was only one side of the task, as the league needed to decide on the best way to display the stats for coaches who need to access them immediately during games.
The SAP/NHL Coaching Insights App for iPad will enable coaches to access real-time, in-game stats.
Usability and speed are key factors
The coaches' application development process involved a great deal of collaboration and design thinking between SAP, Apple and the NHL coaches from several teams, Lehanski explained.
Rob Bendl
"A big part of the application development was the UX [user experience] that allows them to be able to call up the data that they want to see," Lehanski said. "The application needed to be able to provide customization and be able to do it in a way that's super turnkey so that they can pick it up and get what they want out of it right away."
In addition to being easy to use, the coaches' application needed to process large amounts of data and operate in real time. This was done using the SAP HANA database platform and SAP Cloud Platform, according to Rob Bendl, SAP vice president of strategic customers.
"What was important for the NHL was the ability to have this information available in a matter of seconds, and the data is pulled from the NHL statistics database, which is built on the SAP HANA database," Bendl said. "It uses SAP HANA Smart Data Integration, which allows you to grab data from HANA and pull it into SAP Cloud Platform."
Dig Deeper on SAP mobility software
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Manchester City F.C. plans to score with SAP Challenger Insights
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TSG 1899 Hoffenheim gets 'faster in the head' with SAP analytics
2020 Trends in Cloud Infrastructure –Dell Technologies
SAP Tennis Analytics serves up real-time statistics ... – SearchSAP
NHL puts 100 years of hockey history into SAP HANA ... – SearchSAP
Partnership with SAP powers NHL team statistics – SearchSAP
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Sarah Coomber
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School off the grid
Abandoning the local primary school was not part of our plan. But after watching our son spend a school year buffeted between his home room and various pullouts intended to bolster his speech, fine motor, reading, math and social skills, we — and he — had had enough.
To be clear, our public school team was well-meaning, but the more supports they arranged for our son, the more fragmented his days and his learning became. This for a kid who does not transition well. At all.
Several professionals, both inside and outside the school system, urged us to take a new tack. They suggested we request an instructional assistant, someone who would sit with our son and help him focus and rebuild his confidence for learning. At least for a few months. Maybe for a school year. We did some research, made our request, worked to build consensus and, roughly a year ago, were shot down.
“We want him to be an independent learner,” insisted the special services director.
Oh? Well, I want a pony. And world peace while we’re at it here, tossing pennies in the well.
That is when we knew for certain that a change of scenery was in order. We checked out a few options and enrolled our son in an independent K-8 day school about 20 miles from home. Set on a bucolic five acres, grassy fields and wetlands, flowers and trees, it had mixed-grade classrooms and student art covering every available surface. It offered no special services per se, but each student — whether ahead of the curve or behind it — was set up with the equivalent of an individualized education plan (IEP). After years of trying to “help” our son in a traditional venue, the school seemed like a much-needed break. I told friends and family, “We’re putting him out to pasture.”
But inside I worried, imagining things could go one of two ways: he might chill so far out that he’d drop farther behind; or the change of scenery might jump start his desire to learn.
In September our son joined a pack of 16 first and second graders and ever since has since been with them all day long, for math and reading and lunch and art and music and PE and Spanish and everything else. (Except standardized testing. Crazy school doesn’t spend weeks prepping for, giving and recovering from testing its early learners. Imagine that.)
Flash forward to the end of the school year. Our son loves his new school. He has made academic progress like never before. He spells. He reads. He does math. He creates beautiful art projects. He sings. He tells me things are “humongous,” and when I misunderstand, he tells me how it “actually” is. He plays on a soccer team with his classmates, adores his friends and greets their parents when he sees them. All this with zero — zero — pullouts. (I do not emphasize this to devalue what our public school educators were trying to accomplish. My point is, whether we’re talking shoes or education, one size does not fit all.)
Wednesday evening the school hosted a celebration marking the end of its monthlong homespun version of the winter Olympics. Divided into mixed-aged teams, students in the first-eighth grades had been competing in events like speed skating (on cardboard skates), cross-country skiing (with four team members strapped to one pair of long wooden skis) and running races. Points were being tallied and, at the end of the long night, the medalists would be announced.
Did I mention it was a long night? Potluck supper, various sporting events and general outdoor mayhem preceded a gathering in the gym for an “ice” dancing performance, songs and an awards ceremony. This after a day of school and, for our son, church choir practice. Sitting with friends just out of earshot from me, he was holding it together but was clearly drained and not paying much attention to anything. The bronze and silver medalists were announced, the crowd cheered, and the students on those teams ran to the front of the room to have medals placed around their necks and photos taken.
Then the gold-medal team was announced. Our son’s team! He showed no reaction, lost in thought.
Before I could get his attention, his teammates leaped up in excitement, and the two middle-schoolers on his team ran straight for our son, pulling him to his feet and to the front of the gym, where the entire room celebrated their winning the gold.
That’s right. Middle schoolers. Unprompted. Looked out for a little guy. Our little guy.
I am a world-class worrier, and exiting the public education superhighway has caused me more than my share of fears. Will we regret his missing out on speech therapy? Will his missing standardized tests now put him at a test-taking disadvantage later? Is this new school too artsy-fartsy, too far off the grid to be effective?
Today I answer myself with an unequivocal no. Those questions focus on the wrong topics. When I think of the progress our son and his classmates have made this school year, and I consider our new community — this crazy, diverse group of parents, teachers and students that cheers on and supports everyone’s kids, that grows middle schoolers who make sure to include the little schoolers — I want this to be the focus of everyone’s education: to give students the opportunity to celebrate learning, to teach children, and adults, to celebrate each other.
Sarah May 2, 2014 September 16, 2018 community, parenting, school
26 thoughts on “School off the grid”
Karen Babine says:
That’s amazing. I’m so happy it turned out so well!
Talitha says:
Wow is all I can say…
Thanks for reading, Talitha!
Great Job, Gooch! I’m so happy he’s back on the right track (even if it is with 3 others strapped to some wooden skis). 😉
Hah! I guess it does take 3 buddies (or more) to keep some of us grounded …
andria says:
Oh, Sarah, this brought tears to my eyes several times! I’m so unspeakably proud of D for all his momentous accomplishments this year, and so whole-heartedly proud of you and Jon for changing his school experience to a positive one, as I know first hand (and as a fellow world-class worrier) the trepidation that surrounds making a choice of that magnitude without any guarentees. You guys are rockstars, sister. Love you all!
You helped us see our path through this one, Andria. Thank you for all your love and support!
Sharon Hendrickson says:
What a journey! Thanks for sharing your journey as it may give ideas to many that don’t realize there are other options. Even though we are a public school family, we realize that we are there because it works for us. It doesn’t work for everyone. In fact, it may not always work for us and we just take it one year at a time.
Yes, Sharon! One year at a time. Exactly.
Hi Sarah, I was a student at your son’s school back in the day and I wanted to say that reading this was so touching! Reading the line about the middle schoolers looking out for your little guy made me tear up, because OF COURSE they would! When I was a middle schooler we LOVED the little ones! Gardner fosters such a beautiful community of multi-age learners that should really exist in more schools. Thank you for sharing your family’s experience!
Rose, thank you for reading and for your comment! I would love to hear how your experiences at Gardner affected your life path.
I started Gardner in 4th grade after homeschooling. Even at the time, I remember feeling supported in the transition into a classroom environment. I had Jackie Taylor for the next three years, and she was/is AMAZING! The close knit community at Gardner really helped me through losing a close family member. In fact, my best friend today was one of the girls in my fourth grade class!
Through the focus on the Multiple Intelligences I was able to explore my strengths and learn how to advocate for myself in the areas that I found more challenging. I feel like this really set me up to succeed throughout the rest of my education. I am just about to start my Masters in Elementary Education. I believe that my passion for teaching comes in part from the excellent role models that I had a Gardner!
What a lovely tribute to your time at Gardner (and Jackie!), Rose. Thank you for sharing this. All best to you in your graduate program. It’s exciting to know Gardner students like you will be going on to share the Gardner influence with their future students.
Thank you for bringing back such great memories of my boys years at The Gardner School. When we enrolled at Gardner our oldest son was in grade five but reading at a first grade level and this Tuesday he will be defending his doctoral dissertation! Granted he is a motivated learner, but his wonderful years of learning at The Gardner School gave him the skills needed to achieve so much. I wish continued success and joy for your son on his educational journey! (Hi Rose…from Andy’s mom).
Becky, thank you for sharing such an encouraging piece of your story — and congratulations to your son!
Wow, Sarah! Just to see this glimpse of where D is now is such an amazing blessing! It is wonderful to see him succeeding academically in so many areas, and even more so to have a place where he is “part of a family.” That is truly what we all need to be the best we can be. It feels SO wonderful as a mom to see your child in such a great school and doing so well. Sounds like you have found the perfect place for him to thrive. 🙂 A HUGE congratulations to you all!
Thank you, Sandi! You know the path we’ve walked to get here. 🙂
This school is amazing. Our niece teaches there and I just wish everyone in education knew her and would be able to see how she handles her classes. She is a gift to the education world. The teachers really care about the students and make life so interesting. The children educated at Gardner will always have a curiosity about the world and feel that they can “do it”.
Margaret, I agree! And I’m thankful for your niece and the other teachers and staff.
Sarah!! Can you please, pretty please, start one of those schools here??!!! 🙂
Beth, I wish there could be schools like this in every city.
Sharon Rawlette says:
I am so happy to read an educational success story! Congratulations on finding a place that works so well for your son.
Your brave unwillingness to accept the school system’s idea of what was best for him reminds me of the attitude of Kristine Barnett in her book about helping her autistic son, Nurturing Genius. I loved the book, and maybe you would, too, since you and Kristine seem to have such similar perspectives!
I appreciate the recommendation, Sharon, and will check it out. Thanks!
Pat Brandt says:
We are contemplating Gardner for our Grandchildren. Your story and the comments have really given us food for thought. How lucky we are to have Gardner so close by.
Pat, I wish you the best with your decision. We are so pleased we made the move to Gardner when we did. Now that we’re into summer vacation, I can see even more clearly how much our son has evolved. I give a lot of credit to the Gardner staff and environment.
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Eyes on the Street: New Bike Lanes, Road Diet on Folsom in the Mission
This post is supported by GJEL Accident Attorneys
Photo: ##https://twitter.com/DavidForer/status/388727060727742464/photo/1##David Forer/Twitter##
The Mission’s stretch of Folsom Street, between 19th and 24th Streets, just got safer with bike lanes and a road diet striped along with a road-repaving.
Formerly two general traffic lanes in each direction, the street now consists of one bike lane and one general lane on each side, resulting in a calmer environment and extending the northbound bike lane all the way from 24th to the Embarcadero (Folsom turns into a one-way street at 11th Street).
The redesign was approved back in spring 2011, and these improvements are intended to be “short term” measures in the Mission Streetscape Plan, laying the groundwork for the long-term construction of green medians, though that median space doesn’t appear to be included in the new layout (there’s only a double yellow line down the middle of the street). It could be that the geometry will be re-arranged again once the medians are constructed — we’ll check in with the SFMTA and Planning Department.
Additionally, this stretch of Folsom is set to get bus bulb-outs at six corners, and green wave traffic signal re-timing is set to go in on Folsom between 15th and 24th by next spring.
Filed Under: Bike Lanes, SFMTA, The Mission, Traffic Calming, GJEL
Folsom Street Road Diet Includes Bike Lanes, Bus Bulbs in the Mission
By Aaron Bialick | Feb 8, 2011
A redesign of Folsom Street in the Mission District aimed at calming motor traffic and improving conditions for walking and bicycling is one step closer to becoming a reality. A proposal to add bike lanes and bus bulbs is now on its way to the SFMTA Board of Directors. The street “was identified through the Eastern Neighborhoods process […]
SFMTA Stripes Bike Lanes on Folsom Street Connecting SoMa and the Mission
The SFMTA striped new bike lanes on Folsom Street between 13th and 19th Streets last week, creating a safer and more direct connection for bike commuters between SoMa and the Mission. The bike lanes, which came along with a road diet and street re-paving, were called for in the Mission Streetscape Plan. They provide a continuous connection […]
SFMTA to Widen Bike Lane, Remove Traffic Lane on Folsom in SoMa
By Aaron Bialick | Oct 1, 2013
The SFMTA will re-purpose a general traffic lane to widen and buffer the existing bike lane on Folsom Street between Fourth and 11th Streets by the end of the year, the agency announced today. The pilot project, which comes about six weeks after 24-year-old Amelie Le Moullac was killed on her bike by a truck […]
STREETSBLOG USA
Boulder’s Protected Bike Lane Removal Would Be Just the 4th Nationwide
By Michael Andersen | Sep 29, 2015
Michael Andersen blogs for The Green Lane Project, a PeopleForBikes program that helps U.S. cities build better bike lanes to create low-stress streets. Boulder, Colorado, will vote today on whether to become the fourth U.S. city to remove a modern protected bike lane. The others are Memphis, where a riverside project was removed this year after […]
Guest Commentary: Enough Delays, Valencia Street Needs a Protected Bike Lane This Year
By Kyle Grochmal | Sep 6, 2018
Bill Couch was riding his bike on Valencia Street, between 21st and 22nd, early on the morning of Tuesday, August 21, when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. “I fractured seven vertebrae, broke two ribs, my left thumb, and underwent a severe concussion,” he posted on Twitter a week after the crash, adding that […]
Bike Coalition Preps for Next Round of SoMa Fight
By Roger Rudick | Jun 5, 2017
There are now four design options for a San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA)'s project to add parking-protected bike lanes, possible transit lanes, and wider sidewalks on Howard and Folsom Streets in SoMa. All four of these designs are pretty darned good. All four have pretty good protected bike lanes.
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Tuxedo Share “2nd Time Around”
Paris Palcit March 2, 2017
Tuxedo, the joint project between Jake One and Mayer Hawthorne, recently shared their new single, “2nd Time Around.”The catchy, upbeat track comes with the... More...
Busy P Shares “Genie” Video feat. Mayer Hawthorne
Britta Traub February 22, 2017
Busy P has shared a music video for his track "Genie."The Ed Banger Records owner had Mayer Hawthorne throw down vocals for the track during Hawthorne's las... More...
Mayer Hawthorne Shares “Love Like That”
Tristan Banning February 18, 2016
Our favourite throwback crooner Mayer Hawthorne has just dropped a brand new single from his upcoming new album Man About Town.The track is titled "Love Like Th... More...
Mayer Hawthorne Shares “Cosmic Love”
It might not be Friday yet but we're feeling the love from Mayer Hawthorne, listening to his brand new track "Cosmic Love." Following his work as half of the ex... More...
Tuxedo Share “Holiday Love” Video
Kate Killet December 14, 2015
Hope you like fondue, cus this festive Tuxedo video is full of cheese. Earlier this year, the duo known as Tuxedo, made-up of Grammy-nominated renaissance man ... More...
45 Street Style Photos from Governors Ball Music Festival 2015, NY
Hawley Dunbar June 8, 2015
New Yorkers always find a way to elevate festival style, and last weekend at Governors Ball Music festival, they did just that. Despite the mud on days one and ... More...
Tuxedo Shares “Number One” Music Video
Andrew Millard March 12, 2015
Funk duo Tuxedo (Mayer Hawthorne and Jake One) have served some sunny visuals to “Number One”, their remake of Snoop Dogg’s classic hit, “Ain’t No Fun”. Their... More...
Tuxedo (Mayer Hawthorne and Jake One) “Wonderful Christmastime”
Hawley Dunbar December 10, 2014
Incase you haven't heard Mayer Hawthorne and Jake One have joined forces for a new super group called Tuxedo. They released a funky new video for their origin... More...
Mayer Hawthorne “Reach Out Richard” Music Video
Tristan Banning December 13, 2013
One of our favourite singers Mayer Hawthorne drops the official video for his single “Reach Out Richard” from his Where Does This Door Go album. The video wa... More...
Mayer Hawthorne “Reach Out Richard” produced by Pharrell Williams
Our favourite R&B singer, Mayer Hawthorne has dropped a brand new track from his upcoming album Where Does This Door Go. The new single is titled “Reach O... More...
Mayer Hawthorne “Her Favorite Song” featuring Jessie Ware
Oh wow! This just happened. Our favourite Mo-Town revivalist turned soulful R&B singer Mayer Hawthorne drops a brand new single featuring none other than ... More...
Mayer Hawthorne “Designer Drug”
Tristan Banning April 5, 2013
Our favourite soul singer and Ann Arbor, Michigan native Mayer Hawthorne is back with a brand new track, “Designer Drug.” Featuring production by Jake One, ... More...
Life + Times presents Stones Throw ‘On the Road’
Tristan Banning February 1, 2013
Life+Times spends some time with the legendary Los Angeles-based hip-hop label Stones Throw, from its beginnings with the late Charizma to South African new k... More...
The Stepkids at Drake Underground in Toronto
Rebecca Wilson October 29, 2012
We sent our husband and wife duo to see The Stepkids in Toronto last night at the Drake Underground, here are their thoughts: Becca: Since seeing The Stepkid... More...
Pharrell Williams, Jay-Z & Frank Ocean in the Studio
Tristan Banning October 10, 2012
It looks like Pharrell has been spending a lot of time in the studio recently. Yesterday we showed you a candid picture with Mayer Hawthorne and today we ha... More...
Pharrell Williams & Mayer Hawthorne in the Studio
Tristan Banning October 9, 2012
Our favourite soulful crooner Mayer Hawthorne recently spent some time with renaissance man Pharrell Williams in the studio. ... More...
Video: Mayer Hawthorne x Flud Collaboration LA Release Party
Tristan Banning June 1, 2012
Yesterday we presented you with the unique FLuD x Mayer Hawthorne "TABLETURNS" collaboration timepiece. ... More...
The FLuD x Mayer Hawthorne “TABLETURNS” Timepiece
For the Spring 2012 season, NYC-based FLuD Watches has released a pretty slick collaboration with singer, song writer, and producer Mayer Hawthorne. ... More...
Live Music: Mayer Hawthorne & The Stepkids at The Hoxton in Toronto
Rebecca Wilson May 29, 2012
For a couple of crazy kids in love, there's no better date night than seeing the master of romance, Mayer Hawthorne. It was a balmy Friday evening in Toronto,... More...
Music Video: Mayer Hawthorne “The Walk (Remix)” featuring Rizzle Kicks
Tristan Banning May 8, 2012
Our favourite modern crooner, Mayer Hawthorne recently spent some time overseas in Europe and while there recorded a remix to his track "The Walk". ... More...
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National Association of the Deaf
Deaf History That — “Deaf Soldiers”
silentgrapevine October 27, 2017
NADvlogsFri, October 27, 2017 5:28pm URL:
[Video description can be found below. If you use a screen reader and need to access the caption file transcript, go to “More…” and click on “Transcript”]
Our last video of #deafhistoryTHAT series brings us way back to the Civil War. Were deaf people involved in the Civil War? You bet! #deafhistoryTHAT #ASLstories
VIDEO DESCRIPTION AND TRANSCRIPT: Linsay Darnall, Jr. is sitting on the ground, in front of a tent. There is a night lamp to the left of Linsay. On the right is a campfire. A small transparent NAD logo appears on bottom right.
LINSAY: During the American Civil War, 1861-1865, many deaf schools in the north remained open and continued to teach the students. However, in the south, the deaf schools were closed because the teachers joined the armies to fight in the war. This prompted the superintendents to close the schools for the duration of the war. I wanted to share about deaf people who enlisted in the army. One of whom I’d like to talk about is George Fischer who came from a large sea-faring family. He joined the Navy and during the war he lost his hearing. The Navy decided to place him on shore duty where he remained till the end of the war. Another soldier named Henry Clay Adams rode with John Singleton Mosby in Virginia where he was involved in the campaigns. One day, Henry was riding on his horse and was ambushed by the U.S. Cavalry when they gave chase. Henry was shot in the back and in two weeks, he passed away. So maybe we think that deaf people did not have any part in the war, this is not true. Deaf people were very involved in various aspects and that led to the creation of many legends. Stories like these help us understand how deaf people have contributed to the American Civil War.
Video cuts to same grey background with white text “This video series is made possible by the Emanuel “Manny” Golden Visual History Fund.” In smaller text on the bottom, “National Association of the Deaf © 2016 All Rights Reserved”
silentgrapevine
SG Mission: to serve our viewers by providing reliable, valuable, and important Deaf community oriented information in every newcast.
silentgrapevine.com
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Gardening Jobs To Do In January
It’s been a very strange year weather-wise. December saw unusually high temperatures throwing everything out of order. People reporting…
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Typically February is the coldest month of the year. However, this year in the UK has been totally opposite of the norm. With temperatures bouncing between -4 and 12 degrees C, we don’t…
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March is the month where things really kick-off. You start to sow a lot of seeds, plant early potatoes, and it’s generally when the days get noticeably longer. It marks…
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It’s June. The chances are that you are spending most of your spare time around the garden this month. It’s a time where the nights are longer, typically not getting…
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It’s July. This is all-out war as far as gardening goes. There are tons to do, and tonnes to harvest. Here is where we reap the benefits and produce starts to land…
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PayU announces plan to merge LazyPay and PaySense
Mumbai, India, January 10, 2020: PayU’s consumer lending business LazyPay and PaySense, India’s fastest growing digital credit platform, have today announced the plans to merge their business operations to build a full-stack digital lending platform in India. PayU will acquire a controlling stake in PaySense and all its assets at a valuation of $185 million. Additionally, PayU will inject a total of up to $200M in the new enterprise in the form of equity capital; $65M of the total amount will be immediately invested, while the balance corpus will be infused in the next 24 months to grow the loan book.
This planned merger is aligned with PayU’s long term vision of orchestrating a fintech ecosystem in India by partnering with the right companies and offering multiple financial services. The combination will bring together two highly complementary companies, each with an excellent reputation in the alternative lending space. PayU’s understanding of consumer backgrounds and insights into their purchase behaviour and affluence levels from its payment gateway business, and LazyPay’s deep experience in driving customer acquisition and engagement combined with PaySense’s strong analytics, tech & risk management capabilities will enable the combined entity to serve more of the new-to-credit Indian population.
While India’s banked population has more than doubled since 2011 to over 80%, credit bureau coverage is still limited. BCG research shows that India’s digital lending market represents a $1 trillion opportunity over the next five years[1].
PayU’s unified digital credit platform will enable third parties such as banks, NBFCs and alternate lenders to co-lend and grow assets and will also enable borrowers to access credit when and where they need it in a digital and seamless way. The joint team will combine its complementary assets, capabilities and talented teams with the goal of making access to credit quick, seamless and widely available for the underserved in India and drive higher customer satisfaction.
Siddhartha Jajodia, Global Head of Credit, PayU commented, “Technology has the power to completely transform people’s access to financial services and the credit market in India is ripe for further digital disruption. This merger is the next step in our journey as we accelerate our vision for credit in India. We’re delighted to welcome Prashanth and his experienced team as we integrate this fast-growing business and build a full-stack digital lending platform aligned with PayU’s overall plan of orchestrating a broader fintech ecosystem in the region.
Prashanth Ranganathan, Founder and CEO, PaySense added, “Providing more Indian consumers with access to credit is crucial to helping individuals grow and succeed. PayU is a natural partner for us as we both strive to make finance more simple, accessible and transparent. We’re excited to start bringing our personal loan product to more consumers throughout India and truly democratise credit.”
Sayali Karanjkar, Co-founder, PaySense said, “We continue to witness the massively untapped market potential for short-term collateral-free loans among the digitally savvy aspirational youth. Our endeavor is to facilitate easy digital credit options for this new-to-credit segment and support their ambitions. Both PayU and PaySense believe in leveraging the enormous potential of technology to unlock credit and financial services for vastly underserved consumers in India and this merger reflects our allied vision of delivering financial freedom to all.”
As a part of the deal, Prashanth Ranganathan, currently PaySense CEO will lead PayU’s credit business in India as the CEO of the new enterprise. Prashanth will continue to retain a stake in the merged enterprise, while all the other investors and shareholders will exit. PaySense’s strong management team of seasoned technology and fintech experts will also become part of the PayU’s credit team, adding value to the combined business.
A Prosus group company PayU is the payments and fintech business of Prosus, a global consumer internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world. Operating and investing globally in markets with long-term growth potential, Prosus builds leading consumer internet companies that empower people and enrich communities. Prosus has a primary listing on Euronext Amsterdam (AEX:PRX) and a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (XJSE:PRX), and is majority owned by Naspers. For more information on Prosus and its companies and investments, please visit www.prosus.com
About PaySense
PaySense is a digital consumer lending platform that provides consumers with easy access to affordable short-term loans. It leapfrogs the traditional lending channels by using intelligent data science that enables better risk-profiling of borrowers and brings consumers with no credit tracks or established credit history into the mainstream. Incorporated in Mumbai, India, in 2015, PaySense has an AUM (assets under management) in excess of Rs. 500 crores. It has over 5.5 Mn registered customers with loan disbursement of over Rs. 1,100 Crores. PaySense has a physical footprint across over 50+ cities across India through its online channel and mobile application. For more information, please visit: https://www.gopaysense.com/
For further details please contact:
Dimple Mehta | 9560916670 Dimple.mehta@payu.in
Shaili Arjani| 9920616783 shailij@alphabetconsulting.com
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This New Plane Seat Looks Horrifying. It’s Also a Great Idea.
By Tyler Lopez
The parallelepipedal alternative.
At first glance, it would seem that Airbus is busy conjuring new ways to torment coach-class airline passengers. The aircraft manufacturer recently filed a patent application that would further reduce the amount of space between seats on an airplane, allowing airlines to cram more passengers than ever into economy class. The new “seating device,” which looks like a cross between a bicycle seat and an office chair, is mercifully designed for use in short-haul flights; as the Los Angeles Times pointed out, “it has no tray table, no headrest, and very little legroom.” Brian Fung of the Washington Post jokingly described it as a “medieval torture device.” Many commenters expressed similar revulsion, swapping horror stories from various flights gone wrong.
But not everything about the Airbus proposal is bad. In its patent application, Airbus helpfully acknowledges that “it is no longer possible to further reduce the seating width, particularly in economy class.” In other words, your terrible seatmate digging his elbow into your ribcage will not be enabled to dig any harder by his new bicycle seat. But passenger width isn’t the only conundrum that airlines face today. Airbus also addresses the pesky issue of legroom, stating, “it is difficult to further reduce [the] distance between the seats because of the increase in the average size of the passengers.” Tall people, that means you.
Current seating configurations are particularly painful for long-legged individuals, who shockingly don’t quite fit into a space designed to provide the bare minimum wriggle room possible for a person of average leg length. Even if you do fit, chances are the passenger in front of you will fully recline into the already-bruised flesh of your knees, igniting a murderous rage. At 6’4’’, I speak from experience: Shorter people have it easy when it comes to some forms of mass transit. What exactly are taller individuals (in this case meaning anyone above the average U.S. male height of 5’9’’) supposed to do with their knees? Put them in overhead bins? For many of us, the only answer is shelling out extra cash for exit-row or economy-plus seats, which are harder to come by.
Even in an exit-row seat, the foam-and-metal slabs we are accustomed to today are horrible: a 31-inch seat-pitch (a normal allotment for a seated person, butt-to-knee) is an insult to the vertically gifted passenger. In contrast, Airbus’ new seating “makes it possible to raise the seating further by comparison with the aircraft seats with a parallelepipedal seating.” Parallelepipedal refers to the three-dimensional parallelogram of despair in which today’s economy class passengers are confined. (It’s also satisfying to say aloud.) In turn, the patent explains how the height-adjustable seat “enables each passenger to adapt the seating height to his or her morphology, and this avoids providing an excessive necessary distance for passengers of large size by avoiding having them seated too low.” Much as bicycle seats and office chairs may be adjusted for height, seating that allows for height adjustment might spare tall passengers the indignity of clown-car situations.
And parallelepipedal seating isn’t exactly good for anyone’s posture, anyway. A flat rectangle of foam may look comfier than a saddle seat, but it does a number on your lower back. While the new seating looks Spartan, it simply provides support where it is most needed: the lumbar region. Similarly, the “motorcycle-saddle” style seat better supports the buttocks, even swiveling to provide rotational mobility in the lower back.
In order to reassure anxious travelers desperately clinging to what little space they have, a company spokeswoman emphasized the conceptual nature of the patent. A patent merely establishes the idea as Airbus’ intellectual property: something to build upon, tinker with, and improve before eventual implementation. (Seatbelts, for example, are probably a necessary step.) The new seats aren’t perfect, but they’re on the right path. And for the airlines, fitting more economy-class passengers on each flight helps keep prices down while still protecting the significant revenue stream from business and first-class tickets. For those of us who happen to be tall, the simple concept of a height-adjustable seat offers sweet relief in the skies.
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WAR, WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?, 2011
THE SHE TEMPLE, 2005
A LOVELY ENTRAPMENT, 2008
OLD MAYAN PINK, 2011
WOMEN WAR & PEACE, 2011
HEART PORTRAIT, 2000
HOME SWEET HOME, 2008
PINK BIRDS OF PARADISE, 2010
WELCOME TO HEAVEN, 2005
RANDY SANDY, 2005
+ INQUIRE ABOUT WORK
+ BIO
Lady Pink (born Sandra Fabara, Ambato, Ecuador, 1964) is a graffiti and mural artist based in New York City. Nicknamed the “first lady of graffiti” because she was one of the first women active in the early 1980s subway graffiti subculture. Sandra Fabara was raised in Queens. She started her graffiti writing career in 1979 following the loss of a boyfriend who had been sent to live in Puerto Rico after he had been arrested. She exorcised her grief by tagging her boyfriend’s name across New York City. Soon after she started tagging the name Lady Pink, derived from her love of historical romances. Within a few years LADY PINK began running with TC5 (The Cool 5) and TPA (The Public Animals) graffiti crews. Lady Pink painted New York City Subway trains from 1979 to 1985. In 1983, she starred in the lead role in the film Wild Style and collaborated with Jenny Holzer. Her pieces are in the collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Brooklyn Museum and the Groningen Museum of the Netherlands.
BAMBI | JENNIFER BARTLETT | JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT | JIM DINE | RODNEY ALAN GREENBLATT | KEITH HARING | ROBERT INDIANA | ANISH KAPOOR | ALEX KATZ | LADY PINK | ROY LICHTENSTEIN | NEIL LEIFER | ROBERT LONGO | BURTON MORRIS | TAKASHI MURAKAMI | ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG | JAMES ROSENQUIST | RICH SIMMONS | RINGO STARR | DONALD SULTAN | ANDY WARHOL | TOM WESSELMANN | CHRISTOPHER WOOL
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Inspekto wins Red Herring Top 100 Europe Award
Lanna Deamer
Expected time to read 2 min
On 29th April, 2020, the Red Herring judging panel announced the winners of its competitive Top 100 Europe Award. Inspekto, the German-Israeli company founder of the Autonomous Machine Vision category, was one of the companies to receive the prestigious recognition, which celebrates the achievements of visionary enterprises and their potential to revolutionise their respective industries.
The judges were impressed with Inspekto’s approach to industrial machine vision inspection, rapid growth, and renowned customers.
The Red Herring Top 100 Award recognises the potential of top private companies to revolutionise their respective sectors. The competition is fierce - in 2020, approximately 1,200 companies entered the award in the European region.
In the past, Red Herring’s editors were among the first to recognise that companies such as Alibaba, Facebook, Google, Skype, Spotify, Twitter, and YouTube would change the way we live and work.
Inspekto was selected thanks to the impact that its product, the INSPEKTO S70, is having on machine vision for quality inspection. According to the company, the INSPEKTO S70 is the world’s first standalone and generic product for Quality Assurance (QA). It can be installed autonomously by end-customers in about 30 minutes, without relying on a systems integrator or a machine vision expert. That is because the product is self-learning, self-setting and self-adjusting - in other words, fully autonomous.
In bringing the INSPEKTO S70 to manufacturing plants in every sector and geography, Inspekto has reinvented industrial vision inspection and developed exactly what the market needs. For the first time, QA managers are given control of their vision inspection solution - thus having full control of their production line.
While being affordable and immediate to install, each INSPEKTO S70 deployed carries a dramatic impact on productivity and profitability.
“The INSPEKTO S70 is not just the next step in the natural evolution of vision inspection technology - it marks the beginning of a completely new era for this sector,” explained Harel Boren, CEO and Co-founder of Inspekto. “Unlike traditional vision inspection projects, the INSPEKTO S70 is a standalone product. This puts the end user at the forefront by enabling independent and immediate installation.”
“The INSPEKTO S70 employees three unique AI engines working in tandem within one generic product. It is ready to go in minutes, straight out of the box. Autonomous Machine Vision is currently an uncontested market space, since no other companies can offer products even remotely similar in terms of autonomy and immediacy of installation,” added Yonatan Hyatt, CTO and Co-founder of Inspekto.
“In 2020, selecting the top achievers was by no means a small feat,” added Alex Vieux, Publisher and CEO of Red Herring. “But after much thought, we narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates from across Europe to the Top 100 Winners. We believe Inspekto embodies the vision, drive and innovation that define a successful entrepreneurial venture. Inspekto should be proud of its accomplishment, as the competition was very strong.”
With its disruptive technology, Inspekto is determined to dominate the multi-billion-dollar vision inspection market, converting every single plant across industries and geographies to Autonomous Machine Vision.
To book a free demo of the INSPEKTO S70 on your production line and join Inspekto’s rapidly expanding customer base, e-mail zohark@inspekto.com.
Startup Details
TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT €5.3M
CB RANK (COMPANY)
https://inspekto.com/
Inspekto
Inspekto is a German industrial company with Israeli DNA, introducing the new Autonomous Machine Vision Category.
Headquarters Regions
Harel Boren
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Some Notes on the Packers
So it is clear that this season was a disappointment for the Packers. Of course in Wisconsin anytime the Packers don’t win the Super Bowl would be considered a disappointment. A lot has happened this season and change is on the horizon. Here are some interesting takes on the Packers and where things are heading.
Body Language was Key:
I noticed this years ago and it came to a head this year. Rodgers was not showing the body language of a true leader. Ever notice that after a 3 and out or when the offense is on the sideline that Rodgers is never talking with his wide receive rs? He is never pumping up the receiving core and will sit by himself. One thing we can notice this season is that Rodgers does NOT like playing with young receivers. Yes, Rodgers’ talent is great and he makes any receiver around him look good, but when they make a mistake he gives them a death stare. He will do this even when he is the one making a bad throw. Rodgers is the captain and supposed to lead the offense. This year, however, his body language did not show leadership. If he did not look good he appeared defeated. Whether is was him or the receivers it is the leaders’ job to get things back on track and get back in the win column. It may not be all Rodgers’ fault, but his body language showed defeat in week 1 and he was never able to turn the ship around.
One Weapon:
On the receiving side of things, Davante Adams was the one and only weapon. Jimmy Graham looked like a big waste of money. Through week 16, Adams is the 2nd most targeted receiver in the NFL only training Julio Jones by 2. In addition, Adams is 2nd in the NFL in percentage of targets on the team being targeted 32.11% of the time. Almost one third of the time did Rodgers throw his way. In the past 5 seasons there was always at least 2 receivers at over 15% targeted with many of the seasons being 3 receivers above that mark. This was the first season without Jordy Nelson which clearly made and impact, but there is no reason that one of the other young receivers could have been utilized more.
Rushing should have more utilized:
Through week 16 the Packers are tied for last in rushing attempts. Meanwhile during his playing time, Aaron Jones led the league in yards per attempt with 5.5 yds/att. What would have been the harm? Aside from Adams, Rodgers did not like throwing to anyone else resulting in the most throw-aways in the league. Weeks 8 through 14 Jones averaged 14 rushes per game averaging 5.42 yds/att. The rush game was working well while the air game was struggling to get going. They should have played to the strength at the time.
The Defense:
Well it could be worse. Dom Capers could still be the coordinator. The Packers ranked in the middle of the NFL in many categories. Rating a defense on yards allowed is not valid in my opinion anymore because with the officiating favoring offense, the yards has been up this year compared to others. In expected points contributed by all defense via Pro-Football reference, the Packers ranked 21st in the NFL. In Turnover Percentage (TO%) they ranked 26th. The Bears were an absolute machine on defense topping the league in many of the categories. Khalil Mack has made an incredible impacting which has made the Bears a playoff contender. A bright spot on the Packers defense is Blake Martinez who ranked top 10 in the league for 2 straight seasons in tackles. He will be the defensive bright spot for years to come.
Special Teams:
Not good. Get a new kicker. He missed 5 field goals/extra points in a single game. Nuf said.
First priority is to hire a new coach. Philbin will not be that guy. The new coach has to be tough enough to not be bossed around by Rodgers. With Rodgers becoming uncoachable, a guy the Jim Harbough would be a perfect fit but that seems unlikely at this point. Body language will need to improve next season starting with Rodgers. More receivers will need to be involved in the passing game and the run game needs to have a bigger role. Rodgers is an all-time talent and so far there is only 1 Super Bowl to show for it. There is a reason Brady goes to the Super Bowl nearly every season and Rodgers doesn’t. Brady is a better leader and takes advantage of ALL his weapons. Rodgers needs to return to being a humble player and start showing that he wants to win a Super Bowl. Sometimes greatness requires sacrifice. That is what Rodgers needs to realize.
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10 Year Challenge Wisconsin Sports Edition
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Vintage Bicycles - Peugeot - Eroica Bicycles
Short info about Peugeot
Founder: Jean Pequignot Peugeot
Foundation Year: 1882
Website: www.peugeot.com
Information about Peugeot
Peugeot is one of the big veterans when it comes to vintage bicycles. Jean Pequignot Peugeot was a Frenchman who built watermills. He also made steel works and in 1882 he made the first bicycle, a handmade high-wheeler. The Peugeot steel work became very useful. During the first world war they produced 63 000 bicycles per year and 10 000 plane engines! Peugeot was keen to draw attention to their classic racing bicycles and as a result they started to sponsor riders. In 1896 Paul Bourillon became world sprint champion in Copenhagen on a Peugeot bike. In 1905 Peugeot got their first Tour de France winner: Louis Trousselier.
Peugeot's cycling success
In the following years Peugeot won the Tour de France a total of ten times, a record no other team has beaten. Peugeot and their rival Mercier wanted to stay in the Tour game, but in the mid 1980s it became very expensive. Pascal Simon and the Peugeot factory team's hunt for the yellow shirt was over. The Peugeot classic racing bicycles were not solely Peugeot manufacture. The frames often came from small, independent craftsmen. But whilst most other teams used the popular and well-known Campagnolo series from Italy, Peugeot preferred classic French parts. The standard were Stronglight crank sets, Simplex dérailleurs, and Mafac brakes.
Peugeot's vintage bicycles
Peugeot made many lines of vintage bicycles, but one of the most popular ones is the PX-10. It was ridden by Tom Simpson, Eddy Merkx and Bernard Thevent. The PX-10 was in production from 1953 to 1990, but when the PX-10 was introduced in 1975, it took over for the PX as the most popular racing bicycle from Peugeot.
Complete Bicycle
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Peugeot 0 items
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#STRecruiting: Update on 6-9 forward Langston Wilson
By Phil Kornblut / September 17, 2020 September 17, 2020 / Recruiting / Leave a Comment
Langston Wilson
6-9 Langston Wilson of Georgia Highlands JC in Rome, GA remains very busy with his recruiting as he also goes thru preparations for the upcoming season. He did a Zoom session with Alabama coaches Wednesday, one of numerous zooms and virtual visits he’s had with coaching staffs in pursuit of him. That would include USC with remains very much in the mix with assistant coach Will Bailey leading the effort.
“I’ve been talking to Coach Bailey pretty consistently and I’ll text Coach (Frank) Martin here and there,” Wilson said. “We have the type of relationship we don’t have to talk every single day. We know where we stand with each other and I’m comfortable with them and that program. I’ve been talking to every school pretty consistently. A lot of people have started to ramp up their recruiting because they’ve finished up their recruiting for their other classes. A lot of schools have been in contact more as more kids are making their decisions. A lot of schools have been ramping up their recruiting and things like that.”
Along with USC and Alabama, Wilson said some of the other schools picking up their recruiting efforts with him are Oregon, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, West Virginia, Murray State and Kansas.
One advantage for the Gamecocks with Wilson is his longstanding relationship with Bailey which dates back to when Bailey was at Saint Louis and first started recruiting him. Wilson said their conversations have moved beyond basketball and the normal recruiting pitches.
“When we talk it’s not so much about basketball but life stuff,” Wilson said. “He’ll ask how my development is going and what I’m doing and how everything is going. Not anything really new.”
Wilson said he has not yet formulated a list of favorites, and he’s not yet decided if he’ll sign in November or wait until the spring.
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'Red Rag' to Europe: Varoufakis Greek Finance Minister No More
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201507061024289282/
Greece’s chief negotiator, a renowned economist and an outstanding politician, Yanis Varoufakis announced a surprise resignation on Monday a day after the referendum, in which the Greeks said a resolute "No" to creditors’ ultimatum.
ATHENS (Sputnik), Gennady Melnik – He is replaced by Euclid Tsakalotos, Alternate Foreign Minister for International and Economic Relations, who had headed Greece's negotiation team in talks with the creditors.
"Soon after the announcement of the referendum results, I was made aware of a certain preference by some Eurogroup participants, and assorted ‘partners’, for my… ‘absence’ from its meetings; an idea that the Prime Minister judged to be potentially helpful to him in reaching an agreement. For this reason I am leaving the Ministry of Finance today," Varoufakis said in a statement titled "Minister No More!"
Annoyance Removed
Varoufakis was like a red rag to the European finance ministers. He annoyed them by not hiding his thoughts. He openly criticized the Eurogroup, which, in his opinion, is only good for approving official documents and is unable to "forge" its own decisions.
© AFP 2020 / ANDREAS SOLARO
Greek Finance Minister Varoufakis Resigns: 'I Shall Wear Creditors' Loathing With Pride'
His first meeting with Eurogroup’s head Jeroen Dijsselbloem ended in an argument, when Dijsselbloem confronted his Greek counterpart with a dilemma — accept the memorandum or the program will collapse, which will involve a clear threat of banks’ closure.
In response, the Greek minister said at a joint press conference that the three officials representing the creditors would no longer call the shots in Greece. Back then, Varoufakis and Dijsselbloem even refused to share an elevator ride.
Two days before the referendum, a senior source in Greece’s Finance Ministry (clearly acting on Varoufakis’ orders) said that Dijsselbloem does not understand what the Eurogroup chairman’s role is all about and is constantly getting in an argument with the Greek minister instead of trying to overcome differences and reduce tensions. The Eurozone deserves a better chairman, the source said.
Shortly before that, Varoufakis said it will be possible to reach an agreement within 48 hours if the sides decide so.
Undoubtedly, Varoufakis’ resignation will help the negotiations move forward. It will help the European ministers to reach a sought-by-Greece compromise "with honor."
Certainly, this is a clear signal to the negotiations partners: "Greece stays in the euro area; it takes a step toward you and expects you to do the same."
Greek Bruce Willis
© REUTERS / Dimitris Michalakis
Varoufakis Resignation is a Result of European Pressure – Greek Politician
With an open smile, laid-back demeanor, sharp answers, untucked shirt, a backpack and a motor bike, the 54-year-old Varoufakis became the icon of the new left-wing government.
He is an economist, a professor, a blogger, a polemicist and a crisis analyst.
His advent on the political scene fueled the even greater interest in Greece after a radical change in its politics. The new Greek finance minister was in stark contrast to his colleagues. Clearly, for them he was an outsider, as he flew to meet with them in economy class carrying a backpack.
Describing Varoufakis’ first meeting with British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Guardian’s social correspondent noted that Osborne was wearing a custom-made suit and a tie, whereas the Greek Minister sported a bright blue untucked shirt, while his hands were in the pockets of a leather jacket. Parka is good for drug traffickers in Manchester of the 1990s or patrons of the pubs, but not for the participants in the state-level meetings, the reporter said.
As a matter of fact, all of that served to boost Varoufakis’ popularity. Dozens of journalists flocked to him upon spotting him in the streets. He became known as a "rock 'n' roll minister," "the pop star of the government," and a sex symbol. "All Greek women are in love with him," the German press wrote. The Thessaloniki bars started offering "Varou-funky" cocktails.
He was not afraid to enter into debates not only with the ministers. Several months ago, tavern patrons in Athens’ Exarchia district witnessed Varoufakis having an argument with dozens of anarchists — in fact, mere bullies — who demanded that he "leave the neighborhood."
"However, the anger of these people and their violent actions should not be a cause for brutal reprisals," Varoufakis then said.
Who is Varoufakis?
© AFP 2020 / Louisa Gouliamaki
Varoufakis Resignation May Mean Greece Ready for New Proposals - German MP
A brilliant scholar and a professor of economics at the Athens University, an author of several books, Varoufakis was called to save the Greek economy from a deep financial, banking and economic crisis, where it was led by its respectable negotiations partners.
The son of a researcher, Varoufakis received excellent education. Renowned philologist Petros Moralis was among his teachers. He studied math and economics at the University of Essex and Birmingham upon recommendation by former Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou.
After graduation, he taught at Cambridge, Sydney and Glasgow universities, as well as at the University of Athens. Varoufakis was a visiting economist at the renowned Valve Corporation, where he was engaged in studies of the virtual economy, exchange rates and trade deficits. His interests included Bitcoin, the virtual currency, which he opposed.
Under him, the Finance Ministry and then the government refused to sign a settlement agreement with Siemens providing for paying 90 million euro (about $100 million) in damages for a loss of at least 2 billion euro following a corruption scandal. Moreover, the government has launched an investigation into bribes from Mercedes.
"We don’t believe that growth is all about the number of Porsche Cayennes on our roads," he said. After these words, the media began to look into how many luxury cars and when were imported into Greece.
Varoufakis did not hide his views on policies in the eurozone. His numerous articles and interviews in recent days have clearly influenced the public opinion not only in Greece but also in Europe. "Ninety percent of lenders to Greece went to the banks, including the German ones," Varoufakis wrote in a German newspaper.
"The euro zone moves in a mysterious way" he wrote in an Irish newspaper. "Momentous decisions are rubber-stamped by finance ministers who remain in the dark on the details, while unelected officials of mighty institutions are locked into one-sided negotiations with a solitary government-in-distress."
Varoufakis recognized the government’s mistakes during the talks: "We are not professionals in this area."
Varoufakis promised to resign if the Greeks say "yes" to lenders’ requirements during the referendum. However, he resigned after a clear victory — at the creditors’ request, not to interfere with the negotiations.
"This requirement by the creditors is an honor for me," Varoufakis said. In the English version, which his former colleagues from the Eurogroup will read, the statement sounds harsher: "I shall wear the creditors' loathing with pride."
Describing the actions of the Eurogroup and the international lenders, Varoufakis said that "there’s a name to what they are doing to Greece – it is terrorism."
Varoufakis’ plans are not known. Clearly, he won’t stay unemployed for long.
The views and opinions expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
Greek Finance Minister Varoufakis Resigns, and Here is Why
debt talks, resignation, Eurozone, Yanis Varoufakis, Greece
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Russian Arms Company Produces Long-Range Precision Weapons Unique in Its Class
© Photo : Vitaly V. Kuzmin
https://cdn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105184/07/1051840725_0:91:2250:1357_1200x675_80_0_0_01ccee61e5fe8d1520b39c3351c2b534.jpg
https://sputniknews.com/military/201703221051843975-russian-arms-company-produces-unique-weapons/
Lobaev Arms is a company formed by Tsar-Cannon, the leading Russian manufacturer of highly accurate long range sniper rifles, unique in its class. Sputnik spoke with Vladimir Lobaev, chief designer and founder of Lobaev Arms.
© Sputnik / Ruslan Krivobok
'Second to None': Why Vietnam Prefers Russian Weapons to Their Foreign Analogues
On their official website Lobaev Arms claims to be delivering the best weapons in the world. The weapons combine the “best Western technology and good old Russian reliability and foolproof design” which results in unsurpassed precision, range and functionality.
From the start of production in 2005, the weapons have won many prizes at international and national shooting championship, including the most technology demanding – bench rest shooting. The company has also supplied the United Arab Emirates’ Army with its weapons.
In an interview with Sputnik Vladimir Lobaev said that at first the company created weapons almost exclusively for point-blank bench rest shooting and a few for ultra-long-range firing but over time the market began to dictate diversification towards hunting and tactical models.
Following EU sanctions, the market for imported weapons in Russia was successfully “cleaned out” and Lobaev Arms like other domestic producers did not fail to take advantage of that.
“Our main specialization has always been high-precision weapons with a long range of fire and the results achieved have given us the right to call it the best. These are gold and silver medals of the world and European championships, world records on the range of fire and the results of state comparative tests,” Lobaev said.
© Sputnik / Dmitriy Vinogradov
Russian Shield: Nukes Still Priority, High-Precision Weapons' Potential to Quadruple by 2021
Right at the start of the company’s existence receiving a license for weapons production wasn’t an easy task, but the company managed to achieve it and started production in Tarusa, in the Russian district of Kaluzhskaya.
While in the Emirates, Lobaev Arms developed about 23 models of weapons, but only a few of them entered the series. The most popular ones were the TSR-30 and 40, the KS-11 in 408 Cheytac and the CR-50 in.50 BMG.
“Although there are analogues in the world but not with respect to range and accuracy of the shooting. As for the SAR self-loading rifle developed in 408 Cheytac, it can be said with certainty that there were no analogues and there are none now,” the chief designer said.
Recently the company started creating something similar in Russia — self-loading rifles, the 408 CT and the 338 LM, but they are structurally quite different from the Emirates model.
Lobaev Arms weapons are used in many fields and one of them is in hunting. Many hunters hunt with high-precision weapons, even with tactical weapons. The hunt for marmots is quite popular; there is also ultra-long-distance hunting for larger beasts, mountain hunting, etc.
Other customers of Lobaev Arms are various power structures such as the police and the military. Long-range and ultra-heavy rifles are acquired mainly for sniper units.
“Now we practically do not manufacture weapons on an individual order because of the constant build-up of the series, that is, we simply do not have enough time for that.”
Currently the company is dealing with vast export requests and appeals from different countries and continents, as well as from numerous CIS countries. There are countries with which Lobaev Arms has a long-standing and reliable relationship although due to confidentiality contracts their names aren’t disclosed.
© AFP 2020 / Noel CELIS / POOL
Manila Eager to Sign Military Agreement With Moscow, Eyes Russian Weapons
According to the chief designer, arms sales in Russia are reliably controlled by an internal Russian licensing system and the same goes for its export: if a weapon does not need to go to a particular country or an organization, export documents will simply not be signed.
On the official page of the company there is mention of a development of new types of weapons, for example, weapons based on new physical principles. According to some experts, this is the future of the military and according to some reports, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov has already spoken about the need to include such weapons in the state program by 2025.
“For new projects, a separate company was created called Lobaev Robotics, specializing, as the name suggests, in robotics and weapon projects related to electronics: smart targeting, complexes and systems that are not developed in the traditional armory,” Lobaev told Sputnik.
He further said that if the company manages to realize their ideas and such a probability really exists, it will radically change the picture on the battlefield.
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technological edge, assault rifles, high demand, weapons supplies, interview, export, Lobaev Arms Company, Russia
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Sun Sounds of AZ director speaks to Breakfast Lions
Brian Curry
When Andrea Pasquale, the director of Sun Sounds of Arizona, came to speak at the monthly meeting of the Sun Lakes Breakfast Lions Club, it would be fair to say that none of the members knew of her program which is a radio reading and information service for people who cannot read.
“Lions Clubs internationally were charged by no less than Helen Keller to become ‘Knights of the blind, in the crusade against darkness,’ so we were very happy to hear about Sun Sounds,” said SLBLC President Brian Curry.
Founded in 1979, Sun Sounds offers free programs for the blind or visually impaired 24/7 serving 49,000 listeners with over 10,000 hours of programs produced every year from the daily newspaper to the weekly supermarket ads. Served by 400 volunteers who read over 200 publications, it opens the world to those without sight or struggling with sight issues due to a variety of medical issues.
Those who are Sun Sound listeners can use special radios at no charge to listen to programs that they want while those in assisted living facilities and hospital receive broadcasts on bedside televisions. Other ways it can be accessed are on their website which features their live feed where you can also download individual shows on demand. They also have a phone app for smartphone users.
SLBLC members were impressed with Ms. Pasquale’s presentation and made a donation on the spot in honor of one of their members who has vision problems due to the after-effects of a stroke and promised to get the word out about the great work Sun Sounds of Arizona does.
Want to learn more about them and the free programs they offer? Look for them on the net at www.sunsounds.org, on Facebook at Sun Sounds of Arizona or call them at their nearest office in Tempe at 480-774-8300.
← Sun Lakes Rotarian of the Month for April
Breakfast Lions donate to Cardon Children’s Center →
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