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by Paul Lilly — Thursday, October 17, 2013, 10:30 AM EDT
Ubuntu 13.10 ‘Saucy Salamander’ Released to the Wild
Looking for a change of scenery on your desktop? Want to see what all the fuss is over Linux? New and seasoned vets alike are invited to download and install Ubuntu 13.10 for desktop (and smartphone), Canonical's latest version of its open source operating system. According to Canonical, Ubuntu 13.10, or Saucy Salamander, is Ubuntu's first true mobile release with a streamlined core OS and mobile user interface designed for device convergence. In other words, it's the Windows 8/8.1 of Linux.
"This is a milestone in computing history," said Rick Spencer, who leads Ubuntu’s consumer-facing engineering. "The exact same Ubuntu OS runs on ARM phones and modern HP Moonshot ARM servers, and provides exactly the same capability as x86 platforms. Ubuntu 13.10 is a full server-grade OS that offers a mobile experience and is lean enough to support mobile devices, kicking off a new era in mobile security and computing convergence."
Canonical claims it's working with partners to introduce Ubuntu smartphone devices to market sometime next year. In the meantime, the desktop version is there for the taking. It introduces a new Linux kernal (version 3.11) to improve performance and lower power consumption, along with an enhanced Unity shell that now supports augmented search capabilities.
Firefox 24 remains the default browser in Ubuntu 13.10, though eventually Canonical is planning to swap it out for Chromium. Other apps that come pre-installed include Thunderbird (email), LibreOffice (productivity suite), Brasero (optical burning utility), Shotwell (photo management), and Rhythmbox (music player).
For those of you already looking ahead, the first beta for Ubuntu 14.04 is expected to launch on March 27, 2014, followed by a final release on April 17, 2014.
Tags: Linux, Software, Canonical, Ubuntu 13.10, Saucy Salamander
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Industry Tips
11 Real Estate Tech Products We Loved In 2020
Justin Malonson
Have suggestions for products that you’d like to see reviewed by our real estate technology expert? Email Craig Rowe.
2020, well, that was something.
With all the challenges this year presented, it seemed like it would never end. Yet, amidst the chaos and unpredictable upheaval that was 2020, real estate managed to plow on.
And plow on it did, to the tune of record sales volumes in markets nationwide, powered in part by innovative ways to conduct business online. From fully digital deals to better social marketing, real estate technology providers upped their game big time.
Demonstrating creativity in addressing industry needs, finding new ways to make older tech better and most efficiently simplifying complicated real estate business processes — here are the top 11 products of 2020.
Verse is an automated lead engagement and nurturing service.
The solution is both bot- and human-powered and two-way, meaning that conversations held in Verse will also end up back in that lead’s profile in your CRM.
The software works like TripIt. It scrapes your inbox for notifications and pulls them into its dashboard, parsing and sorting the names and details. It then launches the appropriate follow-up campaign.
Preclose Go is an app for coordinating customer closing experiences.
Throughout Preclose, there’s a colorful, well-designed UX that minimizes the clinical nature of the business process it’s driving. It’s very mobile-influenced, light and approachable.
The company is also establishing relationships with some notable transaction tech, one of which is dotloop.
Preclose’s founder and CEO Rebecca Guthrie and her team are looking to transform how transaction coordination is defined, aiming to elevate a deal step long considered administrative. Yet, coordinators handle vital business intelligence and represent their brokerages to the public at a home sale’s most emotional juncture.
WyzeGuide gives agents a suite of tools for analyzing homebuying and selling scenarios, and helping clients make sound financial decisions.
WyzeGuide (formerly known as OfferBarn) took a major industry concern — iBuyers — and shed gleaming, detoxifying sunlight on their financial ins and outs, letting agents and their clients know how they compare to what the open market has to offer.
Recently updated, WyzeGyde now bores into seller-focused comparative financials, becoming a tool for transparent, dynamic Net Sheets, with some marketing value-adds to boot. Listing agents can work alongside their sellers to help them understand, dollar by dollar, how to best leverage their largest asset, and it never loses sight of what matters most to the seller: the bottom line.
Endpoint is digital title and escrow software for all parties affiliated with the closing process.
The app is the handheld offspring of a joint effort between First American and Boston Consulting Group’s venture capital branch.
It eschews clinical, document-driven experiences common in other emerging e-closing products in favor of a transparent, consumer-facing look and feel. Buyers get the most value out of Endpoint — and rightly so because every time a deal goes well for them, it’s a reflection on their agent.
Endpoint closed on a funding round of $40 million in November.
RelayThat automates the creation and makes easy the publication of all forms of digital real estate collateral.
Like others in its ilk, RelayThat allows non-designers to create everything from Facebook page covers to trifold prints and even posts tailor-made for Reddit. An account includes an immense stock image library, more fonts than you’ll need and some sharp productivity features that make it worth your creative consideration.
RelayThat will soon launch its enterprise-level offering as an appeal to the branding teams at large national brokerages and is in talks with more than 200 boards and big-name CRMs.
Studeo is software that creates multimedia digital storybooks for listings, teams, and brokerages.
Studeo makes listing presentations, homes for sale, agents, teams, brokerages — or whatever you want to market about your business — not just to stand out from the crowd but also rise well above it.
The company’s primary product is called a “storybook,” an online brochure, for lack of a better description. Each page turn reveals another chapter and is able to host video, high-resolution images, cinemagraphs, text and other forms of visual information you need to tell your tale.
Rebranded from SquadVoice, Auctm is a data services platform helping real estate brokerages better leverage CRM data and leads.
Auctm, a five-star rated app, wants the industry to know it’s not a lead generation company unless you consider pulling “left-for-dead” contacts from your CRM a form of lead generation. The company’s AI drags a CRM with a multileveled net of lead-analysis metrics to resurface and resuscitate drowned leads.
The company uses a network of home-office professionals (inside sales agent) onboarded directly by the company and trained on how best to set appointments quickly. Plus, the software matches the best ISA for each lead, providing them scripts and recommended methods of outreach or “omnichannel.”
EyeSpy360 is a 360-degree imaging and virtual tour provider.
EyeSpy360 can host eight tour participants. It’s also not designed to be live, but multiple parties can log in via its Live feature and jointly view, discuss and control a listing.
EyeSpy360 produces crisp dollhouse views with ceiling views and room measurements, as well as dynamic floor plans and exterior shots. What helps this platform stand out among its competition (which is growing by the day) is its on-screen dynamic labeling of home features.
Throughout the tour, interactive hotspots can open up descriptive copy, pictures, links to outside resources and video files.
NestEgg is a rental management platform for owner-operator landlords and small property management companies.
NestEgg can do as little or as much as the landlord needs it to do. But given its super-sharp user experience and engaging, streamlined functionality, there’s little reason not to engage it to its fullest.
New properties can be entered into the software in about 90 seconds, once familiar with the software. Lease details are narrowed down to the most critical: rent amount, due date, duration, start date, and fees or deposits (parking, pets, etc.).
The software can handle all aspects of leasing, including advertising vacancies with photos and ad copy and credit checks and application comparisons. The company will find and pay a local real estate agent to assist where needed. It uses official state (or custom) leases and charges only a month’s rent to handle it all.
(Review pending publication.)
Emerza is a technology company that creates virtual real estate environments for commercial and residential developers, and leasing and sales offices.
Emerza’s data-enriched, real estate and community visualization platform creates living, breathing development solutions. Its realistic, immersive models reveal what life will be like when an entirely new mixed-use community is built down the street or what home models will look like in a proposed 1,000-home subdivision.
In short, if you need to know what a single-family home or a 50,000-acre commercial, industrial center will look and act like, Imerza can do it. This is an incredibly powerful software offering with outstanding long-term potential for the industry.
AgentFire is a tiered website creation and marketing solution for real estate companies.
AgentFire sits in a unique lane on the web marketing freeway. It’s ultimately a web design company, but it’s created a highly flexible model with easy-to-add site marketing features that sets them apart from what the industry might know.
I think AgentFire’s selection of value-add tech is an ideal way for agents early in their career to establish a credible web presence that can easily scale in sophistication as their business does. AgentFire staff writes online guidebooks on topics such as selling during a divorce and relocating or on whatever else you might want to build a lead-capture effort.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Craig C. Rowe started in commercial real estate at the dawn of the dot-com boom, helping an array of commercial real estate companies fortify their online presence and analyze internal software decisions. He now helps agents with technology decisions and marketing through reviewing software and tech for Inman.
IDX Real Estate
Justin Malonson is the Founder of LyfeLoop a 16+ year tech innovator, investigative media researcher and host of the Freedom Not Control Podcast live on Voice America. Justin is a highly sought-after tech entrepreneur, industry speaker and winner of the coveted Business Achievement Awards “Top Digital Marketer” award. With 16+ years of demanding experience, Justin has worked with over 3,000 businesses including amazing clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Sotheby’s International Realty, Duke University, White House Black Market,Tiffin Motorhomes, Bass Pro Shops and Beazer Homes USA.
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Justin Malonson is the Founder of LyfeLoop a 16+ year tech innovator, investigative media researcher and host of the Freedom Not Control Podcast live on Voice America. Justin is a highly sought-after tech entrepreneur, industry speaker and winner of the coveted Business Achievement Awards "Top Digital Marketer" award. With 16+ years of demanding experience, Justin has worked with over 3,000 businesses including amazing clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Sotheby's International Realty, Duke University, White House Black Market,Tiffin Motorhomes, Bass Pro Shops and Beazer Homes USA.
EstateIDXIDX GlobalLovedproductsRealtech
4 Growth Strategies From A Financial Adviser's Playbook
How Homeowners Can Get More From Their Solar Investment
IDX Global
Discover the new real estate technology trends from idxglobal.com. We cover the latest real estate technology news on tools, tips, gadgets, conferences, and more.
Copyright © 2020 — IDX Global. All Rights Reserved
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Ultimate Guide to Apple's New Emojis | iGotOffer
Apple Apps & SoftwareApple News & History
Ultimate Guide to Apple’s New Emojis
Main Site → Blog → Apple Apps & Software → Ultimate Guide to Apple’s New Emojis
Ultimate Guide to Apple’s New Emojis Coming to Your iPhone
Who doesn’t love emojis? We all do, right, even if we um don’t admit it publicly. In fact, emojis aren’t just about being cute or adding personality to our online communications — studies show that emojis make us better communicators.
The main drawback is that what’s available is somewhat limited, but that is changing fast. In fact, the new iphone emojis update will be arriving soon. What can you expect?
New iPhone Emojis
Apple will be adding new emojis to its iOS, macOS, and watchOS platforms. The new emojis are more culturally diverse (a Muslim woman in a headscarf), New Agey (a yogi and a bearded hipster), and include more animals (Zebra and T-Rex), mythical creatures (Star-Struck), and fantasy-themed icons (Zombie, Elf, and Genie.) Other emojis will include a breastfeeding mom, Sandwich and Coconut (hungry yet?), Exploding Head, Crazy Face, Face with Monocle, and yes, an exploding head smiley face.
So what’s the back story for the new Apple emojis? They are essentially Apple’s interpretation of the Unicode 10 standards, which recently added 56 new emojis to the collection. New emojis are created by the Unicode Consortium, a nonprofit group that votes on the new symbols and decides which make the cut. It is then up to companies like Apple and Google to interpret the symbols and turn them into the emojis that we count on to give our messages a shot of personality.
When will new Apple emojis be released?
Apple hasn’t said when the new emoji will be released, but it seems likely that the new iPhone emojis update will be integrated into the iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra updates scheduled for this fall, very possibly in September.
With the new iPhone emojis, which are available on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, there are now many ways to add personality to every message.
We can’t imagine a better way to see the new emojis than with Apple’s new iPhone 8, which is going to be a very big deal when it’s released next month (or so the speculation goes.) The iPhone 8, designed to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, is expected to feature a design and style that is radically different from any iPhone we’ve seen in the past three years.
If you’re worried about the price tag, don’t fret – simply sell your old iPhone to iGotOffer.com for a cash payout, and you’re go to go.
September is going to be a great month! With a new collection of emojis and – fingers crossed – the release of the iPhone 8, you can start expressing yourself like the Rock Star that you are!
Trade in your used electronics for top cash now!
How Android is Bridging the iPhone Emoji Gap
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3 Ways to Make Money Fast For a New iPhone 8
Steve Job’s Theatre and Apple Park
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Al ingresar en este sitio web, usted autoriza el uso de tecnologías, como cookies o analítica, para personalizar contenido, anuncios publicitarios y funciones relacionadas con redes sociales. Se utilizarán para analizar el tráfico del sitio a fin de entender las preferencias de los usuarios y mejorar nuestros servicios. Lea más
Bienvenido a la base de datos de DIH consuetudinario, disponible en:
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2. Practica\Section C
2. Practica
2. Practica(current)
Peru (current)
Norma 29 (current)
Uso de armas prohibidas
Prohibición de ciertos tipos de minas terrestres
Section C (current)
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Practice Relating to Rule 29. Medical Transports
Section C. Respect for and protection of hospital ships
Peru’s IHL Manual (2004) states:
Military hospital ships, that is to say, ships built or equipped by the Powers specially and solely with a view to assisting the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, to treating them and to transporting them, may in no circumstances be attacked or captured, but shall at all times be respected and protected, on condition that their names and descriptions have been notified to the parties to the conflict ten days before those ships are employed.
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial Nº 1394-2004-DE/CCFFAA/CDIH-FFAA, Lima, 1 December 2004, § 157.f; see also §§ 87.a and b, 129.a.(1) and 172.h.
The manual further states:
(1) The exemption from attack of a hospital ship may cease only by reason of a breach of a condition of exemption and, in such a case, only after due warning has been given naming in all appropriate cases a reasonable time limit to discharge itself of the cause endangering its exemption, and after such warning has remained unheeded.
(2) If after due warning a hospital ship persists in breaking a condition of its exemption, it renders itself liable to capture and other necessary measures to enforce compliance.
(3) A hospital ship may only be attacked as a last resort if:
(a) diversion or capture is not feasible;
(b) no other method is available for exercising military control;
(c) the circumstances of non-compliance are sufficiently grave that the hospital ship has become, or may be reasonably assumed to be, a military objective;
(d) the collateral casualties or damage will not be disproportionate to the military advantage gained or expected.
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial Nº 1394-2004-DE/CCFFAA/CDIH-FFAA, Lima, 1 December 2004, § 129.c.
The manual also states: “The names and descriptions of hospital ships must be notified to the parties to the conflict. Hospital ships and coastal rescue craft can be ordered to stop, move away or follow a certain route.”
Peru’s IHL and Human Rights Manual (2010) states:
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario y Derechos Humanos para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial No. 049-2010/DE/VPD, Lima, 21 May 2010, § 148(f), p. 335; see also pp. 396–397.
The manual also states:
The following categories of enemy ships may not be attacked:
(1) Hospital ships.
(2) Coastal rescue craft and other means of medical transport.
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario y Derechos Humanos para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial No. 049-2010/DE/VPD, Lima, 21 May 2010, § 120(a)(1)–(2), p. 310.
b. Conditions for immunity
… [Hospital ships] only enjoy immunity from attack if:
(1) They act in a way consistent with their usual activities.
(2) They submit to identification and inspection as requested.
(3) They do not intentionally obstruct the movement of combatants and obey orders to stop or move away as requested.
c. Loss of immunity
(1) The immunity of a hospital ship from attacks may only cease if it does not comply with any of the conditions for immunity and, if this is the case, it shall not cease until after due warning has been given, naming, in all appropriate cases, a reasonable time limit to discharge itself of the cause endangering its immunity [from attack], and after such warning has remained unheeded.
Peru, Manual de Derecho Internacional Humanitario y Derechos Humanos para las Fuerzas Armadas, Resolución Ministerial No. 049-2010/DE/VPD, Lima, 21 May 2010, § 120(b)–(c)(1), p. 310.
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December 14Breaking News: COVID ON CAMPUS
Irvington News
Humans of Irvington High
The Irvington Voice
Sports Improv Show Leaves the Audience Wheezing with Laughter
(Chiarra Sorci and Taylor Sternberg perform “A Day in the Life” for the audience)
Akshita Nair, Staff Writer
Hosted and performed by the ComedySportz® group based in San Jose, the comedy improv show on November 2 in Valhalla featured a variety of games and skits that left the crowd practically breathless with laughter. The tickets were sold for $10 and the funds went straight to the Irvington athletics department.
The show was not a comedy show based on sports, but as host Jeff Kramer said, “improv comedy as a sport.” The show featured the host and four other members including: Chiarra Sorci, Joe Schneider, Brandon Karleen, and Taylor Sternberg. In the show, the host was the “referee” for the teams, who were dressed in sports jerseys and split into two teams-red and blue—set to compete against each other. The teams were competing for the most amount of points, and to win these points, the two groups engaged in several unique games.
These games often required the audience’s participation in games like “A Day in the Life”, where an audience member would describe the events of a particular day in their life and the team members would have to act it out without faltering, or risk losing the point. Another game called “Forward and Reverse” required the members to act out a situation described by one of the audience members, but as soon as the referee blew his whistle then they would have to reverse the act and recite the exact lines and perform the actions backwards perfectly without hesitation. This provided a nice alternative to typical comedy shows, where most of the performance is scripted as opposed to this , where all the events are determined by the audience and what they decide to do with the cast.
“We think of what activities we are going to do beforehand, because it’s a challenge when we are in the field,” said Taylor Sternberg, who’s been part of the show for nineteen years. “The trick is to pick the ideas that will keep the audience interested and be easy to understand [to appreciate].”
ComedySportz® was started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has since then grown into a global organization. They also offer classes to the public to get them into the world of improv and often donate a lot of their earnings to charities and fundraisers every year.
“I think that generally, it is important to understand the temperature of the audience and to keep the fever going. And I mean, even if your audience sucks, you’re still out there doing it,” said Stenberg when asked talking about the initial challenges in performing in comedy bits.
With every show being different and customizable to any crowd, the skit gave a fresh new take on comedy. An undoubtedly funny and clever performance, the comedy improv show conducted by the ComedySportz® San Jose group gave an audience a spectacular and memorable show.
Akshita Nair, Entertainment editor
Akshita (12) is an entertainment editor for her second year in The Voice. Her favorite part of being on The Voice staff is writing articles and the free food.You can usually find her reading fantasy books or watching tv shows instead of doing her actual work. If you mention Hamilton, certain book titles, or her dog, she will never stop talking. So don’t do that.
FUSD Plans Reopening Amidst Rising COVID-19 Cases
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Breaking News: COVID ON CAMPUS (Updated 12/14, 5pm)
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FUSD Allocates Remaining Budget as the Year Comes to an End
A Conversation With: ASG Presidential Candidates, 2020-2021
A Conversation With: ASG Vice Presidential Candidates, 2020-2021
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Shawn Mendes’ Wonder Proves to Be Wonderful
Canvas: A Touching Short Film
Borat 2: Very Nice!
Freaky is Really Freaking Entertaining
Over the Moon Shoots for the Stars
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Positions: Tries to be Great but keeps Switchin’ Up
Peer Into American Murder: The Family Next Door
Bet You Wanna Listen to Blackpink’s Latest Album
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Killer Mike responds to Run The Jewels Grammys snub: “Fux whoever ain’t fuck with us”
Killer Mike has responded to Run The Jewels not receiving a single nod in the 2021 Grammy Awards nominations list.
The rap duo made up of Killer Mike and El-P missed out in Tuesday’s (November 24) nominations, having released their fourth album ‘RTJ4’ in June this year.
While many expected them to at least get a nomination in the Best Rap Album category, instead that honour went to the likes of Nas, Royce Da 5’9″, Jay Electronica, D Smoke and Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist.
“I wanna congratulate every brother that made this list with their raw rapping ass!” Killer Mike said on Instagram yesterday (November 25). He then added: “Best of luck to these brothers (Real Emcee Shit) but fux whoever ain’t fuck with us (Lames). See ya’ll for #RTJ 5”
In a since deleted tweet, El-P wrote: “(insert impressively classy and gracious but still recognizing of complete snub tweet here).”
A post shared by Killer Mike (@killermike)
Meanwhile, The Weeknd has called out the Grammys after he failed to receive any nominations for the forthcoming awards for his latest album, ‘After Hours’.
In a tweet posted yesterday (November 25), The Weeknd – aka Abel Makkonen Tesfaye – said the Grammys “remain corrupt” and that the organisation “owe me, my fans and the industry transparency”.
Justin Bieber has taken exception to the ‘pop’ categorisation of his latest album ‘Changes’, writing: “‘Changes’ was and is an R&B album. It is not being acknowledged as an R&B album which is very strange to me.”
Teyana Taylor is also unhappy with the Grammys, citing the all-male list for R&B album, and saying “all I see is dick in this category”.
Elsewhere, The Killers mocked Donald Trump‘s refusal to concede defeat in the U.S. presidential election, after failing to secure a single nod in the Grammy nominations.
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hotmailentrarlogin.info
What Are The 3 Body Planes?
What plane is a squat in?
What is a body axis?
What plane of motion is a chest fly?
What are the 3 axis of the body?
What are the body planes and sections?
What planes and Axis go together?
What is a coronal section?
What is a plane PE?
What plane of motion is a bench press?
How many planes are in the human body?
Is dorsal a top or bottom?
What are the major body cavities?
Is bench press a transverse plane?
What muscles are used in push ups?
What are the 3 planes of movement?
What exercise should be performed first?
Which plane goes with which axis?
How many cavities does the human body have?
How do you remember the plane body?
Sagittal plane – a vertical plane that divides the body into left and right sides.
Flexion and extension types of movement occur in this plane, eg kicking a football, chest pass in netball, walking, jumping, squatting.
Frontal plane – passes from side to side and divides the body into the front and back..
An imaginary longitudinal LINE through the vertical center of the body (head to feet) or one of its parts, or a LINE about which the body or a part rotates. development of the body in vertebrates and most other animals occurs in a nearly symmetrical fashion around the body axis.
The chest fly or pectoral fly (abbreviated to pec fly) primarily works the pectoralis major muscles to move the arms horizontally forward. If medially (internally) rotated, it is assisted in this by the anterior (front) head of the deltoideus in transverse flexion.
Just as there are three planes of motion, there are three axes of rotation: the anterior-posterior axis, the mediolateral axis, and the longitudinal axis. Joints rotate in these axes, allowing movement to occur in the planes.
Planes of the Body Coronal Plane (Frontal Plane) – A vertical plane running from side to side; divides the body or any of its parts into anterior and posterior portions. Sagittal Plane (Lateral Plane) – A vertical plane running from front to back; divides the body or any of its parts into right and left sides.
There are three axes of rotation. The sagital axis passes horizontally from posterior to anterior and is formed by the intersection of the sagital and transverse planes. The frontal axis passes horizontally from left to right and is formed by the intersection of the frontal and transverse planes.
A coronal plane (also known as the frontal plane) is any vertical plane that divides the body into ventral and dorsal (belly and back) sections. It is one of the three main planes of the body used to describe the location of body parts in relation to each other.axis.
A plane is an imaginary flat surface running through the body. An axis is an imaginary line at right angles to the plane, about which the body rotates or spins.
Sagittal PlaneSagittal Plane Walking, running, bench presses, squats, deadlifts, rows, pull-downs, etc. are all sagittal plane movements as well. We may spend most of our lives in this plane of motion, but it’s not a bad thing to program these exercises regularly.
threeAnatomical Planes in a Human: There are three basic planes in zoological anatomy: sagittal, coronal, and transverse. A human in the anatomical position, can be described using a coordinate system with the Z-axis going from front to back, the X-axis going from left to right, and the Y-axis going from up to down.
The dorsal (from Latin dorsum ‘back’) surface of an organism refers to the back, or upper side, of an organism. If talking about the skull, the dorsal side is the top. The ventral (from Latin venter ‘belly’) surface refers to the front, or lower side, of an organism.
Humans have four body cavities: (1) the dorsal body cavity that encloses the brain and spinal cord; (2) the thoracic cavity that encloses the heart and lungs; (3) the abdominal cavity that encloses most of the digestive organs and kidneys; and (4) the pelvic cavity that encloses the bladder and reproductive organs.
So a bench press (facing up), a chest press machine (facing forward), and a push-up (facing down) are all in the same plane (transverse). If you’re doing the same action, regardless of what position you’re facing, then the plane is the same. Not all movements take place within one plane.
In the standard pushup, the following muscles are targeted:chest muscles, or pectorals.shoulders, or deltoids.back of your arms, or triceps.abdominals.the “wing” muscles directly under your armpit, called the serratus anterior.
The three planes of motion are the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes. Sagittal Plane: Cuts the body into left and right halves. Forward and backward movements. Frontal Plane: Cuts the body into front and back halves.
The anatomical planes are four imaginary flat surfaces or planes that pass through the body in the anatomical position. They are the median plane, sagittal planes, coronal (frontal) planes and horizontal (transverse) planes (figure 2).
In other words, the area that you want to work the most or have the greatest focus on should be done first in your exercise session. Thus, if your greatest focus is to work the chest, then do chest exercises first.
Sagittal axis runs through the body horizontally from the left to right. Frontal axis runs through the body horizontally from the back to front. Movement in the sagittal plane about the frontal axis allows for front somersaults/forward roll.
The human body has two main body cavities. The first, the ventral cavity, is a large cavity which sits ventrally to the spine and includes all the organs from your pelvis to your throat.
Anatomical planes in a human:median or sagittal plane.a parasagittal plane.frontal or coronal plane.transverse or axial plane.
Divides the body into front and back. You can remember it by thinking of a tiara-syle crown (corona), which is heavily decorated on the front and bare in the back. sagittal plane: Its reference is to the long axis of the body. Divides body into left and right (the sagittal view is the side view of the body).
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Gillis Named Chair of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering
inBiomedical Biological and Chemical Engineering, Faculty, Neuroengineering
Kevin D. Gillis
Professor Kevin Gillis was named department chair for Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering (BBCE) at the College of Engineering by Interim Dean Noah Manring. His role as department chair began Oct. 1, 2020. Gillis served as the department’s interim chair for about a year prior to being named chair.
Gillis has many previous leadership roles and experiences to rely upon moving forward as department chair. This includes being the chair of faculty search committees, the Engineering Policy Committee, and a Columbia-based robotics team named Army Ants.
“I learned a surprising amount about community engagement and leadership while running Army Ants,” Gillis said. “This group is a fairly large and complex high school robotics team that is part of the outreach mission of MU.”
Gillis wants the department to continue growing its reputation for quality and innovation in teaching and research. Additionally, he plans to seek input from faculty and other stakeholders to develop a departmental strategic plan that will set specific goals.
He also wants to the department to continue seeking interdisciplinary research projects with other campus units.
“There are opportunities within food science and watershed modeling with the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources,” Gillis said, “Opportunities also lie in cardiovascular research initiatives, sustainable energy and strengthening our ties with the MU Research Reactor.”
The current research strengths of the department, according to Gillis, would blend well with collaborative research projects within the College of Engineering as well. These strengths include:
Food process engineering.
Materials for energy production, conversion and storage.
Water resource planning and materials for water treatment.
Bio-material and bio-device interfaces.
Regenerative medicine.
Neuroengineering
About Gillis
Neuroengineering is how Gillis broadly describes his research area. Neuroengineering is the use of engineering tools to better understand the brain and treat neurological disorders. His technical focuses are biomedical engineering, electrophysiology and bio-micro electro-mechanical systems (BioMEMS).
“I have been working with faculty in the BBCE department and across campus to pursue collaborations and funding opportunities in this area (neuroengineering),” Gillis said. “Both neuroengineering and cardiovascular engineering fit well within the NextGen Precision Health Initiative on campus with the School of Medicine.”
Gillis earned a BA from St. Louis University, while earning a BS, MS and DSc from Washington University in St. Louis. He has a joint appointment in the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology at the MU School of Medicine. He also is an investigator at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center and is the director of the campus Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program.
Visit the Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering’s webpage for information about programs and current faculty.
BBCEFaculty appointmentsKevin Gillis
Ma Named MAE Chair
Maurer Named Director of Information Technology Program
Engineering Students Earn S.T.A.R. Certificate
Lee Wins Outstanding Poster Award at American Physical Society Annual Meeting
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What is the grammatical term for “‑ed” words like these?
In English we say things like:
a calibrated device
a distributed product
a founded company
a destroyed house
Those ‑ed words there all signify that some verb (here respectively calibrate, distribute, found, or destroy) has been “done onto” the noun that follows it. What is the term for this grammatical device? Or, what is a single term for something having been done unto X as a characteristic of that X?
Assuming that we’re talking only about words that derive from verbs and used with nouns here like my examples all do, can that grammatical term you’ve chosen also be applied to any sorts of words that do not end in ‑ed, and are there any sorts of words that do end in ‑ed which this grammatical term would not apply equally to?
single-word-requests syntactic-analysis parts-of-speech inflectional-morphology grammatical-roles
@user22542, "to run" or "to jump" is also an "action", but it is not something that is "done onto a NOUN". – user56834 Mar 24 '19 at 11:40
I’m not entirely sure what you’re asking here. What ‘device’ are you referring to, exactly? The words you highlight are all adjectives, more specifically past participles of verbs. Is that what you’re looking for (because if so, I’d say that was off-topic here as being easily findable in general references)? If not, please edit your question to make it clearer what exactly it is you’re after. – Janus Bahs Jacquet Mar 24 '19 at 11:41
Alas, when a verb form, eg, functions as an adjective there are a dozen different terms used to describe it, most more confusing than elucidating. – Hot Licks Mar 24 '19 at 12:11
Reminder to everyone: answer in answers, not in comments. Comments are for asking for clarification or suggesting improvements to the question. – V2Blast Mar 25 '19 at 4:23
They are called the Past Participle. They can either be formed by adding the suffix ed
or be an irregular such as: eat-> eaten -> fight -> fought (not to be confused with The Past Simple which is simply the verb of past simple tenses clauses.
They can be many things in English.
just to name a few:
an adjective
the perfect module verbs
Uhtred RagnarssonUhtred Ragnarsson
What’s a “perfect module verb”? – tchrist♦ Mar 24 '19 at 15:19
Though '-ed forms' are traditionally termed 'Past Participles' they have nothing to do with Grammar Tenses. That's why I would call them 'Passive Participles'. – user307254 Mar 24 '19 at 16:13
@user307254 Also, past participles do not have anything to do with passive voice, necessarily, as in I have seen it.. In addition the term "passive participle" is not really common. – rexkogitans Mar 24 '19 at 17:57
@RMac Did you misinterpret my comment? – rexkogitans Mar 24 '19 at 21:47
@rexkogitans Yes, I did. It was the first word "also" and my toddler distracting me that did it. :) Apologies, I will delete my comment. But I do agree with you that "perfect participle" is not a good term due to its rarity and also inaccuracy. "Perfect" is a word used to describe other things in grammar, and it doesn't make sense to use it here. – R Mac Mar 24 '19 at 22:02
In English, a verb that is used as an adjective to describe a noun is called a participle. See UhtredRagnarsson's answer.
A participle is a word formed from a verb, usually by adding -d, -ed, or -ing.
There are two kinds of participle in English, as follows:
The present participle
The past participle
Participles are used [...] as adjectives.
[see article for other uses]
There is, however, a different term used to describe verbs when the action of the verb is performed on/to/at/etc. something. That term is transitive verb.
transitive verb is one that is used with an object: a noun, phrase, or pronoun that refers to the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. In the following sentences, admire, maintain, face, and love are transitive verbs:
I admire your courage.
We need to maintain product quality.
I couldn’t face him today.
She loves animals.
R MacR Mac
It's worth noting that transitive verbs are often made into past participles, like in the examples given in the question. Those are still past participles. There is no word to differentiate transitive participles from intransitive participles or from transitive verbs used where the object of the verb is not relevant to the meaning the participle is used to convey (and therefore is omitted from the use of the participle). – R Mac Mar 24 '19 at 19:20
The -ed in all of your examples is a past-participle suffix. A past participle is not a derived form: rather, it is an inflected form of a verb (assuming you accept the distinction between derivation and inflection as grammatical processes in English). Most past participles end in -ed, but some end in -(e)n instead (like beaten) and some don't end in either -ed or -(e)n (like stood or hurt). The past participle can have a passive meaning, so it can also be called a "passive participle". In the context of English, "past participle" and "passive participle" refer to the same verb form.
But not all words ending in -ed are verb forms. Words belonging to other parts of speech can be derived from past participles. I think the most common type of derivation is past participle → adjective. Since verbs and adjectives are distinct parts of speech, it's best not to refer to such adjectives as "participles": instead, they can be called departicipial adjectives (a synonymous term is "participial adjectives"), which lets us reserve the term participle for the inflected form of the verb. That said, it's not always possible to figure out whether a word is a participle or a departicipial adjective.
Here are some common texts for finding out whether a word is an adjective or a verb:
Can it be preceded by very? If so, it's an adjective. This test doesn't give positive results for me for any of your phrases. (But note that this test only works one way: it can't tell you that a word isn't an adjective. There are some adjectives that can't be preceded by very.)
Can it be preceded by carefully? If so, it's a verb. For me, this test indicates that the -ed words in all of your examples could be verbs.
Can you add the prefix un- (with the sense of "not", not with a sense of reversal)? If so, it's probably an adjective. For me, this test indicates that calibrated at least can be an adjective (since we certainly can say "an uncalibrated device"). The situation is less clear for distributed, destroyed and founded. There are dictionary entries for undistributed and undestroyed, but "an undistributed product" and "an undestroyed house" both sound a bit weird to me. Unfounded clearly exists as the negation of a different sense of the word founded, but *"an unfounded company" doesn't seem acceptable to me.
There are other possible tests, but I can't describe all of them. Some sources suggest that word order might be relevant, but I believe this is a mistaken view, so I haven't included this as a test.
I think I've made it clear from what I've said above that there are many words ending in -ed that are not past participles/passive participles. (Most obviously, many past-tense verb forms end in -ed, but they are definitely not participles.)
herissonherisson
Right: ideas can be unfounded, but probably not companies. – tchrist♦ Mar 24 '19 at 22:45
This is a very good answer. At the risk of making things harder than they need be, I cannot help but wonder whether it also applies to such things as hard-boiled eggs with hard-set egg yolks, hard-bound books, hand-drawn illustrations, horse-drawn carriages, hard-handed despots, hard-bitten veterans, hard-nosed detectives, hard-hearted lovers, hard-fought battles, hard-won victories, and ill-gotten gains. – tchrist♦ Mar 24 '19 at 22:57
I though the word "participle" meant "verb form used as an adjective"; in my understanding, the "-ing" form of a verb can be referred to as a participle or a gerund, depending on whether it's used as a verb or a noun. – No Name Mar 25 '19 at 5:42
@NoName: Terminology in this area is a bit confusing. A verb in participle form can be said to be "used as an adjective", in that it can appear in many of the same contexts as an adjective (for example, after a form of "to be"). But many linguists would say that a verb does not become an adjective just by being used this way. – herisson Mar 25 '19 at 5:51
@NoName: Likewise, there is a distinction between -ing forms that are verbs "used as nouns", e.g. in contexts like "Carefully building relationships is an important element of success" ("building" here would traditionally be called a gerund) and -ing forms that actually are nouns, such as "building" in "The careful building of relationships is an important element of success" (this type of noun can be called a "gerundial noun"; see my question here: Is “programming” not a noun?). – herisson Mar 25 '19 at 5:51
I don't think the tense of the verb is the point of your question. I suppose a simple answer is they are "actions" as verbs, but thank you for the additional input in the comments. More specifically, they are "objective actions", or you might possibly consider "operative actions" as well (because they are exerting force or influence on something).
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/objective
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/operative
This is really simple. It does not need a whole note for explanation.
The "ed" is grammatically referred as the past tense marker ...... the past participle
However, don't be confused when the past tense marker is added to a verb to perform the function of an Adjective.
For instance,
A distributed products
A designed artifact
The faded car
Simple past tense and past participle serve very different purposes in a sentence. Simple past tense is used to show the verb happened in the past, while past participle is the verb form that acts as an adjective (being something that happened to the modified noun in the past). Also, the phrase "past tense marker" is not used to reference the "-ed" suffix because irregular verbs (e.g., "break" / "broke" / "broken") do not match that pattern. – R Mac Mar 26 '19 at 1:23
All right, perfectly perfect. However, I meant this past tense marker "-ed" is attached to regular verbs. Hence, the past participles perform the functions of an Adjective. – user341285 Mar 26 '19 at 7:19
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged single-word-requests syntactic-analysis parts-of-speech inflectional-morphology grammatical-roles or ask your own question.
Is “programming” not a noun?
Why does the 3rd-person of verbs that end in -y follow the rule for plural nouns instead of verbs?
What is the word for “turning a noun into an adjective”?
What is there in the English corpus beside nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc?
What is the word for only knowing history from the day you were born?
Words like 'maybe', 'possibly', 'might' 'likely'
Umbrella term for word types
Synonym for a “help-seeker”
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Unitex en Linea › Foros › Grisel
Pyramid Roof covering. Inquiries are plentiful after foxes formally launch across the totality of Minecraft. How do you tame a fox in Minecraft?To measure the roof pitch, you'll need an 18- or 24-inch level, a tape measure, and a pencil. First, measure 12 inches from one end of the level and make a mark. Then, in the attic, place the end of the level against the bottom of a roof rafter and hold it perfectly level. It's all-natural to wish to attempt as well as obtain among these cosy things as a friend, so you could be curious about discovering just how to end up being best friends with one of them. You breed Minecraft foxes with berries, and after that the baby fox will certainly be tamed. Do not leave your house door open as well as permit wild foxes to feed in your house. This may encourage them to venture right into various other houses also. Gambrel roofings also require to be constructed well, waterproofed at the ridges and also preserved on a regular basis. It's a great concept to have a Gambrel roof covering examined annually to look for damage from tornados, heavy rains or snow. Similar to mansard, the lower side of the Gambrel roofing system has a practically vertical, steep slope, while the top incline is much reduced. , if the day of building and construction and also the roofing of the Henry Bull Residence was initial to the circa 1639 day this would certainly be the oldest well-known example of a gambrel in America. . You reproduce Minecraft foxes with berries, and after that the child fox will certainly be subjugated.That's all you need to learn about the new foxes in Minecraft!The cross-section of a gambrel roofing system resembles that of a mansard roof, but a gambrel has vertical gable ends as opposed to being hipped at the four corners of the building.Minecraft foxes are just as naughty as their real-life counterparts, causing some entertaining unclear capers when nighttime happens. That's all you need to learn about the new foxes in Minecraft! If you use the Java Version, you have actually most likely had these individuals for a couple of months now, but for every person playing on the Bedrock Edition, there's yet one more new point to go out and discover. I, for one, fully intend to fill my entire residence with just foxes. Foxes are unbelievably charming animals and one of the many species that can be found in the wilds of Minecraft. Jerkinhead Roofing. Butcher's gambrels, later on constructed from metal, looked like the two-sloped look of a gambrel roof covering when in use. Gambrel is also a term for the joint in the top part of a steed's back leg, the hock. The cross-section of a gambrel roofing resembles that of a mansard roofing, however a gambrel has vertical gable ends rather than being hipped at the four edges of the building. Exactly how to Tame a Fox: 12 Steps
Rol del foro: Participante
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Krondor: Tear of the Gods
R AY M O N D E . F EI S T Krondor: Tear of the Gods H arperC ollinsPublishers Praise for the Author "A rollicking t...
Author: Raymond E. Feist
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R AY M O N D E . F EI S T
H arperC ollinsPublishers
Praise for the Author "A rollicking tale...His many fans will be pleased." —Booklist
"Fine entertainment...An absorbing and carefully crafted adventure." —Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
"Feist constantly amazes with his ability to create great casts of characters...Discover the marvels that he has put to paper." —SF Site
"Feist has a command of language and a natural talent for keeping the reader turning pages." —Chicago Sun-Time
Also by Raymond E. Feist Magician Silverthorn A Darkness at Sethanon Faerie Tale Prince of the Blood The King’s Buccaneer Shadow of a Dark Queen Rise of a Merchant Prince Rage of a Demon King Shards of a Broken Crown Krondor: The Betrayal Krondor: The Assassins With Janny Wurts: Daughter of Empire Servant of Empire Mistress of Empire
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher. KRONDOR: TEAR OF THE GODS. Copyright © 2000 by Raymond E. Feist. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproducedin any manner whatsoever without written permission except in thecase of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Based on the game "Return to Krondor" produced by Pyrotechnix, Inc. Raymond E. Feist asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. Adobe E-Reader edition v 1. March 2001 ISBN 0-06-621309-6 Print edition first published in 2000 by Voyager an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 0
As with other projects, I am in debt to many people, but more so with this than almost any other work I’ve undertaken. That was due in significant part to the evolution of the game, “Return to Krondor,” the core story of which also serves as the core of this novel. I would be lax in my crediting those responsible for that project, upon which this rests, if I did not point to the work of many people, some who will go uncredited upon the game itself, for dealing with dozens of potentially terminal problems, distractions, and delays. Literally hundreds of hands touched “Return to Krondor” in its evolution, too many to single out here. Knowing this list is incomplete, I would like to thank: Andy Ashcraft, Craig Boland, Chuck Mitchell, Susan Deneker, Leanne Moen, and Michael Lynch who at various times had to listen to my opinion when they probably would rather have been working. Scott Page, who found himself unexpectedly dealing with other people’s messes, but who stayed the course. Bob Ezrin, who was the Father of Us All during very trying times at 7th Level, who had to clean up an impossible mess made by other people who betrayed his trust, and who held my hand and kept the company alive when he rather would have been in the studio making music. St. John Bain, who inherited a mess, and who with good humor and determination made someone else’s vision his own;
indefatigable is the only word that describes his commitment to Krondor. Steve Abrams, old friend and partner-in-crime, whose contributions to my work over the years have often gone uncredited, but never unappreciated. Jonathan Matson, my agent, for all the usual reasons, and in this case, for all the unusual reasons. My daughter, Jessica, and my son, James, for making every day spent with them better. Jennifer Brehl and Jane Johnson, my editors in New York and London, for so much more than the job description requires. On a personal note: This book was produced during a very difficult time for me personally, the end of my twelve-year marriage, and there are people out there who helped me through that period, people who did not have anything directly to do with the production of this novel, but who, by keeping me relatively sane during that period, helped me finish the project. So, special thanks to Steve Abrams, Andy Abramson, Jim Curl, Jonathan Matson, Rich Spahl, and Janny Wurts for keeping me together early on, and being there for the long haul. There have been others, but the aforementioned went above and beyond the call. Words cannot express my gratitude. I am blessed beyond belief by friends of special quality. And to the “gang” at Flemming’s in La Jolla, the best steak house and wine bar in California, for giving me a place to hang. Raymond E. Feist San Diego, CA August 30, 2000 vi
For Bob Ezrin, who else?
CONTENTS PROLOGUE:
ONE:
TWO:
THREE: FOUR:
Vow Secrets
FIVE:
SIX:
Intrigues
SEVEN:
EIGHT:
Kendaric
NINE: TEN:
Diversion Goblins
ELEVEN:
Haldon Head
TWELVE:
THIRTEEN:
FOURTEEN:
FIFTEEN:
Two Fangs
SIXTEEN:
SEVENTEEN:
EIGHTEEN:
Tear of the God
ABOUT THE AUTHOR CREDITS ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
MAP PAGE X
■ M A P P A G E XI ■
he weather worsened. Dark clouds roiled overhead as angry lightning flashed, piercing the night’s blackness on all quarters. The lookout atop the highest mast of the ship Ishap’s Dawn thought he saw a flicker of movement in the distance and squinted against the murk. He tried to use his hand to shield his eyes as the salt spray and biting cold wind filled them with tears. He blinked them away and whatever movement he thought he had seen was gone. Night and the threat of storms had forced the lookout to spend a miserable watch aloft, against the unlikely chance the captain had drifted off course. It was hardly possible, considered the lookout, as the captain was a knowledgeable seaman, chosen for his skill at avoiding danger as much as any other quality. And he knew as well as any man how hazardous this passage was. The Temple held the cargo’s value second to none, and rumors of possible raiders along the Quegan coast had dictated a hazardous tack near Widow’s Point, a rocky area best avoided if possible. But Ishap’s Dawn was crewed by experienced sailors, who were now closely attentive to the captain’s orders, and each was quick to respond, for every man 1
aloft knew that, once upon the rocks at Widow’s Point, no ship survived. Each man feared for his own life – that was only natural – but these men were chosen not only for their seamanship, but also for fealty to the Temple. And they all knew how precious their cargo was to the Temple. In the hold below, eight monks of the Temple of Ishap in Krondor stood around a most holy artifact, the Tear of the Gods. A jewel of astonishing size, easily as long as a large man’s arm and twice as thick, it was illuminated from within by a mystic light. Once every ten years a new Tear was formed in a hidden monastery in a tiny secret valley in the Grey Tower Mountains. When it was ready and most holy rites completed, a heavily armed caravan transported it to the nearest port in the Free Cities of Natal. There it was placed upon a ship and carried to Krondor. From there, the Tear and an escort of warrior monks, priests, and servants would continue on, eventually reaching Salador to then be taken by ship and transported to the mother Temple in Rillanon where it replaced the previous Tear, as its power waned. The true nature and purpose of the sacred gem was known only to the highest ranking among those serving within the Temple, and the sailor high atop the main mast asked no questions. He trusted in the power of the gods and knew that he served a greater good. And he was being handsomely paid not to ask questions as much as to stand his watch. But after two weeks of battling contrary winds and difficult seas, even the most pious man found the blue-white light which shone every night from below, and the monks’ incessant chanting, nerve-wracking. The duration of the unseasonable winds and unexpected storms had some of the crew muttering about sorcery and dark magic. The lookout offered a silent 2
prayer of thanks to Killian, Goddess of Nature and Sailors (and then added a short one to Eortis, who some said was the true God of the Sea) that come dawn they would reach their destination: Krondor. The Tear and its escort would quickly leave the city for the east, but the sailor would remain in Krondor, with his family. What he was being paid would allow him a long visit home. The sailor above thought of his wife and two children, and he smiled briefly. His daughter was now old enough to help her mother around the kitchen and with her baby brother, and a third child was due soon. As he had a hundred times before, the sailor vowed he’d find other work near home, so he could spend more time with his family. He was pulled from his reverie by another flicker of movement toward shore. Light from the ship painted the stormtossed combers and he could sense the rhythm of the sea. Something had just broken the rhythm. He peered through the murk, trying to pierce the gloom by strength of will, to see if they might be drifting too close to the rocks. Knute said, “The blue light coming from that ship gives me a bad feeling, Captain.” The man Knute addressed towered over him as he looked down. At six foot eight inches tall he dwarfed those around him. His massive shoulders and arms lay exposed by the black leather cuirass he favored, though he had added a pair of shoulder pads studded with steel spikes – a prize taken off the corpse of one of Queg’s more renowned gladiators. The exposed skin displayed dozens of reminders of battles fought, traces of old wounds intersecting one another. A scar that ran from forehead to jawbone through his right eye, which was 3
milky white, marked his face. But his left seemed to glow with an evil red light from within and Knute knew that eye missed little. Save for the spikes on his shoulders, his armor was plain and serviceable, well oiled and cared for, but displaying patches and repairs. An amulet hung around his neck, bronze but darkened by more than time and neglect, stained by ancient and black arts. The red gem set in its middle pulsed with a faint inner light of its own as Bear said, “Worry about keeping us off the rocks, pilot. It’s the only reason I keep you alive.” Turning to the rear of the ship, he spoke softly, but his voice carried to the stern. “Now!” A sailor at the rear spoke down to those in the hold below, “Forward!” and the hortator raised one hand, and then brought its heel down on the drum between his knees. At the sound of the first beat, the slaves chained to their seats raised their oars and on the second beat they lowered them and pulled as one. The word had been passed, but the Master of Slaves who walked between the banks of oars repeated it. “Silently, my darlings! I’ll kill the first of you who makes a sound above a whisper!” The ship, a Quegan patrol galley seized in a raid the year before, inched forward, picking up speed. At the prow, Knute crouched, intently scanning the water before him. He had positioned the ship so it would come straight at the target, but there was one turn that still needed to be made to port – not difficult if one reckoned the timing correctly, but dangerous nevertheless. Suddenly Knute turned and said, “Now, hard to port!” Bear turned and relayed the order and the helmsman turned the ship. A moment later Knute ordered the rudder amidships, and the galley began to cut through the water. 4
Knute’s gaze lingered on Bear for a moment, and then he returned his attention to the ship they were about to take. Knute had never been so frightened in his life. He was a born pirate, a dock-rat from Port Natal who had worked his way up from being an ordinary seaman to being one of the best pilots in the Bitter Sea. He knew every rock, shoal, reef, and tide pool between Ylith and Krondor, and westward to the Straits of Darkness, and along the coast of the Free Cities. And it was that knowledge that had kept him alive more than forty years while braver, stronger, and more intelligent men had died. Knute felt Bear standing behind him. He had worked for the enormous pirate before, once taking Quegan prize ships as they returned from raids along the Keshian coast. Another time he had served with Bear as a privateer, under marque from the Governor of Durbin, plundering Kingdom ships. For the last four years Knute had run his own gang, scavengers picking over wrecks drawn upon the rocks by false lights here at Widow’s Point. It had been the knowledge of the rocks and how to negotiate them that had brought him back into Bear’s service. The odd trader named Sidi, who came to the Widow’s Point area every year or so, had asked him to find a ruthless man, one who would not shirk from a dangerous mission and who had no aversion to killing. Knute had spent a year tracking down Bear and had sent him word that there was a job of great risk and greater reward waiting. Bear had answered and had come to meet with Sidi. Knute had figured he’d either take a fee for putting the two men in touch, or he might work a split with Bear in exchange for use of his men and his ship. But from that point where Knute had brought Bear to meet with Sidi, on the beach at Widow’s Point, everything had changed. Instead of working for himself, Knute was now again working 5
as Bear’s galley-pilot and first mate – Knute’s own ship, a nimble little coaster, had been sunk to drive home Bear’s terms: riches to Knute and his men if they joined him. If they refused, the alternative was simple: death. Knute glanced at the strange blue light dancing upon the water as they drew down upon the Ishapian ship. The little man’s heart beat with enough force to make him fear it would somehow break loose from within. He gripped the wooden rail tightly as he called for a meaningless course correction; the need to shout diverted into a sharp command. Knute knew he was likely to die tonight. Since Bear had expropriated Knute’s crew, it had simply been a matter of time. The man Knute had known along the Keshian coast had been bad enough, but something had changed Bear, made him far blacker a soul than before. He had always been a man of few scruples, but there had been an economy in his business, a reluctance to waste time with needless killing and destruction, even if he was otherwise unfazed by it. Now Bear seemed to relish it. Two men in Knute’s crew had died lingering, painful deaths for minor transgressions. Bear had watched until they had died. The gem in his amulet had shone brightly then, and Bear’s one good eye seemed alight with the same fire. Bear had made one thing clear above all else: this mission’s goal was to take a holy relic from the Ishapians and any man who interfered with that mission would die. But he had also promised that the crew could keep all the rest of the Ishapian treasure for themselves. When he heard that, Knute had begun to make a plan. Knute had insisted upon several practice sorties, claiming that the tides and rocks here were treacherous enough in the daylight – at night a thousand calamities could befall 6
the unprepared. Bear had grudgingly acquiesced to the plea. What Knute had hoped would happen did: the crew learned to take orders from him once Bear gave over command of the ship. Bear’s crew was made up of thugs, bullies, and murderers, including one cannibal, but they weren’t terribly intelligent. Knute’s was a daring plan, and dangerous, and he needed more than a little luck. He glanced back and saw Bear’s eyes fixed on the blue light of the Ishapian ship as they bore down on it. One quick glance from face to face of his own six men was all Knute could afford, and then he turned back to the Ishapian ship. He gauged his distance and the motion, then turned and shouted past Bear, “One point to port! Ramming speed!” Bear echoed the command, “Ramming speed!” Then he shouted, “Catapults! Ready!” Flames appeared as torches were quickly lit, and then those torches were put to large bundles of skins full of Quegan Fire oil. They burst into flame and the catapult officer shouted, “Ready, Captain!” Bear’s deep voice rumbled as he gave the order: “Fire!” The lookout squinted against the wind-driven salt spray. He was certain he saw something shoreward. Suddenly a flame appeared. Then a second. For a moment size and distance were difficult to judge, but the sailor quickly realized with a surge of fear that two large balls of fire sped toward the ship. Angry orange-red flames sizzled and cracked as the first missile arced overhead, missing the lookout by mere yards. As the fireball shot past, he could feel the searing heat. “Attack!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. He knew 7
full well the entire night watch had seen the fiery missiles; nonetheless it was his task to alert the crew. The second fireball struck mid-decks, hitting the companionway that ran from below to the foredeck, and an unfortunate priest of Ishap was consumed in the sticky flames. He screamed in agony and confusion as he died. The sailor knew that if they were being boarded, staying aloft was not a good idea. He swung from the crow’s nest and slid down a stay sheet to the deck below as another ball of flame appeared in the sky, arcing down to strike the foredeck. As his bare feet touched the wooden planks, another sailor who shouted, “Quegan raiders!” handed him a sword and buckler shield. The thudding of a hortator’s drum echoed across the waves. Suddenly the night came alive with noise and cries. From out of the gloom a ship reared, lifted high by a huge swell, and the two sailors could see the massive serrated iron ram extending from the galley’s prow. Once it slammed into its victim’s hull, its teeth would hold the rammed ship close, until the signal was given for the galley slaves to reverse their stroke. By backing water, the galley would tear a massive hole in Ishap’s Dawn’s side, quickly sending her to the bottom. For an instant the lookout feared he would never see his children or wife again, and hastily uttered a prayer to whatever gods listened that his family be cared for. Then he resolved to fight, for if the sailors could hold the raiders at the gunwale until the priests emerged from below, their magic might drive off the attackers. The ship heaved and the sound of tearing wood and shrieking men filled the night as the raider crashed into the Ishapian 8
ship. The lookout and his companions were thrown to the deck. As the lookout rolled away from the spreading fire, he saw two hands gripping the ship’s gunwale. The lookout gained his feet as a dark-skinned pirate cleared the side of the ship, and boarded with a leap to the deck, others following. The first pirate carried a huge sword, curved and weighted, and he grinned like a man possessed. The lookout hurried toward him, his sword and shield at the ready. The pirate’s hair hung in oiled locks that glistened in the light from the flames. His wide eyes reflected the orange firelight, which gave him a demonic cast. Then he smiled and the lookout faltered, as the filed pointed teeth revealed the man to be a cannibal from the Shaskahan Islands. Then the lookout’s eyes widened as he saw another figure rear up behind the first. It was the last thing the lookout saw, as the first pirate swung his sword and impaled the hapless man, who stood rooted in terror at the sight before him. With his dying breath, he gasped, “Bear.” Bear glanced around the deck. Massive hands flexed in anticipation as he spoke. His voice seemed to rumble from deep within as he said, “You know what I’m after; everything else is yours for the taking!” Knute leaped from the raider’s craft to stand at Bear’s side. “We hit ’em hard, so you don’t have much time!” he shouted to the crew. As Knute had hoped, Bear’s men rushed to kill the Ishapian sailors, while Knute signaled to the handful from his old crew, who headed toward the hatches and the cargo nets. An Ishapian monk, climbing up the aft companionway to 9
answer the alarm, saw the pirates spreading out in a half-circle around him. His brothers followed after. For a moment, both sides stood motionless, as they measured one another. Bear stepped forward and in a voice like grinding stones said to the first monk, “You there! Bring me the Tear and I’ll kill you quickly.” The monk’s hands came up and moved rapidly in a mystic pattern while enchanting a prayer to summon magic. The other monks took up fighting stances behind him. A bolt of white energy flashed at Bear, but vanished harmlessly just inches before him as the ship heeled over and started to dip at the bow. With a scornful laugh, Bear said, “Your magic means nothing to me!” With surprising speed for a man his size, Bear lashed out with his sword. The monk, still recovering from the shock of his magic’s impotence, stood helpless as Bear ran him through as if cutting a melon with a kitchen knife. The pirates let loose a roar of triumph and fell upon the other monks. The monks, though empty-handed and outnumbered, were all trained in the art of open-handed fighting. In the end they could not stand up to pole weapons and swords, knives and crossbows, but they delayed the pirates long enough that the forecastle was already underwater before Bear could reach the companionway leading below decks. Like a rat through a sewer grating, Knute was past Bear and down the companionway. Bear came second, the others behind. “We’ve got no time!” shouted Knute, looking around the aft crew quarters; from the abundant religious items in view, he judged this area had been given over to the monks for their personal use. Knute could hear water rushing into the hole 10
below the forecastle. Knute knew ships; eventually a bulkhead between the forecastle and the main cargo hold would give way and then the ship would go down like a rock. A small wooden chest sitting in the corner caught his eye and he made straight for it, while Bear moved to a large door that led back to the captain’s cabin. Movement was becoming more difficult as the deck was now tilting, and walking up its slick surface was tricky. More than one pirate fell, landing hard upon the wooden planks. Knute opened the small chest, revealing enough gems to keep him in luxury for the rest of his life. Like moths to a flame, several raiders turned toward the booty. Knute motioned to two other pirates close by and said, “If you want a copper for all this slaughter, get up on deck, help open the hatch, and lower the cargo net!” Both men hesitated, then looked to where Bear struggled to open the door. They glanced at one another, then did as Knute instructed. Knute knew they would find two of his men already at the hatch and would fall in to help. If Knute’s plan were to work, everyone would have to do his part without realizing that the order of things on the ship had changed. Knute unlatched a trapdoor in the middle of the deck, and let it swing open, revealing the companionway leading down into the cargo hold. As he stepped through the opening toward the treasure below, the ship started to take on water, and he knew she was fated to go down quickly by the bow. He and his men would have to move fast. Bear was smashing himself uphill against a door that obviously had some sort of mystic lock upon it, for it hardly moved under his tremendous bulk. Knute cast a quick glance backward and saw the wood near the hinges splintering. As he lowered 11
himself into the hold, Knute looked down. He knew that there was enough treasure below to make every man aboard a king, for the odd man named Sidi who had told Bear about this ship had said that ten years’ worth of Temple wealth from the Far Coast and Free Cities would accompany the magic item Bear was to bring him. Knute regretted having met Sidi; when he had first met him, he had no idea the so-called trader trafficked in the magic arts. Once he had discovered the truth, it was too late. And Knute was certain there was far more to Sidi than was obvious; Sidi had given Bear his magic amulet, the one that he refused to remove, day or night. Knute had always stayed away from magic, temple, wizard, or witch. He had a nose for it and it made him fearful, and no man in his experience reeked of it like Sidi, and there was nothing tender about that reek. The cargo hatch above moved, and a voice shouted downward, “Knute?” “Lower away!” commanded the little thief. The cargo net descended and Knute quickly released it. “Get down here!” he shouted as he spread the large net across the center of the deck. “We’re taking on water fast!” Four sailors slid down ropes and started moving the heavy cargo chests to the center of the net. “Get the small one first!” instructed Knute. “They’ll be gems. Worth more than gold, pound for pound.” The sailors were driven by two goals: greed and fear of Bear. The massive captain was smashing through the door above with inhuman strength, and everyone in the crew knew as well as Knute that Bear was becoming more violent by the day. Even his own crew now feared to be noticed by Bear. One of the men paused to listen to the fiendish shout as 12
Bear finally smashed through the door. A half-dozen pirates, finished with butchering the ship’s crew, descended the ropes from the deck above and looked questioningly at the pilot. Knute said, “The captain said everything else was ours for the taking if he got that damn stone the priests were guarding. You going to let all this sink?” They shook their heads and set to, working in pairs to move the larger chests and sacks into the nets, although Knute could see the doubt on their faces. But they hurried and got most of the booty in the net and tied it off. “Haul away!” Knute shouted to the men above. Pirates grabbed small chests and sacks and attempted to get back to the forward ladder. The ship was now heading down by the bow, picking up speed and rocking slightly from side to side. “Tell them to back water!” shouted Knute, as he negotiated the ladder to the upper deck, clutching the small wooden chest as a mother would a baby. He saw a brilliant light coming through the captain’s cabin door and his eyes widened. Bear stood outlined against the glare, obviously struggling through the water as if engaged with a foe of some kind. “Get out!” shouted Knute. “You’re going to drown!” Not that Knute would shed a tear if that happened, but if Bear somehow came to his senses and made good his escape, Knute wanted to appear convincing in his role as loyal and concerned pilot. Knute hurried to the gunwale and nimbly leaped atop it. Glancing at those behind him who were sliding across the deck, trying for the boat below, he called, “Hurry!” The galley was backing away, and water rushed quickly into the hull of the Ishapian ship. Knute knew that, had he not given the order to back the galley, the weight of the dying ship might have pulled its bow under the waves. 13
A longboat bobbed on the water a few yards below and he muttered, “By the gods, I’ve gotta get out of this business.” He glanced upward and saw the cargo boom with the net loaded with treasure being lowered to the deck of the galley. With a quick prayer to every god he could remember, Knute leaped from the sinking ship, hitting the water while he clutched the small chest with all his might. Weight pulled him downward and he struggled, and finally his head broke the surface as voices echoed across the water. With his free arm he struck out for the longboat, reaching it quickly. Strong hands reached over the side and pulled him aboard. “The ship sinks!” men yelled as they leaped from the deck into the foam. “Leave the rest!” shouted a man holding what appeared to be a large sack of gold coins. He hit the water, and after a minute his head broke the surface. He struggled mightily to get the sack aboard Knute’s boat. “No! Noooo!” came Bear’s anguished cry from the bowels of the sinking ship as Knute helped the pirate aboard the boat. “Sounds like the boss is having a problem,” said the drenched pirate. “Row,” instructed Knute. The sailor complied and Knute looked over his shoulder. “Whatever the boss’s problems, they’re no longer ours.” “You going to leave him?” said one of Knute’s men. “Let’s see if that cursed amulet keeps him alive on the bottom of the sea.” One of the pirates grinned. Like the rest of his brethren he had been obedient out of fear as much as any loyalty to Bear. “If it does, he’s going to kill you, Knute.” “He’s got to find me first,” said the wily pilot. “I’ve sailed 14
with that murdering lunatic three times, which is two too many. You’ve been his slaves long enough. Now it’s our turn to live the high life!” The pirates rowed. One of Bear’s crew said, “If he does make it out alive, he’ll find others to follow him, you know that? Why shouldn’t I cut your throat now and gain his favor?” “Because you’re greedy, like me. If you cut my throat, you’ll never get that galley safely out of these rocks. Besides, even if Bear lives, it’ll be too late,” said Knute. “We’ll all be safely gone.” They reached the galley and quickly climbed aboard, other longboats and a few swimmers reaching the ship at the same time. The ship creaked as the longboats were hoisted aboard. Men scrambled up ropes while others lowered nets to haul the riches taken from the Ishapian ship. The crew moved with an efficiency rarely seen, spurred on by equal shares of avarice and the fear that Bear would suddenly appear. Finally they lashed the cargo to the center deck and Knute said, “Get underway!” “Where are we going?” asked one of the pirates who had rowed Knute to the galley. “To a rendezvous down the coast. I’ve got some men waiting for us who will offload this cargo, then we row this galley out to sea and sink it.” “Why?” asked another man as the crew gathered around Knute. “Why?” echoed Knute. “I’ll tell you why, fool. That ship we took was the property of the Temple of Ishap. In a few days the entire world is going to be looking for the men who sank it. Bear’s got that ward against priests, but we don’t. We’ll divide up our shares and go our separate ways, tonight!” 15
“Sounds good,” said one of the sailors. “Then get to the oars! The slaves are half dead and I want us split up and every man on his own by sunrise!” shouted Knute. Just then, Bear’s voice cut through the storm. “It’s mine!! I had it in my hands!” All eyes turned to the sinking ship, and against a lightning flash they could see Bear standing at the rail. Slowly, he climbed atop it, shook his fist as the retreating galley, and leaped into the water. Like a spur to a horse, the sight of Bear plunging into the water as if to swim after them caused the sailors to spring to action. Below, the hortator’s drum began to sound as slaves were unchained and pushed aside by frantic pirates. Knute paused a moment to look where Bear had stood outlined against the lightning flashes. For an instant Knute could have sworn Bear’s eye had been glowing red. Knute shuddered and turned his mind away from Bear. The man was terrible in his anger and his strength was unmatched, but even Bear wouldn’t be able to storm into the Prince’s city and find Knute. Knute smiled. The men waiting for him were expecting a ship full of riches and a dead crew. Poisoned wine and ale waited below, and Knute would pass it out minutes before reaching the rendezvous. By the time the cargo was offloaded and aboard the wagons, every pirate and slave below would be a corpse. His own men would also be departed, but that was an unfortunate circumstance he couldn’t avoid. Besides, it meant more for him and those driving the wagons. All his life he had waited for an opportunity like this and he was going to be ruthless in taking advantage of it. None 16
of these men would lift a finger to help Knute, he knew, if his life was at risk, so what did he owe them? Honor among thieves might exist with the Mockers, where the Upright Man’s bashers ensured honorable behavior, but on a ship like Bear’s, the rule was strictly survival by strength, or by wits. Knute shouted orders and the ship heeled over as it turned against the waves, striking for a safer course away from the rocks of Widow’s Point. Soon the ship was clear of the last of the underwater rocks, and the rowers struck a steady pace. The little pilot moved to the stern of the galley and looked over the fantail. In a brief flash, for an instant, he thought he saw something in the water. It was a swimmer, following after the ship with a powerful stroke. Knute’s eyes strained as he peered through the darkness, but nothing more was glimpsed of the swimmer. He rubbed his eyes. It must be the excitement, he thought, the chance to at last be rich and out from under the heel of men like Bear. Turning his mind to the future, he again grinned. He had made deals before. He would pay off the wagoners, have them killed if necessary, and by the time he reached Krondor, every silver coin, every golden chain, every sparkling gem would be his. “Where are we going?” asked a pirate. “Captain,” said Knute. “What?” “Where are we going, Captain,” Knute repeated, coolly. The pirate shrugged, as if it didn’t matter, and said, “Where are we going, Captain? How far down the coast are your men?” Knute grinned, knowing that this man – like every other man in the crew – would happily let him play at command up 17
to the minute they’d cut his throat if they thought he would make them rich. He played along. “We’re meeting a gang at the beach north of Fishtown, outside of Krondor.” “Fishtown it is!” said the man, quickly adding, “Captain!” Throughout the night the crew rowed, and when dawn was less than two hours away, Knute called one of his most trusted crewmen over. “How are things?” “Bear’s men are nervous, but they’re not smart enough to plan anything if they think they might lose out on what we’ve taken. But they’re still jumpy. You don’t cross someone like Bear and sleep soundly.” Knute nodded, then said, “If everything’s secure, there’s some wine and ale below. Break it out.” “Aye, Captain,” said the man, his grin widening. “A celebration, eh? That will take the edge off.” Knute returned the grin, but said nothing. Within minutes the noise of celebration emanated from below. For hours all Knute had heard was an ominous silence punctuated by the sound of rhythmic rowing, oars groaning in their oarlocks, wood creaking as the hull flexed, and the rattle of tackle and blocks in the rigging. Now the murmur of voices arose, some joking, others surprised, as men made the rounds of the rowing benches with casks and cups. One of the pirates looked at Knute across the deck and Knute shouted, “See that those aloft go below for a quick drink! I’ll take the helm!” The pirate nodded, then shouted aloft as Knute made his way to the stern of the ship. He said to the helmsman, “Go get something to drink. I’ll take her in.” “Going to beach her, Captain?” 18
Knute nodded. “We’re coming in a bit after low tide. She’s heavy as a pregnant sow with all this booty. Once we offload, when high tide comes in, she’ll lift right off the beach and we can back her out.” The man nodded. He was familiar with the area near Fishtown; the beaches were gentle and Knute’s plan made sense. Knute had chosen a slow-acting poison. As he took the helm, he calculated that he’d be coming into the beach by the time the first men began to pass out. With luck, those still alive would assume their companions were insensible from drink. With even more luck, the wagoners he had hired out of Krondor wouldn’t have to cut any throats. They were teamsters working for a flat fee, not bully boys. Knute had piled one lie atop another. The wagoners thought he was working for the Upright Man of Krondor, the leader of the Guild of Thieves. Knute knew that without that lie he would never control them once they saw the wealth he was bringing into the city. If the teamsters didn’t believe a dread power stood behind Knute, he’d be as dead as the rest of the crew come morning. The sound of the water changed, and in the distance Knute could hear breakers rolling into the beach. He hardly needed to look to know where he was. One of the pirates came staggering up the companionway from below and spoke. His speech was slurred. “Captain, what’s in this ale? The boys are passin’ . . .” Knute smiled at the seaman, a young thug of perhaps eighteen years. The lad pitched forward. A few voices from below shouted up to the deck, but their words were muffled, and quiet soon descended. 19
The oars had fallen silent and now came the most dangerous part of Knute’s plan. He lashed down his tiller, sprang to the ratlines and climbed aloft. Alone he lowered one small sail, shimmied down a sheet, and tied off. That little sail was all he had to keep him from turning broad to the waves and being smashed upon the beach. As he reached the tiller, a hand descended upon Knute’s shoulder, spinning him around. He was confronted by a leering grin of sharpened teeth as dark eyes studied him. “Shaskahan don’t drink ale, little man.” Knute froze. He let his hand slip to a dagger in his belt but waited to see what the cannibal would do next. The man was motionless. “Don’t drink ale,” he repeated. “I’ll give you half the gold,” Knute whispered. “I take all of it,” said the cannibal, as he drew out his large belt knife. “And then I eat you.” Knute leaped backward and drew his own knife. He knew that he was no match for the veteran killer, but he was fighting for his life and the biggest trove of riches he would ever see. He waited, praying for a few more moments. The cannibal said again, “Shaskahan don’t drink ale.” Knute saw the man’s legs begin to shake as he took a step forward. Suddenly the man was on his knees, his eyes going blank. Then he fell face forward. Knute cautiously knelt next to the man and examined him. He sheathed his knife as he leaned close to the cannibal’s face, sniffed once, then stood. “You don’t drink ale, you murdering whore’s son, but you do drink brandy.” With a laugh Knute unlashed the tiller as the ship swept forward into breakers. He pointed it like an arrow at a long, flat run of beach and as the ship plowed prow first into the 20
sand, he saw the three large wagons sitting atop the bluffs. Six men who’d been sitting on the shore leapt to their feet as the ship ground to a halt in the sand. Knute had ordered the wagons not be brought down to the cove, for once loaded they’d be sunk to their hubs in sand. The teamsters would have to cart all the gold up the small bluff to the wagons. It would be hard, sweaty work. No sooner had the ship stopped moving than Knute was shouting orders. The six wagoners hurried forward, while Knute pulled his knife. He was going to ensure no one below recovered from too little poison, then he was going to get that treasure to Krondor. There was one man in the world he knew he could trust and that man would help him hide all these riches. Then Knute would celebrate, get drunk, pick a fight, and get himself thrown into jail. Let Bear come for him, thought Knute, if by some miracle he had survived. Let the crazed animal of a pirate try to reach him in the bowels of the city’s stoutest jail, surrounded by the city watch. That would never happen – at the very least Bear would be captured by the city guards; more likely he’d be killed. Once Knute knew for certain Bear’s fate, he could bargain for his own life. For he was the only man who knew where the Ishapian ship had gone down. He could lead the Prince’s men and a representative of the Wreckers’ Guild to the site, where the Wreckers’ Guild’s mage could raise the ship and they could offload whatever trinket it was that Bear had been after. Then he’d be a free man while Bear rotted in the Prince’s dungeon or hung from the gibbet or rested at the bottom of the sea. And let everyone think the rest of the treasure went down with the pirate ship in the deep water trench just a mile offshore. 21
Knute congratulated himself on his masterful plan, and set about his grisly work, as the wagoners from Krondor climbed aboard to offload “the Upright Man’s treasure.” Miles away as the dawn broke, a solitary figured emerged from the breakers. His massive frame hung with clothing tattered and soaked from hours in the brine. He had tossed aside his weapons to lighten himself for a long swim. One good eye surveyed the rocks and he calculated where he had come ashore. With dry sand under his now bare feet, the huge pirate let out a scream of primal rage. “Knute!” he shouted at the sky. “By the dark god I’ll hunt you down and have your liver on a stick. But first you’ll tell me where the Tear of the Gods is!” Knowing that he had to find weapons and a new pair of boots, Bear turned northward, toward the secret temple at Widow’s Peak and the village of Haldon’s Head. There he would find some men to serve him and with their help they would track down Knute and the others. Every member of his crew who had betrayed him would die a slow, agonizing death. Again Bear let out a bellow of rage. As the echoes died against the windswept rocks, he squared his shoulders and began walking.
ames hurried through the night. As he moved purposefully across the courtyard of the Prince’s palace in Krondor, he still felt the odd ache and twinge, reminders of his recent beating at the hands of the Nighthawks while he had been their captive. For the most part he was nearly back to his usual state of fitness. Despite that, he still felt the need for more sleep than usual, so of course, he had only just settled into a deep slumber when a page came knocking upon his door and informed James that the overdue caravan from Kesh had been sighted approaching the city. James had gotten up and dressed despite every fiber of his being demanding that he roll over in his warm bed and return to slumber. Silently cursing the need to meet the arriving magician, he reached the outer gate where two guards stood their stations. “Evening, gentlemen. All’s well?” The senior of the two guards, an old veteran named Crewson, saluted. “Quiet as the grave, Squire. Where’re you bound at this ungodly hour?” He motioned for the other guard to open the gate so that James could leave the precinct of the palace. Stifling a yawn, James said, “The Prince’s new mage has 23
arrived from Stardock, and I’ve the dubious honor of meeting her at the North Gate.” The younger guard smiled in mock sympathy. “Ah, you’ve all the luck, Squire.” He swung the gate wide to allow James to depart. With a wry smile, James passed through the opening. “I’d rather have a good night’s sleep, but duty calls. Fare you well, gentlemen.” James picked up his pace, as he knew the caravan would disband quickly upon arrival. He wasn’t worried about the magician’s safety, as the city guard would be augmented by caravan guards coming off duty, but he was concerned over the possible lapse in protocol should he not be there to greet her. While she might be only a distant relative of the Ambassador from Great Kesh to the Western Court, she was still a noble by rank, and relations between the Kingdom of the Isles and Great Kesh had never been what one might call tranquil. A good year was one in which there were three or fewer border skirmishes. James decided to take a shortcut from the palace district to the North Gate, one that would require he pass through a warehouse district behind the Merchants’ Quarter. He knew the city as well as any living man, and had no concerns about getting lost, but when two figures detached themselves from the shadows as he rounded a corner, he cursed himself for a fool. The out-of-the-way route was unlikely to be host to many citizens abroad on lawful business at this time of night. And these two looked nothing like lawful citizens. One carried a large billy club and had a long belt knife, while the other rested his hand easily upon a sword. The first wore a red leather vest while his companion wore a simple tunic 24
and trousers. Both had sturdy boots on, and James instantly recognized them for what they were: common street thugs. They were almost certainly freebooters, men not associated with the Mockers, the Guild of Thieves. James pushed aside his self-recriminations for taking this shortcut, for the matter was now beyond changing. The first man said, “Ah, what’s the city coming to?” The second nodded, moving to flank James should he try to run. “It’s a sad state of affairs. Gentlemen of means, wanderin’ the streets after midnight. What can they be thinking?” Red-vest pointed his billy club at James and said, “He must be thinkin’ his purse is just too heavy and be hopin’ for a helpful pair like us to relieve him of it.” James let out a slow breath and calmly said, “Actually, I was thinking about the foolishness of men who don’t recognize a dangerous mark when they see one.” He drew his rapier slowly and moved the point to halfway between the two men, so that he would be able to parry an attack from either man. “The only danger here is tryin’ to cross us,” said the second thug, drawing his sword and lashing out at James. “I really don’t have time for this,” James said. He parried the blow easily and riposted. The swordsman barely pulled back in time to avoid being skewered like a holiday pig. Red-vest pulled out his belt knife and swung his billy club, but James ducked aside and kicked out with his right leg, propelling the man into his companion. “You still have time to run away, my friends.” Red-vest grunted, recovered his balance, and rushed James, threatening with the billy club while holding his knife in position to do the real damage. James recognized the man’s outrage – this was no longer a simple mugging; these two men 25
now meant to kill him. He ignored the billy club, dodging toward it rather than away, and sliced at the man’s left wrist. The knife fell to the stones with a clatter. While Red-vest howled in pain and fell back, his companion came rushing in, his sword cocked back over his shoulder. James danced backward for two steps, and as the man let fly with his wide swing – designed to decapitate the young squire – James leaned forward in a move he had learned from the Prince, his left hand touching the stones to aid his balance and his right hand extending out. The attacker’s sword passed harmlessly over James’s head and he ran onto the point of James’s rapier. The man’s eyes widened in shock and he came to an abrupt halt, looked down in disbelief, then collapsed to his knees. James pulled his sword point free and the man toppled over. The other brigand caught James by surprise coming over the shoulder of his collapsing friend, and James barely ducked away from a thrust that would have certainly split his head. He took a glancing blow on his left shoulder, still sore from the beating he had taken at the hands of the Nighthawks, and gasped at the unexpected pain. The hilt of the knife had struck, so there was no blood – his tunic wasn’t even ripped – but damn it, he thought, it hurt! James’s training and battle-honed reflexes took over, and he turned with the attacker, his sword lashing out again as the man went by, and stood behind him as he too went down to his knees, then toppled over. James didn’t even have to look to know his sword had cut Red-vest’s throat in a single motion. James wiped his sword off on the shirt of the first man he had killed and returned it to its sheath. Rubbing his sore left shoulder, he shook his head and muttered, “Idiots,” quietly under his breath. Resuming his journey he marveled, not for 26
the first time, at humanity’s capacity for stupidity. For every gifted, brilliant man like Prince Arutha, there seemed to be a hundred – no, make that a thousand – stupid men. Better than most men in the Prince’s court, James understood the petty motives and narrow appetites of most citizens. As he turned his back on the two dead men, he acknowledged to himself that most of the population were decent people, people who were tainted by only a little larceny, a small lie about taxes owed, a little shorting of a measure, but in the main they were good. But he had seen the worst and best of the rest, and had gone from a fraternity of men bent on trivial gain by any means, including murder, to a fellowship of men who would sacrifice even their own lives for the greater good. His ambition was to be like them, to be noble by strength of purpose and clarity of vision rather than by accident of birth. He wanted one day to be remembered as a great defender of the Kingdom. Ironically, he considered how unlikely it was that that would ever happen, given his current circumstance. He was now commissioned to create a company of spies, intelligence men who were to act on behalf of the Crown. He doubted Prince Arutha would appreciate him telling the ladies and gentleman of the court about it. Still, he reminded himself as he turned another corner – glancing automatically into the shadows to see if anyone lurked there – the deed was the thing, not the praise. Absently rubbing his right shoulder with his left hand, he noted how it had been overstrained by the swordplay. The little exercise with the two brigands was reminding him he wasn’t fully healed from his recent ordeal in the desert at the 27
hands of the Nighthawks – a band of fanatic assassins. He had been up and around within days of returning to Krondor, but he was still feeling not quite right after three weeks. And two sore shoulders would continue to remind him of it all for a couple of days, at least. Sighing aloud, James muttered to himself: “Not as spry as I once was, I fear.” He cut through another alley that brought him around the corner to the street leading to the North Gate. He found himself passing the door of a new orphanage, recently opened by the Order of Dala, the goddess known as “Shield to the Weak.” The sign above the door featured a yellow shield with the Order’s mark upon it. Princess Anita had been instrumental in helping to secure the title to the building and funding it for the Order. James wondered absently how different his life might have been had he found his way to such a place when his mother had died, rather than ending up in the Guild of Thieves. In the distance he could see two guardsmen speaking with a solitary young woman. He left off his musings and quickened his pace. As he approached, he studied the young woman. Several facts were immediately manifest. He had expected a noblewoman of Kesh, bedecked in fine silks and jewelry, with a complement of servants and guards at her disposal. Instead he beheld a solitary figure, wearing clothing far more appropriate for rigorous travel than for court ceremony. She was dark-skinned, not as dark as those who lived farther south in Great Kesh, but darker than was common in Krondor, and in the gloom of night, her dark hair, tied back in a single braid, reflected the flickering torchlight with a gleam like a raven’s 28
wing. Her eyes, when they turned upon James, were also dark, almost black in the faint light. Her bearing and the set of her eyes communicated an intensity that James often admired in others, if it was leavened with intelligence. There could be no doubt of intelligence, else Pug would never have recommended her for the post as Arutha’s magical advisor. She carried a heavy staff of either oak or yew, shod at both ends in iron. It was a weapon of choice among many travelers, especially those who by inclination or lack of time couldn’t train in blades and bows. James knew from experience it was not a weapon to be taken lightly; against any but the most heavily-armored foe a staff could break bones, disarm or render an opponent unconscious. And this woman appeared to have the muscle to wield it effectively. Unlike the ladies of Arutha’s court, her bare arms showed the effects of strenuous labor or hours spent in the weapons yard. As he neared, James summed up his first impression of the new court magician: a striking woman, not pretty but very attractive in an unusual way. Now James understood his friend William’s distress at the news of her appointment to the Prince’s court. If she had been his first lover, as James suspected, William would not easily put her behind him, not for many years. Given his young friend’s recent infatuation with Talia, the daughter of a local innkeeper, James chuckled to himself as he surmised that William’s personal life was about to get very interesting. James didn’t envy him the discomfort, but knew it would no doubt prove entertaining to witness. He smiled to himself as he closed upon the group. One of the two guards conversing with the young woman 29
noticed James and greeted him. “Well met, Squire. We’ve been expectin’ you.” James nodded and replied, “Gentlemen. My thanks for keeping an eye on our guest.” The second guard chimed in. “We felt bad, I mean, her bein’ a noble and all, and havin’ to wait so long, but we didn’t have enough men to send with her to the palace.” He indicated the other pair at the far end of the gate. James appreciated their dilemma. If any of them had left his post, for whatever reason, without permission, the guard captain would have had their ears. “Not to worry. You’ve done your duty.” Turning to the young woman, James bowed and said, “Your pardon, milady, for making you wait. I am Squire James of Krondor.” The young magician smiled and suddenly James reevaluated his appraisal. She was very pretty, if in an unusual fashion for the women of the Western Kingdom. She said, “It is I who should apologize for arriving at this unseemly hour, but our caravan was delayed. I am Jazhara, most recently of Stardock.” Glancing around, James said, “A pleasure to meet you, Jazhara. Where is your entourage?” “At my father’s estates on the edge of the Jal-Pur desert. I had no servants at Stardock and requested none to travel here. I find that the use of servants tends to weaken the will. Since I began studying the mystic arts, I have always traveled alone.” James found the availability of servants one of the key attractions of the Prince’s court; always having someone around to send on errands or fetch things was very useful. He was also now embarrassed to discover he should have ordered a squad 30
of soldiers to escort Jazhara and himself back to the palace; her rank required such, but he had assumed she’d have her own bodyguards in place. Still, if she didn’t bring it up, neither would he. He merely said, “I quite understand. If you are willing, however, we can leave your baggage under the watch of the guards, and I will arrange to have it brought to the palace in the morning.” “That will be fine. Shall we go?” He decided to avoid shortcuts and keep to the broader thoroughfares. It would take a bit longer to reach the palace, but would afford them safer travel. He suspected that in addition to knowing how to use that staff to good effect, Jazhara probably had several nasty magician’s tricks at her disposal, but the risk of an international incident to save a few minutes’ walk wasn’t worth it. Deciding that being direct was his best course, James asked, “What does your great-uncle think of this appointment?” Jazhara smiled. “I do not know, but I suspect he is less than happy. Since he was already unhappy that I chose to study at Stardock – over my father’s objections – rather than marry a ‘suitable young lord,’ I fear I’ve likely put him in a dark mood.” James smiled. “Having met your great-uncle on a few occasions, I should think you’d want to stay on his good side.” With a slight twist of her lips, Jazhara said, “To the world he is the mighty Lord Hazara-Khan, a man to be dreaded by those who put their own interests ahead of the Empire’s. To me he is Uncle Rachman – ‘Raka’ I called him because I couldn’t manage his name when I was little – and he can deny me little. He wanted to marry me off to a minor prince of the 31
Imperial House, a distant cousin to the Empress, but when I threatened to run away if he sent me south, he relented.” James chuckled. They rounded a corner and headed down a large boulevard that would eventually lead them back to the palace. After only a few minutes, James found himself enjoying the company of this young woman from Kesh. She was quick, observant, keen-eyed, and witty. Her banter was clever and entertaining without the acerbic, nasty edge one found so often among the nobles of the Prince’s court. Unfortunately, she was too entertaining: James suddenly realized he had turned a corner a few streets back without thinking and now they were in the area he had planned on avoiding. “What is it?” Jazhara asked. James turned and grinned at her, a grin that could barely be seen in the faint glow of a distant lantern hanging outside an inn. “You’re very perceptive, milady.” “It’s part of the trade, sir,” she replied, her voice a mix of playfulness and caution. “Is something wrong?” “I just got caught up in our discourse and without thought turned us into a part of the city it might be best to avoid at this hour.” James noticed a very slight shift in the way she held her staff, but her voice remained calm. “Are we in danger?” “Most probably not, but one never knows in Krondor. Best to be alert. We shall be at the palace in a few minutes.” Without comment, they both picked up the pace slightly, and hurried along, each watching the side of the street for 32
possible assailants in the gloom, James taking the left, Jazhara the right. They had rounded the corner that put them in sight of the palace district when a sound echoed off to James’s left. He turned and as he did so he recognized the trap: a pebble being tossed from the right. As he turned back toward Jazhara, a small figure darted from the shadows. Jazhara had also spun to look in the same direction as James and was slow to recover. The assailant darted close, a blade flashed, and suddenly a child was running down the street clutching Jazhara’s purse. James had been prepared for an attack, so it took an instant for him to realize that a street urchin had robbed Jazhara. “Hey! Stop! Come back here!” he shouted after the fleeing child. “We have to stop him,” said Jazhara. “Besides a few coins, my purse has items which could prove fatal to a child.” James didn’t hesitate. He knew the city as well as any man, and after a moment’s pursuit, he slowed. “What is it?” asked Jazhara. “If memory serves, he just ducked into a dead end.” They turned into the alley after the cutpurse and saw no sign of him. “He’s gone!” Jazhara exclaimed. James laughed. “Not quite.” He moved to what looked to be some heavy crates, and reached around behind them, pulling away a piece of cloth tacked to the back. With a quick motion, in case the young thief was inclined to use the blade to defend himself, James snatched a thin arm. “Let me go!” shouted a young girl who looked no older than 33
ten, dressed in rags. She dropped her blade and Jazhara’s purse on the cobbles. James knew it was a ruse to get him to release her arm and pick up the purse, so he held firm. “If you’re going to be a thief, you must learn who to mark and who to leave be.” He turned to block her path if she tried to run and held her arm loosely. Kneeling so that he was at eye level with her, he asked, “What’s your name, sweetheart?” Quickly sensing that this man and woman weren’t trying to harm her, the girl relaxed slightly. “Nita,” she said with a tiny hint of defiance. “Mommy called me that after Prince ’Rutha’s wife, ’Nita.” James couldn’t help but smile. He knew Princess Anita would be flattered to hear of that tiny honor. “I’m Squire James, and this is Jazhara, the court mage.” The girl seemed less than reassured at being confronted by two members of the court. “Are you going to take me to jail?” “James,” said Jazhara, “you’re not going to put this child in jail, are you?” With mock seriousness, James said, “By rights I should. A dangerous criminal like this preying on innocent people at night!” The child’s eyes widened slightly, but she stood unafraid and didn’t flinch. James softened his tone. “No, child. We’ll not put you in jail. There’s a place we could take you, if you like. It’s called the Sign of the Yellow Shield. They take care of children like you.” The reaction was instantaneous. “No! No! You’re just like the other men. You’re just like the bad men!” She struck at James’s face with her free hand, and tried to pull away. 34
James hung on. “Hold on! Hold it! Stop hitting me for a minute.” The girl ceased hitting him, but still kept tugging. James slowly let go of her arm and held up his hands, palms out, showing that he was not going to grab her again. “Look, Nita, if you want to stay here that’s fine. We’re not going to hurt you,” he said softly. Jazhara asked, “Who were you talking about, Nita? Who were the bad men?” The girl looked up at the mage and said, “They say they’re like the Yellow Shield, and all good children go with them, but they hurt me!” Her eyes started to fill with tears, but her voice was firm. James asked, “How did they hurt you?” Nita looked at the former boy-thief and said, “They took me to the big house, and they locked me in a cage, like all the other children. Then they told me to dye cloth for Yusuf, or else they’d beat me, and some of the other children, the bad children, they took and they never came back and there were rats and squirmy things in our food and – ” “This is horrible,” said Jazhara. “We must act on this ‘Yusuf,’ but first we must care for Nita.” “Well, I suppose we could take her to the palace,” began James, turning to look at Jazhara. It was the chance the girl had waited for. As soon as James looked away from her, she was off, sprinting down the alley toward the street. James stood and watched her turn the corner, knowing that he could probably chase her down, but deciding not to. Jazhara stared at James with an unspoken question in her eyes. James said, “I told her she could stay with us if she wanted to.” 35
Jazhara nodded. “Then you will do something about this?” James leaned down to pick up Jazhara’s purse. He dusted it off and as he handed it to her he said, “Of course I will. I grew up on these streets. This isn’t about duty; it’s personal.” Jazhara turned away from the palace and started walking back the way they had come. “Hey!” said James, hurrying to catch up. “Where are you going?” “Unless this Yusuf lives in the palace, we need to go deeper into this poor section of the city, I am guessing.” “Good guess,” said James. “There’s a dyer named Yusuf up in what’s called ‘Stink Town,’ to the north – it’s where all the tanners, slaughterhouses, and other aromatic businesses are housed. But now?” Looking at James with a resolute expression, Jazhara said, “We can’t start any sooner, can we?” “Apparently not,” replied James. Then he grinned. James kept his eyes moving, peering into every shadow, while Jazhara gazed resolutely forward, as if fixed upon a goal. As they walked purposefully through the Poor Quarter of Krondor, Jazhara said, “Do you expect trouble?” “Constantly,” answered James, glancing down a side-street they were passing. The rising stench in the air told them they were close to their destination, the area of the Poor Quarter given over to those businesses best kept downwind. “Where do you think this Yusuf resides?” James said, “The cloth-makers are all located at the end of this street, and along two others nearby.” Turning to look at 36
Jazhara, he said, “You realize, of course, that the place will almost certainly be closed for the night?” Jazhara smiled. “Which will give us an opportunity to look around unnoticed, correct?” James smiled back. “I like the way you think, Jazhara.” Several times along the way they passed individuals hurrying by; the city was never truly asleep. Those who passed cast appraising glances at the pair, either as potential threats – or as possible victims. They reached an intersection and glanced in both directions. Off to the left, all was quiet, but to James’s surprise down the street to the right a few places were still obviously open for business. “The dyers’ trade must be very profitable for these establishments to be conducting business all night.” “Or they’re paying nothing for their labor,” said Jazhara as they passed one such open establishment. The door was ajar and a quick glance inside indicated there was nothing suspicious taking place; a dyer and others – obviously members of his family – were busy preparing a large shipment of cloth. Most likely it was to be delivered at dawn to tailors who had ordered the material. They moved along the dimly-lit street until they reached a large, two-story building, before which stood a large man with a sword at his belt. He watched with a neutral expression as James and Jazhara approached. James asked, “What is this place?” The guard answered, “This is the shop of the honorable Yusuf ben Ali, the illustrious cloth merchant.” Jazhara asked, “Is he in?” “No. Now, if that’s all, you’ll excuse me.” Since the guard 37
showed no sign of leaving, it was clear that he expected James and Jazhara to move along. James said, “I find it odd to believe your master is out at this late hour, and you are merely standing here guarding a workshop in which no one is working.” He moved to stand before the man. “I am Prince Arutha’s squire.” Jazhara added, “And I his newly-appointed court mage.” At this the guard’s eyes flickered over to her for an instant, then he said, “My master is indeed within. He is working late on a shipment that must leave tomorrow on a caravan and wishes not to be disturbed by any but the most important guest. I will see if he considers you to be important enough.” He turned his back on them, saying, “Follow me to my master’s office, but touch nothing.” They entered the building and discovered a brightly-lit display area, showing finely-woven cloth dyed in the most marvelous colors. A bolt of crimson silk was allowed to spill from a rack, the best to show off its scintillating color. Surrounding them was indigo and bright yellow linen, cotton of every hue, all waiting for potential buyers. A door to the rear of the showroom was closed, and a narrow stairway ran up along the left wall to a single door. A large chandelier ablaze with a dozen candles hung from the ceiling. Beyond the viewing area, huge vats of dye stood, while large drying racks held freshly dyed cloth. James saw two children, no older than ten years, moving a rack aside to make way for another being pushed by another pair of children. The youngsters were dirty, and a few appeared to shiver beneath their thin ragged clothing. Jazhara noticed one little girl, who looked to be about seven years old, yawn, struggling to keep 38
her eyes open as she pushed the heavy drying rack. Two guards stood watching the children. The guard who had accompanied them inside said, “Wait here. I will fetch my master.” James asked, “Isn’t it late for the children to be working?” The man said, “They are lazy. This order must be ready by noon tomorrow. Had they finished at dusk, they would be asleep in their beds now. They know this. Do not talk to them; it will only slow them down. I will return with my master.” The man hurried across the large room and disappeared through the rear door. A few minutes later, he and another man returned. The newcomer was obviously a merchant, yet he carried a curved desert sword – a scimitar. He wore Kingdom tunic and trousers, but elected a traditional desert man’s head cover, a black cloth wound as a turban, its length allowed to drape below the chin, from right to left, the end thrown across the left shoulder. He had a dark beard and the swarthy looks of Jazhara’s countrymen, a fact confirmed as he reached them and said, “Peace be upon you,” the traditional greeting of the people of the Jal-Pur. Jazhara replied, “And upon you be peace.” “Welcome to my workhouse, my friends. My name is Yusuf ben Ali. How may I serve?” James glanced back at the laboring children. “We’ve heard how you work around here. This place is being shut down.” If the man was surprised at this pronouncement, he didn’t show it. He merely smiled. “Oh, you’ve heard, have you? And what exactly did you hear?” Jazhara said, “We’ve heard about your working conditions and how you treat children.” 39
Yusuf nodded. “And let me guess, you heard it from a young girl, perhaps less than a decade in age? Or was it a young boy this time?” “What do you mean?” James asked. “My dear sir, it was all a lie. My competitors have taken to paying children to accost guardsmen and other worthy citizens. They ply them with stories of the ‘horrors of Yusuf ’s shop.’ And then they vanish. My shop is then closed down for a few days while the Prince’s magistrate investigates, and my competitors flourish.” Jazhara said, “But we’ve seen the working conditions inside.” Ben Ali glanced over at the ragged youngsters and shook his head slightly. “My dear countrywoman, I may be unable to provide for the children as I would like, but even I have a heart. They have a roof over their heads, and hot meals, and clothes. It may not be the extravagance that you would be used to, but, as the wise men taught us, poverty is food to a righteous man, while luxury can be a slow poison.” He inclined his head toward the children. “We work late tonight. This is not unusual in my trade, but I assure you most nights these children would be safely asleep. When this shipment is done, I shall send them to their beds and they will be free tomorrow to sleep; then, when they awake they shall have a day of rest and play. What would else you have me do? Put them back on the streets?” Children working to support their families were nothing new in the Kingdom. But this smacked of something close to slavery and James wasn’t convinced this man Yusef was what he seemed. “What about up there?” he asked, pointing at the stairs. “Ah, the second floor is under construction – we make 40
improvements. It is not safe at present to see, but when it is done it will expand our capacities, and will include better quarters for the children.” James was about to speak, when Jazhara said, “James, may I have a moment alone with this gentleman?” James was surprised. “Why?” “Please.” James glanced from Jazhara to Yusuf, then said, “I’ll be outside.” When he was gone from the building, Jazhara lowered her voice and said, “You work for my great-uncle?” Yusuf bowed slightly. “Yes, kin of Hazara-Khan, I do. And I wished to speak to you alone. You did well sending our young friend away. A Kingdom nobleman is a complication. Does he know your great-uncle’s position?” Jazhara smiled. “As Governor of the Jal-Pur, or as head of Keshian Intelligence in the north?” “The latter, of course.” “He may suspect, but what he knows is not the issue. This place is what matters. Is what the young girl said true?” “The Imperial treasury hardly provides enough support for this operation,” said Yusuf. “I must supplement my means; this shop is very successful, primarily because the labor is almost free.” He looked at her disapproving expression and said, “I’m surprised at you. I expected a great-niece of Hazara-Khan to value practicality over misguided morality. Deceit, after all, is the first tool of our trade. What I do here aids me in my work.” “Then what the girl said was true. Does my great-uncle know about this?” “I have never bothered to inform him of the details of my 41
operation, no. But he appreciates my results. And now that you are here, they will be greater than ever!” “What do you mean?” “It is well known of your falling out with your family and your choice to study magic at Stardock. Only your great-uncle’s power has shielded you from those in the Imperial Court who think you a potential risk. It is time for you to grow up and face your responsibilities. You are a child of the Empire, a citizen of Great Kesh. Your loyalties must lie with them.” “My loyalties also lie with this court, and the Prince. I am the court mage, the first to be appointed to this position.” Yusuf studied the young woman’s face. “Sometimes the ties of blood must be held above the ties of hollow words.” “I am not a spy!” “But you could be,” insisted ben Ali. “Work for me; grant me secrets from the lips of Krondor’s courtiers and make your family proud!” His expression darkened. “Or disgrace your country, your family, and continue as you are. Your great-uncle can provide only limited protection if you swear that oath to Arutha.” He paused, then added, “These are harsh choices, Jazhara. But you are now an adult, and the choice, as ever, must be yours. But know that from this point forward, whatever choice you make will change you forever.” Jazhara was silent for a long moment, as if considering the merchant’s words. Finally she said, “Your words are harsh, Yusuf, but your actions have shown me where my loyalties lie.” “Then you will help me?” “Yes. I will honor his teachings and the ideals of my nation.” “Excellent! You’d best leave now, before your friend becomes 42
suspicious. Return again when you’re settled into the prince’s court and we shall begin.” She nodded and walked toward the door. She passed the still-laboring children, one of who looked up at her with eyes dulled from lack of sleep. In those eyes, Jazhara noted a flicker of fear. When she reached the door, she glanced over her shoulder at the smiling spy and the three guards who stood nearby. James waited at the end of the alleyway. “Well?” he asked as she approached. “Yusuf is a spy for my great-uncle.” James could barely conceal his surprise. “I don’t know which I find more astonishing; that he is what you say, or that you’ve told me.” “When I left my father’s court and trained at Stardock, I set aside my loyalty to Great Kesh. What my great-uncle does, he does for the betterment of the Empire.” With a nod of her head to the entrance to Yusuf’s shop, she added with a steely edge to her voice, “But this one seeks to line his pockets with gold from the suffering of children, and his service to the Empire is of secondary concern, I am certain. Even were I in service to Kesh, I would not long abide his continued existence.” She gripped her staff and James saw her knuckles go white. Although he’d known the court mage for but a few hours, he had no doubt she was not making an idle threat; no matter where Jazhara’s loyalties might lie, she would see Yusef pay for his crimes against the children. “What do you propose?” he asked. “There are but three guards. You are, I assume, a competent swordsman?” “I am – ” began James. 43
“As I am a competent magician,” interrupted Jazhara. “Let’s go.” As they strode back toward the dyer’s shop, James felt the hair on his arms stand up, a sure sign magic was being gathered. He had never liked the feeling, even when he knew someone on his side was employing it. Jazhara said, “I will distract them. Try to take Yusuf alive.” James pulled out his rapier and muttered, “Four to one and you want me to try to keep one of them alive? Wonderful.” Jazhara entered the shop ahead of James, and Yusuf turned as she did so. “What – ?” he began. Jazhara’s pointed her staff at him and a loud keening sound filled the air as a ball of blue energy exploded off the tip of the staff. It struck the merchant, doubling him over in pain. James rushed past the magician, quickly scanning the room for a sign of the children. They were gone. The three armed guards hesitated for a moment, then sprang into action. James was about to strike the guard on his right when the energy ball caromed off Yusuf and struck the guard to James’s right. James quickly switched his attack to the center assailant. James had fought multiple opponents before, and knew there were certain advantages. The most important thing he had found was that if his opponents hadn’t practiced as a unit they tended to get in one another’s way. He lunged and took the center assailant under his guard, running him through. As he withdrew his blade, he leapt to his right and as he had hoped, the man on James’s left stumbled into the dying man in the middle. Yusuf ’s sword suddenly slashed the air near James’s head. He had recovered from the magic Jazhara had thrown at him and was now on James’s right, his scimitar expertly slicing the air. 44
“Great,” James muttered. “The spy has to be a master swordsman.” The two remaining thugs had regained their feet and were a danger, but Yusuf was the true threat. “Jazhara! Keep those two off me, if you please.” Jazhara advanced and another burst of energy shot across the room, this time a red blast of lightning that caused the air to crackle as it struck the floor between James and the two guards. They quickly retreated as smoke began to rise from the wooden floor. James didn’t have time to appreciate the display, for Yusuf was proving a formidable opponent. It looked as if there would be almost no chance of keeping the Keshian spy alive, unless he got lucky. And given a choice, he’d rather keep himself alive than spare Yusuf and die in the process. James used every trick he knew, a lethal inventory of combinations and feints. Twice he came close to cutting the Keshian, but twice in turn Yusuf came close to ending the struggle, too. James circled and the turn brought Jazhara and the other two thugs into view. One had left the magician and was coming to help his master finish off James, while the other approached the magician warily, as Jazhara stood ready with her iron-shod staff before her. James didn’t hesitate. He feigned a blow to Yusuf ’s right hand, and as the Keshian moved to block, James spun to his own right, taking him away from the Keshian spy. Before Yusuf could recover, James was standing at his exposed left side, and all the merchant could manage was to fall away, avoiding a killing blow. This brought James right into the reach of the approaching guard, who lashed out high with his sword, a blow designed to decapitate the squire. 45
James ducked and thrust, running the man through. He then leapt to his right, knowing full well that Yusuf would be coming hard on his blind side. James hit the floor and rolled, feeling the scimitar slice the air above him. As he had hoped, Yusuf was momentarily slowed as he tried to avoid tripping over the falling corpse of his guard, and that afforded James enough time to regain his feet. Off to one side, James could make out Jazhara and the other guard locked in combat. She wheeled the staff like an expert, taking his sword blows on hardened oak and lashing back with the iron tips. One good crack to the skull and the fight would be over, and both James and Jazhara’s opponent knew that. Yusuf came in with his sword point low, circling to his right. James glimpsed bales of cloth and display racks to his own right and moved to counter Yusuf. The spy wanted James’s back to possible obstructions, so he might cause the squire to trip. James knew it was now just a matter of who made the first mistake. He had been in struggles like this before, and knew fear and fatigue were the enemies most to be avoided. Yusuf’s face was a study in concentration: he was probably thinking the same thoughts. James paused as if weighing which way to move, inviting Yusuf into committing himself to an attack. Yusuf declined. He waited. Both men were breathing heavily. James resisted the urge to glance to where Jazhara struggled to finish off her opponent, knowing that to do so would invite an attack. The two men stood poised, each ready for an opening, each waiting for the other to commit. Then James had an inspiration. He intentionally glanced to the left, at Jazhara, seeing her block a blow from the guard; she took the tip of the staff inside the man’s guard, and James saw 46
her deliver a punching blow with the iron end of the staff to the man’s middle. He heard the man’s breath explode out of his lungs, but didn’t see it, for at that precise moment, James spun blindly away to his left. As he had expected, Yusuf had acted the moment James’s eyes wandered, and as he had also suspected, the attack came off a combination of blade movements. A feint to the heart, which should have caused James’s sword to lash up and out, to block the scimitar, followed by a looping drop of the tip of the scimitar to a low, inside stab, designed to impale James in the lower belly. But James wasn’t there. Rather than parry, he had spun to the left, and again found himself on Yusuf ’s right hand. And rather than dance away, James closed. Yusuf hesitated for an instant, recognizing he was over-extended and needed to come back into a defensive posture. That was all James needed. His rapier struck out and the point took Yusuf in the right side of his neck. With a sickening gurgling sound, the spy stiffened. Then his eyes rolled up and his knees gave way and he fell to the floor. James pulled out his sword and turned to see Jazhara break the skull of the last guard. The man went down and Jazhara retreated, glancing around to see if any threats remained. Seeing only James standing upright, she rested on her staff as she tried to catch her breath. James walked to her and said, “You all right?” She nodded. “I’m fine.” James then looked around the room. Bolts of cloth were overturned and had been sent every which way, and many were now stained with crimson. Letting out a long breath, James said, “What a mess.” 47
ames sheathed his sword. “Where did the children go?” Jazhara looked around, then glanced up the stairs. “I’ll look up there. You see if they are hiding in that office,” she instructed, and pointed to the door at the rear of the shop. James nodded, with a half-smile. No point in making an issue out of who was in charge, he thought, turning to comply with her instructions. She was, after all, a princess by birth. Then as he reached the door he wondered, does a court magician outrank a squire? He opened the door, sword at the ready, in case someone else lurked within. He entered a small office at the center of which stood a writing table. Two burning lamps lighted the room, and a large chest stood against the far wall. The chest was apparently unlocked, its hasp hanging open, but James had received too many harsh lessons about trusting appearances, and so he approached the chest with caution. He glanced first at the papers spread across the writing table and saw several in a Keshian script he recognized. Most of these were orders for dyed cloth. Other letters in the King’s Tongue were also business-related. Then he spied two documents in a script he did not know. 48
He was examining the chest for traps when Jazhara appeared in the doorway. Through clenched teeth she said, “The dog had the children caged.” James turned and looked through the door and saw a dozen frightened children, ranging in age from five to ten, standing mute behind the magician. They were dressed in filthy rags, their faces streaked with grime. James let out a slow sigh. Poor children in Krondor were nothing unusual; he had been an “urchin” himself before becoming a thief. But systematic abuse of children was not part of normal Kingdom practices. “What do we do with them?” “What was that place you spoke of earlier?” “The Sign of the Yellow Shield. It’s an orphanage established by the Princess and the Order of Dala.” One of the children drew back at mention of the place, and James remembered Nita’s reaction. James called into the main room, “You, boy, why does that frighten you?” The lad just shook his head, fear written across his face. Jazhara put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s all right. No one will hurt you. Why are you frightened?” A girl behind the boy said, “These men said they were from the Yellow Shield and if we came here they’d feed us.” James rose, left the office, pushed past Jazhara to where the nearest thug lay in a pool of blood. To an older boy he said, “Run outside and find a city watchman. You should find one two streets over by the Inn of the Five Stars. Tell him Squire James requires two men here as soon as possible. Can you remember that?” The boy nodded and ran off, leaving the street door open behind him. James glanced after him and said, “Well, if he doesn’t head straight for a hideout somewhere, help should be here in a few minutes.” 49
Jazhara watched as James turned the dead Keshian over and looted his purse. “What are you looking for?” she asked. James held up a ring. “This.” He rose and handed it to her to examine. She turned the ring over in her hand. It was a simple iron ring with a small painted yellow iron shield fastened to it. “Those who serve the Order of Dala wear a ring similar to this. I suspect these men showed this to the children to lure them here, claiming they were taking them to the orphanage.” Jazhara glanced toward the children, several of whom nodded. “That would explain why Nita was so adamant about not going there,” she said. James returned to the office and looked again at the closed chest. He hesitated, then opened it. Inside were more documents. He removed a few and asked, “Jazhara, can you read these? They appear to be in a form of Keshian I don’t understand.” Jazhara took the proffered documents and glanced at the topmost. “I can read them, but it’s a desert script, from the area around Durbin, and not from the interior of Kesh.” James nodded. He could only read formal court Keshian. Jazhara’s eyes widened. “Filthy traitor! Yusuf has been using my great-uncle and his resources, setting Kesh against your Prince, and your Prince against Kesh!” James looked perplexed. Finding out that Yusuf was a Keshian agent was hardly a shock. Discovering he was also betraying his master was. “Why?” Jazhara held out a single page. “To serve someone named ‘the Crawler.’” James rolled his eyes heavenward, but stayed silent. The Crawler had been a thorn in the side of both the Prince 50
and the Mockers for months now and James was no closer to establishing his identity than he had been the day he had first heard his name. Hoping for some clue, he asked, “What else does it say?” Jazhara finished reading the document, then looked at the next. “This Crawler is someone of note, someone who rewarded Yusuf handsomely for his betrayal. There are references to payments already made of large amounts of gold and other considerations.” She hurried through several other documents, then came to one that caused her to stop and go pale. “This cannot be . . .” she whispered. “What?” asked James. “It is a warrant for my death should I choose not to serve Yusuf. It bears my great-uncle’s signature and seal.” She held it out with a shaking hand and James took it. He examined the paper closely then said, “It isn’t.” “Isn’t?” she asked softly. “You said it cannot be and I’m saying you’re right. It isn’t real. It’s a forgery.” “How can you be certain?” she asked. “I’ve seen my greatuncle’s script and seal many times and this appears to be from his hand and ring.” James grinned. “It’s too flawless. I doubt that even your great-uncle could order the death of his favorite niece without some noticeable trembling in his hand. The letters are too prefect. I can’t read the words, but I can see the handwriting and it’s a clever forgery. Besides, even if the handwriting displayed that slight agitation I’d expect, there are two other reasons.” “Which are?” she asked as the sound of approaching footsteps reached them. 51
“Your great-uncle would never be stupid enough to sign his own name to a death warrant on any Keshian noble, especially one in his own family. More to the point, we’ve seen a fair number of documents bearing his seal in the palace over the years and there’s a tiny imperfection in his signet.” James pointed. “Look here. Where the long point of the star touches the bottom of the seal there should be a fine crack, as if the ring has a tiny fracture. This seal doesn’t have it. The ring wasn’t his.” “Then why?” asked Jazhara. As she spoke, a small company of the city watch appeared outside the door. “Because,” said James, striding toward the door, “if the new court mage in Krondor dies and someone in the Imperial Court starts casting around for someone to blame, who better than the head of the Keshian Intelligence Corps? Someone in the Empress’s Palace might wish to see him removed and replaced with his own man.” “The Crawler?” asked Jazhara. James turned and nodded. “Then he is someone of importance,” she said. “To threaten my great-uncle is to risk much. Only a man with his own power base within Kesh would dare this.” At the door, a guard of the watch said, “One of these children came to us and we hurried here as quickly as we could, Squire. What can we do to help?” James replied, “There are some bodies inside that need to be removed, but otherwise everything’s under control.” He glanced at the children who hovered around them in a circle, as if ready to bolt should the alarm go up. “You’d better take charge of this lot before they scatter.” “Where shall we take them?” 52
James said, “To the Shield of Dala Orphanage the Princess helped found, over by the Sea Gate. Last I heard they had plenty of beds and hot food.” Several children started to inch away, as if getting ready to flee. Jazhara crouched and reached out as if to gather the fearful children to her. She said, “They are not like the men who have hurt you. There you will truly find food and warm beds.” Confronted otherwise with the prospect of a cold night with only stones to sleep upon and an empty belly, the children remained. The guard looked around. “Well, then, if you’re all right getting back to the palace without a guard, Squire, we’ll get this bunch moving. Come along, children,” he said, trying not to sound too gruff. The children left with two of the guards while the remaining pair peered into the building. “We’ll have these bodies gone by morning. What about the building?” one of them asked. James replied, “It’ll be looted five minutes after you leave, so I’m going to poke around a little more and take anything important to the prince. Once we’re gone, get rid of the bodies and let whoever wanders by take what he wants. If the previous owner has any heirs, I would welcome them coming to the palace to complain.” The watchman saluted and James and Jazhara reentered the dyer’s shop. Jazhara thoroughly examined every paper in the chest and James inspected every likely spot that might harbor a secret hiding place. After an hour, James announced, “I don’t think there’s anything else.” Jazhara had been carefully reading the papers found in Yusuf ’s office. “There’s enough here to warrant a full investigation from my great-uncle’s end,” she said. “This attempt to have my death placed at his feet in order to discredit him . . . it would 53
have created a virtual civil war in the north of the Empire, for the desert tribes would know it to be a false accusation.” “But the Empress and her council in the City of Kesh might believe it.” Jazhara nodded. “Whoever this Crawler is, he seeks to benefit from confrontation between our peoples, James. Who would gain from such chaos?” James said, “It’s a long list. I’ll tell you sometime. Right now, we should get to the palace. You have barely enough time to take a short nap, change into clean clothing, eat, then be presented to Prince Arutha.” Jazhara took a final long look around the room, as if searching for something or trying to impress details on her memory, then without comment she lifted her staff and moved purposefully toward the door. James hesitated for a half-step, then overtook her. “You’ll send word to your great-uncle?” he asked when he caught up with her. “Certainly. This Crawler may be Keshian and what occurs here in Krondor may be but a part of a larger scheme, but it’s clear that my great-uncle is at risk.” James said, “Well, there’s the matter of the Prince.” “Oh.” Jazhara stared at James. “Do you think he would begrudge my great-uncle a warning?” James touched her shoulder lightly. “It’s not that. It’s only . . .” “Matters of politics,” she finished. “Something like that,” James said. They turned a corner. “It may be there’s no problem in communicating this discovery to your great-uncle, but Arutha may request you leave out certain facts, such as how you got the information.” 54
Jazhara smiled slightly. “As in not revealing we know Yusuf was ostensibly an agent working on behalf of Great Kesh?” James grinned. “Something like that,” he repeated. As they continued to walk, she added after a while, “Perhaps we could simply say that while dealing with an illegal slavery ring, we discovered a plot to murder me and pin the blame upon my great-uncle, to the purpose of having him removed from his position as Governor of the Jal-Pur.” “My thinking exactly.” Jazhara laughed. “Do not worry, my friend. Politics are second nature to Keshian nobles not born of the True Blood.” James frowned. “I’ve heard that term once or twice before, but must confess I’m vague as to what it means.” Jazhara turned a corner, putting them on a direct path back to the palace. “Then you must visit the City of Kesh and visit the Empress’s court. There are things I can tell you about Kesh that will not make sense until you have seen them with your own eyes. The True Blood Keshians, those whose ancestors first hunted lions on the grasslands around the Overn Deep, are such. Words would not do them justice.” A hint of irony – or bitterness – tinged her words, and James couldn’t tell which, but James decided not to pursue the matter. They crossed out of the Merchants’ Quarter and entered the palace district. As they approached the palace gates, Jazhara glanced over to the large building opposite and noticed the solitary guardsman there. “An Ishapian enclave?” James studied the sturdy man who stood impassively at his post, a lethal-looking warhammer at his belt. “Yes, though I have no idea of its purpose.” 55
Jazhara looked at James with a wry smile and a twinkling eye and said, “There’s something occurring in Krondor about which you’re ignorant?” James returned her smile. “What I should have said is that I have no idea what its purpose is – yet.” The guards came to attention as James and Jazhara reached the gates and the senior guard said, “Welcome back, Squire. You’ve found her, then?” James nodded. “Gentlemen, may I present Jazhara, court mage of Krondor.” At this, one of the other guards began to stare at Jazhara. “By the gods!” he exclaimed suddenly. “You’ve something to say?” James inquired. The guard flushed. “Beggin’ your pardon, Squire, but a Keshian? So close to our Prince?” Jazhara looked from one to the other, then said, “Set your minds at rest, gentlemen. I have taken oath and I will swear fealty to Arutha. Your prince is my lord, and like you, I shall defend him unto death.” The senior guard threw a look at the outspoken soldier that clearly communicated they would be talking about his outburst later. Then he said, “Your pardon, milady. We are honored to have you in Krondor.” “My thanks to you, sir,” replied Jazhara as the gates were opened. James followed, and as the gates were closed behind them he said, “You’ll have to excuse them. They’re naturally wary of strangers.” “You mean, wary of Keshians. Think nothing of it. We would be equally suspicious of a Kingdom magician in the court of the Empress, She Who Is Kesh. When Master Pug entrusted 56
me to this position, he was very clear that my appointment is not to be political.” James grinned. Nothing in the court was not political, but he appreciated the sentiment. He regarded the young woman again. The more he knew her, the better he liked her. Mustering up his best courtier’s tone, he said, “A woman of your beauty and intelligence should have no trouble with that. I myself am already feeling a great sense of trust.” She laughed. Fixing him with a skeptical expression, she said, “Your compliment is appreciated, Squire, but do not presume too much, too quickly. I’m sure your Prince would be upset were I forced to turn you into a toad.” James returned the laugh. “Not half as upset as I’d be. Forgive my impertinence, Jazhara, and welcome to Krondor.” They paused at the main entrance to the palace, where a page waited. “This boy will escort you to your quarters and see to whatever you need.” Glancing at the sky, James added, “We have two hours until dawn, and I will attend the Prince an hour after he breaks fast with his family. I’ll have someone come fetch you to court for the presentation.” “Thank you, Squire,” said Jazhara. She turned and mounted the steps to the palace doors. James watched her go, appreciating just how nice her retreating figure looked in her travel clothes. As he took off in the direction of his own quarters, he muttered to himself, “William’s got good taste in women, that’s for sure. Between Talia and this one, he’s got his hands full.” By the time he reached a small gate near the palace wall, on the path leading to the rear servant’s entrance, his mind had already turned from exotic beauties from distant lands and was wrestling with mysteries more deadly, such as who 57
this Crawler was and why was he trying so hard to plunge the Kingdom into war. Arutha, Prince of Krondor and the Western Realm, second most powerful man in the Kingdom of the Isles, looked at his squire and said, “Well, what do you think of her?” “Even if Duke Pug hadn’t vouched for her, I’d be inclined to trust her, to take her oath of fealty as heartfelt and genuine.” Arutha sat back in his chair, behind the desk he used when conducting the more mundane daily routines of ruling the Western Realm. It was his habit to take a few minutes there to ready himself for morning court, before the conduct of his office was taken out of his hands by de Lacy, his Master of Ceremonies. After a moment of reflection, Arutha said, “You must be tired. If loyalty were even a remote issue, Jazhara would not be here. I mean, what do you think of her as a person?” James sighed. “We had . . . an adventure, last night.” Arutha pointed to the documents upon his desk. “Something to do with a dead cloth-dyer of Keshian ancestry who appears to be working for Lord Hazara-Khan, no doubt.” James nodded. “Yes, sire. She’s . . . remarkable. As much as I’ve been around magic in the last ten years, I still know little about it. But she seems . . . I don’t know if powerful is the correct word . . . adept, perhaps. She acted without hesitation when the need arose and she seems capable of doing considerable damage should that be required.” “What else?” James thought. “I think she’s able to be very analytical ‘at a full gallop’ as they say. I can’t imagine her being rash or foolhardy.” 58
Arutha nodded for James to continue. “We can deduce she’s educated. Despite the accent, her command of the King’s Tongue is flawless. She reads more languages than I do, apparently, and being court-born will know all the protocols, ceremonies, and matters of rank.” “Nothing you’ve said is at variance with Pug’s message to me concerning this choice.” Arutha indicated another piece of parchment on his desk. “You have a nose for smelling out things even a magician of Pug’s puissance might not recognize.” “In that, Highness, she’s what you require in an advisor on things magical, I would wager.” “Good.” Arutha rose and said, “Let us go and meet her, then.” James hurried to reach the door and open it for his prince. While no longer Senior Squire of the Court of Krondor, he was still Arutha’s personal squire and usually attended him when he wasn’t off on some mission or another for Arutha. James opened the door. On the other side, Brion, the newly-appointed Senior Squire, awaited Arutha’s appearance. Brion was the son of the Baron of Hawk’s Hallow in the eastern mountains of the Duchy of Yabon. A tall, rangy, blond-headed lad, he was a hard-working, no-nonsense sort, the perfect choice for the tedious work of Senior Squire, work James had to admit he had never fully embraced with enthusiasm. Master of Ceremonies de Lacy and his assistant, Housecarl Jerome, were thrilled with the change in assignments, as they had both been forced to compensate for James’s absences when he was out and about on Arutha’s behalf. James glanced at Brion as he followed Arutha, leaving James with the other squires awaiting the duties of the day. When Arutha was seated, Brion nodded to Jerome, who moved to 59
the large doors that would admit today’s court to the Prince’s presence. With a dignity James still found impressive, the old Master of Ceremonies moved to the middle of the entrance, so that as Jerome and a page opened the doors, those outside would first see de Lacy. With a voice still powerful, the Master of Ceremonies said, “Come forth and attend! The Prince of Krondor is upon his throne and will hear his subjects!” He turned and walked toward the dais, while pages led members of the court to their assigned places. Most of those in attendance were regular members of Arutha’s court and knew exactly where they should stand, but a few newcomers always needed a boy nearby to instruct them quietly in matters of court protocol. And Brian de Lacy was a stickler for protocol. James saw several officers and nobles of Arutha’s staff enter and take their customary positions while petitioners who had convinced someone on the palace staff they needed to speak personally with the Prince followed. Jazhara was first among those, since she would soon make the transition from newcomer to member of the court. James was impressed. Gone was the dusty, efficient travel garb, and now she wore the traditional formal raiment of her people. From head to foot she was dressed in a deep indigo silk, and James had to acknowledge that the color suited her. She wore far less jewelry than was customary for a woman of her rank; but the pieces she did wear – a brooch which held her veil pinned to her shoulder, which in her homeland would be worn across her lower face in the presence of strangers; and a single large bracelet of gold embedded with emeralds – were of the highest quality. The former thief suppressed a smile as he considered what they’d 60
fetch if sold to some of the less reputable gem dealers in Krondor. Master de Lacy intoned, “Highness, the court is assembled.” With a slight inclination of his head, Arutha signaled for court to commence. James glanced around to see if William was present. As a junior officer of the Prince’s guard he had no particular reason to be here, but given his history with Jazhara, James thought it possible he might put in an appearance. De Lacy spoke: “Highness, we have the honor to present to you Jazhara, newly come to Krondor from Stardock, recommended to your favor by Duke Pug.” Arutha nodded for her to come close and Jazhara approached with the calm, effortless poise of one born to the court. James had seen more than one previously confident petitioner stumble while under the Prince’s gaze, but Jazhara reached the appropriate spot and bowed, a low, sweeping gesture, which she executed gracefully. “Welcome to Krondor, Jazhara,” said Arutha. “Duke Pug commends you to our service. Are you willing to undertake such?” “With my heart and mind, Highness,” answered the young desert woman. De Lacy came to stand halfway between Jazhara and the Prince and began the oath of service. It was short and to the point, to James’s relief; there were far more tedious rites that he’d been forced to endure in his years of service to the crown. Jazhara finished with, “And to this I pledge my life and honor, Highness.” Father Belson, a priest of the Order of Prandur, and Arutha’s 61
current advisor on issues concerning the various temples in the Kingdom, approached and intoned, “Prandur, Cleanser by Fire, Lord of the Flame, sanctifies this oath. As it is given, in fealty and service, so shall it be bound, in protection and succor. Let all know that this woman, Jazhara of the House of Hazara-Khan, is now Prince Arutha’s good and loyal servant.” Belson conducted Jazhara to her appointed place in the court, next to his own, where both would be available should Arutha need their opinion on some issue concerning magic or faith. James glanced at the remaining company and realized court would be blessedly short this morning. There were only two petitioners and most of the regular court staff appeared anxious to be elsewhere. Arutha was a ruler who, to everyone’s relief except perhaps de Lacy’s, preferred efficiency to pomp. He left grand ceremony, such as the monthly galas and other festive occasions, to be overseen by his wife. Jazhara caught James’s eye and gave him a slight smile, which he returned. Not for the first time, James wondered if there might be something more in this than merely a collegial gesture, and then he mentally kicked himself. James’s view of women was quite outside the norm for men his age in the Kingdom: he liked them and wasn’t afraid of them, though he had been from time to time confused by them. Still, while he enjoyed intimacy with a woman as much as the next man, he avoided complicating liaisons. And a relationship with one of the Prince’s advisors was only slightly less complicating than one with a member of his family; so he shunted aside such thoughts. With a slightly regretful inward sigh he told himself, it’s just that she’s exotic. When court was over and the company dismissed, Arutha 62
rose from his throne and turned to Jazhara. “Are you settled in?” “Yes, Highness,” she answered. “My baggage was delivered to the palace this morning and all is well.” “Are your quarters adequate?” She smiled. “Very, Highness. Master Kulgan told me what to expect, and I believe he was having some fun with me, as they are far more commodious than I had expected.” Arutha smiled slightly. “Kulgan always possessed a dry sense of humor.” Motioning for James, he said, “Squire James will conduct your tour of Krondor today, and should you need anything, he will ensure you get it.” “Thank you, Highness.” With a grin, James said, “As you know, we had a bit of a tour last night, Highness.” Arutha said, “I saw the documents this morning.” To Jazhara and James he said, “But first, you two, in my office, please.” Brion hurried to open the door and Arutha led Jazhara and James into his private office. As he was about to step through, Arutha said, “Squire Brion, see what Master de Lacy has for the squires this morning.” “Sire.” Brion bowed and departed. Arutha sat. “Jazhara, allow me to begin by saying that had I a moment’s concern regarding your loyalty to our court, you would not be standing here.” Jazhara inclined her head and said, “Understood, Highness.” “James, as soon as possible, please familiarize our young magician with everything we know so far about the Crawler. That will require, I suspect, a fair amount of personal history, since his confrontation with the Mockers is significant in understanding his motives. Be frank. I have the impression this young lady doesn’t shock easily.” 63
Jazhara smiled. Arutha fixed a solemn gaze on both of them. “This Crawler has had his hand in no small amount of mischief over the last year or so. He was indirectly involved in one of the more threatening attacks on our sovereignty and created a situation that put a great strain on our relationships with a neighboring nation to the east. The more difficult he is to find, the more I worry about him.” Addressing James he said, “Be thorough. You needn’t return to the palace, unless I send for you, until you feel Jazhara has seen all she needs to see.” James bowed. “I will be thorough, Highness.” Jazhara bowed as well and followed James out of the Prince’s office into a side corridor, where James asked, “Where to first, my lady?” Jazhara said, “My quarters. I’m not traipsing around Krondor in this gown. And I feel only partially dressed if I don’t have my staff in my hand.” James smiled. “Your quarters it is.” As they walked through the palace, Jazhara said, “I haven’t seen William yet. Is he avoiding me?” James looked at her. Frank, indeed, he thought. He said, “Probably not. While he’s a royal cousin, he’s also a junior officer and has many duties. If we don’t run into him during our travels, I know where we’ll be able to find him this evening.” Jazhara said, “Good. We need to talk, and I’d rather that occurred sooner than later.” James noticed she was no longer smiling.
he watchman saluted. James returned the acknowledgment, while Jazhara took in the sights of Krondor. She was wearing her travel garb once more. She carried her iron-shod staff, and her hair was tied back. She looked . . . businesslike. James found it interesting to contrast how she looked now, and how she had appeared at court earlier that morning. Two very different women . . . They had begun early in the day, visiting the shops and markets of what people commonly referred to as the “Rich Quarter” of the city, a place in which shops displayed items of great beauty and price to buyers of means. Jazhara had lingered at several shops, much to James’s chagrin, for he had never enjoyed the pastime of looking at goods he had no interest in buying. He had several times been assigned to the Princess’s shopping expeditions, mostly to keep Elena out from under her mother’s feet as much as to guard Arutha’s wife. It was perhaps the only time in his life when he hadn’t particularly enjoyed the Princess’s company. James had then taken Jazhara through the so-called “Merchants’ Quarter,” where the traders and captains of commerce had their 65
places of business. The center of this district was dominated by a coffeehouse. They had paused to enjoy a cup of the Keshian brew, which Jazhara pronounced as fine as any she had tasted at home. This had brought a smile from their server, a young man named Timothy Barret, the youngest son of the owner. Businessmen flocked to Barret’s to conduct business, mainly the underwriting of cargo ships and caravans. After leaving the Merchants’ Quarter, they had visited one working-class district after another. It was now past sundown and the evening watch was making its rounds. “Perhaps we should return to the palace?” James suggested. “There’s still a great deal of the city to be seen, yes?” James nodded. “But I’m not certain you’d care to spend time there after dark.” “The Poor Quarter?” “Yes, and the docks and Fishtown. They can be pretty rough even during the day.” “I think I have shown I am capable of taking care of myself, James.” “Agreed, but I find it best to keep the opportunity for trouble to a minimum; it has a habit of finding me anyway.” She laughed. “Perhaps more tomorrow, then. But what about William? You said he would likely be off-duty this evening.” James pointed to a side street. “Let’s cut down there. William is almost certainly at the Rainbow Parrot.” “A soldiers’ tavern?” James shrugged. “Not particularly, though many of Lucas’s patrons are old friends who served with him in the Riftwar. No, it’s just the place William prefers to frequent.” Jazhara glanced sidelong at James. “A girl?” 66
James felt himself flush and decided a simple, direct answer was appropriate. “Yes. William has been seeing Talia, Lucas’s daughter, for several weeks now.” “Good,” said Jazhara. “I feared he was still . . .” As she paused, James supplied, “In love with you?” Without looking at James she said, “Infatuated, I think, is a better word. I made a mistake and . . .” “Look, it’s none of my business,” James said. “So if you don’t want to talk about it, fine.” “No, I want you to know something.” She stopped and he turned to look at her. “Because you’re his friend, I think.” “I am,” said James. James had been something of a mentor to William since he had arrived at Krondor. “And I would like for us to be friends, as well.” James nodded. “I would like that too.” “So, you know, then, that William was a boy who followed me around for years once he was old enough to become interested in women. I was a few years older and to me he seemed an eager puppy, nothing more.” She paused and stared down at the street, as if recalling something difficult to recount. James, too, stood still. “I became involved with an older man, one of my teachers. It was not a wise thing to do. He was Keshian, as I was, and he shared many of the beliefs I do on magic and its uses. We drifted into a relationship without too much effort. “Our affair became . . . awkward, for my family would not have approved of any such liaison, and rather than dictate to me, my great-uncle got word to my lover that he was to cease his involvement with me.” She began to walk slowly again, as if it helped her form her thoughts. James accompanied her. “He rejected me, and left Stardock, returning to the Empire.” 67
“And to a small reward, I’m sure.” “At the least. Perhaps it was nothing more than wanting to spare me a confrontation with my own father or perhaps he was afraid – my great-uncle’s reach can be very long, even into a place such as Stardock.” “And?” James prompted. “William was there. I was hurt and frightened and alone and William was there.” She looked at James. “He’s a lovely young man, honorable and kind, strong and passionate, and I felt abandoned. He helped me.” Her voice trailed off. James shrugged. “But what?” “But after a while I realized it was as wrong for me to be his lover as it had been for my teacher to be mine. William was the son of the duke, and had another destiny before him and I was . . . using him.” James suppressed the quip that almost sprang to his lips about it not being a bad way to be used, and said instead, “Well, he wanted . . . I mean . . .” “Yes, but I was older and should have seen the problems to come. So I broke off our affair. I fear I may have tipped the balance in his decision to leave Stardock and come to Krondor.” They turned into a street and headed toward an inn displaying a large parrot with rainbow-colored feathers on a sign over the door. “Well, I’ve known Will for a bit now, and I think you can put aside that concern,” James said at last. “He was set on becoming a soldier, one way or another, all his life, from what he’s told me.” Jazhara was about to reply, but before she knew it, James was drawing his sword and saying, “Guard yourself !” She brought her staff to the ready and hurried after him. She 68
saw that the door to the inn was partially open and that there was a dead soldier lying before it; and now she could hear the sound of fighting coming from within. James kicked the door wide and leapt through, Jazhara behind him, staff at the ready. A scene of carnage greeted them. Two armed men lay dead on the ground, mercenaries judging by their dress. Several bar patrons also lay dead amidst the broken furniture. A young woman lay near the fireplace, blood pooling about her head. In the corner William conDoin, cousin by adoption to the Royal House of Krondor and Lieutenant in the Prince’s Household Guard, stood ready with his large sword held two-handed before him. Three men advanced on him. William, seeing the newcomers, “James! Jazhara! Help me! Talia’s been hurt!” One of the men turned to engage the squire. The other two attacked William, who barely had room to deflect both strikes with his larger sword. A devastating weapon in the field, the hand-and-a-half or “bastard” sword was a liability at close quarters. Jazhara lifted her hand and a nimbus of crimson light erupted around it. She cast it at the closest of William’s opponents and watched as the light harmlessly struck the ground near his feet. “Damn,” she muttered. She hefted her staff and stepped forward, leveling a jab with the iron base at the side of the man’s head. The intruder sensed or saw with his peripheral vision the attack and ducked aside. Whirling to face his new foe, he made a wicked slashing attack at Jazhara, causing her to fall back. But she had freed William to concentrate on one foe only, and he quickly killed his man. James also dispatched his 69
opponent, then used his sword hilt to strike Jazhara’s attacker at the base of the skull. Rather than stun the man, it served only to distract him, and he turned as Jazhara lashed out again with her staff. The sound of breaking bones was unmistakable as the iron heel of the staff crushed the back of the man’s head. James looked around the room and said, “What black murder is this?” William had thrown down his sword and was kneeling beside Talia, cradling her head in his lap. The girl’s face was pale and her life flowed out by the second. “Oh, William . . .” she whispered, “Help me.” William looked down despairingly. He glanced at James, who shook his head slightly, regret clearly showing in his expression. William then looked at Jazhara and entreated, “You were one of my father’s finest students. Can you perform a healing?” Jazhara knelt beside the young soldier and whispered, “I’m sorry, William. Her wounds are too severe. Even if we were to send for a priest . . . it would be too late.” James knelt on the other side of the girl. “Talia, who did this?” Talia looked up at James. “They were after Father. I don’t know who they were. The leader was a huge bear of a man.” She coughed and blood trickled from her mouth, staining her lips. “He hurt me, William. He really hurt me.” Tears streamed down William’s cheeks. “Oh, Talia, I’m sorry . . .” Suddenly the girl’s distress seemed to ease. James had seen this before in those on the verge of death. For a moment their eyes brightened, as if the pain had vanished, as if the dying stood upon the threshold of entering Lims-Kragma’s 70
Hall. At this moment, they saw clearly in both worlds. Talia whispered, “Don’t worry, William. I swear by Kahooli, I will have my vengeance!” Then her head lolled to one side. “No . . . Talia!” William sobbed. For a moment he held her, and then slowly he placed her on the floor, and gently closed her eyes. At last, he rose and declared, “They must pay for this, James. I’m going after them.” James looked toward the doorway of the inn. If the intruders had been seeking Talia’s father Lucas, that was the way the old man would have bolted. He said, “Wait, William. The Prince will have my head if I let you go off alone. You’ll have your revenge and we’ll be there beside you. Now, tell us what happened.” William hesitated a moment then said, “Right. Martin and I had just ended our shift. We headed over here for a drink, just like always, and that’s when we saw them run out of the building. Half a dozen of them, with that big bastard leading them. Martin tried to halt them, and they attacked us without so much as a word. If you hadn’t come along, I’d no doubt be lying alongside Martin.” He gestured toward the dead soldier. James inspected the carnage. In addition to Talia, they had slaughtered everyone else in the inn. The other barmaid, Susan de Bennet, lay sprawled on the floor in the corner, her head severed completely from her body with what looked to have been a single blow. Her red tresses fanned out around her head, which lay a foot away from her body, her blue eyes still wide in shocked amazement. The other patrons were likewise hacked to pieces. “Why?” asked James. “Why charge in and kill everyone in 71
sight?” He looked at William. “Did the big man go after Lucas?” “No. Some other men went out through the back. Once those five murderers backed me inside the inn, the big bastard and some others fled down the street.” “Do you have any idea where they were heading?” asked James. Before William could answer, the building seemed to rock as the night was torn by the sound of a thunderous explosion. James was first out the door, with William and Jazhara close behind him. To the west, a fountain of green flames rose into the night as rocks shot up into the air. As the sound of the explosion diminished, the rocks began to rain down. James and his companions ducked beneath the overhanging roof eaves, and waited. When it was clear that the last of the rocks had fallen, William said, “Listen!” In the distance they could hear the clash of arms and the shouts of men. They hurried toward the noise, and turned the corner that led to the city jail. As they ran toward the jail, another explosion ripped through the night and they were thrown to the ground. A tower of green fire again reached into the darkness, and James shouted, “Get under cover!” Again they hugged the walls of a building as more stones rained down upon them. William shouted, “What is that? Quegan Fire?” James shook his head, “No Quegan Fire I’ve ever seen was green.” Jazhara said, “I think I know what it was.” “Care to share that intelligence with us?” asked James. “No,” she answered. “Not yet.” 72
As the clatter of falling stones quieted, James leapt up and they continued running toward the jail. They reached a junction with two other streets, and sprinted left. A short distance further on they came to another intersection, and it was there they saw what was left of the jail. A gaping hole in the wall stood where the wooden door had once been, a few flames could be seen inside, and smoke rose from the maw. Nearby, an overturned wagon served as cover for two guardsmen and Captain Garruth, commander of the city watch. James, William, and Jazhara approached the wagon in a running crouch, keeping the wagon between them and the opening, for crossbow bolts and arrows were flying from the hole at those behind the wagon. Glancing back, Captain Garruth motioned for them to stay low. When James came alongside, the captain said, “Astalon rot their black hearts.” He nodded to the two young men he knew and said, “William. Squire James.” Without waiting for an introduction to Jazhara, the guard captain continued. “As you can see, we’ve a bit of a problem.” “What happened?” asked James. “Bloody brigands! They’ve blown out the back of the jail, and cut down half my squad.” “Who are they?” asked William. “Your guess is as good as mine, lad. The leader’s a giant of a man, bald, with a thick beard. He was wearing some sort of bone amulet, and he swung a mean sword.” William said, “That’s the one, James.” “Which one, boy?” asked the captain as another arrow slammed into the underside of the wagon. James glanced at William. “The one that killed Talia, the barmaid at the Rainbow Parrot.” Garruth let out a slow breath then said heavily, “Lucas’s girl. 73
She is . . . was . . . such a sweet thing.” He glanced at William. “My sympathies, Will.” With cold anger, William replied, “I’ll have his heart, Captain. I swear I will.” Garruth said, “Well, now’s your chance, lad. They’ve got us pinned down, but maybe the two of you can creep back down the way you came and circle behind the jail.” “Where’s the sheriff ?” asked James. Garruth inclined his head toward the jail. “In there, I expect. I was due to meet with him when everything went to hell.” James shook his head. He had little affection for Sheriff Wilfred Means, but he was a good and loyal servant of the Prince and his son Jonathan was one of James’s agents. He would discover if the younger Means was still alive later, he supposed. “If the sheriff and his men were inside when the bastards blew up the jail, we won’t see help here from the palace for another ten or fifteen minutes,” said James. Garruth said, “Aye, and that gives them time for whatever bloody work they’ve got in mind. Never seen anyone try to break into a jail before, so there must be something in there they want.” James said, “No, there’s someone they want.” William said, “You think Lucas went to the jail?” “Maybe,” said James. “But we won’t know until we get inside.” Garruth said, “You’d best leave the woman here until the palace guards arrive.” Jazhara said, in a dry tone, “I appreciate your concern, but I can handle myself.” The captain shrugged. “As you will.” 74
They crouched low and returned the way they had come, until they reached the big intersection, safely out of firing range of the jail. All three stood and began to run. They quickly reached the rear wall of the jail, in which another gaping hole could be seen. “The second explosion?” asked William. “The first,” said Jazhara. “They blew this one out to catch men eating and sleeping there” – she pointed through the hole to a table and overturned bunks – “then when those in the front of the jail ran back to aid their comrades, they set off the explosion on the other side, through which they almost certainly attacked, catching whoever was inside from the rear.” James said, “We’ll not find the answer out here.” He ducked low and ran toward the hole leading into the guardroom, expecting a volley of arrows at any moment. Instead he found only two men looting the corpses on the ground. One died before he could draw his sword and the other turned on James, only to be struck from behind by William. James held up his hand for silence. From the entrance come the sound of arrows and quarrels being fired, but all was still in the guardroom. James motioned for William to take the left side of the door into the front room, and for Jazhara to stand a few feet behind James. Then he moved to the partially opened door. He glanced through. A half-dozen men, four with bows and two with crossbows, were spread in flank formation, patiently shooting at anything that moved outside the hole in the wall. It was clear they were merely holding Garruth and his men at bay so someone inside could accomplish his mission. James glanced at William and Jazhara, and then toward an 75
opening in the floor with stone stairs leading down to the underground cells. He knew there was a staircase in the front room leading to offices and the sheriff ’s apartment above. Which way had the big man gone? Up or down? James decided that either way they’d need Garruth and his half-dozen guardsmen to deal with the big man and his crew. So the six bowmen ahead must first be neutralized. James held up three fingers, and Jazhara shook her head emphatically. She tapped her chest, indicating that she wished to make the first move. James glanced at William, who shrugged, so he looked back at Jazhara and nodded. She stepped forward, raising her right hand high above her head, while grasping her staff in the left. Again the hair on James’s arms stood on end as magic was gathered. A golden light enveloped the woman, accompanied by a faint sizzling sound, then the light coalesced into a sphere in the palm of her hand. She threw it as if it was a large ball and it arced into the room, landing between the center pair of bowmen. Instantly they dropped their weapons and twitched in wild spasms. The two next to them on either side were also afflicted, but held on to their weapons and managed to regain control of their movements almost immediately. The two crossbowmen – one of either side of the flank – were unaffected. Fortunately for William, the man he charged had just fired a bolt and was moving to reload his weapon. The other man turned and fired wildly, the bolt striking the wall high above James’s head. Suddenly the balance shifted. The archers dropped their bows and drew daggers, for the projectile weapons were useless at close range. James had one man wounded and down before his neighbor had freed his dagger from his belt. William’s large sword was menacing 76
enough that one of the mercenaries threw down his crossbow and attempted to leap over the desk and dash through the gaping hole in the wall. Seeing the man attempting to flee from within, Captain Garruth and his men sprang forward and the man was down in moments. Inside, the others threw up their hands and knelt, the mercenary’s universal sign of surrender. Garruth indicated that two of his six men were to guard the prisoners. To James he said, “There are more of them than these six. I’ll take my men to the basement, if you three will check upstairs.” James nodded. “Who’s supposed to be up there?” “Just the lads sleeping until their mid-watch shift, and a scribe named Dennison. The sheriff and his men sleep up there.” Glancing at the hacked bodies, he said, “I doubt any of them are alive.” He scratched his beard. “It was a perfect raid. They knew exactly when to hit. The company was at its lowest complement and least able to defend itself, and reinforcements were unlikely to get here quickly.” He started toward the stairs leading down to the cells, and two of his men followed cautiously. James motioned to William and Jazhara to accompany him and they made their way to the stairs leading to the upper floor of the jail. As they reached the steps, they ducked reflexively as another explosion came from above. While smoke and stone dust poured down the steps, Captain Garruth shouted, “He’s heading for the North Gate!” James didn’t hesitate. “Come on!” he bellowed, and ran through the gaping hole just a few feet away. Looking down the crowded street leading to the North Gate, James could see the head and shoulders of a large man 77
towering above the throng, shoving his way through the curious onlookers who had gathered to see what the commotion at the jail was. James, William, and Jazhara raced after him. As they neared the crowd, James glanced back and saw that Garruth’s men were engaged in a struggle with about a half-dozen mercenaries. To William and Jazhara, he shouted, “We’re on our own!” People who had been shoved aside by the big man found themselves being pushed aside once more, this time by James and his companions. “Out of the way! Prince’s business!” he shouted. In the din of voices he could barely be heard and finally James let William, who was stockier and stronger than James, take the lead. People jumped aside as they recognized the garb of the prince’s personal household guards, when he bellowed, “Stand aside in the name of the Prince!” Still, precious moments had been lost, and the big man was out of sight. As they neared the intersection with the road that emptied out through the North Gate, another mighty explosion could be heard, followed instantly by screams and shouts. They reached the corner and saw a large, two-story building in flames. Smoke billowed from the lower windows as flames climbed the outside wall. “Gods,” said James. “He’s fired the orphanage.” From the main door four women and a man were ushering out children, many of whom looked stunned and disoriented, coughing from the heavy smoke. James ran to the door. The man turned, saw William’s garb and shouted, “Someone’s burned the orphanage! They threw a bomb through that window.” He pointed with a shaking finger. “Flames erupted and we barely got out alive.” 78
Jazhara said, “Are all the children out?” A scream from upstairs answered her. The man coughed and said, “I tried to go upstairs, but the fire near the stairs is too intense.” “How many are up there?” asked William. “Three,” said one of the women, who was crying. “I called the children for supper, but they were taking their time coming down . . .” “I may be able to help,” said Jazhara. “How?” asked James. “I have a spell which will protect you from the heat unless you touch the flame itself. But it lasts only a short time.” The man said, “Then weave it quickly, woman. Their lives are at stake.” William started to strip off his armor, but James said, “No, I’m faster than you.” He also had no armor to doff. He handed his sword to William and said, “Ready.” Jazhara said, “The spell will protect you from the heat, but you must be careful not to breathe the smoke too deeply as it will kill as fast as a flame.” She pulled a handkerchief from the hands of one of the nearby women and handed it to James. “Hold this over your mouth and nose.” She closed her eyes, putting her right hand on James’s arm and the back of her left hand to her forehead. She made a short incantation and finally said, “There. It is done. Now hurry, for it will last but a short time” James said, “I didn’t feel anything.” “It’s done,” she repeated. “I usually feel magic when it’s – ” “Go!” she said, pushing him toward the door. “Time is short!” 79
“But – ” “Go!” she repeated with a strong push. James tumbled head-first through the door, and ducked at the sight of flames licking the ceiling above. To his surprise, he felt no heat. The smoke, however, caused his eyes to water and he blinked furiously to clear them. He wished he had thought to wet the cloth he held over his nose and mouth. He made for a stairway, following a serpentine route around flaming tables and burning tapestries. He quickly reached the top of the stairs and did not have to ask if the children were still alive. Three tiny voices split the air with their screams and coughs. James shouted, “Stay where you are, children! I’m coming to get you!” He hurried toward the shouts at the other end of the room, a barracks of sorts where the children obviously slept. Bedding was smoldering and flames climbed the walls, but he found a straight path to the children. Two boys and a girl huddled in the corner, terrified to the point of immobility. James quickly decided that trying to guide them through the flames was pointless. The older of the two boys appeared to be about seven or eight years of age. The other boy and girl he guessed as being closer to four. He knelt and said, “Come here.” The children stood up and he gathered the two smaller children up, one under each arm, then said to the older boy, “Climb on my back!” The boy did, clamping his arm over James’s throat. James put down the other two children, almost gagging. “Not so hard!” he said, prying the boy’s arm from across his windpipe. “Here,” he said, placing the boy’s arms across his chest. “Like this!” 80
Then he scooped up the other children and hurried back to the stairs. He moved quickly down the steps and saw the flames had closed around the landing. “Damn!” he muttered. There was nothing for it but to run. He leapt as far as he could through the flames and instantly understood Jazhara’s warning. The heat itself hadn’t been noticeable, but the second the flames touched him he could certainly feel it. “Oooh!” he shouted, as he landed in a relatively clear patch of wooden floor, while the planks on all sides smoldered and burned. The roof above was making alarming sounds, creaks and groans, that told James the support timbers were weakening. Soon the upper floor would collapse on him and the children if he didn’t move. The smoke was making the children cough and James’s eyes were tearing to the point of being unable to see through the smoke. Taking in a lungful that caused him to cough, he shouted, “Jazhara! William!” William’s booming voice answered from slightly to his left. “This way!” James didn’t hesitate. He leapt forward, trying as well as he could to avoid the flames, but by the time he came spilling out the door with a child under each arm and one across his back, he was burned on both legs and arms. The children were crying from their burns, but they were alive. He collapsed onto the cobblestones, coughing. Two women took charge of the burned and frightened children, while Jazhara knelt and examined James’s burns. “Not serious,” she judged. James looked at her through watering eyes and said, “Easy for you to say. They hurt like the blazes!” Jazhara took a small jar out of her belt pouch and said, “This 81
will make them stop hurting until we can get you to a healer or priest.” She applied a salve gently to the burns and, true to her words, the pain vanished. James said, “What is that?” “It is made from a desert plant found in the Jal-Pur. My people use this salve on burns and cuts. It will keep wounds from festering for a while, enabling them to heal.” James stood up and looked toward the gate. “He’s gotten away?” William said, “I expect so. Look.” He pointed to the other side of the street where members of the city watch were moving citizens back from the fire so that a chain of men with buckets could start wetting down the nearby buildings. It was clear that the orphanage was doomed, but the rest of the quarter might be saved. William sounded defeated. “Those men are from the gate watch, so I suspect the murderer got out of the city just by walking through.” Jazhara said, “What sort of monster would set fire to an orphanage to create a diversion?” James said, “The same sort who would break into a jail at sunset.” He coughed one more time, then said, “Let’s go back and see if we can find out who he was after.” He started walking back toward the jail. Soldiers from the palace had arrived to augment the surviving city guards at the jail. James had just learned that Sheriff Wilfred Means and all but six of his men had been killed. The sheriff’s son, Jonathan, stood in the main room surveying the damage. James had recently recruited the young man to work secretly for him in the Prince’s burgeoning intelligence network. The squire put his hand on Jonathan’s shoulder and 82
said, “I’m sorry for your loss. Your father and I were never what could be called friends, but I respected him as an honest man who was unstinting in his loyalty and duty.” Jonathan looked pale and could only nod. Finally he controlled his emotions and said, “Thank you.” James nodded. “For the time being, you and the other deputies report to Captain Garruth. Arutha will need time to name a new sheriff and you’ll be undermanned for a while.” Jonathan said, “I need to go home if that’s all right. I must tell my mother.” James said, “Yes, of course. Go to your mother,” and sent the young man on his way. Jonathan was an able man, despite his youth, but he doubted Arutha would willingly elevate him to his father’s office. Besides, having Jonathan tied to a desk wouldn’t help James’s plans. He put aside those thoughts and went looking for Garruth. The captain was directing workers and soldiers as they started making repairs on the jail. “Didn’t catch him?” he said when he saw James and the others. James held up one of his burned arms and said, “Bastard set fire to the orphanage as a diversion.” Garruth shook his head. “That one is a mean piece of work.” He inclined his head to the stairs leading to the cell below. “You should take a look at what he did down there. I’d not want to be on this one’s bad side.” James led the others down the steps to the lock-up. The jail was a holding area for minor criminals waiting to get justice from Arutha’s magistrates, or for prisoners waiting to be transferred to the palace dungeon or the prison work-gangs. The jail comprised a large basement divided by bars and doors into eight cells – two large general holding pens, and 83
six smaller cells used to isolate the more troublesome prisoners. At any hour of the day, drunks, petty thieves, and other troublemakers would be found locked up. A city watchman saluted when he saw James and said, “It’s not pretty, Squire. Only one man left alive here, in that far cell.” James couldn’t believe his eyes. Guardsmen were carrying bodies from one of the two large cells. James instantly saw what had likely transpired. The large man had come down, perhaps with henchmen, perhaps alone, and had found two cells occupied, six empty. The small cell across the way had been ignored, while he had opened the large cell. The door lay on the floor, and James wondered what sort of man could pry it off its hinges. Three men lay dead in the cell, and a fourth was being carried out. Three of these men had died by the blade, killed quickly from the evidence before James’s eyes, but the fourth man look as if he had literally been torn limb from limb. Eyes fixed wide in pain and terror, the wizened-looking little man lay with his left arm ripped off at the shoulder, his right leg smashed and broken in several places, and his left leg severed below the knee. His blood had splattered the walls across the room. James glanced at Jazhara and saw her looking at the corpse without flinching. William looked pale, though he had seen dead men before. The young lieutenant said, “Who could do such a thing?” “Someone who could kill barmaids and fire orphanages,” answered Jazhara. James knelt beside the corpse and said, “I know this man. His name is Knute. Pirate working up the coast, used to come down 84
from time to time to fence stolen property. Clever bastard, but obviously not clever enough.” “What do you mean?” asked William. “I have an idea, but I’m keeping it to myself until I get more information,” said James. With a slight smile he glanced at his companions and added, “Don’t want to look too stupid if I’m wrong.” He stood and turned to the guard. Pointing at the other cell with the single living man in it, he asked, “What’s his story?” The guard shrugged. “Can’t get much out of him. Local drunk, I’m guessing, Squire. Scared to madness, I’m thinking.” James motioned his companions to come with him. He crossed to stand before the drunk, who stood gripping the bars as if afraid to let go. His hair was gray and his face drawn and pale, damaged from too many nights lying drunk in the gutter. His eyes were tightly shut and he muttered, “Gods, gods, gods! Calm, calm, try to be calm. They’ll be along soon. Any moment now, they’ve got to come soon . . .” James said, “Scovy?” The man opened his eyes wide, and tensed as if ready to leap away. Seeing James he said, “Jimmy! Dala bless you! You’ve come to save me!” James said, “Not so fast, old man. Did you see what happened?” Words came tumbling from Scovy’s lips. “Oh, yes, yes, I saw it! Would that I had gone to Lims-Kragma’s Hall before seein’ what was done to that poor soul!” “You mean Knute?” Scovy nodded vigorously. “Knute it was. Pirate from up near Widow’s Point. Smug he was, saying he wouldn’t hang. Said 85
the Prince himself would sign his pardon once he heard the secret Knute was keepin’.” “What secret?” James asked. “Blast if I know, Jimmy. Knute wouldn’t say. I’m thinking treasure. Knute probably had it hid . . . that’s what all this fuss is about.” Jazhara said, “Tell us what happened tonight.” Scovy looked at Jimmy and said, “Get me out?” James nodded. “If I like what I hear.” Scovy said, “Well, first this sound comes from above, like the gods’ own thunder was shaking the building. Twice it rocked the building. I was sitting down, but I damned near hit my head on the ceiling I jumped so high. Scared me sober, it did. Then this man comes down the stairs. Huge fellow, with a beard and a scar through one eye, murder in the other. Knute called him ‘Bear.’” “What then?” asked William. “Well, Knute’s about to piss himself, swearing to all the gods he didn’t betray Bear. The big man seems to believe him, then he reaches over and rips the door right off the cell. Calm as you please he walks in, draws a long dagger and kills those other three sods in there. The he tells Knute to follow him, and Knute takes a step forward, then Bear’s grabbing him by the throat and lifts him clean off the ground. “Knute’s kicking and squealing like a pig heading for slaughter, and Bear keeps asking Knute where ‘it’ is. ‘Where did you hide it?’ he keeps asking. ‘What did you do with it?’” Jazhara said, “And then?” “Knute just keeps screaming he hadn’t done nothing . . . Bear says Knute’s a liar and starts cutting into him, slicin’ him apart piece by piece. He wouldn’t even wait for an answer. He only 86
stopped when he heard fighting upstairs. Then he screams like an animal and rips what’s left of Knute into pieces.” Lowering his voice, he said, “I’m only alive because this Bear ran out of time, I’m thinking. He was insane, Jimmy. Something about him . . . it’s not right. I’ve seen strong men, but nothing like this one. I’ve seen crazy men, but this man is the craziest ever.” His lips quivered as he finished his story. “Get me out?” James nodded to the guard and said, “Release him.” The guard produced a key and opened the door. “Thanks, Jimmy. I won’t forget.” “See that you don’t, Scovy.” The prisoner hurried up the stairs and James turned to his companions. “Any ideas?” Jazhara said, “This Knute betrayed Bear?” James nodded. William said, “Whatever ‘it’ is, this Bear must want it very badly to risk so much mayhem and murder to recover it.” James let out a slow breath. “My thinking too.” Turning toward the stairs upward, he said, “Let’s see if Garruth has uncovered any more information in that mess. But one thing I know for certain.” “What?” William and Jazhara asked simultaneously. “Arutha is not going to be happy.”
soldier descended the staircase. “Captain, we found someone alive. It’s Dennison,” he said. James glanced at Garruth, who nodded that the squire should investigate and James signaled to Jazhara and William to accompany him upstairs. Up there, they found the rooms in as much disarray as the ground floor. Through a door in the far end of the hall, they could see another hole blown through the wall that was obviously the way the man called Bear had exited the jail. Sitting on a stool with a cold wet rag pressed to his head was the jail’s scribe, Dennison. The scribe looked up and said, “Thank Dala, who protects the weak and the pious. Who knows what horrors they’d have inflicted upon me had you not shown up.” William looked around the room. “What happened here?” “I was knocked to the ground by a thunderclap, then rendered almost senseless by a second. This stool upon which I sit fell atop me, striking my head here.” He rubbed at a nasty bump on his forehead. “I had blood upon my brow when they arrived, so I feigned death. They killed all the guards in the 88
barracks room.” He pointed to the door leading into the largest room on the top floor. “Someone with a powerful, deep voice gave the orders, but I kept my eyes closed so I can’t tell you what he looks like. But I did catch a glimpse of one of his men.” “Did you recognize him?” “I think so. I’ve seen him before. He’s rumored to be the bosun’s mate for Sullen Michael, the pirate.” James’s eyes narrowed. He’d met many liars in his day, and this man was a particularly bad one. “Sullen Michael? How would a law-abiding servant of the Crown, such as yourself, know this man?” The scribe blinked and said, “Ah, I have been known to drink . . . from time to time . . . and occasionally I find myself in the less savory taverns . . . down by the docks.” His speech became more rapid as he said, “Ah, maybe I’m wrong. Everything was happening so fast, and I only caught a glimpse before I closed my eyes again. I mean, it could have been someone else . . .” His voice trailed off as he looked around the room uncomfortably. James glanced at Jazhara and William, and William inched over to the stairs, while Jazhara took up position between the scribe and the hole in the far wall. James said, “Given how thorough they were in killing just about everyone else, why do you think you were left alive?” The color drained from the scribe’s face and he stammered, “As I said, sir, I feigned death.” “Odd they didn’t check more closely,” Jazhara offered coolly. James nodded to William, then the squire stepped forward and grabbed the slender scribe by the shirtfront. “It’s more than passing strange that every man in this jail was killed – every man except you and the drunk downstairs.” 89
“And the drunk only survived because he was in a different cell,” William observed. James shoved the scribe so his back was to the wall. “The raiders knew exactly when to hit this jail. Who knew the schedule?” Going even paler, the scribe sputtered, “The sheriff ! The deputies!” “And you!” said William, pressing in close to the man. “There’s a girl lies dead because of those mercenaries, a girl I loved! I think you know more than you’re telling, so you’d best be out with it before I spill your blood.” The scribe was shaking with fear as he held up a placating hand and he looked beseechingly from William to James to Jazhara. “Truly, masters, I’ve no idea.” William whipped out his dagger and put the point against the man’s throat. A thin trickle of blood snaked down Dennison’s neck. “You lie! Say your prayers!” “No, wait!” screamed the scribe. “I’ll tell. I’ll tell. Just don’t kill me!” James moved slightly, as if to pull William away from the scribe, and in even tones said, “Did you know this man Bear?” Dennison nodded, looking defeated. “We did a bit of business. He used to slip me a few crowns in exchange for information regarding the jail and the guards, and on occasion I’d lighten a few sentences here and there when his men were picked up. I’d cut them loose; no one noticed. I don’t know what Bear was doing with that pirate Knute, but he was mighty upset when Knute got picked up.” “What secret was the pirate keeping that would lead Bear to murder?” 90
The scribe let out a bitter laugh. “No one needs to lead Bear to murder, Squire. He finds it whenever he wants. It’s why I could never say no to him all these years. He’d have killed me without even blinking that one good eye of his. I don’t know why he was after Knute. I just found out that Knute had a room at Ye Bitten Dog, but I’ve not been able to let Bear know yet, and I wasn’t about to sit up and tell his men when they were killing everyone in sight.” “Well, you’re not going to tell him now,” said William, as he reversed his dagger and slammed the hilt into the base of the scribe’s skull. The scribe collapsed and William said, “I’ll ask the captain to get this one to the palace and keep him under close watch.” James nodded. “He speaks to no one.” William picked up the limp scribe and hoisted the dead weight over his shoulder, and carried him down the steps. Jazhara shook her head and said, “A mystery.” James said, “Whatever secret Knute hid, Bear wanted it badly enough to be named the most wanted man in the Western Realm. If I know Arutha, by tomorrow there’ll be a price of at least ten thousand golden sovereigns on Bear’s head. Every mercenary will give long thought as to whether they should serve Bear or turn him in.” “What do we do now?” James glanced around and cocked his head toward the scribe’s desk. “First I write a note to Arutha. Then we search every paper here, just in case our friend downstairs left something useful. And then I propose we start looking for two things.” Jazhara held up one finger. “Number one: Knute’s secret.” James nodded and held up two fingers. “And number 91
two: Lucas. Talia’s father.” Thoughtfully, he said, “And I’m not going to be surprised if finding one doesn’t lead us to the other.” Ye Bitten Dog was as run-down a tavern as existed in Krondor, and that was no mean feat. James shook his head. “Not my favorite drinking hole.” William indulged in a rueful chuckle. “From what I’ve heard, James, you used to frequent worse.” James grinned and pushed open the door. “There are no worse places. Keep your wits about you; we’ll not be welcome here.” He entered, the others close behind, and instantly it was apparent what he meant. Every eye was fixed upon William, or rather upon the tabard he wore: that of the Prince’s Household Guard. The blood splatters and burns didn’t escape notice, either. At the far end of a long common room a band of men huddled around a high circular table, designed so that one could drink while standing up. Their garb and bare feet identified them as sailors. Three other men, apparently workers, stood before the fireplace, and they also stared at the newcomers. Near the door two heavily armed men had ceased their conversation upon William’s entrance. For a long moment, silence reigned in the tavern, then slowly voices could be heard as men started speaking in low murmurs. James spied the tavern keeper and moved to the long bar. “What the hell do you want?” was the barkeep’s welcome. James smiled. William recognized that smile. It meant trouble was coming. 92
“Drinks, for me and my friends.” The tavern keeper was a dark-haired man, with a thick thatch that appeared as if it hadn’t been visited by a comb in a year. His chin was covered in stubble and his heavy jowls and deep circles under his eyes gave the impression of one who sampled his own ale far too regularly. He placed three full flagons on the bar and growled, “That’ll be six coppers. Drink up then shove off; we’ve no love for stooges of the court in here.” “Charming,” muttered Jazhara as she sipped at the ale. It was thin and bitter, so she placed it upon the bar and stood back to watch. James said, “You the chap they call Lucky Pete?” The puffy face split into a smile. “Ay, Lucky Pete, on account o’ me skills with the fair sex.” He winked at Jazhara and said, “Come see me later, darlin’, and I’ll show ya me peg leg.” He put his hand over hers. She smiled, leaned forward, and whispered, “You’ll have two to show me if we don’t find what we’re looking for.” She removed his hand. Pete grinned and chuckled, which did nothing to improve his appearance. “Got fire, do you? I like fire in me women.” William said, “We heard a fellow named Knute lodges here.” Pete cocked his head. “Knute? Did you say Knute? I’m hard of hearin’, you know, an’ me memory ain’t what it used to be, lad.” He made a show of cupping his hand behind his ear. James glanced around and saw others in the room were quietly watching the conversation. He had been in enough dives like Ye Bitten Dog to know that if they tried to bully Pete there would almost certainly be a brawl in short order. He reached into his belt purse, pulled out two gold coins, and placed them on the counter. 93
Pete’s expression brightened. “Ah, yes, me hearin’s improvin’ by the moment!” He lowered his voice. “Yeah, I knew ol’ Knute. Jes’ a small-time pirate, but he did all right for himself for the most part. At least until the bloody guards caught up with him.” He glanced at William. “No offense, of course.” “None taken . . . yet,” William replied. “Did Knute say anything unusual over the last few days?” Pete said nothing. After a long silence, James put another coin on the bar. More silence and James pulled out a fourth coin. Pete gathered up the gold pieces and said, “Ha! He drank so much, who could tell? I know I’ve never seen him so jumpy an’ the funny thing of it was, when the guards nicked him, he seemed relieved; almost like he was aimin’ to get nicked. Started a tussle right outside that door, he did.” Pete pointed to the front door. “Most fellows like Knute, well, they jus’ go to lengths to avoid jail, you know what I mean?” James nodded. “But ol’ Knute just started a fuss an’ then hung around ’til a watchmen comes along, then he throws a drink in the lad’s face, kicks him in the shins, all manner of dotty nonsense. Knute’s not a scuffler, if you know what I mean. He’s a thinker, but this time he was right off his head, from what I could see.” James said, “Can we see his room?” Pete made a display of indignation. “You must be daft! I can’t be lettin’ folks wander through me guest’s belongin’s!” James slid two more coins across the bar. “Your guest lies dead, hacked to pieces.” Pete swept up the coins. “Well, in that case, I guess he won’t be mindin’. Go along. Got the key right here.” He slid it across the bar. “Left door at the top o’ the stairs. You can look, but make it quick, an’ don’t be botherin’ me other guests. An’ bring the key back directly, else I’ll send me friends t’see ya!” 94
They climbed the stairs and found themselves on a small landing, with four doors, two ahead, and one to the left and one to the right. James turned to the left door and inserted the key. As he turned the key, James heard a sound from within. He stepped back, drew his sword in a fluid motion, and kicked the door open. Inside the room a large man was rummaging through a chest placed atop an unmade bed. He turned, pulling out a large knife as the door slammed open. James shouted, “Drop that blade!” The man reversed the dagger, holding it by the point, drew back his arm, and threw it at James. James shouted, “Down!” and went limp, dropping to the floor. The blade flew through the door inches above James’s twisting body. James heard the sound of glass shattering as the man hurled himself through the small window overlooking the rear courtyard of the inn. William leapt over James and was at the window before James could rise. “Damn,” said William as he looked through the opening. James came up behind him and said, “What?” William pointed and James looked out. The man lay sprawled upon the cobbles below, his neck obviously broken from the angle at which his head was twisted. James said to William, “Look around and see what’s here, while Jazhara and I examine our friend below.” James and Jazhara hurried downstairs and past Lucky Pete, who asked, “Where’s me key?” “William will bring it when he’s done,” said James. Pointing at a door next to the bar, he asked, “That the way to the rear courtyard?” “Yes, why?” 95
“Because you’ve got a corpse back there,” James replied, pushing through the door. Pete put his elbows on the bar and said, “Happens all the time, lad.” James reached the body and knelt next to it. A small pouch was still clutched in the man’s hand. He pried open the man’s fingers and removed it, examining the contents. Inside was a simple key. “What do you think it’s for?” asked Jazhara. “I’m not sure, but there’s something familiar about this key.” William appeared. “Nothing up there worth stealing. Just some clothes.” “There’s this,” said James, holding out the key. William examined, then said, “Come over here into the light.” They moved to the rear door of the inn, where a single lantern burned, and William took the key from James and indicated a mark on it. “See this symbol?” James took it back from him and peered more closely. “That’s Lucas’s key! The one that unlocks his passage to the sewers!” Jazhara said, “Then this must be what that villain was looking for. What does it mean?” James tapped the key against his cheek. “Lucas has a secret entrance to the sewer, in the storage room behind the bar. He used to charge people for the use of the key, this key.” William, “So Knute has been using Lucas’s slip-me-out to get into the sewers.” James nodded. “Yes. Probably so he could hide the treasure from his last raid, the booty he was talking about to that drunk Scovy. The one that would buy him Arutha’s pardon.” “Do you think he stole the key from Lucas?” asked Jazhara. 96
“No, they must be in this together. Knute’s murderer wanted to know where ‘it’ was; I wager ‘it’ is the treasure.” William said, “So Lucas must have escaped into the sewers when Bear attacked. But then why hasn’t he contacted you or the Prince?” Jazhara said, “Perhaps he can’t.” James shook his head. “Lucas is the only man who is not a member of the Mockers who knows the sewers as well as I. He’ll have several places to lie low.” James’s voice got lower as he thought about it. “He must know what sort of man Bear is. And he must know that if he’s been involved in piracy, even just fencing stolen goods, Arutha would be unlikely to afford him significant protection. Lucas has spent his life walking a fine line between lawlessness and legitimate business, but this time he’s crossed that line.” William spoke bitterly, “And his daughter paid the price.” James put his hand on William’s arm. “And Lucas will have to live with that for the rest of his life.” Jazhara said, “Which will not be long if Bear finds him. Our task is clear; we must find Lucas – and quickly.” James nodded agreement. “Pray we get to him before Bear does.” “Where do we start?” asked William. James gave his friend a wry smile and pointed downward. “The sewers.” Blood still stained the floors of the Rainbow Parrot Inn, but the bodies had been removed. A soldier stood beside the door as James, William, and Jazhara approached. “Simon!” said William as he recognized the soldier. “How goes it?” 97
“Quiet, here, Lieutenant. Got the bodies out and taken to the Temple of Lims-Kragma, so’s they can be properly sent on their way.” “Where are the other guards?” asked James. “Well, Jack’s at the back door, and that’s it, Squire. Sergeant Tagart had the rest of the lads take the bodies to the temple. I guess the sergeant didn’t think much of anyone trying to rob an inn that was already ransacked. A couple of lads will relieve us at the end of our shift, then we can go down with the others.” “Down where?” asked James. “Why, the sewers. Ain’t you heard, Squire?” James said, “Heard what?” “Some bloke was cut loose from the jail a few hours ago. He got someone to stand for drinks at an alehouse in exchange for telling why the jail was attacked.” James winced. “Scovy.” “Could be that’s the fellow,” said the soldier. “Anyway, there’s been rumors aplenty. Pirate treasure in the sewers. Mountains of jewels and gold. Says a pirate named Bear hit the jail because someone there knew where the treasure was.” “So the sewers are now crawling with treasure hunters,” said William. “That’s a fact, Lieutenant,” said Simon. “Heard from one of the city watch who passed by a few minutes before you got here that a band of blokes came hobbling out of the big grate near Five Points, all cut up and bleeding. Word is the Mockers are trying to keep everyone else out of the sewers so they can find the treasure themselves.” James sighed. “Well, I wonder what else could happen to make finding Lucas more difficult.” 98
“Well, someone said there’s a monster down there, too, Squire.” James looked at Simon and said, “You’re joking, right?” “On my honor, Squire,” said the soldier. “Seems two nights ago they found a body floating in the bay, all chewed up the way a cat does a mouse. Then they heard some fellow over at Ye Bitten Dog heard from another bloke that a band of smugglers was attacked by something that was big as a bull, with long arms and big teeth.” Jazhara asked James, “And you want to go down there?” “No,” answered the former thief, “but we have no choice. If we’re going to catch Bear, we need to find Lucas before he does. I have an idea where Lucas may be lying low.” William nodded. “Even if Bear doesn’t find Lucas, if Lucas was in cahoots with Knute and is sitting on that treasure, anyone else who finds it before we do will probably kill Lucas.” James said, “No more delays. Come on.” To Simon he said, “When your relief shows up, tell the duty sergeant that we’re in the sewers hunting the killer. I want word sent back to the palace asking the Prince to send a company down after us to help clear out these treasure hunters.” “As you say, Squire.” Simon saluted. James started to turn away, and Simon added, “One other thing, Squire.” “What is it?” “There’s a rumor surfaced a bit ago.” He glanced around as if ensuring no one else was listening. “Seems a bunch of drunken lads from up Fishtown way came out of the sewers over near Five Points, dragging some fellows with them. They were pretty messed up.” 99
“Mockers?” asked James, wondering if the fishermen might have run into the Guild of Thieves. “No, not Mockers, Squire.” He lowered his voice. “They said it was that monster I was telling you about. Went over to the Temple of Dala and had to give the priests every copper they had just to keep their friends from bleeding to death.” “The monster again?” William looked dubious. “Stop that nonsense.” Simon shrugged. “Just telling what I heard, Lieutenant. Some sort of . . . thing, bigger than a man by half. One fisherman said it just showed up in the tunnel with them and started breaking bones and biting off fingers.” “Great,” said James. “Just great.” Shaking his head, he led his companions into the back room and to a wall lined floor to ceiling with shelves full of dry food, extra crockery, and bottles of wine. He produced the key they had found in Knute’s room and moved aside a bag of dried beans. Behind it was a keyhole large enough to accommodate Knute’s key. He inserted the key and turned it. A soft rumbling sound and a loud click followed, then James gripped the side of the shelves and pulled it to the right. It slid effortlessly to the side, revealing a half-height passage and steps leading down. “You’ve got to duck a bit to get down these steps,” he said. “William, go fetch us a light.” William returned to the inn’s common room and reappeared a moment later with a lantern. James said, “We could enter at any one of a dozen places, but picking up Lucas’s trail might be easier here.” He motioned for the lantern, took it from William’s outstretched hand, and led them into the darkness. * 100
“’ Ware the drop,” James whispered, as he jumped three feet down from the tunnel from Lucas’s inn to the sewer floor. He turned and offered his hand to Jazhara, who took it, and using her staff for balance jumped nimbly down. William leapt after her and landed on something that squished under his boot. “What a stench!” William complained as he scraped his boot on the stones rising above the inch-deep liquid. James turned to Jazhara and said, “I’m afraid this isn’t exactly what I meant by a tour of the city. But duty calls . . .” She asked, “Do you truly think your friend Lucas has fled down here?” James peered around through the gloom. After a moment said, “He knows these sewers almost as well as the Mockers do.” He peered at the walls and floor as if seeking a sign of where to begin. “Back at the time of the Riftwar, Lucas worked with both the Mockers and Trevor Hull’s smugglers. He built up a lot of goodwill with the Mockers and so they leave him alone down here. Not many can claim that. This is where he’d go if he were in trouble.” William said, “We’ve a lot of ground to cover, so we’d best get started. Which way first?” James pointed. “That way, downstream.” “Why?” asked Jazhara. “There are some old smugglers’ hide-outs that Lucas knows. Not many, even in the Mockers, know exactly where they are anymore. I’m betting Lucas is holed up in one of those secret rooms.” “You know where they are?” asked William. James shrugged. “It’s been years, but I sort of know their general location.” William let out his breath in an exasperated way. “Sort of ?” 101
Jazhara laughed. “Better than no idea, it seems to me.” They made their way through the sewers, the sound of their passage masked by the drips, splashes, and gurgles of the water echoing off the stones. Every so often, James would raise his hand to halt them, and listen. After nearly a half-hour of careful movement, they entered a large tunnel. The sound of rushing water came from ahead. James said, “The center of the sewer system lies up there. A half-dozen large tunnels empty into it, and it leads out to the south end of the bay. From there we will take another tunnel to the old smugglers’ landing. The outflow is big enough for a boat to enter, which is why the smugglers had their landing at the opposite end, near the eastern wall of the city.” William said, “Anyone using it these days?” “Besides Lucas? I don’t know. There aren’t many alive today who have been down there who aren’t in the Prince’s service. Maybe the Mockers have discovered those storage rooms.” They entered a larger conduit and the sound of rushing water grew louder. “Walk carefully here,” warned James. They entered a large rotunda, with six tunnels branching off, like spokes on a wheel. Above them, smaller pipes emptied out into the circular area and filthy water splashed down below them. They moved cautiously in single file on the narrow walkway along the wall, for the stones around the deep hole were encrusted with slippery filth. As they passed the second of the larger tunnels, William asked, “Where do these lead?” “Each leads to a different portion of the city,” said James. He paused and pointed to one of the tunnels on the opposite side of the gallery. “That one over there leads back toward the palace. Some prince, years ago, decided to make the sewers more efficient, I guess. There’s an old cistern up there” – he 102
pointed upward to the darkness – “and it was supposed to release water every night to help flush out the sewers. Don’t know if it ever worked the way it was supposed to, but . . .” He resumed walking. “I don’t know anyone who remembers it being used. Lots of merchants just dig their own tunnels to the sewer when they start up their shops. The royal engineers have maps, but most of them are outdated, useless.” Almost to himself he added, “That would be something worth doing, updating those maps and requiring people to inform the Crown when they make changes.” They entered the third large tunnel and James said, “Be cautious. We’re entering Mocker territory.” A short time later this tunnel emptied into a smaller circular area, with two more tunnels entering a third of the way up on either side, forming a “Y ” intersection. An old man stood near the intersection, holding a long stick that he used to poke at floating debris. William began to draw his sword slowly, but James reached back and stayed his friend’s hand. “It’s just an old toffsman, named Rat-Tail Jack.” “Toffsman?” whispered Jazhara. “He scavenges for items of value. You’d be amazed at what can turn up down here.” Slowly James walked into view and said, “Good day, Jack.” The man turned. “Jimmy, as I live and breathe. Been some years.” Upon closer inspection, the man was of middle age, stoopshouldered, and slender. His hair was matted and filthy, of indeterminate color. He had a receding chin and large eyes, and they were fixed upon James and his two companions. “Playing lookout, I see,” James said, flashing a grin. 103
The man stopped the pretense of poking at the sludge. “You know the trade too well, me old son.” “What’s up in the wind?” “Bloody murder and a bunch of lunatic treasure hunters. Been a handful of lads taken to the temples for healing already. Word’s been passed to shut down the Thieves’ Highway.” Jimmy said, “So I guess that means I’m supposed to turn around and go back.” “Even you, old son.” The man pointed to the other two tunnels. “Bashers are waiting. You’d best go no further. That’s Mockers territory. The big ‘rats’ down there will have you for supper, they will.” “Not for old time’s sake?” “Not even that, Jimmy me lad. You got the death mark lifted, I hear, but you’re still not one of the Dodgy Brotherhood and when the Thieves’ Highway is closed, only Mockers can pass.” William whispered, “Is there another way?” James replied, “Too long. We’ll have to try to talk our way past whoever’s ahead.” “And if that doesn’t work?” asked Jazhara. James said, “We fight.” He turned back to Jack. “We’re looking for Lucas. Seen or heard anything from him?” “He’s hiding out, boy, somewhere down here, but I can’t lead you to him.” “What about Bear?” asked William. “Any word of him?” “There’s a bad one,” said Jack. “He was down here a few days ago looking for something. Killed a few of the boys. We put the death mark on him.” “He’s marked by the Crown, as well,” said James. 104
“Still don’t make the Mockers and Crown friends, old son,” said Jack. James said, “Who’s in charge over there?” “Bosun Mace.” James shook his head. Bosun Mace had been a sailor in the King’s Fleet who had been whipped out of service for thieving. He had joined the Mockers to put his talents to more profitable use. He was a bully, short tempered, and had never liked James when the boy had been a Mocker. He had been one of the few men who had been friends with Laughing Jack, a Basher whom James killed for making a failed attempt on the Prince’s life. “It’s going to be a nasty fight,” said James to his companions. Rat-Tail Jack said, “Doesn’t have to be, lad, if you use that fabled wit of yours. There’s always something that can be traded for, old son.” “Such as?” asked Jazhara. Jack said, “Go talk to Mace and when he starts to threaten you, ask him who’s been chewing up his lads. That’ll get his attention.” “Thanks, Jack,” said James. He motioned for his companions to move forward. They took the tunnel to the left and as they did so, Jack let out a shrill whistle. “What was that?” asked William. “Jack’s taking care of himself,” said James. “If he didn’t call out the alarm, the Bashers would think he was in league with us.” A short distance later they reached a widening of the tunnel and from along both sides of the wall men stepped into view, surrounding the trio. There were a half-dozen of them, all armed. A large gray-haired man in front stepped forward into the torchlight. 105
After a moment he smiled. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Jowls covered with stubble hung from a head that seemed a size too big for anything human. His eyes looked as much like a pig’s as a man’s. A bulbous nose that had been broken too many times to recall was the centerpiece of his malformed visage. “Well, Jimmy the Hand,” said the large man, slapping his left hand with the long sap he held in his right. “You looking for some pain, boy?” “Looking to talk, Mace.” “I always thought you talked too much, even when you was one of us, you little snot.” With that he shouted, “Get ’em, lads!” and swung his billy club at James’s head.
ames ducked. The billy club split the air above his head as he shouted, “Mace! Wait! We need to talk!” Jazhara had her staff at the ready and William brandished his sword, but both held off from engaging the approaching thieves until a blow was delivered. “I’ll talk to you,” answered Mace, swinging again at the elusive former thief, “with this!” “Who’s been chewing up your Bashers?” shouted James as he avoided a third swing. The large man stopped, holding his club high above his head in preparation for another blow. “What you know about that, boy?” James kept his distance. “I hear things.” Suddenly the man looked worried, and James knew that something grave must have occurred, for as long as he had known Mace the Bosun, the man had never shown fear or doubt. Mace lowered his billy and held up his free hand to signal the other thieves to stop their advance. “All right, then,” he said at last. “What have you heard?” “Just that someone – or something – has been grabbing your 107
men and leaving them . . .” James was bluffing. He knew no details, but reckoned that what Rat-Tail Jack had referred to was in some way connected to the “monsters” Simon had described at the Rainbow Parrot. And the old toffsman’s advice about bringing up this topic had proved accurate so far. “Mangled,” said one of the other thieves. “Mangled,” repeated James. “It’s fair disgustin’,” said another thief. “Looks like they’d been gnawed on, like a dog does wit’ a bone, you know, Squire?” Others nodded. “Where?” asked James. “That’s the thing,” said Mace. “One place, then another – there’s no rhyme or reason to it. You never know.” “How long has this been going on?” asked James. “Fair close to a week, now,” said Mace. James said, “You let us go by, Mace, and I’ll find out what’s killing your men and get it dealt with.” “How you going to do that if some of my toughest men can’t face this thing, whatever it is?” Jazhara held up her hand and a globe of light sprang forth. “Blind me eyes!” exclaimed one of the thieves. “A bloody magician!” “The Prince’s bloody magician,” corrected James. Mace waved his billy at Jazhara. “You know the Mockers have no truck with magic!” he shouted. “Prince’s squire and all, you still know the Mockers’ Law!” Jazhara closed her hand and the light vanished. “Look the other way for a while.” “Or else let me call down a few squads of the Prince’s 108
regulars,” said William. “A couple of hundred armed men might flush the thing out, don’t you think?” The thought of soldiers invading the Thieves’ Highway was obviously more odious than a magician, for after a moment Mace said, “All right, you can pass. But if any more of my lads gets killed, Prince’s squire or no, the death mark will be back on you, boy. You have my word on that.” James bowed theatrically, and said, “Your warning is heard. Now, if we may go?” Mace waved them by. “Tread lightly, Jimmy the Hand. There are them about who ain’t members of the Guild.” “Noted. What’s the password?” “‘Lanky boy’,” answered Mace. They left the Mockers and continued down the passage. When they were safely out of earshot, Jazhara said, “I understand many people fear magic, but why are the Mockers so averse to it?” James said, “Because thieves thrive on misdirection and subterfuge. You ever hear of a thief stealing something from a magician?” Jazhara laughed. “Only in stories.” “That’s the point. If Arutha wanted to rid the city of thieves, he could for a while by having you, or someone like you, ferret them out with magic.” Jazhara peered around the tunnel. “I think they overrate our abilities. I could create some problems in a limited area for a small number of them, but once I had left, I suspect they would return, like rats.” James chuckled. “Almost certainly, but no one said a fear has to be based in reality.” Jazhara glanced at James. “Squire, I know you by reputation 109
to be a man of some accomplishments for one so young, but to find you to be a deep thinker is impressive.” Now it was William’s turn to chuckle, leaving James to wonder if the remark was a compliment or a barb. Twice they halted to hide as bands of armed men came by. After the second group had safely passed, James said, “That lot had been in a tussle.” William nodded as he relit the lantern. “Two of them aren’t going to make it if their companions don’t carry them.” “Which way do we go now?” asked Jazhara. “Where they came from,” said James. They continued on, deeper into the sewers. The sound of lapping water heralded the existence of another large waterway. “This is the original river sluice,” said James. “One of the early princes built it. I’ve been told that this was originally above ground . . . maybe designed as a small canal for barges from the river.” William knelt and inspected the stonework. “Looks ancient.” He stood and glanced around. “Look there,” he said, moving over to examine something on the nearby wall. “This doesn’t look like the usual tunnel wall. It’s more like a fortification wall.” He indicated the size of the stones and the almost seamless way in which they were set. “No foot- or handholds,” James agreed. “How did it come to be so far below the ground?” asked Jazhara. James shrugged. “People build things. They fill in the spaces between them to make roads. At least a dozen of the sewer 110
tunnels look like old roads that have been covered over, and that central spillway we passed earlier was almost certainly a cistern ages ago.” “Fascinating,” she said. “How old do you estimate?” “Krondor’s four hundred years old,” said James. “Give or take a week.” Jazhara laughed. “By Keshian standards, a young city.” James shrugged and began walking. “This way.” As they turned a corner into another passage that ran parallel to the main watercourse, something darted across their field of vision halfway down the tunnel, at the edge of the lantern light. “What was that?” asked William, bringing his sword to the ready. “It was big,” said Jazhara. “Larger than a man by half.” James had also drawn his sword. “Cautiously, my friends.” They moved carefully down the passage until they came to the intersection where the figure had vanished. Ahead lay a long corridor leading to the right, while to the left a short passage led back to the edge of the canal. “If the thing moves through the water,” said William, “that would explain why it is hard to find.” “And why it could move about from place to place quickly,” observed James. “That way,” he said pointing to the left. They walked slowly, and after a dozen steps spied a faint green light wavering in the distance. Jazhara whispered, “My hair stands on end. There is magic nearby.” James said, “Thanks for the warning.” Jazhara removed something from her belt pouch. “If I give the word, fall to the ground and cover your eyes.” William said, “Understood.” James nodded. 111
They inched toward the light, and saw a door set in the stone wall. It was open. When they reached the portal, they halted. James attempted to make sense of what he saw. Human bones lay strewn about, along with the bones of rats and other small animals. Rags and straw had been fashioned into a large circular pallet, in which rested several large leathery objects, each as long as a man’s arm. They pulsed with a sick, green inner light. Jazhara gasped. “By the gods!” Suddenly James made sense of what they beheld. Within the leather sacks, as he thought of them, figures were visible. “They’re babies!” the magician cried, horrified. She closed her eyes and began a low incantation. At last, her eyes snapped open and she said, “This is the darkest magic. This place must be destroyed. Shield your eyes!” Both men turned their backs to the door as Jazhara hurled the object she’d taken from her pouch. A flash of white light illuminated the area as heat washed over them. In the sudden brilliance the far end of the corridor was revealed. There stood a misshapen, hunchbacked figure, a creature seven or more feet tall. Atop its frame sat a massive head, its visage a caricature of a human face with a protruding jaw exposing teeth the size of a man’s thumb. Beady black eyes widened in shock at the burst of light. Its arms hung to the floor, and instead of hands, large callused flippers bore the creature’s weight. After a second, the monster roared and charged. James and William stood ready as Jazhara turned. The thing was almost upon them when James threw his dagger with his left hand, a short, deft cast, catching the 112
creature in the chest. The monster barely hesitated, but it let out a roar of pain. The light coming from the fire behind them revealed gaping wounds upon the creature’s body. The fights with other groups in the tunnels had left the thing weakened, James hoped, and now he knew it was mortal, as blood seeped from several of the gashes. William’s sword snaked point first over James’s head, and he braced to let the creature run up onto the blade. The creature slowed, and rather than impale itself, it lifted what James thought of as arms rather than forelegs. With a sudden backhand slash, the flipper-like hand sliced through the air, and James barely avoided decapitation. The flipper struck the stones with a solid crack; James knew there must be a hard callus or bone ridge along the flipper’s edge that would likely cut through flesh. Jazhara chanted a spell and held up her hand. A point of searing red light appeared upon the creature’s head and suddenly it howled in pain. Both flippers came up as if to shield its head, giving William an opening. The long hand-and-a-half sword shot forward. A short man, William was nevertheless powerful of arm and shoulder and he drove his sword home with all his weight. The blade struck deep. The creature wailed. James shot past his companion and struck for its throat with his rapier and in seconds the thing lay upon the stones, dead. “What is it?” asked William, panting heavily. “Nothing natural,” said Jazhara. “Someone made it?” asked James, moving cautiously around the still corpse. Jazhara knelt and touched a flipper, then ran her hand across 113
the brow above the blankly staring eyes. Finally she rose, wiping away a tear. “It was a baby.” William almost gagged. “That was a baby?” Jazhara turned and started walking down the tunnel. “I need to be away from here,” she said, her voice choked with emotion. James and William hurried to overtake her. “Wait!” James cried. Reaching the intersection, Jazhara halted. Before either William or James could speak, she turned and said, “Some magic is evil beyond imagining. There is a branch of the Lesser Path, called by some ‘Arcane Vitrus’ in the old language. It means ‘the hidden knowledge of life.’ When used for good, it seeks to unravel the reason people sicken and die, or to find cures for deformity or illness. When used for evil, it can fashion creatures such as these.” “Babies?” William asked. Jazhara nodded. “Children stolen or bought hours after birth, placed within those ‘egg sacs’ to be refashioned and twisted against any reasonable nature by malignant arts.” “So this monster was the first to hatch?” James asked, shaking his head. “That poor child was no monster,” said Jazhara. “Whoever created it is the monster.” She looked to James. “Somewhere in Krondor is a magician who makes black mischief. Someone who wishes great turmoil in the Prince’s city.” James closed his eyes. “As if Bear wasn’t enough.” He sighed and said, “One problem at a time. Let’s find Rat-Tail Jack and Mace and then Lucas.” They turned and began retracing their steps, back the way they had come. * 114
As they walked Jazhara said, “That creature can’t have been down here long.” James looked thoughtful. “Mace said the trouble first started a week or so ago.” William said, “Maybe whoever created it wanted to see if the magic worked, then when it did, planned to make more.” “I think you’re right,” Jazhara said, “Which means the magic is very powerful, for not only does it twist the human design, it works quickly, perhaps in a few days or a week.” “So the creature really was a baby,” said James. “In both senses.” “Yes, and in pain.” Jazhara’s voice was bitter. “This is the sort of horror that turns people against those of us who practice the mystic arts. It is why magicians are shunned and hated. I must send word to Master Pug and let him know a rogue magician of powerful arts is in Krondor.” James said, “Ah, I’d leave that to the Prince. Arutha tends to prefer a more direct approach. If he feels the need to inform Stardock, he will.” Jazhara said, “Of course. I will merely advise His Highness to send word to Master Pug.” They continued on in silence, occasionally pausing when the sound of others in the sewers reached them. Eventually they returned to the spot Mace and his gang had halted them. William said, “Are they gone?” James kept walking. “They’re nearby; trust me.” They moved to the large canal and found Rat-Tail Jack still picking over the sewage floating by. As they approached, he looked up. “You’re alive? Guess that means we need to be rewarding you, Squire.” James said nothing, but looked quizzical. 115
“How about we don’t kill you for breaking oath with the Mockers and entering the sewer without our leave? That reward enough for you, Squire?” All James said was: “Lucas.” “Monster’s really dead?” “Yes. Now, what do you know about Lucas?” Jack stopped poking at the floating detritus. “We was keepin’ an eye on Lucas. He’s an old . . . business associate from way back, but we was figurin’ he was handling some business that rightly was ours. One night three boats rowed by some grim-looking lads came up the main canal from the harbor. Couldn’t get close enough to see which of the old smugglers’ hideaways he used, but we’d have found it sooner or later. Lucas went up to his inn. “Then he drops right down among us yesterday and offers us his inn if we just let him pass. Well, for that nice little inn of his, we said ‘pass,’ and he scurries off. Knows the sewers, does old Lucas, ’cause the lad set to tail him got shaken before he reached the smugglers’ landin’. Still, enough, we figure we’ll get around to findin’ him, ’cause the lads checkin’ around up top hear rumors of pirates and gold. We figure Lucas knows where their treasure’s hid. That’s why he was free with his inn and all. So we figure we’ll send a couple of Bashers on him but then this monster shows up and all them treasure hunters start running through the tunnels . . .” “Where is he now?” “We have a good idea of where he was, Squire, but you know how it goes with us Mockers. Always misplacin’ things. Of course, for a price, anythin’ can be found.” “We killed the monster,” said William. 116
“And for that you get free passage, nothin’ more,” replied Jack. “What’s your price?” asked James. “One favor, from you and your new friends, to be named later.” “What?” William exclaimed. “Why?” asked James. Jack said, “It won’t be asked soon, maybe never, but we think there’s trouble comin’. Big trouble. That monster was just the tiniest bit of it. And we need all the friends we can get.” “You know I can’t break my oath to the Prince and do anything illegal for you,” said James. “I’m not askin’ for that,” said Jack. “But we need friends, don’t we, Jimmy the Hand?” James pondered the request, then said at last, “That we do, Rat-Tail Jack. You have my oath.” “We think Lucas is near the basement where old Trevor Hull hid the Princess when you were a boy. There are a couple of cellars from torn-down buildings that you can still get into, large enough to hide some treasure, and close enough to the water to get it there.” “I know the area,” said James. “We’ll be out of the sewers by sun-up.” “See that you are. We can’t control every murderin’ dog down here.” James motioned for Jazhara and William to follow him and they continued along their way, heading for the central canal. The trio moved silently and slowly. In the distance they could hear the low murmur of men’s voices. 117
James and his companions made their way cautiously to a point near an intersection of the main canal and another large waterway. Crouching low in the darkness, their lantern shuttered, James, Jazhara, and William waited. Six men, all wearing black, were consulting with one another, speaking very softly. Jazhara’s intake of breath behind James told him she recognized them. James and William already knew them for what they were: Izmalis. Keshian assassins. More than a dozen had turned up in the desert fortress of the Nighthawks that Prince Arutha had destroyed just months earlier. James had no illusions: if Jazhara could strike with some magic spell that would incapacitate two or three of them for a few minutes, then he and William stood a chance. In an open fight without the advantage of surprise, it would take a miracle for the three of them to survive. James turned and tapped Jazhara on the shoulder, pointing to the six men, and then he put his lips next to her ear. In his softest voice he asked, “What can you do?” Jazhara whispered, “I can try to blind them. When I tell you, close your eyes tightly.” She whispered the same instructions in William’s ear. Then she rose from her crouch and began an incantation, her voice soft. Something – a too-loud word, a rustle of cloth, the scrape of a boot against stone – alerted one of the assassins, who turned to peer into the gloom. Then he said something to his companions, and at one they ceased their discussion to look where he indicated. Slowly they drew weapons. James whispered, “Do it now!” Jazhara said, “Close your eyes!” and let loose her spell. A shaft of golden light sprang from her hand and exploded 118
in a searing-hot, white flash. The six assassins were blinded instantly. Jazhara shouted, “Now!” James sprang into action, with William just a step behind him. Jazhara uncovered the lantern, throwing the tunnel into stark relief. The young squire struck the first man with the hilt of his sword, knocking him into the canal. “Take one alive if you can!” he shouted. William struck down one man, but almost got run through when he found his next opponent in a defensive posture, ready to respond to the sound of an attack. “Think I’ll try to stay alive, first, James,” he said, using his long sword to get over the blinded man’s guard and kill him. Jazhara came up next to William and struck another assassin across the face with the iron-clad butt of her staff. The man crumpled to the floor. James found the next two Izmalis had regained some of their sight and were poised for attack. As James knew from experience, multiple opponents often got in one another’s way, but these two looked practiced at fighting in tandem. “I could use some help,” he said to Jazhara. As soon as he spoke, both men launched a coordinated attack, and only his preternatural reflexes saved him. The first man struck out, the curved blade of his scimitar slicing at James’s mid-section, while his companion struck a half-beat later, coming in where James should have been standing had he made the expected response to the initial attack. Instead, James had blocked to the right with his blade, and instead of retreating he had pressed hard on his own weapon, forcing the first assassin to continue moving to his left. With his left hand, James gripped the Izmali’s right elbow and threw his weight into the man, sending him spinning into the canal. 119
Suddenly the second assassin facing James was alone, with Jazhara bearing down with her staff, ready to strike, and James was now on his off-hand side. William engaged his last opponent and called, “I’ve got this one cornered!” The Izmali facing Jazhara said something in a language James didn’t understand, then raised his left hand to his mouth, and toppled to the stones. William’s opponent did likewise, falling into the canal with a splash. “Damn!” shouted James, grabbing the collapsing assassin before he hit the stones. As he expected, the man was already dead. Jazhara looked at the assassin James had knocked into the canal and said, “He floats face-down.” “What happened?” William asked. “Nighthawks. They’ve taken their own lives. Fanatics.” Addressing Jazhara, James inquired, “Did you understand what he said?” “I think he ordered his companions to die, but I did not recognize the language. It is said the Izmalis have their own tongue, that no one outside their clan may learn.” William said, “We found some like these when the demon was summoned at the abandoned fortress in the desert.” “Demon?” Jazhara asked. “I’ll tell you back at the palace,” said James. “But it’s clear the Nighthawks numbered Keshians in their bands.” “Which makes them a threat to the Empire as well as to the Kingdom.” James regarded the young woman for a long moment, then said, “It might be wise to send some specific information to your great-uncle.” 120
“Perhaps,” said Jazhara, leaning upon her staff, “but as you’ve observed, that’s for the Prince to decide.” James grinned. “Let’s check the bodies.” They examined the four assassins who hadn’t ended up in the canal and came away with nothing. The only personal items they wore were the Nighthawks amulets around their necks. “I thought we’d seen the last of these in the desert,” said William. “We hurt them, certainly, and we destroyed one nest, but there are others.” James stood up and tucked an amulet into his shirt. “I’ll give this to the Prince. He won’t be pleased.” “What were they doing down here?” asked Jazhara. William said, “Searching for the treasure, I expect.” “If they’re to rebuild their nasty little empire, they’ll need gold,” agreed James. He glanced around. “We came in time, I think.” He moved to a large wall with two iron rings set into it and turned the one on the left. After a moment, a deep rumble started and the stones moved aside. “Lucas!” he shouted. “It’s James. I’ve come from the Prince with help!” From deep within the darkened passage a voice called, “Jimmy! Thank the gods it’s you. They’ve been searching for me all over, trying to kill me.” James motioned for Jazhara to bring the lantern and the three of them entered the tunnel. A dozen feet in, Lucas stood holding a crossbow, and as soon as he recognized the two young men, he laid it down, relief on his face. “The thugs of that madman, Bear, have been after me for an entire day.” “They’re not the only ones,” said William. “Treasure hunters and assassins and thieves as well.” “Damn,” said Lucas. “Knute said his men were hand-picked, 121
and would keep silent, but I suspect the fool couldn’t keep his own gob shut.” “What is it Bear’s after?” asked James. “Damned if I know, James,” replied Lucas. The old man sat down on a water cask. “I was going to help Knute fence the booty from his last raid. I guess Knute double-crossed Bear, because Bear and some of his men showed up at my inn and started killing everyone in sight. I barely got out alive myself after telling Talia and the others to flee through the kitchen.” James and William exchanged glances. In a soft voice James said, “Talia’s dead, Lucas. Bear caught her and tried to get her to tell him where you were hiding.” Lucas seemed to collapse from within. His face turned gray and his eyes welled up with tears. “Talia?” His chin fell to his chest. For a long while he sat silently, then said with a sniffle, “I lost my sons in the war, but never thought that Talia . . .” He sighed. After another long silence, he said, “This deal with Knute would have set me up. She wouldn’t have had to be a barmaid anymore. She would have had a proper dowry for a proper young man.” He looked up at William. William also had tears in his eyes. “You know I cared for her, Lucas. I swear to you we’ll find Bear and Talia will be avenged.” Lucas nodded sadly. “All this trouble, all this black murder, and now it’s pointless. I should just return the booty to Knute.” “You haven’t heard about Knute?” asked James. “I heard the guards picked him up night before last. He’s in jail.” “Not anymore,” said William. “Bear broke into the jail and cut Knute to pieces.” 122
“By the gods! He’s gone mad,” exclaimed Lucas. “We’ll deal with Bear,” William avowed. “Thank you, William,” said Lucas, “but mind your step. Talia may be gone, but you’re still with us, and I’d prefer it if you stayed that way. This Bear is dangerous, and he’s got magic on his side.” Jazhara said, “What kind of magic?” “Dark powers, milady. Knute was terrified after he saw Bear work magic. That’s why he broke with him.” He shook his head. “You want to see what the bastards were after?” James nodded. “I am a bit curious.” Lucas rose and led them to a stout wooden door. He threw aside the bar on the door and pulled it open. Jazhara stepped forward with her lamp, and even James had to let out an appreciative low whistle. The small room was filled knee-deep in treasure. Sacks of gold coins were piled atop several small chests. Solid gold statues and piles of jewelry were strewn about. Lucas stepped into the room and opened one of the chests. Inside was more gold, and a small statuette. Jazhara reached down and picked it up. “This is Ishapian,” she said softly. “It is a holy icon of their church, the Symbol of Ishap.” James’s eyes grew wide. “They hit an Ishapian vessel! There couldn’t be a more dangerous undertaking for a pirate, by my reckoning.” Lucas said, “Most men would say foolhardy. Bear wanted something off that ship, something specific. Knute was certain that, whatever it was, it wasn’t among the loot he’d stashed down here.” Jazhara asked, “How did he know that?” “Knute told me that Bear flew into a rage when the ship 123
went down, despite having taken all this.” He waved his hand. “It’s one of the reasons Knute left Bear to drown. He was afraid Bear blamed him for the ship going down too fast.” “A reasonable fear, considering what Bear did to him,” observed Jazhara. William looked confused. “How does this help us? We still don’t really know who we’re chasing, and what he’s searching for.” Lucas opened another chest, one that looked different from the others. It was made of dark wood, much older, and appeared never to have been cleaned. It was stained and the hinges were rusty. He pulled out a rolled-up parchment and handed it to James. Then he handed a battered, leather-bound book to Jazhara. “It’s all there. These papers list every ship that Knute’s crew have sunk over the years, including this last job with Bear.” James looked at the map. “This will tell us where the Ishapian vessel was hit.” “Knute was thorough, I’ll say that for the little gnoll,” admitted Lucas. “It still doesn’t tell us what Bear is after,” observed Jazhara. William said, “Could we bait him into coming to us if we spread a rumor that we know what he’s after?” James said, “Maybe, but first things first. I must go to the palace first and report to the Prince.” He turned to Lucas. “You stay here with William. I’ll send Jonathan Means and some deputies down here to take charge of all this gold.” “What will you do with it?” asked Lucas. James smiled. “Give it back to the Ishapians. We may not know what Bear was after, but I’ll wager a year’s income they do.” 124
Lucas’s shoulders sank slightly, but he nodded. Jazhara and William followed James out of the room, and they returned into the sewers. As they hurried down a corridor toward the nearest exit, they heard the secret door to the old smugglers’ hideout closing behind them.
rutha waited for the page to leave. When the youngster had departed from the Prince’s private office, the ruler of the Western Realm of the Kingdom of the Isles looked at James. “Well, this is a far worse mess than we had imagined, isn’t it?” James nodded. “Much more than a simple hunt for pirate loot, Highness.” Arutha graced the magician with his half-smile, and his dark eyes studied the young woman. “You’ve gotten quite an unusual reception in our city, haven’t you, milady?” James quipped, “Given our recent history, Highness, it may be more usual than either of us likes.” Jazhara smiled at the casual banter between the two men. “Highness, my instructions from Duke Pug were simple: Come to Krondor and help you in any fashion I might, relative to issues of magic. To those ends, I am here to serve, even if it means having to practice the more bellicose side of the art in defense of your realm.” Arutha sat back and made a tent with his fingertips, flexing them in and out a little, a nervous habit James had observed in him since the first day they met. After a moment, he said, 126
“We have two such topics of discussion, both of which may require, as you put it, ‘the more bellicose side’ of your arts.” “The creature,” supplied James. Jazhara nodded her agreement. “Highness, the presence of that monstrous child and the quality of evil magic required for such an undertaking indicate that malignant forces of great power are involved.” “Indeed,” said the Prince. “Is there any reason you can imagine for someone to practice such horrific magic within the city itself ? Certainly the chance of discovery was high, even in an abandoned corner of the sewers.” Jazhara said, “If the purpose was to create chaos in your city, Highness, then such a choice makes sense. For any other reason I can imagine, no; it is a choice that defies understanding. “So, assuming the intent was to create chaos, then the potential reward would have been worth the risk of early discovery.” Jazhara hesitated, then added, “The creature formed from the evil magic used upon those babies would no doubt have grown in power. The one we destroyed had killed or injured more than a dozen armed men in the course of a few days, by all reports. It was weakened when we fought it. Moreover, it was immature, still an infant by any measure. In a few more weeks, I suspect it would have been quite powerful. A host of those things loose in your city . . .” “You draw an unattractive picture,” said Arutha. “But your argument is persuasive.” He leaned forward. “Since the arrival of the moredhel renegade Gorath we have been wrestling with a series of seemingly inexplicable events, but throughout those events there has been one constant: someone who seeks to plunge Krondor into chaos.” “The Crawler,” said James. 127
Arutha nodded. “I agree.” “Who is this Crawler, sire?” asked Jazhara. Arutha nodded to James, who said, “We don’t know. If we did, he would have been hanged long since. He first appeared over a year ago, running a gang that attempted to dislodge the Mockers in Krondor. But at the same time, he appears to be working the docks, interfering with commerce. Further, we’ve ascertained that he had a major relationship with the Nighthawks. In other words, he’s a thoroughly bad fellow.” Arutha said, “And potentially far more dangerous than we had thought initially. He seems to have had a hand in the attack on the Duke of Olasko and his family.” “The man moves in many circles,” said James. “And then there is the matter of the Ishapians,” said Arutha, pointing to the statuette Jazhara had carried to the palace. “I have sent word to the High Priest of the Temple here in Krondor and I expect we’ll be hearing from him soon.” “Does this have anything to do with that house across the square from the palace, Highness?” asked James. Arutha’s half-smile returned. “Not much gets past you, does it?” James merely smiled and made a half-bow. “Yes,” said Arutha, “but I will wait upon the presence of the High Priest or his agent before sharing that intelligence with you. Go and rest, both of you, but be ready to return here at a moment’s notice. I doubt the Ishapians will be long in answering my summons.” Arutha was correct. Jazhara and James were not even halfway back to their respective quarters when pages overtook them, informing them that the Prince required their immediate presence in the throne room. 128
They returned to find the High Priest of Ishap, along with two other priests and a warrior monk in attendance. The High Priest was an elderly man, scholarly in demeanor with closely cropped snow-white hair. Like their superior, the two priests were also bareheaded, and wore their dark hair cut short. Unlike other orders, the Ishapians tended to favor plain fashion. The priests were dressed in brown-trimmed white robes; the monk wore armor and carried a helm under his left arm. A large warhammer hung at his belt. Prince Arutha sat on his throne, and while there were only two other officials of the court in attendance – Duke Gardan and his scribe – James realized that Arutha wanted to conduct this interview from a position of power. The Ishapians were long thought to be the most mysterious of Midkemia’s religious orders, not courting converts as the other temples did. James had encountered them before, at the old Abbey at Sarth, and knew there was a great deal more to the Ishapians than commonly believed. They held a kind of supremacy among the orders; other temples avoided conflicts with them. The High Priest said, “Highness, your message carried a note of the imperative and I came as soon as I received it.” “Thank you,” said the Prince. He motioned to Gardan and the old Duke’s scribe produced the statuette, handing it to the High Priest for inspection. “Where did you get this, Highness?” the High Priest asked, traces of surprise and worry in his voice. Arutha signaled to James, who said, “It was discovered earlier today in a cache of stolen goods. Booty from a pirate raid.” “Booty?” said the High Priest. Arutha said, “We both know, Father, what is due to occur 129
this year. I need to know if that item came from the ship due into Krondor this month.” The High Priest said, “These are matters which cannot be discussed in open court, Highness.” Arutha nodded to Gardan and the duke dismissed the scribe. The High Priest looked at Jazhara and James and Arutha said, “The squire is my personal agent, and Jazhara is my advisor on all things magical. The duke has my trust beyond question. You may speak freely.” The High Priest looked as if a burden had been placed upon him, for his shoulders sagged visibly. “Ishap’s Dawn was due in Krondor a week ago, Highness. We have sent ships out to search for her, all the way back to the Free Cities. Perhaps she is disabled or . . .” He looked at James. “A pirate raid? Is that possible?” James said, “Apparently. A madman named Bear, aided, it seems, by dark magic, appears to have taken your ship. Guards are bringing the rest of the booty to the palace so that you may reclaim it, Father.” A glimmer of hope sprang into the High Priest’s eyes. “Tell me . . . is there a large box . . .” James interrupted. “According to his first mate, whatever it is that Bear wanted sank with the ship. It was the cause of some considerable friction between them. Bear tore the man apart with his hands trying to learn the location of the sunken ship.” The warrior monk kept an impassive face, but the High Priest and his two other companions appeared to be on the verge of fainting. “Then all is lost,” whispered the High Priest. Arutha leaned forward. “The ship carried the Tear of the Gods?” 130
The High Priest said, “Yes, and all the other treasure accumulated over the past ten years by every temple from the Far Coast to the Free Cities. But all the gold and gems” – he brandished the statuette – “are meaningless without the Tear.” James caught Arutha’s eye. The Prince said, “When I first came to this throne I was told something of the Tear’s importance, yet you have kept its secret from the Crown. Why is this artifact of such great value?” The High Priest said, “What I tell you, Highness, only your brother the King in Rillanon, and a very few of our order, know. I must have your vow that what I tell you here will not leave this room.” Arutha glanced at Gardan, who nodded, then to James and Jazhara, who also agreed. “We so vow,” said the Prince. “Once every ten years, a gem is formed in a secret location in the north of the Grey Tower Mountains. The origin of this gem is lost to us; even our most ancient tomes do not reveal how our order first came to know of the existence of the Tear of the Gods. “But this we do know: all power from the gods to men comes through this artifact. Without it, we would all fall deaf to the words of the gods, the gods would not hear our prayers.” Jazhara couldn’t help herself. She blurted, “You’d lose all contact with the gods!” “More than that, we fear,” said the High Priest. “We believe that all magic would fade, as well. For it is by the grace of the gods that man is allowed to practice the arts of magic, and without divine intervention, we soon would be just as other men. Soon the existing Tear in our mother temple in Rillanon will fade, its shining blue light will go dark. If the new Tear 131
is not in place before that happens, we will lose our link with the heavens.” “Won’t there be another Tear in ten years?” asked James. “Yes, but can you imagine ten years of darkness? Ten years in which man has no commune with the gods? Ten years in which no healing can be done? Ten years without prayers being answered? Ten years without any hope?” James nodded. “A grim picture, Father. What can we do?” Arutha said, “We do have the location of the sunken ship.” Once again, a spark of hope appeared in the High Priest’s eyes. “You do?” “Within a fairly confined area,” said James. “We have a map, and if the ship went straight down, we should be able to locate it.” “We have magic arts that can do many things, sire,” said the High Priest. “But to enable a man to breathe underwater and search out the wreck is beyond our gifts. Is there another way?” He looked pointedly at Jazhara. Arutha appreciated the gravity of the question; the temples, more than other institutions, were wary of magic they didn’t control. Jazhara would be an object of suspicion at the best of times; and this was hardly the best of times. The Prince said, “Do you know another way, Jazhara?” She shook her head. “Regretfully, Highness, I do not. I know of those in Stardock who are capable of such feats, but few of them are what you might call robust men. For such a task you’d need a strong swimmer, and a source of light.” James said, “That won’t work.” Arutha raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” James grinned. “Highness, I’ve lived my life near the sea. I’ve heard what sailors say. Once you go below a certain depth 132
the water weighs down upon you and even with a magic spell to help you breathe, withstanding such pressures would likely prove impossible. No, there’s another way.” “Tell us,” said the High Priest. “The Wreckers’ Guild,” said James. “It’s their trade to raise sunken ships. They can bring them up long enough to be salvaged. In some cases they can repair a breach and tow a once-sunken ship safely to port for refitting. I’ve seen it done more than once.” “But they would have to be told of the Tear,” said the High Priest. “And we cannot tell anyone of this.” James shook his head. “No, Father. All we need tell them is to raise the ship. Then someone trusted by the Crown goes into the ship, finds this artifact, and returns it here to Krondor.” The High Priest indicated the silent warrior monk to his left. “Brother Solon here should be that person. There are mystic safeguards around the Tear, so even had this creature Bear reached the Tear, he might not have been able to retrieve it. Brother Solon will be able to remove the safeguards so that the Tear can be recovered.” James looked at Arutha. “Sire, if this man Bear doesn’t know the exact whereabouts of the Tear, wouldn’t it be likely he’d be close by, looking for an Ishapian expedition heading for the wreck site? Logically he would wait until the artifact was recovered, then strike.” The High Priest said, “We have means of defending the Tear.” “No offense intended, Father, but from what Lucas told us of the pirate Knute’s account of things, Bear has some sort of powerful protection against your magic. Otherwise how could he have taken the ship to begin with?” 133
The High Priest looked troubled as Jazhara said, “An amulet, I believe he said, something with the power to shield the wearer against priestly magic.” Arutha looked at James. “You advise stealth?” “Yes, sire,” said James. “We must find a way to divert Bear’s attention. If we can distract him enough to keep him away from the site while we raise the ship, retrieve the artifact, then return here before he realizes he’s being distracted . . .” He shrugged. “We might have a chance.” The High Priest said, “Highness, I would prefer a large armed force –” The Prince held up his hand. “I realize the care of the Tear is the province of the Temple of Ishap, Father, but it was my jail that was destroyed, my wife’s orphanage that was burned to the ground, my constables who were slaughtered; that makes it the Crown’s business to ensure nothing like this occurs again. “If, as is reported, Bear and his mercenaries are immune to your magic, it would seem force of arms may be needed to recover the Tear. How many fighting monks can you muster within a day?” The High Priest looked defeated. “Only three, Highness. The majority of our warrior brothers were on Ishap’s Dawn, guarding the Tear of the Gods.” James ventured, “Father, given how many were slaughtered here in Krondor, my best advice is to retrieve the Tear and get it safely on its way to Rillanon before Bear realizes it’s not still at the bottom of the sea.” Arutha was silent for a moment, then said, “I will accede to James’s plan.” To James he said, “As for that ‘distraction’: order the Pathfinders out immediately, to find Bear’s trail. Have William muster a full patrol of Household Guards to 134
follow swiftly after them. From what you report, William has ample motivation to press Bear and harry him through the wilderness. Bear may be resistant to magic, but I warrant he might be troubled enough by two dozen swords to keep moving. And tell William that should he overtake Bear, the death mark is on this man and he may deal with him as he sees fit. That should be ‘distraction’ enough.” “And the Tear?” asked James. “You and Jazhara go to the Wreckers’ Guild and secure enough members to raise a ship. Gather them quietly at some point outside the city, leaving the city in twos and threes, then meet at one of the villages on the way to Sarth. Then ride quickly to . . .” “Widow’s Point,” supplied James. “Widow’s Point,” repeated Arutha, “and get on with recovering the Tear.” James bowed and said, “How many shall we take with us?” “I want you, Jazhara, and whoever you get from the Guild, along with Brother Solon, to depart at first light tomorrow. I will send a patrol the next day, and have them go to . . .” He looked at Gardan. “What’s the nearest town to Widow’s Point?” Without looking at a map, Duke Gardan said, “Haldon’s Head. It lies upon the bluffs overlooking the Point. It’s a refuge for scavengers who pick over the wrecks there, but for the most part is a sleepy village.” “Too close, sire,” said James. “If Bear has agents near the wreck, they will almost certainly be in Haldon’s Head. Our arrival alone will cause a stir, unless we depart within a day or so. It’s certain the appearance of an unscheduled patrol will alert Bear’s men.” 135
“What is the next village to the south?” asked Arutha. “Miller’s Rest,” said the duke. “Then station them there. As soon as you get the Tear, James, hurry south to Miller’s Rest and the patrol will escort you back to Krondor. If you encounter more than you can handle, send someone down to Miller’s Rest and the patrol will ride to your relief. Is that clear?” “Yes, sire,” said James, bowing. To the High Priest, Arutha said, “Father, go and make whatever arrangements you must and have your man meet James outside the gates two hours after first light, at the first crossroads. “James, you take those men from the Wreckers’ Guild, and leave with half of them at first light. Jazhara and the others from the Guild will leave one hour after that. You should all blend in with the normal traffic leaving the city at dawn.” Looking at James, the Prince added, “Need I stress caution?” With his almost insolent grin, James said, “Caution it is, Highness.” Arutha pointed an accusing finger. “We have seen much together, James – more than most men in a dozen lifetimes – but this task is equal to any set before you. Acquit yourself well, for the fate of us all rests in your hands.” James bowed. “I will, Highness.” To Jazhara, Arutha said, “I trust you will remind our young adventurer of the gravity of this task.” She bowed as well. “If need be, Highness.” “Then go, all of you, and may the gods smile upon your efforts.” Outside the throne room, James held Jazhara back until at 136
last Duke Gardan emerged from the room. “Your Grace?” James said. The duke turned, his dark features creased like old leather, but his eyes still bright and alert. “What is it, Squire?” “Could I prevail upon you to send word to the Officer of Stores that we’ll be down to equip ourselves for this journey?” “Some problem?” asked the duke. James grinned sheepishly. “My credibility of late has suffered, as I have used the Prince’s name a little too often – ” “Without Arutha’s knowledge,” finished Gardan. He returned the smile. “Very well, I’ll send word at once.” James said, “When do you finally retire? I thought your departure was agreed upon.” “I was due to leave for Crydee in a month; now I do not know,” he answered with an almost theatrical sigh. “When you stop bringing crises to the Prince, I think.” With an impish grin, James said, “I think if that’s the case, you’ll still be here in another ten years.” “I hope not,” the duke said, “but I will most certainly be here when you return. No one is spared duty until this crisis is resolved. Now, go about your business.” To Jazhara he bowed, and said, “Milady.” “Your Grace,” they said in unison. After the old duke had departed, Jazhara said, “What now?” James said, “To the Sea Gate and the Wreckers’ Guild.” At mid-morning, the Sea Gate was bustling. Cargoes being unloaded in the harbor and transported into the city spawned dozens of carts and wagons that moved slowly down the street toward the Old Market and beyond. Sailors just arrived from long journeys hurried off-ship to find inns and women. Above 137
the docks, sea birds squawked and wheeled in flight, seeking out the debris from dropped cargo that comprised a major part of their diet. Jazhara suppressed a yawn as they walked. “I’m so tired that watching all these people dash about makes me feel as if I’m sleepwalking.” James smiled. “You get used to it. One of the tricks I’ve learned in Arutha’s service is to nap whenever I get the chance. My personal best is four days without sleep. Of course I had the help of a magic potion and once its effects wore off I was good for nothing for a week . . .” Jazhara nodded. “Such things must be employed with caution.” “So we discovered on the trip home,” said James, now also stifling a yawn in response to Jazhara’s. “Whatever fate awaits us, I hope it involves at least one good night’s sleep before we depart.” “Agreed.” They reached the Wreckers’ Guild, a fairly nondescript two-story building a block shy of the Sea Gate. Several men were gathered outside, next to a large wagon. Two of them climbed atop the wagon as another pair began to walk away, lugging a large chest. James stopped and tapped one of the men on the shoulder. Without turning to see who stood behind him, the man snarled, “Shove off ! ” Tired, and in no mood for rudeness, James said, “Prince’s business.” The man threw him a quick glance. “Look, if you’re here about the Guild Master, I just told everything I know to the Captain of the Watch.” 138
James took the man firmly by the shoulder and spun him about. The mover’s large fist pulled back to strike James, but before he could, the squire had his dagger at the man’s throat. “Indulge me,” he said with more than a whisper of menace in his voice. “Perhaps you could spare a moment and go over it once more. What exactly did you tell Captain Garruth about the Guild Master?” Lowering his fist, the man stepped back. “It doesn’t take the brains of an ox to know he was murdered.” One of the other movers, watching the exchange, shouted: “It was Kendaric what did it! He cost us all with his greed.” The first man motioned toward the Guild entrance. “If you want details, you’d best talk to Jorath, inside. He’s the journeyman in charge, now.” James put away his dagger and motioned for Jazhara to accompany him. They entered the Guild Hall, where several men stood in the corner deep in discussion. A young man, barely an apprentice by the look of him, stood nearby. He was tallying various items of furniture and personal belongings and recording figures in a ledger. James approached him. “We’re looking for Journeyman Jorath.” The boy didn’t stop counting, but merely pointed over his shoulder with his quill at a door leading to a room in the rear. James said, “Thanks,” and moved on. He and Jazhara entered a room occupied by a large desk and several chairs. Standing before the desk was a middle-aged man, with dark hair and a short, neatly-trimmed beard. He wore a plain blue robe, similar to what one might expect on a priest or magician. Glancing up from the document he was studying, he said, “Yes?” 139
“I’m from the palace,” said James. “I assume that since I’ve already answered questions, you’re here to tell me you’ve made some progress.” His tone dripped arrogance. James narrowed his gaze for a moment, then let the irritation pass. “We are not part of the Guard. We need a ship raised.” “I’m afraid you’re out of luck. The Guild is closed. Evidently you haven’t heard, but the Guild Master has been murdered.” “What happened to him?” asked James. “No one knows, exactly. There was some sort of struggle, apparently. He was found dead in his room, with his possessions scattered about. He put up a good fight, but it seems his heart gave out.” James asked, “Why is the Guild closing down?” “The Guild Master and Journeyman Kendaric were the only members of our guild capable of leading the ritual necessary to raise a large ship.” “Well, we need to speak to the Journeyman right away.” “Quite impossible, I’m afraid. Kendaric is the prime suspect in the Guild Master’s murder, and he seems to have gone into hiding. With both him and the Guild Master gone, we’re out of business.” He let out a soft sigh. “Which is probably not so bad, all things considered.” “What do you mean, ‘all things considered’?” asked James. Jorath put down parchment he had been consulting. “Confidentially, the Guild has been losing money for several years now. The Guilds of other cities, Durbin and Ylith, for example, have developed new techniques that enable them to work more efficiently. They’ve been winning all the contracts.” James was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “How do you know it was this Kendaric who killed the Guild Master?” 140
Jorath picked up another scroll and glanced at it. “They fought constantly. At times they seemed near to blows. Abigail, the woman who cleans the Guild House, heard Kendaric and the Guild Master arguing the night of the murder.” “That’s not proof,” said Jazhara. “No, but he’s been missing ever since the body was found, so it’s a good bet he’s guilty.” Jazhara was about to say something, but James shook his head slightly. To Jorath he said, “May we look at the Guild Master’s and Kendaric’s rooms?” Jorath shrugged. “Help yourself. The Guard have already been up there, but if you think you can do some good, be my guest.” He turned back to his scrolls and left James and Jazhara to show themselves upstairs. Jazhara waited until they had climbed the stairs. When they were alone, she asked James, “What?” “What, what?” “What didn’t you want me to say to Jorath?” “What you were thinking,” said James, heading for the first of three closed doors. “What was I thinking?” asked Jazhara. Looking over his shoulder as he opened the door, James said, “That Kendaric might also be dead. And that someone doesn’t want anyone raising a certain ship off Widow’s Point.” He glanced down, and said softly, “Someone’s forced this lock.” He cocked his head, as if listening, motioned for silence, then held up his hand. “There’s someone inside,” he whispered. Jazhara took up a position beside James and nodded. James stepped back then kicked hard against the door, shattering the lock plate as the door swung open. The old woman inside jumped back and let out a shriek. 141
“Heavens!” she exclaimed. “Are you trying to shock an old woman to her grave?” “Sorry,” James said with an embarrassed smile. “I heard someone inside and saw the lock had been forced – ” He shrugged. “When I couldn’t raise the master,” said the old woman, “I had two of the apprentices bring a bar and force the door. I found the master, there, lying on the floor.” She sniffled, and brushed at a tear with the back of her hand. “What can you tell us?” asked James. “We’re here on behalf of the Prince.” “The master was a wonderful man, but he had a bad heart. I used to fix hawthorn tea for him for his chest pain. It did him no good to be constantly arguing with Journeyman Kendaric.” “What was Kendaric like?” asked Jazhara. “He was a poor boy from the streets, without family or friend. The Guild Master paid his admission fee to the Guild, because Kendaric was so poor. But the old master knew the boy was brilliant, and it would have been a crime to deny him because of poverty. The master was right, as the boy grew to be first among the journeymen. He would have been the logical choice to be the next Guild Master, except . . .” Her voice trailed off as more tears welled up in her eyes. “He was brilliant, you say?” Jazhara prodded. “Oh, he was always coming up with new ways to do things. He was working on a spell that would allow a single guildsman to raise large ships by himself. He thought the Guild would be more prosperous with his new spell, but the Guild Master wanted to preserve the traditional way, and they fought about it. He used to say that he argued with Kendaric to train him, to make his mind sharp, to make him tough enough to take 142
over the Guild when he passed on. That’s what makes it a bit odd.” “What’s a bit odd?” asked Jazhara. “Well, I just think it’s odd that Kendaric killed him. Despite all their arguing, I would have sworn that Kendaric truly loved the old master.” Jazhara mused, “Everyone seems convinced that Kendaric is the killer, but isn’t it just speculation?” The old woman sighed. “Perhaps. But I heard Kendaric and the Guild Master arguing on the night of the murder. They always fought, but this time was the loudest I’d ever heard. I found the old master dead the next morning when I came to bring him breakfast. As I said, it took two apprentices to force open the door. Kendaric must have hit him and when the master’s heart gave out, Kendaric must have escaped through the window. I said as much to the guards when I called them. They told me I was awfully clever to have figured it out the way I did.” James could hardly keep from rolling his eyes, but simply said, “We’ll look around a bit, if you don’t mind.” They realized quickly that anything of importance had been taken from the room by the Guards. “What are the other two rooms?” asked Jazhara. Abigail said, “Those are the journeymen’s quarters.” “And Kendaric’s room is which one?” asked James. “The next over,” replied the old woman. James returned to the hallway and opened the neighboring door. Instantly he dropped to the floor, narrowly avoiding a searing blast of heat that shot through the doorway. Behind him, Jazhara did likewise, although James couldn’t tell if she had managed to evade the flames. He didn’t have time to 143
check, as the magician who had thrown the blast of fire at him stepped aside to allow a warrior in black to charge at the spot where James lay. The Izmali lifted his sword and sent it plunging down toward James’s head.
ames rolled to his right. The Izmali’s sword came crashing down where James’s head had been a moment earlier, and the assassin raised it to strike again, with incredible speed. James had no time to draw his own sword, so he kicked out with as much strength as he could muster. His action was rewarded by the sound of a kneecap breaking and a muffled cry of pain from the black-clad murderer. The Izmali stumbled, but did not fall. James rolled again as the warrior fell, and came to his feet with his sword drawn in a single fluid motion. Jazhara unleashed a spell, but the scintillating ball of red energy shot off to one side and struck the floor near the enemy magician. Despite being missed, the magician appeared alarmed to discover he faced another magic-user. He turned and fled, jumping through the open window to the street below. Jazhara turned her attention to the assassin as James closed on the man. She raised her staff above her shoulder, the butt end aimed at the man, ready to attack high if James retreated. James lashed out with his blade, a move designed to force his 145
opponent to retreat and put weight on his injured leg. The man was an experienced swordsman, and he shifted his weight to risk a dangerous near-miss by James’s blade rather than strain the injured knee. He quickly returned with a quick inside thrust that almost removed James’s head. As James retreated, Jazhara thrust her staff forward and forced the assassin further into the room. Wisely, he took up a stance just inside the door, so that James and Jazhara would be forced to attack him one at a time. Without taking his eyes from the assassin, James said, “Jazhara! Get downstairs and see if you can find any hint of his magician friend. I’ll take care of this murderous swine.” Jazhara didn’t debate the order, but turned and hurried down the stairs. From below came shouts of inquiry about the sounds of struggle that could be heard. James appraised the situation. Neither he nor the assassin was going through that door willingly. Whoever advanced was certain to be attacked the instant he stood in the portal, the frame of the door jamb limiting his choices of response. The attack was almost certain to require moving sideways. They were locked in a stalemate. Then James stepped back, lowering his sword point, as if inviting attack. The Izmali stood ready, his blade point circling warily, refusing to take the invitation. James said, “Help will soon be on the way. I doubt you’ll try jumping through the window with that broken kneecap.” He glanced down at the injured leg. “I admire your strength. Most men would be lying on the floor, screaming in pain.” The assassin took a tiny step – not more than two inches – closer. 146
James continued to speak. “I’ve met a great many of you Nighthawks over the years. The first one I killed was trying to assassinate the Prince, many years ago. I was but a lad, then. Threw him from the rooftop.” Another inch forward. James let his sword point touch the floor and took a deep breath, as if relaxing. “Nothing compared to that bunch down in the desert. I doubt you’ve heard, since you were probably up here. I mean, had you been down there, you’d be dead like the rest of them, correct?” And another inch. “I still don’t see why your brotherhood has allowed itself to be manipulated by a bunch of religious zealots. All it’s done is get most of your clan killed. The Crawler can’t have that much control over the Nighthawks, can he?” The assassin tensed. James paused, and let his weight fall a little toward his sword, as if he were leaning on it. “Funny to find you here, really. I thought I’d left the last of your kind rotting in the sun, waiting for the buzzards.” The Izmali tensed as the shouts from outside heralded the arrival of some city guards. Then he raised his sword and lashed out at James; but James was moving the instant he saw the assassin’s sword come up. As James had hoped, the assassin had been so distracted by James’s banter, he had failed to notice James’s slight movement toward the door. The tip of his scimitar struck the lintel overhead and was deflected, just as James fell toward the swordsman while bringing his own blade upward. The man’s weakened knee betrayed him and he stumbled, half-falling onto James’s outstretched sword point. 147
James threw his weight behind the lunge and the assassin stiffened as the rapier rammed home. James recovered and pulled back his blade as the Izmali slumped to the ground. Jazhara and a pair of city guardsmen reached the hallway a moment later. “The magician escaped,” said the Keshian noblewoman. “These guardsmen were at the gate and I called them to come help.” Looking down at the dead assassin, one of the guardsmen said, “Looks like you weren’t needin’ much help there, Squire.” James knelt and examined the dead assassin. “Hello, what have we here?” he said, withdrawing a small parchment from the man’s tunic. “Usually these lads carry nothing.” He glanced at it, then handed it to Jazhara. “Can you read this script?” She scrutinized it. “Yes, it’s similar to the desert script used in the message to Yusuf. Retrieve the scroll, eliminate the witness in the alley, then return to the dog. There is no signature, nor is there a seal.” “Witness in the alley?” asked the senior guard. “That’d have to be Old Thom. He’s an old sailor without a home.” “He’s got a couple of crates in the alley back of this building he calls home,” added the other guardsman. James said, “Jazhara, let’s see what these lads were looking for.” Then he addressed the guards. “One of you stand by.” He motioned to Jazhara to follow him into the room. They looked around and nothing appeared out of the ordinary. James shrugged. “I was a little too busy to notice where those cutthroats were standing when we opened the door.” “They were in front of this desk, James,” Jazhara said. James inspected the desk, which at first glance seemed ordinary enough. 148
“What do you think ‘return to the dog’ means?” Jazhara asked. James continued his inspection. “Probably some sort of code for a person or place.” Something caught his eye and he pulled out a drawer. With a practiced eye he measured the depth of the drawer, then said, “There’s a compartment behind this drawer or my name wasn’t Jimmy the Hand.” He knelt down and reached back. There was a click of a small latch, and a tiny door fell open, revealing a small red velvet pouch that he extracted. He weighed it in his hand. “It’s heavy. Feels like stone.” Deftly, he untied the silk cord that secured the pouch and turned it over, allowing the object to fall into his other hand. A stone of shimmering green and white, carved to look like a nautilus shell, rested in his palm. “This is a Shell of Eortis!” Jazhara exclaimed. “What is that?” asked James. “I met some adherents of that god when I visited Silden a while back, but I know little of their beliefs.” “I’ve seen one such artifact at Stardock.” Jazhara held her hand over the object and closed her eyes, muttering a brief enchantment. Then she opened her eyes wide. “It is genuine! It is an old and rare item that aids water-magic. You’d have to know someone like the Masters of Stardock or the High Priest of the Temple of Eortis the Sea God to even hear of one. To possess one . . . this must be part of the secret of the Wreckers’ Guild.” “But why wasn’t this in the possession of the Guild Master?” James mused aloud. “Is this more proof that Kendaric had a hand in the death of the Guild Master, or did the master give it to his favorite student for safekeeping?” 149
“And why were the Nighthawks looking for it?” pondered Jazhara. “Could you use this to raise a ship?” asked James. “No, but you could use it to make the weather favorable for such an undertaking, had you the right spells to employ.” “Do you think this is what they sought?” Jazhara thought for a moment, then said, “As it will not raise a ship, probably not.” “Then let us continue to look.” He examined the other side of the desk and found another false drawer, this time one that was discovered by reaching up inside the desk from underneath. “Very clever,” James said, as he removed what appeared to be a box. “But not clever enough.” The box was roughly a foot wide, half as deep, and three inches thick. There was no apparent lock or latch, and the top was inlaid with a mosaic of stones. James tried the simple approach and thumbed back the lid. It lifted without difficulty, but the box was empty. “Nothing,” he said. Jazhara said, “No, there is something. Close the lid and open it again.” James complied and Jazhara said, “It’s a Scathian Puzzle. It’s a lock.” “To what? The box is empty. And the sides are too thin to contain another secret compartment.” “It’s an enchantment. Its nature is to camouflage whatever is inside until it is unlocked.” “Can you unlock it?” “I can try.” Jazhara took the box and closed the lid, then set it down upon the desk. She studied the mosaic on top of the box, then put her finger upon a tile. Its color changed from red to green to blue, and for 150
a brief instant James thought he saw a blurred image wavering upon the tile’s surface. Jazhara repeated the gesture quickly, touching a neighboring tile; again, the tile’s colors mutated, and another image appeared on the tile. Working deftly she moved the tiles around, for they slid where she directed. James was fascinated, for disarming traps and locks had been a career necessity in his days as a thief, but he had never encountered one quite like this. After a while, his eyes widened, for he realized that the tiles would fade back to their original pattern if she hesitated too long in moving one. And the closer she got to the end of the puzzle, the quicker they faded. Jazhara’s fingers were flying now, rapidly moving the tiles until at last a picture of a ship at sea was formed. Then there was an almost inaudible click, and up came the lid. The box was no longer empty. Lying flat within the box was a single parchment. James reached in and retrieved the document. He glanced at it, and said, “Nothing I can read.” Jazhara took the parchment and studied it. “I believe this is the spell they use to raise the ships.” “How does it work?” Jazhara scrutinized it even more closely. Then she whispered, “Incredible.” In her normal speaking voice she added, “With this scroll and some other components, a single guildsman can raise a ship on a mystic fog!” “What’s so amazing about that?” “Guilds like the Wreckers, who practice limited magic, usually possess only a few minor spells that are passed from generation to generation, and it usually requires several guildsmen to accomplish anything. Whoever wrote this knows a lot more about magic than the rest of the Guild.” She paused, 151
then added, “I’ll wager this Kendaric never realized he was a Lesser Path Magician!” “Then this spell must be worth a fortune to the Guild.” “Undoubtedly,” said Jazhara. “Any Lesser Path Magician with an affinity for water-magic could eventually utilize it. I suspect Kendaric is the only one who can use it as written.” “Then we must find Kendaric.” Pointing to the scroll, he said, “Hide that.” He turned and left the room. Jazhara secreted the parchment within a compartment in the pouch at her waist, and followed James a moment later. Glancing down at the dead Nighthawk, James said to the guard, “Keep an eye on this corpse, and if it starts to move, call me.” To Jazhara he said, “Let’s investigate the alley.” As they sped down the stairs, Jazhara said, “If it starts to move?” With a rueful smile James glanced back over his shoulder and said, “The Nighthawks used to have an irritating habit of not staying dead.” He led her outside the building and around to the back, where, behind the building, they found a long, dark, twisting alley. While still early in the day, the gloom of the place provided a dozen shadows in which anything could hide. Reflexively, James drew his rapier. Jazhara clutched her staff and made herself ready as well. They moved through the alley until they reached a position below the open window through which the magician had leapt. James pointed. “He must have landed here, and then run” – he glanced in both directions – “that way.” He indicated the way they had just come. “I’m almost certain the other end is blocked.” “If he reached the street and simply started walking he 152
would just be another citizen out on his morning’s business.” James nodded. “It’s why I love cities and hate being alone in the wilderness. So many more places to hide in a city.” Glancing into the darkness as they continued, Jazhara said, “I know many of my countrymen would disagree; they find hiding in the desert easy.” “You may have noticed I’m not a desert man,” James observed. They came to a pile of boxes, and James pushed one aside. The stench that arose from it caused Jazhara to step back. Inside were a dirty blanket, some rotting food and a few personal items – a woolen cap, a broken comb, and a dirty tunic. “Nobody home,” said James. He glanced around. “Old Thom must be out begging or thieving. We won’t find anybody here until after dark.” “I find it hard to believe that people actually sleep like that.” “It’s not hard once you get used to it. The trick is to use the trash to keep the guards away.” He looked around the alley once more. “Let’s go.” “Where?” “Back to the palace. Let’s get some rest, then after sundown we’ll come back and have a chat with Thom. I think he’s seen something that someone else doesn’t want him talking about, and if we can find out what that is, we might make some sense out of all this.” “It’s obvious someone doesn’t want us raising that ship.” “Yes,” said James. “And while William is chasing Bear around the wilderness, there’s someone else arranging for the murder of Guild Masters and beggars.” 153
“The Crawler?” asked Jazhara. James said, “That’s my guess. Come on, let’s return to the palace and get some rest.” They walked quickly out of the darkness into the daylight of the busy street. William signaled for his patrol to halt, while a lone rider hurried down the trail toward him. They were less than an hour out of the city and following marks left by a pair of Royal Pathfinders.The rider reined in and saluted. It was Maric, one of the Pathfinders. “Lieutenant.” “What have you found?” William asked. “A half-dozen men left the city on foot through the fields to the northeast of the North Gate. They took no pains to hide their passage. One of them was a big man, a heavy man, probably the one called Bear. His prints are wide and deep. At the edge of the fields they had horses waiting for them and rode hard up that trail. Jackson is following them. He’ll leave signs.” William signaled for the men to ride on. Maric fell in beside the lieutenant. The Pathfinders were legendary, men who were descended from the first foresters and wardens of the earliest Princes of Krondor. They knew the surrounding wilderness as a mother knows the features of her children and they tended to be an insular lot who only grudgingly took command from officers outside their company. Their own captain was rarely seen in the palace, save by the Prince’s orders, and they didn’t socialize with the garrison’s regulars. But they were among the finest trackers in the West and no man in the Armies of the West doubted their skills. After a few moments of silence, William asked, “What else?” 154
“What do you mean, Lieutenant?” replied the Pathfinder. “What is it you’re not telling me?” The Pathfinder glanced at the young officer and gave him a small smile and a nod. “These men take no pains to hide their passage. They are not afraid of being found. They hurry for another reason.” “They need to get somewhere fast,” William observed. “Or need to meet someone,” suggested Maric. “Ambush?” asked William. “Possibly,” replied the Pathfinder. “If they appear to be anxious to get down the trail, then suddenly turn . . .” He shrugged. “Jackson would warn us.” Without emotion, Maric said, “If he’s alive.” They rode on in silence. If the alley had been gloomy in the daytime, it was inky at night. James uncovered a lantern he had secured at the palace. After sleeping through the late morning and early afternoon, James and Jazhara had dined with the Prince and his family. It had been Jazhara’s first dinner with the royal family, a privilege of her new position, and she had enjoyed the opportunity to meet and chat with Princess Anita, the Princess Elena, and the twin princes, Borric and Erland. James had apprised the Prince of their progress thus far, and Arutha had approved of James’s investigation of the missing journeyman, Kendaric. Once again dressed in her practical travel garb, Jazhara walked a step behind James as they traversed the dark alley. As they neared the crates, James signaled for silence and Jazhara touched him on the shoulder to indicate that she understood. 155
As they approached the crates, they heard a voice shout out, “No! No! Old Thom didn’t tell a soul!” “Thom, I’m not going to hurt you,” James called out. He turned the lantern on the crate and the light revealed an old man, dressed in rags, huddling inside. His nose was misshapen and red, from repeated breaks in his youth and hard drinking in his later years. His front teeth were missing, and what little hair remained was almost white, spreading around his head like a faint nimbus. Red-shot, watery blue eyes regarded them as he said, “You’re not here to hurt old Thom?” “No,” said James, kneeling and putting up the light so that his own face would be revealed. “I’m not here to hurt you. Just to ask some questions . . .” “Ah, a Prince’s man, are you?” said the old beggar. “Fate is kind. I thought it was them murderers come back to finish Old Thom.” “Why would they want to finish you?” asked Jazhara, coming up behind James. Thom glanced at Jazhara, then answered. “I ’spect it’s ’cause I was here the other night when they broke into the Guild House.” “When was that?” asked James. “The night the Guild Master died. A pair of ’em, all in dark cloaks, climbed right up the wall and into his room, they did.” “Nighthawks,” James said. “They were going to come back, Thom, but we got to them before they could find you.” “You’re a good lad, then. My thanks to ya.” “You’re welcome,” said James with a smile. “Did you see anything else?” 156
“Well, before them dark cloaks went inside, they was talkin’ to somebody down the street a ways.” “Did you see who?” asked Jazhara. “Old Thom couldn’t rightly see, ’cept he was wearing Guild colors.” James said, “He had a torque?” “Yes, that colored thing some of ’em wear around their neck.” “Could it have been Kendaric?” asked Jazhara. Old Thom said, “Aye, the fella what was always arguin’ with the old Guild Master? I seen him the night of the killin’, I did. He left the Guild House early that night; never did come back.” “Could it have been Kendaric who was with the Nighthawks?” asked James. “Coulda been,” replied Old Thom. “Or maybe not. He wasn’t wearin’ colors when he left.” James sat back on his heels. “There are only two other men who would wear colors: the master and Jorath. The Guild is closed for the night, but tomorrow we will return to visit Journeyman Jorath.” James fished in his pouch and came up with two gold coins. He handed them to Old Thom and said, “Get yourself a decent meal and a warm blanket, my old friend.” “Thanks, son,” said the old fisherman. “Old Thom thanks you.” James and Jazhara left the old man in his crate and returned to the city streets. Morning found James and Jazhara once again at the Wreckers’ Guild office, but this time they entered to a much quieter scene 157
than they had the previous day. When they came in they found Jorath in the main office, reading documents. Looking up, he said, “Again?” “We have a few more questions, Journeyman,” said James. “Very well.” “We have uncovered a few things, but obviously this case will not be put to rest until we’ve located Journeyman Kendaric. What can you tell us about him?” Jorath said, “He was the oldest journeyman in the Guild, the only one senior to myself. There are two others, both out of the city at present. Kendaric was a man of unusual talents, and had the potential to be prime among us, perhaps even the next Guild Master. Unfortunately he was also greedy and arrogant, probably because of his half-Keshian ancestry.” Jazhara kept a straight face, but James saw her knuckles turn white as she tightened the grip on her staff. James asked calmly, “Do you really think his ancestry matters?” “Without a doubt,” replied Jorath. “He’s always been arrogant, but ever since he had to give up his engagement to a Kingdom girl, he’s had it in for us. Her parents didn’t want a Keshian marrying their daughter, and who can blame them?” Jazhara said, “I take offense at your obvious prejudice toward Keshians, Guildsman.” Jorath inclined his head slightly. “Lady, I am no bigot, but as a scholar of some skill, I can tell you that Keshians, and half-breeds in particular, are generally unable to control their emotions.” Jazhara leaned forward and with an icy smile said, “As the newly-appointed court magician of Krondor, and as a greatniece of Abdur Rachman Memo Hazara-Khan, Ambassador 158
of Great Kesh to the Prince’s court, I can tell you that you are gravely mistaken. Were I not able to control my emotions, you would now be a slithering worm.” The blood drained from Jorath’s face and he stammered, “I apologize most sincerely, milady. Please forgive me.” Hiding his amusement, James said, “Tell us about this woman Kendaric was engaged to.” Jorath appeared glad to change the subject. “A local shopkeeper, if I remember. I don’t know the girl’s name.” James looked hard at the journeyman, and said, “Thank you. If we have more questions, we’ll return.” As they left the office, James glanced up the stairs. He motioned for Jazhara to be quiet and they crept up the stairway. At the top of the stairs, James indicated the third door: Jorath’s room. “What are you doing?” Jazhara asked. “Our friend downstairs is a little too sanguine about all that’s gone on. He’s hiding something.” “I agree. Given that his world seems to have been turned upside down, he seems almost . . . relieved.” James deftly picked the lock of the room and they entered. The chamber was neat, with nothing obviously misplaced. “Tidy fellow, our Journeyman Jorath, isn’t he?” James observed. “Indeed.” James went to the desk while Jazhara investigated the contents of a chest at the foot of the journeyman’s bed. In the desk, James found some documents and a ledger. He took them out and had started reading them when Jazhara exclaimed, “Look!” James glanced over. Jazhara was holding up a ledger identical to the one James had in his lap. “This was hidden under some clothing.” 159
James took the second ledger and put it beside the first. After a few moments, he said, “Well, there it is. Our friend Jorath has been embezzling funds from the Guild. With the Guild Master dead, no one would inspect the records.” “And if he could find Kendaric’s spell-scroll, he could restart the Guild with himself installed as master, with a clean record,” said the magician. James nodded. He continued his reading, tossing aside scroll after scroll, then he stopped. “Look at what we have here,” he whispered. He handed the parchment to Jazhara. She read aloud. “Guildsman. You’ve made the right decision in coming to us with your plans. We’ve received the gold you promised. Show the bartender this letter and you’ll find him very cooperative. My people, who will be waiting for you at the dog, will deal with final details and future payments. Orin.” “At the dog.” James said. “A place?” James put the other scrolls away. “Yes, Ye Bitten Dog.” Jazhara said, “Ah, of course. The bartender. Lucky Pete.” “Things are now starting to come together,” said James, taking the two ledgers and the scrolls. “I think we need to have another chat with Journeyman Jorath.” He wrapped the ledgers and scroll in a tunic he pulled from the chest. They hurried down the stairs and entered the office, where Jorath was still reviewing documents. “Yes?” he said looking up. “Again?” James said, “You know who killed the Guild Master.” Jorath stood up slowly, and arranged the scrolls on the desk in an orderly fashion. “Amazing. I would have credited the Prince’s servants with far more intelligence than you’re currently evidencing.” 160
Jazhara said, “We know you’ve been dealing with the Nighthawks.” Jorath seemed untroubled by the accusation. “Even had I the inclination to consort with criminals, who I meet with outside the Guild is my own business, unless you can prove I conspired in a crime. “Besides, my entire life is wrapped up in this Guild. Why would I choose to jeopardize it all by killing the Guild Master?” James unwrapped the ledgers and the scroll and said, “To prevent being caught out as an embezzler.” Jazhara added, “And there was Kendaric’s new spell. With him out of the way, you could claim it as your own.” “If you could have found it,” James went on. “Obviously, you needed the Nighthawks for both tasks.” “An interesting theory,” said Jorath, slowly backing away. “Well thought out and complete. Tell me, if you had not interfered, do you think I could have gotten away with it?” Before James or Jazhara could answer, the Guildsman pulled an item from the sleeve of his robe and cast it into the air. A brilliant light erupted and James found himself momentarily blinded. Reflexes took over and he instantly stepped back, knowing that he was likely to be attacked while he couldn’t see. He felt the blade just miss him as he blinked furiously, while drawing his own sword. Again he stepped back, and without hesitation lashed out, a move designed to keep Jorath back or, with luck, land a blow. He heard the journeyman retreat and James knew he had almost succeeded in hitting him. James had fought in the darkness more times than he cared to remember, and he closed 161
his eyes, knowing that darkness would be less distracting than the blurred images and lights that danced before his eyes. He sensed that Jazhara had moved away from him, her own protective reflexes taking her away from possible danger. James threw a wild high blow and felt the shock run up his arm as Jorath’s sword blocked his. Without hesitation, James slid his blade down Jorath’s, moving forward rather than retreating. James hoped that the guildsman was not a practiced swordsman, for if he was, James was almost certain to be wounded. As he had hoped, James heard a startled exclamation from the guildsman as James threw his weight forward, reaching out with his free left hand to grip Jorath’s right wrist. He slammed upward with his own sword, and with a satisfying crack felt the hilt of his sword smack into the man’s chin. Jorath slumped to the floor as James blinked away tears. His vision was slowly returning, enough to see that the journeyman was now lying unconscious on the floor. Jazhara was also blinking furiously, trying to clear her own eyesight. “It’s all right,” said James. “He’s out.” “What’ll happen to him?” asked Jazhara. “Arutha will almost certainly hang him, but he’ll be questioned first.” “Do you think he’s involved in the search for the Tear?” James shook his head slowly. A Guild apprentice appeared at the door and looked down at the fallen journeyman. His eyes widened in alarm. James shouted, “Get the city watch, boy!” The youngster hurried off. James looked at Jazhara and said, “I think he was merely a convenience for the Nighthawks and the Crawler.” Shaking his head at how little he knew, James added, “Or whoever else is 162
behind all this madness.” He sighed. “I think the Nighthawks and whoever is employing them wanted to ensure no one could raise that ship but themselves. If I’m to guess, there’s someone up in Ylith who’s arranging for a team from their Wreckers’ Guild to head down to Widow’s Point – or there will be soon.” Pointing to the belt pouch in which Jazhara had Kendaric’s scroll, James added, “Finding that scroll would simply have made things easier for the Nighthawks. They would have promised Jorath whatever he wanted, gotten him to raise the ship, then killed him.” Glancing down at the unconscious journeyman, James shook his head in disgust. “Either way, he ends up a dead man. What a waste.” “So what now?” asked Jazhara. “We visit Lucky Pete and see if we can uncover this last nest of the Nighthawks and stamp them out. Then we find Kendaric. I think it’s safe to say he’s no longer a suspect.” “How do we find him?” “We look for the woman he was engaged to; perhaps she will know somewhere to start the search.” “Jorath said he didn’t recall who she was.” James grinned. “Maybe the journeyman didn’t, but I bet someone around here remembers. Probably old Abigail knows. Gossip like that doesn’t say hidden long.” Jazhara said, “I’ll go ask her.” James nodded. “I’ll wait for the city watch.” A few minutes later Jazhara returned just as two city watchmen arrived with the apprentice. James instructed them to take Jorath to the palace and told them what to say to Duke Gardan. The watchmen saluted and carried off the still-unconscious guildsman. After they left, James asked, “Did you get a name?” 163
Jazhara nodded. “Her name is Morraine. She runs a shop called The Golden Grimoire.” James nodded. “Just your kind of place. An apothecary shop with a bit of magic for sale, according to rumor. It’s in the nicer part of town.” He glanced around and said, “We’re finished here.” “Where to first?” asked Jazhara as they strode toward the door. “First, to the palace to collect a half-dozen or so of the duke’s best swordsmen. Then back to Ye Bitten Dog.” “You expect trouble?” asked Jazhara. James laughed. “Always.”
ames signaled. The squire and Jazhara surveyed their surroundings as they walked toward Ye Bitten Dog. Six of the Prince’s Royal Household Guard waited at the intersection of the two streets nearest the entrance of the inn, hiding in the shadows as night fell upon the city. In addition, a young constable, Jonathan Means, was positioned across the street. He was the son of the former sheriff, Wilfred Means, and despite no direct order from the Prince, he was acting in his father’s stead. James had also recruited him as one of his first confidential agents in what he hoped one day would be the Kingdom’s intelligence corps. Young Means would wait fifteen minutes, then enter the inn. Alternately, at any sign of trouble, he would signal to the squad of soldiers and they would rush the building. James and Jazhara wanted to see what sort of information they might weasel out of Lucky Pete before resorting to threats. And if there were Nighthawks in residence, it would be useful to have a riot squad close at hand. James pushed open the door. Inside, the night’s revelries were starting to pick up, as whores and dockworkers on their way home from a day’s labor lined up three deep at the tables to carouse. 165
Glancing around, James realized they had caught the attention of a worker near the door who was looking at James and Jazhara’s fine clothing. “What have we here?” he said loudly. His companion turned. “Looks like a court boot-lick and his Keshian pet, to me.” Without bothering to look at the man, Jazhara said, “Careful, my friend. This pet has claws.” The man so addressed blinked in confusion, but his friend exploded into laughter. “That’s enough,” James said. “We seek no trouble.” He took Jazhara’s elbow and guided her through to the bar at the rear of the room, where the owner was filling tankards and handing them to a bar-boy to carry to the tables. As they approached, Lucky Pete looked up. “What do you want now?” James said, “Just some information, Pete.” The boy took the flagons and hurried off, and Pete wiped up a puddle of spilled ale with a filthy bar rag. “It’ll cost ya. Like always.” “Did you hear about the troubles at the Wreckers’ Guild?” Pete shrugged. “Maybe.” James slid a coin across the rough-hewn planks of the bar. “Okay, I heard something.” James slid another coin, and Pete remained silent. After a moment, James slid a third coin across the bar, and Pete said, “Seems some journeyman couldn’t wait for the old master to die so he could replace him and hurried the old fellow off to Lims-Kragma’s Hall. Fellow named Kendaric.” “So we’ve heard,” replied James. “Any idea where we might find this Kendaric?” Pete said, “This answer’s for free: No.” 166
James considered for a moment whether Pete might be lying, but rejected the notion, given Pete’s appetite for gold. If he were to lie, it would be to get more gold, not less. James glanced at Jazhara and she gave him a slight nod, indicating that she, too, thought this avenue of questioning was a dead end. James lowered his voice. “I could also use some information on obtaining some ‘special’ services.” He slid another coin across the bar. “What sort of ‘special’ services?” asked Pete, sweeping it up. “I need the skills of some men with . . . muscle.” Pete shrugged. “Bashers are a copper a dozen in Krondor. Find ’em at the docks, the markets . . .” He narrowed his gaze. “Of course you know that already, don’t you?” James slid yet another coin across the bar. “I had heard this was the place to get in touch with a special breed of nocturnal birds.” Pete didn’t touch the coin. “Why would you want to talk to these ‘birds’?” “We want to offer them a well-paying job.” Pete was silent for a moment, then picked up the coin. “You’ve got balls, boy, but have you the cash to back ’em up?” James nodded. “More gold than you’ve ever seen, if you’ve got what I want.” He placed another coin on the bar, then quickly put four more carefully atop it, to make a small, neat stack. Pete swept up the coins. “First payment, only, Squire.” He grinned, displaying discolored teeth. “Aye, lad, you’ve come to the right place. Go ’round back, if you would. There’s some gentlemen in the rear room you ought to speak to.” He tossed 167
James a key, then gestured with his hand toward a door behind the bar. “You’ll be needin’ this, lad.” James caught the key and started toward the indicated door. He unlocked the door and glanced over his shoulder at Jazhara, who looked ready for trouble. James estimated they now had about ten minutes before Jonathan Means entered the inn. James’s instructions had been clear; if he and Jazhara were not in sight, Jonathan was to bring the squad. James and Jazhara entered a corridor as the door to the barroom clicked shut behind them. Three more doors lined the hallway before them. A door on the immediate left revealed a pantry, and James spared it only a cursory glance. The first door on the right, once opened, revealed a miserable-looking bedroom, filthy and strewn with clothing and remnants of food. James whispered, “Must be Pete’s room.” He looked back over his shoulder at the door that led back into the common room and added, “Can you do something dramatic with that door, something loud enough to bring young Means and the guards in a hurry?” With a slight smile, Jazhara nodded. “I have just the thing if I’m not otherwise distracted.” “Good,” James said, opening the last door. They entered a small room, furnished only with a single table, behind which sat two men. The one closest to James, on the right, was a bearded man with dark hair and eyes. The other was clean-shaven and blond, with his hair falling to the collar of his jacket. Both wore black tunics and trousers. Each had a blade at his hip, and wore a heavy black gauntlet. Both men looked up at James and one said, “Yes?” “Pete said we could find someone here who might provide us with a solution for a particularly bothersome problem.” 168
Both men moved back in their chairs, a seemingly casual move, but one that James knew gave each of them a better chance to stand and draw his sword. “What do you want?” the second man asked. James produced the letter he had found in Jorath’s room. “We know about your arrangement with the Wreckers’ Guild. For a small price, we’ll make sure no one else does.” The two men glanced at each other, then the blond man spoke. “If you’re looking to line your pockets with gold, you should be warned that you are dealing with the Guild of Death. Those who try to blackmail us tend not to live as long and comfortably as they otherwise might. Unless, that is, you’re offering some other sort of arrangement?” James smiled. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. Here’s my idea – ” Leaping forward, James suddenly overturned the table onto the blond-haired man, at the same time kicking out with his boot to shove the chair out from under the bearded man. “Jazhara! Now!” Jazhara turned and pointed her staff toward the far door and uttered a few syllables. A bolt of white energy exploded from the staff, fired down the short hallway, and blew the door off its hinges with a deafening sound. James had his sword in hand. He grinned. “That should bring them running.” The first swordsman was scrambling backward, away from James’s blade, while awkwardly trying to draw his own. The blond man used the overturned table as a barrier, so that he could retreat an extra couple of feet to the wall, gaining space to pull out his sword. James had to leap away to avoid a lunge from the blond man, aimed at James’s left side. Jazhara struck down with her staff at the swordsman’s arm, striking his wrist with a numbing blow. 169
The blond man yowled in pain as he dropped his sword. As he attempted to pull his dagger out with his other hand, Jazhara struck him on the temple with the iron-shod butt of her staff. The man dropped to the floor. James heard shouts and confusion from the front of the building, and knew that Jonathan Means and the guards were now in the common room. Unless there were other Nighthawks there, the dockworkers and other laborers would be unlikely to challenge armed guardsmen. James lashed out with his sword, slicing the hand of the bearded man on the floor, who was still struggling to pull out his sword. It had the desired effect, for the man let go of the hilt. James touched the tip of his sword to the man’s throat. “I advise you not to move if you want to keep breathing.” Jazhara turned toward the door, readying herself in case whoever came through it first wasn’t friendly. The bearded man shifted his weight slightly and James pressed the blade into the man’s skin until he cried, “Ah ah!” Deftly, James flipped the man’s collar aside with the sword’s point, and slipped it under a chain around the man’s neck. Then, with a flick, he drew the chain over the man’s head. An amulet slid down the blade. As the point rose in the air, the bearded man made a frantic grab for his own sword. Without taking his eyes off the amulet, James kicked with his left boot, taking the man on the chin and knocking him unconscious. At this point, Jonathan Means broke through the door at the end of the hall, followed by two of the Prince’s Household Guard. They were frog-marching Lucky Pete between them, his peg leg slamming against the floor in a most comic fashion. Jonathan said, “Most of the lads in there started clearing out 170
when Jazhara blew the door off the hinges.” He smiled at her and said, “I assume it was you and not some other magician, milady?” She nodded and returned the young man’s smile. The acting sheriff continued. “Most of the rest of them fled when they saw the seven of us rush in. That one” – he pointed at Pete – “and a couple of others tried to fight, but we had them under control in a few minutes.” He glanced at the two unconscious figures on the floor. “What have we here?” James turned his sword to Means and let the amulet slip off the blade. “False Nighthawks. Part of that band sent into the sewers to cast blame on the true Guild of Death a few months back if I don’t miss my guess.” “How do you know them to be false?” asked Jazhara. “No poison rings, and they didn’t try to take their own lives,” answered James. “The Nighthawks are fanatics about not being taken alive.” He sheathed his sword. “What is the significance of these being false?” asked Jonathan. James said, “That remains to be discovered when we question these two. I suggest you get them to the palace dungeon and hold them for questioning. With the Old Market Jail gone, it’s either the palace or the jail at the docks.” Means nodded. “The palace it is, Squire.” Means called for help and another four guards came in to carry the unconscious “Nighthawks” away. James turned to Lucky Pete and said, “Now, it’s time for us to have a talk.” Pete tried to smile, but his face was an exercise in panic. “Now, Squire, I don’t know nothin’, really. I just rented some rooms and the basement to these lads.” James’s gaze narrowed. “The basement?” 171
“Yes, through that trapdoor there and down the stairs,” he said, pointing to a spot on the hallway floor. “Damn,” said James, pulling his sword out once more. To Means he said, “Leave a man here with Pete and follow me.” James pulled up the trapdoor and scrambled through it without waiting to see who was behind him. He ran down the stone stairs, which led down to a small landing halfway down, then doubled back to the basement floor below. From above, Jazhara said, “James! There is something very wrong here!” Turning to look up at her, James said, “I feel it, too.” Energy crackled in the air which indicated that magic was being gathered nearby, and James’s experience told him it wasn’t anything good. The hair on his arms and neck rose as he reached the bottom steps and confronted a door. He waited until he knew that Jazhara, Means, and another guard were behind him, then said, “Ready!” He kicked open the door and found himself in a large room carved out of the soil beneath the tavern. Near the middle of the room stood three men, two dressed in the same way as the two men upstairs, in black tunics and trousers, black gloves and with swords at their side. The third man wore robes and James recognized him as the magician they had seen at the Wreckers’ Guild. But what drew James up short and made him gasp was the figure forming in the center of the room, inside a complex design drawn on the floor in a white substance. “A demon!” he shouted. The creature was coalescing into solid form, substantial from head to waist. Its head was misshapen, with two curving horns that arched down and forward from its brow. Glowing red eyes regarded the intruders and it bellowed like a bull, its massive shoulders flexing as it attempted to reach out to them. 172
The enemy magician cried out, “Hold them! We are almost done!” The two black-clad swordsmen drew their weapons and charged the short distance that separated James from the demon. Jazhara attempted to cast a spell, but had to break her concentration in order to avoid being struck by one of the two men. James parried the other attacker as Jonathan Means and a guardsman burst into the room. “Gods!” shouted Means. “What is that thing?” “Kill the magician!” James cried. The guardsman didn’t hesitate. Rather than risk approaching the magician and coming within reach of a demon that was almost completely solid, the soldier pulled a dagger from his belt and with a powerful throw sent the blade spinning toward the magician. The dagger struck the magician in the heart, knocking him backward as the demon gained solid form. The demon bellowed in rage and tried to attack, but the lines upon the floor seemed to form a mystic barrier, preventing him from reaching James and the others. James saw Means rush to Jazhara’s side, and concentrated upon his own foe. The man was an expert swordsman and James was conscious of the enraged demon he could see over the man’s shoulder. The assassin was also aware of the demon behind him, for he took a moment to glance back before focusing on James. James sought to press his advantage, but the swordsman anticipated it. James moved to one side, shouting, “Jazhara! Can you do something about that thing?” Jazhara was attempting to disentangle herself from the 173
second swordsman, in order to allow the guardsman or Jonathan Means to engage with him, but the room was too crowded to allow an easy transition. “I’m occupied at the moment, James,” she called. Means cried, “Let me past!” and Jazhara instantly drew her staff toward her, holding it upright as she turned and suddenly Means was past her, lunging at the swordsman, who was forced to back away. Jazhara looked at the demon and said, “I know almost nothing of such creatures, James!” James beat back a high attack by the assassin he faced and attempted to back him into the demon’s reach. “I’m turning into something of a expert, I’m sorry to say,” he retorted. “This is the third of these creatures I’ve run into in my life.” “One thing I do know,” Jazhara shouted. “Don’t cross into that diagram and don’t break the lines.” “Thank you,” said James. He thrust out with his blade, managing to nick the assassin in the leg. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he added as he pulled back. Jazhara saw the stalemate between her companions and the two assassins, and stopped to catch her breath. She closed her eyes, recalling an incantation, then when she had it firmly in mind, she slowly began to cast her spell. When she was finished, a crimson bolt of energy flew from her outstretched hand and struck the face of the assassin attacking James. The man cried out and dropped his sword. Clawing at his eyes, he screamed in pain and staggered backward. Too late, he suddenly realized he had backed inside the inscribed design on the floor. He tried to retreat, but the demon seized him. Picking the assassin up from behind like a father might pick up a baby, the twelve-foot-tall demon 174
tossed the man high into the air, literally bouncing him off the dirt and stone ceiling. Then as the assassin fell, the creature slashed with its bull-like horns, impaling him on the points. The man screamed once and died. James ignored the gore and turned his attention to the second swordsman, reaching over Means’s shoulder to slash at the man’s throat. A liquid gurgle sounded as the assassin dropped his blade, a stunned look in his eyes as the blood began to flow from his mouth and nose. He made a daubing motion with his left hand at his throat, as if trying to staunch the wound, then he fell forward and expired. James turned to confront the demon, which had finished tearing apart the assassin who had lain upon its horns. Body parts littered the room and the creature bellowed in rage as it confronted James and his companions. “What do we do?” asked Jonathan Means, shaking now that he realized the nature of the monster they faced. “It cannot cross out of that space,” said Jazhara, “unless he who summoned it gives leave. But it will remain there for a long time unless we banish it or kill it.” “Those things are hard to kill,” said James. “I know.” Jazhara turned to the guardsman. “Send word to the palace. Summon Father Belson and tell him we have a demon to banish.” The guardsman glanced at James, who nodded. James said, “Let us back out of here and wait for the good father to show up.” Time seemed to drag as they waited for the arrival of Prince Arutha’s religious advisor. James stood just the other side of the door, watching the evil creature as it raged and glared at him, 175
full of malevolence. Several times it feigned an attack, but always it pulled up at the mystic barrier. “What’s this nonsense about a demon?” shouted a voice from above. James turned to see Father Belson appear. The slender, black-bearded cleric arrived in a hurry, minus his usual purple and scarlet robes. Instead he wore a woolen nightshirt over which a heavy cloak had been thrown. “This idiot,” he said, pointing back at the guard, “wouldn’t even grant me leave to dress – ” Then he glanced past James and caught sight of the demon. “Oh, my,” he said softly. “I’ll get out of the way and let you go to work, Father,” James said. “Go to work?” Father Belson replied, blinking in confusion. “Work doing what?” “Getting rid of the demon. That’s why we summoned you.” “Get rid of the demon? I can’t do that,” said the priest of Prandur in horror. James blinked like an owl caught in a sudden light. “You can’t?” “Demons are creatures of the lower realms, and as such often consume fire energy. My service to the Lord of the Flames prevents me from having any skills with the sorts of magic that can possibly harm the creature.” Looking again at the demon, the priest added softly, “Best I can do is irritate him, and at worst make him stronger.” “What about exorcism?” asked Jazhara. Glancing at the Keshian magician, the priest said, “That’s not something my temple does. You’d have to find a priest of Sung, and a powerful one at that, or an Ishapian.” 176
James sighed. He turned to the guard who had originally brought Father Belson and said, “Hurry to the Temple of Ishap and tell the High Priest we request the services of one who can banish a demon – and quickly. Use the Prince’s name. Go.” The guardsman saluted. “Squire.” He turned and hurried off. To Father Belson, James said, “Sorry to have awakened you.” Not taking his eyes off the creature, the priest said, “Oh, I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.” “Good,” said James. “Then keep an eye on the thing just in case, while I go interview a prisoner.” James returned to the upper room. Pete was sitting in a chair with a guard at his side. James said, “Now, before we were so rudely interrupted . . .” Pete looked close to panic. “I tell you, Squire, I don’t know nothin’. Just some lads throwin’ gold around for me to know nothin’. So I looks the other way when they want to use the down-below, and the pass-me-through to the sewers. You know how it is.” James nodded. He knew all too well how it was. To the guardsman he said, “Take him to the palace. Lock him in the dungeon, and we’ll see what else he knows at our leisure.” The guard grabbed Pete roughly under the arm and said, “Come with me, little man.” The peg-legged former sailor squawked at being manhandled, but went along peacefully. It took almost an hour for the Ishapians to arrive, a grayhaired priest of some significant rank and two armed warrior monks. Once James acquainted them with the situation below they agreed it had been a wise move to summon them. 177
They hurried down the steps to the basement and the Ishapian priest said to Father Belson, “You may depart now, Servant of Prandur.” Belson bowed slightly. “As you wish.” As he passed, James said, “You’re leaving?” With a wry smile, the priest said, “I know when I’m not wanted.” James was puzzled. There was a great deal about the politics of the Kingdom that James had come to understand during his tenure at Arutha’s court, but the relationships among the temples was a complex knot of intrigues he had scarcely been aware of before then, and one he had had little reason to investigate. The priest of Ishap turned to James and said, “How did this come to be?” “That man,” James said, pointing at the dead magician lying on the floor near the far wall. “He summoned the creature.” The priest looked across the room, then observed, “If he were alive it would be easier to return the creature to the plane of hell from which it was summoned.” Dryly, Jazhara said, “Unless, of course, he ordered it to attack first.” The priest glanced at the magician, but did not respond to her observation. Turning to James, he said, “So be it. Let us begin.” The two monks came to stand on either side of the Ishapian priest and began a low chant. After a moment, James felt a distinct cooling in the air, and heard the priest’s voice rising above the others. The language was tantalizingly familiar, but one he could not understand. The demon glared from behind the barrier erected by the 178
mystic symbols on the floor, helpless. From time to time its bovine features would contort and it would bellow a challenge, but finally it was done. James blinked in astonishment as one moment the creature stood there, then an instant later it was gone, the only evidence of its passing a subtle shift in the pressure of the air around them and a slight sound, as if a door closed somewhere nearby. The priest turned to James. “The Temple is pleased to help the Crown but it would be better for all of us if you returned to the critical task set before you, Squire.” “We were going to leave this morning, sir, but things have proved less convenient that I would have liked. We’ll go as soon as possible.” The priest nodded impassively. “Brother Solon will be waiting for you at the gate at dawn tomorrow.” He turned and left the room, followed by the two monks. James sighed. “Arutha won’t be pleased if we have to wait much longer.” Jazhara said, “We have but one task left before we can go.” “Find Kendaric,” James said. “And I think I know where to start.” The Golden Grimoire was a modest but well-appointed shop. It was an apothecary store of sorts, but Jazhara recognized at once the contents of many jars and boxes to be ingredients a magician might employ. A sleepy looking young woman had let them in only upon James’s insistence they were on the Prince’s business. “What do you wish?” she asked once they were inside, suspicion in her voice. James regarded her. This must be Morraine, he thought, the woman to whom Kendaric was engaged. She was slight 179
in build, with a slender face, but pretty in a way. He thought that when fully dressed and awake, she probably looked a great deal more attractive. James produced the shell and said, “Can you tell us what this is?” Morraine raised her eyebrows. “Place it there, please.” She indicated a green felt cloth upon the counter next to which a lantern burned. James did so and she studied it closely for a bit. “This is a Shell of Eortis, I’m certain. It has powerful magic properties. There are only a few reputed to exist. It is an artifact of incalculable value to a sea captain or anyone else who must voyage across the ocean.” She looked at James. “Where did you get it?” James admired the woman’s ability to maintain a calm demeanor. She would be no mean gambler, he thought. “I’m certain you know where we found it, Morraine,” he said. Morraine held his gaze for a moment, then lowered her eyes. She betrayed no surprise at hearing her name. “Kendaric. We were lovers for a while, but my family forbade us to wed. I gave it to him as a gift. It was my dearest possession.” Then, almost defiantly, she added, “I haven’t seen him for a long time.” James smiled. “You can stop lying. You don’t do it well. Kendaric is innocent and we have proof. It was Journeyman Jorath who had the Guild Master killed to mask his embezzlement of Guild funds.” The woman said nothing, but her eyes flickered from face to face. Jazhara said, “You can believe us. I am Jazhara, the Prince’s court magician, and this is his personal squire, James. We require Kendaric’s presence for a most critical undertaking on behalf of the Crown.” Morraine said softly, “Come with me.” She picked up the 180
lantern from the counter and led them to a far wall, where several volumes rested upon shelves. Jazhara glanced at the titles and saw that many of them were herbalist guides and primers on making remedies and potions, but that a few dealt with magical issues. “I shall have to return here when time permits,” she muttered. Morraine removed one large volume, and the shelf slid aside, revealing a stairway going up. “This goes to a secret room in the attic,” she said. She led them up the stairs and into a small room, barely able to hold a single bed and table. Upon the bed sat a man in a green tunic. He wore a goatee and mustache and had a golden ring in his left ear. “Who are these people?” he asked Morraine in a concerned tone, staring at James and Jazhara. “They are from the Prince,” said Morraine. “I didn’t do it!” exclaimed Kendaric. “Calm yourself,” said James. “We have proof it was Jorath who had the Guild Master killed.” “What about those men in black?” asked the journeyman of the Wreckers’ Guild. “They were trying to kill me! I barely escaped them.” Jazhara noticed a slight hint of a Keshian accent in his speech, from one of the northern cities. ”They’ve been dealt with, as well,” she said. Kendaric sprang to his feet and hugged Morraine. “This is wonderful! I can return to the Guild. Thank you for this news.” Jazhara held her hands up. “A moment, Guildsman,” she said. “We have need of your services.” Kendaric said, “Certainly, but perhaps it can wait for a day or so? I have much to do. If Jorath is guilty of murder, I must 181
return to take charge of the apprentices. It will take a while before order is restored to the Wreckers.” James said, “Ah, unfortunately we need your help now. The Prince needs your help. And considering it might have been the Nighthawks that found you first, but didn’t because of our efforts, you owe us.” “I didn’t ask for your help, did I? I’m must get back to the Guild! All those debts to pay!” “Kendaric!” Morraine said, sharply. “Yes, Morraine?” he answered, meekly. “You are being ungrateful and rude to people who have saved your life.” “But the expenses, my love – ” “We’ll work something out. We always have.” She turned to James. “He’ll help you, Squire. He’s a good man at heart, but sometimes he lets his personal desires lead him astray.” “Morraine!” “I’m sorry, dear, but it’s true. That’s why you have me to set you straight.” Jazhara said, “You plan to defy your parents, then?” With a tilt of her chin and a brave smile, Morraine said, “We shall have a wedding as soon as Kendaric has returned from whatever mission you have for him.” Looking defeated, the guildsman said, “Very well.” “Please watch out for him. Kendaric sometimes overreaches himself.” Jazhara smiled. “We’ll take care of him.” “Thank you for restoring his good name.” They walked down the steps to the door. James and Jazhara went out into the street and waited as Kendaric bid Morraine good-bye. When the journeyman emerged from the shop, 182
Jazhara said, “You should count yourself lucky to be so well loved.” Kendaric said, “Luckier than you know. I shudder to remember the bastard I was before I met Morraine. Her kindness saved my life, but her love saved my soul.” James glanced at the starlit sky. “We have three hours to first light. Time enough to get back to the palace, report to the Prince, and meet Brother Solon at the gate.” As they walked toward the palace, James said, “Do you ride?” “Badly, I fear,” said the journeyman. Laughing, James said, “By the time we reach our destination, you’ll be an expert.”
illiam waited patiently. His horse pawed the ground, anxious to be moving again, or to find something to graze on. Either way William had to keep a firm leg and short reins on the animal. The day had turned cold and he could see his own breath before him as night fell. The patrol had halted in a small clearing in the woods, large enough for a camp. The men behind him were silent, avoiding the casual small talk and muttering that was common during a standstill in the ranks. They knew the enemy was close. As evening approached and the gloom of the woods deepened, everyone was on edge. They could almost feel a fight approaching. Swords were loose in their scabbards and bows near to hand as the men kept their eyes moving, watching for any sign of trouble. Then from ahead two figures appeared on the trail, emerging from the murk. Maric and Jackson rode at a slow canter, and instantly William relaxed. If the enemy were near, they would more likely be coming back at a gallop. Without waiting for their report, William spun his horse around and said, “We’ll camp here.” 184
The sergeant in charge of the patrol, an old veteran named Hartag, nodded and said, “I’ll post the sentries first, Lieutenant.” As the sergeant barked his orders, the two Pathfinders reined in. Maric said, “We lost them.” “What?” William swore. The other Pathfinder, Jackson, an older man with almost no hair remaining above his ears, but with a long flow of gray hair down to his shoulders from what fringe remained, nodded. “They suddenly turned among some rocks and we lost the trail. We’ll find it again in the morning, but not in this light.” William could barely hide his frustration. “So they know we are following.” “They know someone follows,” said Maric. “But we can’t be certain they know who and how many.” “How far ahead?” “Two, maybe three hours. If they press on later today than we do, it’ll be half a day before we find their trail.” William nodded. “Get something to eat and go to sleep early. I’ll want you out as soon as you think it’s light enough to pick up that trail again.” The two Pathfinders nodded and dismounted. William rode down the trail for a few yards, as if he might just see something in the distance. The horse demanded fodder, and using his empathic talent for mental communication with animals, William sent him a reassuring message: Soon. He dismounted and rubbed the horse’s nose, causing its lip to quiver. He knew the animal liked the touch. All the while, he kept looking into the darkening woodlands, thinking that somewhere out there Bear was waiting. But at last he turned the horse around and headed back to the clearing. He could 185
see fires were already being started and the men had their bedrolls out. He found a spot close to where his sergeant stood and nodded greeting. William undid his own bedroll and tossed it to the ground, then led his horse to where the picket had been staked out. He unsaddled and removed the bridle, then haltered the beast and tied it to the picket line. Finally, he gave it a nose-bag of oats, then sent a reassuring Grazing soon to all the horses. Several snorted and sent back mental images that William could only equate to human sarcasm, as if they were saying: We’ve heard that before. That brought a smile to William’s face. A moment later he realized it had been his first smile since Talia’s death. He glanced heavenward and silently told her, Soon you’ll be revenged. As he returned his attention to his men, William wondered how James and the others were faring with their quest. James was leading his horse. They had dismounted a few minutes earlier to rest the animals, but had kept moving. The journey from Krondor had been uneventful thus far, and James wished to keep it that way. They should reach the village of Miller’s Rest in one more day, and Haldon Head another day after. James had decided to slip out of the city with a small caravan, mixing in with the guards and merchants. At a small fork in the road, he and the others had slipped away onto a path that led to a lesser-used road headed north. They had traveled for a week, avoiding detection as far as they could tell, and James was praying that they would reach a small inn before nightfall. The inn would be where, if all went according to plan, they’d 186
make contact with one of Prince Arutha’s agents in the field, and James hoped to incorporate that man into the network he was establishing. Presently, the man, who went by the name of Alan, was simply a minor court official whose office was that of estate manager for several of the Prince’s personal holdings to the north of the Principality. Unofficially, he was a snoop and gossip who often sent important information south to his ruler. Kendaric and Brother Solon had been silent for most of the journey. James judged the monk of Ishap a quiet man by nature, who rarely volunteered information, preferring to answer questions with simple yes-or-no answers. James had tried to engage the monk in conversation a couple of times, simply to relieve the boredom, and also out of curiosity. Solon had a slightly strange accent, which James found vaguely familiar, but the monk spoke so rarely that James couldn’t place it. Kendaric had just been sullen for most of the way. He had claimed confidence in his ability to raise the ship with the spell Jazhara had found in Kendaric’s room, but he objected to the necessity for travel by horseback. He was an unskilled rider and the first few days had caused him a great deal of soreness and discomfort, although by now he was, at last, starting to sit his mount with some grace and his complaints about his aching back and legs had diminished. Jazhara had been James’s most voluble companion, though even she often lapsed into deep, thoughtful silences, occasionally punctuated by a question about their whereabouts; she found the terrain north of Krondor fascinating, the cool woodlands being new and alien territory to a desert-born noblewoman. James continued to be impressed by her intelligence and her interest in everything around her. He had 187
decided that not only did he like her, but that she was a great addition to Arutha’s court. And he now understood why she had held such a powerful attraction for William when he had lived at Stardock. James shared little of those feelings, apart from a man’s appreciation of a striking woman, but he recognized how another man might easily be smitten. Finally, Brother Solon said, “Doesn’t the road ahead look ripe for surprise?” His obvious concern caused him to utter the longest single sentence James had heard from him since the day they met. The warrior monk rolled his “r’s” and said “fer” in place of “for.” James halted and looked over his shoulder. “Now I recognize that speech!” he said. “I’ve spent enough time with dwarves to know that accent.” Glancing upward, above Solon’s head, in exaggeration of the man’s height, he said, “You’re the tallest damn dwarf I’ve ever encountered, Solon!” “And you’re the dimmest lad ever to serve a prince, if you think I’m a dwarf,” responded the monk. “I grew up on a farm near Dorgin, with naught but dwarven lads with whom to play. So, that’s the reason for my manner of speech. Now, don’t change the subject.” He pointed. “Do you ken what I’m sayin’ about the road ahead?” Kendaric said, “A few bushes and a wide spot in the road worry you?” James shook his head. “He’s right. There’s someone hiding in the trees ahead.” “And doin’ a right poor job of it, too,” added Solon. Jazhara said, “Should we double back?” The monk handed the reins of his horse to Kendaric and said, “I think not, milady. I’ll not skulk along this path like a coward!” He called out. “You who are hidden are now revealed, 188
by my faith. Stand and face the might of Ishap or flee like the craven dogs you are!” After a moment of silence, a small band of men emerged from concealment. They were dressed in clothes only slightly better than rags, with an oddly mismatching assortment of armor and weapons. Two bowmen stayed behind, while two other men hung to the flanks. The small band moved onto the road, and approached, stopping a few feet away from Solon. The leader took a step forward, a gawky man of middle height with an impossibly large nose and Adam’s apple. James was struck that he looked as much like a turkey as any human he had seen. He half-expected the man to gobble. Instead, the man smiled, revealing teeth so decayed they were mostly black. “Your pardon, sirs,” he began, with a clumsy half-bow, “but if you’d see the day safely to your destination, you’d be wise not to begrudge us some silver for safe passage. After all, these are rough hills indeed.” Solon shook his fist at the man. “You’d dare to rob a priest?” The leader glanced back at his friends, who seemed uncertain as to what to do. Then he turned back to Solon. “Your pardon, sir. We wish no trouble with the gods. You are free from our demands and may go as you will. But they must pay.” He pointed at the rest of the group from Krondor. “They are under my protection!” The bandit stared up at the towering monk and then looked again to his companions. Attempting to look resolute, he said, “They don’t wear any holy vestments. They’re under no one’s protection but their own.” Solon stepped up close to him and said, “If you’d tempt the wrath of my god, you’d better have a very good reason!” 189
James said, “Let’s just kill them and get on with it.” Solon said, “No bloodshed if we can help it, James.” Then with astonishing speed for a man of his size, the warrior monk swung one mighty fist upward, catching the bandit leader squarely under the chin. The slight man was lifted right off his feet and flung backward. His ragtag band of companions scrambled to catch him as he fell. Solon glared out from under his gold-colored helm and said, “Any other of you daft twits think you can extort silver from us?” The men glanced at one another, then as two of them carried their unconscious leader, they hurried off, while those on the side of the road vanished into the brush. When the road appeared empty once more, Solon returned to his horse. “I thought not,” he said. James and Jazhara exchanged glances, then both started to chuckle. James mounted his horse and declared, “Let’s go.” The others followed suit and soon they were again riding cautiously through the darkening woodlands. As night fell, they turned a bend in the trail and spied light ahead. James signaled for caution and they slowed to a walk. As they approached the light they discovered they had chanced upon an inn, nestled close to the road in a small clearing. A single two-story wooden building with a large shed behind for horses, the inn was marked with a cheery glow from within, smoke rising from the chimney, and a sign depicting a man with a rucksack and walking stick. “This must be the Wayfarer,” said James. “Then the Prince’s agent should be waiting for us?” asked Kendaric. “This man Alan?” James nodded. “Before we go inside,” he said to Kendaric, 190
“remember, don’t be too free with who we are or where we’re going. Bear may have agents here as well.” Kendaric said, “Look, I don’t care about any of this intrigue. I just want a bed and a hot meal. Is that too much to ask?” James looked at the guildsman. Dryly, he answered, “Unfortunately, it often is too much to ask.” They dismounted and James shouted for the hostler. Quickly a lackey arrived from the shed behind the building and took the horses. James spent a few moments instructing the boy on the care he required for the mounts. When he was satisfied that the horses would be well-tended, he motioned to the others to follow him into the inn. James pushed open the door and they entered a tidy, though crowded, taproom. A merry fire burned in the hearth, and travelers and locals mixed easily as they ate and drank. James led his companions through the taproom to the bar. A stout-looking man behind the counter looked up and with a broad smile said, “Sir!” Then spying Jazhara and the other two men, added, “Lady, and gentlemen, I’m Goodman Royos, the innkeeper. How may I be of service?” “For a start, a round of ale for weary travelers.” “Certainly!” With practiced efficiency Royos quickly produced four large pewter jacks of ale. As he placed them on the bar, he asked, “Where are you heading?” “North,” James answered. “So, what’s the news in these parts?” “Oh, everything’s been pretty quiet of late, although Farmer Toth’s wife just rode through for Krondor. She seemed quite upset.” “Any idea why?” asked Jazhara. Royos shrugged. “Can’t say. She and her husband have a 191
farm ten miles or so this side of Haldon Head. They usually stop here for a bite on their way to the city or coming back, sometimes spend the night under their wagon out back where I keep the horses. Nice folks.” Kendaric said, “You said something about Haldon Head. We’re heading there. Is it far?” Jazhara rolled her eyes. “Kendaric . . .” Royos said, “Haldon Head? No, just another couple of days. I don’t want to scare you folks, but rumor has it that Haldon Head is cursed with witchcraft!” Jazhara said, “What do you mean by ‘witchcraft’?” Royos said, “Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not superstitious myself, but ships have sunk off Widow’s Point ever since men began sailing these waters. Some say it’s a curse, but I figure it’s just the reefs and shoals when the tide is tricky.” Brother Solon said, “You say lots of ships go down there?” “For hundreds of years. Some fall prey to their captains’ ignorance of the reefs and the tides, others are taken by pirates. There are pirates who know this shoreline like the backs of their hands. They’ll run ships aground, then board them while they’re helpless.” James said, “You sound like you know what you’re talking about.” Royos laughed. “I wasn’t always an innkeeper . . .” James nodded. “I’ll not ask what you were before.” “Wise choice,” said Royos. Solon said, “So what’s up at Haldon Head to be superstitious about?” Royos chucked. “Well, some say the area is haunted by the ghosts of all the dead sailors.” He shook his head. “It’s probably just the fog that lingers offshore.” 192
“That’s all?” asked Solon. Royos frowned as his demeanor turned a little more serious. “Well, lately I’ve heard tales about some folks gone missing up there, and cattle getting sick and the like.” Then, returning to his cheery mood, he said, “Still, cattle are always getting sick, seems to me, and people do wander off from time to time.” Kendaric said, “We’re also looking for a fellow named Alan.” Royos said, “That’s Alan over there in the corner to your right. He regularly stops by when passing through.” Lowering his voice, the innkeeper said, “I think he does some business for the Crown, though he’s not much of a talker.” Leaning back, he added, “But he’s a wonderful listener. Never once saw him walk away from a yarn or tale.” James threw Kendaric a black look, then turned and crossed through the crowd to the opposite corner. A solitary man occupied a small table there, watching the room with his back to the wall. James said, “Alan?” “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” “I don’t think you do. We’re from the ‘Citadel.’” Alan waved James closer. “Glad to hear it. ‘Uncle Arthur’ sent word you’d be coming by.” James sat at the only other chair at the table, with Kendaric and Jazhara standing behind. Solon looked around the room to ensure they weren’t overheard. “What’s the word on William’s quest?” “He’s doing fine. He and his friends are hunting up in the mountains. Word was sent back they’ve found ‘bear tracks.’” Lowering his voice, James asked, “What have you heard from Haldon Head?” “I haven’t been up there for a while. That town seems to 193
be under some sort of curse. I’ve heard about sick people, sick farm animals, missing children, and there are rumors of dark creatures roaming the night. I don’t know what’s true, but I’ve met a lot of people on the road who are getting away from there in a hurry. They say it’s witchcraft.” Jazhara said, “I hate that word! What do you mean?” Alan glanced up at Jazhara, and while he had never seen her before he must have deduced she was the Prince’s new magician, for he said, “Begging your pardon, milady. There’s an old woman living at Widow’s Point who the local villagers in Haldon Head go to with their common ailments. They’ve always tolerated her, even welcomed her when they were ill, but with the strange goings-on of late, they’ve taken to calling her a witch.” Jazhara said, “Perhaps we can be of some assistance when we reach Haldon Head.” James said, “Where are you off to next?” “I’m hurrying down to the garrison at Sarth. Word is we’ve got goblins raiding to the east of here. Likely there’s a camp nearby.” “They going to be a problem to us in reaching Haldon Head?” asked James. “I don’t think so, but it’s best to stay on the road during daylight. So far, I’ve only heard of them hitting farms for food animals.” Looking around the crowded room, he said, “I’d best slip out now. I’ve got a small patrol camped down the road. Thought it best not to call attention to myself. I should rejoin them and start out for the south at first light.” He rose. “One last thing, the patrol sent to aid you hasn’t reached Miller’s Rest yet. They could be there by the time you pass through, or show up later. Best to stay 194
out of trouble at Haldon Head until you know they’re in place.” James thanked Alan and the agent departed. Kendaric asked, “Can we get something to eat?” James nodded. “And some rooms.” He stood up and returned to the bar to arrange it with Goodman Royos. William waited patiently for the return of the Pathfinders. He had stopped his patrol at a small clearing near a brook. A tree had been blazed with the agreed-upon cut, a symbol that meant “wait here.” He could feel the tension in the pit of his stomach. The only reason for making such a mark was that they were closing in on their quarry. Time dragged as he waited for the return of the scouts. He considered his options. He had been trailing Bear for over a week now. Several times he had waited while the Pathfinders had lost the trail only to pick it up again a few hours later. On two occasions, it was clear that Bear had met with other men. The Pathfinders deduced that he was recruiting mercenaries. Twice, other riders had left Bear’s group to ride off on errands of one sort or another. Three times they had come across signs of goblins in the area, and William had even dispatched one of his riders back to Krondor to carry word of their possible incursion into the Principality. William prayed this was just some tribal migration to better hunting grounds, and not a gang of raiders. He wanted to concentrate his energy on Bear and his men, not a group of nonhuman troublemakers looking to steal cows and children. He knew that if he did encounter a raiding band, he’d be honor-bound to attempt to drive them back up into the mountains and that to do so would risk losing track of Bear. As much as 195
he wanted to avenge Talia’s murder, he couldn’t abide the thought of a human child being sacrificed in one of the goblins’ magic rites. Finally, one of the two Pathfinders appeared. It was Jackson who came into the clearing, leading his horse. “We’ve spotted a band of mercenaries, Lieutenant.” “Bear’s men?” “Maric thinks so, but we saw no sign of the man himself. From the description, he’d be a hard one to miss. Maric’s staying close. They’re camped in a little clearing about a mile up the road. Best if we slip half the company around them, then hit them from both sides.” William considered the plan. He disliked the idea of splitting his forces while on the march, yet he knew that if he came at the mercenaries from one side only, they might break and flee into the woods. He needed intelligence more than dead bodies. At last he nodded. “How long?” “We can be in place in an hour.” William glanced at the late afternoon sky. They would attack the mercenaries as it was getting dark. “Good. Be ready at sunset. Don’t attack until you hear us coming, then hit them hard.” “Lieutenant?” “Yes, Jackson?” “I recognize this company. They’re the Grey Talon, up from Landreth.” “Landreth?” asked William. “Valemen.” Jackson nodded. “Tough bastards. Last I heard they were fighting down in the Vale for a trading concern against Keshian raiders. They sometimes come up to Krondor to spend their gold, but usually we don’t see them this far north.” 196
William pondered the significance of this. “They must have been in Krondor when Bear was there, and Bear’s agent must have gotten word to them to head north.” “Something like that,” agreed Jackson. “Which means Bear doesn’t have many of his original crew left.” “Fair guess,” agreed Jackson. “But these lads will not cry quarter unless they’re seriously beaten. I know that from their reputation.” “Still, it means they won’t have any personal loyalty to that monster. If we can capture . . .” He turned and signaled for Sergeant Hartag. “What’s the lie of the land? On foot or horse?” “Foot, I think, Lieutenant. Too noisy getting the horses in place in the evening, and if we get close before we spring the attack, we have a better chance of taking charge of the fray.” “On foot, then,” agreed William. “Take half the men and go with Jackson. Picket the horses and get as close to the other side of their camp as you can. Deploy your archers to one side. They’ll signal when they’re ready. We’ll need their covering fire to make sure that none of these ruffians escape. If you get into trouble, lead them toward the trees, then disengage and let the archers cut them down. “Wait until you hear us attack from this side of the trail and then go in fast and hard. But remember – I want at least one of them taken alive.” To Jackson he added, “Go now, tell Maric to meet me at the trail, then get these men into place.” The Pathfinder nodded, mounted his horse, and rode off. In moments the sergeant had all the men mounted, and the company divided into two squads, and he led the first up the trail to rendezvous with the Pathfinders. William waited until 197
they were well along the trail, then gave the order for his own squad to follow. Riding into the gloom of the woodlands, William could feel his anticipation mounting. Soon he would know where Bear was hiding, and then he would face him. The men waited for the signal. William had inspected the enemy camp and was forced to admit that the men he faced were seasoned professionals. There were about thirty of them, and while they had elected to sleep on the ground, they had still picked the most defensible site in the clearing, atop a small hillock, with clear lines of sight in all directions. The good news was that they hadn’t bothered making any sort of defenses. Even a rude earthen berm fortified with cut stakes would have proven a hindrance for William’s men. These men were obviously in a hurry, making camp just before nightfall, probably planning on breaking camp at first light. They would set sentries, and those would be vigilant. William waited until the sun had set low enough past the distant hills to throw the entire landscape into a chiaroscuro of dark gray and black. He devised a plan and relayed his orders to his archers. Five of the dozen men with him would hang back. William motioned with his sword, and walked out into the clearing, seven men walking easily alongside him. He had covered a dozen yards when a voice called out from the camp. “Who goes there?” “Hello, the camp!” William shouted, continuing to walk casually. “I seek the Grey Talon company.” “Well, you’ve found them,” came the response. “Come no closer!” 198
William stopped. “I bring a message for Bear.” The agreedupon signal to the archers was the word “Bear.” As the sentry was about to answer, five arrows shot overhead and William shouted, “Now!” The archers had picked their targets well, and before they realized they were under siege, five of the mercenaries were down. More arrows flew from the other side, and William realized Sergeant Hartag had his own bowmen ready. From both sides of the camp, soldiers of the Kingdom appeared, while the Grey Talon mercenaries grabbed their weapons and made ready to answer the attack. William charged the nearest sentry, who raised his shield to take the blow from William’s large hand-and-a-half sword. William started to swing downward, then turned the blade in an elliptical swing that brought the huge blade crashing into the side of the shield, knocking it aside, and turning the soldier so he couldn’t return the blow, since his sword-arm was now away from William. As the sentry turned to strike, William swept his blade downward from the shield, slashing the back of the man’s leg, hamstringing him. The man went down with a cry and William kicked him over with his left leg. The mercenary wasn’t dead, but he wouldn’t be fighting. William wanted prisoners. William wanted to know where he could find Bear. William’s men had the advantage of surprise, but the Grey Talon mercenaries were a hard and experienced bunch. The struggle was bloody and only the fact that a half-dozen mercenaries had gone down early enabled William’s men to carry the day. After William’s third kill, he glanced around, expecting to see mercenaries asking for quarter, but he was surprised to find they were still fighting, even though there 199
were now two of the Prince’s soldiers facing each mercenary. “Keep at least one alive!” William shouted, even as he remembered the man he had hamstrung, lying somewhere on the ground in the midst of the carnage. He turned to see how his own command was doing. The archers had put up their bows, drawn their swords, and were now entering the fray. The mercenaries continued to resist and several of William’s men were down, either dead or seriously wounded. “End this!” William shouted to a retreating mercenary who was desperately attempting to keep two Krondorian soldiers at bay. The man ignored William and kept looking for an opening. William swore in disgust as another mercenary was killed. He circled around behind one of the last remaining mercenaries, and struck him from behind across the helmet with the flat of his blade. “Don’t kill him!” he shouted to the two men who were about to run him through. The man staggered, and one of William’s soldiers leapt forward, grappling with the mercenary’s sword-arm. The other stepped inside and struck the mercenary hard across the face with the hilt of his sword, stunning the man. Then it was over. William looked around and shouted, “Sergeant!” Hartag hurried over and said, “Sir!” “What’s the damage?” “Six men down, sir. Three dead, two more likely to join them, one who might survive if we get him to a healer quickly. Several others wounded, but nothing to brag about.” “Damn,” muttered William. That left him with eighteen men, not all of them fully able. “What about the mercenaries?” “Damnable thing, sir. They wouldn’t ask for quarter. Fought 200
to the death. Never knew mercenaries to do that. Usually they’re smart enough to know when they’re whipped.” “How many alive?” “Two,” answered Hartag. “One’s bleeding to death from a deep leg wound and won’t be with us much longer.” William nodded, realizing this must be the man he’d hamstrung. Hartag continued. “The other’s that fellow you banged across the head. He should be rousing soon.” The mercenary came around after a few minutes and William had him dragged over. “Who are you? Are you one of Bear’s men?” “Not anymore. Name’s Shane McKinzey. Currently – ” He glanced around. “Used to be with the Grey Talons. We was contacted by Bear’s agent so we came to join up. We met with this Bear, and he told us what to do.” “Why the fight to the death?” asked Hartag. “Orders.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Seems our captain” – he motioned toward a corpse being dragged to a makeshift funeral pyre – “he got the word that Bear had some sort of magical powers. Said he’d hunt down and eat the soul of any man who betrayed him.” He blinked, as if trying to clear his vision. “Man, I’ve been hit before, but nothing like that.” He shook his head. “Anyway, Capt’n, he says a clean death and fast ride to Lims-Kragma’s Hall is better than bein’ sucked dry of blood and havin’ your soul captured by some hell’s spawn.” “Why were you camped here?” “We was left to kill anyone following him. This was our first job for him. Looks like it’ll be our last.” “Where’s Bear now?” “Don’t know. We were supposed to camp here and kill 201
anyone coming this way, then meet him on the morning of the new Small Moon, at Two Fangs Pass.” Hartag said, “You’re lying.” “Maybe, but since you’ll have to kill me anyway to keep me from warning Bear . . . why should I be honest?” “Since we’ll kill you anyway,” said William, “maybe you ought to come clean and help us get the man who set you up.” Shane looked at William, and said, “I’ve been a mercenary for more years than you’ve carried a sword, boy. I don’t fear dying, but I can see you’re afraid of killin’ in cold blood.” William pointed to where his men piled the dead. “Take a look at the rest of your men and tell me again that I’m afraid. Still, you could live if you’re honest. You’ve never worked for Bear before, right?” “What of it?” “Then you don’t need to share in Bear’s punishment. Tell us what we want to know and my men will escort you back to Krondor. From there you can take a ship to wherever you like. I suggest back down to the Vale.” The mercenary rubbed the back of his head as he weighed his options. “Well, I guess I’ve not much of a company left. All right, you’ve got a deal. I was lying about the killing-anyonewho-followed part. We were supposed to make it look easy to attack us – damn we did make it too easy – bleed a little, then run like hell. Bear’s setting a trap for you at Two Fangs Pass. We were supposed to lead you to it. If you hurry, you can beat him there.” “You made the smart choice. Thanks.” William beckoned to a nearby soldier. “You and Blake take Mr. McKinzey here 202
back to Krondor with anyone else who’s too badly wounded to go any further.” “Yes, sir!” came the answer. Hartag spoke softly. “You think he’s telling the truth this time, Will?” “Yes. He’s got no reason to lie, and getting as far from Bear as he can is obviously his best choice.” William’s eyes seemed to light up as he continued, “We have him. Get the men ready to ride. We’re pushing through this night, and the next if need be, and we’ll get to Two Fang Pass before Bear.” “Sir!” said Hartag, and he turned to carry out his orders.
ames awoke. Something was wrong. He leapt to his feet and kicked at the foot of Kendaric’s bed. The guildsman sat up with a sleepy expression and mumbled, “What?” “I smell smoke.” James hurried to the next room, where Jazhara and the monk were sleeping, and pounded on the door. The hall was already blue with smoky haze and the acrid smell of burning wood stung his eyes. “Get up!” he shouted. “The inn’s on fire!” Doors up and down the hall flew open as the handful of other guests looked out to see what the fuss was about. James repeated his warning as he buckled on his sword and grabbed his travel pack. Jazhara and Solon appeared a moment later and hurried after him and the others down the stairs. In the common room, it was obvious that the fire had been started near the front door, for now the entire wall around the exit was engulfed in flames. “The kitchen!” James shouted. He hurried through the door behind the taproom bar and saw Goodman Royos and a young woman drawing buckets of water. “Stay calm!” shouted the innkeeper. James grabbed the man by his shirt. “Don’t even try. You’ll 204
never put that fire out with buckets of water. Get out while you can!” The man hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He ushered the girl out of the kitchen into the backyard as the last of the guests fled through the rear door. Screams alerted James to the fact that something even direr than a fire was at hand. He and Solon had their weapons at the ready when they emerged from the rear of the building, only to discover a band of goblins trying to untie the horses from their picket line beneath the run-in shed. James counted quickly: there were a dozen of the creatures nearby. The goblins stood shorter than men, and were smaller across the shoulders, but not by much. Sloping foreheads terminated in heavy brows of thick black hair. The black irises of their yellow eyes caught the firelight, seeming to glow in the darkness. James had fought goblins before and realized at once that this must be an experienced raiding party. Three of the warriors wore tribal topknots complete with feathers or bones in their hair, signifying that they were chieftains or priests. They all carried bucklers and swords, and James was only thankful that they didn’t appear to have archers with them. There were three other armed men emerging from the inn, so including Solon, himself, and a few of the guests, James counted eleven warriors. Jazhara could handle herself, he knew, so he shouted to Royos, “Get the girl behind us!” The goblins charged, and Jazhara unleashed a ball of fire at the center of the group. It struck square on. Flames immediately consumed three goblins, while another three off to one side were badly burned. 205
The remaining six goblins came forward at a howling run, swinging furiously. Out of the corner of his eye, James saw Solon wield his heavy warhammer deftly, caving in the skull of one goblin before the creature could dodge away. One more down, five to go, thought James. Kendaric came into James’s view awkwardly waving a short blade, and suddenly James realized that the journeyman had no skills whatsoever to defend himself. James leapt to one side and kicked at the goblin who had overrun his position, sending the creature sprawling. He then leapt to his right, and with a spinning blow, cut at the goblin who menaced Kendaric, slashing him across the back of the neck. The panic-stricken wrecker stared at James with wide-eyed terror. James yelled, “Get over there by Royos!” Kendaric seemed unable to move, and James barely avoided being struck by a sword-blow from behind. He only sensed the attack at the last second and ducked to his left. Had he ducked to his right, he thought, he’d have been a head shorter. James spun and saw that he had been attacked by one of the burned goblins. This one’s entire right side was still smoking, his eye swollen shut, so James immediately moved to his own left, attacking the goblin’s blind side. Jazhara unleashed another spell, a searing red beam that struck the face of one of the goblins approaching Kendaric. The creature screamed, dropped his sword and clawed at his eyes. The other turned toward the source of the attack, and hesitated. Kendaric used the distraction to turn and flee, leaving the goblin isolated. Brother Solon and another man from the inn appeared in Kendaric’s place and both attacked the goblin at the same instant. The goblin saw Solon’s huge warhammer 206
coming at him and dodged, while the other man attempted to strike out with his sword. The two attacks confounded each other, and the goblin turned and fled. Suddenly the remaining goblins were all running for their lives. James gave a half-hearted lunge at one who managed to elude his sword-point, then stood up and surveyed the damage. The inn was now completely in flames, and Royos and the young woman were watching it, holding onto one another. The stable-boy stood near the horses, his eyes wide with fear. A half-dozen goblins lay on the ground. James shook his head. “What brings goblins so close to the coast?” he wondered aloud. Brother Solon came to stand beside James. “Goblins tend to be a stupid lot, but not stupid enough to raid for horses unless they’ve a camp nearby.” The young girl approached and said, “Farmer Toth’s wife rode through on her way to Krondor, sir, looking for soldiers to come save her baby girl.” “Maria!” exclaimed Goodman Royos. “You weren’t supposed to hear of such things.” “Father,” the girl replied, “do you think you can shield me from every trouble in the world?” She turned to look at the burning inn. “Is my home not destroyed before my eyes?” The innkeeper put his arms around her shoulders. “I forget that you are growing up, daughter.” The other guests, two men with swords, and another with a large hunting knife, as well as two women gathered around. Royos said, “My thanks for all that you did in driving off the goblins.” James nodded. “I wish we could have done more.” 207
“You saved lives,” said Royos. “Inns can be rebuilt. Customers are much harder to come by.” He kissed the top of Maria’s head. “As are daughters.” Royos and Maria turned back toward the inn, to arrange a bucket brigade to douse the remaining flames. “Aye,” said Solon. “They were a’waitin’ for us to come out so they could butcher us.” James scratched at his ear. “Why such a blatant raid? They have to know there’ll be a patrol up in the hills after them soon . . .” Jazhara said, “To draw a patrol away from somewhere else?” James looked at the young magician and motioned for her to walk with him. When they were out of earshot of the others, he asked, “Bear?” “Perhaps. It would certainly suit his cause if soldiers were not near Widow’s Point and Haldon Head when he attempted to claim the Tear of the Gods.” James said, “If we knew how he planned on getting to the Tear, then we’d have a better notion of where he is likely to be.” “Were I this Bear, and failing to gain Kendaric’s spell, I would wait for Kendaric to appear and capture him.” “Or wait for us to do the work, then take the Tear from us once we’re back on dry ground.” “Either way, I would allow Kendaric to reach Widow’s Point,” finished Jazhara. James said, “I don’t wish to wait, but I’m reluctant to attempt this without the reserves down in Miller’s Rest.” He glanced over to where the others waited, and called out, “Brother Solon! You seem to have some knowledge of goblins. How large a camp do you judge they’d have nearby?” 208
The warrior monk paused to consider, then said, “’Tis hard to judge. The daft creatures do not think as you and I think. Perhaps three companies such as this one. One to hold the camp while the other two raid. They numbered chieftains and priests in this party, which is somewhat unusual.” “To what end?” asked Kendaric, now sufficiently recovered from his fright to follow the conversation. “Ah, that is as plain as can be,” said Solon. “They’ve taken a baby.” He glanced at the sky, where Small Moon was waning. “They’ll sacrifice the wee one in two days when the moon is dark, an offering to their god. So, these aren’t bandits out lookin’ for plunder. This is an all-out ghost-appeasement raid. Their ancestors are tellin’ them to come down and spill human blood, take human slaves and horses, then come back. ’Tis a very bad business.” Jazhara said, “We must do something. If they’re going to kill the child in two nights, the soldiers will not be here in time.” James said, “As loath as I am to think of a child dying in such a fashion, we have more pressing business elsewhere.” Jazhara grabbed James by the upper arm and in a low, angry tone, growled, “You’d leave a baby to be butchered like a food animal?” James rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?” “No. I’ll go alone if I have to.” James pulled his arm free of her grip. “You have your duty.” “And you’ve already said this may have been done to draw away our soldiers. We will have to wait anyway, James, if you won’t move to Haldon Head before the patrol gets here. If we can rescue the child and return her to her family, we lose only a 209
couple of days, and when the soldiers following us arrive here, they can move straight on to Miller’s Rest.” Sighing in resignation, James motioned for Solon and Kendaric to approach. “Solon, could these goblins be working for Bear?” “I think not,” said the monk. “Though he could be influencin’ them. A few weapons or a bit of magic, as gifts, some intelligence on safe places to raid, some jars of wine or ale, they might think plunderin’ down here was their own brilliant idea.” Kendaric said, “Is this Bear everywhere?” James answered, “No, I don’t think so. I don’t think Bear is behind this. I think he’s working for another.” “Why?” asked Jazhara. “I’ll tell you as we travel.” He glanced up at the sky. “Dawn will be here in a couple of hours and we have to be ready to ride.” “Where are we going?” asked Kendaric. With a wry smile, James said, “We’re hunting goblins.” Kendaric was complaining, again. “This is not at all wise!” James shook his head, ignoring him. To Solon he said, “They’re not taking pains to hide their tracks, are they?” The warrior monk was leading his horse as he followed the goblins’ trail. “No, they’re a wee bit damaged, and in a hurry to get back to their healers, I’m thinkin’.” James pointed ahead. In the distance the hills rose and behind them the peaks of the Calastius Mountains. “You think they’ll be up in the rocks?” “Almost certainly,” answered the monk. “They’ll have found a defensible position, maybe a box canyon or small meadow, but it’ll be hell to pay to dig them out of it.” 210
“And the four of us are going to ‘dig them out?’” demanded Kendaric. Running out of patience, James said, “No, we’re not going to dig them out. We’re going to hold the horses and send you in to destroy them.” Kendaric stopped his horse, looked down with a stunned expression. “Me?” Jazhara couldn’t contain herself and started to laugh. Even the taciturn Solon allowed himself a chuckle. James shook his head. “Don’t worry. I have a plan.” He turned away from Kendaric, who was now falling farther behind, allowing Jazhara to lean over and say, “You have a plan?” James whispered back. “No, but I will have by the time we get there and I look around. And maybe he’ll shut up until then.” Jazhara smiled and nodded. They rode on. At last, Solon signaled a halt. “I’m not a proper tracker, it’s true, but you’d have to be a blind man to not see this.” He dismounted and pointed at the ground where James could see heavy boot-prints in the dirt. “He’s in a bit of a hurry, apparently,” said the monk. “Who is it?” asked Kendaric. “Unless someone here has the gift of future sight,” said Solon, “it’s only guessing, but I suspect we’re lookin’ at the tracks of that farmer, come to fetch home his bonny girl.” “Good guess,” said James, pointing ahead. In the distance they saw a solitary figure cresting a hill. He had been hidden from sight by a closer rise, but now they could see him marching purposefully down the trail. “We’d best catch up with him before he gets himself killed.” 211
Solon mounted and they urged their horses into a fast canter. They overtook the farmer quickly. The man turned and regarded the riders with suspicion. He held a scythe like a weapon, across his chest, ready to block or swing. “Hold,” said James with his right hand held up palm outward. “We’re on the Prince’s business.” “Finally! I was beginning to think help would never come. How is my wife?” James said, “I believe you’ve mistaken us for others.” The farmer asked, “What?! You mean Becky didn’t send you from Krondor? I thought you had come to rescue my daughter!” Solon said, “Be calm, Farmer Toth. You are in Ishap’s grace now. We know something about your child. Please, tell us what happened to your daughter.” The man seemed to relax. “It’s been almost a week, now, since my friend Lane and I were out hunting. We were in the foothills east of here, when at night we heard flutes and drums. “We went to see what it was, and in a canyon not too far from here we came upon a band of goblins. They had a little boy, and then they . . . oh, gods . . . they cut the child in two. Sacrificed him! I cried out . . . I couldn’t help myself, and they came after us. We managed to escape, but then the day before yesterday they fell upon us back at my farm. Lane and I tried to hold them back, but there were just too many. They got into the house . . . and they took my daughter! Lane’s a tracker and went after them, and I sent my wife Becky to Krondor for help, and then followed after Lane. Now you’ve shown up.” James asked, “Which way did Lane go?” “Back to the canyon, I’m almost certain. He left small signs 212
for me to follow. I was going to wait for the soldiers . . . but I couldn’t bear the thought of them sacrificing my little girl.” “She’s safe until the dark of the next moon,” said Solon. “It was the dark of the Middle Moon the night we saw the boy killed,” agreed Toth. Then he became concerned. “Tomorrow night is the dark of the Small Moon!” “We must act quickly,” said Jazhara. “It’s all that witch’s doing,” said Toth. “Witch?” asked Jazhara. “There are rumors of witchcraft up at Haldon Head – that accursed witch must have had my daughter stolen for her foul spells!” Jazhara’s eyes narrowed. “Did you see the ‘witch’ when the goblins killed the little boy?” “Well, no, but . . .” “It is of no matter now,” injected Solon. “If we are to help, we must move quickly.” “I beg you do!” said Toth. “Please help me find my daughter.” Solon glanced around. “Camp here, good farmer. We shall have to strike this night, else the bonny child is lost.” James nodded. “Let’s get moving.” They led their horses along the road while the farmer looked around for a place to wait. James glanced back and saw the man’s face. Clearly all his hopes rode with them. “Looks like Toth’s friend Lane ran into some trouble,” said James. A short way down the trail they had followed for the last hour lay a small mound of corpses. Beyond that another pair of goblins lay across a still, human form. “He made the bastards pay,” growled Solon. 213
Kendaric said, “But at what price? The man is dead!” “Calm yourself,” said Jazhara. “Calm, she says,” Kendaric muttered, shaking his head. “I think that body just moved,” said James, jumping from his horse and hurrying over. He pulled the two goblins off the pile and examined the man. “Bring water!” he instructed. Jazhara hurried over with a waterskin while James cradled the man’s head, watching as the magician poured a little water onto the man’s face, reviving him. Blinking, Lane said, “Goblins . . . they took my friend’s daughter. I found their camp, but . . . there were too many . . .” “Don’t worry, we’ll find them,” said Jazhara. “They’re close. The box canyon, north of here. Please. Don’t let them kill that little girl.” James started to ask a question, but Lane’s eyes rolled up into his head. James put his ear near the man’s mouth and after a minute, said, “He’s gone.” Solon said, “He’ll not die in vain. We’ll see justice done.” James gently rested the man’s head on the rocks, and stood. Glancing upward, he said, “It’s going to be dark in less than two hours. Let’s see if we can find that box canyon.” He motioned for Solon and Kendaric to dismount. “We’ll walk the horses and leave them at the mouth of the canyon. When we return, we’ll give Lane a proper burial.” It took them less than an hour to reach the entrance to the canyon. A small stream emptied out of the rocks there, cutting across the trail, before splashing down the hillside. Turning to Kendaric, James said, “Water the horses and keep them from wandering off. We’ll be back as soon as we can.” “You’re leaving me here alone?” he asked, alarmed. “Well, if you’d rather go to the goblin camp . . . ?” 214
“No! It’s just, well, alone . . .” James said, “As much as it pains me to say this, right now you are more important than either Jazhara or myself.” He thought about it, then added, “Solon, you stay here as well. If we don’t come back, go to Miller’s Rest and pick up the patrol. Then go to Haldon Head, raise the ship and get the Tear.” Solon seemed to be on the verge of objecting, then saw the wisdom of the plan. “Aye, I’ll wait.” James and Jazhara moved up the canyon. After carefully picking their way through the narrow opening, they came to a quarter turn, bending to the left. James peeked around the corner. Then he turned and held up two fingers to Jazhara, and mouthed, “Two guards.” She nodded. He glanced up at the rim of the canyon and pointed to a spot slightly behind Jazhara. Following his gaze, she saw a handhold, and nodded quick agreement. Shouldering her staff across her back, she climbed nimbly up onto the ridge. James followed. At the top he whispered in her ear, “I’m going to move up the draw a bit and see what’s there. If there’s a way to get past the guards, I’ll find it. If not, we’ll try the other side.” “What if there is no way on the other side?” she whispered back. “Then we have to kill the guards and move quickly before we’re discovered.” Jazhara’s face revealed her reaction to that possibility. “Please find another way,” she asked. James crept along the rim of the canyon, keeping low to reduce the chance of being seen against the still-light sky. He passed the bend and glanced down to make sure he wasn’t likely to be spotted by the guard stationed at the opposite 215
side of the canyon, but to his relief the guard was nowhere to be seen. James continued his slow approach. The rise increased in height as he reached the lip of the box canyon. Below he could see a dozen tents, dominated by a huge one capable of housing at least a dozen warriors. He sat back on his haunches for a moment and weighed his concerns. The tents were of human origin. Goblins built huts from sticks and branches in their own villages, or stayed in caves or under lean-tos when out foraging or hunting. Then James saw a human. So: human renegades were behind the goblin raids! He half-expected the man to be wearing the black of the Nighthawks, and was almost disappointed when he approached the fire and revealed himself to be a simple mercenary. James gave that some thought: mercenaries and goblins. It seemed that Bear must be involved in the goblin raids – or whoever was behind Bear . . . Which left James with a problem to consider at some other time, since right now he needed to focus on rescuing the child. The mercenary kicked a goblin who grudgingly moved aside so that the human could take out a knife and cut a hunk of meat off a quarter bullock that was roasting on a spit. The man deftly impaled the meat with his dagger, tore off a piece, and turned away from the circle of goblins around the fire. James watched him chew the savory beef. Then he heard the baby crying. An influx of emotion he hadn’t expected accompanied the realization that the child still lived, filling him with relief and a redoubled sense of urgency. James’s eyes glanced here and there, his gaze traveling around the camp. The old thief in him spied a course along the 216
canyon rim that would put him above the big tent in which the child lay. James glanced at the camp below. A couple of goblins sported wounds, obviously from their aborted raid on the Wayfarer the night before. How to get in and out without being detected? James wondered. He looked up at the sky and judged it about three hours before the waning Small Moon rose. Middle Moon was a quarter full, and was now high in the sky. It would set as Small Moon rose. Large Moon was also waning, and would rise an hour after Small Moon. James calculated. That gave him roughly an hour of relatively deep darkness in which to infiltrate the camp, steal the baby, and return to where Solon and Kendaric waited. As loath as he was to risk passing by the guards three more times, he knew he had to return to Jazhara and discuss his plan with her; he would need her help. Moving slowly he passed the bend and reached the point above Jazhara. Softly, he whispered her name and from below heard her answer, “Here.” He jumped down. “What did you find?” Jazhara asked. “The baby lives and I think I can get to her, but I need to know if you have anything that we can use to keep her quiet. I will almost certainly be discovered if she cries out.” Jazhara said, “I can make something; how much time do we have?” “I must be back above the tent within the hour.” “Then I have little time. I’ll need a small fire and my things are on my horse.” James motioned her to follow. “Quietly,” he said. He led her 217
back down the canyon to where Solon and Kendaric waited. At once, Kendaric started to ask questions, but James waved them away. “The child lives and I’ll fetch her out, but right now I need a fire.” Solon didn’t hesitate. Instantly he started casting around for small branches and twigs. Jazhara took her pack down from her horse, and sat down on the ground, swinging the pack around before her as she did so. She quickly removed several vials, a small copper vessel, and a pair of thin cloth gloves. While she worked, she said, “Getting the child to drink anything could be difficult and she might cry out in the attempt. I can make a potion that will cause the baby to sleep deeply for a few hours if you can get her to breathe it in. A bit on a cloth, held over her nose and mouth for a few moments, will suffice. Be careful, though, not to breathe the fumes yourself, even at a distance. While it might not put you to sleep, it can disorient you and make it difficult for you to return.” “Get you killed, is what she means,” said Kendaric. Solon said, “Laddie, has anyone ever previously mentioned that at times you possess the charm of a canker on the buttock?” James chuckled, but Jazhara was all concentration as she poured tiny amounts of liquid and powders from the five vials she had chosen. She added a few drops of water and then with an incantation placed the vessel close to the tiny fire Solon had started. Pulling an empty vial from her bag, she removed the stopper and deftly picked up the copper vessel, holding it gingerly with two gloved fingers. Quickly she poured the contents into the vial, then replaced the stopper. She handed the vial to James, saying, “Carefully.” Then she 218
rummaged around in her pack. At last she held something out to him. “Here is a clean cloth. Just before you attempt to touch the child, pour a little of the liquid on the cloth, and hold it above the baby’s face. A few moments is all it should take. She will not rouse, even if you jostle her or there are loud noises.” “Thank you,” James said. “If there’s loud noises, it doesn’t matter if she wakes or not.” He glanced at the sky. “I must hurry. Wait here and have the horses ready for a very fast retreat if I come running.” Then he thought a bit more and said, “Have the horses ready for a very fast retreat no matter what.” “At last a wise suggestion,” Kendaric said as he grinned. James unbuckled his sword-belt, knowing that should he have need of his blade he and the child would most likely be facing death, anyway. He checked his dagger and placed it firmly in its sheath. Tucking the vial and cloth inside his shirt, he turned and hurried back toward the entrance of the canyon. He made his way quickly along the ridge and this time continued until he was above the tent. Middle Moon had sunk in the west, and Small Moon and Large Moon were going to rise soon. The fire had burned low in the center of the camp and several goblins lay sleeping on the ground near it. From within several tents, the sound of snoring told James the entire camp had turned in for the night, save for whatever guards were on patrol. He prayed quickly to Ruthia, Goddess of Luck and of thieves, that the goblins and renegades weren’t smart enough to have set someone to patrolling the rim. He positioned himself above the largest tent and looked around. Then he began his careful descent. When he reached the ground he put his ear next to the tent and listened, but could hear nothing through the heavy 219
canvas. The bottom of the tent was tightly staked, so lifting the canvas and crawling under it was not an option. He pulled out his dagger. Quietly, he pushed the point into the heavy canvas, and cut downward in a steady, firm motion, so as not to make too much noise. He made a slit that was big enough to peer through and looked inside. The stench that struck him almost made him vomit. He knew that stink: dead bodies. He choked down his gag reflex and looked around. Three goblins slept on bedrolls on the ground, while another lay upon a raised dais before an altar of some sort. James looked for the baby and saw a small object behind the altar, about the size of a cradle. Slipping through the cut in the canvas, he crept toward the object. It was indeed a rude cradle and in it the baby lay sleeping. He glanced around and suppressed a shudder. There were body parts lying upon the altar, arranged in a grotesque parody of a human form. An upper torso from a woman lay above the pelvis of a man. A child’s arm had been placed to the left, while the arm of an older child or a small woman lay on the right. Equally mismatched legs and feet were positioned below the pelvis. James glanced into the cradle. It seemed likely that this child was to provide the head. He had no idea of what black sorcery was being practiced, and he had no intention of lingering to find out. His recent experience in the Nighthawks’ desert stronghold, where he had almost been the guest-of-honor at a demon-summoning, had left him with a strong aversion to such goings-on. James adroitly removed the vial and cloth from his shirt and, holding his breath, dabbed some liquid on the cloth. When it felt damp, he held out the cloth, and hung it above the child’s 220
face. After a moment, he put the cloth down on the edge of the cradle, and returned the stopper to the vial. He put the vial back in his shirt and bent over to pick up the baby. A startled grunt caused him to look across the altar. The goblin priest who had been sleeping on the other side was standing there, staring at James in wide-eyed amazement. James grabbed the cloth and flipped it, sending it spinning across the altar to cover the goblin’s nose and mouth. The priest blinked in surprise then started to reach up, but as his black-clawed fingers touched the cloth, his eyes rolled back up into his head and he slumped to the floor. Silently, James said, “Thank you, Jazhara,” and scooped up the baby. Taking the child’s blanket, he rigged a shoulder sling, and fled the terrible place, carrying the baby as he had often carried treasure after burglarizing houses as a boy. He climbed the rock face and quickly made his way back around the rim, expecting a cry of alarm every step of the way. When he reached a place where it was safe to descend, he jumped down and started running. It seemed to take forever to get back to the others; but they had the horses ready and were in the saddle by the time he reached them. “I have her,” James said, and Jazhara held out her arms. James handed the child to the magician, then mounted his own horse. The four of them urged their horses forward and soon were trotting down the trail. An hour later they found Farmer Toth, sitting beside a small fire waiting anxiously. When they rode into view, he leapt to his feet and hurried toward them. 221
Seeing the bundle in Jazhara’s arms, he cried, “Is that her?” Jazhara handed the baby down and said, “She will sleep until morning, then she will be a little listless for the next few hours. After that, she will be fine.” “Thank you! Praise the gods! She’s still alive and well. Thank you so very much.” James glanced around. “We’ll ride with you back toward your farm. The goblins may not realize she’s gone until dawn, but it’s better to be cautious.” “I’m grateful to you,” said the farmer, turning to walk beside them along the trail. Jazhara said, “We have other – ill – news, I’m sorry to say. Your friend Lane is dead.” Toth said, “I suspected as much when you returned without him.” “He gave the bastards a fight of it,” said Solon. He glanced at Kendaric, who was wise enough to stay silent. “He was a hero, of that there is no doubt.” Toth was silent for a moment, then said, “We had yet to name our baby, but I think from now on I shall call her ‘Lane’ in his memory.” “’Tis a fine honor,” agreed Solon. As dawn broke, they were miles down the road. They had taken a couple of short breaks and James and Solon had let Toth ride for periods while they carried the baby, Lane. A little after sunrise the baby stirred and fussed. “She’s hungry and her mother’s nowhere nearby,” said the farmer. “She’ll have to wait until we reach my farm and I can milk the goat.” “How far?” asked Kendaric, who was getting a stiff neck from looking back over his shoulder every few minutes. 222
“Not far,” answered Toth. “And with luck, if my missus got any help in Krondor, she might be back at the farm by the time we get there.” James and Jazhara let their horses fall back a little and Jazhara said, “You’ve been very quiet about what you saw in the camp.” “Yes,” agreed James. “Something disturbed you,” she said. “Yes.” “Something you don’t wish to talk about?” “Yes,” James replied, then after a moment, he said, “No, perhaps I should talk about it, to you at any rate. You’re the Prince’s advisor on things magical.” He described the altar and the body parts. “Some black necromancy, certainly,” said Jazhara. “It’s a very bad business, but it fits in with that monster we found in the sewers of Krondor. Someone is creating agents of chaos to unleash upon the Kingdom, but toward what end . . . ?” “Could it be a coincidence? Maybe the goblins just happened to be interested in the same . . .” The questions petered out under her disapproving look. “You know better,” she replied. “There is an agency behind this, some force that’s orchestrating it all.” “The Crawler?” asked James. Jazhara shrugged. “Perhaps, or perhaps it is someone in league with the Crawler, or someone using the Crawler, or perhaps the coincidence is that there are two malevolent forces loose in the West of the Kingdom.” “Wonderful,” James muttered. “My old bump of trouble tells me that none of this is unrelated. It’s just that we can’t see the pattern.” 223
“What if there is no pattern?” mused Jazhara. “What do you mean?” “What if everything we see is the product of some set of random choices? What if there is no single plan in place but, rather, a series of events designed to destabilize the region?” “To whose benefit?” asked James. Jazhara smiled. “Do you have an hour to run through the entire list, James?” James nodded, yawning. “I must be getting tired,” he confessed. “Kesh, Queg, some of the Eastern Kingdoms even, then a half-dozen minor nobles who would find opportunity in an unstable period to become major nobles, etc.” “Those are just the political realities,” said Jazhara. “There are dark forces who have no political aims, but who have social ambitions, or worse.” “What do you mean?” “I mean forces who are in league with dark powers who would cherish chaos as a kind of smokescreen behind which they may move to preeminence.” Solon turned. “I heard that. She’s right, you know. There are forces in the universe whose only aim is to bring misery and darkness upon us all.” James said, “I have always had trouble with that as an idea, but then again I’ve never been a mad priest of a dark power.” Jazhara laughed, and even Solon was forced to chuckle. “Well, then, at least you’re wise enough to admit something you can’t imagine exists,” said the monk, letting his horse fall back a little so he could ride abreast of James and the magician. James said, “I can imagine a lot. And what you just said about forces whose only aim is misery and chaos is certainly in character with our current mission.” 224
“Aye,” agreed the monk. “There is that.” They continued on in silence until they reached Farmer Toth’s farm. A dozen horses were tied to a fence a short distance from the farm. There was a company of militia in the yard and James was surprised to see a familiar face leading them. “Jonathan!” he called out. “What brings you this far from the city?” The son of the former Sheriff of Krondor turned and held up his hand in greeting. “Things are still being sorted out, Squire, so His Highness thought it best if I was out of the way for a little while.” James dismounted and handed his reins to a nearby soldier, while Farmer Toth and his wife had a joyous reunion. James motioned for Jonathan Means to step away and said, “What’s that mean?” “It means Captain Garruth is trying to convince His Highness to do away with the office of sheriff and consolidate all enforcement of municipal order in the city guard’s office.” “And thereby elevate his own power and authority,” said James. “And importance,” said Jonathan. “I don’t seek the office for myself, but there’s always been a Sheriff of Krondor.” James shook his head. “Sometimes . . .” He let out his breath slowly. “It’s never been wise to turn the city into a private estate of the Crown. The founding princes of the city learned that the hard way. A court of magistrates and a sheriff’s office that is outside the court has always been the wisest way to deal with petty crimes and civil disputes.” He looked directly at Jonathan. “I’ll speak to Arutha about it when I get back. I doubt he’ll agree to Garruth’s proposal.” Almost to 225
himself he added, “So then what is the reason he got you out of town?” Means had never struck James as someone with an abundance of humor, but he did smile as he replied, “Perhaps to return with some word from you regarding things in the north?” James said, “Too iffy, unless you had other instructions after coming to the relief of the farmer and his wife.” Jonathan nodded and they moved farther away from the others. “Arutha says there are reports of some fairly horrific things going on in this vicinity. Alan, his factor, has sent along several such reports in the last two weeks – livestock sickening, monsters in the woods, children vanishing, and similar tales. You’re to concentrate upon your mission, but you should be cautious. I am to rendezvous with the patrol heading up to Miller’s Rest, and be ready to render aid.” James said, “So Arutha thinks a dozen Krondorian regulars might not be enough?” “Apparently,” said Jonathan. “Be wary once you’re past the cut-off road to Miller’s Rest. From there to Haldon Head you are on your own until we get word to come fetch you out.” “Thank you,” said James. With an inclination of his head he indicated that Jonathan should return to his men. Left alone with his thoughts for a moment, James again wondered at the scope of the attempt to seize the Tear. How did that fit into the seemingly patternless mess made up of Nighthawks, dead thieves, monsters, sorcerers, mad priests, and all the rest they had encountered since the betrayal at Krondor engineered by Makala and the other Tsurani magicians? There had always been a third player in the mix, he knew. Not the Crawler, and certainly not the Brotherhood of the Dark 226
Path, nor even the mad priests who had seized control of the Nighthawks. He sensed that Jazhara was right; there was an overriding presence behind all that had occurred in the last year, and he was determined before all was said and done to unmask that presence and rid the West of it for good.
or two days they traveled. James and his companions found no patrol waiting at Miller’s Rest. They had little reason to linger, so they purchased some provisions at a small store near the mill that gave the town its name, and headed north toward the village of Haldon Head. South of the village a small road branched off to the west, and led down through coastal cliffs to a broad beach. James dismounted and said, “We’re only a short walk from the Point.” He indicated a promontory of land jutting out into the sea. “If the maps back at the palace are correct, we should find a headland below those cliffs just around the bend.” They watered and tied up the horses, then started walking. “We have a few hours of daylight left,” said James as they trudged through the sand. “Kendaric, how long does the spell take?” “Minutes,” said the wrecker. “I can raise the ship and hold it above the waves long enough to gain entrance and retrieve whatever it is you’re looking for.” “We’ll need a boat, then,” observed Solon. Kendaric laughed. “Not so, monk. For the genius of my spell is that not only can one man cast it, has he the talent, but it also 228
solidifies the water around the ship. You can walk over to it and retrieve your bauble.” James grinned. “Perhaps we’ll get lucky and retrieve this ‘bauble’ easily.” They rounded the promontory and discovered that the prince’s map was indeed accurate. A long finger of rock and soil extended out into the sea. The afternoon weather was moderate, and lazy combers rose and fell off the Point. They could see a few masts poking above the water, remnants of old wrecks not yet completely consumed by the sea. They made their way along the natural breakwater, until they reached the end. Kendaric surveyed the wrecks revealed by the relatively low tide, the dozens of tilting masts like so many cemetery markers. He frowned. “Which one am I supposed to raise?” he asked. James replied, “I have no idea.” Solon came over to them. “This is a place of death,” he said portentously. “A graveyard of ships and men.” Solon gazed at the wreckage and was about to speak again when Kendaric said, “What’s that smell? Like before a storm . . . sharp . . .” Jazhara was the last to reach the point and she shouted, “It’s magic!” Gusts of wind seemed to arise out of nowhere, buffeting them and tearing at their clothes. Around them the sea began to roil, while a short distance away all was calm. A sudden blow sent Solon reeling and he fell hard onto the rocks. James had his sword out, yet he could not see anything to strike. Kendaric dropped down, keeping as low as possible, while Jazhara raised her staff above her head and shouted, “Let the truth be revealed!” 229
A brilliant white light erupted from her staff, blinding enough to cause James to avert his eyes and blink away tears. Then James heard Jazhara shout, “Look!” He cleared his vision and, looking ahead, saw two creatures floating in the air above one of the ships’ masts. Both appeared to be roughly reptilian, with long, sinuous necks and tails. Large bat-like wings beat furiously, causing the buffeting winds. The heads were almost devoid of features, save for two ruby-colored eyes and a slit for a mouth that opened and closed, like a fish gulping water. Jazhara kept her feet and had to shout an incantation in order to be heard. A crimson ball of energy appeared in her hand and she cast the spell at the creatures. The ball of red light struck the creature on the right and it opened its mouth as if shrieking in pain. But all they could hear was a renewed howling of the winds. The monster on the left dove straight at the party, and James leapt to his feet, sword poised, as Solon also rose, flourishing his warhammer. The creature was heading straight for Jazhara, and James cut at it. As his blade touched it white-hot sparks exploded from it as the creature opened its mouth in apparent shock. The sound of shrieking wind rang in their ears. The monster faltered, and Solon stepped forward, striking downward with his huge warhammer. Stunned by the blow, the creature fell to the rocks. The tip of one wing struck the ground, and instantly a green flame erupted there and traveled quickly up the wing, engulfing the monster. It writhed for a moment on the rocks, flopping around helplessly, as James and his companions stepped back. Then it was gone, the faint smoke of its passing swept away by the wind, which blew only half as strongly as before. 230
The second creature had thrown off the effects of Jazhara’s spell and was circling. It hooted, making a noise that sounded like wind gusting through a hollow tree. Jazhara pointed, “Look!” Another creature appeared out of the air, circled once, then joined the first. Again the wind that buffeted them redoubled in intensity and they had to struggle to stay upright. Once more Jazhara cast a spell, this one a single piercing line of crimson energy that struck the first monster in the face. It writhed in agony, losing its orientation, and rolled over, as if trying to lie upon its side in midair, then started a slow tumble into the sea below. As soon as it touched the water, it vanished in a flare of green flames, as the first one had done. James glanced around and found himself a rock that was large enough to have some heft, but small enough to hold. He reared back and threw it as hard as he could at the remaining creature. It too had started to make the hooting noise, which James took to be a summoning call. The rock smashed the monster in the face, interrupting the summoning. “Jazhara!” James shouted. “If you’ve got anything left to deal with that thing, use it now before it calls yet another of its kind.” Jazhara said, “I have one trick left to try!” She pointed her staff and a ball of flames erupted from the tip. James and Solon both turned aside as it flew between them, for they could feel its blistering heat. The fire went unerringly to the creature and surrounded it. The flames suddenly turned bright green, and the creature vanished from sight. Instantly the winds ceased. Slowly, Kendaric stood up. Looking around as if expecting another attack, he said, “What were those things?” 231
Jazhara said, “Air elementals, I believe, though I’ve never seen them before. My mentors claimed things like that once attacked Stardock.” James nodded. “I’ve heard that story from Gardan. If they touch fire, water, or earth they’re consumed.” Kendaric nodded vigorously. “I hope to the gods that’s the last we see of them!” Solon said, “Someone doesn’t wish us to raise that ship.” “All the more reason to raise it before whoever set those guardians over the ship returns,” observed Jazhara. “But which ship?” asked Kendaric. Solon said, “You’re a slab-headed fool. That one!” He pointed. “How do you know?” asked Kendaric. James laughed. “Because that’s the one those elementals were guarding!” Solon closed his eyes for a moment. “And I sense something down there, as well.” “What?” asked the wrecker. “What we’ve come here to recover,” replied the monk. “Very well,” said Kendaric. “Let me have the scroll.” Jazhara set down her backpack, and opened it. She reached in and withdrew the scroll she had been carrying since finding it in Kendaric’s room and handed it to him. He took it, read it, then nodded. “I could do it alone, but with your help, magician, we should be able to do this quickly.” He pointed at two places in the spell and said, “Make this incantation with me, then this other passage here. For a spell-caster of your power, this should be easy.” “I’ve examined your spell,” Jazhara said judiciously. “I will do what I can to help.” 232
Turning to face the sea, Kendaric pointed one hand at the mast of the ship in question and began to chant. Jazhara joined in at the passage Kendaric had indicated, and their voices filled the air with mystic words. A fog appeared where Kendaric had pointed. It coalesced above the water, and the sea began to roil with mystic energies. A keening sound filled the air and James saw the top of the mast start to vibrate. Abruptly, everything ceased. The fog vanished, the water calmed, and the ship stopped moving. “I think your spell needs work,” said James. “No,” contradicted Jazhara. “It wasn’t his spell. As we cast it, I felt something fighting against us. Someone else did this to us.” Kendaric glanced back up at the cliffs as if seeking sight of someone. “She’s right. I felt it, too.” Solon’s gaze also went to the cliffs behind them. “Then we’ll have to locate the source of the interference. For if we do not, the entire Order of Ishap may be in jeopardy and one of its deepest mysteries may fall into the hands of the enemy!” Kendaric looked at James as if questioning whether this was an exaggeration. James returned a grim expression. Kendaric nodded, and Jazhara led the way back toward the horses. Haldon Head was a small village, comprised of only a dozen or so buildings around a crossroads. The north–south route of the King’s Road ran from Miller’s Rest to Questor’s View. The east–west route led from Widow’s Point out to farms scattered between the village and the forested foothills. At the center of the village sat an inn, the Sailor’s Rest. As the 233
travelers rode in, they saw two men standing in front of the inn, arguing loudly. One of them – a farmer, judging by his rough dress – was shouting. “This has gone on long enough! She must be stopped! You should have had those soldiers execute her when they were here!” The other man wore a well-made tunic with a sleeveless over-jacket. He was of middle years and rather portly. He shouted back, “You’ve no proof, Alton. With all the pain we’ve gone through, you want to cause more?” “You keep this up, Toddy, and you won’t be mayor much longer. Hell, you keep this up and there won’t be a village much longer. Lyle told me that – ” As James and his companions reined in, the man named Toddy interrupted, “Lyle is a drunk! If he thinks we are going to . . .” The arrival of strangers finally caught his attention. The farmer said, “Looks like we’ve got visitors.” “Welcome to Haldon Head, strangers. Will you be staying long?” the mayor asked. The farmer interjected, “Not if they know what’s good for them.” “Alton! There’s other business you’d best be attending.” The man named Alton replied, “We’ll talk about this later, Toddy. By the heavens, we will!” Farmer Alton turned and walked quickly away. The other man said, “I apologize for Farmer Alton’s rudeness. He’s a bit upset about some recent troubles.” “What was he saying about soldiers?” Jazhara asked. “A squad of Krondorian guardsmen came through here a few days ago, chasing a fugitive, I think.” Jazhara glanced at James. “William’s company?” 234
James nodded. “Could be.” Solon dismounted. “What were the troubles the farmer was referring to?” he asked. Toddy glanced down at the ground, then looked up again. “We . . . uh . . . We’ve had some problems with wolves lately. What with the long winter and all . . . Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be getting back to the inn. You’d do well to join me, as I only keep the doors open for an hour or two after sunset, and I’d hate to see you trapped outside . . .” He hurried inside the inn and closed the door. “That was odd,” observed Kendaric. James indicated that they should ride to the rear of the inn, and by the time they had reached the stabling yard, a boy was hurrying to take their horses. James instructed the boy on the care they required, then they walked back to the front of the inn and entered through the main door. The inn was pleasant enough, if small. The lower floor was occupied by a taproom and kitchen, with a single flight of stairs running up the rear wall leading to the second floor. A fireplace off to the left contained a roaring blaze. A savory-smelling broth simmered in a huge copper kettle that hung before the fire. To one side a large spit stood ready for whatever meat was to be that evening’s fare. Toddy appeared a moment later carrying a large, spitted haunch of beef, which he put into the spit cradle. “Maureen!” he bellowed. “Come turn the beef!” An older woman hurried out of the kitchen and nodded as she passed the innkeeper. Toddy turned to James and his companions. “I’m glad you decided to spend the night here. It may not be as fancy as you’re used to, but I’d like you to consider it a home away from home. I can serve you an ale, if you like.” 235
“That would be a start,” said Kendaric. “Well, then,” said the innkeeper. “Seat yourselves and I’ll fetch the ale.” He was back in a few minutes with four ceramic mugs full of frothy ale. “My name is Aganathos Toddhunter. Folks around here call me ‘Toddy.’ I’m both innkeeper and mayor of this small village. Hold the Prince’s writ to act as justice in misdemeanor and justice of the peace in civil issues,” he noted with some pride. “Quite a bit of responsibility,” said James, dryly. “Not really,” Toddy said, looking a bit deflated. “Truth is, the worst is usually a pig who wanders onto a neighbor’s property and having to decide who pays damages or who keeps the pig.” The attempt at humor was forced. Jazhara said, “Why don’t you join us for a drink?” “Ah, you’re being kind to spread so much cheer on this cheerless night,” Toddy said. He retreated to the bar and poured himself a mug of ale, then returned and remained standing next to the table. “My thanks.” He took a long pull on his ale. Jazhara asked, “Why so cheerless?” “Well, with the . . . wolves and all . . . we’ve lost several villagers already.” Solon looked hard at Toddy and said, “Wolves this near the coast are unusual. They tend to stay away from populated areas. Is there no one who will hunt them?” Toddy took another drink of his ale. Then he said, “Please, I’m sorry I mentioned it. It’s not your concern. Simply enjoy yourselves tonight. But I beg you not to go outside tonight.” James studied the innkeeper and saw a man trying his mightiest to hide a deep fear. Changing the subject, James asked, “You 236
mentioned some guardsmen earlier. Do you know anything else about them?” “They stayed here a single night, two days ago, and then moved on.” Jazhara asked, “Do you recall who led them?” “A rather young officer. William, I think his name was. One of his trackers found the trail of their fugitive somewhere east of here.” He drained the last of his ale and said, “Now, please excuse me while I take care of my duties. When you’re ready to turn in, I’ll show you to your rooms.” The only other customer in the inn was a man sitting by himself in the corner, staring deeply into his cup. James leaned forward, so as not to be overheard by the lone drinker, and said, “Well, does anyone have any bright notions of what we should do next?” Kendaric said, “I can’t understand why my spell failed. It should have worked, but some other force . . . balked me. There is something in this area that is working against us.” Jazhara said, “It is possible that some other enchantment is in place keeping the ship under the waves until such time as Bear or whoever is employing him is ready to raise the ship himself. If that’s the case, when that spell is removed, your spell will work.” James was silent for a moment. Then he said, “So what we have to do is find the source of this blocking magic and remove it?” Solon nodded. “Easier said than done, laddie. While my knowledge of the mystic arts is far different than Jazhara’s, I know such a spell is not fashioned by a dabbler. Whoever put the charm on that ship to keep it below the waves is no mean practitioner of the magician’s arts.” 237
Kendaric nodded in agreement. “This must be true. For no known force should have kept my spell from working.” James sighed. “Just once I’d like a plan to go as originally designed.” With only slightly feigned frustration he added, “Wouldn’t it be lovely to be back in Krondor tomorrow and say, ‘Why, no, Highness, no troubles at all. We just strolled up to Widow’s Point, raised the ship, got the Tear, wandered back down the coast, and here we are.’ Wouldn’t that be fine?” He sighed again. They fell silent. After a few minutes of quiet drinking, the party was approached by the innkeeper. “Will you be eating?” Noting the dearth of customers at the tables, James said, “Anywhere else around here to eat?” “No,” said Toddy with a pained smile. “It’s just that some travelers are trying to keep expenses down and bring their own, that’s all.” “We’ll be eating,” said James, nodding to where the woman was turning the side of beef. “Food should be ready in an hour,” said the innkeeper. As he was about to depart, Jazhara asked, “Sir, a moment.” The innkeeper paused. “Milady?” Jazhara said, “There seems to be some trouble here, or am I mistaken?” Solon added, “We couldn’t help but notice that the town seems almost deserted. What vexes this place?” Toddy looked concerned, but he forced a smile and said, “Oh . . . well . . . just a little slow this time of year. No harvests in yet, no grain caravans . . . you know how small villages can be.” James looked directly at the mayor. “Frankly, sir, we’ve heard some strange things about this area. What truth is there to these rumors?” 238
The mayor glanced around, as if someone might be listening. “Well . . . some folks say that Widow’s Point is haunted by the souls of the drowned, kept from Lims-Kragma’s Hall by an ancient and horrible evil . . .” He lowered his voice. “Others claim that witchcraft has cursed our town, but I think it’s all superstitious nonsense.” “This ‘witchcraft’ has been mentioned several times,” said Jazhara. James studied the man’s face and said, “Sir, I am on the Prince’s business. You are not free to repeat that to anyone, but I am on a mission of some urgency and the situation around here may prove difficult for the completion of my mission. Now, I urge you to be forthright with me or Haldon Head will have a new mayor as soon as I return to Krondor. What is going on around here? Why are the streets deserted during the day?” The man looked defeated. At last, he nodded. “People are frightened, sir. They hurry from one place to another, and dare spend as little time outdoors as they can, even during the day. At night they bar their doors and cling close to their hearths. There is evil afoot.” “What sort of evil?” asked Solon. Letting out his breath slowly, Toddy said, “Well, I guess I need to tell someone. This town is beset by some creature – or creatures – that stalk the night, killing good townsfolk, and stealing their souls. Even Father Rowland has been powerless to stop them.” “Who is Father Rowland?” Solon asked. “The good father is a devotee of Sung. He’s been in the area for a number of years, but he’s recently decided that the witch is responsible for our troubles.” At the mention of the word “witch” Jazhara stiffened her posture, but kept silent. Toddy continued. 239
“Now, I’d expect that kind of thinking from someone like Farmer Alton, but not a priest of Sung the Merciful and Pure.” Jazhara nodded. “‘Witchcraft’ does not exist. Either someone is a natural healer, and uses true magic, or simply knows the medicinal value of certain herbs and roots. ‘Witchcraft’ is an ignorant belief.” “You’re right, of course,” agreed Toddy. “The old woman has helped some of the townsfolk with poultices and brews in the past, and has been kind to most people who ask for help, but you know how people are: with the troubles now, they’ve come to fear what they don’t understand. She lives up near the promontory above Widow’s Point, if you’d care to speak with her yourself.” He scratched his head, and dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I know she’s not involved with these horrors, but she may know something that will help you decide if our troubles are a danger to your mission for the Prince.” “Have you reported these troubles to the Prince?” asked James. “Only to that patrol that went through here a few days ago, and they seemed intent upon another mission. Alan, the Prince’s factor in the area, was due here last week, but he never showed up. That happens from time to time if he’s on special business for the Crown. I was thinking of sending a boy with a message south, but no parent is willing to risk a child on the road . . . given the horrors we’ve seen.” “How did they begin?” asked James. “I wish I knew,” answered the mayor. “One day things were as they always were, the next . . . It began over a month ago. A woodcutter and his family who live a few miles to the east of the village disappeared. We don’t know when exactly, but the woodcutter missed his usual delivery of wood for the village, so 240
we began to worry. Six men went to his shack the next day, but only two returned.” “What did the two who returned tell you?” asked an alarmed Kendaric. “Nathan and Malcolm? Malcolm, Lims-Kragma guide him, was killed last night by . . . whatever creature is responsible for this terrible situation. Nathan boarded himself up in his house and hasn’t come out since. He has my stable-boy bring him food every day.” “Will he speak with us?” asked James. “You can try. His house is less than a ten-minute walk from here. I would wait until the morning, though, sir, as he will almost certainly refuse to speak to anyone after dark.” Pointing to the solitary drinker in the corner, Toddy said, “Lyle over there was a close friend of Malcolm.” Leaning toward them, he added, “But I’d weigh his words carefully; his love of the spirits” – he made a drinking motion – “often clouds his judgment.” James stood up and Jazhara followed. Kendaric started to rise, but Solon reached out with one of his massive hands, firmly gripped the guildsman’s arm, and pushed him back into his seat, shaking his head gently. Then the cleric rose and followed James and Jazhara. Kendaric opened his mouth to object, but Solon silenced him merely by pointing at the man’s ale, indicating that he should continue to drink. James, Jazhara, and Solon crossed to where the solitary figure sat staring into an empty mug. “Buy you a drink?” asked James. The man looked up and said, “Never one to say no to that, stranger.” James motioned for Toddy to bring over a fresh tankard of ale, and when it was placed before the man, James pulled out a chair and sat down. “Your name is Lyle?” 241
“That’s me,” the man agreed. “I understand you’re friends with one of the men who survived some sort of attack here.” “Malcolm, he was my friend,” agreed the man. “Died last night.” He hoisted the ale flagon and said, “To Malcolm!” Then he drained it. James waved for another and when it was placed before him, Lyle asked, “What do you want?” “We want information,” James replied. “Tell us about this ‘witch,’” added Jazhara. Lyle said, “Everyone thinks she’s in league with dark powers, but I don’t believe it! She’s a kind old woman. You can go see for yourself. Take the trail to the point and when it cuts down to the beach, stay on the small path up to the point. You’ll find her in her hut most times when she’s not out gathering herbs.” He sighed deeply. “No, the real source of this evil is something else.” “What?” asked James. Lowering his voice, Lyle said, “Blood-drinkers.” James’s gaze narrowed and he looked at Jazhara before returning his attention to Lyle and repeating, “Blood-drinkers?” “Night creatures. The dead returned to life.” Jazhara gasped. “Vampires!” James looked at her. “Vampires?” “Creatures of legend. Created by the foulest necromancy,” she replied. Remembering the dead bodies being arrayed by the goblins and the creatures in the sewers of Krondor, James said, “We’ve encountered a lot of that lately.” Jazhara said, “They drink the blood of the living to slake their unholy thirst, and those whose blood they take rise to join their number.” 242
James closed his eyes for a moment, then said, “And I suppose because they’re already dead, they’re very difficult to kill again?” Jazhara nodded. “They can be destroyed by magic or fire, or by cutting them up.” “Which they usually object to, I’ll wager,” said James dryly. “They came from the woodcutter’s shack!” said Lyle. “The woodcutter and his wife had lived there just a few months before they vanished. Six good men went to look in on that poor family. Whatever was up there killed four of ’em, and scared Nathan and poor Malcolm out of their wits.” “What happened to Malcolm?” asked James. “Dead. Dead at the hands of those monsters. Malcolm always knew they’d come for him once he and Nathan got away, so he tried to get them first. He thought he could hide and watch for them, the old fool. He knew they came from the woodcutter’s shack, but once he told me they’d desecrated our graveyard, too. He got a couple of them, first, though. Poor old sod.” “How’d he get them?” asked James. “He found one in a grave, asleep during the daylight. He doused it with some oil we use to clear the fields, and set fire to it. Went up like a torch, he said. The other was just waking up at sundown; he cut its head off with his old sword from his duty during the Riftwar. Threw the head in the river and watched it wash away. Went back to the grave the next day and said the body had turned to dust. But there were just too many of them. They caught him out last night, old fool.” Solon, who had remained silent so far, could contain himself no longer. “Vampires, you say? Man, are you sure? They’re the stuff of legend, things to scare small children on dark nights.” Jazhara nodded agreement. “I always thought they were mythical.” 243
“But after what we’ve seen so far . . . ?” James asked. Lyle said, “Nay, good sir and lady, they’re real. Nathan says they come for him every night! That’s why he locks himself in. He’s got no fear of dying, but if those creatures get him, he says they’ll keep his soul and he’ll never take his turn on Lims-Kragma’s Wheel of Life again!” “’Tis a foul blasphemy, indeed, if true,” agreed Solon. James stood up. “Well, it seems this Nathan is the only one here in Haldon Head who has seen these creatures. I suspect we’d best go talk to him.” “I’d be cautious,” Lyle said. “It’s almost sundown and once the sun sets, Toddy locks the door and nothing you say will get you back inside.” “How far is it to Nathan’s place?” asked Solon. “Open the door,” replied Lyle, “and you’re looking straight at the road leading to it. Can’t miss it. You’ll pass two shops, and the first house on the left is Nathan’s shack.” “We have time,” James said, “if we hurry.” They collected Kendaric and hurried to the door. As they made to leave, Mayor Toddhunter shouted out, “Be back before the sun sets, or you’ll spend the night outside!” After they left the inn, Kendaric said, “Why are we doing this? I heard every word. Blood-drinkers! Are you mad?” James said, “Do you think there might be another reason why your spell didn’t work?” “I have no idea why it didn’t work,” admitted Kendaric. “But vampires? They can’t be real!” “I hope you’re right,” said Solon. “Holy writ is clear on the living dead. Specifically, they are an abomination to LimsKragma, and to Ishap, for they defy the natural order of the world.” 244
“Not to mention they’ll almost certainly try to kill us,” added James. Kendaric glanced at the setting sun and said, “We have maybe a half-hour, Squire.” “Then we’d better hurry,” said James. They reached Nathan’s house in five minutes, and even if Lyle hadn’t told them where to look, it would have been easy to find. The small house, little more than a shack, was boarded up. All the windows had stout planks nailed across them; the door, obviously the only point of entry, was shut tight; nail points protruding from its perimeter indicated that it was similarly covered from within. In the red light of sunset, it looked almost deserted, though James saw a glint of flame escaping through a crack in the boards, no doubt coming from a lantern or fire pot. “Hello, the house!” Kendaric shouted from the front stoop, a wooden platform in need of some repair. “We’d like to speak with you!” From inside the house came a reply. “Go away, foul beasts! You’ll never get me to quit my house!” “Hello,” said James. “I’m Squire James, from the Prince’s court in Krondor.” “Leave me in peace, you bloody demons! I can see through your evil tricks.” James looked at Jazhara and shrugged. Jazhara said, “Sir, I am the court magician to the Prince. We need some information about these creatures that trouble you. We may be able to help!” “Ah, very clever, very clever indeed,” came the reply. “Go away, you soul-sucking fiends!” James shook his head in defeat. “What’s it going to take to convince you, friend?” 245
“Go away!” James turned to Jazhara. “Maybe you can do better?” Solon said, “Let me try.” He stepped up to the boarded door and shouted, “In the name of Mighty Ishap, the One Above All, I bid you let us enter!” There was a long moment of silence and then Nathan said, “That’s good. I didn’t know you blood-stealers could invoke the name of the gods! Almost had me for a moment there, with that bad dwarven accent!” Solon’s face flushed with anger. “’Tis not a bad dwarven accent, ya gibbering loon. I grew up near Dorgin!” James turned to Jazhara and said, “It does get more pronounced when he gets upset, did you notice?” Jazhara said, “Let me try again.” Speaking up, she said, “Sir, I am a magician and could enter your house at will, but would not violate the sanctity of your home. If you won’t let us enter, at least tell us what you know about the evil that besets this town. Perhaps we can help. We have our own reasons for wanting to see it banished.” There was another long silence, then Nathan said through the boards, “Almost got me with that one, you monster!” He laughed madly. “Trying to find out how much I know so you can plot against me! Well, I’m not falling for it.” Kendaric said, “James – ” James waved him to silence. “Look, Nathan, if you don’t want to come out, you don’t have to, but we need to find the cause of all this trouble in the area. We have, as my friend said, our own reasons for wanting to see it come to an end. If these ‘vampires,’ as you call them, are real, they may be causing us our problem and we’ll deal with them.” “You’ll get your chance soon enough!” shouted Nathan. 246
“James – ” Kendaric repeated. James again waved his hand and said, “Just a minute!” As he was about to speak again, James felt his arm gripped by Kendaric, who swung him around to face down the path to the house. “James!” shouted the wrecker. “It looks like we get our chance now.” As the sun was dropping below the horizon, dark shadows seemed to coalesce in the air at the edge of the nearby woods. In the darkness other shapes could be seen moving, and suddenly human forms appeared where there had been empty air a moment before. James slowly drew his sword and said, “Solon, Jazhara, any advice would be greatly appreciated.” A half-dozen figures advanced from the nearby woods. They appeared human, save for their deathly pale white skin color, and eyes that seemed to glow with a reddish light. Several of them showed gaping wounds on their necks and they shambled with an awkward gait. The one in the front spoke. “Nathan . . . Come to us . . . We miss you so . . .” From behind it others called, “You should have stayed with us, Nathan. There’s no need to fear us, Nathan.” With rising revulsion, James saw that one of the figures was a child, a little girl of no more than seven years of age. Solon said, “There’s but one piece of advice I can give, laddie. Destroy them all.” He raised his warhammer and advanced on the first figure.
ames charged after Solon. Jazhara shouted, “Be wary, you must destroy them by fire or cut their heads from their bodies!” Kendaric hung behind the magician, holding his short sword, but appearing ready to bolt if the opportunity presented itself. Jazhara began an incantation and lowered her staff, pointing it toward the group of oncoming creatures. A ball of green flame erupted from the tip of her staff and shot across the space between them, engulfing four of the creatures in mystic flame. They howled and writhed, and stumbled forward, staggering for a few paces before falling face-down onto the ground. Solon reached out with a gauntlet-covered hand and seized the child-creature, hurling the small form backward, into the green flame. The tiny creature shrieked and thrashed, then lay still. “May Ishap bring you peace, child,” shouted the monk. He swung his huge warhammer at an adult-sized creature, smashing the thing’s shoulder, but still it lunged at him, its one remaining arm outstretched, the fingers bent like talons trying to rend and tear. Solon lashed back the other way, and his hammer caved 248
in the creature’s skull. It fell to the ground and lay writhing, but despite having half its head pulped, it still tried to rise. Jazhara ran up to the monk and shouted, “Stand back!” He retreated and she lowered her staff. In a moment, the creature was aflame. James was having difficulty with a particularly powerful man – or creature, rather, he corrected himself. The thing had obviously been the woodcutter Lyle had first told them of. He had been a big, broad-shouldered man, and his arms were long and meaty. He tried to grapple with James, who dodged aside. But the damage inflicted on the creature by James’s rapier did little to slow it. “Kendaric!” James shouted. “I could use some help!” The wrecker stood with his back to Nathan’s doorway, his sword clutched in his hand. “Doing what?” he shouted back. “My blade isn’t exactly a meat cleaver.” Kendaric waved his short sword and said, “And this is?” James ducked under a huge hand swinging through the air, and shouted, “It’s a better blade for hacking than what I’ve got!” “I’m not going to loan it to you!” cried Kendaric, watching as other creatures came into sight. “I’ve got problems of my own.” Suddenly Jazhara was at Kendaric’s side and she wrenched the blade from his hand. “Yes, a decided attack of cowardice,” she said with contempt. Throwing the sword so that it sailed through the air, she shouted, “James, catch!” With a speed bordering on the supernatural, James lashed out with his rapier, cutting the shambling creature across the back of the leg. Then he leapt into the air, catching the short sword with his left hand. He tossed his rapier and the short 249
sword in a juggle, ending up with the rapier in his left hand and the short sword in his right. The thing that had been a woodcutter stumbled onto one knee, and James lashed down with the sword, cleanly severing the creature’s neck, so that the head came rolling free. James threw the short sword back to Kendaric, and shouted, “Better lend a hand here, unless you’re anxious to end up like them!” More creatures were emerging from the woods and Jazhara unleashed several bolts of her mystic flame. She shouted, “James, I can’t keep this up! I’m almost exhausted.” “We have to get to someplace defensible!” said Brother Solon, as he slammed his hammer into yet another creature, knocking it backward a half-dozen feet. James hurried to the door of Nathan’s house and pounded on it as he cried, “By the gods, man, let us in!” “No, it’s a trick and I won’t be fooled!” came a shout from inside. “Let us in, or I’ll burn this place down around your ears,” said James. “Jazhara, do you have one shot of that fire left?” “I can manage,” said the magician. Loudly, but in measured, calm tones, James said, “Open this door or you’re going to get very warm. Which will it be?” After a moment of silence, they heard the creak of nails being pulled and a series of thumps as heavy boards hit the floor. Finally the door-bolt slid free, and the door cracked open a bit. A pinched-faced man peered out at James and said, “You don’t look like a vampire.” James nodded. “I’m glad you finally recognize the obvious. Clear the way while I go help my friends. We’ll be right back. We’ll hammer the boards back into place once we’re all inside.” 250
James didn’t wait to see the man’s nod, but turned and hurried to intercept a particularly nasty-looking creature heading straight for Kendaric. The wrecker waved his sword ineffectually in the direction of the creature, which paused to consider the potential for injury. That pause gave James just the opening he needed to circle behind the creature and hamstring it with his rapier. “It won’t kill him,” shouted the squire, “but it’ll slow him down! Try to cut his head off.” Kendaric’s expression left no room for doubt as to how he felt about that suggestion. He backed away, putting distance between himself and the creature. “Kendaric, you useless bag of pig-swill,” shouted Solon. He ran over and used his warhammer to break the creature’s spine. Kendaric proffered his sword. “You cut its head off !” “Ya gibbering jackass! Holy orders prevent me from cutting flesh with a blade. If I do, I lose my sanctity and must be cleansed for a year by holy rite, fasting, and meditation! I donna ha’ a year to waste on such foolishness! We ha’ work to do.” Jazhara said to James, “You’re right, the accent does get thicker when he’s upset.” James shouted, “Open the door!” More creatures were coming into sight, and James had no doubt they would soon be overwhelmed. Kendaric was at the door, and pounded on the planks. Nathan swung the door wide with one hand, as he brandished a hunting knife in the other. “Get inside!” shouted the villager. Kendaric entered the cottage as the others began to rush toward the house. Suddenly James wheeled at the sound of a footstep behind him, slashing out with his blade, and slicing through 251
the throat of what had once been a young woman. She didn’t fall, but faltered long enough for him to turn and run. Solon smashed another in the face and also ran. Jazhara hurried through the door, Solon and James on her heels. Nathan slammed the door shut behind them and threw the bolt. He then picked up one of planks he had just removed and cried, “Start boarding this up!” Solon picked up another piece of wood and used his warhammer to drive heavy nails back into the doorframe. “This will not hold if they get determined,” said the monk. “It’ll hold,” said the townsman. “They’re persistent but stupid and don’t work well as a group. If they did, I’d have been dead four nights back.” James sheathed his rapier and sat down on a small trunk next to the fireplace. He glanced around. The building was a single room with a small kitchen off to one side. A feather bed, a table, a chest of drawers and the trunk upon which he sat were the sole contents of the room. Their host was a wiry man of middle years, his dark hair and beard shot through with gray. He had the weather-beaten look of a farmer: once-broken fingers and heavy calluses betrayed the hands of a man who had worked all his life. Letting out a slow breath, James said, “Just what is going on?” “So, then we started hearing about others vanishing, from farms outlying the village. There’s the odd homestead up in the hills, and some nice meadows that folks use to graze herds or grow summer wheat. Some of those creatures that attacked earlier tonight were the poor souls who lived up there. Not 252
townspeople, but folks we knew from when they’d come in to buy provisions or sell their wares.” He shook his head as if he still had trouble believing what he was describing. James and the others had been listening to the farmer for over an hour. The narrative had been rambling and disjointed at times, but a pattern had emerged. “Let me sum up,” said James. “Someone or something has come to the area. It has infected your community with a horrible curse that is turning ordinary people into blood-drinkers. Is that right?” The farmer nodded. “Yes.” James continued. “These creatures are feeding on others, thereby turning them into blood-drinkers, too.” “Vampires,” said Jazhara. “The stories about them are full of superstition.” “But these are real enough,” said Kendaric. “Yes,” agreed Solon. “But Jazhara is right. There are legends about these creatures that have nothing to do with truth, flights of fancy and tales told to frighten naughty children.” “I must be a naughty child, then,” said Kendaric with an angry edge to his voice, “because I for one am very frightened.” James said, “So the woodcutter and his family were the first around here to be turned into these creatures?” Nathan said, “Yes. Six of us went to investigate. Only two of us survived. We found a dozen or so of those creatures waiting there. A few of them were the folks from the nearby farms I spoke of; a couple were unknown to me.” “Then who was the first?” asked James. Nathan looked around blankly. “I don’t know,” he said in a weary voice. “Is that important?” asked Kendaric. 253
“Yes,” said Jazhara, “because as James said, someone or something had to bring this plague here.” Solon said, “This sort of magic is evil beyond description.” James sat on the floor with his back against the wall. “But to what end? Why plague this little village of all places?” Kendaric said, “Because they can?” James looked at the wrecker and said, “What do you mean?” Kendaric shrugged and said, “They have to start somewhere. If they get enough people around here to . . . become like them, they can send some of their number to other locations and . . . well, it’s like you said, a plague.” “Which means we’ll have to stamp out this infection here,” said Solon. James could hear the shuffle of feet outside. Nathan shouted, “Keep away, you murderous blood-suckers!” From outside, voices called, “Come with us. Join us.” Jazhara shivered. “I know little of these creatures, save for legends. But already I can see the legends are only partially correct.” James looked at Nathan and said, “Got anything to drink?” “Water,” said the farmer, pointing to a large crock near the table. As James fetched a cup and went to the crock, he said to Jazhara, “What do you mean ‘only partially correct?’” Jazhara said, “The legends of the vampires tell us of great and powerful magic-users, able to alter their shapes and commune with animals, such as rats and wolves. The pitiful creatures we face here, while far from harmless, could have all been put to rest tonight, had we a trained squad of soldiers with us.” James quietly reflected on this as he remembered a time in Krondor when, as a boy, he and Prince Arutha had 254
faced the undying minions of the false moredhel prophet, Murmandamus. “My experience tells me that things that hard to kill are far more dangerous than they seem.” Nathan added, “Besides, lady, you miss the obvious. These aren’t great and powerful magic-users. These were farmers and laborers.” James said, “So that would mean the great and powerful magic-using vampire is out there somewhere. And he – it – is behind all this.” Solon said, “Aye. The Temple teaches what it knows about the forces of darkness. The blood-drinkers are an old and powerful line of evil, said to have descended from a single, cursed magician who lived ages ago in some distant and unknown land. No one knows if the tale is true, but it has been told in the chronicles that from time to time such a cursed one appears, and woe betide those who chance upon him.” “Why?” asked Kendaric. All eyes turned to him. Solon asked, “Why does ‘woe betide’ those who chance across him?” “No, I mean why do such creatures exist?” Solon replied, “No one knows. What the Temple teaches is that the forces of darkness often benefit when chaos reigns, so much of what they do is merely to cause problems for order and good.” Kendaric nodded. “All right, I can accept that. But why here?” James said, “It should be obvious. Someone doesn’t want us to reach the Tear.” “The Tear?” Farmer Nathan asked, bewildered. James waved away the question with a gesture. “You don’t 255
really wish to know, trust me. Just suffice it to say that magic around here is not what it should be.” “That is the truth, “ agreed Jazhara. “It must be that witch,” said Nathan. “She’s the only user of magic in these parts.” Jazhara said, “Has she been a problem before?” “No,” admitted the farmer. “But . . . well, who else could it be?” “That is what we must find out,” said James. Listening to the voices from outside, he added, “How long will they keep this up?” Nathan said, “Until first light. They perish from its touch, it is said.” James said, “Said by whom?” Nathan blinked. “Sir?” “Never mind,” said James, as he lay down on the floor. “I’m dubious as to the origin of many beliefs. It’s a character flaw. Wake me when they go away.” Jazhara nodded and said, “Then what do we do?” “Find this magic-using vampire and put him out of his misery.” “Aye,” said Solon. “If we can do that, the rest will fade away, it is said.” James resisted the urge to ask again “by whom” and merely said, “There can’t be many places around here for such a one to hide.” “Oh, I can tell you where one such place is,” said Nathan. James sat upright. “Where?” “In the graveyard, south of the village. There’s a crypt there that has been broken into. There’s something in there, I’m certain.” 256
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “I did,” said Nathan. “But Toddy and the others wanted to hear no part of it. Father Rowland said something about the forces of the gods would protect the properly buried, or something like that, and ignored me.” “That’s odd,” said Solon. “A priest of Sung the Pure would be among those most interested in investigating such a desecration. Their order is in the forefront of the battle against just these kinds of dark forces.” “Maybe others are,” said Nathan. “But he just holds his prayer meetings and rails against the witch. Maybe he’s right.” “Again, ‘the witch!’” said Jazhara with open contempt. “What has this woman done?” “Well, Farmer Alton claims she’s poisoned his cows, and Farmer Merrick’s little girl lies abed with some cursed sickness the witch sent her way.” “But why?” asked Solon. “If this woman has been kind to you before, why’d she turn her hand on you now?” Nathan shrugged. “You tell me. You’re a priest – ” “Monk,” corrected Solon. “ – monk, so you must know why these things happen.” Shaking his head, Solon said, “Ah, if only it were so. No, the ways of evil are a mystery.” James said, “Hold the theological debate down, will you? I’m going to get some sleep.” Listening to the low voices from outside and the shuffling of footsteps around the house, Kendaric said, “How can you sleep with that going on?” James opened one eye and said, “Practice.” He closed it and within minutes was asleep. *
Just before sunrise the voices ceased. James woke up to find Solon sound asleep on the floor, while a fatigued Jazhara sat with her arms around her knees, her staff at hand, watching the door. Nathan sat silently nearby. Kendaric had succumbed to sleep and lay on the wooden floor, snoring. James rolled over, his joints protesting a night spent on such an unyielding surface, and got to his feet. He gently nudged Kendaric with his boot. The wrecker sat up with an alarmed expression on his face, shouting, “What!” Solon was instantly awake, then realizing it was only Kendaric making the noise, sat back again. “Sunrise?” James nodded. Nathan stood as well and asked, “What will you do this day?” Jazhara said, “Find the source of this evil.” “Then look to the witch up on Widow’s Point,” said Nathan. “I still think she must be behind all this. Someone has to destroy her!” Solon said, “Have faith, friend. We will crush her evil just as we destroyed the evil that has plagued you.” “If she is, indeed, the source of this evil,” said Jazhara pointedly. Nathan said, “Are you mad? You did nothing last night. Don’t you think I’ve fought those things before? Except for one or two you burned with magic fire or beheaded, the rest will return. In the darkness they can’t be destroyed!” “Well, we’ll see what we can do,” said a tired James. “But first we need to get something to eat.” “Toddy will open the door for you once the sun is up,” said Nathan. “Tell him to send my food over, would you, please?” “What will you do?” asked Kendaric. 258
“Barricade my door again.” Then his voice took on a frantic quality. “But you know they’ll get me in the end, turn me into one of them. It’s just a matter of time.” “Easy,” said Solon. “We’ll have none of that, laddie. With Ishap’s divine guidance, we’ll see an end to the troubles that plague this poor village.” James and Solon removed the boards that were nailed across the door and went outside. Before they were off the porch, they could hear Nathan again nailing them into place. Kendaric looked at the sky. “What is it?” asked James. “Rain?” “No, something . . . odd,” said the wrecker. “For nearly twenty years I’ve worked the sea and I’ve never seen a sky like that.” “Like what?” asked Jazhara. “I don’t see anything odd.” “Look toward the sunrise.” They did so and after a moment, Solon said, “Ishap’s mercy! What has happened to the sun?” In the distance the sun rose, but despite the air being clear and there being no clouds in sight, the light seemed muted, and although the sun glowed, its brilliance was dimmed. “Magic,” said Jazhara. She paused, as if listening to something. “There is something in the air which drinks the light. We didn’t notice it yesterday, because we arrived near sundown, but some dark agency is lessening the sun’s radiance here.” “What could do that?” asked James. Jazhara shrugged. “A relic of great power, or a spell forged by a magician of great arts. It would have to cover a very large area indeed to dull the sun’s brilliance.” “I thought it a little overcast when we arrived,” said James. “But I didn’t note if there were clouds over the cliffs or not.” 259
“There is nothing natural in this,” affirmed Kendaric. “But to what purpose has this been done?” “So that things that walk the night can walk the day?” mused Solon. James said, “Forget breaking our fast. We must go to confront this witch now.” Without further comment, James turned toward the peak at Widow’s Point on the other side of Haldon Head and started walking. As they walked through the village, they saw Toddy hurrying from his inn. “You!” he said with a broad grin as he spied James and his companions. “You survived the night!” James smiled. “Surviving is something we do well. You seem to be in a hurry.” The mayor of the village lost his smile. “Farmer Merrick’s daughter is ill, and he’s gathered some of the village folk at his home. I think they mean some mischief.” James glanced at Jazhara, who returned a slight nod. They fell into step behind the portly innkeeper, who was hurrying along as best as his girth permitted. When they arrived at Farmer Merrick’s house, they found a half-dozen of the village’s men, and an equal number of women, gathered before the farmer’s door. The farmer and his wife stood in the doorway. A florid-faced, stocky man was saying, “We must do something. This has gone on too long!” Toddy pushed through the small crowd. “What is this, then?” The florid-faced man shouted, “We’re going to do something about that witch, Toddy!” “Now, now,” said the mayor, holding up his hands. “Let’s 260
not do anything rash. This lad here” – he indicated James – “is a representative of the Crown and will take care of things.” Instantly all speaking stopped and eyes turned to James. James threw a dark look Toddy’s way, then said, “Very well. Now, we’re here on a matter of interest to the Crown and what has been going on around here is of importance to His Highness. So, who can tell me what has occurred?” Instantly everyone started speaking at once. James held up his hand and said, “Wait a minute. One at a time.” He pointed to the florid-faced man who had been railing when they arrived and said, “You. Speak your piece.” “My cows come down sick!” the man shouted. Then he realized he didn’t need to be shouting over others, and he lowered his voice. “My cows come down sick, and it’s that witch. She’s sent a curse to make them die slowly.” A woman in the crowd spoke up. “And we’re losing our daylight, little by little. Sunrise has been coming later every morning; sundown earlier every evening. And what sunlight we do have is, I don’t know how to explain it, but look around, it’s different. Pretty soon we won’t have any daylight at all. And you know what that means!” she sobbed. Muttering broke out among the small crowd. James held up his hand for silence. From the doorway, the farmer named Merrick spoke. “It’s not only our cows that’re sick. Our little girl, she’s gravely ill.” James looked at Merrick and said, “What ails the girl?” “She’s cursed,” shouted a woman from the edge of the group gathered in the yard. Jazhara said, “May I see her?” “Who are you?” asked the frantic-looking woman by Merrick’s side, her face pinched and pale. 261
“I am Prince Arutha’s personal advisor on magic,” Jazhara answered. Brother Solon added, “And I am a monk of Ishap’s Temple. If there’s evil magic afoot, we’ll root it out.” The woman nodded and motioned them into the small house. Inside they found a single room, with a small hearth on the wall opposite the door. A pair of beds stood there, one obviously big enough for the farmer and his wife and the other a child’s bed. A small girl, her features wan, occupied this bed. Jazhara knelt by the side of the bed and put her hand upon the girl’s forehead. “She has no fever,” said the magician. “What can you tell me?” The farmer said, “Nothing, save she’s become too weak to walk or stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. When she is awake, she seems unable to recognize us.” The farmer’s wife added, “Sometimes she’ll shake.” Brother Solon knelt beside Jazhara and examined the girl. “What is this?” he asked, fingering a small amulet. “This looks to be the sign of Sung.” “Father Rowland gave it to us,” said the woman. Then she blurted, “I went to the old woman on Widow’s Point, and she gave me a charm to heal my child. She told me a great darkness was trying to take the children. She was trying to protect them.” “Larissa!” scolded the man. “I told you not to speak of this.” “Go on,” said James to the woman. Defiantly, she looked at her husband. “She was trying to protect our daughter.” “Like she ‘protected’ Remy’s son?” 262
“Yes, exactly like that!” She turned to James. “She was too late to save Remy’s boy, but when I got home and put the charm under the bed, my girl stopped shaking. She wasn’t getting better, but she wasn’t getting any worse! Then Father Rowland returned from a journey and came here. He prayed all last night, and my daughter began shaking again. When the sun rose, I swear he seemed irritated she was still alive!” The woman’s look was one of desperation. “Larissa, that’s blasphemy!” said Merrick. “The good father was trying to save her soul. It’s the witch’s fault. He said as much before he left.” “But what if it’s not?” asked the woman. “May I see the charm the ‘witch’ gave you?” Jazhara asked. The woman drew it out from under the bed and handed it to Jazhara. She looked at the small wooden box, within which she found several herbs and some crystals. She closed her eyes and held the box for a long minute, then said, “There is nothing malicious in this. This is a simple ward to help the child’s natural energy heal herself.” Then she looked at the child. “But there is something . . .” She reached out and took the small amulet from the girl’s throat, then suddenly withdrew her hand as if it had been burned. “Brother Solon. You know more of clerical arts than I; will you please examine that ward?” Solon gently touched the amulet. He closed his eyes and made a short incantation, and then his eyes snapped open. “This is no ward of Sung!” The amulet began to change and he withdrew his fingers from it. The metal seemed to ripple and warp and darken, until suddenly what had appeared to be a simple metal icon of Sung became something resembling a tiny maw, a mouth of black lips and ebony teeth. It opened 263
wide, as if to bite, then the girl coughed. A plume of green gas erupted from her nostrils and mouth, to be sucked into the tiny black orifice. Solon grabbed the trinket and ripped it from the unconscious child’s neck. The girl gasped slightly, and her tiny body convulsed once, then settled down into the bed. With a sigh she took a deep breath, then seemed to breathe more easily. Jazhara examined the child and declared, “Already she seems a little stronger.” Solon held out the trinket, which was now revealed to be a claw holding a black pearl. “I would venture that this is the cause of the child’s illness.” Merrick looked confounded. “But it was given to her by Father Rowland!” James looked at Jazhara and the others and said, “Before we go rushing off to burn out an old woman, I think we need to have a serious ‘talk’ with this Father Rowland.” He didn’t wait for an answer, but walked out of the tiny farmhouse.
ames halted. Looking skyward for a moment, he then turned to Jazhara and the others hurrying to keep up with him and said, “Is it me, or is it getting darker?” Kendaric glanced to the west. “There is no weather front approaching, and I see no clouds.” Solon looked at the sky and after a few seconds said, “No, it isn’t you. It is getting darker.” Jazhara looked to the east, and pointed. “Look at the sun!” They all turned to face the sunrise, and as they watched with a fascination that turned quickly to dread, the sun dimmed. The brilliant white had now darkened to a dull yellow. Jazhara said, “I can feel the heat upon my face, but the light is fading!” Solon said, “Yes, you have the right of it. Something is stealing the light from the very air!” “What does this mean?” Kendaric asked anxiously. “I don’t know,” Jazhara said. “I know of no magic that should be able to do this.” Kendaric repeated doggedly, “But what does it mean?” 265
James moved to stand before the now-terrified wrecker. “Pull yourself together! What it means should be obvious.” “So what does it mean?” demanded Kendaric. “It means that soon our friends from last night will be able to walk abroad at any time.” People were hurrying past and James overheard someone say, “Father Rowland will know what to do!” The florid-faced man who had been inciting the others in front of Merrick’s house approached and said, “If you’re a servant of the Prince as you claim, you’ll go burn that witch out right now!” “And who are you?” James asked. “My name’s Alton. After I spoke against the woman at a town meeting, she fixed my cows with the evil eye, and put the wasting curse on them. Ask any of my neighbors. They’ve seen my animals dying. And she’s done worse.” “Such as?” said James, impatiently. “Well, take the woodcutter and his family. They were nice, normal folks, then suddenly they vanished. Then the blood-drinkers showed up. And Remi’s little boy; he took ill after spying her one day up at Widow’s Point. Died a fortnight later.” James said, “Your mayor doesn’t seem to think she’s the cause of these ills.” “Toddy’s a wonderful, kind man, but he can be a bit of a fool.” James shook his head as other townspeople hurried by. “Where’s Father Rowland?” he asked Alton. “Just follow everyone else to the church across the square. That’s where we’re going.” Suddenly, he gasped. “Look!” He pointed to the east and they could see how the sun was now 266
darkening to an orange color as if heavy smoke were obscuring the orb. As the farmer pointed, James noticed a glint of metal around his neck, a chain that moved as his tunic shifted. At the base he caught a glimpse of something black. James had not been called “Jimmy the Hand” as a boy for nothing. With startling swiftness, he reached out and pulled the chain high enough to reveal a black pearl in a metal hand hanging from the chain. “Who gave this to you?” The farmer’s eyes grew round and he stepped back as James released the chain. “I . . . I found it.” “Where?” “Ah . . .” “We found a similar charm – around Merrick’s daughter’s neck,” said Jazhara. “It’s just a simple bauble,” said Farmer Alton. Solon moved suddenly, far quicker than one would expect of a man his size, and came to stand just behind Alton. “Don’t be thinking of leaving any time soon, my friend.” James drew his sword slowly for dramatic purpose. He didn’t think this blustering farmer was particularly dangerous. But he also felt time was running short and he needed answers. “Again: Who gave you that charm?” Alton attempted to move away, but Solon grabbed his arm and held him fast. “I think you’d best answer the lad; he doesn’t appear to be in a mood for foolishness.” Alton glanced at Jazhara, whose expression was cold, then to Kendaric, who also looked as if he were running out of patience. Suddenly the farmer blurted, “I’ll tell you everything! It wasn’t my idea. I was just an honest farmer, minding my own business when he came to me. I trusted him; everyone 267
does. He offered me gold, lots of gold, to poison my own cows and blame the witch, so I agreed. She’s just one old lady, and she’s going to die soon, anyway. But I didn’t know what he really was. I thought he was human when I agreed to work for him. I didn’t know – ” Suddenly the man’s tumbling words were cut off by a strangled, gurgling sound as the chain around his neck abruptly tightened. Alton staggered backward, his eyes bulging and his face turning crimson as he clawed at his neck. Solon found himself holding the man upright as his knees buckled, and he let the farmer slowly sink to the ground. Blood began to flow from the wound in Alton’s neck. As the farmer’s eyes rolled up into his head, the sounds of muscles snapping and bones breaking could be heard. A moment later, the farmer’s head rolled free from his body and dropped to the ground. Solon released the man’s arm and the body crumpled to the dust. James stared at the corpse and then at the darkening sun. He motioned for the others to follow and hurried toward a small building on the edge of the village common. Upon reaching it, they saw it was a simple church with a large, open entrance. No benches or pews were provided, so the congregation stood, listening to a man in white robes, who must surely be Father Rowland. “Again, I say, if we wait much longer, we will be swept away by a tide of evil. And where, must I ask, is the justice in this? I will tell you where justice lies. It lies in the strength of our arms, the purity of our souls, and the burning that will rid the world of the witch’s evil!” Several of the townspeople shouted agreement. “He sounds a wee bit harsh for a priest of Sung,” Solon observed. 268
James nodded. “He does seem to be in an awful hurry to get rid of the ‘witch.’” “And to have others do the deed for him,” Jazhara added. The priest’s voice rose. “Some say this witch has summoned wolves who walk like men at night, blood-drinkers who devour the souls of the innocent, turning them into monsters like themselves! I say she has summoned darkness incarnate – spirits so foul they drain the life from good people like you and me. Either way, the blame for this lies on her doorstep. This darkness approaching signals the final attack! We must move now!” Some of the men cheered and shouted threats, but James could discern their fear for many of the responses were halfhearted and weak. He pushed through the villagers to stand before the priest. “Welcome, stranger,” said Father Rowland. He was a man of middle height, with dark hair and a small, pointed beard. Around his neck hung a simple ward of the Order of Sung. His white robes showed faint stains and dirt, as if old and oft-washed. “Have you come to help rid us of this blight?” James regarded him steadily. “I have, but I doubt the blight is what you say.” The priest looked at James, his eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?” “Alton is dead,” James said. The priest looked shocked. “Farmer Alton is dead? Another victim of that wicked woman!” Looking past James, the priest shouted, “Is this not enough? Isn’t it time for us to act?” More voices were raised in agreement, but James heard Jazhara shout, “James, be wary! There is something not right here!” 269
James looked and saw that several of those who were shouting had a vacant expression, their staring eyes fixed and lifeless. James turned toward the priest, then with unexpected swiftness, reached out and grabbed at the amulet around the man’s neck. With a single yank, he tore it away and held it up. Before his eyes it shifted and changed, from the benign icon of Sung to a hand holding a black pearl. “These are servants of the Dark One! They must die!” shouted the priest, his hands reaching for James’s throat, fingers bent like talons. James tried to jump backward, but suddenly was seized by hands, holding him in place. He could hear Jazhara shouting, “The people are innocents! They are possessed! Try not to harm them!” James felt the priest’s fingers at his throat and shouted, “I’ll try to keep that in mind!” He let his body go limp and dropped away, the priest’s fingers slipping over his head for a moment. From the floor, James could not draw his sword, but he could reach the dagger that was tucked in the top of his right boot. He drew it and slashed upward, striking the priest in the leg. Father Rowland shouted in pain and fell backward, and James rolled his legs under him in a crouch as strong hands tried to hold him in place. Then he leapt forward with all his strength and, as he had hoped, the hands lost their grip upon him. Several townspeople stumbled forward, and he barely avoided being pulled down from behind. The priest was retreating. James glanced quickly from one side to the other. Jazhara was wheeling her staff, keeping the villagers at bay. Kendaric was being borne down, pinned to the floor by a pair of strong farmers, while another was attempting to kick him in the head. Brother Solon was using his warhammer to shove people away 270
as much as strike them, in his attempt to reach the wrecker’s side and render aid. James tossed his dagger from his right hand to his left, and drew his sword in one fluid motion. He shifted his blade and struck the closest man across the head with the flat; even so, the rapier’s thin blade still cut the man, but it wasn’t a deep wound. The blow sent the man staggering back a step, blocking those behind him for an instant. An instant was all James needed. He lunged forward, as Father Rowland began to weave a magic spell. Before the priest had finished, James had skewered him through the stomach. The man looked down in stunned amazement, then his eyes widened in pain as James yanked free his blade. Then the priest’s eyes rolled back into his head. But rather than fall, he continued to stand. His head lolled back and his mouth hung open, but from within a deep, alien voice declared, “Though our servant lies dead, our power remains undimmed. Taste the bitter draught of evil . . . and despair.” The priest crumpled to the floor and James wheeled, ready for the next attack, but rather than being assaulted, James was met with the sight of the townspeople standing around, blinking in confusion. Several looked at one another, or at Kendaric and Solon, or Jazhara, and then the babble of voices began. “What happened?” “How did we get here?” “Why are you bleeding?” James held up his hand and cried, “Silence!” Voices stilled. James continued, “This man was no priest of 271
Sung. He was an agent of the very darkness he claimed to be fighting. He kept you distracted from the true source of the evil.” One of the women in the group screamed. “The sun!” she shouted, pointing at the morning sun. James turned. It was even darker. “It’ll be night soon,” he said, not trying to explain what he couldn’t. “Get to your homes and bar the doors. We’ll see to the cause of this.” The villagers fled. Some had to be helped by friends, because of the battering they had taken from Jazhara’s staff and Solon’s warhammer, but James was relieved to see that the only corpse in the room was Rowland’s. Kendaric looked frightened, but he also seemed to have kept his composure. He brushed himself off as they all gathered around James. “Did the rest of you hear what he said?” James asked. “No,” answered Kendaric. “I was too busy being attacked.” Jazhara said, “I heard him speak, but not what he said.” “I heard it,” said Brother Solon. “He was an agent of darkness, there’s no doubt of that. That he could take the guise of a servant of the Pure One is troubling. Even a false icon such as he wore should be difficult to endure by a servant of evil.” “These are very powerful enemies,” said James. “I’ve heard that voice before.” “When?” asked Jazhara. “Years ago, from the mouth of a Black Slayer. The servants of Murmandamus.” “But Murmandamus was destroyed,” said Jazhara. Then she glanced at Solon and Kendaric, unsure of what more she should say. As Arutha’s court mage, James had told her some of the 272
truth behind Arutha’s slaying of the false moredhel prophet, and the recent troubles in the Dimwood, for there were rumors that he was still alive. James nodded. “I know he was, but while we may not be dealing with that black heart, we are certainly facing someone who is nearly his equal in power. And that means we’re up against something far more dangerous than we thought.” “You knew it was dangerous when we told you about our ship being taken,” said Solon. “You’re not backing out now, are you?” “No,” said James, glancing at the darkening sun. “Especially not now. I can feel things rushing forward and if we hesitate, I think we are lost.” He realized he was still holding his weapons and he put them up. “We don’t have time to send for reinforcements, and we don’t know how effective William will continue to be at keeping Bear away from here. I think this will end before more than two days pass, one way or the other.” “What now?” asked Kendaric, crossing his arms as if cold. James let out a long breath. “When darkness finally comes, those blood-drinkers will be back, and I think they are here for no other reason than to keep us busy. So whatever we do, we have to do it quickly.” He looked at Jazhara. “One thing strikes me. Rowland and Alton were too anxious to get rid of that witch for it to have only been about finding a scapegoat. There’s something about her they feared.” Jazhara said, “Then we should go talk to her.” Glancing at the sun, she added, “And quickly. I think we have less than two hours before night falls again.” James nodded. Walking past Jazhara he said, “Let us go visit the witch at Widow’s Point.” *
As they climbed the hillside toward Widow’s Point, the woods turned ominously dark. The fading sun created darker shadows on the trail than usual. “It’s like traveling at twilight,” whispered Solon. James laughed. “I feel the need to speak softly, too.” Jazhara said, “Stealth may be prudent, but time is fleeting.” As they rounded a bend in the trail, James held up his hand. “Someone’s ahead,” he whispered. They moved forward and James soon clearly saw a figure crouched in the gloom. It was a boy of no more than nine years of age. James walked up behind him, making no effort to be silent, yet the child’s attention remained fixed upon a small hut near the cliffs. When James put his hand on the child’s shoulder, the boy shouted in alarm and nearly fell down in surprise. “Don’t be afraid,” said Jazhara. “We mean you no harm.” The boy’s eyes were large with terror. “Who are you?” he asked. “I am Jazhara, and this is Squire James of Krondor. That’s Brother Solon, and Kendaric. Who are you?” The boy’s voice lost its quaver, but he still looked frightened. “I’m Alaric. I’m here to watch the witch. Pa says they’re going to burn her real soon, so I wanted to see her do some black magic stuff before they get her.” “I think you should hurry home before it gets much darker,” said James. Jazhara asked, “Is she in the hut now?” “I haven’t seen her. Sometimes she wanders the beach below Widow’s Point. I’d be careful; she’s really dangerous.” 274
James said, “Thank you. Now, get on home. Your family will be worried about you.” The boy didn’t need any more urging and turned and ran down the trail. They walked on toward the dwelling and James shouted, “Hello, in the hut!” There was no answer. James approached and climbed the single step to a wooden porch. The small stoop had an overhang from which hung a variety of gourds. Jazhara inspected the corpses of a couple of small animals hung there to dry and then an assortment of herbs. “This ‘witch’ is either a practitioner of magic or simply an old woman well-versed in the arts of remedy. I recognize several of these plants. They are used for poultices and herbal teas.” The hut had been constructed on a wooden platform, the porch extended out a few feet from the front wall. Looking down, Solon said, “At least she’s dry when it rains.” “And it rains a lot along this part of the coast,” Kendaric added. He wrapped his arms around himself as if he were cold and said, “Not only is it getting darker, but it feels like rain is coming.” “Just what we need,” said James. He pushed aside a piece of hide strung across the lintel, serving as a door. Inside the hut were a crude table and a single stool. A cauldron simmered before a fire. Kendaric looked at the brown mixture. “Not a witch? Then what’s that?” James walked over and inspected the bubbling liquid. He took a ladle from a hook over the fireplace and dipped it into 275
the cauldron. Raising it he sniffed, then sipped it. Turning to Kendaric he said, “Soup. And very good, too.” He replaced the ladle when a voice at the door said, “Come to burn me?” James turned to see a frail-looking old woman standing in the entrance, holding a bundle of sticks. “Well, don’t just stand there, staring. You expect an old woman to gather all the wood for her own burning?” The old woman looked barely larger than the child they had just sent home. Her skin was almost translucent with age, and her hair was completely white. Her tiny fingers looked like skin over bones, but she had all her teeth and her eyes were bright and alive. James smiled. “We’re not here to burn you, woman.” “Oh, that’s what they all say,” she said, pushing past Kendaric and throwing the bundle of sticks down next to the hearth. Jazhara said, “You practice magic?” The old woman sat down on her small stool and shrugged. “I know a thing or two. But mostly I mix up remedies for people, or tell fortunes.” Her eyes got a faraway look. “Sometimes I see things, but that’s . . . difficult. It’s rarely pleasant.” Kendaric said, “I’m from the Wreckers’ Guild in Krondor and I’ve tried to raise a ship recently sunk off the Point. Something is blocking my magic. It’s powerful and I need to know what it is.” The old woman studied Kendaric for a moment, then turned to face Jazhara. “You practice the craft?” Jazhara said, “I am the court magician to Prince Arutha.” “Ah,” said the old woman, a bemused smile on her face. “A woman magician. Time was you’d have been put to death for even claiming to know the arts in Krondor.” 276
“Times change,” said James. “In some ways, maybe,” said the old woman. “Others, not at all.” James said, “Well, perhaps someday we can sit in more comfortable surroundings and discuss it. But right now we have other worries.” He gestured outside at the fading sun. “I saw,” said the woman. “That’s why I thought you might be from the village, come to burn me.” Jazhara said, “That was ‘Father’ Rowland. He was rallying the villagers to come here and do just that.” “How did you stop him?” asked the woman. James said, “With my rapier. He was no priest of Sung.” “I could have told you that,” said the old woman. “His pores just oozed evil. I think that’s one of the reasons he wanted me gone; he realized I knew him to be a charlatan.” “There had to be another reason,” said Solon. “You would hardly have been a compelling witness against him just because you sensed the evil in him.” The woman nodded. “It is because I know the secret of Haldon Head and Widow’s Point.” James said, “Will the secret explain what is going on around here, and why we cannot raise that ship?” “Undoubtedly,” said the old woman. Jazhara asked, “What is your name?” The old crone paused and then laughed. “It’s been so long since anyone has called me anything but ‘witch’ or ‘old woman’ I can scarcely remember.” She sighed. “Call me Hilda.” “Hilda,” asked James. “What is the secret you spoke of?” The old woman looked around, as if fearful of being overheard. “Below the cliffs, in a deep cavern, lies an ancient place. 277
It is a temple of evil, older than the memory of the oldest living human.” “What sort of temple?” asked Solon, his hand reflexively going to the hilt of his warhammer. Hilda stood slowly and crossed to an old wooden chest. She threw back the lid and reached inside. From within she removed a small cloth pouch. Handing it to Solon, she said, “Open it.” The monk did so, and when he saw what was inside, he seemed loath to touch it. “This is like those others,” he whispered. He shook the thing into his hand and held it out. Upon his palm was a carved metal hand of either pewter or iron, within which rested a black orb, fashioned from a stone like obsidian. But unlike obsidian, however, it did not reflect the light of the fire. The old woman said, “I do not know who first built the Black Pearl Temple, but they were not human.” Solon put the artifact back into its pouch. “My order has a catalogue of every cult and faith known to man in the Kingdom, the East, and down through Kesh. As a Defender of the Faithful, I have studied those documents. I have never heard of such an order as the Black Pearl.” The old woman sighed. “And yet it exists.” She took the pouch from Solon. “What lies below the cliffs is a festering evil. It is partially to blame for why so many ships are drawn to their demise on the rocks below. It is why few try to farm the good land that lies between the village and my hut. Those who do try grow restless or fearful and leave after a season or two. Even the hunters avoid the woods around here.” “How is it you can abide?” asked Kendaric. “This,” said the old woman, holding up the pouch. “It is a 278
talisman and protects me from their evil, as if I were already one of their own. I’d like you to have it, for you face a grave challenge.” She looked into the eyes of each of her guests before handing the pouch to Solon, who accepted the gift with a nod of thanks. She sat down again, and said, “And it is more.” “What?” asked James. “It’s a key. If you go down the pathway to the rocks below, turn into what appears to be a small alcove fashioned by the sea in the rocks. There you will see a small, faint pattern in the rocks, at my eye level. With this key, a door in the rocks will open.” “You’ve seen this done?” asked Jazhara. “Yes,” said Hilda. “Many times I have spied upon those who come and go below. One of my talents is concealment. I was standing but a few feet from the porch when you passed, yet you had no inkling, right?” Jazhara smiled and nodded. “True.” “Have you tried to use this to get in?” asked James. “Yes,” admitted Hilda. “I’ve tried. But I did not get in.” “Why not?” asked Kendaric. “Because only those who are sworn in the service of those black powers in the temple can use it. I tried, but the door would not open.” James said, “Then how can we use the key?” “I believe you have one choice,” said the woman. “In the village a creature hides. I do not know who he is or what his name is, but that he is there is certain. He is the one who first infected those who became blood-drinkers. He is a servant of those dark powers below. I don’t understand his purpose, for it’s only a matter of time before the Prince comes to Haldon Head with his army to set things right.” 279
“We know why he’s here,” said James. “To keep us busy and away from the Point.” “So his master can raise the ship,” added Kendaric. “How do we use this knowledge to get inside the temple?” James probed. “Find the monster who has killed so many. Kill him and remove his hand at his wrist. Bind the talisman to the hand. Then the door should open.” “Where do we find this monster?” asked James. The old woman said, “There is an ancient crypt in the graveyard. The oldest family in this area, the Haldons, built it. None live today, but it is kept up out of respect for the town’s founder. Inside is where I think you’ll find the monster. And if you find him, you’ll find the cause of this darkness. And when you do, please return, so that I may know that I have not sent you to your death.” James said, “We must be going. For by the time we reach the graveyard, those things will be wakening, and I would rather put paid to this before they’re upon us.” They hurried from the hut and the old woman crossed to the door and stood there, watching them flee down the path toward the town. Softly she said, “May the gods watch over you, children.” Then she slowly hobbled back to her stool, to wait.
he sky darkened. As James and the others approached the south edge of town, where Hilda had indicated they’d find the burial crypt, the light faded. “It’s getting darker,” said Kendaric, his voice almost quavering with fear. “Expect the worst,” said Solon. “Assume the bleeders know we’re coming for them.” Kendaric asked, “Doesn’t your order have some sort of magic prayer-thing that makes these types of creatures just . . . vanish?” “Ha!” replied the monk. “Wish it were so, laddie. The only order with the power to do so are those who worship Lims-Kragma.” Kendaric glanced around. “I thought they’d be in league with these creatures.” “Nay, boy,” said Solon, the tension of the moment thickening his accent again. “They’re servants of the right order of things, and despise any creature that thwarts their mistress’s will. The creatures we’re facing are more of an abomination to her servants than they are to us. That’s why our 281
mission is to send them along to her so she can sort the buggers out.” “Well, here comes your chance,” said James as a half-dozen creatures appeared to rise up out of the gloom, from among a field of headstones. He drew his sword and dagger, but kept moving. “Don’t let them delay you too long. If Hilda is correct, once we locate their master and deal with him, these will fall.” Kendaric said, “So, you’re telling us to fight through these creatures, but be efficient about it?” “That’s wha’ the man said, laddie,” replied Solon, pulling out his warhammer, and swinging it before him in a lazy circle. “Just crack a head or cut off a leg or some such, and keep goin’.” Kendaric’s face was pale, but he attempted to look resolute. “Sure. No problem.” Jazhara said, “I’ll deal with this first batch.” She lowered her staff and the air crackled with energy. A brilliant flash of actinic light shot out, as if lightning had been released from a bottle. It bounced across the ground like a ball. As it landed before the first of the undead creatures, it split into smaller balls, each lashing out in electric fury to encapsulate the vampires. They stiffened and howled in agony as the crackling energy seared their flesh and rendered them motionless. James started to run. “We need to move fast!” he shouted. “There’s the crypt!” In the center of the small graveyard, a stone building rose, a small mausoleum with a peaked roof, its doors open. Within, they could see at least a half-dozen marble catafalques, upon which stone coffins rested. “Why couldn’t they burn their dead properly,” Kendaric muttered, “like the rest of the Kingdom?” “We’re close to Yabon,” said Solon. “Burial is still popular up here.” 282
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“For once,” said Jazhara, lowering her staff and pointing it toward the door, “I agree with Kendaric.” Inside the crypt, an eerie red glow illuminated figures moving behind the stone coffins. “We’ve got to fight our way in,” said James. Jazhara unleashed another bolt of energy and several of the creatures in the first row stiffened. James raced past them, only to be confronted by a burly-looking man, his skin pale and his eyes seeming to glow with a reddish light. Behind him, James spied another figure, not as bulky, but radiating immense power, and he knew he was looking at the master vampire. “Kill that one!” James shouted. The master vampire laughed. “Child of woe, I was dead before you were born!” The burly vampire lashed out at James, and his fingers were curled like talons. James didn’t attempt to parry the blow. Instead, he ducked below the swing, then rose and kicked out with his right leg, planting his boot in the vampire’s chest. He shoved and the burly man was thrown backward into the path of the Vampire Lord. Then James lunged and attempted to hamstring the approaching master vampire, but the creature leapt aside with astonishing speed. James suddenly felt afraid. Nothing living should move that quickly. James’s previous experience with the supernatural had been entirely unpleasant, and his one advantage in those cases had been his combination of instinct and speed. His plan had been to render the master vampire helpless by cutting his legs from under him, or otherwise injuring him, then leaving it to Jazhara to burn him with her mystical fire. He now saw that his plan was not going to work. “Get back!” James shouted. “We have to burn them in here!” 283
Solon crushed the skull of one vampire, and Kendaric managed to inflict enough damage on another that it was keeping its distance from him. Jazhara used her staff to good advantage, tripping two of the creatures and causing a third to fall over them. She now busied herself with breaking heads with her staff; but, as they had been warned, the damage merely slowed the creatures down rather than causing permanent damage. They started to retreat, Jazhara and Solon attempting to clear a path for James. James fought down panic. He had to back away from the pair of advancing vampires, and the burly man was shrewd enough not to let James trip him again. James risked a glance backward and almost had his head taken from his shoulders for his trouble. Only by lashing out with his rapier did he manage to drive the Vampire Lord back. Suddenly Solon charged forward, swinging his warhammer with both hands. He smashed it into the burly vampire’s chest, sending the creature flying backward thorough the air, into its master. The Vampire Lord was knocked off his feet, but again he sprang up with supernatural ease and speed, throwing the other vampire aside like a doll. The burly vampire, however, lay upon the stone floor, writhing in agony. The unexpected counterattack gave James the time he needed to leap away, through the doorway of the small mausoleum. “Close the doors!” James shouted. “Jazhara, burn them!” Jazhara lowered her staff and a gout of green flame exploded from its tip. Kendaric struggled with one door, while Solon easily moved the other. 284
As James watched, his eyes widening in disbelief, the master vampire walked through the flames, unburned. At last the doors slammed shut. Solon threw his weight against them. “We need to block them!” shouted James. Jazhara grabbed Kendaric by the collar of his tunic and pulled him around. “Stones!” she shouted as the wrecker almost fell over, only regaining his balance at the last moment. They hurried to a small headstone that rose from a grave and together managed to pull it out of the ground. “Thank you, whoever you were,” Jazhara directed toward the now-unmarked grave as she and Kendaric dragged the stone over to the mausoleum doors. James and Solon had thrown their shoulders against the doors that bulged outward as the master vampire threw his unnatural strength against them. First one, then another stone was piled in place, until the door refused to give. “I don’t know how much time we’ve bought,” said James, out of breath. “But I saw that thing walk through your fire, Jazhara. It didn’t faze him.” “Then I don’t know what to do.” she replied. “Maybe it has to be natural fire,” said Kendaric. “We could build a fire, then light a bundle of rags in oil. Toss it in.” “I doubt it would make a difference,” said the magician. She pondered. “Perhaps Hilda can tell us what to do.” Solon said, “You two run back to Hilda, while Kendaric and I endeavor to keep these doors shut.” As if to punctuate this statement, there came a dull thud from within the crypt and the doors shook and rattled against the headstones. “Hurry!” Solon urged. “He may not be able to move those stone doors, but he can certainly reduce them to rubble in time.” 285
James nodded, turned to look at Jazhara, who nodded. They set off at a jog back north through the town and toward Widow’s Peak. Nearly breathless, they reached the hut overlooking the cliffs. Hilda heard them approaching and came to stand out on the porch. “Naught goes well,” she observed. James nodded, attempting to catch his wind. He took a deep breath then said, “The master vampire won’t die.” “The Vampire Lord will be difficult to destroy,” said Hilda. “But he is no god.” “He will not burn,” said Jazhara. “Ah!” the old woman responded, looking thoughtful. “Then he has placed his essence somewhere else.” James looked at Jazhara who returned a blank expression. “I do not understand,” she said to Hilda. Hilda shrugged. “I am no expert. Necromancy is the foulest of the arts and to be shunned.” She paused, then added, “But over time one hears things.” “Such as?” asked James. “It is said that some of the servants of the dark powers are not truly living; even those poor souls captured by this vampire master have a thread of life within; cut it and they fade,” Hilda explained. “But a few of the more powerful servants of evil have conspired to rid their bodies of mortality completely.” “Then how do we destroy those?” asked Jazhara. “Find the soul vessel. To attain such power, sacrifices are made, and what one gains on one hand” – she held out one hand – “one loses on the other.” She extended her other hand. “To make the body immortal, the spirit essence is placed 286
somewhere close by. It is often protected by wards or hidden in such a way it is unlikely to be found.” “We don’t have time for this,” said James. “That Vampire Lord is strong. Even now he may be out of the crypt and have overcome Solon and Kendaric.” Jazhara said, “And if we lose Kendaric – ” James nodded grimly. “We had no choice but to leave him with Solon. But we must hurry.” Jazhara said, “Where should we look? Will it be in the crypt with the master vampire?” Hilda shook her head. “Unlikely. He will have brought it with him, but placed it someplace safe, as soon as he arrived.” “Where was the first place he was seen?” asked James. “The woodcutter’s cabin,” Hilda replied. “Then that’s where we’ll look,” said James. “Which way do we go?” “Run to Farmer Alton’s farm, and follow the road that passes east before his house. A mile beyond the last fence you’ll see a path into the woods and another mile beyond that is the woodcutter’s home. Tread lightly, for the Vampire Lord will have other allies.” James glanced around. “It’s almost as dark as night now. Have you a lantern or torches?” The old woman nodded. “Torches. I’ll get them.” She went inside and a moment later reappeared with three torches – one was burning; the remaining two were held in the crook of her arm. “These are all I have.” James took the burning one and Jazhara took the two others. James said, “They will have to do. Thank you, Hilda, for all your help.” “No thanks are needed.” 287
Jazhara said, “When all is done, I shall return and tell you of Stardock.” “I will listen,” said the old woman. James took a last look at the old woman’s face. “Good-bye,” he called. Then he turned, and hurried back toward the village. Jazhara followed him. The old woman watched until they were out of sight, then turned and slowly walked back into her hut. James and Jazhara ran most of the way, stopping only when feeling at risk. Through the town they went and onto the eastern road, until they left the road when they found the indicated trail. The forest was plunged into darkness, as if noon and midnight had exchanged places. Moreover, no moon illuminated the way, and the murk was both unnatural and ominous. The trail was well-traveled, but narrow, and James had to fight the urge to jump at every single noise. The daybirds had ceased singing, but the soft hooting of their nocturnal counterparts was also missing. The air was unnaturally still, as if the magic dampening the sun was also silencing the wind. Suddenly the night air was rent by the sound of a distant howl. It was quickly answered by others. “Wolves!” said James. “Hurry,” Jazhara cried, and James started to go at such a pace that they risked injury on the narrow trail. Dodging between the boles of trees and along rocky footing, they at last came to a small hut in a clearing. From within the hut came a red glow, which seeped through the cracks around the door and the tiny window next to it. 288
“Someone’s inside,” James cautioned. “Someone’s outside,” said Jazhara, pointing. Four figures emerged from behind the hut, all walking purposefully toward James and Jazhara. Jazhara lowered her staff and again blinding lightning spilled forth from the tip. The leaves on the ground smoked as the lightning bounced along to strike the four creatures. The vampires struggled to keep moving but their bodies just twitched and shivered uncontrollably. “Get inside!” Jazhara shouted. “I’ll deal with these.” James ran past the quivering figures, two having fallen to the ground where they flopped like landed fish. He hardly slowed, but lifted his right leg and kicked hard against the door, smashing it inward. A woman sat on a stool, appearing to care for a baby in a bassinet, but as soon as she turned at James’s intrusion it was clear that she was a vampire. She rose, snarling, from her stool and launched herself at James, her fingers clawed talons and her fangs bared. James dodged to one side and cut at the back of her leg, hamstringing her. She fell with a shriek of pain and outrage and James slashed her across the neck. His light blade struck bone and was turned aside, and at that moment he wished for a heavier blade. He pulled the rapier free of the woman’s neck and hacked away at her outstretched arms. She recoiled in pain, scrambled backward, then tried to rise. As she stood, James leapt forward, put his foot to her stomach and pushed her outside. Her wounded leg betrayed her: as she fell backward, James lashed out with his torch, catching the hem of her skirt with the flame and igniting it. 289
In moments the woman was rolling on the ground, trying to extinguish the blaze. James turned his attention to the interior of the hut. There was nothing in it except for a small table, the bassinet, and a bucket near the fireplace. There was no obvious hiding place, no chest or likely receptacle for an important item such as the vampire’s soul vessel. James stepped forward and looked into the bassinet. He grimaced at what he saw: the body of a baby lay in it. It had obviously been dead for some time. Its tiny body was shrunken, the skin stretched over the fragile bones. But what was most repulsive was the red light which emanated from its body. James hesitated, reluctant to touch the little corpse. Then, he put aside his revulsion and touched the child’s stomach. Something hard resisted his finger. He pulled out his dagger, swallowed hard and cut into the infant’s flesh. Inside the baby’s rib-cage a large ruby-colored stone glowed with an evil brilliance. James was forced to break two ribs to remove the object. By the time he had done so, Jazhara had reached the door. “They’re all dead – ” She stopped, aghast. “What is that?” James said, “I’m not sure, but I think the baby is the vessel.” Jazhara stared at the red jewel. “Then that would be the Soul Stone,” she mused. She closed her eyes and made an incantation, then opened them and said, “There is a great deal of magic locked within that gem. And it reeks of evil.” “What do we do with it?” asked James. “Take it outside,” said Jazhara. The howling of wolves could be heard, getting closer by the moment. “Hurry,” she insisted. James complied with alacrity. 290
Once they were both outside, Jazhara looked around. There!” she said, pointing to the woodcutter’s work-shed. In the corner was a small bellows and forge, where tools could be repaired and sharpened. She located at once what she was looking for. “Put the gem on this anvil,” she instructed. James did so. Jazhara reached over and took a small iron hammer and lifted it. “Avert your eyes!” she commanded, and James looked away. He heard the smash of the hammer on the gem, then felt his skin crawl. A wash of energy made him physically ill and he had to fight to keep from retching. Next came a sense of loss and haplessness, a futility that seeped into his bones; that was followed by a blast of anger and rage that caused his heart to race and his eyes to tear. He gasped and heard Jazhara also gasping. When he opened his eyes, he saw she had been unsuccessful in controlling her nausea. Despite feeling light-headed and disoriented, the howl of the approaching wolves made him focus; he forced himself to become alert. Then the sky shattered. Like a latticework of faint lines, the darkness was shot through with light. As if shards of a broken window fell from above, the black night disappeared. It looked as though pieces of the dark sky were falling down, only to dissolve and fade to insubstantial mist before striking the tops of the nearby trees. From behind each shard the brilliance of the day’s light shone. Then, abruptly, there was daylight again – total daylight. The howling of the wolf pack ceased, and the daybirds started singing. “I didn’t expect that,” said Jazhara. 291
“Well, expected or not, I’m glad to see the sun again,” James replied. He glanced in the direction of the fiery orb and remarked, “It’s barely midday.” “A lot has happened,” she said. “Come, we must return to the graveyard and see what has transpired there.” They hurried back through the town and down the road to the graveyard. Along the way they saw the townspeople looking out of their doors and windows, astonished and delighted at the return of daylight. A few hardier souls had ventured outside, and were now looking at one another as if seeking reassurance that something approaching normalcy was returning. They were out of breath and sweating from the returned heat of the sun by the time they reached the vault. Solon and Kendaric were still blocking the crypt door. “Where have you been?!” cried Kendaric. “You did something,” said the monk. “All manner of madness erupted inside here and then the sky above shattered. I assume the two were related?” “We found and smashed the soul-gem,” said Jazhara. James said, “I thought he would . . . die or something when we smashed the stone.” “I’m no expert in this sort of thing,” Jazhara mused. “Hilda might know more. But I’m wagering now that since the gem has been destroyed, we can find a way to destroy him, too.” Kendaric asked, “Can’t we just leave them locked up until they wither away?” “Not if he’s the source of whatever is blocking your spell.” Kendaric stood with a resigned expression on this face. Then he started to haul away the first of the headstones blocking the crypt door. “Care to give me some help?” 292
“Not really,” answered James, but he set to picking up another headstone. “Do we have a plan?” asked Solon. “We must cut off one of the Vampire Lord’s hands,” Jazhara reminded him. James said, “We let them open the doors. They don’t like the light, so maybe that will weaken them. I encountered a demon not too long ago whose flesh burned in the sunlight. Perhaps it’s the same with these.” “With the lesser vampires, perhaps,” said Solon, heaving away another stone. “But I suspect the master vampire will find it only somewhat irritating.” “Maybe we can kill them one at a time as they come through,” suggested Kendaric as he dropped a stone a few yards away, and returned to pick up another. The door started to move, as the vampires inside threw their weight against it. “We can’t burn them,” said Jazhara, “or at least we can’t burn the leader; we need his hand.” “Maybe we can get him to stick it out,” suggested Kendaric, “then lop it off and run like hell.” Solon chuckled. “We break heads and cut throats. It’s simple.” James stepped back from the doors as they began to push outward. “Yes, it’s simple.” Then the door swung suddenly outward and two figures leapt at him. “But that doesn’t mean easy!” James slashed the closest vampire across the throat as it staggered in the unexpected daylight. As soon as the sun touched the creature, its flesh started to blacken and it began to howl in pain. The second vampire turned and tried to reenter the crypt, but was pushed back by two more coming after it. Solon laid about 293
him with his warhammer and knocked them first to one side, then the other. Jazhara struck downward with the iron end of her staff, and soon three corpses lay smoking in the sunlight. James peered into the gloom of the crypt. The bright sun made the interior dark and indistinct. Nothing appeared to move. “I think we’re going to have to go in and get him,” James said softly. Turning to Kendaric, he nodded toward the wrecker’s sword. “You’ve got the only blade that could cut that thing’s head off. If we get him down, try not to chop either Solon or me while you’re at it.” Kendaric went pale, but nodded. James looked then at Jazhara and raised an eyebrow. Then he spoke again to Kendaric. “Should she be forced to set him alight, I want you to be ready to run in and chop off a hand.” Kendaric wiped perspiration from his upper lip with the back of his sleeve. “Which hand?” “Either should do, I think,” said James. He nodded once to Solon and they both charged into the crypt. They raced inside, one on either side of a central catafalque, their eyes darting to left and right. Three sets of three catafalques dominated the floor of the crypt and both men knew that crouched behind one of them was the Vampire Lord. As James reached the second set, he had a premonition. “Solon, look up!” he shouted. As the monk obeyed, a figure dropped from the peak of the roof, and only James’s warning saved him. Reacting swiftly, he spun and swung his warhammer, smashing the Vampire Lord’s ribs. The master vampire flew across the room, slamming into the stone wall before James, who swung his rapier and lunged, 294
attempting to skewer the creature on the floor, but with supernatural speed the creature was up and on his feet, slipping right past James’s sword. Then a second vampire dropped from above, and suddenly James was borne down to the floor. The stink of carrion assaulted his sense of smell as he struggled against the power and weight of the two vampires. “Solon!” he shouted. The powerful monk closed upon the three figures on the floor in two strides. He gripped one by the collar of his tunic and threw him toward the door. The creature slid into the light of day and started to shriek in agony. Kendaric stepped forward and with as powerful a blow as he could muster he chopped off the creature’s head. Jazhara cried, “Duck!” At once, Solon crouched. Jazhara pointed her staff upward and unleashed a blast of green fire. The flames danced along the stone ceiling and two more vampires fell, writhing in burning agony. James found himself struggling against the strongest foe he had ever grappled with. The Vampire Lord was only the size of a tall man, but his hands gripped James’s chin and turned his head as easily as James might have turned a child’s head. As hard as he tried, James could not resist. His neck muscles felt as if they were being ripped apart, and he tried desperately to keep his head turned toward his foe. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the creature’s fangs, and realized with horror that he was about to have his throat ripped out. Frantically, he tried to convulse his body to buy himself a moment of freedom, but the Vampire Lord had the strength of three men. Then he saw Solon appear behind the vampire. The powerful monk gripped the monster by his long flowing hair 295
and yanked his head back. James heard Jazhara shout, “Close your eyes!” Jabbing with the end of her staff, Jazhara smashed the Vampire Lord right in the mouth. His eyes opened wide with surprise and he froze for a moment as if appalled by this unexpected attack. Then Jazhara uttered a quick phrase and energy exploded from the tip of her staff. The creature’s head erupted in a gout of white flame, and the room filled with the stench of burning flesh. The Vampire Lord rose howling and Jazhara pulled her staff free. James scrambled backward the instant he felt the weight lift from his body. Kendaric hurried over and with careful aim threw his weight behind his blade, and in a single circular motion sheared the creature’s head from its body. The Vampire Lord’s body fell like a stone. Kendaric looked as if he was going to be sick. James said, “Thank you; all of you.” Looking at Kendaric, he added, “Cut off the hand.” Kendaric shook his head and reversed the blade, holding it out to James. “If you don’t mind, you do it. I don’t think I have it in me anymore.” Then his eyes rolled up into his skull and he fell to the floor in a faint. Later that afternoon, they took their ease at the inn. James savored a bitter, refreshing draught of ale, while trying to ignore the pain in his wrenched neck. “What now?” asked Kendaric, still embarrassed at having fainted. “We wait until morning,” said James. “We are all tired and 296
in need of rest. Then at first light we’ll try to raise the ship. If it fails, we’ll know Hilda was right and it’s not just the Vampire Lord but whatever’s down there in that temple.” “What about help?” asked Kendaric. “I’ll send for the garrison down in Miller’s Rest in the morning. They’ll be here in two days.” “Do we wait?” asked Solon. “No, we’ll explore the old temple. I’ve done that sort of thing a few times before. It’s unlikely there’s anyone down there. If there were, someone from the village would have seen something before this recent outbreak of trouble.” Jazhara sipped her ale, then said, “I am still disturbed by two things.” James nodded. “Who’s behind all this?” “Yes,” said the magician. “It’s clear that someone wants to keep this area isolated and allow his minions to seize the prize.” She glanced around to see if any of the locals in the inn could overhear her. “The Tear,” she said softly. “What’s the other thing that troubles you, lady?” asked Solon. “Where are William and the Krondorian Guard?” Jazhara said. James understood the double reference at once, for while Solon and Kendaric would assume she was concerned only about Bear’s whereabouts, he knew she also was worried about William’s safety. James sipped his ale. He thought about those two issues and realized he was just as troubled as Jazhara by them.
illiam watched. Just above the top of distant trees, he could see Two Fangs Pass, silhouetted in black relief by the rising sun. Two large rocks, one to each side of the trail, rose up like a viper’s fangs, giving the place its name. On either side of the fangs two clearings could be seen. As he faced north, William could see that a stand of thick forest bordered the right-hand clearing and rose up the hillside. On the left, a clearing topped a cliff overlooking a deep river gorge. “Are they here already, do you think?” asked Sergeant Hartag. “I can feel it in my bones,” replied William. “Tonight’s the new Small Moon and this is the morning the Grey Talons were supposed to lead us to the slaughter.” “We did the best we could getting here, Will,” said Hartag. “If we’d pushed any more the horses would be dead and the men couldn’t fight.” “Well, at least we know we’re in for a fight and they’re out there somewhere.” “How do we play it?” asked the sergeant. “You’re an old campaigner, Sergeant. What’s your thought?” 298
The sergeant was quiet as he considered, then he said, “They’re certain to be in those trees. But I’ll wager Bear’s got a dozen or so lying low in that meadow on the left, by the cliff. It rises then falls off behind, and I think he’s got some archers crouched down over there, where we can’t see them. I think his plan is to bait us to charge the pass, so the lads flee over the summit. Then we come hard right after them, and as we get to the Fangs, he hits us from the right, and as we wheel to charge, his archers take us from behind.” “That’s my thinking, too,” said William. “So if we see him put riders up there on the crest, watching for the mercenaries’ arrival, we know you’re right.” Less than an hour later, a pair of riders appeared from out of the line of the woods and took up position at the bottom of the rise. “Well,” said William. “Looks like we’ve found the Bear.” “Shall I send the Pathfinders?” “Send them up through the trees and have them get up as far as they can, and report back on numbers. I want them back here by midday at the latest.” Time passed slowly while they waited, and William gave orders for the men to ready themselves for a fight. He suspected Bear had a larger body of men hidden in the woods. William was counting on the absence of the Grey Talon mercenaries to tip the balance in his favor. A little before midday the two Pathfinders, Maric and Jackson, returned. “There’s about fifty of them scattered through the woods, sir.” “Horse or foot?” “Both. Looks like they plan on tempting us by showing us foot, then riding horse over us once we take the bait.” 299
William considered and said, “We can’t play his game.” He knew he was outnumbered: his thirty-six men against Bear’s fifty or more. “Take a half-dozen men into the trees,” he ordered the Pathfinders. “No matter what you hear, wait, then when you hear Bear’s men given the order to leave the woods, strike from behind. Don’t linger, but draw off as many of the horsemen as you can.” He pointed to the left side of the pass. “That’s where we hit first.” “How do we proceed?” asked Hartag. “Thirty of us ride calmly to there” – he pointed to a large boulder near the bottom of the rise – “and then we charge the archers. We take them out as fast as we can, and force Bear to charge us. Either he’s on foot or he’s forced to retreat and mount. If Jackson, Maric, and the others can draw off some of his riders, he’ll be forced to reorganize on the fly. Either he retreats and we keep following, or he charges us piecemeal and gives us the chance we need to finish him.” “If he retreats?” “We follow and don’t press until it’s to our advantage. As much as I want that murderous dog, our mission is successful if we keep him from his goal.” “And that is?” asked the sergeant. “Widow’s Peak above Haldon Head.” The sergeant glanced around. “By my reckoning, sir, that’s where he’s leading us.” William said, “What?” Sergeant Hartag said, “Over that rise, to the west, you’ll find a trail that cuts over those peaks and leads down into a woodland just east of Haldon Head. It’s less than two days’ hard ride from here. If we left now, we’d be there at sundown tomorrow.” 300
“Damn,” said William. “It’s not on any maps I’ve seen.” The sergeant smiled. “Lots of things don’t get put on the royal maps, Will. Best to always ask travelers when you can, or the lads who grew up in the area.” “Thanks. I’ll remember that.” “So, what then?” “Then we don’t let him get away.” Will looked around. “Surprise is all we have going for us. They outnumber us, so if the fight goes badly, make for the river below.” Hartag said, “The river? Are you daft, Will? Even if we could survive the fall, those rapids below will drown a man quicker than – ” “No. If we start taking a beating, rally the men and head south. If he’s bound for Haldon Head, he will not follow. We’ll retreat to the portage we passed yesterday, and build rafts. We can get to Haldon Head before Bear if we use the river while he’s forced to rest his horses.” “Ah,” said the sergeant. “So you weren’t suggesting we jump from that cliff over there?” “Well, if it’s that or be killed . . .” “Last resort, it is,” said Hartag. William shaded his eyes as he surveyed their surroundings once again. “How soon?” “Maric and the others should be in place now.” “Pass orders. We form up and ride at a trot until I give the command, then charge the left.” “Understood.” William waited while the men formed up, and when everyone was in position, he took his place at the head of the column. Glancing at Sergeant Hartag, he half-whispered, “First time in my life I’m wishing Captain Treggar was here.” 301
Hartag laughed. While Treggar was an above-average officer, he had been a thorn in the side of every other bachelor officer at the garrison since before William’s arrival, and while he and William had come to a sort of understanding based on mutual respect, he was still a tough man to be around socially. The sergeant said, “Yes, despite his crust, he’s a man for a tight spot.” “Well, as he’s not here, it’s my neck on the chopping block. Ride!” The column moved forward at a trot. William felt his stomach tighten and forced himself to breathe slowly. As soon as he heard the twang of a bowstring or sharp clatter of metal upon metal, he knew he would lose his edginess and achieve a state of mental clarity that never failed to surprise him despite the many battles in which he had fought. In the course of a fight, chaos was the rule, and whatever plans he had made always evaporated during the first moment of contact with the enemy. Early on, William had discovered that in battle he could somehow sense how things were going and what needed to be done. Despite his falling-out with his father over his choice to leave the community of magicians at Stardock and join the army, William knew this was his true calling, the craft for which he was particularly gifted. His horse snorted in excitement, and William sent the animal calming, reassuring thoughts. There were times when his singular ability to speak mentally to animals had its uses, he thought. When William’s column reached the lowest portion of the road, the two decoy riders appeared above the crest. They made a show of riding a few yards over the crest, being “surprised,” and turning to flee. 302
William raised his arm and shouted, “Charge!” But rather than follow the decoy riders up the hillside, the men turned and charged across the meadow. The meadow rose to a small flat area before quickly dropping off. As William had anticipated, about a dozen archers crouched on the grass, ready to rise up and fire at William’s men from behind. Suddenly they had cavalry upon them and while a few got shots off, most were ridden down and killed before they could rally. William ordered his men to form a line, then reined in his horse. The orders were simple. Stand until the enemy showed himself. As expected, Bear’s reaction didn’t deviate much from what William had predicted. A band of footmen raced from the trees and stood as if ready to charge. William did a quick head-count and saw that eighteen had been placed as bait. That meant over thirty men on horses were waiting just inside the woods. “Steady!” he commanded. Bear’s men stood in line and when it was apparent they weren’t going to be charged, they started pounding their shields and taunting the Krondorians. “Steady!” repeated William. The two sides stood facing one another for long, tense minutes, and Hartag asked, “Should we raise the stakes, Will?” “Do so,” instructed the young officer. “Archers!” shouted Hartag, and a half-dozen Krondorians switched weapons. “Draw and fire at will; fire!” he commanded and the Krondorian archers let loose their arrows. Six of Bear’s men fell. By the time the bowmen had nocked and drawn their second set of arrows, the remaining twelve mercenaries had turned and were in full flight. They reached the trees and vanished into the gloom. The bowmen let loose, 303
but there were no targets on the other side by the time the arrows struck. “Shoulder those bows!” commanded Hartag. The bowmen did as ordered, then drew swords and hefted their shields. Silence fell. Bear and his men waited for the Krondorians to charge; but William was determined they would fight in the open. “What now?” asked one soldier nearby as they waited. Hartag said, “We see who scratches their ass first, my boy.” William sat and wondered how long they’d have to wait. Kendaric stood on the reef at Widow’s Point, looking at the mast of the ship Solon had previously identified. He said, “Keep an eye out for any more of those creatures who tried to stop us last time.” James pulled his sword and said, “Get on with it.” Kendaric tried his spell again, and again it failed. He turned and said in frustration, “Nothing. Something still blocks it.” Jazhara shrugged. “As we suspected it would. Hilda told us that the Vampire Lord was not the ultimate evil.” “Time is short. We need to find that cave,” suggested Solon. They returned to the beach behind the reef and found the cave with surprising ease. It was shallow, only a dozen yards deep, and the morning light from outside cut through the gloom. At the rear of the cave they found a pattern of stones. James pressed on one, experimentally, and it moved. He listened. There was no sound. “It’s not mechanical,” said James. “Which means it’s magic,” said Jazhara. “And that means I don’t know how to pick this lock.” 304
“What next?” asked Kendaric. “We have the hand and the artifact,” said Solon. James unshouldered his backpack and took out the talisman and the vampire hand. He wrapped the fingers of the dead hand around the charm and raised it to the portal. He tried a half-dozen combinations of pressure and patterns, and finally put it down. “Hilda didn’t tell us everything,” James observed as he replaced the items in his backpack. “But she did tell us to return,” Jazhara reminded him. “Let’s go ask her,” said James. He reshouldered his pack and stood up. The walk up to the top of the point took less than a half-hour. Hilda was waiting for them when they reached the hut. “Got the vampire, did you?” she asked. “Yes,” said James. “How did you know?” “It didn’t take magic, boy. If you hadn’t gotten him, he’d have gotten you and you wouldn’t be standing here.” She turned and said, “Come in and listen.” They followed, and once inside the old woman said, “Give me the hand.” James opened his backpack and gave her the creature’s hand. She took a large iron skillet from a hook above the fire and placed the vampire’s hand in it. Thrusting it into the flames, she said, “This is the unpleasant part.” The flesh of the creature’s hand shriveled and blackened, then a putrid blue flame sprang up around it. In a few moments, only blackened bones remained. She pulled the pan out and set it on the stone hearth. “Let it cool for a moment.” 305
“Can you tell us something of what we face?” asked Jazhara. Hilda looked grim. “That is why I didn’t tell you about the need to reduce the creature’s hand to ash. That is why I didn’t give you the pattern of the lock.” She looked from face to face. “You are about to face a great evil and I had to know you are worthy. Your defeat of the Vampire Lord shows that you have the necessary determination and bravery. But you face a far worse foe. “For many years I’ve known the Black Pearl Temple was under the cliffs. I have never been able to see inside, except by my arts. And what little of that I can see is evil beyond imagining.” “What ‘great evil’ do you speak of?” asked Solon. “Where to start?” asked Hilda rhetorically. “The sailors who’ve died offshore, and there have been many, have never known true rest. Instead, their souls are enslaved to whatever dark power rules in the temple. I can feel its presence, like a great eye. It was closed for years, but now it is open and it is watching this area.” James thought about the battle at Sethanon, when the false prophet of the moredhel, Murmandamus, captured the dying energy of his servants to fuel his attempt to seize the Lifestone under Sethanon. “So we can assume that this plan – whatever it is,” he added quickly, so as not to inadvertently mention the recovery of the Tear to Hilda, “has been underway for a great deal of time.” “Assuredly,” said Hilda. She stood and moved over to her chest, opened it and retrieved an artifact. “But the eye didn’t know that it was being watched.” She held out a long, slender object, a wand or stick seemingly fashioned from frosty crystal. “I dared used this but once, and I have put it away since in 306
anticipation of this moment. I caution you, what you see may be disturbing.” She waved the object in the air and intoned a spell, and suddenly a rift appeared in the air before them, black, but somehow with the suggestion of color within. Then an image sprang to life, and they could see the interior of a cavern. An ornate mirror hung on a stone wall. They could see a figure approaching, reflected in the mirror before them, and Jazhara and Solon both muttered quiet oaths. The figure was one James had seen before, or rather its like, a long-dead priest or magician, animated by the black arts. He had faced such a one as this under the ancient abandoned Keshian fortress in the south of the Kingdom months before, and knew that there was a link between what had been discovered there and what was occurring now. The figure waved a bony hand and the image of a man appeared in the mirror. The man was hawk-beaked, with eyes that seemed to possess a burning black fire. His pate was bald, and he let his long gray hair flow down around his shoulders. He wore clothing of nondescript fashion, looking as much like a merchant as anything else. Then they heard the voice of the undead magician. “They come,” he said. The man in the mirror asked, “Is the guildsman with them?” “As planned. They will be sacrificed at dawn. Do you have the amulet?” “No,” answered the man. “My pawn still has it.” The undead creature said, “You held it, but it was the voice of our god that filled it with power. It has chosen another, just as it chose you over me.” 307
The man in the mirror evidenced irritation at that comment. “But he is not worthy of the power.” “Nevertheless, without the amulet, we cannot proceed.” “I will find him. And when I do . . .” Suddenly the image shifted and there upon the rocks of Widow’s Point a gathering of creatures from the lowest depths of hell stood arrayed. James could barely resist the urge to speak, for he recognized some of these creatures, but others were even more fearsome and powerful. Finally, he whispered, “Who is that?” Hilda said, “A mage of most puissant and dark powers, boy. I know not his name, but I know his handiwork, and he is allied with forces even darker than those you see in the image. Watch and learn.” The man turned to face the assembled creatures, and James’s eyes widened as he saw his own body lying on the rocks, his chest torn open as if by a great hand. Nearby lay Solon and Jazhara. Still alive but bound like a calf to the slaughter, Kendaric struggled against his ropes. A massive amulet with a blood-red ruby hung from a chain around the man’s neck. And in one hand he held a long blade of black. In the other he held a huge stone of ice blue. Solon whispered, “The Tear!” With a single motion, the magician knelt and cut into Kendaric’s chest, then plunged his hand into the cavity and ripped out Kendaric’s heart. Holding the still-beating organ, he dripped blood over the Tear as the magician turned to show it to the demons. The Tear’s color changed from ice blue to blood red and the throng shouted in triumph. Suddenly, the picture vanished. Hilda said, “Don’t let these visions overwhelm you.” 308
Kendaric sounded on the edge of hysteria. “But they’re going to kill me! Us!” Hilda said, “They’re going to try, boy. But the future is not set in stone. And evil is most adept at seeing what it wants to see. That’s its weakness. It doesn’t anticipate the possibility of failure. And now you do; and more, you know the price of your failure.” “Then these visions . . . ?” asked Jazhara. “Serve as a warning. You now know more about your enemy, and what he plans, than he does about you. He knows you seek to recover the Tear of the Gods – ” Solon’s hand dropped to his warhammer. “How do you know this, woman?” Hilda waved her hand dismissively. “You are not the only ones who know how the universe plays, Ishapian. I was old before your grandmother was born and if the gods are kind, I’ll live until your grandchildren die. But if I do not, I will have been a servant of good in my own way, and that contents me. Perhaps it is my fate only to be here to teach you, and after you succeed or fail, I will end my days. I do not know. But I do know that should you fail, I will not be alone in meeting a terrible ending. “Always remember, visions are potent magic, but even the best of visions is only an illusion, a reflection of possibilities. You still can change your future. And you must!” She rose. “Now go, for time is short and there is much you must do. That creature you saw is called a liche in the old tongue. He is alive by the most powerful and blackest arts. He will lead you to whatever it is that prevents you from raising the ship. You must find him, destroy him, and end the plague that causes sailors to be entombed in their drowned vessels, servants of darkness 309
to walk the night, and old women to have bad dreams. And you must do so before the other appears, for he is even more dangerous, I judge, and for him to have that amulet . . . well, you saw what he plans.” Hilda stood and walked over to the now-cool skillet. “Brother Solon, the talisman, if you please.” Solon took the pouch from inside his tunic. At Hilda’s instruction, he held open the sack as the old woman positioned a small silver funnel over the pouch’s mouth and poured the ashen remains of the vampire hand into the bag. Taking the pouch from Solon, Hilda retied the strings, murmured a brief incantation, and shook the bag before handing it back to the monk. “Now,” she said, “you have the key to the temple. To use it, you must make the following pattern at the rock-face door.” She traced a pattern in the air, a simple weaving of four movements. “Then the door should open.” Jazhara said, “Please show us again.” Hilda repeated the pattern and James and Jazhara both nodded. Jazhara took the old woman’s hand. “You are truly amazing. You are a storehouse of wisdom.” She glanced around. “When I first entered this place, I was astonished by your knowledge of medicinal and magical herbs and plants. Now I see you have much more to offer. I will return when we are done and tell you of Stardock. It would profit the world for you to join the community there and share your wisdom.” The old woman smiled, but there was a shadow of doubt in her eyes. “First return, girl. Then we’ll talk.” Jazhara nodded and then followed the others outside. The old woman watched them retreat. When they had at 310
last vanished into the trees, she moved back to the fire, for she felt a chill, in spite of the warmth of the sun. “Now!” William shouted, pointing to the tree-line. As one, his men spurred on their horses and charged the riders who were thundering out of the woods. It had taken nearly an hour for Bear to run out of patience and now William felt he had a chance, since they were fighting on open ground. He might be outnumbered, but he knew his men were better armed and trained. As the Krondorians charged across the road, William prayed silently that his eight raiders at the rear of Bear’s men were distracting them enough to divide their forces. “Keep the line! Watch your flanks!” shouted Sergeant Hartag, and the Krondorians pointed their swords, keeping their bucklers ready to block, their reins lashing the necks of their mounts, as they urged their horses on. William’s world turned to a blur of images. As it always did in combat, he found his attention focused on one thing and one thing only: the man before him. A rider came in, rising up in his stirrups, his sword high to come down hard at William’s head or shoulders. In a fluid motion, William leaned to the right, raised his left arm above his head, and let his buckler deflect the blow, while his own short-sword slashed at the rider’s right leg. The man cried out and then William was past him. William didn’t know if the man had kept his seat or fallen, and he didn’t look to see. For in front of him another rider was charging toward him, and in an instant the first rider was forgotten. This man came in from William’s left side, giving the young officer an easy block, but making a counter-strike with the short-sword difficult. For an instant, William appreciated 311
the Keshian’s use of the scimitar, with its long curved blade, or even the Eastern Kingdoms’ saber for fighting on horseback. A longer, lighter blade would serve better now. William let the thought slip away as he timed his response. At the last instant, he ducked under the blow, instead of blocking it, and wheeled his horse about, then spurred it on after the rider who had just passed. The man was bearing down on a dismounted Krondorian soldier when William overtook him. A single blow from behind and the man was unseated, tumbling hard to the ground and rolling to his death at the hands of the soldier he had been attempting to ride down just seconds before. Suddenly William’s luck took a turn for the worse. His horse screamed and he felt it going out from under him. Without thinking, he kicked loose of his stirrups and let the horse’s momentum throw him from the saddle. He let go of his short-sword, but gripped his buckler tightly. He tucked in his chin and tried to roll on his left shoulder, using the buckler as a point of leverage, unable to use his shoulders because of the long-sword in the sheath across his back. The roll brought him to his feet behind a mercenary who was fighting one of William’s men. William bashed the man with his buckler, letting the other soldier kill him. In a flash he secured his buckler to his belt, then reached over his shoulder and drew his long-sword, ignoring the sting from his protesting, bruised muscles. William laid about him with two-handed efficiency. As always, the world contracted around him as he concentrated on staying alive. But through it all he still had a sense of the flow of battle and he knew things were not going well. A squad of Bear’s horsemen emerged from the woods, 312
bloodied and looking over their shoulders. The eight raiders at the rear of the struggle had obviously done some damage, but now the battle was about to swing Bear’s way. William cut down a mercenary before him, and then stood still for a second. He sent one image with all his strength at the charging horses: Lion! He attempted to mimic the loud roar of the great lions of the northern forest and suggested the scent of the hunter on the wind. The horses went crazy, bucking and snorting, several throwing their riders. William turned and started hacking at another opponent. Moments later, he realized that the mercenaries were fleeing. William spun full circle and saw his men either chasing those who were running or converging on the single knot of Bear’s men who held fast and continued to fight. William felt a rush of exultation. The battle was on the verge of being won. And he now knew where his enemy stood. He ran forward, eager to engage Talia’s murderer, to dispense vengeance. As he closed on him, something caused his hair to stand on end, and he recognized that magic was in play. He recalled his experience as a boy at Stardock and instantly knew that his anticipation of victory had been premature. A Krondorian staggered toward William, blood running down his face. “William!” the man cried as he fell to his knees. “He’s immune to our weapons!” Then he collapsed. William saw other men falling away. Bear’s companions had no such immunity, and by the time William reached the conflict, Bear stood alone. Like his namesake creature brought to bay, Bear stood defiantly, surrounded by a circle 313
of six Krondorian soldiers. “You call that an attack!” he shouted in defiance. Chills ran down William’s spine when he saw one of his men strike Bear from behind, only to see the blade of the sword glance off his back as if he wore invisible armor. Bear deftly reversed his sword, and stabbed backward, gutting the soldier. His one good eye was wide with madness. He laughed as if it were all a child’s game. “Who’s the next to die?” he shouted. While Bear’s sword was reversed, one Krondorian took the opportunity to lunge at him, but the blade glanced off his arm without leaving a mark. Bear didn’t even bother to pull his sword from the dying man behind him; he simply kicked the man in front of him in the face, sending him sprawling. “You puny excuse for a soldier! You wouldn’t last a day in my company!” William spied the amulet around Bear’s neck. He saw the red stone in the center aglow with a bloody light and knew that was where Bear’s power came from. William grabbed the shoulder of one of his men. “Get to his right side and distract him!” he ordered. William’s plan was desperate, but he could see it was his only choice; somehow he had to get that amulet off Bear’s neck. William looked as if he was hesitating, and at that moment the other soldier struck at Bear. Despite being invulnerable, Bear had human reflexes and he turned toward the blow. At once, William thrust with his long-sword rather than cutting, but instead of trying to skewer the man he attempted to get the point of his sword under the heavy chain around Bear’s neck. The links of the chain were large enough that William hoped he could flip the amulet like this, and then take great pleasure in killing him. 314
Instead, Bear reacted with unnatural speed, reaching out and grabbing the heavy blade. Shock ran up William’s arms as the blade froze as if stuck in a vise. With an evil smile and a mocking laugh, Bear looked at William. “Smart one, are you?” Ignoring the frantic attacks by William’s men on his back and side, Bear moved toward William, forcing him to retreat or let go of his sword. William released the hilt of his sword and dove for Bear’s legs. He tackled the man at mid-thigh, and lifted. Bear’s own momentum added to William’s lift and sent the huge pirate flying over William’s shoulders. “Pile on him!” William commanded. Instantly a half-dozen soldiers obeyed, leaping atop Bear and attempting to pin him to the ground. “Get that amulet off his neck!” William shouted. Men clawed frantically at the chain as William ran around to try and seize the amulet. The pile of men heaved, but with unbelievable power Bear rose up, shaking the men from his back as a father might his playful children. He slapped William’s hand away and shouted, “Enough!” With evil glee, Bear reached out with his right hand and crushed the throat of one man near him, while smashing the skull of another with a backhanded blow from his left. William stepped back, his eyes wide with shock as Bear systematically killed every man within reach. The remaining two men backed away from behind Bear, and William shouted, “Run!” They needed no second command and turned to flee. Now Bear faced William. He took one step toward the young officer. William feigned a move to his left, but then leapt to 315
his right; Bear countered the move, staying between William and the road. Suddenly William knew he had no other choice. Bear had been playing with his men the entire time. They had routed his mercenaries, but he himself was invulnerable, and he had lured them close enough to kill as many as possible with his bare hands. William turned and ran straight for the cliffs. Bear hesitated, then gave chase. William didn’t look behind him, for he knew even a half-step could be the difference between escape and death. A leap off the cliffs would give him a chance, albeit a very slim one. Reaching the edge of the cliffs William resisted the urge to slow and look down. Trusting to blind chance, he ran off the cliffs, kicking out as far out as possible, hoping he could hit the deepest part of the river below, a fall of nearly one hundred feet, for otherwise the rocks would surely kill him. The fall seemed to last forever, with Bear’s curses ringing in his ears. Then William struck the water and crashed into darkness.
SIXTEEN
ames hesitated. He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded to himself. The pattern he had discovered in the rock face matched with what he remembered Hilda telling him. He took the ash-covered artifact and touched each plate in sequence, then waited. They felt a low rumbling through the soles of their feet, then a section of the wall moved back, and slid to the left. James took out a torch and lit it. They moved slowly into a dark entrance hall. It appeared to be carved out of the stones of the cliff, a rough tunnel somewhat resembling an abandoned mineshaft. “Wait,” James said as they went through. He watched the door, silently counting. After a little more than one minute, it slid shut. He examined the wall around the door and found the release mechanism. He tripped it and the door slid open. Then he motioned for them to continue to wait and counted again. At approximately the same interval as before, it shut. James knelt and put the artifact back into his pack. “Just in case there’s another lock down the passage.” 317
Kendaric said, “Well, it’s good to know we can get through there in a hurry without it, if need be.” “Agreed,” said Solon. They started to walk slowly down the corridor, two abreast. James and Jazhara were in the lead, Solon and Kendaric close behind them. After traveling a hundred yards, Solon said, “Hold a moment.” He pointed to a spot on the wall and said to James, “Hold your torch there.” James did so and Solon inspected the wall. “This tunnel is ancient,” he said. “Centuries old. It was carved out of the rock long before the Kingdom came to these shores.” “How do you know?” asked Kendaric. “You spend your boyhood with dwarven lads, you pick up a thing or two about mining.” “But these tracks aren’t old,” James said as he turned his attention to the ground beneath them. Kendaric looked down. “What tracks?” James pointed to odd bits of sand and mud at various intervals. “There’s no dust, but these bits are fresh, no doubt from boots that have been past here recently.” He peered into the darkness ahead. “Keep alert.” Kendaric said, “As if you need to tell us, Squire.” They proceeded slowly, and moved deeper into the cliffs below Widow’s Point. They walked in tense silence for ten minutes until they reached a portal that opened into a large chamber that they entered with caution. The firelight from James’s torch cast eerie shadows on the rough-hewn rock walls. Solon’s hand flew reflexively to the hilt of his warhammer when he spied the first skeleton. Nine 318
niches had been carved into the walls at intervals around the chamber. In each stood a skeleton wearing an ornate suit of armor; all had weapons and shields at their sides. A complex set of symbols had been carved into the stone floor, just deep enough to be seen in the flickering torchlight, without fully revealing their pattern. As best as James could judge, the chamber was nearly thirty feet in height, a vast half-circle dominated by the far wall. As they approached the wall, its bas-relief design was revealed. “Gods!” Kendaric whispered. Creatures of nightmare were depicted in myriad ways, many of them involved with humans, frequently being sacrificed. The depravity of the scenes was abundantly clear. Solon said, “Hike yer torch up, laddie!” in the thickest brogue they’d heard so far. James lifted his torch to throw more illumination as they neared the wall. “Abide!” instructed Solon, as he reached out toward Jazhara. “Lass, another brand! Hurry!” Jazhara unwrapped a torch and handed it to the monk, who lit it from the one James held. He handed it to Kendaric and said, “Stand ye over there!” pointing to the left. “What?” “Ah said, stand over there, y’ stone-crowned loon.” Solon took another pair of torches from Jazhara and lit them. He gave a torch to Jazhara, and instructed her to stand over to the right. He raised a torch himself and walked forward. As he did so, the entire panorama of the carvings was revealed. “By the Holy Saints and Heroes of Ishap,” he whispered. “What is it?” asked James. “Ya see the center, lad?” Solon pointed to a blank area that 319
looked like a round window, around which the most horrible of the creatures knelt in worship. “Yes,” James said, “it’s empty.” “Nay, ’tis not empty, m’friend. It’s occupied by somethin’ ye canna see.” Solon paced back and forth along the wall, stopping occasionally to study closely one detail or another. Finally, he wedged his torch into a pile of rocks, and motioned to the others that they could lower their arms. “What is this all about?” asked Kendaric. Solon fixed each of his companions in turn with an unsmiling stare. “You must all remember what I say now. Engrave it upon your memories as you have nothing else in your lives.” He turned and pointed to the wall. “This wall tells the history of a very cruel time.” He stopped, and took a deep breath. “It is taught in the Temple that after the Chaos Wars, a period of great darkness descended upon parts of the world, as the forces of good and evil fought for a balance. Places like this have been found before, homes to demons and other ill-natured creatures, beings not of this world which must be banished whenever they are encountered. “This wall tells a story. The details are not important. What is important, and what must be conveyed to my temple, is the news of this place, the very fact of its existence. No matter what else occurs, there are two things that we absolutely must do. “First, we must return to tell my order so that they can cleanse it and seal it for all time. And, whatever else you may forget, you must remember to describe what you call the ‘empty window,’ and to tell the High Priest that I was certain it was the work of those who follow the Nameless.” “The Nameless?” asked Kendaric. “Who is that?” 320
“If fate is kind to you, lad,” said Solon, “you will never know.” He glanced around. “Though I fear that fate is being anything but kind to us now.” “You said there were two things,” observed James. “What’s the other?” “That we must not fail in fetching home the Tear of the Gods. For not only would its loss prove crippling to us, I now know why it is being sought and by whom.” “Why?” asked Jazhara. Pointing to the blank space on the wall, Solon said, “To open a portal much like that one, and should that portal ever be opened, woe beyond imagining will fall upon us. No human, elf, or dwarf – not even the Dark Brothers, goblins, or trolls – nothing mortal will be able to withstand it. The mightiest of priests and magicians will be swept away like chaff before the wind. Even the lesser gods will tremble.” He pointed to the carvings showing inhuman creatures eating or raping humans and added, “And such would be the fate of the survivors. We would be as cattle, raised for their appetites.” Kendaric’s face drained of color. James said, “You faint again and I’ll leave you here.” Kendaric took a deep breath and said, “I’ll be all right. Let’s just get on with this and find whatever is blocking my magic.” They moved to a large pair of closed doors to their left. “They’re locked,” James said as he inspected them, and pointed to a pattern of jewels set in the door. “Can you open it?” asked Kendaric. “I can try,” said James. He inspected the device then said, “It’s a . . . magical lock, I think.” He swore. “Those are always the worst.” 321
“Why?” asked Kendaric. “Because,” said James, “mechanical locks only stick poison needles in your thumb or blow up with a fireball if you make a mistake. I once had to open one that shot a nasty blade out that would cut your hand off if you didn’t move it in time, but magic locks can do . . . anything.” Kendaric stepped back. “Are you sure you want to be . . . fiddling with this?” “I’m open to other suggestions,” said James impatiently. He studied the lock closely. “There are six gems. And six holes with a faint color around them. Something that looks like a ruby, and a red hole. A green gem and a green hole.” He leaned in toward the doors, almost putting his nose to the lock. “There are tiny mirrors around the edge.” He sat back on his heels. He touched a small white gem in the middle. Suddenly light shot out in six spokes. “Oh, damn!” he said. He began frantically to move the tiny mirrors around the edge of the circular lock. “What is it?” asked Kendaric. Jazhara said, “I think James has to move each gem and mirror so that the light moves through the gem, changes color, and is reflected into the right hole.” James said nothing, as he desperately tried to do just that. “What’s the problem?” Jazhara said, “Given James’s concentration on the problem, I suspect there may be a limit on how much time one can spend on it.” James was about to move the sixth mirror-gem combination when suddenly the light went out. Nothing happened. Then from behind them came a sound. 322
Solon had his warhammer raised and James his sword out by the time they turned. Within all nine niches, the skeletal warriors were picking up their weapons and shields and stepping down to the floor. “This is bad,” Kendaric whispered. William lay in darkness. His last memory had been of striking the water and being swept along by the raging currents, then hitting his head against a rock. He stood up and found himself dry. He looked at his hands and down at his body and saw no wound. He tentatively touched his face and head and felt no injury. No soreness or ache, not even a cut or bruise. For a moment he wondered if he was dead and was somewhere inside Lims-Kragma’s Hall. “William!” He spun and found that he was standing inside the Rainbow Parrot. Before him, Bear held Talia by the throat, shaking her as a terrier shakes a rat. The huge man tossed her aside and she slammed hard against the wall. Her attacker hurried off through the door leading to the rear of the inn. William attempted to move toward the girl, but something held his feet in place. I’m dreaming, he thought. A pillar of flame erupted around Talia and she rose up from the floor screaming in agony. Creatures of flame, demons with animal heads, appeared and surrounded Talia’s flame-prison. “William!” she screamed. Suddenly he found he could move. He was wearing armor and carrying a sword of blinding light. He struck the first demon from behind and it shrieked in pain. 323
All the creatures turned as one and began to move in concert against William, who stood resolute, refusing to concede a foot to them, and laid about with his sword. But for each one he cut, another took its place. Hot talons struck at his shield and armor. He felt pain and heat, yet the armor remained intact. He found that his arm was tiring and his legs were growing shaky, but he continued to stand fast and deal out injury with every thrust. After a seemingly endless time, his lungs were fit to burst and he had to will each blow as if commanding an unwilling servant; his arms and legs were so reluctant to obey him. Yet the demons continued to press him, and an increasing number of their blows were getting through. Still he could see no damage to his armor and no wounds were visible on his body, though he could still feel each talon and fang, feel the searing heat of their touch on his flesh. They bore him back and he felt despair engulf him, but each time he thought it impossible to continue, Talia’s pleading voice would reach him: “William! Save me! William, help me!” He raised his arm again, the pain threatening to overwhelm him, and unleashed another blow. Slowly the tide turned. A demon fell, and no other appeared. He turned his pain-racked body to attack the next creature about its head and shoulders till it was gone. As each creature fell, renewed hope rose up within William and he drove himself onward. Depths of strength he did not realize existed within him were plumbed, and he struck, again and again. Then suddenly the last demon was gone. He stumbled, barely able to put one foot before the other. Somehow, he 324
reached the tower of flame trapping Talia. She stood there calmly, smiling at him. His parched lips parted and in a voice as dry as sand he said, “Talia?” When he reached out to touch the flames, they vanished. The girl he loved hung suspended in the air and her smile was radiant. Softly, William said, “We did it, Talia. It’s over.” A rumble arose around them and the Rainbow Parrot’s taproom shattered like a mirror, the shards falling away into nothing. They stood facing one another in a featureless black void. William reached out to touch Talia, but before his hand could reach her cheek, a voice boomed out: “No, son of conDoin. Though you have freed Talia’s soul from being consumed, your part in this has only begun.” Talia looked at William and her lips were motionless, but he could still hear her dying declaration in his mind. “I swear by Kahooli I will have my vengeance!” The deep voice came again: “I am Kahooli, God of Vengeance, and your dedication calls to me. Because of your dedication I will answer this woman’s dying prayer. You will not be alone in what lies ahead of you.” Talia began to fade before his eyes. William reached for her, but his fingers passed through her image, as if through smoke. Weeping, he cried, “Talia, please stay!” Talia’s eyes also shed tears as she spoke in a voice like a whispering breeze. “Say goodbye to me, please . . .” At the last instant before she became insubstantial, William whispered, “Goodbye, my love.” 325
Suddenly, his body was racked with agony and his lungs burned as if on fire. He rolled over, retching as water spilled from his lungs. Coughing, he felt strong hands help him to sit upright. He blinked and cleared his vision. He was drenched in water, wearing the armor he had worn when facing Bear, not the mystical plate he had worn when facing the demons. A face swam before him, slowly coming into focus. A hawk-beaked man with intense eyes regarded him. After a moment, William said, “I know you!” “Yes, my young friend,” said the man, sitting back on his heels upon the riverbank, watching William. “You are that young officer I met some weeks ago, escorting some dignitary from a foreign land on a hunt, if I recall. My name is Sidi. “I saw you floating in the river, and since it is unusual to see a lad swimming in armor, I deduced you were in some need of aid. It appears that I was correct.” Glancing around, William asked, “Where am I?” “On the banks of the river, obviously.” Pointing downstream, Sidi added, “That ways lies a town called Haldon Head and beyond it, the sea.” William looked around again. They were in a stretch of woodlands, and there was little to be seen nearby save trees. “What were you doing here?” “I was looking for someone.” “Who?” “A murderous butcher, one who goes by the name of Bear.” William felt the fuzziness in his head start to clear. “It’s good you didn’t find him, then. I came upon him with thirty Krondorian regulars and he routed us all by himself.” 326
“The amulet,” said Sidi. He nodded to himself. At last, he said, “Come, we’ll talk as we walk.” “You know of the amulet?” asked William. “As I told you when last we met, I am a trader, a trafficker in rare and valuable objects as well as more mundane goods. That amulet is a particularly ancient and valuable artifact. Unfortunately, besides offering the wearer significant power, it also has a tendency to drive him mad. It was intended to be kept in the possession of a magician of great art and intelligence, not a brute like Bear.” “How did he come by it?” Sidi glanced sidelong at William. “How he got it is immaterial. How we’re going to get it back is the question.” “We?” “As you observed, if thirty-one young soldiers could not best Bear, how could I, a lone old man, hope to do so?” Then he smiled. “But you and I together . . .” He let the sentence trail off. “‘You will not be alone in what lies ahead of you,’ he said,” William muttered. “What?” William looked at him. “I think I was told that you would help me.” William glanced down at himself, then over at his companion. “Given I’m without weapons – ” “That amulet is just as impervious to weapons as it is to magic, so any attack upon Bear must be by misdirection and stealth. But I have resources, my young friend. Just get me close to Bear and I’ll help you retrieve the amulet. You take him away to justice and I’ll return the bauble to its rightful owner.” “I don’t know if I can promise that, sir,” William said. 327
“Everything we recover will have to be sent to Krondor for the Prince’s examination. If you have a claim on the item, and the Prince judges it not to be a threat to his domain, then you may petition for its return.” Sidi smiled. “That’s a matter for later consideration. Our first objective is to get it from Bear. Once we have removed him from the picture, then we can discuss the final disposition of the amulet. Come, we must hurry. Time grows short and Bear will almost certainly reach Haldon Head before we do.” William shook his head to clear it. There was something he felt he must ask this man, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. But whatever else, he was right about one thing: Bear must be stopped and to do so would require removing the amulet from him. Jazhara lowered her staff and held up her hand. A ball of crimson light sprang from her palm and played on the closest skeleton-warrior as if from a lantern. The creature hesitated, then began to tremble. Solon held up his warhammer high with one hand, and with the other inscribed a pattern in the air while he cast an incantation. Two of the warriors hesitated, then turned as if to put as much distance as possible between them and the monk. There were still six figures approaching. Solon charged, lashing out with his warhammer. The first warrior he attacked deftly blocked with his shield. His blow rang out and the cavern echoed with the sound. The battle was joined. The skeleton Jazhara had cast a spell upon lay on the floor twitching and shivering. She turned her attention to the rest 328
coming closer. Shifting her staff, she lashed out, but with unexpected speed the skeletal warrior blocked the blow with his shield and slashed at her with a long curved sword. She barely had time to dodge backward. Suddenly she realized that the wall was only a few feet behind her. Getting pinned there would be a trap. So she began to slip to her right, attempting to gain herself as much room in which to maneuver as possible. Kendaric tried to be resolute, but as soon as the skeletonwarrior facing him struck out, he fell to the floor and rolled. His foot caught the warrior’s ankle and the creature lost its balance, toppling over. Kendaric lashed out with his boot and it felt as if he had struck iron, but he was rewarded with a cracking sound. He rolled to his feet as another warrior slashed down and he barely avoided being decapitated. Trying to run, he slammed into another warrior, knocking it backward. He rebounded off it and again fell to the floor. This time he fell across the back of the legs of the creature facing Solon. The skeleton-warrior fell forward and Solon smashed down with his hammer, shattering its skull. The skeleton twitched and was still; then its bones fell apart. Kendaric turned and scrambled forward on his knees, over the now-loose bones. Solon looked on in amusement. He said, “You’re an ambulatory disaster disguised as a man, but at least this time you’re causin’ them more annoyance than us.” He bashed another skeleton-warrior with his warhammer, sending it backward, then reached down and hauled Kendaric to his feet by the collar. “Now, go see if you can trip up another one without getting yourself killed. That’s a good lad.” He gave Kendaric a push and smashed at the shield of the nearest warrior. 329
James dueled with another spectral creature and found it no match for his swordsmanship. But the problem was inflicting damage. His rapier would slide off the bones and occasionally nick them, but there was nothing to hit. He was bound to tire eventually, and then the creature would surely injure him. James glanced over and saw that Jazhara had successfully gotten herself some distance from the foe she faced, while another creature crept up on her from behind. “Look out behind you!” he called to her. She turned and ducked as a sword slashed through the air, and, with a deft blow, got her staff between the warrior’s feet. The thing went to the floor literally with a bonerattling crash. James had an idea. “Get them on the floor!” he shouted. “Trip them!” Jazhara reversed her staff one more time and tangled the feet of the creature that had first been stalking her, sending it clattering to the floor. James feigned high, then went low. He dove between the creature’s legs, grabbing them one in each hand, then stood up, toppling the creature behind him. Instantly, he turned and leapt into the air, landing on the creature’s skull with all his weight. A shock ran up his legs as if he had jumped upon hard rock, but he heard a satisfying crunch and felt the bones break beneath his boots. Kendaric scrambled like a crab, ducking under blows and rolling from side to side. Jazhara followed James’s example and crushed the skull of one warrior with her staff while the second sought to regain its feet. James hurried to where Jazhara stood and kicked at the rear of the creature’s legs, and she brought her staff down with a savage blow. James looked around the chamber. “Three down.” 330
“Four,” she said, as Solon crushed the skull of another warrior. “Let’s work together!” James shouted. “How?” Kendaric cried as he ducked under another savage sword-blow, blindly waving his own weapon above his head as if it would somehow dissuade the creature’s attack. He scrambled away from the warrior that was pressing him, right into the path of another. With a terrified squeak of alarm he jumped to his feet, and fell backward into a third, knocking it down before Solon. Jazhara tripped another, enabling James to smash its skull, while Solon finished the one that Kendaric had tripped. Soon it was quiet, and the only skeletal warriors left were the two still trying to escape from Solon’s magic. Jazhara dispatched them with her crimson flames, and at last they had a chance to catch their breath. “My gods!” Kendaric said. “That was too much. What more is there to expect?” “Worse,” said James, turning his attention back to the lock. “Almost certainly, there will be worse.” He studied the arrangement of gems, mirrors, and holes, and said, “A moment of quiet, please.” He pressed the center of the lock and the light erupted. With deft precision, he moved the gems and mirrors swiftly into place. When the last, a topaz-like gem, threw a yellow light into a yellow hole, they heard a click followed by deep rumbling, and the doors swung wide. The area before them was vast, and they could smell sea salt as the scent of water reached them. Moving forward, they saw two immense pools, providing narrow walkways on either side or between the two. 331
“We have to go there?” asked Kendaric. “You see another route, laddie?” asked Solon. James hesitated, then said, “Wait.” He took off his pack and unbuckled it, removing the artifact that had got them through the outside door. “I think it might be wise to have this handy.” They set off down the center walkway and when they reached a point halfway between the doors and a distant wall, two pairs of enormous tentacles rose up from the water on either side of them. Kendaric let out a yelp of terror, but James merely held the artifact high above his head. The tentacles stood poised, as if ready to strike. They quivered in anticipation, but they didn’t attack. Jazhara whispered, “How did you know?” “I didn’t,” James replied. “I guessed.” Solon looked over his shoulder as they moved out of striking range of the tentacles, which then slipped back down into the brine. “Good thing, lad. Those would crush us like bugs.” James said nothing, leading them deeper into the darkness.
endaric pointed. “What is that?” Solon whispered, “It looks like a temple, albeit more of a pit of black madness, and unless I’m mistaken these are archives.” They were entering another vast chamber, full of floor-toceiling shelves stacked with rolled parchments and ancient leather-bound tomes. Above them, a series of suspended walkways vanished into the gloom. Light from an occasional torch broke the darkness of the room, while sconces in the wall and torch-brackets on the shelves themselves remained empty. James observed, “If they used it, it would be better lit. Those torches are placed only to help people navigate through this vault.” They were warned of someone’s approach by the sound of boots upon stone, and James led them away from the lights, behind some shelves. Peeking between scrolls piled upon the shelves, they saw a small company of goblins hurry by. After the goblins had vanished, James said, “Well, now we know those raiders were not just coming down from the mountains.” 333
“What are goblins doing here?” asked Kendaric. “Establishing a base, I’ll wager,” said Solon. “This temple is huge and must have barracks. The goblins must be there.” James waited for a moment, and said, “What I don’t understand is how all the recent troubles in Krondor fit in with this, now?” “Maybe they don’t,” observed Jazhara. “From what you told me, there is a connection between this Crawler and his plans to take over the underground in Krondor, and whoever is behind this attempt to steal the Tear of the Gods, but it may be they are partial allies, nothing more.” James said, “I wonder if I’ll ever plumb the depths of this mystery.” He looked ahead into the gloom. “Come along,” he whispered. They moved cautiously and at one point paused for James to get his bearings. Two lights showed in opposition to one another, at right angles to the path of their march, and James tried to establish his bearings, knowing that what they sought was almost certain to be in the deepest part of the temple, far below the surface of the earth and sea. Jazhara read the spine of a text and whispered, “Merciful gods above!” “What?” asked Solon. Pointing to a tome, she said, “That text is Keshian, but ancient. If I read it correctly, this is a most powerful, black volume on necromancy.” James said, “That fits with everything else we’ve seen so far.” Kendaric said, “I’m just a poor wrecker. What is it about necromancy that so disturbs the rest of you priests and magicians?” 334
It was Solon who answered. “There is a basic order to the universe, and there are limits to power, or at least there should be. Those who deal in the essences of life and who flout death violate the most fundamental tenets of that order. Or are you too thick ta’ understand that?” “I was just asking,” said Kendaric, his voice approaching a whine. He touched the binding and said, “Nice cover.” Jazhara said, “It’s human skin.” Kendaric pulled his hand away as if he had touched a hot iron. “Come on,” said James. They moved deeper into the temple. Time passed and they continued to wend their way through the stone halls. Several times they paused while James scouted ahead. They heard others in the vast temple, and at times were forced to hide, but they managed to avoid contact and kept moving. An hour after entering the temple, they reached a vast, long hall with a gigantic statue at the far end, a heroic figure seated upon a throne. When they reached the base of the statue, they stared up. It rose two stories into the air above them. The figure was apparently human, with broad shoulders and powerful arms as it sat there in a position of repose. Sandaled feet of carved stone poked out from under the hem of a floor-length robe. “Look,” said Kendaric. “Look at the face.” The entire face of the statue had been chipped away. “Why has it been defaced like that?” Jazhara spoke softly. “As a ward against the evil that it represents.” 335
“Who is it?” asked Kendaric. “Which god?” Solon put a hand gently upon Kendaric’s shoulder. “You will never know, and for that give thanks.” James motioned for them to continue. James stopped and smelled the air. He held up his hand. “What?” whispered Kendaric. Solon moved forward and whispered, “Can’t you smell it?” “I can smell something,” said Kendaric. “What is it?” “Goblins,” said James. He held up his hand to indicate that they should stay put, then he knelt and duckwalked toward an open door. He moved smoothly onto his stomach for the final four feet and wriggled forward to peer into the room. Then he turned, crawling backward, and leapt to his feet in a single fluid motion. As he came toward them, he drew his sword. “That patrol we saw had most of them; there are two sleeping on the beds and two eating something out of a pot at the far end,” he said softly. “I can take care of the ones who are eating without a sound,” said Jazhara. “Good,” replied James. “I’ll silence the other two.” Jazhara closed her eyes and James felt the hair on his arms rising again, in response to her magic. She remained motionless for a good two minutes, then opened her eyes. “I’m ready.” Kendaric said, “What was that?” “A slow cast. The spell is almost done. I need only to make a final incantation and it goes off. Very useful for accuracy. Not very useful if you’re in a hurry.” “Ah,” he said as if he understood. But it was clear that he didn’t. 336
James motioned her forward. They reached the door and she stepped through. She spoke her phrase aloud. One goblin heard the first words and his head came up. He started to rise, but Jazhara’s spell discharged and he was paralyzed, trapped like an insect in amber. His companion sat back on his haunches, his bowl in his lap and his hand halfway to his mouth. They both remained motionless, caught in a sheer energy field of scintillating white, a field like gauze flecked with diamond dust. James moved purposefully to the bunks where the two sleeping goblins lay, and quickly cut their throats. He then did the same to the two frozen goblins. To his companions he said, “We must hurry. That patrol will almost certainly be back before the end of the day.” They hurried to the far end of the barracks room and James opened a door. Beyond it, a kitchen stood empty, with a bubbling cauldron before a fire. Kendaric went pale and had to clutch the doorjamb while Jazhara’s face also drained of color. On the butcher’s block rested the remains of what had once been a human torso. A head lay cast aside in the corner, along with a hand and foot. “Mother of gods!” whispered Solon. James was speechless. He merely motioned for them to follow him. Leaving the kitchen, they moved down a short, dark passage, and again James halted. “Smell that?” “Goblins?” asked Kendaric. “Sweat and filth,” answered Jazhara. They turned into a long hallway, carved into the rock. They 337
could see light at the other end. They crept down the passage until they could clearly identify what lay ahead of them, then James held up his hand and moved forward alone. He reached an open doorway, and glanced around the room beyond it, then motioned the others forward. The room was square, with two passages crossing in the middle between four huge cages. A few dozen humans were packed in each cage. Most appeared to be sailors, though a few looked to be farmers or townspeople. One of the prisoners looked up and elbowed the man next to him as James’s party moved into sight. They both leapt forward and gripped the bars. One man whispered, “Thank Dala that you’ve come!” James looked around the cages. Other prisoners started to spread the word and soon the bars were packed with eager people. James held up his hands for silence. He knelt and inspected the locks, then asked, “Who has the key?” “We don’t know his name,” said the man closest to the cage door. “He’s the leader of the goblins. We call him Jailer.” “Probably out leading that patrol we saw earlier,” said Solon. James took off his backpack. He rummaged around and pulled out a small pouch in which he had several picks. He selected one and tested the lock with it. “Interesting,” observed Jazhara. James didn’t take his eyes off the lock as he said, “Old habits.” There was a click and the door opened. “Wait,” commanded James, “until I get the others.” After a few more minutes, all four cages were open. “Do you know the way out?” asked Jazhara. 338
“Yes, ma’am,” said a sailor. “We’re laborers here and when they don’t slaughter one of us for food, they have us cleaning up this place. It looks like they’re getting it ready for the arrival of more goblins.” “Can you find weapons?” “There’s a barracks nearby, with a weapons room, but there are goblins in there,” said a thin man. “Only four,” answered James, “and they’re dead.” The men muttered excitedly. James was silent for a minute, then said, “Would you do us a service?” The thin man said, “They were going to eat us if you didn’t come. They killed one of us each day. Of course we will. What would you have us do?” “Wait here – I’ll leave the doors unlocked, but keep them closed – in case someone comes by before we’ve finished our mission. If you hear any sounds of fighting, run to the barracks room and get weapons, then fight your way out. If you don’t hear anything in, say, an hour’s time, you’re free to go. Is that agreeable?” The man looked around and saw several others nod. “It is,” he said. “Good,” said James. The men returned to their cages. The doors were shut and one man sat down and began a slow rhythmic count, to track the time till the hour was up. As they left the slave pens, James said, “See you in Haldon Head. There should be a Kingdom garrison there by now. If there is and we’re not back, tell them what you’ve seen here.” “I will.” The thin man looked at James and asked, “Where do you go now?” “To the heart of this black place,” answered Solon. 339
“Then be wary of the leader,” replied the prisoner. “You’ve seen him?” “Yes,” the thin man whispered. “What did he look like?” “I suppose he was a man, once, but now . . . he is an undead . . . thing! He’s all rotten and decayed, wearing tattered robes that stink to heaven, and he’s guarded by creatures I can’t even name. We didn’t see him often; he stays in the lower levels and few of us are taken there, and only infrequently.” “May the gods be with you,” said James. The man nodded. James led his companions off down another dark hallway. They went down a stairway they had passed a few minutes earlier that led to a series of tunnels. Several times James had paused and decided that the best course of action was to continue along the main passageway that ran from the base of the stairs, on the assumption that the shortest course would take them to the heart of the temple, and all other passages led off to other areas. At least he hoped that would prove to be true. Before long they came to an opening in a stone wall and they passed through it. On the other side they discovered what could only be called a gallery – a huge room, all four walls of which contained niches every few feet. Instead of containing skeletal warriors, these niches held statues. Some depicted humans, but many did not, and James didn’t recognize all the races memorialized in stone. Heroic statues – of figures garbed in warrior dress or robes – stood atop pedestals placed at regular intervals around the floor. There was a consistent look of evil to all of them. 340
At the far side of the hall was a pair of doors. James tested the latch and it clicked open. He pushed slightly and peeked through the crack. “This is it,” he whispered. He pushed aside the door to reveal yet another square room. Three walls were lined with human skulls and the fourth was tiled with a huge mosaic depicting the same tableaux as the bas-reliefs they had seen at the entrance to the temple. The “empty window” dominated the center of the images as it had before. Four huge columns supported the ceiling, carved stone showing human skulls entangled by tentacles. The floor was inscribed with arcane runes. In the middle of the floor rested a giant altar, caked with blood so ancient it was black, and inches thick. Above this sacrificial surface rested a giant clawed hand, apparently made of silver or platinum. Clutched in its fingers was a giant black pearl, twice the size of a man’s head. Its surface shimmered with mystical energy. Faint colors radiated across the surface, like the dark rainbow of oil on water. Jazhara said, “Yes, this is indeed ‘it.’” She hurried to the object. “This is the source of the mystic energy that blocks your spell, Kendaric. I am certain of it.” “Let’s destroy it and be on our way,” said Solon, unlimbering his warhammer. “That would be imprudent,” said a dry voice emanating from the shadows. A figure emerged from a dark alcove. It was clothed in tattered robes, and James instantly recognized the figure from the vision. Jazhara reacted instantly, lowering her staff and unleashing a bolt of crimson energy. The creature waved his hand and the energy deflected away 341
from him, so that it struck the wall, where it crackled and spread before diffusing. It left smoking char where it had hit. “Foolish woman,” he whispered, his voice an ancient wind that sang with evil. “Leave me the guildsman and you may leave with your pitiful lives. I have need of his talents. Resist and you die.” Kendaric stepped behind Solon without a thought. “Me?” James said, “No.” The creature then pointed at them and ordered, “Kill them!” From doors at each end of the room two giant figures appeared. Each was a skeleton-warrior similar in appearance to the others they had fought earlier, but these were taller again by half. Nearly nine feet tall from foot to helm, each of the giant creatures also possessed four arms and held a long, curved blades. Their heads were covered with wide flaring helms of crimson trimmed with gold. “This isn’t good,” said Kendaric. “No, not at all.” Solon reached behind him and grabbed Kendaric by the sleeve, pulling him aside. “Try not to get in the way, that’s a good lad.” With an unexpected burst of speed, the monk charged, his warhammer held high above his head and cried, “Ishap give me strength!” The skeletal warrior closest to Solon hesitated for only an instant before its swords became a blur of motion. With surprising deftness, Solon’s hammer took blow after blow as he blocked the warrior’s attack. Then he knelt and delivered a crushing blow to the skeleton-warrior’s left foot. An audible crack filled the room as the bones of the creature’s big toe shattered. 342
Blades flashed as the silent creature registered no pain or reaction to the damage, and Solon barely escaped with his head. His arms and shoulders bore several cuts and he was forced to retreat and concentrate on defending himself. James said to Jazhara, “Help him out. I’ll see if I can distract the other one.” James hurried to face the creature approaching from the far door while Jazhara lowered her staff and unleashed a spell against the warrior attacking Solon. The spell that had proved effective in the first chamber simply bathed the creature in scintillating pale blue light for a moment before winking out. Solon used the creature’s momentary pause as an opportunity to dart in, smash at the same foot as before, then retreat quickly. The creature teetered slightly when it advanced. James charged the second creature and tried to gauge the pattern of its blade strokes. If there was one, it wasn’t apparent, so he was reluctant to get too close. Still, he had to keep the thing distracted if they were to have any chance of survival. Together, the creatures would overwhelm them in a matter of minutes. James started counting silently, and as the first blow from the creature’s sword descended upon his head, he recognized the pattern. Up went James’s blade, deflecting the first blow, then he blocked to the right, then down to the right, then across to the left side of his body, turning slightly. The hall rang with the sound of steel on steel, and James knew that he could only block this creature’s attacks for a minute or two at the most. He tried not to think about what would happen if the creature changed the pattern of its blows. Jazhara attempted another spell and it also failed. So she 343
leapt forward with her staff above her head, as if trying to block the multiple sword-blows. At the last second, she let her right hand slide across to her left, leaving her holding the staff like a long club. She smashed down with all her strength on the same foot Solon had damaged, and was rewarded by the sound of cracking bone. She barely escaped with her head, and took a long nasty cut to her left shoulder. Blood flowed as she dodged to the side and then Solon was back, attacking the same foot. The creature slashed and Solon took the point of a blade on his breastplate. The armor held, but the force of the blow sent him sprawling. The creature advanced and it was clear the monk would not regain his feet in time to survive. Kendaric watched in mute horror as the creature advanced on the fallen monk. Jazhara tried to flank the skeleton and was rebuffed with a sidelong thrust of a blade, then the creature bore down on Solon. Kendaric threw himself away from the wall where he was crouching. He leapt in front of Solon, frantically slashing in all directions with his blade. “No!” shouted the liche. “Don’t kill him!” The creature hesitated, and Solon rolled over, got to his knees, and rose up, warhammer held with both hands above his head. He smashed down with as much might as he could muster and shattered the creature’s left foot. As Kendaric and Solon backed away, the creature attempted to advance. It teetered and then fell forward, crashing into the floor at Solon’s feet. Kendaric hesitated only for a second, then he reached down and grabbed the base of the creature’s ornate helm. He ripped the helm away just as Solon’s hammer again smashed down with a force driven by desperation. 344
A dry crack filled the hall, and the creature’s skull shattered. The skeleton went limp and rattled against the stone floor. Jazhara was already approaching the creature with which James was engaged. The former thief declared, “I could use some help over here.” He was drenched in perspiration and his arms were heavy with fatigue, but he was successfully blocking the warrior’s blows. Solon turned to the liche. “We don’t have time to try to take down the other warrior,” he said to Kendaric. Kendaric nodded, gripping his sword. They advanced upon the dead magician, who held up his hand. A blast of white energy shot toward Solon, who barely had time to dodge aside. Kendaric ran forward and impaled the creature on his sword point. The liche looked down contemptuously. “You can’t destroy me, boy,” it said as its bony hand shot out and grabbed Kendaric’s arm. “And now I have you!” “Solon!” shouted the wrecker despairingly. “He won’t die!” Jazhara was trying to distract the second skeletal warrior in order to give James a reprieve. She turned and shouted, “He must have placed his soul in a vessel!” Solon hesitated, then shouted, “Where?” Jazhara looked wildly around the room. “It could be anywhere. It could be in another room or even . . . the pearl!” Solon moved with purpose toward the pearl on the altar. “No!” shouted the liche. Solon raised his hammer and struck down, landing a powerful blow on the pearl. The black surface swam with angry energies, tiny lines of hot white fire spreading out in a latticework pattern across its skin. He struck again, and the pearl emitted a dark fog. A third blow shattered the pearl, and it exploded 345
with enough force to throw the monk of Ishap back across the room. The liche looked upon the scene with wide-eyed horror. “What have you done?” it asked softly. Kendaric felt the grip on his arm release, and the liche turned and said, “You still have not succeeded, guildsman.” The second skeleton-warrior began to tremble and his attack slowed. James staggered backward, barely able to lift his arms, and Jazhara offered him a supporting hand. The creature took two drunken steps, then went crashing to the stones. The liche groped toward Kendaric. “I am not done with you, my friend.” Kendaric’s hand reached out and he grabbed the hilt of his sword, which was still protruding from the liche’s stomach. He gave the blade a twist and the liche contorted in pain. “But I am done with you!” Kendaric declared. “Now, it’s time for you to die.” He yanked the blade free and the undead magician shuddered in pain and fell to his knees. Kendaric turned with unhesitating precision and cut through the dead man’s neck. The skin parted like dry paper and the bones snapped like brittle wood. The liche’s head rolled free and bounced across the floor. James stood with his arm draped across Jazhara’s shoulder and said, “Well, that was interesting.” Solon pulled himself to his feet, his face covered in tiny cuts from the shattering pearl. “That’s not the word I’d choose, laddie, but your point is taken.” “What now?” asked Kendaric. “We need to look around,” said James. “There may be others down here who will cause us trouble.” 346
Jazhara said, “I think as we go, we should scourge this place with fire.” “Yes,” said Solon. “Evil is so entrenched here that this place must be purified. And if we wait for my temple to send others to purge it, much of the evil here may flee to another location.” They went to where the liche’s body lay. Behind the alcove where he had appeared stood a door. Passing through it, they came into a large room, obviously the liche’s private quarters. Large and small jars were amassed on tables, and in the far corner a cage had been fastened to the stone walls. Inside the cage a creature rested, somewhat resembling the thing they had encountered in the sewers of Krondor. It looked at them with pain-filled eyes and beckoned with a clawed hand. They approached slowly and when they were close, the creature’s mouth opened. A child’s voice said, “Please . . .” Jazhara’s eyes grew bright with tears and she whispered, “Is there no end to this evil?” “Apparently not,” said Solon. James moved behind the creature as it spoke. “Pain . . . please.” With a quick thrust of his sword, James cut the back of the child-turned-monster’s neck and it slumped to the floor without a sound. His face was set in a mask of fury. Jazhara looked at James and said nothing. Finally, Solon said, “It was a mercy.” “What now?” asked Kendaric. Softly, James said, “Burn it. Burn everything.” He hurried to a wall where tomes and scrolls were arrayed. He grabbed the shelf and toppled it. A small brazier rested on the worktable nearest the shelf and he grabbed it. Hurling it, he sent flames 347
and coals into the paper on the floor and the fire spread rapidly. “Look over here!” Kendaric said. They turned and saw that the wrecker had found another pearl. Unlike the other orb, this one appeared to be translucent, and within it they could see an image of Haldon Head. Jazhara said, “This is a powerful scrying device.” The image shifted and they could see Widow’s Point and the hut of the old woman, Hilda. “Could this have been what was countering my spell?” asked Kendaric. “Yes, I think so,” said Jazhara. “This creates a wide field of magic in the area under observation. Not all magic is blunted, but this could have been used specifically to prevent your spell from working until they had you in their control.” The flames behind them were spreading. James asked, “What do we do with it?” Jazhara picked up the large pearl and threw it into the fire. “That should take care of it.” “Good,” said James. “We should leave now. Get torches and set fire to anything that burns as we leave.” “What if the goblins object?” asked Kendaric. Solon, looking resolute despite his wounds, said, “Well, if the escaping prisoners haven’t sorted them out, we’ll just have to do it ourselves, won’t we?” James nodded. “Come on. Let’s go raise a ship.” They started their return to the surface.
Tear of the Gods
he sun was low in the west as they left the cavern. James asked Kendaric, “Can you raise the ship?” “Now?” He shook his head. “I can try, but I thought that after all we’ve been through, we’d wait until morning.” “Actually, after all we’ve been through, I’m not inclined to wait. Bear is out there somewhere and the faster we can find the Tear and get it back to Krondor, the happier I’ll be.” Solon nodded. He was bleeding from several small wounds all over his body. They had encountered a few servants of the dead liche during their escape – a pair of goblins who had put up a struggle, and two more of the skeleton-warriors. They had also come upon the mayhem that had been visited upon other servants of the Black Pearl Temple as they worked their way back to the surface. The escaping prisoners had clearly found weapons in the barracks armory and had been unkind to any who attempted to stop them. Jazhara nursed a rough compress she had fashioned to staunch the bleeding in her shoulder. She said, “I fear that if we encounter trouble from here on, we may be outmatched.” 349
James motioned to the others to walk out to the end of the rock spire. “We’ve been outmatched every step of the way,” he said. “But we’ve been lucky.” “Luck is the result of hard work,” Solon said, “or at least my father told me so.” “I’ll still make a large votive offering to Ruthia when I get back to Krondor,” James observed, mentioning the name of the Goddess of Luck, the patron goddess of thieves. He added in a mutter, “Even if she is a fickle bitch at times.” Solon overheard this remark and chuckled. They reached the end of the rocks, and Kendaric said, “If this works, the ship will rise and a fog will form from here to the hull and it will become solid. It should last long enough for us to get to the ship, offload the Tear and return.” “Should?” asked James. “How long is ‘should’?” Kendaric smiled and shrugged. “Well, I never had a chance to test it. I am still working on duration. Eventually, the spell will hold a ship on the surface until all the cargo can be offloaded. Now, well, maybe an hour.” “Maybe an hour?” James shook his head in disgust. “Well, we can’t start any sooner.” Kendaric closed his eyes, and held out his hand to Jazhara, who had carried the spell-scroll in her backpack. She handed it to him and he began reading. First the sea around the ship calmed, the combers and breakers seeming to flow around the ship in an ever-widening ring of calm water. Then a fog appeared on the surface and suddenly the mast of the ship began to twitch. Then it shook, and the ship began to rise. First broken spars and tattered sails could be seen, then dripping ropes that dangled from yardarms and limp banners that hung from the flagstaffs. In minutes it 350
was floating upon the surface, bobbing as water flowed from its decks. Seaweed clung to the railings and crabs scuttled off the deck to fall back into the sea. The fog around the base of the ship thickened and solidified and after a few moments the ship stopped moving. Kendaric turned to Jazhara and James, amazement lighting his face. “It worked!” Solon said, “You had doubts?” “Well, not really, but you never know . . .” James regarded Kendaric with barely-concealed rage. “Try not to think what I would have done to you had we discovered the artifact in the temple had nothing to do with you failing last time. If it had just been ‘the spell doesn’t work’ . . .” He forced himself to calmness. “Let’s get to the ship.” Kendaric touched the toe of his boot to the solid fog experimentally, then put his whole weight on it. “A little soft,” he observed. Solon stepped past him. “We are wasting time!” The others followed the monk as he hurried across the mystic fog toward the ship. They reached the side of the ship and found several dangling ropes to climb. James and Kendaric climbed up easily, but the wounded Jazhara and Solon took some time and needed help. When they all had reached the deck they looked around. Slime covered the decks and decaying bodies trapped by falling timbers or ropes were already beginning to fill the air with a malodorous reek. The scent of rotting flesh, brackish water, and salt was enough to make Kendaric gag. “Where do we go?” asked James. 351
“This way,” said Solon, indicating a rear door into the sterncastle, leading down to the lower decks. They held tight to soaking rope handrails as they climbed down slippery wooden steps in the narrow companionway. At the bottom of the steps, Jazhara lit a torch, since the interior of the ship was as dark as night. The flickering light threw the scene into stark relief, and shadows danced upon the walls as they walked. The water was slow in draining from the lower decks and the hold, so they found themselves wading through knee-deep brine. “That way,” said Solon, pointing to a rear door. Halfway across the deck, Kendaric let out a yelp. “What?” asked James, drawing his sword. “Something brushed against my leg!” James let out a long, exasperated breath. “Fish. Fish swim in the ocean.” Kendaric looked unconvinced. “There could be a monster lurking down here.” James shook his head and said nothing. They reached the door and found it jammed shut. James examined it. “Someone broke this lock, but the flow of water must have closed it again, and now it’s totally jammed into place. Better break it off its hinges.” Solon used his hammer on the hinges, knocking them loose, and the door exploded outward with a sheet of water. Dead bodies were swept along as the water in the two compartments equalized. Solon looked down at one corpse that floated at his feet. Flesh was rotting off the bones, and signs of fish having feasted on the face were obvious. The eye sockets were empty. “Good and faithful servant of Ishap,” Solon said with respect. Then he saw something and reached down. He pulled a 352
large warhammer from the corpse’s belt and declared, “The Warhammer of Luc d’Orbain! It once belonged to an Ishapian saint from Bas-Tyra. It’s a relic treasured by the Temple and awarded as a mark of service to my order’s leader. It’s a magic talisman of great power. Not a bad weapon, either.” He looked down at the corpse again. “That was Brother Michael of Salador.” He shook his head regretfully. “It would be logical that he would personally lead the group protecting the Tear.” “Well, bring it along,” said James, “but let’s find the Tear and get off this ship before it goes down again.” “That way,” said Solon. He indicated a passageway to a rear cargo hold. When they reached the next door, Solon said, “Wait.” He reached into his tunic and pulled out a tiny chain from which hung a small blue gem. The gem glowed faintly. “The Tear of the Gods is near.” “What is that?” asked James. “A shard from the old Tear. It was given me by the High Priest to help us locate the Tear if it had been removed from the ship.” James reached for the door-latch and again Solon said, “Wait!” “What is it now?” asked James. “There is a ward around the Tear. If Bear or one of his men got too close to the Tear before the ship sank, it may have been triggered.” “And this ward does what?” asked James, obviously irritated at hearing this at the last possible minute. “The soul of a . . . dragon was captured and confined. It manifests itself and will attack whoever comes close to the Tear if certain rituals are not observed.” 353
“You were going to tell us this sooner or later, right?” asked James, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Until we found the Tear there was no reason, Squire. Look, the beast is mindless and will attack any of us if it’s been released.” “How can a dragon fit in that cargo hold?” asked Kendaric wonderingly. “They’re really big, right?” “It’s not a dragon, but the spirit of one. A ghost, if you will.” “Nothing you’re saying is making me any happier, Solon,” James observed. “Why don’t you tell us something good?” “I have the ritual to banish the creature and return it to the spirit realm.” “That’s good,” said James. “But it’ll take time.” “And that’s not good,” said James. “Let me guess: the dragon will attack us while you’re trying to banish it.” “Yes.” “And the ship might sink while we’re fighting the dragon while you’re trying to banish it.” Kendaric said, “Yes.” James said, “This has not been a good day, and it just keeps getting worse.” Grabbing the door-latch, he said, “So, let’s get this over with.” He flung open the door to reveal a room bare of any furnishings save a single table. “This is the captain’s cabin,” said James. “He must have turned it over to the temple and slept elsewhere.” “And that’s the Tear,” said Solon. A single large box, carved with the image of a dragon, sat atop the table. It glowed with a mystic blue light and even James could feel the magic emanating from it. 354
A flickering of light around the box was the only warning they had. Suddenly a gust of wind swept through the cabin. An invisible blow struck Kendaric, knocking him off his feet into the ankle-deep water. An image formed in the air, a floating dragon made up of faint golden mist. Solon shouted, “Keep it away from me, else I won’t be able to banish it!” James waved his sword, attempting to distract the creature, while Jazhara kept her eye on Kendaric to make sure he didn’t drown. Then she raised her staff, holding it high above her head with both hands, and started a spell. The dragon turned its attention to James. Its spectral head darted forward. James felt the air pressure build before the creature’s snout, and he rolled his head back with the blow. The punch was still significant. He let out an “oof ” of pain while trying to draw the creature away from Solon. Glancing at the monk, he saw that he brandished the Hammer of Luc d’Orbain before him, his eyes closed and lips moving furiously in ritual incantations. Jazhara finished her casting and a sheet of crimson energy erupted into the air. It flowed across the ceiling of the cabin and then fell upon the dragon, encasing it in a ruby net. The creature thrashed and attempted to attack Jazhara, but it was bound in the netting. “How long will that hold?” James asked. “I don’t know,” said Jazhara. “I’ve never done this before.” “How’s Kendaric?” “Unconscious, but he’ll live, I think.” The wrecker sat slumped against the bulkhead, chin on chest, as if asleep. James said, “Glad to hear it. That thing hits like a mule kicks.” 355
They turned toward Solon as his voice rose, obviously nearing the end of his incantation. They watched in amazement as the golden dragon expanded, seeming to stretch the ruby netting to its breaking point. As the final words of Solon’s prayer rang through the cabin, the dragon began to shrink till it was a mere golden pinpoint of light that winked out before their eyes. Suddenly the netting was empty and floated down to the water where it vanished. “It’s done,” Solon pronounced. “Good,” said James. “Now let’s rescue that damn box and get off this ship before things get any worse!” Solon nodded, hung the second warhammer on his belt, and gently picked up the box containing the Tear of the Gods. James and Jazhara grabbed Kendaric by the arms and lifted him. He started to rouse as they moved him. “What?” he mumbled. “Come on,” said James. “Time to go home.” Kendaric said, “Best thing I’ve heard in days.” He took his arms off their shoulders and said, “I can walk.” They scrambled up the slippery companionway, Solon having to hand up the box with the Tear in it to James, then reclaiming it when they were on deck. James, Jazhara, and Kendaric went down ropes into the mystic fog and then Solon tossed the box down to James, and followed. They hurried along the fog as night fell. Just as they were nearing the rocky point, James said, “Damn.” “What?” asked Kendaric. “Armed men, on the beach.” “The escaped prisoners?” asked Jazhara. “I don’t think so,” James answered. “Look!” 356
Coming down a path from the hills above they could see a massive figure, a dark silhouette. But from his chest a red glow emanated. “Bear!” said James. “This fog is starting to weaken,” said Solon, and even as he spoke, James felt his feet sinking a bit. They hurried the last dozen yards to the rocks and walked toward the beach. “Do we have any choices?” asked James. Solon said, “None. We must fight.” From the gloom of the rocks, Bear’s voice boomed: “Your choices are few and my patience grows short. You will give me the Tear, or we will slaughter you.” “Why do you seek the Tear?” asked Jazhara. “What use can it be to you?” They stopped where the rocks met the sand, and Bear’s men approached, their weapons drawn. “Ha!” said the huge man. “Hasn’t the monk told you? The Tear allows us to talk to gods, doesn’t it, Ishapian? And there are other gods besides Ishap!” Solon shouted, “You are a fool not to fear the power of Ishap!” “I’ve got all I need to take care of you . . . Ishapians!” said Bear, fingering the amulet around his neck. “You can never touch me.” He drew a large sword. “But I can touch you! Now, give me the Tear!” Suddenly from the rocks above him a figure emerged, crouched and leapt. William hurled himself into Bear, knocking the giant man over. The surprise of the ambush shocked everyone. The mercenary closest to James turned away toward the commotion, and James took advantage of the opening to pull his sword and 357
plunge it into the man’s back. The man died before he could even turn to face James. Solon set the box containing the Tear on the sand and pulled out the Warhammer of Luc d’Orbain, silently mouthing a prayer to Ishap. Jazhara lowered her staff, pointed the end of it at a cluster of Bear’s men and let loose a bolt of energy. Kendaric drew his sword. “I’ll guard the Tear!” he cried. William grappled for a moment with the huge pirate, trying to pull the amulet from his neck. Then Bear reached back with a thundering blow, and clubbed William aside. William landed hard on the ground, his armor transmitting the shock through his body, but still he rolled and came to his feet. Bear leapt up quickly, and with an evil smile said, “Bravely done, boy. For that alone I’ll kill you quickly.” William looked up to the ledge above where Sidi stood watching. “Help me!” Sidi shrugged. “I said get the amulet, lad, and I’d help you. Without it, you’re on your own.” He looked contrite. Frustration overwhelmed William and he shouted, “Kahooli! You said I’d not be alone!” Bear laughed. “Kahooli? You call upon a lesser god!” He held up his amulet, and pointed to where the Tear rested in the sand. “With this amulet I’m invincible. With the Tear in my possession, I’ll have the power of the gods. I will be a god!” William again threw back his head. “Kahooli, give me vengeance!” A loud keening sound commenced, causing James, Jazhara, and several of the pirates to cover their ears in pain. Even Bear was forced to step away from the source. Only William seemed unaffected by the shrill whine. Then a form appeared 358
between Bear and William, translucent and pale, but recognizable. “Talia!” William breathed. The girl smiled and said, “You are not alone, William.” She moved toward William and stepped into his body. He glowed with the light of the apparition and his armor seemed to flow and shift over him. Before everyone’s astonished eyes, William was transformed. He grew in stature so that his already-broad shoulders became even more massive. The armor darkened from the silver chain of a Krondorian officer to a blood-red plate so dark it bordered on black. A helm appeared over his head, hiding all his features, and the eye-slits glowed with a crimson light. A voice that was neither William’s nor Talia’s, spoke: “I am Kahooli. I am the God of Vengeance.” The figure raised its hand and a sword of flames appeared. With a blindingly quick blow, the blade cut across Bear’s arm. Bear flinched and retreated, his good eye wide with astonishment. “I’m bleeding! I can feel pain!” He pulled out his sword and struck at the figure in red, and shock ran up his arm as the incarnation of the god took the blow. Then Kahooli’s avatar slashed out and Bear looked down to see a wide bleeding cut on his chest. Staggering backward, Bear cried, “No, this cannot be!” Bear swung again, but one more time the spirit of the God of Vengeance, manifested in William’s body, took the blow and turned it. Then with a straight thrust, it ran its sword up to the hilt in Bear’s stomach. Bear sank to his knees, clutching the flaming blade. “No,” he said in disbelief. “You said this couldn’t happen. I can’t die. You promised me! You said I’d never die!” He fell over on the sand, 359
his one eye staring at the night sky. “You said . . . I couldn’t . . . die . . .” The figure stood above him for a moment, looking down, then it shimmered and transformed itself back into the shape of William. The young warrior staggered, as if suddenly weak. He dropped to his knees and looked around. The shade of Talia appeared once more. Softly he said to her, “We did it, Talia. It’s over.” The spirit of the young girl smiled at him. “And now I may rest. Thank you, William.” William’s cheeks were wet with his tears. “Talia, no! Please stay.” As she faded from sight, Talia’s spirit whispered, “No, William. Life is for the living. You have a long life ahead of you and I must take my new place upon the wheel. Say good-bye to me, please.” Just before she vanished, for the briefest instant, she seemed to shine with a bright light. She reached out and her hand touched William’s cheek. Then she faded from view. Tears running down his face, William said softly, “Goodbye, Talia.” James looked around and saw that Bear’s remaining men had fled. He put up his sword and saw that Solon had safely gathered up the Tear. James and Jazhara moved to where the still-kneeling warrior rested. James said, “Well done, Will. She is avenged.” Jazhara placed her hand gently on William’s shoulder. “And the Tear is safe.” William said, “So it is true what he said about the Tear?” “And more,” said Solon. “The Tear commands great power, 360
and you’ve seen to it that its power will not be used for evil.” He held tightly to the case containing the Tear. “However, this was only a minor skirmish. The war is not yet won.” Jazhara said, “What of Bear’s amulet?” “It’s too powerful an artifact to leave here,” said Kendaric. James used his sword to pick it up. “I wouldn’t touch this for any price,” he said. “It seems to bring out the vicious side of a man’s nature.” He walked back to the point of the rocks overlooking the sea and reached back. Using the sword for leverage, he hurled the amulet as far out into the water as he could. In the gloom they didn’t see it strike the waves. He walked back to where his companions waited. “If the fates are kind, there’s a column of soldiers up in Haldon Head and we’ll have an escort back to Krondor.” Battered and bruised, they limped up the path toward Haldon Head. Dawn arrived with rose- and golden-tinged clouds in the eastern sky as Jazhara walked through the woods to Hilda’s hut. She reached the clearing and as she caught sight of the building, she felt a stab of concern. The hut was deserted. She could tell even at that distance, for not only did no sign of a fire or light come from within, but the door hung open. And the plants and herbs hanging from the porch roof were missing. Slowly she climbed the step to the porch and entered the hut. Inside, the single table and stool were all that remained. The chest and other personal belongings were gone. On the table rested a single piece of parchment. Jazhara picked it up. 361
Girl, it read, My time is done. I was placed here to keep watch over evil until such time as someone came to rid this place of it. You are brave and resourceful young people. The future is yours. Serve the forces of good. Hilda “She’s gone,” Jazhara said to the person who had quietly mounted the porch after her. William stepped into the hut. “Who was she?” “A witch, they say,” replied Jazhara. “You don’t believe that,” said William. Raised on Stardock, he knew as well as she the prejudices toward women who practiced magic in the Kingdom. “Who was she really?” “A wise woman,” answered Jazhara, folding the note and putting it in her belt. “A servant of good. She’s gone now.” “Did she say where?” “No,” said the young magician. She glanced around, then looked at William. “Why did you follow me?” “I wanted to talk before we were surrounded by others, on the long trip back to Krondor.” Jazhara said, “We can talk while we return.” William stepped aside as she moved through the door, then fell into step beside her on the path back to Haldon Head. After a few steps, Jazhara said, “Talk. I’m listening.” William let out a deep breath. “This is awkward.” “It doesn’t have to be.” “I said some things – ” 362
She stopped and touched his arm. “We both said some things. You were young . . . we both were young. But that . . . misunderstanding, that’s in the past.” “Then we are all right with each other?” Jazhara nodded. “We are all right.” William started walking again. “Good. I’ve lost . . . someone I cared about, and . . . I didn’t want to lose another friend.” Jazhara said, “You’ll never lose me, William.” She was silent for a while. “I’m sorry about your loss. I know Talia was special to you.” William glanced at Jazhara. “She was. As are you.” Jazhara smiled. “And as you are to me.” “We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other in the years to come. I just didn’t want it to remain difficult.” “Me neither.” They continued on in silence the rest of the way, content to have begun healing the rift between them. The return journey to Krondor went without incident. The relief column from Miller’s Rest was in Haldon Head waiting for them when they reached the summit. It escorted the four of them back to Krondor. Without ceremony they rode through the city four days later and into the marshaling yard of the palace. Grooms and lackeys took charge of mounts and James, Jazhara, Solon, Kendaric, and William were directed straight to the Prince’s private reception quarters. A horseman had been dispatched as they had approached the city, and the Prince had alerted the High Priest of the Temple of Ishap, who now waited with the Prince for the weary party. James led the way, with Solon at his side, holding tightly 363
the case containing the Tear. Kendaric, William, and Jazhara entered behind them. James bowed. “Sire, with great pleasure I report we have achieved our goals. Brother Solon holds the Tear of the Gods.” Solon looked at the High Priest, who stepped forward and opened the box the monk held. Within the box rested a large pale blue crystal, the size of a large man’s forearm. It seemed to glow with an inner light and as they beheld it, a faint tone, as if distant music filled the air, could be heard. “Few not of our order have ever seen the Tear of the Gods, Highness,” said the High Priest. “All here are more than worthy of the honor.” They stood transfixed for a while, then the High Priest closed the box. “We leave at dawn to transport the Tear to our mother temple in Rillanon,” said the High Priest. “Brother Solon will personally oversee the transport.” “If you don’t mind,” said Prince Arutha, “I’ll just happen to have a full company of lancers riding along behind.” Bowing slightly, the High Priest indicated that he had no objection. To Solon, Arutha said, “You serve your god well.” The High Priest added, “He is our good and faithful servant. He shall be elevated to replace Michael of Salador. Solon, we entrust to you the leadership of the Brothers of Ishap’s Hammer, and entrust to you the safekeeping of the Hammer of Luc d’Orbain.” “I am honored, Father,” said the monk. To the others in the room, the High Priest said, “Your bravery, and the strength of your spirit, have restored to us that which is the cornerstone of our faith. The Temple of Ishap owes you all its eternal gratitude.” 364
Arutha said, “As does the court of Krondor to you, Brother Solon.” Looking at William, he added, “You’ve acquitted yourself admirably, Lieutenant. You’re an honor to the Household Guard.” William bowed. “Guildsman Kendaric,” said Arutha. The wrecker stepped forward and bowed. “Highness.” “You’ve done the Crown a great service. We are in your debt. We understand that with the death of your master, the Guild is currently in disarray. As it is a patent guild, dependent upon the Crown’s favor, it is our desire that you assume the rank of Guild Master and restore your fellowship.” “Your Highness,” said Kendaric. “I am honored, but the Guild is in ruin. Jorath’s embezzlement left us without a copper, the other journeymen who’ve left . . .” “We shall attend to those details. The Crown is not ungenerous to those who serve us. We shall restore your treasury and ensure you recover.” “Your Highness is most generous,” said the new Guild Master. Then Arutha said, “Lady Jazhara. You have proven my choice of court magician a wise one.” Jazhara inclined her head and said, “Highness.” The Prince of Krondor rarely smiled, but this time his expression was almost expansive. With pride in his eyes, he said, “James, as always you are a good and faithful servant. You have my personal thanks.” He stood, and said, “You’ve all done well.” James spoke on behalf of the others. “Our duty and our pleasure, sire.” “I have asked that a celebration in your honor be readied for tonight,” Arutha said. “Retire to your quarters and return this evening as my guests.” 365
He departed the throne room, motioning for James to follow him. Jazhara turned to Solon and said, “Will you join us?” “Nay, lass,” said the large monk from Dorgin. “As head of my order I must ensure the safety of the Tear until we reach Rillanon. It will not leave my sight until then. Fare you well, all of you.” He motioned for two monks who had stood silently in the corner to approach. They turned and bowed respectfully to the High Priest. The two monks fell in behind the High Priest and Brother Solon and left the room with the Tear. William asked Kendaric, “What now?” Kendaric said, “I will go to Morraine and bring her with me tonight. As Guild Master I will earn enough to satisfy even her family. We shall be wed as soon as we can.” Jazhara said, “I am happy to hear that.” Kendaric nodded enthusiastically. “I must hurry off. I’ll see you both later.” William said, “May I escort you back to your quarters, lady?” “No need,” said Jazhara. “I have to learn to find my way around this place sooner or later. If I get lost I’ll just ask a page for directions.” William knew she knew the way. He smiled. “Until tonight.” As he started to leave, she said, “William?” “Yes, Jazhara?” She stepped forward and lightly kissed his cheek. “It is good to be here with you again.” He looked into her dark brown eyes and for a moment he was speechless. Then he returned the kiss and said, “Yes, it is good.” They parted and went their separate ways. * 366
Arutha sat behind his desk. “You can give me a full report tomorrow,” he said to James. “You look like you could use some rest before this evening’s festivities.” “Well, four days’ riding was hardly restful, but most of the bruises and cuts are healing.” “The Tear is safe, which is the main thing. What else did you discover?” James said, “Of the Crawler, nothing. I think the man was one of several agents of a man called Sidi.” William had told James all he knew of Sidi, both at the time of the attack on the Duke of Olasko, and during this latest encounter. James recounted what William had said to him, finishing with, “He seems to be a trader of some sort, a renegade, dealing with the goblins and those north of the mountains as well as those in more legitimate commerce. At least that’s what he appears to be.” “You suspect more?” “Much more. He just knew too much and . . .” James paused. “I caught but a glimpse of him on the cliffs above the beach while William fought with the pirate, Bear. He makes my skin itch, Highness. I think he’s much more than a mere trader.” “A magician or a priest?” “Possibly. Certainly he was desperate to get back the amulet that Bear wore, and I suspect he gave it to Bear in the first place.” “What dark agency do we face?” asked Arutha. James said, “That question, Highness, plagues me as well.” Arutha was silent as he rose from his desk and crossed to the window overlooking the marshaling yard below. Soldiers were at drill, and he saw young William hurrying to the bachelor 367
officers’ barracks. “William did well,” said the prince. “He’ll be Knight-Marshal of Krondor some day,” said James, “if you ever decide to let Gardan retire.” The prince turned and faced him with what could only be called a grin, an expression James had not seen from Arutha more than a few times in the ten years and more during which he’d served him. “He told me the next time he’s just going to walk out, and take ship to Crydee. Then let me send soldiers to fetch him back.” “What are you going to do?” “Let him serve a bit longer, then recall Locklear and give him the position.” “Locklear, Knight-Marshal?” “You yourself have told me that as long as I run the army I should use an administrator. Locklear certainly has the knack for that job.” “Indeed,” agreed James. “Never had much use for accounts, myself.” “I’m going to let him sit for one more winter with Baron Moyet, then I’ll fetch him back and send Gardan home.” “For real this time?” Arutha laughed. “Yes, I’ll let him return to Crydee and sit on Martin’s dock fishing, if that’s what he really desires.” James stood. “I have a few things I need to do before tonight, Highness. With your leave?” Arutha waved James from the room. “Until tonight.” James said, “Highness,” and showed himself out of the room. Arutha, Prince of Krondor and second most powerful man in the Kingdom of the Isles, stood at his window in a reflective 368
mood. A young man when he had taken command at the Siege of Crydee during the Riftwar, he was now middle-aged. He had many years before him, if the gods were kind, but he felt a calm reassurance knowing that the fate of his kingdom rested in the competent hands of younger men and women, men and women like James, Jazhara, and William. He allowed himself the luxury of one more peaceful moment, then returned to his desk and the reports that begged for his attention. James hurried through the palace. He needed to send word to Jonathan Means, and two of his other agents, to let them know that he was back in Krondor. Then he needed to duck into the streets for a quick visit to one of his informants who was keeping an eye out for signs of activity by the Crawler and his gang. Now that the matter of the Tear of the Gods was settled, James was determined to turn his attention to this would-be crime lord and find out once and for all who he was. Then he would rid the city of his presence. James counted down the things he needed to do. If he hurried, he would just have time to return for a bath and change of clothing before the Prince’s celebration. He was tired, but there would be time to sleep tomorrow. At this moment he was doing what he wanted to do more than anything: serving his Prince. And he was where he wanted to be more than anywhere in the world: Krondor.
he solitary figure dripped water as it slogged along the dark corridor of the long tunnel. The air reeked of smoke and dead bodies. Sidi found that the small fire he had started that morning was still burning. He fetched a torch from a wall-sconce. Lighting it, he continued his journey. Finally, he reached the room in which the dead liche lay, its body quickly turning to dust. “Idiot!” he shouted again at the unhearing form. He moved behind the throne and found the secret latch. He tripped it and a section of wall moved aside. He entered a room even the liche hadn’t known of, one Sidi used exclusively for himself. As he entered, a voice said, “You’ve lost.” “No, I haven’t, old woman!” he shouted to the voice in the air. He stripped off his dripping tunic. “You didn’t find the amulet.” There was mockery in her voice. “I’ll keep looking. It’s only been four days.” “Even if you find it, what will you do? You have no servants or allies.” 370
“Talking to the air is tedious. Show yourself.” A faint figure appeared, translucent and without much color, but recognizable as a woman of middle age. Stripping off his trousers, the magician reached for a blanket and wrapped it around himself. “I tire of cold and damp places . . . what are you calling yourself these days?” “Hilda, most recently.” “Yes, Hilda. I am tired of this place. Servants I can get with gold. That I have in abundance. Allies are almost as easy, once I discover what they desire.” He looked at the pale image. “You know, I sensed you’ve been close by for some years now, but didn’t think I needed to ferret you out.” “You can’t get rid of me, and we both know it.” The man sighed. “You have no worshipers, no clerics, not one person in ten million on this world who even knows your name, yet you persist in lingering. That’s very bad form for a goddess.” The shade who had once been the old woman in the hut said, “It is my nature. As long as you seek to serve your master, I must oppose him.” “My master lives!” said Sidi, pointing his finger at the image. “You don’t even have the good grace to admit you’re dead and go away!” The figure vanished. Instantly Sidi felt regret. As much as he disliked the woman and all her incarnations, she had been a part of his life for several centuries. He had been the first to discover the amulet in over a thousand years. He had succumbed to its power. For years he had felt impulses he couldn’t explain and heard voices no one else had. He had grown in his power, and for a long time, in his madness. Then his mind had gained 371
clarity beyond madness. He had learned whom he served: the Nameless One. He had used the amulet before, to trap others in his master’s service, such as the liche Savan and his brother. That had been a mistake. He sighed. Serving darkness required you to use whatever came your way. The old woman had appeared soon after he had gained his powers. She was the opponent of the Nameless One, and she had refused to give Sidi any rest. He was forced to admit she was the only person – if one could call the ghost of a dead goddess a person – he had known for longer than a few years. Most of the others had got themselves killed in one grisly fashion or another. In a strange way, he was somewhat fond of the old goddess. He sighed. The battle had been lost, but the war would continue, and he would seek to do his master’s bidding. Eventually his master would return to this world. It might take centuries, but Sidi had time. His master demanded a high price for his service, but he rewarded as well. Sidi might look to be a man of fifty, yet he had lived nearly five times that number of years. He lay down on the bed. “I must find a better place to live, soon,” he sighed.
About The Author Raymond E. Feist’s previous novels include Magician, Silverthorn, Faerie Tale, Prince of the Blood and The King’s Buccaneer, as well as the four books of his New York Times bestselling Serpentwar Saga: Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King, and Shards of a Broken Crown, and the first book of his Riftwar Legacy: Krondor the Betrayal. he is the creator of the immensely popular computer game Betrayal at Krondor —which won Computer Magazine’s Best Game of the Year Award— and the follow-up game, Return to Krondor. Mr. Feist lives with his wife and family in Southern California.
Credits Jacket design by Amy Halperin Cover illustration by Liz Kenyon Text design by Kellan Peck
About the Publisher Australia HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Limited 25 Ryde Road (PO Box 321) Pymble, NSW 2073, Australia http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. 55 Avenue Road, Suite 2900 Toronto, ON, M5R, 3L2, Canada http://www.harpercanada.com
New Zealand HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited P.O. Box 1 Auckland, New Zealand http:// P.O. Box 1 Auckland, New Zealand http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 77-85 Fulham Palace Road London, W6 8JB, UK http://www.fireandwater.co.uk
United States HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 10 East 53rd Street New York, NY 10022 http://www.harpercollins.com
Krondor Tear Of The Gods
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Home / Future State of Business
Future state of business: The 2021 outlook
Get more insights on 2020's unprecedented changes in business, healthcare, education and leadership.
Read the eBook
How technology will change the next normal of healthcare in and out of the hospital
Published Jul 30, 2020 By: Taher Behbehani
Editor’s Note: This conversation is part of our ongoing “Future State Of” series. It has been edited for length and clarity.
U.S. healthcare has undergone significant recent changes. But perhaps nothing will impact our healthcare system more than the COVID-19 crisis.
To reduce the spread of the disease and maintain capacity, hospitals and healthcare facilities deferred in-person appointments and nonessential procedures until the virus was better contained. As a result, the application of telehealth has dramatically increased. In fact, virtual healthcare visits surged 50 percent in March and are on pace to top one billion by the end of 2020.
While telehealth is not new, there have previously been barriers to its widespread adoption, like cost, technology and patient acceptance. But now that doctors and patients alike have experienced telehealth at scale, will it become standard practice in the next normal?
Taher Behbehani, GM and SVP of Samsung B2B, sits down with Leo Bodden, CTO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP), to discuss topics including the impact of the crisis on healthcare in general and the role telehealth will play in the future — both in and out of the hospital. Based in the initial U.S. epicenter of the pandemic, Leo and the NYP team have navigated incredible challenges during this crisis and adapted quickly, moving 3,000 staff members to full-time remote work and conducting many patient visits virtually. For context, the number of virtual visits at NYP increased from 4,000 to 24,000 per week in April!
Taher Behbehani: Hi Leo, and thanks so much for your time. At this stage in managing the pandemic, what would you have done differently? And what should the industry overall have done differently?
Leo Bodden: Hi Taher, happy to be here. The first thing we would have done differently, and I think this is consistent among my colleagues, is not question the data. Globally, where most countries fell on their faces, had to do with the assumption it would be different for them. Instead, they (and we) should have closely tracked the trendlines — such as what was happening in Italy and what was happening in China — and responded far quicker.
I say this to colleagues all the time: We (the U.S.) were fortunate that the virus hit New York first, because compared to some other states in the nation, this is a fairly rich state. Then we (in New York) were fortunate it hit NYP, since NYP is very well managed and well funded. As an organization, we were able to make all the investments that needed to be made to support the patients and our communities.
I am very proud of the way NYP ultimately responded, but if there was one thing that we would do differently it’s questioning the data. The moment we did that, we as an entire organization moved in the same direction, and we were able to build the capacity that we needed very, very quickly.
TB: Was there an “aha!” moment for you and your organization as the pandemic expanded?
LB: The “aha” moment was when we began seeing patients who seemed perfectly fine, and then suddenly decompensated to the point where we needed a rapid response team to get them back.
Those were things that we were hearing from Italy from the very beginning. It was one of our COOs who said, “what we saw with this patient is very close to what I have been hearing from colleagues in Italy.” And when we made that connection, we realized that we were about to see the same thing that Italy saw.
TB: That’s interesting, when personal or professional first-hand experience matches the data, then something goes off in the human mind, saying “Wow, it’s true! This is really happening!” Right?
LB: Exactly.
TB: Before the pandemic, NYP was already engaging in telehealth services. But the pandemic has really raised the potential and profile of telehealth services. Do you think this trend has staying power?
LB: It is an expectation now. We had a robust telemedicine program before the pandemic. I would argue that it was number one or number two in the country for a healthcare organization. And then the pandemic hit, everyone invested millions, caught up and now we are basically average. What is interesting now is that if you do not have it as an option, you are not going be a provider of choice in the future. Forcing people to come into the four walls of a hospital no longer makes sense, especially when services can be rendered virtually.
So yes, it is here to stay. We must have it as an option if we are going to remain relevant in the next couple of years.
A big problem with the current model is that the returns are not on par with physical visits. There need to be adjustments in how we fund it, how we charge for it and ultimately how it aligns with the other services we are providing.
TB: What kind of impact is telemedicine having on your business model?
LB: Financial. If, for example, a hospital charges $100 for an in-person hospital visit, a comparable virtual (telemedicine) visit earns $33. In other words, one roughly generates a third of the revenue for telemedicine visits versus physical. Over time, like other digitized services, we will see more downward pressure. The per-visit returns for basic telemedicine will continue declining, requiring volume to make up for the difference, assuming returns are to be maintained year-over-year.
TB: This is a big shift for the entire industry and will probably drive new technology. What are some of the technology barriers your industry is facing to make this new paradigm work?
LB: Regulatory. As an example, before realistically using (consumer) wearables in a healthcare environment, these must go through the rigorous regulatory testing, just like medical devices. However, in a not so distant future, I expect more patients will be using wearables over very expensive medical devices for simple vitals.
While the road forward is extremely complex, imagine a day when a $300 watch can do as well as considerably more expensive medical technology. Hospitals will begin monitoring and supporting patients — even cardiac patients — from home without major investments on infrastructure.
Healthcare organizations are already shifting focus from disease-oriented care (Illness or Sick Care) toward one of wellness and prevention (Wellness Care), and ubiquitous access to inexpensive consumer technology will be its enabler. It will change how organizations provide healthcare services and be a true benefit to patients.
TB: Do you have any concerns about being able to deliver quality care as this digital trend expands?
LB: One of my biggest concerns as we are transitioning to this new virtual/telemedicine world is accessibility for the masses. People in some of the communities we serve cannot afford a $1,000 device. So, if a $1,000 device is required for some of these basic medical services we are discussing, we will have huge disparities between the haves and the have-nots. As you can imagine, there is a huge opportunity here.
We do not have the answer yet, but certainly being able to have this kind of conversation can help us come up with a solution. We need to make sure people who do not have the means can ultimately have access to services that should be rights, not privileges. It is something I truly believe Samsung can certainly help with.
TB: Thanks Leo for sharing all these great insights.
LB: Thank you.
Explore the ways Samsung is leading the charge in the next normal of digital healthcare. And keep up to date with the latest announcements and insights by following Taher Behbehani on Twitter.
Taher Behbehani
Taher Behbehani is the General Manager and Head of Mobile B2B Business at Samsung Electronics America. At his core, Taher is an entrepreneur who takes a customer-centric approach to innovation. He brings a bold vision to Samsung and its B2B customers fueled by his experience in different high-tech segments, including fintech, government, healthcare, digital media, cloud services, communications and product development. He has a successful track record as an investor, advisor and entrepreneur, having founded two companies focused on advanced wireless technologies and telecom services. Twitter: @taherbehbehani
View more posts by Taher Behbehani
Future State of Healthcare
Future State of Series
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Automata-Theoretic Protocol Programming
January 11, 2016 | Filed under:
Sung-Shik Jongmans
promotor: prof.dr. F. Arbab (UL)
Date: 3 March, 2016, 15:00
In the early 2000s, hardware manufacturers shifted their attention from manufacturing faster—yet purely sequential—unicore processors to manufacturing slower—yet increasingly parallel—multicore processors. In the wake of this shift, parallel programming became essential for writing scalable programs on general hardware. Conceptually, every parallel program consists of workers, which implement primary units of sequential computation, and protocols, which implement the rules of interaction that workers must abide by. As programmers have been writing sequential code for decades, programming workers poses no new fundamental challenges. What is new—and notoriously difficult—is programming of protocols.
In this thesis, I study an approach to protocol programming where programmers implement their workers in an existing general-purpose language (GPL), while they implement their protocols in a complementary domain-specific language (DSL). DSLs for protocols enable programmers to express interaction among workers at a higher level of abstraction than the level of abstraction supported by today’s GPLs, thereby addressing a number of protocol programming issues with today’s GPLs. In particular, in this thesis, I develop a DSL for protocols based on a theory of formal automata and their languages. The specific automata that I consider, called constraint automata, have transition labels with a richer structure than alphabet symbols in classical automata theory. Exactly these richer transition labels make constraint automata suitable for modeling protocols.
Constraint automata constitute the (denotational) semantics of the DSL presented in this thesis. On top of this semantics, I use two complementary syntaxes: an existing graphical syntax (based on the coordination language Reo) and a novel textual syntax. The main contribution of this thesis, then, consists of a compiler and four of its optimizations, all formalized and proven correct at the semantic level of constraint automata, using bisimulation. In addition to these theoretical contributions, I also present an implementation of the compiler and its optimizations, which supports Java as the complementary GPL, as plugins for Eclipse. Nothing in the theory developed in this thesis depends on Java, though; any language that supports some form of threading and mutual exclusion may serve as a target for compilation. To demonstrate the practical feasibility of the GPL+DSL approach to protocol programming, I study the performance of the implemented compiler and its optimizations through a number of experiments, including the Java version of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks. The experimental results in these benchmarks show that, with all four optimizations in place, compiler-generated protocol code can compete with hand-crafted protocol code.
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Content posted in January 2004
Editor's Note: On The Minds Of Business Leaders
Practical Tools for New Ideas
Innovation is the wellspring of prosperity. This second part of a series looks at products that help spur new ideas - and prevent them from dying on the vine.
Plugging In With Chet Phillips
Our back-page Q&A debuts with Chet Phillips' take on the latest BI buzz.
Introducing InfoPath
Microsoft's InfoPath tackles the XML service-based integration.
Open-source databases pinpoint demand ... EMC and HP say storage plus content management add up to information life-cycle management ... SAN matures.
When Simple Won't Do
Our new column begins with a warning: When it comes to integration, beware the "magic bullet" delusion.
Right in Time
To survive today's challenges, businesses must take a long look at their data warehousing investment - and break traditional barriers to delivering strategic and tactical information faster.
The Making of a Real-Time Hero
Data warehousing has prospered in support of strategic decision-making. Now, as business intelligence expands, the world looks to the sky, not for a bird or a plane - but for a data warehouse that meets real-time, tactical demands.
HotJobs' New Service: Fink On Yourself
Job seekers can pay to do a background search on themselves and make it available to potential employers.
The Anything-But-Microsoft Market
The anything-but-Microsoft industry scrambles to free up IT dollars and locate competitive advantage.
Microsoft Offers Bounty For Mydoom Author
Microsoft Corp. offered a $250,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the Mydoom author, matching the bounty offered by SCO.
Stop Proliferating ODSs
Everyone knows about the rise and fall of data marts: Will operational data stores suffer the same fate?
Novell HQ Moves to Boston Suburb
It's the end of a computer-industry era, as Novell moves from its long-time headquarters, which was located just a short commuter bus-ride from the Mormon Tabernacle.
TECH STOCKS: Blame This Decline On GDP
At the end of Friday, all of our indexes were slightly down for the day.
Dr. Dean Gets Rich Client
The DeanForAmerica.com Web site uses Laszlo Presentation Server 2.0, which serves up a rich experience to visitors.
Sun Reaches Out To Eclipse In Effort To End Disputes Over Java
Sun, which has been in conflict with IBM over Java standards, wrote a letter urging togetherness in the face of the common enemy.
Banks Plan For Identity Theft Assistance Center
The new center, to be operated by Wells Fargo with participation from other banks, will work for consumers who believe they've been victims of identity theft.
CA Said To Be Integrating Tools With Network Management
The plan echoes that of HP, IBM, and Microsoft, which are building apps and services that can be redeployed or provisioned on the fly.
E-Voting System Has Security Risks
Security researchers say Diebold's electronic voting system is vulnerable to tampering, but can be fixed by election day.
Shrinking Backup And Recovery Costs
Recovering data during times of need is critical to all, and few can afford to make inefficient use of business-technology resources.
The Changing Face Of Oracle
CEO Larry Ellison talks about the company's new presidents, new products, its hostile bid for PeopleSoft, and international markets.
Business Technology: Diverse Views On Outsourcing
While some lament lost jobs in the technology industry, others say the need to compete is driving companies offshore.
Gateway To Acquire eMachines
The $234 million deal will help Gateway return to profitability, says founder Ted Waitt.
FTC Sends Mass E-Mail Warning Of Spammers' Tricks
The government says misconfigured servers are unwittingly forwarding spam around the globe.
Reward Offered To Capture Virus Designer
Microsoft will pay $250,000 to the person who aids in the arrest of the MyDoom author.
'03 License Revenue Surged 23% For MicroStrategy
The business-intelligence vendor reported a loss, however, due to early debt retirement.
Key product releases, with a focus on data warehouses.
Strategic, tactical, or both? Data warehouses must answer.
TECH STOCKS: Little Traction
Investors grappled with whether Wednesday's losses were a buying opportunity or a correction.
Doctors Dependent On WebMD Despite Alleged Problems
Because of complexities with claims-processing and new requirements under HIPAA, doctors rely on WebMD and other clearinghouses to handle the work.
Army Turns To IT To Help Keep Morale Up
US Army Community and Family Support Center CIO Rick Thomas is searching for ways to use IT to improve the quality of services his organization provides to soldiers and their families.
Linux Needs A Committed Champion
Nuts to Linus Torvalds. On January 19, Bruce Perens, executive director of the Linux Desktop Consortium extolled the virtues of the latest round of Linux desktops for businesses being
Stealing the Show
Reporting is the hottest thing in the BI market. Careful thought will make your investment a success.
FCC Cites AT&T Wireless Complaints
The wireles carrier, now accepting acquisition bids, was the subject of nearly half of the FCC's consumer complaints about number portability.
Hackers Target Systems Infected By MyDoom
They're taking advantage of a back door the worm has created in infected systems.
20,000 University of Georgia Students Face Serious ID-Theft Risk
The school says hackers may have accessed key information, including credit-card and Social Security numbers.
United States Readies Enterprise Asset-Management System In Iraq
The system will integrate data and coordinate logistics for more than 5,000 major rebuilding projects.
DataDomain Aims To Shrink Backup And Recovery Costs
Its DD200 Restorer offers the high-speed performance of disk-based storage, validated information for recovery, and less information to manage.
Secret CIO: Our CEO Has A Vision For The Future
Picking a direction is easy; getting there successfully is another story.
Taking Stock: Visions Of The Year Ahead
Technology and business continue to work hand in hand.
Buyouts Hurt Verizon's Bottom Line
It lost $1.4 billion in the fourth quarter due to the costs of buying out 21,000 employees, overshadowing the fact that it added 1.5 million customers to its market-leading customer base.
Man Sentenced To 21 Months For Defrauding Microsoft
Wilson Delancy was also ordered to repay more than $4 million for his role in a scheme to steal software from the company.
Out Of India: British Firm Shifts 250 Jobs Back Home
Shop Direct is shifting work back to Britain from a call center in Bangalore, potentially costing the Indian services firm 250 jobs.
Survey: Some Small And Midsize Businesses Wary Of Depending On Microsoft
Among those with concerns, 72% are pursuing diversification strategies.
Ohio Names New CIO
Greg Jackson, who's been the de facto CIO since 2000, now has the job officicially.
Controversial Virtual Schools Gain Popularity In Wisconsin
The six virtual schools in the state are pitched as alternatives for parents who want a hybrid home-schooling and a traditional classroom.
Fidelity Scoops Up Sanchez Computer Associates And Its Linux-Based Deposit And Loan System
Fidelity National Financial said it plans to acquire Sanchez Computer Associates Inc., and its core product, Profile, a real-time bank deposit and loan processing system that was recently migrated to Linux.
Researcher: SMBs Wary Of Depending On Microsoft
The Yankee Group's web survey of 600 small and medium businesses (SMBs) found 43 percent of decision-makers concerned about over-reliance on Microsoft; and of that group, almost three-fourths were actively seeking other vendors to diversify.
Siebel Offers 90 Days Free On Hosted Service
The customer-relationship-management software vendor sees the extended trial period as a way to get those interested in the service to move more quickly.
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FaulknerBrowns Architects proposes to reinvigorate a Victorian villa
Design Architecture Homes
International architectural practice FaulknerBrowns Architects has submitted a proposal to England’s Newcastle City Council for sensitively preserving the Ashfield Towers — a magnificent, Victorian villa — by transforming the grounds into a contemporary residential development. Located in the affluent Gosforth district in Newcastle upon Tyne, FaulknerBrowns’ Ashfield Towers proposal calls for a mix of residential typologies housed within the restored Victorian villa along with a renovated late 19th century coach house and new, contemporary buildings.
Originally built as a private residence, Ashfield Towers has been previously adapted into a workplace and most recently as the school building for the Westfield School for Girls. In 2018, Union Property purchased the 1.4 acre site to allow the school to consolidate its estate to its senior site. The Westfield School for Girls bid farewell to Ashfield Towers in the summer of 2019.
Related: This tiny Victorian cottage on a wildflower meadow belongs in a fairytale
Working closely with the local planning authority as well as conservation, landscape and urban design officers, FaulknerBrowns created a site-sensitive proposal that includes seven apartments within the Victorian villa, a single dwelling inside the renovated, late 19th century coach house and three new homes and three new apartments in the contemporary new buildings. The new construction would feature pre-cast concrete elements and hand-molded bricks to complement the mix of existing honed and chiseled stone, while the new color palette of light blue and peach tones take cues from the conservation area and complement the existing yellow sandstone of the original buildings.
“Ashfield Towers has given us a fantastic opportunity to revive a beautiful piece of Gosforth’s heritage, returning the site to its original, residential use,” explained Jane Redmond, associate at FaulknerBrowns. “The rich context of the conservation area continues through to the proposed shared gardens while the new architectural elements are inspired by the language of their Victorian neighbour, but with a restrained form and simple material palette that brings forward a varied mix of elegant new homes.”
+ FaulknerBrowns Architects
Images via FaulknerBrowns Architects
Ashfield Towers by FaulknerBrowns Architects
FaulknerBrowns Architects has submitted a proposal to revitalize Ashfield Towers.
Ashfield Towers is a 19th century villa in Newcastle.
The villa has previously served as a workplace and a school.
The architects want to transform the villa into housing.
The project would refresh the villa and coach house on the site as well as add new, contemporary buildings.
The project would include a mix of residential typologies.
The newer buildings would rely on colors and materials that honor and complement the 19th century architecture.
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THE KENYA OFF-GRID SOLAR ACCESS PROJECT (KOSAP)
Home/THE KENYA OFF-GRID SOLAR ACCESS PROJECT (KOSAP)
Mini-Grids in Garissa County constructed by the national government. KOSAP will construct 120 Mini-grids in the 14 Counties. (Picture: Nyaga Ireri MOE)
The Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP) is a flagship project of the Ministry of Energy, financed by the World Bank aimed at providing electricity and clean cooking solutions in the remote, low density, and traditionally underserved areas of the country. The Project is part of the government’s commitment to provide universal access to electricity in Kenya by 2022, universal access to modern energy services for cooking by 2030 as well as the impetus for growth in achieving Vision 2030. The Project is implemented jointly by the Ministry of Energy, Kenya Power and Lighting (KPLC) as well as Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC).
The Project targets to reach approximately. 277,000 households (1.3 million people), community facilities: schools; health facilities and administrative offices as well as 380 community boreholes in the 14 Counties of West Pokot, Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, and Narok.
It will also facilitate the installation of 250,000 solar home systems in the 14 Counties and selling of 150,000 clean cooking stoves in 7 Counties of West Pokot, Turkana, Isiolo, Samburu and Marsabit, Kwale, Lamu and Kilifi.
Duration and Funding
The Six year Project was launched in July 2017 and will complete by June 2023. It is funded to the tune of $USD 150 Million (approximately KSh 15 Billion) by the World Bank.
Component 1 Mini-grids for Households and Public Facilities
As the target counties are not served by the national grid, mini-grids will be constructed to be the main source of energy. A total of 151 mini-grids will be constructed throughout I2 of the 14 Counties. The mini-grids will then be used to provide electricity to community facilities, enterprises, and households. The mini-grids will be constructed in areas that have a population of 100 households and sufficient existing or potential business and institutional loads.
Mini-Grid Project Sites in Isiolo County
Eras Ha Boru
Garfasa
Kipsing
Kombolla
Oldonyiro
Malkadaka
Malkaghala
Rapsu
Leparua
Component 2 on Stand Alone Solar Home Systems
The vast majority of the off-grid population in the 14 counties is dispersed and requires individual system solutions (Solar Home Systems- SHS). Under this component, the Project aims to establish sustainable supply chains for marketing and sales of solar home systems in KOSAP Counties. While the Private Sector Actors have penetrated the solar market in other parts of the country they have not made the same in-roads in the 14 Counties. The Project has established a Results-Based Financing and Debt Facility (RBF) which will provide incentives to solar businesses to extend and expand their reach in the 14 Counties.
Under this component, the project aims to deliver 250,000 Stand-alone Solar home Systems and 150,000 high tier clean cooking solutions. SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in partnership with SunFunder is the Facilities Manager.
Types of Support under the RBF and Debt Facilities
There are three Facilities available for access by private companies:
Results-Based Financing (SSP RBF) Facility (KES 1.2 billion) for Solar Service Providers
Debt Facility (KES 3 billion) for Solar Service Providers
Challenge Fund and Results-Based Financing (RBF) Facility (KES 0.5 billion) for Clean Cooking Solutions Service Providers (CCS SPs)
For further information on these Facilities and application process, please visit www.kosap-fm.org.
Component 3A Stand Alone Home Systems for Public Facilities
Under this, community facilities developed by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior will be supplied with power for optimum performance.
To achieve this, a private-sector contractor will be procured by KPLC for each service territory to supply, install and maintain stand-alone solar systems in community facilities.
List of Public Facilities To Be Electrified Under KOSAP in ISIOLO County
LIST OF PUBLIC FACILITIES TO BE ELECTRIFIED UNDER KOSAP
Ntalaby Primay School School
Korbesa Mixed/Secondary School School
Korbesa Dispensary Medical
Matar-Arba Dispensary Medical
Daaba Dispensary Medical
Kom Police Post Security
Aremiet Mixed Secondary School
Ngaremara Boys Secondary School
Kula Mawe Secondary School School
Oldonyiro Girls School
Janju Dispensary Medical
Biliqo Marara Dispensary Medical
Lolkuta North Dispensary Medical
Boji Dispensary Medical
Muchuro Dispensary Medical
Barambate Dispensary Medical
Component 3B Solar Water Pumps for Community Facilities
About 380 boreholes associated with community facilities in the 14 Counties will benefit from the installation of solar-powered water pumps. This will increase sustainable access to water supply by equipping new boreholes and retrofitting existing diesel-powered boreholes.
The Rural Electrification Agency and Renewable Energy (REREC) which is in charge of implementing this aspect of the project will hire private sector contractor to supply, install and maintain stand-alone solar systems for the community facilities. This will enhance the sustainability of these facilities as operational cost associated with diesel based systems will be avoided.
Component 4A: Capacity Building for Counties
Training under KOSAP is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the targeted County Governments. The County government’s role in the energy sector is defined under the Constitution as “County planning and development, including-electricity and gas reticulation and energy regulation.”Given that the County Governments have been in existence for less than six years, there is a need to enhance their Capacity in order to undertake this function effectively.
Training for the County Government is focused on Energy Management, Renewable Energy and Sustainable Resource Management, Tariff Rates and Cost Recovery Requirements, Environmental and Social Management, among others.
List of Trainees from Isiolo Counties
Course Trainees
Solar PV T1&T2 3
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Apparently the ‘Sir Joh with a Shotgun Logo’ was rejected
Episode 4 of the State Of Origin Icons, and to start this week’s team announcement, it’s a question in the form of a song…..
Where is Sydney?
THAT’S IN QUEENSLAND!
Queensland’s everywhere!
Home Ground: Woolloongabba
What an assortment of characters… and they’re apparently all non-fiction.
A couple of names that missed: 199 other Queensland Origin players, Peter ‘Voldemort’ Dutton, George Christensen, Andrew Symonds, Ash Barty, Sally Pearson, Karrie Webb, Anna Meares, Adam Scott…. and Agro.
The peak of Australian children’s television
Jeff Thomson also didn’t get a run… apparently it was payback for signing with the Packer Circus.
There was only one possible choice for Coach, and his name is…
WAYNE.
Alfie Langer was beaten out for a spot in the 22 by Pauline Hanson, but he couldn’t not play a part for his beloved banana benders, so he’ll be the team’s ‘assistant coach’ roaming the field in his blue shirt barking instructions.
Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen was placed in charge of the team’s nutrition, with those famous pumpkin scones sure to be a hit with the team.
Flickr: AussieMobs
Clive Palmer suggested a diet of meat pies and XXXX, but he was ignored.
Sir Terry Lewis is named as a team official, and he’ll be working very closely with a group of officials known as ‘The Joke’, but it turns out that the Australian public are the ones having the last laugh when Chris Masters appears on Four Corners.
Qantas have got plenty of spare planes in the fleet right now, and being the pride of Longreach, they’ll be transporting the team around the nation, with aircraft enthusiast Sir Joh (Former pilot of the Joh Jet) and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith as the pilots.
Just keep Smithy away from the Indian Ocean.
Supplying the team’s footwear is R.M. Williams, which will be a challenge supplying the team boots without studs, and the final major sponsor is the one and only…
Big Kev.
How are you feeling about this Queensland team, Kev?
Forward Line
Playing the role of the ‘stocky’ full-forward is Clive Palmer, which needs no further explanation.
Either side of Clive is the Rockhampton Rocket Rod Laver, the last man on earth to complete a calendar year singles grand slam (When about 10 countries played tennis), and to the right is 5-time 500cc World Champion, Mighty Mick Doohan, who hasn’t had much of a left foot since his crash at Assen in 1992.
Playing at Centre half-forward is the Immortal King Wally Lewis, who has come under scrutiny from WAYNE for his training standards, which cost him the captaincy to Sir Joh, The Shark will be absolutely outstanding in games played on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but he’ll get the wobbles on Sunday….
And the last of the forwards is Kingaroy’s other favourite son Matthew Hayden, who can absolutely flay his opposition in short order, although Haydos was asked not to go visit North Stradbroke Island before a game, based on past incidents.
Took on Straddie back bank yesterday with @josh_hayden28 and lost!!! Game over for a few days🏄🏽♂️☹️
A post shared by Matthew Hayden (@haydos359) on Oct 5, 2018 at 2:44pm PDT
Sir Joh was named as captain, and selected himself in the ruck after gerrymandering the selection process, although he has found common ground with WAYNE about giving nothing to the media.
Mr Fitzgerald had great success against Sir Joh in the late 1980s, but who can forget when Jana Wendt tagged Sir Joh on that A Current Affair episode…. He got two feet stuck on the sticky paper that night!
“You are wrong!”
What many people don’t know is that was actually Gerry Connolly portraying Sir Joh.
Joining the Hillbilly Dictator on the ball is former politician Mal ‘Smell My Finger’ Meninga, who made himself an Immortal playing centre for the Raiders (And some other rep teams), so, shock horror, he’s playing centre, albeit with a different shaped footy.
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be out to avoiding getting a rat-****ing from his opponent playing on-ball, and the second rover is the beloved expat New South Welsh cricketer Allan Border, named as Captain Grumpy in the official team sheet, who will really lay down the law to any blathering sooks in the team.
Just ask Craig McDermott.
On the left wing is the one and only Goondiwindi Grey Gunsynd, who should be at his best when they stretch the playing surface out to a mile, and on the adjacent wing is Bruce McAvaney’s one true sporting love, Commonwealth & Olympic champion, Cathy Freeman.
I’d bet my bottom dollar that we’ll see Cathy playing in a special maroon-coloured bodysuit, paying homage to Sydney 2000.
Defence in Queensland usually just consists of the locals telling people to “Go back where you came from”, which in most cases, is New Zealand.
Across half-back is transpacific pilot Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (Who doesn’t have an apostrophe in his name), playing for the first time since he went for a joyride over the Andaman Sea in 1935 and ended his career, Pat Rafter has overcome multiple shoulder injuries and losing a Wimbledon final to Goran Ivanišević to line-up at centre half-back, and filling the half-back line is arguably the most important Torrres Strait Islander in history, Eddie Mabo, remembered to most Australians as the bloke who told the government to shove it over terra nullius.
It’s Mabo, It’s justice, It’s law, It’s the vibe and… no that’s it, it’s the vibe.
Named in the back pocket is Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, best remembered for reminding us about something in a different context that seems very prevalent right now….
QUARANTINE MATTERS.
DON’T MUCK WITH IT.
And when you think about defending Queenslanders, you go to two people whose sanity is up for academic debate.
Bob Katter, who once egged The Beatles in 1964, and will attempt defend his team from opposition forwards, and crocodile attacks in North Queensland:
And the last on-field spot goes to former Ipswich fish & chip shop owner Pauline Hanson, who responded and I quote, “Please explain?”, on hearing the news of her selection.
Interchange & Emergencies
Queensland is Australia’s unofficial home of champion swimmers, and surprisingly, they’ve all been dumped on the pine.
Player #19 is Madame Butterfly Susie O’Neill, next is Senator Neville Bonner, the first Aboriginal Australian to sit in Parliament, followed by the 1500m freestyle legend Kieren Perkins, who was banned by team management from holding anything resembling an air pistol.
Big Artie Beetson fulfills the trifecta of Immortals on the team, and if you ask me, Beetson was unlucky not to get a starting spot, because I can see Greg Norman crushing our spirits when he gets on the green, and the last spot goes to Geoffrey Rush, who can play a variety of roles in this team.
A piano genius, a notorious pirate captain, Peter Sellers, a speech therapist, King Lear…
And last but not least, the first emergency is World Cup-winning Wallabies captain John Eales, who can easily move up forward slot through a clutch goal:
Next it’s all the gents from Powderfinger, fresh off their 10 year reunion show, and the last player is another 1500m freestyle great, Grant Hackett.
WAYNE could very easily have just named an entire team of Queensland Origin representatives.
It would’ve been a sight to see Julian O’Neill back in an Origin camp, but the shoes of Australia have suffered enough.
Anyway, to conclude proceedings, here’s Billy Moore to give his traditional blessing:
Categories: AFL
Tagged as: AFL, Australia, Australian Rules Football, Queensland, State of Origin
Sporting Joke of the Day: 24th May
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K96 FMK96 FM
Thomas Rhett and His Girls Sang a ‘Frozen’ Hit During ‘Disney Family Singalong’ and It’s So Precious
ABC via Hulu
Thomas Rhett's kids joined him on the Disney Family Singalong on Thursday night (April 16), and it's almost too cute for words.
For his performance of "Do You want to Build a Snowman?" from the mega hit Frozen, Rhett was accompanied by his two eldest daughters, 4-year-old Willa Gray and 3-year-old Ada. With Willa donning a blue Elsa dress and Ada in a purple jacket like Anna's, the father-daughters trio turned their porch swing into a stage, with Rhett taking on the role of lead singer while Willa and Ada mainly resort to throwing white confetti around the porch as a source of makeshift snow, chiming in vocally here and there.
With Dad's arms around her, Willa helps him sing the first few lines of the first verse, but Ada get shy when he points to her for her cue, sheepishly shaking her head "no." Eventually, she shouts along to some of the words with her dad and sister as they all throw handfuls of fake snow into the air.
"Do you want to build a snowman / Come on let's go and play / I never see you anymore/ Come out the door / It's like you've gone away," they sing.
Rhett was among the many artists who lent their voices to the virtual Disney Family Singalong special, including fellow country stars Little Big Town, who performed "A Spoonful of Sugar." The reigning ACM Male Vocalist of the Year released his own uplifting song recently, "Be a Light," which features guest vocals by Keith Urban, Hillary Scott, Reba McEntire and Chris Tomlin.
Thomas Rhett's Reaction to Third Daughter Is PRICELESS!
10 Too-Cute-for-Words Pictures of Lauren Akins + Thomas Rhett
Source: Thomas Rhett and His Girls Sang a ‘Frozen’ Hit During ‘Disney Family Singalong’ and It’s So Precious
Filed Under: Thomas Rhett
2021 K96 FM, Townsquare Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Karns Excels in TSA Regionals with 10 Titles Awarded
Mary Roark, Senior Reporter
The KHS TSA chapter earned nine titles at regional competition on Friday, January 17. Of the twenty-two members that competed, sixteen were awarded a first, second, or third place title. Karns received two first place trophies, five second place, and three third place. Noah Kelley placed first in “Future Technology Teacher” and Ethan Crandall, Noah Kelley, and Hannah Zannucci teamed up and placed first place in “Technology Bowl.”
Like DECA, FBLA, and HOSA, TSA (Technology Student Association) is a career and technical student organization intended to promote students’ success in society and advance skills and responsibilities necessary for the job market. Whereas HOSA focuses on the medical world and DECA on business, TSA focuses to improve STEM skills (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to make better student leaders. It also differs from other organizations in which TSA regional competitions allow each student to compete in up to three events. This variety resulted in over half of the members earning a title. Likewise, ten out of the fourteen first year regional competitors, mostly freshmen, earned one of these titles despite their lack of familiarity.
This year also proved unique because KHS boasted both its largest TSA chapter and number of awards. Chapter member numbers have been on the rise since its restoration in 2016. Thanks to Noah Kelley, years of TSA inactivity ended when he brought Karns Middle School’s success with him freshman year. “When I left middle school, Karns Middle was the third best middle school chapter in the nation,” Kelley recalled. “It instilled in me something that I didn’t want to lose.” Not eager to abandon TSA, Kelley contacted Principal Brad Corum over the summer and was able to put the club back in motion. With Ms. Meredith Rogers’ sponsorship, they were made Karns’ TSA chapter official with four members. Since then, numbers have multiplied to this year’s record twenty-four total members and also added Ms Karen Lee to the team as an additional advisor. Kelley is proud of the club’s success as he participates in his seventh and final year as a TSA member.
The regional winners will have another opportunity to represent Karns at the TSA state leadership conference in Chattanooga on April 1st-4th. Make sure to congratulate Friday’s winners and show support for all of the members advancing.
Mary Roark is a Senior Reporter for The Karns Chronicle. She is the president of the National Honor Society and a member of various clubs. She plans to...
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Slipknot Members Offer Face Mask Tips for Those New to Wearing Them
Brill Ullstein Bild, Getty Images / Matt Stasi, Loudwire
Slipknot and masks? The two go hand-in-hand, which is why the outfit makes the perfect metal act to speak out about wearing face masks in everyday life.
Indeed, a couple of the masked rockers have offered their takes on mask-wearing in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. After all, if they can wear their cumbersome (and terrifying) masks for a whole concert, certainly others can don a simple face covering when going out in public.
The CDC now recommends using cloth face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, many municipalities are enacting mask mandates as novel coronavirus cases surge. That's undoubtedly why Slipknot's Corey Taylor and Jay Weinberg are getting asked about their mask-wearing habits lately.
"The main thing is to find a mask that fits," Taylor told Spin. "I know a lot of people complain about it, like, hurting their ears and shit, but that's because your mask is too small. Or your head's too big. Whichever is the case, I'm not too sure."
The Slipknot vocalist and budding solo artist continued, "But think about it this way: you're talking about a few moments of discomfort against the possibility of being dead. It sells itself."
Weinberg shares his bandmate's sense of devotion to the mask. To wit, being a more recent recruit of the Nine, he's underscored how critical the band's costumes are to Slipknot's entire aesthetic.
"You just have to deal with it, you just have to accept," Weinberg recently explained to The Metal Circus TV, as Brave Words pointed out. "It's not fun, it's not enjoyable, it's not any of those things, but it is necessary, for sure."
However, the Slipknot drummer didn't field a query specifically related to COVID-19 face coverings. Still, the musician's thoughts about enduring discomfort associated with his Slipknot mask draw huge parallels to people wearing more straightforward face coverings to protect themselves and others.
"It's about conveying art," Weinberg added, "and it's about conveying the well-rounded approach to art that Slipknot takes, so that's just part of it. And I understood that when I joined this band as a huge factor of it."
Slipknot aren't the only band offering bold exhortations to face mask-wearing. Their masked brethren and onetime rivals in Mushroomhead feel the same way, as evidenced by drummer Steve "Skinny" Felton's musing to Spin. He even doubles up on masks at one point in his act's set.
"You take one mask off halfway through a song, and there's the big reveal," the Mushroomhead bandleader said. "So, if I can wear two masks for three songs, you can wear one for 10 minutes at the grocery store."
The Evolution of Slipknot's Terrifying Masks
Source: Slipknot Members Offer Face Mask Tips for Those New to Wearing Them
Filed Under: Corey Taylor, Jay Weinberg, Slipknot
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Specializing in Media Campaigns for the Music Community, Artists, Labels, Venues and Events
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Preservationists Lobby City To Save Ken Nordine’s Edgewater Mansion – CBS Chicago
Standard / by Bash Daily Group Archive Feed / January 21, 2020 / No Comments
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/11/18/ken-nordine-edgewater-mansion/
CHICAGO (CBS) — Ken Nordine was known internationally as a jazz poet, and now, preservationists are rushing to save his Edgewater mansion from the wrecking ball.
Nordine’s 7,300 square-foot mansion at 6106 N. Kenmore Ave., just north of Glenlake Avenue, was recently listed for $2 million.
It is the last single-family home on the block, just a few blocks south of the Loyola University Lake Shore Campus. And it was marketed for medium- or high-rise development.
Preservationists are lobbying the city, saying the Nordine mansion meets the requirements for historic landmark status.
“People say: ‘Oh, it’s a great place to live! We love Edgewater! We love all the history! And then people come in and start tearing buildings down,” said Bob Remer of the Edgewater Historical Society, “and we’re trying to prevent that.”
The Chicago historic survey already has the mansion orange-rated, requiring 90 days’ public notice before it could be torn down.
Nordine died in February at the age of 98.
He was well-known stream-of-consciousness, free-association poetry that he read aloud under jazz music backgrounds. First working in radio beginning in the 1940s, Nordine went on to release the albums “Word Jazz” in 1957, “Son of Word Jazz” in 1958, and “Word Jazz Vol. 2” in 1960.
Nordine was hired in 1966 to write and record 10 poems giving quirky personalities to 10 paint colors for a series of advertisements for the Fuller Paint Company, according to AllMusic.com. That project led to the celebrated 1966 album “Colors.”
Nordine’s syndicated radio show, also called “Word Jazz,” ran for more than 40 years – appearing every Sunday night at midnight on WBEZ for generations of creative-minded night owls.
Nordine also worked with members of the Grateful Dead in the 1990s and appeared at the High Line Festival curated by David Bowie in 2007, according to AllMusic.
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Home Europe Did Ilan Shor Take the Missing $1 Billion From Moldovan Banks?
Did Ilan Shor Take the Missing $1 Billion From Moldovan Banks?
Jewish Business News Service
Ilan Shor has been implicated in the theft of over $1 billion from three Moldovan banks. This according to a report released by Moldovan Parliament speaker Andrian Candu, Radio Free Europe has reported.
One of the wealthiest people in Moldova, Shor was questioned for 8 hours about the banks by investigators from that nation back in March.
The report was compiled by the independent U.S. investigative consultancy agency Kroll Documents. It shows how the 28 year old businessman allegedly received massive loans last year from three Moldovan banks which he had taken control of during 2012-14.
The three banks in question, Unibank, Banca de Economii, and Banca Sociala, are said to have transferred the funds to five different companies under Shor’s control between November 24th and 26th of 2014.
Eduard Harunjen, head of the anticorruption division of the Moldovan Prosecutor-General’s Office, explained to Radio Free Europe that this report, however, does not have legal standing and that he does not believe that there are sufficient grounds to prosecute Shor.
“We do not doubt the objectivity of the report and we are not criticizing it, ” Harunjen said. “But the Kroll experts don’t represent an investigating authority.”
The Moldovan Central Bank commissioned the Kroll report.
On the takeovers of Banca de Economii and Banca Sociala, it states, in part, that “the structure of the share acquisitions appears to be a deliberate attempt within both banks to conceal the true identity of the beneficiaries.”
It concludes that the “significant level of interrelated lending within three, apparently independent banks would have required a significant level of coordination and control of each of them.”
“A preliminary review of the transactions undertaken in each bank suggest [sic] a deliberate intention to extract as much benefit as possible for entities connected to Mr. Shor and to the detriment of the banks, ” the report states.
In response, Shor issued a statement saying, “We are studying the report and in many respects it confirms what we said earlier about what occurred before the arrival of the private investor and how we were forced to cover it.”
For the full Radio Free Europe Story click here.
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Home » Crime » Paroled sex offender, Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, cut off his ankle monitor ‘before murdering three people in four days’ in Texas – faces three counts of capital murder
Paroled sex offender, Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, cut off his ankle monitor ‘before murdering three people in four days’ in Texas – faces three counts of capital murder
Posted on July 18, 2018 by konniemoments in Crime, Homicide, News, Uncategorized // 0 Comments
Paroled sex offender, 46, cut off his ankle monitor ‘before murdering three people in four days’ in Texas
Jose Gilberto Rodriguez was captured in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday morning
The 46-year-old man was earlier identified as a potential suspect in three murders that had happened in the area since Friday
One victim was in a home invasion robbery, while Barrow and the third victim were killed at two different mattress stores where they worked
Rodriguez was charged Tuesday with two capital murder counts relating to the deaths of 62-year-old Pamela Johnson at her Houston-area home on July 13 and Edward Magaña, 57, inside a mattress store on Monday, July 16
A third capital murder count was filed Wednesday in the death of 28-year-old Allie Barrow inside another mattress store on Saturday, July 14
Rodriguez also is a suspect in the robbery, shooting and wounding of a metro bus driver on Monday and a home invasion robbery on July 9
Records show Rodriguez is a career criminal whose priors, dating back to 1989, include aggravated sexual abuse, burglary, auto theft and a convicted of possession of a deadly weapon while in prison
After spending decades in state prison, he was released on parole in September
Jose Rodriguez was caught by surveillance camera’s walking through a local mall after allegedly abandoning a car belonging to Pamela Johnson, the first victim
Police hunting a fugitive killer Tuesday announced that they had in custody, Jose Gilbert Rodriguez, a sex offense parolee. He was arrested Tuesday morning in Houston Texas.
The suspect, who’d allegedly cut off his ankle monitor before unleashing a nine-day reign of terror, had eluded capture for almost two weeks, sowing seeds of fear throughout the northern part of Harris county.
Investigators say Rodriguez, 46, suspected in at least three fatal Houston-area shootings had cut off an ankle monitor several days before the first killing his first victim.
He kicked off on July 9 with a home invasion robbery, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said.
Rodriguez was arrested after a 15-minute chase early Tuesday by Harris County sheriff’s deputies checking reports of a suspicious vehicle.
On Tuesday Sheriff’s Sgt. David Crane said Rodriguez is charged with two capital murder counts relating to the shooting death of 62-year-old Pamela Johnson at her Houston-area home on July 13. Her car was stolen.
The second capital murder count was also filed Tuesday in the death of Edward Magaña, inside a mattress store on Monday, July 16.
Magaña, a 57-year-old father of four, was fatally shot Monday afternoon as he worked at a Mattress One store in north Houston. His wife said she was just coming home from work when she got the call that her husband had been killed.
A third capital murder charge is expected to be filed Wednesday in the death of Mattress store employee Allie Barrow.
Barrow was gunned down at her job, a Mattress Firm near the Willowbrook Mallon Saturday, July 14. Her body was left wedged between two mattresses, the week before, she’d turned 28.
Police say Rodriguez also is a suspect in the robbery, shooting and wounding of a MetroLift bus driver on Monday in addition to the July 9 home invasion robbery of an elderly couple on Foxburo.
The bus driver, Tuesday was listed Tuesday in critical condition.
Parolee Jose Gilbert Rodriguez, [photo], was arrested Tuesday morning in Houston Texas, as the prime suspect in at least three fatal Houston-area shootings. Cops say Rodriguez had cut off an ankle monitor several days before killing his first victim.
Described as a possible serial killer by Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, Gonzalez, the suspect’s criminal history dates back to at least 1989 when he was charged with a variety of offenses that include attempted aggravated sexual abuse, burglary and auto theft.
He spent decades in state prison and while there was convicted of possession of a deadly weapon. He was released on parole in September.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Acevedo criticized the tracking of parolee activity in the Houston area and said he would form a task force to study the issue and recommend changes to the Legislature.
Pamela Johnson, 62, [photo] was first to be killed by Jose Rodriguez on his killing spree
The killer’s second victim, Allie Barrow, [Photo L-R] was shot dead at a mattress store where she worked. The 28-year-old woman was about to get married
Edward Magaña, a 57-year-old father of four, was fatally shot Monday afternoon by Rodriguez while he was working at a mattress store
Rodriguez was captured after Sheriff’s deputies in Houston acted on a tip from a member of the public. A caller spotted a Nissan Sentra just after 6am that authorities had earlier said was being driven by Rodriguez.
The Harris County sheriff’s office was notified and a deputy attempted to stop the vehicle but it sped away, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The car came to a stop after a chase lasting about 15 minutes and Rodriguez was taken into custody.
A handgun was found in the car, which police say was stolen from one of his victims.
‘It’s possible that he was looking to score his next victim so we’re very relieved, very thankful to the citizens of Harris County for calling in, for being diligent and reporting this to us so that we could take action,’ Gonzalez said during a news conference.
Jose Gilberto Rodriguez, [photo], suspect in three murders since July 9, was arrested on Tuesday in Houston. He was taken into custody after a 15-minute chase.
More details were given about the victims he is suspected of shooting.
62-year-old widow Pamela Johnson was described as a devoted Christian who made cookies for her neighbors. Her body was found after her brother called police to conduct a welfare check because she had not been answering her phone.
Her television, computer and jewelry were missing from her home.
Rodriguez also took off with Johnson’s PT Cruiser, which he subsequently dumped in the parking lot of the Willowbrook Mall. Surveillance footage shows him walking through the mall after abandoning the car there.
Mattress killer: Two of the suspects were killed at Houston-area mattress stores. The third victim, a male, was found dead at this Mattress One store on Monday
A caller tipped police off Tuesday morning when they saw the suspect’s gray Nissan Sentra [photo]. Rodriguez is wanted in connection to three murders that have happened around Houston since Friday
In the killing of 28-year-old Allie Barrow inside the Mattress Firm where she worked on Saturday, her manager found her body between two mattresses late in the day.
Authorities have not released further details of the crimes, such as the motive behind each act and whether the victims were randomly chosen.
The Houston police chief expressed frustration during the conference with the low bonds, if any, that were being ordered for violent criminals who violate paroles in the Houston area and across Texas.
Acevedo promised to create a task force of law enforcement agencies throughout Harris County to recommend to the Texas Legislature changes to tighten the system.
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Over Two Years Later, The Sims 4 Gets Toddlers
The Sims 4 is getting Toddlers in a free update today. After two years of waiting, get your sims ready for sleepless nights and emptying potty chairs.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say we’ve been talking about this particular update for years,” The Sims 4 team said in a blog post. “We just had to find the right time, resources and design to allow us to start the heavy process of actually building and bringing Toddlers to life. And believe me when I say it has been really REALLY difficult to not talk about this as we worked to get it right.”
Toddlers are the life stage for sims between being a baby and childhood. Sims players will have to teach toddlers to walk, talk and use the toilet, as in previous Sims games. While Toddlers have been part of the series since The Sims 2, The Sims 4 launched without this life stage, which did not make fans of the game very happy.
While The Sims 4 team never confirmed or denied that Toddlers were never coming to the game, the team had previously come under fire from fans for a lack of communication about the status of Toddlers. Many took the absence of Toddlers as proof that The Sims 4 wasn’t worth playing, arguing that removing an entire life stage for sims made the game shallow.
“The Toddler stage represents so much change in a Sims’ life. You start to see a Sims’ personality, you start to build family connections, and you can tell more meaningful family stories,” Sims Senior Producer Lyndsay Pearson told me over email. “Because of this, we focused on the progress and development you can experience as a Toddler or as a parent of a Toddler. The new Toddlers traits and new Toddler skills really highlight that nurturing and growth.”
Jury’s out on whether this new life stage will salvage the game for unhappy players. As for me, I gotta go impregnate Rihanna.
The Alvin Greene Dream
It’s fine that they added toddlers, but the people who’ve spent years complaining about it and treating it like priority #1 have exaggerated their case, and mostly come off as straight-up demented.
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A case of human Thelaziasis
Ikuo Koike, Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Naoe Koike, Takuji Sagawa, Tatsuro Ishibashi, Izumi Sata, Masataka Koga
Kyushu University Hospital
Background: The nematode Thelazia callipaeda (T. callipaeda) is most often identified as a parasite in the conjunctival sac of a dog or cat, but it has been identified in human beings as well. Most reported cases of Thelaziasis in human beings have occurred in southeast Asia. Rarely, a case has been reported in Japan. Most Japanese cases have been reported in the western part of Japan, mainly in Kyushu district. We report a new case from this area. Case Report: The patient was 33-year-old male living in Fukuoka Prefecture. He presented with a foreign-body sensation in one eye. The affected eye was hyperemic and follicles were seen in the palpebral conjunctiva. Slit-lamp examination revealed the presence of 3 worms in the conjunctival sac. On the basis of morphological features, the worms were identified as 2 male and 1 female members of the species T. callipaeda. After extraction of the worms, the foreign-body sensation and signs of conjunctivitis disappeared. Conclusion: Ophthalmologists should have a high index of suspicion for Thelaziasis as a possible cause of conjunctivitis, because this condition can be severe.
Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'A case of human Thelaziasis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Thelazioidea Medicine & Life Sciences
Conjunctivitis Medicine & Life Sciences
Lacrimal Apparatus Medicine & Life Sciences
Foreign Bodies Medicine & Life Sciences
Slit Lamp Microscopy Medicine & Life Sciences
Southeastern Asia Medicine & Life Sciences
Eye Medicine & Life Sciences
Koike, I., Yoshikawa, H., Koike, N., Sagawa, T., Ishibashi, T., Sata, I., & Koga, M. (2006). A case of human Thelaziasis. Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica, 57(4), 301-304.
A case of human Thelaziasis. / Koike, Ikuo; Yoshikawa, Hiroshi; Koike, Naoe; Sagawa, Takuji; Ishibashi, Tatsuro; Sata, Izumi; Koga, Masataka.
In: Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica, Vol. 57, No. 4, 04.2006, p. 301-304.
Koike, I, Yoshikawa, H, Koike, N, Sagawa, T, Ishibashi, T, Sata, I & Koga, M 2006, 'A case of human Thelaziasis', Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 301-304.
Koike I, Yoshikawa H, Koike N, Sagawa T, Ishibashi T, Sata I et al. A case of human Thelaziasis. Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica. 2006 Apr;57(4):301-304.
Koike, Ikuo ; Yoshikawa, Hiroshi ; Koike, Naoe ; Sagawa, Takuji ; Ishibashi, Tatsuro ; Sata, Izumi ; Koga, Masataka. / A case of human Thelaziasis. In: Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica. 2006 ; Vol. 57, No. 4. pp. 301-304.
@article{85823bc3b0f0464086fbe2207d4631d0,
title = "A case of human Thelaziasis",
abstract = "Background: The nematode Thelazia callipaeda (T. callipaeda) is most often identified as a parasite in the conjunctival sac of a dog or cat, but it has been identified in human beings as well. Most reported cases of Thelaziasis in human beings have occurred in southeast Asia. Rarely, a case has been reported in Japan. Most Japanese cases have been reported in the western part of Japan, mainly in Kyushu district. We report a new case from this area. Case Report: The patient was 33-year-old male living in Fukuoka Prefecture. He presented with a foreign-body sensation in one eye. The affected eye was hyperemic and follicles were seen in the palpebral conjunctiva. Slit-lamp examination revealed the presence of 3 worms in the conjunctival sac. On the basis of morphological features, the worms were identified as 2 male and 1 female members of the species T. callipaeda. After extraction of the worms, the foreign-body sensation and signs of conjunctivitis disappeared. Conclusion: Ophthalmologists should have a high index of suspicion for Thelaziasis as a possible cause of conjunctivitis, because this condition can be severe.",
author = "Ikuo Koike and Hiroshi Yoshikawa and Naoe Koike and Takuji Sagawa and Tatsuro Ishibashi and Izumi Sata and Masataka Koga",
journal = "Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica",
publisher = "Nihon Ganka Kiyokai",
T1 - A case of human Thelaziasis
AU - Koike, Ikuo
AU - Yoshikawa, Hiroshi
AU - Koike, Naoe
AU - Sagawa, Takuji
AU - Ishibashi, Tatsuro
AU - Sata, Izumi
AU - Koga, Masataka
N2 - Background: The nematode Thelazia callipaeda (T. callipaeda) is most often identified as a parasite in the conjunctival sac of a dog or cat, but it has been identified in human beings as well. Most reported cases of Thelaziasis in human beings have occurred in southeast Asia. Rarely, a case has been reported in Japan. Most Japanese cases have been reported in the western part of Japan, mainly in Kyushu district. We report a new case from this area. Case Report: The patient was 33-year-old male living in Fukuoka Prefecture. He presented with a foreign-body sensation in one eye. The affected eye was hyperemic and follicles were seen in the palpebral conjunctiva. Slit-lamp examination revealed the presence of 3 worms in the conjunctival sac. On the basis of morphological features, the worms were identified as 2 male and 1 female members of the species T. callipaeda. After extraction of the worms, the foreign-body sensation and signs of conjunctivitis disappeared. Conclusion: Ophthalmologists should have a high index of suspicion for Thelaziasis as a possible cause of conjunctivitis, because this condition can be severe.
AB - Background: The nematode Thelazia callipaeda (T. callipaeda) is most often identified as a parasite in the conjunctival sac of a dog or cat, but it has been identified in human beings as well. Most reported cases of Thelaziasis in human beings have occurred in southeast Asia. Rarely, a case has been reported in Japan. Most Japanese cases have been reported in the western part of Japan, mainly in Kyushu district. We report a new case from this area. Case Report: The patient was 33-year-old male living in Fukuoka Prefecture. He presented with a foreign-body sensation in one eye. The affected eye was hyperemic and follicles were seen in the palpebral conjunctiva. Slit-lamp examination revealed the presence of 3 worms in the conjunctival sac. On the basis of morphological features, the worms were identified as 2 male and 1 female members of the species T. callipaeda. After extraction of the worms, the foreign-body sensation and signs of conjunctivitis disappeared. Conclusion: Ophthalmologists should have a high index of suspicion for Thelaziasis as a possible cause of conjunctivitis, because this condition can be severe.
JO - Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica
JF - Folia Ophthalmologica Japonica
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Sales Finance Media-Journalism Marketing Veterinary Services
Non-Profit (19) Remote Job (8) Biotech (4) Research (4) Writer/ Editor (4) Environmental (3)
Engineering (2) Executive (2) Management (2) Other (2) Strategy-Planning (2) Administrative Assistant (2) Business Development (1) Customer Service (1) Design (1) General Labor (1)
Full time (12) Remote Work (1) Intern (1)
Counterfactual Ventures London, UK
Counterfactual Ventures (CFV) is a venture creation studio, a cofounder team formation program, an incubator and a venture capital fund. We aim to architect high-impact alternative protein startups (16 annually) to enable a maximally sustainable, humane, healthy, just and secure future of food. As the Chief of Staff, you own a top-level view of the entire organization’s ecosystem. With our absurdly ambitious mission and so many moving parts in the process, Logan (the CEO) needs an exceptionally talented pair of hands to help implement strategic vision.
Head of Venture Creation
Counterfactual Ventures
Counterfactual Ventures (CFV) architects high-impact alternative protein startups to enable a maximally sustainable, humane, healthy, just and secure future of food. As the Head of Venture Creation at CFV you will be in position to steer the alternative protein industry through researching, designing and building the foundations of industry-enabling startups. You will help the Talent Team identify optimal cofounders to carry 8 of these company concepts forward every 6 months into our incubation program and work closely with the Head of Incubation in supporting these young startups.
Woodstock Farm Sanctuary High Falls, NY, USA
Woodstock Farm Sanctuary envisions a peaceful world rooted in respect and justice for all living beings. We rescue farmed animals and give them care and sanctuary, connect animals with people to advance veganism, and advocate for animal rights in alliance with other social justice movements. At the heart of our mission is the hands-on work of rescuing, rehabilitating and caring for farmed animals, advocating for animal rights, and educating the public about these issues. We host thousands of visitors every year through our event, tour, and volunteer programs. Located in New York state’s Hudson Valley region 90 minutes from New York City, the area boasts a rich cultural and artistic heritage, offering a rare mix of rural and cosmopolitan resources. Job Overview: The Marketing Department is looking for its next savvy and creative Social Media Coordinator to join the team! The Social Media Coordinator will report to the Marketing and Communications Director while working...
PETA Norfolk, VA, USA
Position Objectives: To provide high-quality care for patients of high-volume mobile spay and neuter veterinary clinic Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • Perform tests and assess and communicate patients' test results and medical histories to the attending veterinarian • Work under the direction of the veterinarian to prepare animals for surgery and administer medications, including anesthesia drugs • Monitor surgery patients from the administration of anesthesia through their full recovery and independently assess patients' readiness for discharge • Maintain controlled-drug and supply inventories and conduct appropriate recordkeeping and reporting • Comply with the applicable laws for licensed veterinary technicians established by the Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration • Communicate with clients regarding post-operative patient care as well as the results of diagnostic testing and other medical findings...
Media Relations Officer
PETA Remote
Position Objective: Media relationships are critical to PETA's methodology, and the media relations team is a crucial part of PETA's U.S. and international media campaign strategy. The media relations team develops and maintains relationships with the media, helps develop stories about PETA's work, and sets the approach for the presentation of those stories. The media relations officer will be a crucial part of that team and will be responsible for helping ensure its success for PETA. Primary Responsibilities and Duties: Establish, develop and maintain contacts with reporters, editors, podcast hosts, and producers who cover, or would be interested in covering, issues related to PETA’s work, across all media platforms. Research and identify appropriate local and national media outlets and podcasts for placing coverage of PETA's efforts, including critical investigative, legal, and corporate animal-protection campaigns. Develop story ideas to highlight PETA’s...
Digital Fundraising Analyst
Position Objectives: To assist the PETA Foundation and supported organizations with online fundraising and lead-generation analysis. Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • In consultation with PETA Foundation and its supported organizations and verified compliance with the objectives, standards, and requirements communicated by them: o Compile and distribute ad results and analysis. Including reporting on donations, leads, and reach. o Analyze the results of ad tests, including creative, landing page, and copy tests. o Set up, monitor, and report on tests in Google Optimize. o Monitor digital ad audience populations and identify segments of supporters for retargeting. o In Tableau, create visual reports, ensure existing reports are functional and up-to-date, and monitor data syncs. o Analyze overall donation behavior, including, but not limited to, identifying areas of opportunity that we may be able to move the needle with digital ads. o Identify,...
Spay and Neuter Program Client Services Representative
PETA Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA
Position Objectives: To provide excellent customer service to our clients, to promote the humane care and treatment of animals, and to provide support to the mobile clinics division manager and clinic staff Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • Promote the humane care and treatment of animals • Conduct follow up calls within 24 hours post-surgery • Assist with the day-to-day operations of the mobile clinic program • Perform surgery check-ins and prepare daily reports in accordance with program procedures • Enter medical records into Clinic HQ • Provide support at the clinic, including patient discharge duties • Canvassing of low-income neighborhoods • Transport animals to and from spay and neuter appointments when needed • Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor • Assist clinic staff with cleaning and stocking Qualifications: • High school diploma • Previous experience in a customer service focused role • Demonstrated...
Advertising Coordinator
Position Objective: To obtain free and paid placement of PETA public service announcements (PSAs) and advertisements for billboards, print media, TV, radio, and online media Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • Develop new pitch ideas and revamp pitches in order to increase free or reduced-rate placement of PSAs and ads • Develop and implement strategies for generating PSA and ad placement • Develop and maintain relationships with sales representatives and PSA directors to negotiate free or reduced-rate placements • Determine the effectiveness of PSA pitches and make recommendations based on these determinations • Ensure proper timing of PSA pitches in order to avoid conflicts with other media calendar items • Develop and maintain all records of PSA and ad placements • Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor Qualifications: • Degree in a related field or equivalent experience • Three years of marketing or advertising experience...
Internship with Vegan TV Network
Plant Based Network Remote (Remote: Worldwide)
Overview As we launch PBNet 2.0 we are actively seeking talented volunteers and interns for the following remote positions. Applicants should be passionate about promoting the plant-based lifestyle. Guest Blogger Social Media Intern Marketing Intern Webmaster Intern (WordPress) Content Editor Brand Influencer Video Interviewer Show Host Recipe Submission Video Editor News Reporter Event Organizer PR & Media What you will gain: Professional experience working as part of a team dedicated to promoting the plant-based lifestyle University or college credit for select applicants A staff listing on our website with your photo & bio An author bio on every article with links to your website & social media channels Your content promoted on all of our websites, social media channels, and groups
Animal Place 17314 McCourtney Rd, Grass Valley, CA 95949, USA
Organization : Animal Place is a nonprofit sanctuary for farmed animals and an education/advocacy organization. It operates three shelters in northern California. Its headquarters is located on 600-acres in Grass Valley, (60 miles north of Sacramento). This position will be working out of the Grass Valley site. Position Objectives: To expand and maintain a thriving social media, expand our presence offline and online, and provide administrative assistance to the Programs Department Job Title: Social Media Coordinator Job Status: Full-Time, Grass Valley, CA Reports to: Program Director Responsibilities and Duties: Assist with the management of social media for the organization including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Blog, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok Expand online presence Write articles/blogs related to Animal Place’s mission Create content related to Animal Place and its mission for social media channels Assist...
Position Objective: To support veterinary staff members and to provide the highest quality of care possible to veterinary patients in a humane and professional manner Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • Promote the humane care and treatment of animals • Assist with admitting patients to the mobile clinics on a daily basis • Work within established policies and procedures under the veterinarian's direction to assist with the following duties: o Restraining clinic patients during surgical preparation o Administrating pre-anesthetic and anesthetic drugs o Performing surgical and post-surgical monitoring of patients through discharge • Assist with inventory management and equipment maintenance • Assist in the maintenance of all program files and records • Deliver, set up, and return the mobile clinic each day in a safe and efficient manner and in accordance with established policies • Participate in special events • Comply with applicable state and...
Headline Writer
PETA Los Angeles, CA, USA
Position Description: PETA is looking for a smart, quick, and creative individual to hype up our animal rights campaigns into provocative written content that will change hearts. Were you an expert at "clickbait" before it was a thing? Is "sensationalism" your middle name? You should have experience writing and promoting content for a brand or nonprofit and/or experience working in a digital newsroom. You must be accustomed to writing, editing, and posting several headlines/stories daily. The ideal candidate will be comfortable in a fast-paced digital environment, is vegan, have true enthusiasm for the work, and be a champion for all animals. Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • Write catchy, exciting headlines for dozens of news articles, action alerts, emails, blogs, op-eds, and other articles daily • Follow breaking news in the animal rights world closely and suggest compelling stories to your manager daily • Write breaking news articles and/or other online...
Director of Digital Marketing
Position Objectives: PETA has the most-engaged social media audience of any advocacy organization. Sustain and grow PETA’s reach and online presence, be a visionary for PETA’s social efforts, and drive PETA’s messages, making sure they resonate with the public. Through innovative social media marketing, our Director of Digital Marketing will ensure our campaigns make a splash with influencers and the media, push forward PETA's edgy animal rights message, and are timely with current events and trends. Primary Responsibilities and Duties: • Supervise PETA's social media managers and live social media strategists • Oversee PETA's presence on social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram • Oversee PETA's live coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (including for protests, celebrity photoshoots, events breaking news, and more) • Oversee PETA's social media responding to the public and influencers • Work with other PETA...
Internship in the International Communications Team supporting the ProVeg Impactor Awards (m/f/d)
ProVeg International Berlin or remote
ROLE SUMMARY Do you have a passion for social media, do you enjoy communicating with people and getting in depth into one project? Are you organized, pro-active and able to prioritise? Are you familiar with the most popular social media platforms Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook and are you always up to date with all veggie trends? If so, then become part of our communications team and help to change the world! In this position, you will support the launch of the ProVeg Impactor Awards - the newest exciting event by ProVeg! This online award show will celebrate the world's most impactful veg-positive social media content and content creators, with the focus being on Youtube and Instagram videos. The website will be launched February 2021 open to submissions, voting starts in March, and winners are announced in April. A little later in June, the ProVeg Student Impactor Awards will reward young creators between the age of 13 and 25 with cash grants and prize packages, to...
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Posted on February 2, 2006 by Jonathan Kiefer
Phil Kaufman is one of the few American directors who combines a maturely literary sensibility with a sound understanding of how the film medium works. His most successful movies play to that pair of strengths, adventurously. In 1988, after having made a magnificent film of Tom Wolfe’s allegedly unfilmable nonfiction tome The Right Stuff, Kaufman turned to a magnificent film of Milan Kundera’s allegedly unfilmable novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Looking again at the latter now, it’s easy to wonder: How could it not have been filmed, and in just this way? A buoyant Daniel Day-Lewis plays Tomas, the Czech libertine choosing between sexual liberty and provincial love — as embodied by Lena Olin and Juliette Binoche, respectively — in a politically deadening era. It’s a story about lovemaking as subversion of totalitarian oppression, and to transpose it from page to screen requires not only the right tools, but also the skills to handle them safely. The filmmaker stays alert to the prospects. For one thing, as he rhetorically but rightly observes in his commentary, “What could be more visual than Juliette Binoche’s face?” Amen to that. For another, there’s editor Walter Murch’s brilliantly cinematic assemblage of real footage from Russia’s military incursion into the Prague Spring. That the world has changed so sharply since then, and again since this film’s theatrical release, only enhances its poignant and affirming sensuality.
Bay AreaDaniel Day-LewisJuliette BinocheLena OlinMilan KunderaPhilip KaufmanPragueTom WolfeWalter MurchLeave a comment
After Innocence
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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society October 18, 2009 October 18, 2009
Somalia Extremists Crackdown on “UnIslamic” Use of Bras
Muslim extremists in Somalia are taking to the streets to address the latest threat to Islam under Sharia law: bras. The men from Al Shabaab have been whipping women found to be wearing the “deceptive” garments.
Women are complaining that they have been told to take off the garments and shake their breasts by Islamic gunmen.
At the same time, men without beards have been arrested. Some men have also been arrested for defending their sisters and wives from such public humiliation. This is likely to further delay the opening of a Victoria’s Secret in Mogadishu.
This is precisely why many of us had hoped that Dr. Samar would win the Nobel this year, here.
For the full story, click here.
My Way or the Yahweh: Rabbis Ground Shabbos Elevators With New Religious Interpretation
Creationism to Be Renamed Separatism After New Interpretation Released of Genesis
6 thoughts on “Somalia Extremists Crackdown on “UnIslamic” Use of Bras”
jaye says:
Arm Muslim women. Want to end Islam? Train and arm women in the Middle East. Teach them to stop raising sexually repressed psychotic sons. Help them escape their husbands.
FF Leo,
This is sad and I googled other articles about this. Sickening, just sickening.
Former Federal LEO says:
Quoted excerpts from:
African Children Denounced As “Witches” By Christian Pastors
EKET, Nigeria — The nine-year-old boy lay on a bloodstained hospital sheet crawling with ants, staring blindly at the wall.
His family pastor had accused him of being a witch, and his father then tried to force acid down his throat as an exorcism. It spilled as he struggled, burning away his face and eyes. The emaciated boy barely had strength left to whisper the name of the church that had denounced him – Mount Zion Lighthouse.
A month later, he died.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/18/african-children-denounce_n_324943.html
I will never understand why the women of the world–those that are free to choose–cling to the belief of a paternalist “man-god” that has led to unconscionable worldwide abuse of women for millennia. Fundamentalist religions teach young girls early on that men are in charge and they must submit—as second-class humans—to men in all aspects of life and pursuits of happiness.
What women need is a Carrie Nation-like heroine campaigning *against* the mythological father-figure god that—thorough his ‘voice’ to men—runs, ruins, humiliates, and sometimes mutilates their womanhood and lives, thereby negating any real chances of actual equality with men in any culture where fundamentalistic religion abounds.
nal says:
Is not the burqa a “deceptive” garment?
Oh my, this does have all the possibilities of abuse here in this country. While I do not agree wit it, who am I to say that the Sharia is wrong? Oh yeah, we have a constitution that is only selectively enforced. Hmm, makes me think of that ole saying that was said about 1861, that a house divided cannot stand. Gitmo anyone? It is easier to see the beam in my brothers eye than the mote in mine.
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Job Hunting Guide
Joblisting
70% of foreign residents in Japan approve of accepting more foreign workers as part of the reform of Immigration law
jopus Editorial Dep. 12/17/2018 / 1/8/2019
On December 10th, YOLO JAPAN Corporation, a media company that operates a job information website for foreign nationals in Japan, revealed that according to a survey they conducted, about 70% of foreign residents in Japan approve of accepting more foreign workers as part of the reform of immigration law.
Some supported the influx of foreign workers stating that it would be a solution for labor shortages and a key to sustainable economic growth in Japan, helping to cope with the aging population. Additionally, others pointed out that the presence of foreign workers in the society would help Japanese people understand how to deal with people from different backgrounds as economic globalization expands around the world.
Besides the positive reaction to the new immigration policy, this survey did also identify that about 30% of foreign workers think they are receiving lower wages than their Japanese counterparts, and about 20% of them feel their limited knowledge of the Japanese language is negatively affecting their life in Japan.
Regarding wage discrimination, some think they are excluded from the gratuity system at their workplace purely because they are not Japanese, and others suspect that their lack of Japanese proficiency is preventing them from receiving wages that are competitive with their Japanese counterparts.
In relation to the challenges foreign residents face in Japan, 26% of the survey participants answered that the greatest hurdle was filling in the paperwork required to get a mobile phone contract or to rent an apartment. When asked to provide specific comments, the following topped the list: “contracts are only available in Japanese”, “foreign credit cards are not accepted for payment”, “there is too much paperwork”, “the system is too complicated”, “the Japanese taxation system is too complicated/not foreigner-friendly”, and “getting a credit card or loan is particularly not very easy”.
This survey was conducted between late November and early December 2018, asking 290 foreign residents who hold a valid work visa in Japan. The survey participants come from a wide variety of countries including the United States (12%), the Philippines (10%), Indonesia (7.3%), Spain (4.6%), India (4.2%), Malaysia (4.2%), as well as other nationalities.
With the reform of the current Japanese immigration policy, various issues surrounding the Technical Intern Training Program have been among the major topics of discussion in Japanese society. However, the results of this survey show that some foreign workers are also poorly treated at the workplace. At the same time, the results point to the fact that a lack of Japanese language skills can pose a significant problem in surviving in Japan.
Given the results of this survey, it is essential to establish a welcoming environment where non-Japanese speakers can easily acquire the language if Japan expects to accept more foreign workers into its labor market. Equally important is encouraging Japanese people to learn foreign languages and nurture cross-cultural understanding so that foreign workers can acclimatize to life in Japan.
[Reference] Awareness of foreign residents in Japan about the reform of the immigration control law
[Reference] Details of YOLO JAPAN
[Reference] YOLO JAPAN website
jopus Editorial Dep.
We provide the latest information about Japanese job market, a useful guide to get a new job in Japan with a deep industry knowledge. Jopus is an online portal website for international job seekers and students who want to work in Japan.
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2. Methods
a. Magnetometer and accelerometer measurements
b. Compass calibration
c. Merging ADCP data with external attitude measurements
d. LADCP data processing and quality control
3. ECOGIG EN586 data
4. NABOS 2015 data
Firing, E., and R. Gordon, 1990: Deep ocean acoustic Doppler current profiling. Proceedings of the IEEE Fourth Working Conference on Current Measurement, IEEE, 192–201, doi:10.1109/CURM.1990.110905.
Firing, E., and R. Gordon, 1990: Deep ocean acoustic Doppler current profiling. Proceedings of the IEEE Fourth Working Conference on Current Measurement, IEEE, 192–201, doi:10.1109/CURM.1990.110905.10.1109/CURM.1990.110905)| false
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RD Instruments, 1998: ADCP coordinate transformation: Formulas and calculations. RDI Manual P/N 951-6079-00, 29 pp.
St. Laurent, L., A. C. Naveira Garabato, J. R. Ledwell, A. M. Thurnherr, J. M. Toole, and A. J. Watson, 2012: Turbulence and diapycnal mixing in Drake Passage. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 42, 2143–2152, doi:10.1175/JPO-D-12-027.1.
St. Laurent, L., A. C. Naveira Garabato, J. R. Ledwell, A. M. Thurnherr, J. M. Toole, and A. J. Watson, 2012: Turbulence and diapycnal mixing in Drake Passage. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 42, 2143–2152, doi:10.1175/JPO-D-12-027.1.10.1175/JPO-D-12-027.1)| false
Thurnherr, A. M., 2010: A practical assessment of the errors associated with full-depth LADCP profiles obtained using Teledyne RDI Workhorse acoustic Doppler current profilers. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 27, 1215–1227, doi:10.1175/2010JTECHO708.1.
Thurnherr, A. M., 2010: A practical assessment of the errors associated with full-depth LADCP profiles obtained using Teledyne RDI Workhorse acoustic Doppler current profilers. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 27, 1215–1227, doi:10.1175/2010JTECHO708.1.10.1175/2010JTECHO708.1)| false
Thurnherr, A. M., 2011: Vertical velocity from LADCP data. 2011 IEEE/OES Tenth Current, Waves and Turbulence Measurements (CWTM), IEEE, 198–204, doi:10.1109/CWTM.2011.5759552.
Thurnherr, A. M., 2011: Vertical velocity from LADCP data. 2011 IEEE/OES Tenth Current, Waves and Turbulence Measurements (CWTM), IEEE, 198–204, doi:10.1109/CWTM.2011.5759552.10.1109/CWTM.2011.5759552)| false
Thurnherr, A. M., J. R. Ledwell, J. W. Lavelle, and L. S. Mullineaux, 2011: Hydrography and circulation near the crest of the East Pacific Rise between 9° and 10°N. Deep-Sea Res. I, 58, 365–376, doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2011.01.009.
Thurnherr, A. M., J. R. Ledwell, J. W. Lavelle, and L. S. Mullineaux, 2011: Hydrography and circulation near the crest of the East Pacific Rise between 9° and 10°N. Deep-Sea Res. I, 58, 365–376, doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2011.01.009.10.1016/j.dsr.2011.01.009)| false
Thurnherr, A. M., L. St. Laurent, K. J. Richards, J. M. Toole, E. Kunze, and A. Ruíz Angulo, 2015: Vertical kinetic energy and turbulent dissipation in the ocean. Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 7639–7647, doi:10.1002/2015GL065043.
Thurnherr, A. M., L. St. Laurent, K. J. Richards, J. M. Toole, E. Kunze, and A. Ruíz Angulo, 2015: Vertical kinetic energy and turbulent dissipation in the ocean. Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 7639–7647, doi:10.1002/2015GL065043.10.1002/2015GL065043)| false
Visbeck, M., 2002: Deep velocity profiling using lowered acoustic Doppler current profilers: Bottom track and inverse solutions. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 19, 794–807, doi:10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<0794:DVPULA>2.0.CO;2.
Visbeck, M., 2002: Deep velocity profiling using lowered acoustic Doppler current profilers: Bottom track and inverse solutions. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 19, 794–807, doi:10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<0794:DVPULA>2.0.CO;2.10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<0794:DVPULA>2.0.CO;2)| false
Schematic of the IMP. CPU and data storage are provided by a Raspberry Pi microcontroller running the Arch Linux operating system and public domain firmware that is available on request. Several peripherals are attached to the CPU via a simple two-wire interintegrated circuit (I2C) bus: 1) A real-time clock (Macetech ChronoDot), 2) Robotics breakout boards based on the LSM303DLHC and LSM303D accelerometer/magnetometer chips (labeled IMU1 and IMU2, respectively), and 3) A 128-byte EEPROM; microchip 24AA02E48) for sensor configuration and usage logging. In the most recent incarnation of the IMP, the components on the gray background are housed in a separate small pressure case that can be mounted away from any magentic disturbances.
Differences between uplooker and downlooker measurements of (top) heading, (middle) pitch, and (bottom) roll from an example profile from the ECOGIG EN586 cruise showing downcast data (red samples) and upcast data (blue samples). (left) Processed with ADCP attitude data. (right) Processed with IMP attitude data.
Postcalibration horizontal magnetic field data from a yo-yo cast (three profiles) that includes the profile shown in Fig. 2. Shown are the calibration circle (blue dots) and horizontal field strengths within 20% of the calibration circle (red samples); green samples have field strengths with greater deviations. (left) From (older) the LSM303DLHC chip, and (right) from the LSM303D chip.
Heading-averaged ADCP compass errors and standard deviations in the yo-yo profile shown in Fig. 3; headings collected at instrument tilts are not used. (left) Downlooker ADCP and (right) uplooker ADCP.
Histograms of the profile-averaged rms differences between the corresponding upper-ocean LADCP and SADCP velocities in the ECOGIG data.
Heading time series from NABOS profiles (left) 12 and (right) 27. ADCP-derived headings (red) and IMP-derived headings (blue). Horizontal geomagnetic field strength is printed above each panel; the corresponding field inclinations are and , respectively.
Magnetometer calibration for NABOS profiles (left) 12 and (right) 27. Shown are the calibration circle (blue dots) and horizontal field strengths within 20% of the calibration circle (red samples); green samples have field strengths with greater deviations.
LADCP vs SADCP velocities in the NABOS data. (left) Velocities of profile 27. Because of magnetic contamination from the ship, there are no valid velocity samples in the top 60 m of the water column; the processing software extrapolates the uppermost valid velocity sample to the surface. (right) Histograms of the rms LADCP vs SADCP velocity differences from all profiles.
Improving LADCP Velocity with External Heading, Pitch, and Roll
A. M. Thurnherr 1 , I. Goszczko 2 , and F. Bahr 3
1 Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York
2 Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
3 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0258.1
Data collected with acoustic Doppler current profilers installed on CTD rosettes and lowered through the water column [lowered ADCP (LADCP) systems] are routinely used to derive full-depth profiles of ocean velocity. In addition to the uncertainties arising from random noise in the along-beam velocity measurements, LADCP-derived velocities are commonly contaminated by bias errors due to imperfectly measured instrument attitude (heading, pitch, and roll). Of particular concern are the heading measurements, because it is not usually feasible to calibrate the internal ADCP compasses with the instruments installed on a CTD rosette, away from the magnetic disturbances of the ship. Heading data from dual-headed LADCP systems, which consist of upward- and downward-pointing ADCPs installed on the same rosette, commonly indicate heading-dependent compass errors with amplitudes exceeding 10°. In an attempt to reduce LADCP velocity errors, several dozen profiles of simultaneous LADCP and magnetometer/accelerometer data were collected in the Gulf of Mexico. Agreement between the LADCP profiles and simultaneous shipboard velocity measurements improves significantly when the former are processed with external attitude measurements. Another set of LADCP profiles with external attitude data was collected in a region of the Arctic Ocean where the horizontal geomagnetic field is too weak for the ADCP compasses to work reliably. Good agreement between shipboard velocity measurements and Arctic LADCP profiles collected at magnetic dip angles exceeding and processed with external attitude measurements indicate that high-quality velocity profiles can be obtained close to the magnetic poles.
© 2017 American Meteorological Society. For information regarding reuse of this content and general copyright information, consult the AMS Copyright Policy (www.ametsoc.org/PUBSReuseLicenses).
Corresponding author: Andreas M. Thurnherr, ant@ldeo.columbia.edu
Keywords: Ocean; Arctic; Algorithms; In situ oceanic observations; Measurements; Profilers, oceanic
Acoustic Doppler velocity profilers (ADCPs) mounted on CTD rosettes—so-called lowered ADCP (LADCP) systems—are routinely used to collect velocity profiles in the ocean. LADCP data have been processed for horizontal velocity for over two decades (Fischer and Visbeck 1993). More recently, a method has been developed to obtain vertical ocean velocity as well (Thurnherr 2011). LADCP-derived velocities can be used directly, for example, for circulation studies (e.g., Thurnherr et al. 2011; St. Laurent et al. 2012). Importantly, LADCP velocities can also be used to estimate turbulence and mixing levels using so-called finestructure parameterization methods (Gregg 1989; Polzin et al. 2014; Thurnherr et al. 2015).
Lowered ADCP work puts high demands on the instruments. For horizontal velocity, the ADCP measurements must be sufficiently accurate so that the errors in vertical shear, integrated over the full profile depths, do not exceed a few centimeters per second (cm s−1; Firing and Gordon 1990). For vertical velocity, the ADCP measurements must be sufficiently accurate to yield signals of a few millimeters per second (mm s−1) from a platform moving up to (Thurnherr 2011). Given these demands, it is important that any measurement errors show as little bias as possible. One area of particular concern with regard to ADCP velocity bias is the measurements of instrument attitude (heading, pitch and roll). These data are required to transform the velocity measurements from a coordinate system aligned with the instrument into the conventional u, υ, and w components (Earth coordinates). From LADCP data collected with “dual headed” systems (two ADCPs on a rosette, one pointing upward and the other downward; Visbeck 2002), it is clear that compass measurements in particular are associated with large uncertainties that sometimes exceed . The underlying problem is that it is not generally feasible to carry out ADCP compass calibrations on fully loaded rosettes, away from the magnetic disturbances of the ship. Therefore, LADCP work is usually carried out with nominal compass calibrations. Another problem with many LADCP profiles is that the measurements are often made at large package tilts (deviations from the vertical), especially in regions of strong currents or during tow-yo casts. At large package angles, tilt measurement errors become more important. For some commonly used instruments, compass errors increase with increasing instrument tilts, further emphasizing the need for high-quality pitch and roll measurements.
Here, we analyze two LADCP datasets that were collected with additional external accelerometer/magnetometer measurements (section 2). Large instrument tilts due to very strong upper-ocean currents adversely affect many of the profiles in the first set, collected in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (section 3). When processed with the external attitude measurements, the differences between the corresponding LADCP and shipboard ADCP (SADCP) velocities decrease by 20%. In the second set of profiles (section 4), most of the ADCP data do not contain any valid heading information because they were collected in a region of the Arctic Ocean where the earth’s geomagnetic field lines are inclined too steeply for the ADCP compasses to work reliably. Based on a comparison with shipboard ADCP velocities, at least 85% of the corresponding profiles processed with the external attitude data are of high quality. The main implications of the new technique are discussed in section 5.
A simple instrument called the Independent Measurement Package (IMP; Fig. 1) was built using a datalogger connected to inexpensive magnetometer/accelerometer chips that are readily available as robotics components [so-called inertial measurement unit (IMU) breakout boards]. In its present configuration, the IMP collects magnetometer/accelerometer data from two microchips manufactured by STMicroelectronics: the LSM303DLHC and the similar, but somewhat more recent, LSM303D. The IMP records 100-Hz time series of all three components of acceleration and the magnetic field strength in a coordinate system that is aligned with the sensor chips. In a first step, the data are despiked with a five-wide (1/20 s) median filter and bin averaged to 5 Hz, primarily to reduce file size. Next, the data are low passed with a simple frequency-domain filter with a 2-s cutoff, because high-frequency motion is highly damped underwater.
Citation: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 34, 8; 10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0258.1
From the filtered time series of acceleration , , and , estimates for pitch φ and roll ρ are calculated using
respectively. Note that, similar to the ADCP pitch/roll measurements, φ and ρ are equal to the true pitch and roll angles, respectively, only in the absence of horizontal acceleration. Because of large lateral drag of submerged CTD rosettes, horizontal acceleration can be neglected.1 Both accelerometer and magnetometer data are corrected for pitch and roll, that is, rotated into a vertical coordinate system. In case of the accelerometer data, this yields a time series of vertical acceleration, as horizontal acceleration is null by construction. Rotating the magnetometer data yields the two horizontal components of the measured magnetic field , which are used for compass calibration. The total measured field strength is also useful for detecting erroneous measurements, including those near the surface affected by the ship’s magnetic field.
In the absence of external disturbances, the magnetic field vector at a given location on the earth’s surface is approximately constant on the short time scales typical of LADCP casts, with horizontal field strength , although there is diurnal polar wander that can affect compass measurements very close to the magnetic poles on time scales of hours (Hamilton 2001). When this constant field is measured with a horizontally rotating magnetometer, the resulting measurements of ,when plotted against the corresponding , lie on a circle with radius centered at the origin. There are two types of magnetic (including electromagnetic) disturbances that can contaminate geomagnetic field measurements: so-called hard-iron and soft-iron effects. Hard-iron effects can be thought of as resulting from a permanent magnet corotating with the magnetometer. The resulting magnetic field causes fixed (i.e., heading independent) biases in —the measurements still fall on a circle with radius , but this circle is now offset from the origin. In contrast to hard-iron effects, soft-iron effects vary with magnetometer orientation (heading)—their effect is to distort the measurement circle into an ellipse. Algorithmically, compass calibration consists of mapping the measured ellipse into a circle centered at the origin. In practice, hard-iron effects typically dominate, in which case compass calibration amounts to determining biases for the two horizontal magnetometer components, which is easily done from visual inspection of plots. From the calibrated horizontal magnetometer data, heading η is calculated using
The compass calibration procedure described here assumes that the magnetic disturbances remain constant during a profile. Significant deviations from the “calibration circle” indicate either magnetometer measurement errors or time-varying magnetic disturbances and are used for LADCP data editing.
To calculate the replacement values for the ADCP attitude data from external measurements, the relative alignment of the external sensors with respect to the ADCP transducer must be known. Here, the offset angles are calculated from in situ profile data with the following simple algorithm:
For both instruments (ADCP and IMP), subtract the mean instrument tilts from the measured data, that is, replace pitch and roll with their temporal anomalies.
Using the pitch/roll time series from both instruments, calculate the corresponding time series of the instrument tilt angle (from vertical) and azimuth (heading).
Use temporal lag correlation to determine the clock difference between the corresponding time series of tilt magnitude, which are independent of the heading offset between the instruments.
Determine the heading offset between the IMP and the ADCP pitch/roll sensors from the differences between the two corresponding tilt–azimuth estimates.
Use this heading offset to rotate the external pitch/roll measurements into the coordinate frame of the ADCP. (The differences between the rotated mean tilts give the pitch/roll offsets of the external accelerometers with respect to the ADCP, but these are not required.)
Construct replacement time series for ADCP pitch and roll by adding the rotated external pitch/roll anomalies to the corresponding ADCP means determined in step 1; construct a replacement time series for ADCP heading by adding the heading offset determined in step 4 to the external heading time series.
If necessary, data from multiple profiles can be combined to determine the instrument alignment (steps 1–4), as long as the instruments have not been moved on the rosette between the profiles.
To avoid having to modify multiple LADCP processing software packages to work with the external attitude data, “patched” binary ADCP data files are created by replacing the pitch, roll, and heading data with the corresponding replacement time series from the IMP. Ensembles without valid external heading measurements are effectively removed from the data files by marking the corresponding velocity measurements as invalid. For LADCP data collected in Earth coordinates, before processing the velocities also have to be transformed back to beam coordinates, which is accomplished by inverting the rotation matrices of the beam-to-instrument and instrument-to-Earth transformations (RD Instruments 1998).
The LADCP data are processed for horizontal velocity with the LDEO_IX implementation of the velocity inversion method (Visbeck 2002). The profiles are processed without the SADCP referencing constraint, that is, using only the ship drift (GPS) and bottom tracking (where available) to constrain the barotropic velocities. With this processing, rms differences between the LADCP profiles and simultaneous on-station SADCP velocities from the upper ocean can be used to quantify the uncertainty of the LADCP measurements (Thurnherr 2010). High-quality LADCP datasets typically have LADCP–SADCP velocity differences between 2 and . The dataset collected with a dual-headed LADCP system (section 3) was also processed for vertical velocity using the method of Thurnherr (2011); differences between the resulting single-instrument profiles were used for a secondary quality assessment.
In July 2016, 42 LADCP/CTD/IMP profiles were collected in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico during the R/V Endeavor EN586 cruise of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI)-funded Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG-2) program. Two Teledyne RD Instruments (TRDI) 300-kHz Workhorse ADCPs, recording beam-coordinate velocities in 6-m bins without blanking, were installed on the CTD rosette together with an IMP. A TRDI 75-kHz Ocean Surveyer SADCP measured the velocity field in the upper 800 m. The sampling region was strongly affected by a large loop eddy with horizontal velocities in the upper ocean sometimes exceeding . As a result many of the profiles, including the one shown in Fig. 2, were collected at large instrument tilts. All ECOGIG profiles show evidence of large heading-dependent differences between the compasses of the two ADCPs. In the example shown in the top-left panel in Fig. 2, the CTD package performed a full rotation during the cast, providing compass differences for all headings. Peak compass differences exceed in the heading ranges 80°– , and 230°– , that is, over 40% of the entire heading range.
Compass calibration was carried out by subtracting visually determined magnetometer biases from the horizontal field measurements; Fig. 3 shows an example. The approximate circularity of the data implies that soft-iron effects are small and can be ignored. Since the IMP pressure case was removed from the CTD rosette for battery changes twice during the cruise, three separate magnetometer calibrations were carried out. After bias calibration, the velocities of all ADCP ensembles with horizontal field strengths that deviate by more than 20% from the nominal calibration circle are marked bad. The bad samples (green dots in Fig. 3) are primarily from the deployment and recovery and include on-deck time. Influence of the surface-ship’s magnetic field is detected down to 50 m in this dataset. A comparison of the corresponding magnetometer-calibration plots from the two sensor chips indicates that the horizontal field magnitude is measured more consistently with the older LSM303DLHC chip (there is less scatter in the red samples in the left panel of Fig. 3). On the other hand, instrument alignment is constrained significantly more tightly with the data from the newer LSM303D chip (see below), which is therefore used for all the results shown below.
A positive consequence of the large tilt angles in the EN586 profiles is that the relative instrument alignment is very tightly constrained by pitch and roll data. The profiles from each of the three magnetometer calibrations (between battery changes) were combined to determine the mean heading offsets between the instruments for each installation of the IMP. For the LSM303D chip, the corresponding standard errors lie between and ; for the LSM303DLHC chip, the errors range between and . The mean relative heading offset between the two ADCPs, inferred from the three profile groups, is for the LSM303D chip and for the LSM303DLHC chip. With the former, the accuracy of the heading offsets is constrained to within ; with the latter, the uncertainty is about 5 times larger.
Using the instrument alignment offsets to construct replacement heading time series for the ADCPs yields estimates for the heading-dependent compass errors of the two instruments (Fig. 4). These estimates indicate that the heading differences shown in Fig. 2 are dominated by errors in the uplooker compass.
Significantly improved consistency between the data from the two ADCPs is readily apparent when processing the EN586 profiles with external attitude measurements. In particular, there are no longer any heading-dependent compass offsets, and the pitch and roll differences show reduced scatter (Fig. 2). In many profiles, there is less spatial structure in the inversion residuals from horizontal-velocity processing (Visbeck 2002) when external attitude data are used, indicating that the measurement errors are more random (not shown).
More importantly, the LADCP velocities processed with external attitude data agree more closely with the corresponding SADCP velocities than the original profiles (Fig. 5). Averaged over the entire dataset, external attitude measurements improve the rms differences between the LADCP and SADCP velocities by 10%; an improvement of 20% is achieved when outliers with velocity differences are excluded.
The LADCP-derived vertical velocities in the ECOGIG dataset also improve when processed with external attitude measurements, noting that only pitch and roll matter in this case because vertical velocity does not require any heading data (Thurnherr 2011). In case of the ECOGIG profiles, the vertical-velocity differences between the two instruments decreases by 10% in the upcasts, whereas there are no apparent improvements in the downcasts (not shown). This difference is likely due to greater pitching motion during upcasts, because the package is dragged against the horizontal currents (rather than drifting with the currents during downcasts) and because of bottle-stop winch accelerations.
In September 2015, 70 LADCP/CTD/IMP profiles were collected in the Arctic Ocean along the Russian margin of the Nansen and Amundsen basins ( – N, – E) during the second cruise of the international Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational System (NABOS-II) monitoring program. A single TRDI 300-kHz Workhorse, recording Earth coordinate velocities in 10-m bins with 2-m blanking, was installed in a downward-facing orientation on the CTD rosette together with an IMP. A TRDI 75-kHz Ocean Surveyer SADCP measured the velocity field in the upper 500–600 m. The sampling region is characterized by a weak horizontal geomagnetic field , which is significantly below the ( 10 000 nT) manufacturer limit for TRDI Workhorse compasses. Consequently, there are large differences between the corresponding ADCP- and IMP-derived heading time series in nearly all of the profiles (Fig. 6). Most have heading-dependent ADCP compass errors with peak values exceeding , as illustrated by the example in the left panel. In some extreme cases, the ADCP compass indicates a narrow range of headings (i.e., “weathervaning”), even though the IMP data show that the instrument performed at least one full rotation (right panel). This behavior occurs when the magnitude of the horizontal magnetometer biases exceeds the horizontal geomagnetic field strength, in which case the measurements of plotted against no longer encompass the origin. Out of the 70 NABOS profiles, 9 (i.e., fewer than 15%) have acceptable ADCP-derived heading time series (compass errors similar to those shown in Fig. 4). Interestingly, almost half (four) out of those nine were collected at stations with horizontal field magnitudes below that of profile 27 (right panel). From this we infer that geomagnetic field strength is not the only factor affecting the performance of TRDI Workhorse compasses; the available data suggest that performance degrades with increasing sea state (see below).
For the NABOS profiles, magnetometer calibration was again carried out by visually determining biases; Fig. 7 shows two examples. Soft-iron effects are ignored as before. Because the horizontal geomagnetic field strength varies by factor of 3 across the sampling region, 42 separate magnetometer calibrations were carried out. As before, magnetic field measurements that deviate more than a set percentage (25% in this case) from the nominal calibration circles are marked invalid (green samples in the figure). The elevated magnetometer scatter apparent in profile 27 is a consequence of the heightened sea state (large pitch and roll). The green samples inside the calibration circle in this profile were recorded between 50 and 100 m below the sea surface during the upcast. As magnetic effects of the ship can be detected down to 100 m in many of the profiles from this dataset (not shown), we attribute the anomalies to this effect as well. Similar to the ECOGIG measurements, the data from the older LSM303DLHC sensor show considerably less scatter than those from the newer LSM303D chip (not shown).
During collection of the NABOS profiles, neither of the instruments was moved onto the CTD rosette. Excluding two shallow profiles, the mean heading offset between the ADCP transducer and the IMP accelerometer is ; that is, for this dataset, too, instrument alignment is determined from in situ data to an accuracy better than .
Many of the original NABOS LADCP profiles, when processed without external attitude data, show differences exceeding compared to the corresponding SADCP velocities (Fig. 8). In these profiles there are typically no apparent similarities between the SADCP and the corresponding LADCP velocities in the upper ocean (left panel). When processed with external attitude measurements, the agreement between the LADCP and SADCP velocity estimates improves greatly, with nearly 75% of the resulting per-station rms velocity differences below (right panel), indicating high quality.
The results presented above indicate that LADCP velocity profiles can be improved significantly by processing with 3D magnetometer and accelerometer measurements made with common microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors. We have used an external self-contained datalogger to record these ancillary measurements, but the same methodology can be applied to data collected with ADCPs that also record 3D magnetometer and accelerometer data. In the case of the ECOGIG profiles, the external attitude measurements reveal large compass errors in the uplooker ADCP as the main reason for the heading differences in the original ADCP data files. When processed with the external attitude measurements, the discrepancies between SADCP and LADCP velocities reduce by 10%–20%. Based on observed compass differences from thousands of additional available dual-headed profiles, we expect similar improvements in other LADCP datasets.
While the improvements in the ECOGIG LADCP data quality is certainly welcome, it is important to note that the improvements are relatively modest, indicating that even without the external attitude data most profiles are of high quality. The main reason why compass errors do not contaminate regular LADCP profiles more fatally is that compass errors are heading dependent and average to zero; package rotation during the casts ensures that the same velocity is sampled at different instrument headings, thus averaging out the compass errors to some degree. Averaging the heading data from the two instruments further mitigates the problem for dual-headed LADCP systems. We conclude that for regular LADCP work external attitude measurements are optional.
The main benefit of using external attitude measurements is that they allow processing of LADCP profiles with bad attitudes. In the case of NABOS, the ADCP heading measurements are invalid because of a combination of a weak horizontal geomagnetic field and heavy sea state (there are many similar unprocessable profiles from the Southern Ocean in the LDEO LADCP data archive). When processed with external attitude data, most of the resulting velocity profiles are of high quality. It is expected that even better profiles are possible with dual-headed LADCP systems.
We envision several further improvements to the instrument and methodology described here. Support for additional magnetometer and accelerometer chips can be easily added to the IMP firmware. For future deployments we plan to add gyroscopes to distinguish instrument tilt from horizontal acceleration, with the eventual goal of replacing the magnetometer with fiber-optic gyroscopes to remove the effects of magnetic disturbances, especially near the sea surface, and to allow collection of LADCP data arbitrarily close to the magnetic poles.
Part of this research was made possible by a grant from the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative to support the Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs to the Gulf (ECOGIG-2) research consortium. Funding for acquisition of the 2015 Arctic data was provided by NSF (1203473 and 1249133) and NOAA (NA15OAR4310155) under the NABOS-II program. Development of the prototype external magnetometer/accelerometer package (IMP) and methodology was carried out without external funding; extensive testing was carried out during cruises of the NSF-funded DIMES project (OCE-1232962). Participation of Ilona Goszczko on the NABOS cruise was made possible by the Polish National Science Center MIXAR project (2012/05/N/ST10/03643) and by funding from the Leading National Research Centre (KNOW) to the Centre for Polar Studies for the period 2014–18. Overall responsibility for CTD data acquisition and processing by Joe Montoya and Igor Polyakov for the Gulf of Mexico and Arctic CTD data, respectively, is gratefully acknowledged, as is the support by Piotr Wieczorek (IOPAN) for adapting an old ADCP pressure case and power supply for use with the IMP. The ECOGIG EN586 LADCP data are publicly available through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC; https://data.gulfresearchinitiative.org; doi:10.7266/N7K072BN). The 2015 NABOS LADCP data are available on request from the authors.
This assertion was tested with an Xsens IMU that distinguishes between instrument tilt and horizontal acceleration, and that was deployed on a CTD rosette during two casts in rough seas in the Southern Ocean during the 2010 DIMES second U.K. (UK2) cruise (rms horizontal acceleration ).
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Directors' Prep: Everything You Need to Know Before You Shout ‘Action!’
Times: 10.30am-5.30pm
Fee includes a free copy of the book 'The Film Director Prepares' by Jonas Grimas.
This workshop is for filmmakers intent on making an entry into directing or producing TV drama. It describes the process of preparation for production, and applies equally to preparation for directing or producing a low-budget feature film.
Introduction by Jonas Grimås:
“I have worked as a director for 25 years making films for the cinema, television dramas and documentaries, both in the UK and in Sweden. I realised very early on in my career that a film is made in the preparatory stages of a production.
Naturally, I have come to refine my work during pre-production over the years.
No two projects are the same; the problems and challenges are different, sometimes unique. But as a director, there is a series of steps you go through each time you set out to tell a story through a visual medium, and each step involves a number of other people necessary for the realisation of your film.
The course will take a very practical approach; participants will study a screenplay that has already been produced for television and we will work our way through each step, as outlined below. We’ll conclude by watching the finished film and asking could have been done differently or better."
"The way Jonas Grimås teaches makes it clear that you could not have acquired the information otherwise... Looking back, his course was like a mosaic that brought together every piece that I had understood from previous film work and education - and made it make sense." Katharina List, 'Directors' Prep' participant Jan 2014. Read full testimonial.
The script for a 45 minute television drama will be distributed. Participants will be asked to spend some time studying it individually.
The following issues will then be addressed as a group:
1. The Project
Should I pick this project or not?
How to balance money / career / personal interest.
2. The Producer
How to create a working relationship with the Producer.
Is it a marriage made in heaven, or hell – or indifference?
3. The Script
How to read the script.
Working out the narrative perspective.
Set pieces.
4. Forming your Vision
“The honeymoon period” – Making the film in your mind.
How to research.
Working out the money/time equation.
5. Working with the Writer and/or Script Editor
The five point rule: Character; Action; Story; Plot; Script.
How does the re-writing process work?
The three key words: Vision; Integrity; Respect.
6. Heads of Departments
The process of putting together a crew.
Sometimes, rarely, you have free choice of crew members. Sometimes you have none. How to identify your vital allies you need, to make a crew your own.
7. Locations
Plotting and picking your locations.
Studio & Location – the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Working with a Location Manager.
8. Round-up and question time.
The group will be asked to contemplate the following question overnight: What is this script really about, beyond the story? Responses to be discussed at the start of day two.
Day two will start with a discussion: What is this script really about, beyond the story?
9. Planning your shots
Why do you plan them?
Floorplans, shotlists or storyboard?
Making use of digital tools.
10. Casting
Preparing with a casting director.
How to conduct a casting session.
What to look for in your cast.
11. The Technical Recce
Who is this for, and how can you make the most of it?
12. The read-through
How to prepare.
Do’s and don’ts for the read-through itself.
The workshop will conclude with a screening of the finished film, followed by discussion and general question time.
Now available! 'The Film Director Prepares' a 147-page book written by Jonas Grimås based on his workshop at LFS. Order a copy via this link.
Books cost £10 per copy, plus postage (£2 UK, £5 Europe, £7 most other countries). Postage costs will be confirmed before you submit payment.
Partcipants attending this workshop will receive a free copy on arrival!
Tutor profile: Jonas Grimås, Director
Jonas Grimås's workshops at LFS
Jonas Grimås's profile on IMDb Jonas Grimås's website
Named Cultural Personality of the Year by the Stockholm Cultural Award in 2011, Jonas has been based in London since 1988 where he has has worked on a number of British crime dramas, including HAMISH MACBETH with Robert Carlyle, SILENT WITNESS and SECOND SIGHT: KINGDOM OF THE BLIND starring Clive Owen, HOPE AND GLORY with Lenny Henry and THE HELLO GIRLS for the BBC. He was also a regular contributor to ITV’s HEARTBEAT having directed thirty episodes.
Jonas won the BAFTA Film Award for best short film with ARTISTEN (The Artist). He was also nominated for best short film with MAROONED.
Having worked on British crime dramas, Jonas also took on a string of Swedish productions including the infamous WALLANDER films based on Henning Mankell’s novels. He directed two Wallander films, THE TRICKSTERS and THE PHOTOGRAPHER, before taking on the high profile job of turning Camilla Läckberg’s best-selling novels ISPRINSESSAN (The Ice Princess) and PREDIKANTEN (The Preacher) into television.
Jonas recently completed MIKE THE MIDWIFE, a comedy pilot for Channel Four, IGNOBLE NIGHT, based on Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline, LOVE AND LUST ACCORDING TO MEISNER and a string of observational documentaries: 300, FAKING IT, ELGAR'S TROMBONE, A SHOT OF GLASS, DELPHINE'S TOP and PAINTING EURYDICE. He has also transferred the stage plays LOCKED UP and FORE! and a concert performance of Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE to the screen and, since 2008, made 120 short films under the title MY UNEVENTFUL LIFE.
For more information, showreel and clips visit: www.jonasgrimas.com
I had two wonderful, extremely useful and effective days. Jonas really inspired my work for my upcoming feature film.
Dino, 2018
Sometimes you take a course and think: "I might have read the book and be just as informed". Not with Jonas. He is a truly remarkable and inspiring teacher. I have learned more about film-making in only two days than in the past 2 years of shooting on different sets.
Katharina, 2014
Director’s Prep is a very empowering course. It makes you want to go out and direct immediately, putting into practice what you've just learned...which I did! Two weeks later I started directing my first documentary project, always keeping in mind the genuine and intuitive approach Jonas had conveyed to us. I am so glad I booked this course!
The approach Jonas took was very thoughtful and thought provoking. He teaches from the heart based on experience. It was a real pleasure to experience that.
Bennett, 2017
This workshop was very well organised, detailed and easy to follow. I feel I have learnt more in one weekend from Jonas than I was every taught on my film degree. Jonas treated us an intelligent equals and imparted his experiences on us so that we can learn and grow as filmmakers.
It was very inspiring. I now feel like the fading ember of passion about film making has become a blazing inferno. It gave me a realisation that if it's something I really want to do and love doing, I need to make time to do it regardless of person circumstances.
Dan, 2018
Jonas is an amazing mentor. His passion for film making is contagious, he brings up points about film making and the role of the director which I haven't learned anywhere else.
This workshop absolutely exceeded my expectations, which were high to begin with. I legitimately enjoyed myself like I haven’t in a long time! I have not stopped talking about it.
This workshop is a hidden gem. More filmmakers need to be exposed to this information. It can definitely change someones life for the better.
Quason, 2019
I’m sure I learnt more in these two days than I did in 4 years of University. The information was exactly what I needed and I came away with a head full of knowledge and a boat-load of confidence.
Stephen, 2018
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Couples To Appear In Court Over Alleged Bribe From Bushiri
December 11, 2020 Tee Tshepo South Africa 0
South Africa, Cape Town – A 46-year-old police brigadier and her husband are due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice relating to self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary.
The brigadier and her 50-year-old husband had handed themselves over earlier on Thursday to the Hawks team investigating the Bushiris’ alleged crimes in South Africa. It’s not yet exactly clear how the duo are linked to the case.
Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale said: “The pair handed themselves to the team of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, tasked with the investigation of criminal activities relating to Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.
’’The warrants of arrest were authorised on Wednesday in relation to an amount of R500 000 that was allegedly paid to the brigadier. The investigation was started as an inquiry and converted to a case docket in February 2020.”
STAY UPDATED! READ: Family & Sister Of Deceased Sibongiseni Gabada Calls For Speed To Serve Justice
On Tuesday, the Malawian government said the process to have the Bushiris arrested had begun.
On Friday, Malawi’s Information Minister and Government spokesperson, Gospel Kazako, confirmed receiving a formal request from the South African government for the Bushiris’ extradition.
The Bushiris are expected to appear in the Lilongwe High Court on Monday, where they are appealing to their arrest. The couple had fled South Africa after being released on bail early last month.
The Bushiris and their co-accused are facing charges of theft, money laundering and fraud relating to an investment scheme.
They were released on R200 000 bail each in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on November 4 following their arrest in October.
The prosecuting authority in Malawi two weeks ago filed an appeal against the unconditional release of the charismatic preacher and his wife.
Lilongwe Magistrate Viva Nyimba had ruled that the couple’s arrest in Malawi was illegal as there was no arrest warrant issued by the Malawian authorities. The magistrate ordered their unconditional release.
STAY UPDATED! READ: Mayor Free On Bail For Alleged Rape And Kidnap Of 2 Minors
WC MEC, Schäfer Ask Matrics To Skip Rage Events Amidst 2nd wave
Couples Who Allegedly Took Bribe From Shepherd Bushiri Released On Bail
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Bond facts for kids
Uses of bond, bonds, bonded, and bonding:
Financial bonds
Manufacturing, construction and electronics
Company and product names
Bond (finance), in finance, a debt security, issued by Issuer
Government bond, a bond issued by a national government
Bond market, a financial market for bonds
Investment bond, a life assurance based single premium investment
A surety bond is a three party contract, where the surety promises to pay the obligee for non-performance or dishonesty by the principal. Workers in many jobs must be bonded. [1]
A performance bond is a surety bond for completion of work under a contract
A bail bond is a surety bond for return of a person to a court
Tenancy bond (or damage deposit), a deposit taken by a landlord in relation to rental of a property
Catastrophe bond (or cat bond), a form of reinsurance
Bonded labor (or debt bondage) is a system of servitude where someone must work to pay off a debt
Bond number, in fluid mechanics, a dimensionless number expressing the ratio of gravitational forces to surface tension forces
Chemical bond, the physical phenomenon of chemical substances being held together by attraction of atoms
Covalent bond, a chemical bond between two non-metals
Ionic bond, bonding of a non-metal and a metal
Metallic bond, bonding between atoms and metals
Bond albedo is a measure of electromagnetic radiation of an astronomical body
A bond graph is a graphical description of a physical dynamic system
In biology, a pair bond is the strong affinity that develops in some species between the male and female in a breeding pair.
Psychological bond, a form of relationship
Human bonding
Maternal bond
Paternal bond
Female bonding
Affectional bond
Capture-bonding, the psychological mechanism behind Stockholm syndrome.
In anthropology, acephalous societies are categorized as village-bonded, land-bonded, and lineage-bonded
In manufacturing, bonding may be done via adhesives, welding, or fasteners (such as screws, bolts, nails, rivets)
Bond is the manner in which the bricks overlap as they are laid in brickwork
Bond paper, a high quality durable writing paper
Bonded Leather (or reconstituted leather)
Bottled in bond refers to a type American whiskey
Wire bonding, a method of making interconnections between a microchip and the outside world as part of semiconductor device fabrication
Channel bonding (or modem bonding), an arrangement in which two or more network interfaces on a host computer are combined
Electrical bonding, concept in electricity distribution
Bonds (company) an Australian clothing company
Bonds was formerly the name of a department store in Norwich, England, now called John Lewis Norwich
Bonds was formerly the name of a department store in Chelmsford, Essex, now called Debenhams Chelmsford
Bond Cars Ltd a small scale car manufacturer between 1949 and 1971 manufacturer of the Bond bug and Bond 875 three-wheeled motor cars
BOND, RAD Software tool
Gold Bond medicated powder
Bond Street brand of cigarette
Eaton's Corrasable Bond was a brand of erasable typing paper
Bond Guitars manufactured the Bond Electraglide electric guitar
Afrikaner Bond, a political party in the Cape Colony in the 19th century
bonding-studenteninitiative e.V., a German student organisation
Church of the Universal Bond, a British religious group
James Bond, a fictional secret agent created by Ian Fleming
Bond 22 is the working title of a future James Bond film
bond is an Australian/British string quartet
The Bond a film by Charlie Chaplin supporting Liberty Bonds
"The Bonding", a third-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Any Bonds Today?, a propaganda film for War Bonds during World War II
Peace-bonding is something which makes a weapon unusable as a weapon
A peace bond is a protection order from a Canadian court
Bond Street, a major shopping street in the West End of London
Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia
Bond South Africa, South African campus of Bond University
Bonds in New York City
Bond, Colorado
Bond Hill, Ohio
Bond Falls, a waterfall in the Ontonagon River
Mount Bond, a mountain in Grafton County, New Hampshire
Bond Head, Ontario
Bond Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.
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From Moscow’s Satirikon Theatre
Anton Chekhov's first of four major plays dramatizes the romantic and artistic conflicts between its four main characters: Boris Trigorin, a well-known writer, the ingenue Nina, the fading actress Irina Arkadina, and her son...
Anton Chekhov's first of four major plays dramatizes the romantic and artistic conflicts between its four main characters: Boris Trigorin, a well-known writer, the ingenue Nina, the fading actress Irina Arkadina, and her son the would-be playwright Konstantin Treplev.
Yury Butusov's Golden Mask Award-winning production abounds in an incredible freedom and openness, delving deep into the throes of artistic creation and the anguish of the artist who struggles to find a language of his own. This is not only a performance about the theatre, it is an anthology of the theatre. Chekhov's characters are in the process of creating their lives or watching them fall apart, which, according to Butusov, may be a closely related activity.
Yury Butusov
Agrippina Steklova, Anton Kznetcov, Mariana Spivak, Timofey Tribuntcev
Stage Russia
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622 Saint Monastery III
The mercenaries felt as though they had just been on a roller coaster ride from hell to heaven. Just a few moments ago, they believed that they would undoubtedly die and were merely fighting to protect their dignity. However, they didn't expect the situation to turn around entirely within half a minute. The terrifying enemies crumbled and even the Necromancer had turned into ashes. The trio who had rescued them didn't seem to be passersby at all, but shortly after, they realized that they were wrong.
"How boring."
Mini Bubble Gum clapped the dust off her hands and pouted as she looked at the corpses laid before her. She gazed at the man with the rotten arms and unconscious on the ground and let out a snort. Then, she stretched out a finger and emanated a dazzling ray of light that healed the ruptured flesh on his arms. In the blink of an eye, his arms were fully cured. Then, Mini Bubble Gum stretched her body lazily.
"They're nothing more than a bunch of useless crap. Let's go, Big Sister, Leader."
Mini Bubble Gum turned around and left without glancing at the mercenaries. She behaved so casually as though she had just killed a colony of ants instead of Humans. Rhode and Canary had no opinions about this. The blustering mercenaries were slightly more than level 20 while the Necromancer was only level 30. Rhode's level was even higher than them, so how was it possible for the level 85 Canary and Mini Bubble Gum to regard them highly?
The trio left swiftly and continued with their journey, leaving the group of mercenaries who had escaped death. The mercenaries widened their eyes in disbelief. They thought that they were dead for sure, but the sudden appearance of the trio dragged them from the claws of death entirely, which they were extremely thankful for. Normally, the rescuers would have approached them to check on their condition and the victims could express their gratitude. However, the trio's actions had surprised all of them. They just left without looking at the victims even once?!
What should we do next?
The mercenaries were left in an awkward situation. They wanted to catch up to them and express their proper gratitudes. However, the trio seemed uninterested in them and their strength had proven how powerful they were. On the contrary, these guys were only mercenaries and they naturally couldn't figure out how powerful the trio was exactly. Most powerful beings had strange behaviors. If one were to accidentally offend them, perhaps one would die to a wave of their hands... The mercenaries shuddered at this frightening thought. Then, their leader took a final look at the trio and heaved a sigh of relief. He pulled himself together and clapped his hands to gather the attention of his men.
"Alright, Brothers. Let's tidy up and leave. We're really fortunate today..."
But before the man finished his words, the young noble who they had been protecting bolted toward the trio!
"That idiot!"
The leader chased the young noble hurriedly. After spending some time with him, he knew what sort of temper he had! He knew exactly what the young noble was planning to do, suddenly running up to the trio!
Rhode's group had thrown this matter to the back of their heads as soon as they turned around and they didn't even discuss anything about it. Instead, they spoke about their experiences in the game which involved the BOSSes, equipment, dungeons, and also the future. Suddenly, someone yelled from behind.
"Hey, the people in front. Wait up...!"
Rhode puckered his brows while Canary maintained her usual gentle smile. On the other hand, Mini Bubble Gum sulked instantly because the voice had disrupted her from sharing her mighty achievements in the dungeons with Rhode. Rhode and Mini Bubble Gum were the only survivors in a 25-men dungeon when they faced the final BOSS. In that battle, Mini Bubble Gum had as though enlightened everyone with her perfect wisdom. Her responses were superb and not only did she dodge the BOSS's attack, but she also protected Rhode at the same time. The tempo of her healing and casting of supporting skills were timed perfectly. In the end, the duo took down the BOSS and this achievement earned Mini Bubble Gum the number one Cleric spot in the Guild. She was bragging about how she coordinated with Rhode flawlessly and someone actually interrupted her before she reached the most exciting part of the story!
She glared in the direction where the voice came from while harboring malicious intentions. At this moment, the young noble panted his way toward them. He wore showy noble attire with a cape draped over his shoulders and a fine sword hanging by his waist. However, his flashy appearance exposed that the sword was only meant to show off rather than be used in actual battle. He looked about 14 years old and almost the same age as Mini Bubble Gum. He ran as quickly as possible and looked at the trio with a pleased smile. For unknown reasons, Rhode felt that his smile hinted superiority.
The young noble spoke.
"You guys have decent strength. Wanna work for me?"
Mini Bubble Gum revealed an ice-cold expression while Rhode and Canary exchanged looks with each other. Then, Rhode folded his arms and gazed at the young man with a bantering glint. However, before he got the chance to speak, Mini Bubble Gum had exploded.
"What a joke! Kid, who do you think you are? You want us to work for you? Get your pitiful self away from our sight! You're asking for death!"
Mini Bubble Gum clenched her fists and glared at the young noble. The latter stuck out his chest proudly and gazed at them with a proud, arrogant expression. "I have no lack of money! I will give you 50k gold coins as long as you help me rescue my younger sister from the hands of the Cultists. How about that? My father is a rich merchant in the Kohl region and I've loads and loads of money. As long as you rescue my younger sister, the money will be yours! How about that? That sounds great, eh?"
"Do you even understand Human language? Idiot..."
Mini Bubble Gum let out a snort and lifted her chin high. Although the young noble was slightly taller than her, she still showed a look of disdain.
"Who cares about your filthy money. Our leader has more than enough of that and he doesn't fancy yours. I have money too. My family owns a multinational corporation. I get all the pounds and dollars that I want... Forget it. No one gives a damn if your family is a whatever Kohl region millionaire. Don't mess with us or I will smash you with a sack of money. Now, scram!"
"What did you say?! My father is really, really rich! Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"
"Come on! What can 50k gold coins even afford? It isn't enough to buy a part of my equipment. So what if you have 50k gold coins?"
"You..."
Rhode rubbed his forehead and shook his head helplessly at their childish argument.
Bubble was indeed powerful, but she never grew up. Although she could be considered one of the best Clerics in the gaming world, she had always been surrounded by controversies in real life because she was the daughter of a multinational corporation boss. In other words, she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and never avoided this topic and would often splurge on any great items. Many players detested her arrogant behavior and moreover, she was in the rebellious phase of life and always loved to compete against others. The more the players despised her, the more she got back at them. The more you look down upon me as a pay-to-win player, the more I will use money to crush and infuriate you to death. The more you say that Cleric can't PK, the more I will defeat you. You deserve it!
Everyone had such moments. But it was rare to see one as extreme as Mini Bubble Gum. Therefore, Mini Bubble Gum received a lot of criticism in the game because many players saw that she was just a rich, young daughter who threw her weight about using money and didn't feel disgraceful at all. I'm just fortunate to be born into a rich family. I have the money to spend while you poverty-stricken peasants got nothing. Hahaha, I will infuriate you all to death!
If she was only verbally arrogant, she wouldn't provoke that much resentment from the other players. After all, although young players dominated the game, there were still mature adults too. An ordinary pay-to-win player treated her as a pampered young lady and their hearts couldn't grieve over what their eyes couldn't see. Unfortunately, Mini Bubble Gum relied on her extreme personality and came up with the 'Treating foes as friends' insane technique. Thereafter, she dominated the arena and rarely did she face worthy opponents. Her name had always been in the top five player rankings. There were spiteful players who satirized her for obtaining legendary equipment by splurging money in order to achieve her results. As a result, she started a thread in the forums stating that she was capable of buying legendary equipment and get into the top five while worthless crap like the other players couldn't even reach the top 5000 even if they had the money and equipment...
A rich, powerful, and smug person naturally gathered a lot of hate and dissatisfaction among the players.
Therefore, even in the guild, Mini Bubble Gum seldom had any close friends. This was also why she had always been Rhode's dedicated Cleric because he and Canary were the only ones capable of handling her. Perhaps Rhode could control her actions because they had known each other for a long time. They met each other after the Munn Kingdom was destroyed and he wanted to get revenge. Back then, he met Mini Bubble Gum who was also furious that her home was destroyed and she gathered players using money to take revenge on the Country of Darkness. The stakes made them hit it off instantly and Mini Bubble Gum eventually joined Starlight.
Rhode didn't deny that during the starting phase of Starlight, Mini Bubble Gum's funding had benefited him a lot. He didn't feel that relying on others was considered an embarrassing behavior. During the process, he understood that Mini Bubble Gum's behavior was mainly related to her family. Although she was fortunate to be born into a wealthy family, she was actually lonely. Her mother had a difficult birth and met with an early demise as she gave birth to Mini Bubble Gum. On the other hand, her father had been working non-stop and rumors about him keeping a mistress had spread. Mini Bubble Gum led a boring life with the servants at home and this was why she searched for a sense of belonging in the game. Splurging money on the game naturally became the quickest method, just like how one flaunted his 15 ghost-tiger mounts on the forums. No matter how realistic the results, he had indeed attracted eyeballs.
On the other hand, although Mini Bubble Gum had indeed garnered a lot of attention, no one was willing to curry favors with her for the sake of money. Perhaps one might succumb to the pressure of life if it was in the real world. However, it happened in the Internet: a virtual society. In here, regardless of if one was rich or not, everyone was equal. No matter how rich one was, one couldn't use money to call it quits. So why must I give in to you? How shameless is that?
Although there were some players who bowed down to everything she said for the sake of money, she wasn't that foolish to keep them around her, which resulted in her terrible reputation. It was due to this that Rhode's willingness to rely on her money to develop the guild naturally gave her a favorable impression. This was the first time she felt needed by someone and she felt great.
As Starlight developed, there were a lot of controversies. The main part came from how Starlight relied on Mini Bubble Gum's funding in the early stages and many players mocked Starlight as a group of hired thugs and traitors paid by Mini Bubble Gum. Rhode had also become the main target of mockery for bowing down to money. They often said that 'If Rhode didn't betray himself over money, perhaps he would be worthy to be called a top-rated player..."
But Rhode remain unmoved because he didn't care about their views at all. After Munn Kingdom was destroyed, Rhode's only goal in the game was to establish a powerful force to seek revenge for their sufferings. In order to not waste one's time, it was necessary to spend real money in the game. Without a proper foundation, how could a Guild develop quickly? Mini Bubble Gum was willing to spend the money, so it naturally became a great thing. He didn't feel that he had any reasons to reject. After all, he wasn't targeting her money for his personal use. Mini Bubble Gum felt satisfied to be needed by others and she had even thought of 'providing for' Rhode and make him accompany her in playing the game... But her suggestion was rejected by him, of course.
In the end, Rhode succeeded and Starlight became the strongest force in the Dragon Soul Continent. The elite players of Starlight occupied almost all the top 50 player rankings. They changed the course of the game once and once again, opening new chapters to the game by becoming the most influential force.
Before Rhode left the game, Mini Bubble Gum had matured a lot. As she grew older, she wasn't as hot-tempered like a gunpowder bucket that would explode once ignited. Besides, perhaps due to her satisfaction, she rarely debated with other players in the forums or game about meaningless matters. Unlike the past, not only did she stop wasting time in typing a whole passage of words to ridicule the other party, but she also stopped pursuing relentlessly and force those irritating players off the game. That was both physical and mental tortures. From another point of view, she was the role model of one who had loads of time and money on one's hands.
If Rhode and Mini Bubble Gum's relationship could be considered to have developed after understanding each other deeply, then Mini Bubble Gum and Canary's relationship could only be described using two words: natural enemies.
"Canary."
"Got it, Rhode."
Canary stepped forward with a smile and held onto Bubble's shoulder.
"Bubble, stop fighting. Be good."
"... Yes, Big Sister."
Canary said softly and Bubble deflated like a leaking balloon. She grudgingly stared at the young noble and stopped speaking. Then, Rhode came forward. He truly wasn't interested in entertaining a quarrel of such low standard.
"We aren't here for sightseeing. We have something else to attend to, so we can't help you. Goodbye."
Rhode turned around while Canary patted on Bubble's shoulder once again as though to console her. Then, they left the place following his lead. The young noble's expression turned ashen. He puckered his brows and stared at the trio, clenching his fists. However, he didn't know what to say. At this moment, the leader who was standing quietly and observing their bicker said.
"Y-Young Master, let's go back. We'd better leave this place as soon as possible and find a place outside to regroup. Then..."
But, the young noble disrupted his words.
"No let's continue!"
"Young Master?"
"I must find my younger sister. You guys are hired by me and I have made my payment, so you've to heed my orders. I know my younger sister is still in the deep mountains!"
The young noble gritted his teeth and let out a snarl. The leader pondered in silence and let out a helpless sigh.
It seems that I don't have a choice.
Lize stood before the heavy door with a hesitant expression. She mustered up her courage, sucked in a deep breath, and knocked firmly. Then, she heard the voice she knew so well.
"Come in."
Lize ground her teeth and pushed the door open. Marlene was sitting by the table with a book in hand. She looked away from the book and widened her eyes curiously as soon as she spotted Lize.
"Lize, it's late now. Is anything the matter?"
"Yes... Marlene."
Lize felt that her throat was rather dry. She rubbed her sleeves anxiously and gazed at the ground.
"Yes... Marlene... I... have something important to... let you know... So... I..."
Marlene gazed silently. She laid down the book and approached Lize.
"It's... It's..."
Lize felt suffocated as though boulders weighing a thousand kilograms were pressing on her chest. She could almost hear her violent heartbeats. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to look into Marlene's eyes.
"It's regarding... Mr. Rhode..."
"Rhode..."
Marlene cocked her head to one side and nodded subsequently.
"I see. Lize, this isn't the place to talk about it. Follow me."
Marlene checked her attire before heading out the room while Lize followed with her shaky hands on her chest. Both of them entered the hall and down the staircase. Then, they arrived at the spacious hall in the underground. Marlene raised her staff and chanted softly to light up a dazzling radiance.
"M-Marlene?"
Lize asked worriedly as soon as the space before her transformed into whiteness. She didn't expect that Marlene would bring her to the training ground in the Sphere of Mystery. What was she trying to do?
At this moment, Marlene turned around and extended her right hand.
The air around her vibrated and flickering rays of light coalesced into razor-sharp blades that were aimed at Lize.
"Alright, we can start talking about it now, Lize."
Marlene revealed a smile as she gazed at Lize who was stricken into silence.
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Sims 3 Stories >
Sims Stories, Fame A Caliente Story Part 2
Lost, A Bella Goth Story Part 2 (Updated) #Imback
Sims Stories Present: Love, A Cassandra Goth Story (New)
Sims Stories Present: Love, A Cassandra Goth Story Part 2
Sims 3 Stories Present: Lost, A Bella Goth Story Part 1 (New)
Author: ricardodesinor
Test Subject
Written: 19th Jul 2012, 6:42 AM
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“Oh, Don!!!!!!!!!!
The next morning Nina felt embarrass about what happen the night before. She had woken hours before Andrew. She was thinking about what she would say, when he awoke she sat next to bed. “Good morning babe.” Andrew said. “Andrew about last night, why didn’t you stop.” Nina asked. “Why would I stop, it was getting to the good part.” Andrew replied. Nina was confused, usually a partner would be angry about this. “I yelled out my ex boyfriends name.” Nina said. Its not like we’re serious Andrew replied.
Nina then remembered the purpose of this relationship. The two were friends with benefits. Their relationship was a secret. The couple were both professionals and only got intimate with each other. They didn’t want relationships getting in the way of their careers, at least not yet. So they both agreed on secret meetings to release strong urges. “I’m sorry Nina I didn’t mean it like that. “Andrew said. “Its okay, I’ll see you later.
5 years have passed since Nina became the vocal legend she was today. After her first performance Nina couldn’t wait to perform for an audience again. She planned on getting booked a steady gig at the coffee shop. When she went to audition the owner loved her performance but told her she wasn’t well known enough. Nina didn’t give up and everyday she perform for tips outside the coffee shop. She eventually got the gig. Since then Nina was discovered and signed to a record company.
As for Dina, she awoke lost. She has never felt so vulnerable in her life. It scared her. Things needed to change. She saw what her life was directed towards. Dina admitted to herself she was jealous of her sisters new found talent. She wanted to be in the spotlight herself.
Fame came easily for Dina Caliente. While Nina was getting more famous Dina thought of a plan to get attention. It was one day Nina was invited to a little party at a friends house. With research Dina knew that the party was being host by someone who was really close with a movie director. Dina tagged along with her sister to the party. Even Nina had no idea what Dina had in mind but she decided to go along with it.
The party was coming to an end when Dina’s plan pulled into action. Dina had rehearsed many hours on what she was going to do. Dina dramatically fell on the floor and immediately caused attention amongst the guest.
The film director definitely noticed Dina. He noticed the bold move that Dina pulled and saw that she was perfect to fit a role in his upcoming film. He immediately gave her a part. Dina was so perfect for the role she became an instant hit. She was in many other movies acting came naturally to Dina. She eventually signed a contract with a new TV series which would began production within a year.
Dina’s fame was also the success of her book Confessions Of A Gold Digger. The book sold millions and was featured on many talk shows it was best seller and won many awards. Dina’s book was a self help book for women to become more independent. Short stories and memoirs of her life caused her readers to laugh, cry and more.
5 years have passed and Nina became. She made two albums that sold millions around the world. Everyone knew who Nina Caliente was. It was a dream come true for Nina. Her success has earned her millions throughout the years.
After a few years apart the twins decided it was best to combine their earnings and buy a mega mansion overlooking the city. The home was so big on an average busy day for the twins it was possible that they wouldn’t run into each other for days.
Lately its been one of those busy days. Nina finally had time to catch up with her sister Dina. “Clearly you miss Don, its been five years and now your bringing up his name.” Dina responded. “You and him must have had a real strong chemistry then, but.” Dina said.
“I find it hard to admit to myself as well, I do miss him. Nina then remembered the reason why Don and her split. Nina fell in love with Don but she knew his life style. He lived the fast life and so did Nina but she was willing to change. When Nina found out that Don was getting married to Cassandra was having an affair with his maid and had a fling with her sister it was to much for her to handle and couldn’t forgive Don. She didn’t have to move with Dina but their was nothing for her in Pleasantview anymore. And she also got a reputation for being a gold digger because of her sister.
“Dina, I’m going back.” Nina said. “Why in the hell would you want to move back.” Dina asked. “Not move back just visit, a week or two tops.” Nina replied. “Why cant we just fly Don to Starlight Shores.” Dina asked. “I missed my friends, I miss the town.” Nina said.
“Look Nina if you go, there is no way I’m letting you go alone.” Dina said.
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HomeCALGARYCalgary won’t rebuild Fairview Arena after last year’s roof collapse
Calgary won’t rebuild Fairview Arena after last year’s roof collapse
City says the existing site cannot accomodate a larger multi-use facility
February 20, 2019 Staff LiveWire Calgary CALGARY 1
Hockey Calgary is considering disbanding the Northwest Warriors, but parents and players are protesting the move. CREATIVE COMMONS
One year after heavy snow led to the collapse of Fairview’s community arena last year, the city says it won’t be rebuilding the facility.
James McLaughlin, acting director for Calgary Recreation, said the city’s current practice is to build multi-sheet arenas, usually with other amenities, to save money and meet regional needs.
McLaughlin said the Fairview site cannot accommodate a facility of that size.
“Given the loss of this ice sheet we will be updating our arena studies to explore current and future citizen and stakeholder needs in the region,” he said. “The study will help guide future development, make best use of limited financial resources and maximize investment back into the community.”
He thanked the community partners at the Fairview facility for their patience as the city weighed its options.
Residents in Fairview will be consulted on the possible future uses of the site.
Nobody was injured when the rink’s roof collapsed on Feb. 20, 2018.
The exact cause of the roof collapse remains undetermined. An independent engineering report found multiple factors that may have led to the roof collapse. The city has asked for more assessment.
In the weeks after the collapse, the city had all of its other 41 rinks assessed for possible structural problems but none were found.
Veteran Calgary journalist Arthur Kent probes US ambassador’s 1979 kidnapping, death in new podcast
Calgary’s snow route parking ban to end at 5 p.m. Wednesday
What’s next? Fairview arena decision creates opportunity, challenges for Calgary community stakeholders – LiveWire Calgary
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additur
ad·di·tur /'a-di-tər, 'ä-di-ˌtu̇r/ n [Latin, it is increased]: the increase by a court of the jury's award of damages which the court deems insufficient compare remittitur
◇ The Supreme Court held in Dimick v. Schiedt, 293 U.S. 474 (1935) that additur violates the Seventh Amendment and so is not permissible in federal courts. Many state courts allow additur, however, when the defendant agrees to the increased award on the condition that the court deny plaintiff's motion for a new trial.
noun assessment of damages, increase of damages, increase of jury award
(Latin) A trial court’s increase in the amount of damages awarded to a plaintiff by a jury; this can be done with the defendant’s consent if the court rules that the jury’s award is inadequate, and on the condition that the plaintiff’s motion for a new trial will be denied.
The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008.
n. Latin It is added to. A trial court's order to increase the damages awarded by a jury. It is done to prevent the plaintiff from appealing on the grounds that inadequate damages were awarded, but the court cannot issue the order without the defendant's consent.
The term may also refer to the increase itself, the procedure by which it is done, and the court's power to issue the order.
Webster's New World Law Dictionary. Susan Ellis Wild. 2000.
The power of the trial court to assess damages or increase the amount of an inadequate award made by jury verdict, as a condition of a denial of a motion for a new trial, with the consent of the defendant whether or not the plaintiff consents to such action. This is not allowed in the federal system.
Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.
II An increase by a judge in the amount of damages awarded by a jury.
Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.
Additur — An additur is the legal term referring to the practice of a trial judge adding damages additional to the original amount awarded by the jury. It is not allowed in U.S. Federal Law as established by Dimick v. Schiedt. 293 U.S. 474 (U.S. 1935).… … Wikipedia
additur — noun The augmentation by a judge of damages awarded by a jury … Wiktionary
additur — /abdatar/ The power of trial court to assess damages or increase amount of an inadequate award made by jury verdict, as condition of denial of motion for new trial, with consent of defendant whether or not plaintiff consents to such action.… … Black's law dictionary
additur — An increase by the court in the amount of damages awarded by the jury. 22 Am J2d Damg §§ 398 et seq … Ballentine's law dictionary
quicquid demonstrate rei additur satis demonstrate frustra est — /kwikwid demanstreytiy riyay abdatar saetas demanstrseytiy frastra est/ Whatever is added to demonstrate anything already sufficiently demonstrated is surplusage … Black's law dictionary
quod demonstrandi causa additur rei satis, demonstrate, frustra fit — /kwod demanstraenday koza aedatar riyay seytas, demanstreytiy, frastra fit/ What is added to a thing sufficiently palpable, for the purpose of demonstration, is vain … Black's law dictionary
Quod demonstrandi causa additur rei satis demonstratae, frustra fit — That which is added to anything by way of description, which is already sufficiently described, is superfluous … Ballentine's law dictionary
remittitur — re·mit·ti·tur /ri mi tə tər/ n [Latin, it is sent back, remitted, third person singular present indicative passive of remittere to send back, remit] 1 a: a procedure under which a court may order the reduction of an excessive verdict; esp: a… … Law dictionary
ALLELUJAH — Hebr. vox. i. e. Laudate Deum. Augustin. de Divers. Serm. I. c. 1. Nostis, quia Alleluia Latine dicitur, Laudate Deum. Arnobius Iun. in Psalm. 104. Alleluia in isto Psalmo principium sumpsit, quam qui interpretantur, Gloria Deo, Creatori omnium;… … Hofmann J. Lexicon universale
MUSCUS — apud Hieronym. ad Iovinian. l. 2. Odoris autem suavitas et diversa thymiamata et amomum et cyphi et oenanthe et Muscus et peregrini muris pellicula: est Graecorum μόσχος, Latine etiam hinc moschus, qui per se odoramentum facit idque… … Hofmann J. Lexicon universale
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LWG Enters Into Real Estate Agreement on 17 Current ASE Division Midas Stores
Home / Leeds West Group Corp Updates / LWG Enters Into Real Estate Agreement on 17 Current ASE Division Midas Stores
LWG Enters Into Real Estate Agreement on 17 Current ASE Division Midas Stores2020-09-252020-09-25/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/leedswest_logo-01.svgLeeds West Groups/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/leedswest_logo-01.svg200px200px
Announcement for Release on: September 25th, 2020 GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO – Leeds West Groups (LWG) has entered into a long-term agreement with SJM Realty, Inc (SJM) purchasing ownership interest into all of their 17 Midas properties held in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, & Oklahoma. SJM was established in 1957, and is principal owned by Steven Altheimer, the former owner and son of the founder of ASE. ASE is now a division of LWG that was purchased in 2018 from the ASE ESOP Board of Directors following their purchase of the business from Mr. Altheimer in 2001.
This deal secures the real estate of all 17 properties under the LWG umbrella in long-term leases with acquisitions of all properties spread throughout the life of each lease. The deal goes into effect on December 1, 2020, with the first acquisition of the 17 parcels of real estate completed by December 31, 2020.
“I am proud to announce the long-term security of a large portion of the ASE Midas store real estate portfolio under LWG ownership now for many years to come. This continues to show our long-term investment commitment into the ASE team for the future. The opportunity to secure over 1/3 of the ASE division real estate in one transaction, is a big win for all parties involved. I would like to thank Steve and his family in their invaluable contribution to the founding continued success of ASE.”
– Judd Shader, Chief Executive Officer
This acquisition now solidifies LWG’s real estate ownership controls for over 50% of the ASE Division real estate, and marks LWG’s 34th purchase of real estate in their automotive division within the last 24 months. The purchase prices and deal terms are not being disclosed at this time.
LWG Acquires Real Estate of Tires Plus Location in Arvada, CO for Future RebrandingLeeds West Group Corp Updates
Tire Business – Leeds West moves to secure real estate at 17 Midas franchised locationsLeeds West Group Corp Updates
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Edit Business Information
LOM learns about benefits, resources at TSBDC
May 16, 2017 May 19, 2017 / News / By admin
The Tennessee Small Business Development Center is a great resource for our members, Locally Owned Murfreesboro President Gretchen Bilbro said after the nonprofit’s May 4 meeting.
“The center offers great services from which all of our members can benefit,” Bilbro said. “We are looking forward to working more with the TSBDC in the future.”
LOM and TSBDC came together for breakfast and to learn about new director of the TSBDC, Chris Swoner, and the free resources and courses are offered by the center.
During the meeting, Swoner explained the TSBDC can provide advice to independent businesses in all stages of development.
“Clients will come in for one problem but, after talking, we can get to the root of the problem and come up with a plan,” Swoner said.
For start-ups, the grant-funded center business offers business plan development, financial planning assistance, marketing plan development, developing sources of capital and social media guidance.
The Murfreesboro office also provides existing business assistance like business growth planning, government contracting guidance and international trade guidance, sources of capital.
The only things the center can’t help with is taxes and legal issues. But it does partner with other experts in the community to offer specialized courses.
“The courses we offer are based on client need,” he said, adding if a client asked for a class, they can find someone to teach it.
He explained the center is sponsored by MTSU’s Jones College of Business and all staff is faculty of the university.
“Our counselors have four-year business degree and five years of practical experience. Many of our directors have 20 years of practical experience,” Swoner said.
June classes include:
QuickBooks Online for Beginners, Thursday, June 29
Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses, Thursday, June 8
First Steps – Business Plan Construction Workshop, Thursday, June 15
Small Business Tax 1, Monday, June 26
Small Business Tax 2, Tuesday, June 27
Swoner returns to Middle Tennessee after spending a decade working for Blizzard Entertainment in Irvine, Cali., where he started as a customer service representative and worked his way up to network operations technician and eventually the global network operations center associate manager.
Blizzard develops and operates the popular games like StarCraft, Diablo and Warcraft, including the mass multiplayer online role playing game World of Warcraft.
ABOUT LOCALLY OWNED MURFREESBORO
An affiliate of the American Independent Business Alliance, Locally Owned Murfreesboro was formed in 2016.
The nonprofit is an organization of independent local business owners dedicated to promoting the benefits supporting independent businesses to the community and building a stronger local economy by joining together in marketing, government advocacy and networking.
Because Murfreesboro Matters.
Copyright 2021 – Locally Owned Murfreesboro
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Orange County Bans All Public, Private Gatherings – Including Work – Outside Single Household
Filed Under:Coronavirus, Orange County
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) – Orange County officials Tuesday took unprecedented action by banning all public and private gathers beyond those of a single household as jurisdictions across the world grapple with the spread of coronavirus.
County health officer Dr. Nicole Quick issued the order effective immediately prohibiting “all public and private gatherings of any number of people, including at places of work, occurring outside a single household or living space.”
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14984641/2020/03/oc-health.mp4
The order does not prohibit members of any household or living unit from gathering and will remain in place through March 31.
It applies to all “professional, social, and community gatherings” outside of a list of “essential activities”, which includes healthcare infrastructure, first responders and emergency personnel, grocery stores, TV, radio and media services, plumbers, laundromats, and restaurants and bars.
Restaurants and other food-serving facilities will only be allowed to provide delivery or carry-out services. “Social distancing” – the now-prevalent practice of maintaining approximately six feet of distance from all persons – will be required for everyone picking up food on site.
After the health order went into effect, the normally bustling, historic Old Towne Orange was practically empty, as bars, restaurants, and other non-essential businesses closed their doors.
“You know, we want to be smart and take precautions,” said Tustin resident Paul Stebner.
Still, Stebner and his wife, Marnie, are not on board with the OC health officer’s order prohibiting public and private gatherings of any number.
“It’s just gone a little too far,” Marnie said.
The order is hurting OC businesses, too. O’Hara’s Pub had to shut down on St. Patrick’s Day, because it does not sell food.
“Closing down just isn’t fun, in any way shape or form,” said manager Jason Gardner. “[It’s] awful, because I do have employees and I worry about them.”
Many employees, who are already living paycheck to paycheck, will be out of work for at least two weeks.
“I have a little money saved up, but I was saving that money for an actual emergency,” said Nicholas Lacava, a bouncer at O’Hara’s.
Signs at many storefronts announce the temporary business closures, but some wonder if prohibiting public gatherings will backfire and cause more panic buying.
At Ralph’s in Orange, people had to get in line outside on Tuesday evening. The grocery store only allowed 25 households in every 10 minutes.
Patrons arrive at a closed food court where tables are placed on top of tables but takeout orders are available Los Angeles on March 17, 2020. (Getty Images)
The order is enforceable by police and sheriff’s officials.
“We recognize community members may experience anxiety related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, and want to encourage residents to reach out to loved ones using appropriate methods like telephone, video messaging, email, and text,” said Quick, who first unveiled the plan during an emergency meeting of Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
Similar restaurant closure orders have already been issued in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, as well as multiple cities, including L.A., Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.
Quick has the legal authority to issue the orders regulating restaurant and bar operations, and the mandate could be enforced by a fine or even criminal prosecution.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
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'He Took Care Of Himself': Son Who Lost Father To COVID Believes He Was Infected At Work Despite Taking Precautions
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Home » Best Picture Nominees Meet the Foreclosure Crisis at the 84th Annual Academy Awards
Best Picture Nominees Meet the Foreclosure Crisis at the 84th Annual Academy Awards
This year at the 84th Annual Academy Awards
The nominees for Best Picture are…
“The Con-Artist”
The Scary Scummers story, filmed in black & white. Growing up with prominent professors of economics at the University of Pennsylvania as parents, and the nephew of two Nobel laureates in economics, a young Scary Scummers realizes he can’t follow the conversations at the dinner table. In one scene, after scoring a combined 480 on his SATs, he overhears his parents saying the family’s genes have obviously skipped a generation.
About to start a job sweeping up in a bagel bakery, his life takes a dramatic turn when a friend fakes his resume. Because of his last name, no one thinks to check, and next thing we know, he’s chief economist at the World Bank. When a charismatic, but inexperienced community organizer from Chicago’s south side inexplicably finds himself in the Oval Office, Scary convinces the new president, who knows nothing about economics, that he’s the one who should drive the nation’s economy. And he does… straight off a cliff. (Warning: May cause motion sickness.)
“The Defendants”
This fantasy-drama follows a dozen Bank of America senior executives as they are forced to travel from courtroom to courtroom all over the country defending hundreds of lawsuits of all kinds. Each time the bank execs think things are going well, but invariably lower level employees are called to the stand, completely blowing the bank’s defense.
As the judgments mount into the billions, new suits are being filed each day. Law school enrollment skyrockets as the country starts churning out lawyers all anxious to take their shot at BofA or any of the too-big-to-fail banks. As the law firms and the companies that support the new industry grow, so much money is being made beating the banks, that the U.S. economy starts turning around and soon the middle class is debt free. 99% on Putrid Potatoes: “It’s the feel good movie of the year!”
“No HELP”
The story centers on attorneys litigating on behalf of homeowners in foreclosure throughout California where judges actually favor MERS’ assignments, sincerely do not care who owns which house, and believe that “securitization,” is what happens when having a home alarm system installed.
As their clients become more and more dissatisfied, they start blackmailing the lawyers, threatening to file bar complaints in order to get their money back. The frustrated lawyers finally turn to their own state’s bar association for support, but when they do the bar promptly has them arrested. Filmed in a hand-held style best described as “gritty realism,” the film is based on a true story.
In this 3-D animated fantasy, Crazy Jamie Diamonds and Johnny Stumpedwells travel together to find Lord Blankcheck, in the hopes that he will do God’s work and tell them how to find King Angelo Mozillion, the one they call Too-Huge-to-Jail. Along the way they come across all sorts of familiar characters including GS egghead, Fab Faberge, who keeps repeating, “I did nothing wrong, but I could have been more careful,” and Kenny Lewser, who roams the country wide belching as he says, “I can’t believe I bought the whole thing… twice.” Rated PiG.
“2:00 PM in Paris”
When Frugal Williams lost his job as a loan officer in 2008, he knew he was in trouble. But then one day, after a year spent living on his savings and a few loans from his parents, he’s about to put his Paris, Texas home up for sale, until he finds himself watching the country’s recently elected president describe a new federal program designed to help him save his home.
That night, he has the best night’s sleep in over a year, but he wakes up on a different planet. His life is turned upside down from the moment he sends in the package of forms to his his servicer… First Infidelity Bank (FIB). Theater owners across the country report audiences screaming out, “No! Stop! Don’t!” as he slides the package into the Fed-Ex drop-box.
Soon his life is entirely consumed by requirements of his loan modification. Unable to keep up, his wife is forced to quit her job, as well, in order to help him, and soon the Kinko’s bills for faxing and photocopying drive the family into bankruptcy. Now there’s a sale date. But with Hitchcockian flair, no one knows what will happen for sure… tomorrow at “2:00 PM in Paris,” TX. (NC-17 – Not for viewers over 17 yrs.)
“Moneyballers”
This futuristic thriller stars ex-Morgan Stanley bond trader Howie Hubler, the man who lost Morgan $9 billion in a single trade, inadvertently kicking off the new favorite competitive-craze among the country’s wealthiest individuals. The year is 2016, and every megalomaniac hedgefunder wants to be a “Moneyballer.”
In games of Moneyball, the whistle blows and seated at screens equipped with trading platforms, the uber-rich compete to see how fast they can irrationally pump up various stocks, bonds and/or commodities in order to wipe out the retirement savings of middle class Americans, referred to as “pawns,” who follow them as prices rise to disastrous ends.
In an opening scene, we see Hubler in his Central Park South penthouse. He is laughing almost uncontrollably.“There’s no question, it can be expensive to play. Last week, I had to throw away $4 million and change just to bankrupt this small business owner from New Rochelle. He was quite guarded and pretty tenacious, but in the end he took the bait. When everything collapsed, I swear to God, I think he and his wife both soiled themselves… I’m not kidding… I almost choked on my foie gras.”
“The Free for Life”
In this reality-based comedy, John and Jane Q. Public are seen taking their shot at the lottery wheel of justice. Couples appear before judges in courtrooms across the country hoping to wipe out their mortgage and walk away with a free house. The laughs come from watching the pro per/pro se litigants go up against lawyers from JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, attempting to explain to judges why it matters that the assignment of the deed of trust was illegally notarized, and why it doesn’t matter that they haven’t made their mortgage payment in 36 months.
“War House”
Brighton Badass and his son, Redneck, have lived in their home all their lives and they don’t plan on leaving it just ‘cause some bankster says so. In an opening scene, we see and hear Bright talking on the phone, “Well, you just tell the sheriff… she comes out her looking for me and my boy to leave, she better be armed to the teeth, ‘cause I sure will be. That’s all we invest in out here in the woods… guns and gold,” he laughs as he hangs up the handset.
The camera pulls back and we see that this home is more than just well fortified. There are snipers in trees, and trenches dug six feet deep for 50 yards all around the property. Bright pops a few pills in his mouth and washes them down with some white lightening whiskey. Then he blows his whistle and the hundred or so men, women and children come out from their positions to receive their orders.
The “War House” trailer, voted #1 in 2011, ends when the camera zooms in on Redneck Badass as he says laughing, “Come on, ya’ll… sheriff’s a comin’ so get yourself some amo… time to show the law how we practice foreclosure defense round here. They robo-signing, so we robo-shooting.”
“Extremely Quiet & Incredibly Corrupt”
This semi-historical docudrama chronicles a year of negotiations between 50 state attorneys general and five bankers. From the beginning we see that neither side knows what in the world they’re doing, as the discussion mostly consists of one side saying, “$20 billion,” and the other side yelling back, “$10 billion.”
Along the way rumors start to swirl as the senseless drama leads to enormous amounts of press coverage, only to end with nothing being accomplished and little being disclosed. This film concludes Steve Stealbanks’ social commentary on meaningless media hype and corrupt, unfeeling politics, a quadrilogy that began with, “OMG IT’S Y2K,” followed by, “WMD & ME,” and then, who could ever forget, “Hope & Change, 2008.”
OMG, did you see what SHE was wearing?
Mandelman out.
Tagged with: academy awards bailouts banking lobby best picture nominees citibank diana olick double dip economic recovery economy extremely close and incredibly loud Fannie Mae FDIC FDIC Chair Sheila Bair Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke foreclosure crisis foreclosures Freddie Mac HAMP hugo jpmorgan chase loan modification loan modifications Making Home Affordable Plan mandelman mandelman matters martin andelman Midnight in Paris ml-implode Moneyball mortgage refinancing mortgage servicers NACA president obama The Artist the decendents The Help Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner wall street bankers War Horse wells fargo bank
This post was written by Mandelman on Sunday, February 26, 2012, 22:02. Mandelman has written 1175 posts on this blog.
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Mercedes-Benz Worldwide
T-Class
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA 220 d First Review
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG 03/10/2020
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG
Click to rate this post
The latest GLA is a huge improvement over its predecessor. It now looks, drives and feels like a small, premium SUV. It has one of the finest cabins in its class and can now comfortably accommodate a small family. However, you certainly have to pay for it, because the introduction of the second- generation car has also brought with it a significant price hike. Go for a smaller-engined, lower-spec model and this will make the cost more digestible.
If you’re looking to buy a premium SUV, then it’s almost certain that a Mercedes will be on your shortlist. The German manufacturer has the most extensive range of SUVs in its showrooms; there are nine in total, and the all-new GLA is the latest entry point into Mercedes SUV ownership.
This is Mercedes’ second attempt at the GLA; the first model that arrived in 2010 was slightly underwhelming, on account of it not being particularly spacious, good to drive or visually appealing.
The newcomer, which we’re driving in the UK for the first time, immediately corrects one shortcoming by being far more imposing. We’d stop short of calling it good-looking, but the inflated A-Class appearance of the old model has been replaced with proper SUV proportions. Key to this is the fact the new GLA is 100mm taller than the old model.
So it’ll come as no surprise that inside you’ll find far more space; this is now a proper baby SUV that can comfortably accommodate a family of four. The boot is larger at 485 litres, although it’s still some way off its main rival, the Audi Q3, which offers up to 675 litres.
But it’s passenger space, particularly in the rear, where the latest GLA is much improved. The taller body means headroom is generous, while the elevated front seats allow rear passengers to comfortably slide their feet underneath, letting them stretch out even further. The middle seat is a little tight, but you can still get three adults back there on shorter journeys.
In the UK there are just two trim levels: Sport and AMG Line, each being offered with option packs that boost kit and on-board tech, as well as the price. Our test car is a 220 d 4MATIC AMG Line Premium Plus, a powerful 2.0-litre diesel version in top-spec trim, which makes this a small car with a big price tag. Pay up front and it will cost £43,260, and even on a PCP deal you’ll be paying £512 a month over 48 months, with a £7,355 deposit. That’s a chunky amount by anyone’s standards.
Climb aboard and the GLA feels like an SUV from behind the wheel, with a more commanding and elevated driving position than before. The 220 d uses an engine found elsewhere in the Mercedes line-up, and it develops 187bhp and 400Nm of torque. It rattles into life but quickly settles, with the GLA doing a good job of suppressing the worst of the diesel clatter.
It’s a strong motor with plenty of low-down punch and, in combination with the slick eight-speed dual-clutch auto that zips through the gears, it delivers easy and accessible performance. That slug of torque is on offer from just 1,600rpm, so the GLA has a surprising turn of pace; Mercedes claims 0-62mph takes 7.3 seconds, so you certainly won’t be left wanting for more performance from a sensible family car.
There’s really no need to extend the engine beyond 3,000rpm, though, because by that point the unit’s best work is done. Keeping it in its power band also helps things stay relatively hushed and refined at speed.
The GLA’s ride quality is also a big improvement, even on our test car’s 19-inch wheels and the 15mm lower suspension fitted to AMG Line cars. Potholes and broken surfaces are better absorbed, while there’s an overall compliance to the ride that was missing before. Go for a smaller set of wheels, forego the sports suspension, and things will almost certainly improve further.
Handling is unlikely to be of huge concern to potential buyers, but the GLA is also far more capable on B-roads than the old car was. There’s a degree of roll, which is to be expected in an SUV, but now the GLA controls its body movement very well, so it feels composed and unflustered at speed.
The steering is quick just off centre, which adds to the sense of agility, but it is rather numb. Overall, the GLA is an SUV that is much improved, but it’s no longer short of accomplished opposition.
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skylion is secretly a LOLi
Psycho-Pass S2 – 04
By Tag Team, posted under ANIME, Psycho-Pass
The nudist apocalypse begins.
Well that sure was a heartwarming episode. One thing Psycho-Pass can surely count on is never being criticized for being too subtle.
Yep, here’s one for the whole family to enjoy! It’s amazing how much havoc one old dude can inflict upon a bunch of random people in their underwear.
lvlln// If we had to answer the question of what is the central theme to Psycho-Pass, surely one of the contenders would be the unintended and undesirable consequences in society of transforming crimes from a contentious thing to be debated and adjudicated on an individual level to an objective thing to be measured and executed on based purely on a central authority. That was certainly explored in the 1st season, notably during the helmet arc which saw regular citizens responding with ambivalence or even amusement at horrific crimes committed by people whose Psycho-Pass level was suppressed by the helmet. We saw almost the exact same phenomenon in this one where one person was able to hold an entire (what I think is a) pharmacy hostage based purely on the fact that he could keep his hue clear while performing terrible acts of violence.
This theme can be powerful when used right, but here we see Psycho-Pass‘s unsubtle beat-you-over-the-head style causing it to falter. It was one thing when bystanders were calmly watching someone getting beaten to death; perhaps extreme, but still reminiscent of behavior we see in today’s society. But it’s another thing when we see an entire crowd of victims being terrorized by one old man without a single person who wasn’t a cop making a meaningful attempt at stopping him. I get that the show is trying to make the point that Sibyl has warped the populace beyond all recognition, but the show simply hasn’t set things up well enough for this. After all, these hostages were scared because they were fearing for their lives. That’s incongruous with their behavior which showed almost no evidence of survival instinct. This includes the episode’s pièce de résistance, the hostage Dominator massacre performed by the police, which saw waves of people running straight to their deaths when they could see that every single person in front was getting shot by the police.
The police behavior wasn’t much better. The police are our frame of reference in Psycho-Pass, making up the vast majority of its protagonists, and for the most part, we’ve seen them behaving like reasonable people. This is partly what makes the regular civilians’ behavior feel so off – yes, we can expect civilians and police to act differently, but they’re still parts of the same society, so they shouldn’t act so different as to seem as if they’re from different universes. And this also makes their behavior in this episode jarring. Again, I get the point the episode was making about the Sibyl system completely removing personal judgment or responsibility in law enforcement, as well as about Mika’s belief in this system leading to this tragedy. But when we see police gunning down clear victims merely because their exposure to terrorism raised their Psycho-Pass to dangerous levels, it raises the question, what’s the point of there being police at all? We’ve seen that law enforcement agents are expected to use their judgment and training in investigating and solving crimes and given enough flexibility to do so effectively. Yet all that seems to go out the window the moment a Hue check becomes involved. If you become too stressed, you’re sentenced to death, with Enforcers and Inspectors carrying out your execution without wasting a single neuron on considering the circumstances surrounding your specific situation. If the human policemen are expected to 100% defer to Sibyl when it becomes time for enforcment, it seems odd to give them any enforcement powers at all, rather than employing automatic drones which seek out and destroy individuals with high Psycho-Pass levels regardless of context.
So we got quite the spectacle of an episode here, but it was a spectacle that felt hollow and manipulative, throwing blood on the screen more for shock and awe than for any deeper meaningful understanding of the setting or story. For shame, because just a few tweaks could have fixed the whole thing. Have multiple hostages attack that terrorist and convincingly be beaten by him and maybe his robot dog, rather than one loner going down without a fight after a single weak-looking karate chop. Have the police actually break down the doors and enter instead of just sitting around, and have that be the cause of the massacre when the terrorist successfully dresses up and positions the hostages to look like perpetrators. Have individual Enforcers suspect that they might be being duped, but have Mika override them and order them to shoot, to show Mika’s fatal trust in the system. This is just one possible scenario that would have accomplished the same things as this episode, bloodshed and all, without resorting to ridiculous actions that beggar belief.
Overcooled// There’s a lot of interesting commentary this week with regards to how Sibyl controls everyone, and has created a society where crimes are defined solely by numbers spat out of a machine. There is no critical judgement involved here – just a reflex as you squeeze the trigger when the gun tells you to do so. This can lead to some extremely messed up situations, such as the slaughtering of innocent people we see here. By the police, of all people! The terrorist tries to frame his actions as those of a hero using a bunch of bogus theories and mental gymnastics to make everything seem okay. As crazy as they are, it may be a useful exercise to explore where he’s coming from in order to try and understand just what Kamui is thinking. Questioning Hues and the reliability of Sibyl is something Makishima did before, but I feel that Kamui is more in it for the people as opposed to just for the sake of anarchy.
The terrorist – henceforth to be known as Old Guy – decides to take over a pharmacy in order to denounce the Hue-lowering drugs. Believing people should instead work to lower their Hues naturally is one thing, but he goes a step further and argues that we shouldn’t even try to fight against stress. Clearly, Old Guy had some serious issues with his Hue and was heavily medicated. Although this may have made his Hue clear, he probably hated the way he felt on drugs. A common thing to feel – but that doesn’t mean these drugs are bad for everyone. But he’s not exactly a clear-thinking type, so he makes some rather errant conclusions and ends up taking over a pharmacy to show them who’s boss.
Old Guy also claims that everyone has Eustress Deficiency Syndrome: a lack of stress that causes them to be “sick.” This based on the concept of there being a type of positive reaction to stress called eustress. It’s one of those theories you have to take with a grain of salt because there is a good type and level of stress (such as that adrenaline rush before a race or an important game), but you can’t just jump ahead and assume all stress is eustress. For example, say you have an exam. If you have zero stress at all, you would be at such a low level of arousal you wouldn’t study or even care about what you’re writing on the paper. You’d likely get a pretty lousy mark because of this. If you’re really stressed, you’ll also do poorly because you’re so aroused that you won’t be able to remember anything you’ve studied. You have to be at the perfect level of arousal to do your best – and this varies from person to person. So, technically, if you were feeling pretty calm before your exam you might actually do better if you got a little more stressed out. But if you’re already stressed…that extra stress will just trip you up.
It’s all about going back to a healthy baseline. But in everyday life when you’re not worried about performance, it’s generally better to be less stressed. Everyone knows that aside from these kinds of special situations, stress isn’t very good. So it’s not a surprise that Old Guy’s “let’s fire them into the extreme end of the stress spectrum” strategy is a bust. He interpreted the fact that stress can be good sometimes as “stress is good all the time, every time.” It’s a far cry from how most people think in this society. Everyone is freaking out because Akane is dedicated to finding Kamui because they’re worrying about her Hue. Everyone avoids stress so much that maybe there is some truth in needing a little stress to make the good things in life seem better. But geez, I don’t think being locked in a pharmacy with a murderous old guy and his killer robot dog would benefit anyone.
There’s nothing like a fresh shower…
So how does this all link back to Kamui? He is much more level-headed than Old Guy, but he’s still crazy enough to think it’s okay to kill a bunch of civilians in order to test out his Dominator theories. He’s asking each and every person to question their colour…but he also poses the question to Sibyl itself. Is he trying to say that Sibyl itself doesn’t have a clear Hue, and therefore not to trust it? That would be interesting if we didn’t already know Sibyl is just a swimming pool filled with the brains of psychopaths. Yeah, they’re not clear! He’s right! This society is entrusting a subjective human system to make decisions that are claimed to be objective. But you can’t be objective when you’re a human, thinking mind. However, it seems odd that Kamui would go to people who are absolutely 100% insane and then make them clear. In these cases, Sibyl is right. Why wouldn’t he want to make seemingly sane people like Saiga or Ginoza clear since they’re the closest to being midjudged by Sibyl? Kamui’s motives remain unclear, but I feel like he may want to dismantle the Sibyl System so everyone can decide what Hue they are for themselves. Stress is a part of daily life, and he doesn’t want anyone to have to constantly worry about their mental health being monitored by Sibyl. Would that be a step down or a step up? With the way Kamui is going at it, I’d say he’d be completely ruining everything.
4 episodes in, I’m liking that this 2nd season has a clear focus and direction, starting right off with something that connects to the season’s main villain and building up from there. This episode individually was a bit of a misstep, but the way the legend of Kirito Kamui keeps building is fascinating. The more we see of him, the more he looks like a misguided extremist rather than a psychopathing anarchist like Makishima was. Or who knows, maybe he’s not misguided at all, and the cult he seems to be setting up really is the final solution to the dystopian nightmare that is the world of Psycho-Pass? In any case, I’m definitely excited to see where this goes.
Okay, so Psycho-Pass is the polar opposite of subtle. But I kind of like how it has the gall to not just deliver a message, but deliver it with fireworks of blood, guts and killer robot dogs. I’m so used to how this show rolls I didn’t even question the robot dog/oxygen tank/weapon storage device combo. The intensity this show brings every week is unparalleled. It’s amazing how this show has so many visercal and shocking moments, yet never loses sight of the bigger mystery of Kamui that makes it so mentally intriguing. I still can’t figure everything out and I’m dying to find out how this all unfolds. If we get to that and pass through some gore and heavy-handed social commentary along the way, then that’s fine by me.
Tags: pp_anime, Psycho-Pass
About Tag Team
We live, laugh, enjoy and strictly believe on "more the merrier". When together, we usually come up with very chatty, conversation-based episodics and interesting posts.
50 Responses to “Psycho-Pass S2 – 04”
Di Gi Kazune says:
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
This reminds me of a show that basically arrests those that are accused of Pre-Crime in order to stop crime. PsychoPass’ version is: You have been found guilty of PreCrime and must be Terminated!
Namika says:
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Naah. More like ‘You’ve been exposed to something we don’t like, so you’d better die’ 😀
All anime otaku arrested in precrime blitz as they are at risk of becoming paedophiles! 😛
LOOOOOOL
BlackBriar says:
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Enforcement is Lethal Eliminator Non Lethal Paralyzer.
Overcooled says:
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I’d prefer being arrested than dying in an Akira-style explosion (if I had to choose, that is…)
Yeah, suddenly expanding then exploding would be painful like hell.
Irenesharda says:
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I don’t know, the death seems to be more or less instantaneous. I’d rather die that way then live the rest of my life in a gilded cell with medication and therapy forced on me, just because I seem to be more creative or independent than a bunch of psycho brains would like.
That’s more or less living in an iron-fisted dictatorship.
JPNIgor says:
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
There is one problem with the Sybil System that’s been show ever since the first season. Everybody just loses the capability to think by themselves and whenever someone deviates from the usual, their Psycho-Pass clouds and then BOOM. The scene with the people running desperately just to be shot by who should be protecting them just made this very clear. Akane is probably exceptional because she is able to think by herself without her Psycho-Pass being clouded.
Highway says:
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think this anti-Sibyl argument has been completely overblown by this series. If you put just about anyone in our current world in a situation like that, they’d react about the same way, with significant fear, and unlikely to do anything about it. We just don’t have the cops waiting to pick them off outside (most of the time). This is not a result of Sibyl, this is how humans are. It generally takes more than one time facing something before humans figure out what to do about it.
The main thing that really feels out of place in this series is that Sibyl decrees that people who have been around criminals are likely to BE criminals. To me that feels like the biggest flaw with it, and I wonder why that is the reaction.
Yeah, Psycho-hazard is a thing in this world, however, the hue doesn’t darken if you just talk to a criminal or stand next to them. It just so happened that every time we saw this theory in action, the victims were all brutally beaten, threatened or whatnot. Which would make it quite logical for their hue to darken.
Of course, not everyone would be ready to have an answer, but one would expect the cops to be able to do something and judge a situation by themselves. But here, they are just overrealiant on their dominators and whenever they try to make something without relying on it, they are judged wrong by the system.
Here’s some news that popped up some time ago. Funimation is giving Psycho-Pass 2 and Donten ni Warau the same treatment they did for Space Dandy. Having the series subbed and dubbed while they’re still airing.
So far, these are the English actors who’ll be voicing the characters:
Nobuchika Ginoza: Josh Grelle (Attack on Titan’s Armin Arlert, Hataraku! Maou-sama’s Sadao Maou)
Mika Shimotsuki: Cherami Leigh (Shiki’s Sunako Kirishiki)
Akane Tsunemori: Kate Oxley (Space☆Dandy 2nd Season’s Hiroshi)
Risa Aoyanagi: Colleen Clinkenbeard (Trinity Blood’s Esther Blanchett, FMA: Brotherhood’s Riza Hawkeye, Deadman Wonderland’s Makina, Shiki’s Ritsuko Kunihiro)
Shion Karanomori: Lydia Mackay (Shiki’s Chizuru Kirishiki, Space☆Dandy 2nd Season’s Capybarian, Trinity Blood’s Caterina Sforza)
Yayoi Kunizuka: Lindsay Seidel (Kore wa Zombie Desu ka’s Kyoko)
About as subtle as a sledgehammer to a wall. This was plain intense from start to finish. If any of us were noted with a crime coefficient, it surely would’ve gone up. Hell, most people in the episode including Akane looked as though they were ready to break. A shame Aoyanagi is gone. I was beginning to like her. She was cool and honest about herself.
The true lesson to be learned is how everyone is dangerously dependent on the Sibyl to take action. Mika is a prime example. Instead of trusting her own instincts, she let herself stay on the sidelines. All the people held hostage could’ve been given an alternative if their Psycho-Pass didn’t trigger the command for the Enforcers to kill on sight. Like Makishima said last season, their society is living like idle sheep. As if that handicap wasn’t enough, they’ve gone and created a weapon capable of passing through walls to reach the target. Further tightening the noose on everyone’s necks.
Kamui’s a pretty sick person to cause all this mayhem in order to prove a theory. I guess in his mind, he’s thinking “science requires sacrifice” or some other BS close to that. Whatever his endgame is, his ideals are dangerous. Frightening but astonishing that he’s seen so many times yet the audience has no clue on what he’s trying to accomplish. Anyone else and their plans would’ve been heavily criticized this far in.
That old man was a mystery. Kamui clearing his Psycho-Pass is obvious but it doesn’t explain the abilities he exhibited for someone his age. Stomping on a guy’s head with enough force to crush his skull, grabbing Aoyanagi by her head with one hand, throwing her across the room into a table with ease. Was that mechanical dog beside him feeding some kind of steroid?
Wow, that’s neat! I think they should do this for more shows since it makes us dirty pirates more likely to actually watch/buy the dubbed version.
I think just about anyone forced into that situation would have their criminal coefficient skyrocket. If only Aoyanagi had stuck around more. I was just starting to like her too!
Mika is learning the hard way that playing by the rules doesn’t always work. I wonder how much she’s going to get blamed for not stepping in sooner. Or how much she’s going to blame herself.
I thought Kamui was a more sympathetic kind of villain, but it turns out he really doesn’t care about killing innocent people. Should have known he wasn’t just okay about killing the police, but normal people as well. He did a good job picking that superpowered old dude though…AS lvlln says, it’s pretty surprising he was able to hold all those people captive without any backup.
Well, I mentioned I think in the first episode of the first season, that this series pretty much doesn’t know meaning of the word subtle. So, they’re really just being consistent with the first season. 🙂
The Assault Dominator is one sick weapon. It now doesn’t even supply names or faces, it’s wielder doesn’t have to take to make a connection at all. Just see a number and shoot. Sybil is basically taking as much human judgment out of the equation as it can. Yet, for some reason, it still has human officers for all the good it does the victims….
As for Kamui, from what I’ve been hearing around, the sick things he does is only just beginning. I don’t know if he even thinks about the lives of others, other than variables in his experiment, like Makishima, he too lacks empathy with his fellow man for the most part, except when it serves his purpose.
As for the old guy, I’m just going to put it has a hiccup in the writing department. 😛 If they explain later, fine, but that’s what I’m going with for now.
Just watched the first episode in dubbed form. Not half bad. Mika sounds extra annoying there though. And I have always annoyed at the translators’ desire to directly translate “-san” to “Mr.” or “Ms.” when it just sounds unnatural in English to say it all the time as the Japanese do. You expect detectives, to either address each other by their last names or first if really close. No titles needed. But that’s been a problem I’ve been noticing for dubs for quite awhile and always takes me out of them…
Sherris says:
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
I truly enjoyed this episode. I hope it will shut up the mouths of Sybil apologists for good.
Odds are there will stubborn ones refusing to acknowledge what’s happened here.
By the way, welcome to Metanorn!
I would guess I’m a ‘Sibyl Apologist’, but that’s because so many of the things the show purports to attribute to the system just aren’t even shown by the show. “People lose the ability to adjust to situations!” but then it shows people adjusting. “The cops become completely dependent on Sibyl” well, yeah, because the *only weapon* they are given and trained on is completely dependent on it. As we saw in the first series, as soon as they realize this is no longer effective, the cops involved moved on to things that were more effective. “People lose the will to survive” well I sure didn’t see that from the people who were scrambling to escape from the psychotic murderer this episode.
Basically, they’re telling us Sibyl is so horrible, but then they don’t show us actual evidence of that. In fact, they show us the *opposite* but still expect the viewer to believe what they say about it. The worst flaw of Sibyl is the people not questioning it, and that’s the fault of the people, not the system.
Heh. It would be amusing and quite informative if people knew who exactly Sibyl are. 😀
That would result in a country-wide riot. One worse than what Makishima instigated. It would be all out anarchy.
I still say the series would be cooler and much more interesting to analyze if Sibyl was a computer, like it says it is, rather than Urobuchi’s stupid-as-hell “OMG It’s BRAINZZZZ!” idea.
Honestly, I could buy a computer more than the human brain thing. I thought it was stupid when they revealed it, and I still think it’s stupid now. I mean, I know that the human brain is basically a super computer all on it’s own. However, it’s still a human brain, it’s shown to still hold it’s own memories and individuality to a degree. Really, all you did was gather a bunch of psychopaths and sociopaths and force them all in the same room to work together to somehow solve the countries problems. And you stripped away the bodies so all the brain has to concentrate on in thought processing.
I’ll say it IS a unique concept. Stupid, but unique.
SherrisLok says:
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 83 comments
If you’re going to follow with this causality, then every evil in the world (AIDS and malaria included) is the fault of men. An entire episode of S1 (Yayoi’s past) was devoted to showing the audience why it’s impossible for citizens to change or oppose the system. The population did not stop the policymakers (or whoever was responsible) at the implementation stage of Sybil and now they are reaping what they sowed and are unable to go against the system by means other than criminal activity.
People fear doubting the system as this may raise their PP. Wasn’t this what happened to Masaoka? He had more and more doubts over the course of his job and he wound up being an enforcer in the end. Are you going to blame the presence of dictatorships on the populace too? Because the masses more often than not refrain from shedding their own blood in the process of overthrowing a dictator.
No, I can easily blame the people who enacted the system without any check on it. Maybe it’s USA bias, but I find it extremely hard to believe that anywhere (even the Japanese) would put a system like this online without 1) significant real-world testing, 2) significant human oversight, and 3) ability to check and revise the criteria of the system.
This has nothing to do with blaming people for anything else.
If you are from the States, then I think just three letters are enough: NSA.
I’m not actually new. Just messed up my log info.
Oh, my bad, then. My thoughts lead to that seeing it was a first comment. 😛
I liked this episode. Quite a bit. First of all, I’d have to argue with you, lvlln about the police. The fact that the they massacred all these victims is another factor that shows how humans are losing their own sense of judgement, solely depending on Sibyl, believing everything it says and following every order it gives. The second thing that showed it was Mika’s attitude towards everything. She wasn’t motivated to really find out what was happening on her own accord or say something to the other division to stop them from doing what they did. We saw two sides of human nature that got oppressed by Sibyl system, the instinct to survive and personal judgement of the situation.
What I’m personally skeptical about is why Kamui is interested in dominators. I can’t imagine how can that become a tool for him to clear hues or whatnot. If he wanted to kill, there are plenty more ways to do that, so why does he need it? I’m intrigued about it, but unsure at the same time. All in all I like him as a villain so far, though he’s nowhere near the development of Makishima, who, in the first season, talked about complicated social topics, gave solid arguments about his ideology and goals, in a very characteristic way. He was mysterious, but we knew him at the same time. Sure, we’re only 4 episodes in but this season will be short, so I’m a little worried about that.
Also, I’m continuing to hate Mika’s guts. Where does Akane’s patience come from ? 😀 In her place I would have fights with her every other hour, if she talked with me like that. If she was a good detective, who was doing her work well and was at least useful then fine, she would have room to talk. But she doesn’t do anything aside from criticizing everyone.
Also, I’m continuing to hate Mika’s guts. Where does Akane’s patience come from ?
She’s had practice. Let’s face it. Mika is exactly now what Ginoza used to be when he was an inspector and Akane had a rough time putting up with him as a greenhorn before he got an attitude adjustment (Too bad that came at the cost of becoming an Enforcer). The difference is this time, Akane is the superior and she’s accustomed to that mentality. That status is why Mika isn’t as completely condescending as Ginoza was towards her.
She’s much worse than Ginoza was. He was criticizing and stuff but didn’t give off that air of useless, you know.
Mika’s terrible. A terrible, flanderized character and evidence of the drop in quality this show has seen.
The difference in quality is due to the difference in writing. Gen Urobuchi isn’t the writer for this season like he was for the previous one. Tow Ubukata (Ghost in the Shell: Arise) is leading the script.
Even though it’s not Urobutcher, I still feel that season 2 is on par with season 1. I’m really enjoying it!
…But Mika is still garbage =A=
It’s not worse, definitely. Though there’s still some difference.
She’s had practice. Let’s face it. Mika is exactly now what Ginoza used to be when he was an inspector and Akane had a rough time putting up with him as a greenhorn before he got an attitude adjustment (Too bad that came at the cost of becoming an Enforcer).
I’m sorry, but Mika is already way worse than Gino ever was. Gino, I could already see by episode 2 or 3 what made him tick and why he was the way he was. Also, as the show went along you saw him bend and learn and grow as he interacted more with Akane, Kogami, and his dad. Gino wanted to get stuff done, but he would never stop the investigation to talk about petulant issues like when Mika talks down to Akane in the car because of her jealousy, or when he stops Sho from doing what Akane asked him because “this is my investigation”. And even though he was a stickler for the rules, I can’t see even Gino just standing around worrying about being “in trouble”, when one of his comrades is stuck in a hostage situation.
Mika actually doesn’t seem mature enough to be in this line of work (or any adult work environment for that matter). Even greenhorn level Akane was more mature than she is. Mika seems like she should be back in high school with the level of crap she’s putting out.
You’re absolutely right. She is plainly pathetic. Unable to do anything on her own accord. It just baffled me, how she didn’t try to do anything to get inside that pharmacy. She only called the other inspector, and nothing else. Wasn’t a hostage scenario not obvious enough or what ? UUUU ><" how did she even get permitted to the bureau, I just don't understand 😐
Wow…I haven’t seen an episode this disturbing since season one..
Kamui is one sick sociopath (still not as good as Makishima’s psychopath, but he’s getting there ), and unfortunately another inspector has lost her life.
Sybil wants the cover up that there could be such a thing as eustress deficiency. Well, in a world where “stress” has been made into the most taboo word ever. And we get to meet team 3 with the first male inspectors so far, and what do ya know? They’re totally gun happy… 😛
Also, I was tolerating Mika so far, but this episode…this episode, she got on my last nerve! First she’s jealous of Akane, and then starts speaking down at her at every turn, she acts like she has this big chip on her shoulder, and can’t seem to believe what’s RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER FACE!
I mean, come on, how many times do completely unrelated people have to talk about a guy named Kamui before you begin to believe there is such a person?
Also, what kind of sheep are these hostages? He didn’t even have a gun. Why the heck didn’t you all rush him? The guy was an elderly asthmatic for goodness sake! I understand being scared and shocked, but shouldn’t some our your fighting survival instincts have begun to kick in? Even, with all of that fear over your hue being clouded or whatever, all that usually goes out the window when your very life is at stake. The human body has been wired that way since the beginning of time, I just can’t see how 30+ or so years under Sybil is enough to rewrite that, especially since we’ve seen others in this very same society actively fight for their their lives before!
And Kamui has finished his experiment and his question of “what color?” is beginning to take a more serious, and deadly light. He is now beginning to ask Sybil that very question…
I hope Gino can be a little more supportive of Akane now that he’s beginning to believe Kamui is real (about time…). And why is he so worried about her hue? If her hue didn’t get clouded with all the crap in season one, why the heck would it now that she’s more experienced and hardened?
This was a really disturbing episode, and I’m a bit afraid and yet thrilled to see what will be coming next.
Also, don’t the old Dominators tell anyone using them that the person their pointing it at is a Enforcer and/or Inspector? And if an Enforcer is pointing it at an Inspector, the gun locks on them? So, if I was looking at this guy’s clothing who fired the Assault Dominator, he’s not wearing the Inspector jacket, so I’m guessing he was an Enforcer. Aoyanagi was still recognized by Sybil as an Inspector despite her large CC. That was why her Dominator still registered to her and she could still use it. So, why didn’t the new Dominator lock on the Enforcer since he was still pointing at a registered and Sybil-recognized Inspector? Because if the Assault Dominator can’t even do what a regular old Dominator can do, what use is it?
Also, that Assault Dominator, huh? Now you don’t even have to put names or faces to the numbers of the people you shoot. Why don’t they just have police drones again? Because basically that’s what you’re making your officers, Sybil. It’s almost like Sybil wants to find a way of making a perfect by-the-numbers world, while still having humans in it. I wonder how long it will take Sybil to figure out the impossibility of that without having to resort to the solution the evil AIs, like Skynet and Ultron, have decided: you have to get rid of the human variable in order for the equation to work…
Mika is soooo rude to Akane. She’s not even being mean or condescending to Mika, but Mika just takes it all the wrong way. To make matters worse, she’s so stubborn I doubt she could solve even the simplest of crimes.
I was wondering why all the hostages didn’t just rush him either. The guy even gave a nail gun to a bystander who could have easily just shot him and the dog. Hell, if Aoyanagi hadn’t thrown away the nailgun after shooting the robot dog then she would have been fine. The guy doesn’t even look threatening.
Yeah, the old Dominators usually say if the target is an Enforcer (and I think Inspector too). Maybe it’s because the assault Dominator was looking at several criminal coefficients at once? I know that’s the dumbest reason ever since it should be able to at least flag the important people in a group, but I’m assuming that’s why. The shooter said he just went for the biggest number, so he completely didn’t realize he was shooting an Inspector. Having more range and not being able to see faces just makes this a really, really bad version of the Dominator :/
The guy even gave a nail gun to a bystander who could have easily just shot him and the dog.
I found that part very odd. What if that was Kirito under a hologram again? He was way too calm compared to the other hostages, especially when he knew he was handed something that could’ve easily dealt with the situation despite Aoyanagi’s demand not to go down that road. Not to mention they never explained how Kirito suddenly got to the scene amidst all the ensuing mayhem.
Oh, I didn’t even catch when OC said that. But yes, the male “nurse” who was holding the nailgun on Aoyanagi, was definitely Kamui. They are a lot of subtle (and not so subtle clues that you really don’t put all together until the end. First, the nurse actually bears a slight resemblance to Kamui physically. They do you notice that he happens to be the only hostage that got to keep his clothes? There’s a reason for that. He’s the only hostage that’s given a deadly weapon, and after that the Old Guy doesn’t even bother to really look at him again. The nurse is also never fingered by Assault Dominator either and he never tries to run. Also notice that though Sho tries to find him in holo form but can’t? That’s because he’s inside with all the other hostages.
The largest clue and the clincher is this scene where he basically gives himself away near the end, right before he dissolves the holo and appears fully. He shows not a single iota of care about the death and gore in front of him, with puts a large gulf of separation between him and the other hostages.
So yeah, that “bystander” with the nailgun wasn’t going to shoot anything. He was in on it from the beginning.
That detailing <3 😀
Ah, I honestly didn’t catch that. But in retrospect it makes sense because I remember he did act a little oddly…staring off into the distance calmly with dead fish eyes. This is why I like blogging shows like this – I get to understand the show even more!
Wasn’t the new dominator a newly developed device? I’m not sure but I remember them saying something like that. Maybe it wasn’t equipped fully yet. But maybe the crime coefficient has something to do with it. Maybe beyond a certain point dominators don’t differ inspectors from other criminals????
I don’t know if this is correct but I think one of the Enforcers said that new Dominator was a prototype and that it was its first use in the field. What a horrible place and time for a testing ground.
Yup :\
At least we can rest easy as we’re not in a Sibyl type society… yet. Everyone would either become latent criminals or targets for Enforcement like wildfire.
Wow… now that I imagine it, it would’ve been a disaster xDD
Especially with the way things are these days.
Kuro's anime ramble blog
Lost in Anime
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Ambivalence or is it ambiguity?
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Contract Packing
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Clip Strips
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Frozen Food Contract Packers Frampton Cotterell/Winterbourne | Moorheys Ltd
September 1, 2020 /in Local Contract Packer /by steveparkinson
UK Contract Packer
Are looking for a local contract packer (co-packer) that covers your area? Then why not get in touch with Moorheys Ltd, as we cover the whole of the UK for all the following services.
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We also offer packing facilities for chilled and frozen products. Our fridges work to -30 degrees.
So if you need Chilled or Frozen product packing, re-packing, de-branding, re-labelling etc, we are able to help.
Our very competitive rates will help you too.
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As you’d expect from a professional contract packer that constantly handles food product, we are fully CLIENT accredited and pass many inspections with our national and international clients. Many of our inspections exceed that of BRC. We also work to BRC Standards, though not currently accredited at the time of uploading this post for business reasons (please contact us for details if required).
This demonstrates our continued commitment to provide our existing and new customers with only the best quality of Contract Packing services.
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We supply CONTRACT PACKING work for manufacturing businesses throughout the UK in places such as (but not limited to):
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London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Leicester, Bradford, Cardiff, Coventry, Nottingham, Hull, Belfast, Stoke, Newcastle, Wolverhampton, Derby, Southampton, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Brighton and Hove, Westminster, Reading, Northampton, Luton, Aberdeen, Bolton, Bournemouth, Norwich, Swindon, Swansea, Southend, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Milton Keynes, Warrington, Huddersfield, Peterborough, Oxford, Slough, Poole, York, Blackpool, Dundee, Cambridge, Ipswich, Birkenhead, Telford, Gloucester, Sale, Watford, Newport, Solihull, High Wycombe, Gateshead, Colchester, Blackburn, Cheltenham, Exeter, Chelmsford, Doncaster, Rotherham, Eastbourne, Worthing, Sutton Coldfield, Rochdale, Maidstone, Basingstoke, Basildon, Crawley, Stockport, Woking, Gillingham, Salford, Wigan, St. Helens, Lincoln, Worcester, Wakefield, Preston, Oldham, Rayleigh, Hemel Hempstead, Bath, Darlington, West Bromwich, Southport, Barnsley, Hastings, Stevenage, Hartlepool, 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https://moorheys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Premium-Contract-Packers-Moorheys-UK.jpg 416 1528 steveparkinson https://moorheys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/moorheys-header-logo-1-300x63.jpg steveparkinson2020-09-01 20:43:002020-09-01 20:43:00Frozen Food Contract Packers Frampton Cotterell/Winterbourne | Moorheys Ltd
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Michael O'Connell – textile artist
Fabrics in Australia
Fabrics in Britain
Festival of Britain
Tanya Harrod on the Festival of Britain
Work in concrete
Barbizon, Beaumaris
The Chase, Perry Green
Early watercolours
When in Australia Michael O’Connell built himself a house at Beaumaris, a suburb of Melbourne on Port Philip Bay, which he called Barbizon. He built it between 1924 and 1926.
Interior at Barbizon, Beaumaris
Pots against the wall at Beaumaris
House and garden at Beaumaris
In the garden at Beaumaris
The garden at Beaumaris
Michael working at Beaumaris
Ella in the garden at Beaumaris
2 Responses to Barbizon, Beaumaris
fiona austin says:
I am posting a story about Michael on the ‘Beaumaris Modern’ website….
Nicholas Diamantopoulos says:
So the undercurrent of bohemia started back then….wow!
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Home » x ~ Sub Features » S&C Electric Explores the Energy Regulation ‘Road’ to the Future Grid
S&C Electric Explores the Energy Regulation ‘Road’ to the Future Grid
January 21, 2020 By Sarah Rubenoff Leave a Comment
Energy use isn’t static. Trends change with the times — and new technology. A new white paper from S&C Electric asserts that significant changes are needed in the electric utility sector, especially when it comes to energy regulation, as climate-change related natural disasters and power outages increase.
Download the full report.
Part of this shift will include changes within electric utilities themselves. Electric utilities will need to make significant shifts in their priorities and in how their performance is evaluated, S&C writes.
To ensure a smooth transition to the “grid of the future” — arguably one that is much more distributed — the electric utility industry will need to define regulatory models that suit this new environment.
S&C Electric notes in the report, “How Reshaping Regulation Will Reshape the Grid” that while this transition will require considerable investment, it will also likely create a more efficient grid and allow for a broader range of services for customers.
As this “future grid” takes shape, regulatory bodies can take steps to meet electric consumers where they are.
What’s the first step? According to S&C, “Countries and localities will differ in the specific makeup and pace of change, but we believe most will start with adaptive rate-making, the inclusion of non-wires alternatives, adoption of performance-based regulation and, eventually, transition to a distribution system operator role for electric utilities.”
Regardless of how this proposed transition plays out, it’s evident we are in the midst of a changing energy landscape. There are two main factors at play here, S&C points out:
“On one hand, the consensus among scientists that human activities are causing climate change is leading policymakers to monetize and regulate those externalities — the beginning of the end for fossil fuels,” the report states.
And secondly, there is the threat of aging infrastructure, as well as more severe weather and natural disasters putting pressure on our power grids.
New technology and manufacturing innovations in areas like renewable energy, energy storage, information technology (IT) and self-healing grids can help address these, but challenges remain. These include vast costs, as well as the fact that regulatory systems may have to shift to address and embrace these options.
Download the new report, “How Reshaping Regulation Will Reshape the Grid,” courtesy of S&C Electric, to explore what the future grid will look like and one path the electric and utility industry could take to navigate the transition from an energy regulation perspective.
What Can Regulators and Utilities Do to Boost Solar Nanogrids?
What It Would Take for a ‘Breakthrough’ in Microgrid Policy
How Microgrids Earn Revenue and Serve the Central Grid
An Open Letter to the Microgrid Industry
Smoothing the Path for DER Orchestration: New Rules for a New World
Filed Under: x ~ Sub Features Tagged With: microgrid policy, regulation, S and C Electric
Data Centers and Advanced Microgrids — The Impact of the New Digital Economy on Data Centers
The forecasted growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the rapid uptake of cloud-based applications to manage the emerging digital economy speak to a fundamental fact: the role data centers will play in daily life will continue to grow exponentially over time. The digitization of products and services is largely dependent upon them having reliable electricity. If done right, the shift to electricity can offer enormous advantages in terms of resource productivity and a more sustainable economy. Download the new report from Navigant Research and Schneider Electric that focuses on the connection between data centers and advanced microgrids.
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Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (Crustacea, Mysidae), a commensal species for Upogebia pusilla (Crustacea, Upogebiidae) in Arcachon Bay (NE Atlantic Ocean)
Nicolas Lavesque1,2,
Ludovic Pascal1,2,
Benoit Gouillieux1,2,
Jean-Claude Sorbe1,2,
Guy Bachelet1,2 &
Olivier Maire1,2
The mysid Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps is reported for the first time in the Bay of Biscay. During surveys carried out between March and September 2015 in Arcachon Bay, mysid specimens were fortuitously collected from Upogebia pusilla burrows.
Details on morphology, colour pattern and behaviour of H. microps are provided.
Commensalism was frequently mentioned for Heteromysis species but never reported for H. microps. In this study, commensalism seems to be proved between the mysid and its host U. pusilla.
The thalassinidean mud shrimp Upogebia pusilla (Petagna, 1792) occurs in high densities in intertidal flats in the NE Atlantic and in shallow lagoons in the Mediterranean Sea. As its Y-shaped burrows penetrates deep into the sediment (up to 1 m), this shrimp is considered an important ecosystem engineer (Jones et al., 1994; Pillay and Branch, 2011). Indeed, through its intense bioturbation activity, it greatly influences sedimentary biogeochemical processes and enhances fluxes across the sediment-water interface with knock-on effects on the whole benthic communities (Ziebis et al., 1996; D’Andrea and DeWitt, 2009; Pascal et al., 2016). Upogebia also intensively ventilate their burrows through pleopod beating (Dworschak, 1981) for respiratory and trophic requirements (Sato et al., 2001). Deep and well irrigated mud-shrimp burrows represent efficient refuges against predation for a variety of commensal species such as shrimps (e.g. Betaeus longidactylus Lockington, 1877) (Campos et al., 2009), pea crabs (e.g. Scleroplax granulata Rathbun, 1894) (Campos, 2006), bivalves (e.g. Peregrinamor ohshimai Shôji, 1938) (Kato and Itani, 1995), polychaetes (e.g. Hesperonoe hwanghaiensis Uschakov & Wu, 1959) (Sato et al., 2001), phoronids (e.g. Phoronis pallida Silén, 1952) (Santaga, 2004) and goby fishes (e.g. Eutaeniichthys gilli Jordan & Snyder, 1901) (Henmi and Itani, 2014). During a recent study aiming at quantifying the influence of U. pusilla on porewater exchanges and nutrient cycling (Pascal et al., 2016), specimens of Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (G.O. Sars, 1877) were fortuitously collected in their burrows from tidal flats of Arcachon Bay, thus providing the opportunity for new observations on the morphology and behaviour of this rare species in European waters.
Family MYSIDAE Haworth, 1825
Subfamily Heteromysinae Norman, 1892
Genus Heteromysis S.I. Smith, 1873
Subgenus Heteromysis (Heteromysis) S.I Smith, 1873
Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (G.O. Sars, 1877)
Type species: Heteromysis (Heteromysis) formosa Smith, 1873
Material examined
For the 68 specimens of H. microps collected, size and sex were determined. The sex-ratio of the population was 2:3 (male:female). Brooding females were absent from March samples and represented 44.4 % and 60 % of the total females in July and September, respectively. The size range of individual body length BL was measured in each demographic category: 5.59–9.27 mm (7.42 ± 1.10 mm; x̄ ± s) in males, 5.27–8.73 mm (6.44 ± 0.84 mm) in females and 6.99–9.44 mm (8.07 ± 0.87 mm) in brooding females. Juveniles were never collected during our survey.
Generic diagnosis (according to Wittmann, 2000)
Heteromysinae with eyes normal. Appendix masculina representing a very small setose lobe or reduced to a setose ridge. Antennal scale usually short, setose all around, without or with a small apical article. Mouthparts normal; labrum not produced into a spiniform process. First thoracic endopod with a large endite on the basis, and smaller endites on ischium and merus (an additional small, conical endite may be present on the coxa, although rarely noted by previous authors). Third thoracic endopod subchela-like (gnathopod), with enlarged carpopropodus and strong dactylus. Carpopropodus of fourth to eighth thoracic endopods with 3–7 articles. Penis long and more or less cylindrical. Pleopods entire, reduced to small plates in both sexes; non-dimorphic (subgenus Heteromysis) or dimorphic (some other subgenera). Uropods normal, entire; exopod with setae all around; endopod without or in most species with stout setae along inner margin. Telson with stout setae on lateral margins; distinct apical cleft present, margins of cleft with a number of laminae.
Based on two males (Arcachon Marine Station Collection), BL = 7.52 mm and 7.89 mm, Arcachon Bay, March 2015.
Antennal scale small, shorter than antennular peduncle. Sternal processes absent in females, present on second to eighth sternites in males: first anterior one with blunt bifid apex, subsequent ones with more or less acute bifid tip and the last posterior one very reduced and cone-shaped (Fig. 1a). Endopod of thoracopod 3 (gnathopod) very robust, longer than cephalothorax, non-dimorphic; merus large, bearing 12 cuspidate setae on ventral margin of inner face (from 11 to 16 for other specimens), 9 cuspidate setae on ventral margin of outer face (from 8 to 11 for other specimens), 1 sub-distal seta on dorsal margin (Fig. 1b), ventrodistal part with an inner roundish lobe and an outer acute lobe between which carpopropodus folds down; carpopropodus with one pair of cuspidate setae at ventrodistal angle between which dactylus bends down to form a powerful subchela; dactylus with 3 long, tip-curved setae along outer face (Fig. 1b). Pleopods normal, non-dimorphic. Telson cleft, with 1 stout seta on basal third of lateral margin, followed by a naked portion and then 9 stout setae on distal half (7 to 10 stout setae on other specimens) (Fig. 1c). Uropod endopod with 1 stout seta on proximal part of inner margin, near statocyst (Fig. 1d).
Adult males of Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (G.O. Sars, 1877) from Arcachon Bay (Arcachon Marine Station collection: A: male, BL = 7.89 mm; B-D: male, BL = 7.52 mm). a lateral view. SP1: first sternal process; SP6: sixth sternal process; GA: genital appendage; b right thoracopod 3 endopod, inner view; c telson, ventral view; d right uropod, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm
Remarks (based on Sars (1877) and Tattersall and Tattersall (1951))
Sars (1877) described only adult females and Tattersall and Tattersall (1951) described only a single adult male. All the data on females given by the last authors were depicted from Sars (1877).
Telson:
Tattersall and Tattersall (1951) re-described H. microps with a telson armed with 12-14 stout setae on each side. The Arcachon specimens show no more than 11 stout setae (one near the base and 10 on the distal half) as first described by Sars (1877) in the original description of H. microps.
Thoracopod 3:
All the Arcachon specimens bear 3 long setae on their dactylus. Tattersall and Tattersall (1951) mentioned the presence of two subdistal pairs of small stout setae as well as a pair of distal finger-like projections along the ventral margin of the carpopropodus (proximal article). However, in Sars’s original description of this species (1877; Fig. 20-9), the subdistal stout setae are clearly more developed and the ‘distal finger-like projections’ are in fact represented as a pair of articulated stout setae (shorter than the other ones). Our own observations on Arcachon specimens confirm Sars’s original interpretation (a pair of distal stout setae, not finger-like projections), but without two pairs of stout setae along the carpopropodus inner margin (rarely with one short pair). Tattersall and Tattersall (1951) mentioned the presence of 10 sensitive stout pedestal setae (probably 12 of these setae in Sars’s original description) and one distal setal tuft along the merus inner margin. Such a setal tuft was not observed in Arcachon specimens and 11–16 sensitive stout pedestal setae were counted on their merus inner margin. Furthermore, setal ornamentation shows some slight differences between right and left thoracopod 3 endopods, when considering a single specimen.
As the specimens were observed alive after capture, new data on their colour pattern can be provided. General appearance orange (Fig. 2a). Cornea brown-golden, surrounded by pink-red coloration (Fig. 2b). Eyes and antennae iridescent (Fig. 2b). Cephalon rust-coloured (Fig. 2a). Rust-coloured chromatophores scattered dorsally and laterally over carapace and between 6th abdominal segment and telson. Appendages and uropods not pigmented. Eggs brown. The body coloration disappeared within a few minutes after fixation (alcohol or formalin).
Living male specimen of Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (G.O. Sars, 1877) from Arcachon Bay (BL = 7.52 mm) (Arcachon Marine Station collection, same specimen as in Fig. 1b-d). a lateral view; b anterior part
Geographical distribution and habitat
Relatively rare species, from Norwegian coast to Mediterranean Sea (Tattersall and Tattersall 1951; Tattersall, 1967; Dauvin and Vallet, 1997). In coastal areas, from 6 to 33 m depth, on mud to pebble bottoms (Zouhiri et al., 1998), Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, 1813 meadows (Wittmann, 2001) and, according to the present study, within burrows of U. pusilla in intertidal Zostera noltei meadows.
The genus Heteromysis is divided in 4 subgenera and is the most speciose of the Mysidae with 82 species currently considered valid (Mees, 2015). Only one species was previously mentioned from the southern Bay of Biscay: Heteromysis (Heteromysis) norvegica G.O. Sars, 1882, on bathyal bottoms (Frutos and Sorbe, 2014). Members of this genus are generally distributed in coastal warm-water regions and most of the species are restricted to small geographical areas (Fukuoka, 2005). This study reports on the first record of H. microps in the Bay of Biscay, and most importantly, its first record in association with another invertebrate species. Despite an important number of macrobenthic studies since the 1960s in Arcachon Bay (see Blanchet, 2004) and particularly in Z. noltei meadows (Blanchet et al., 2004), H. microps was never found in that bay. Therefore, this mysid should not be considered as a new inhabitant of Arcachon Bay, and its absence in previous ecological studies can be explained by the lack of specific investigations on Upogebia pusilla burrows before 2015. H. microps is probably commensal with this burrowing shrimp. As it usually occurs on soft bottoms (Zouhiri et al., 1998) and in seagrass meadows (Wittmann, 2001), the association found in this study could be a local phenomenon.
Coastal mysids, and particularly species belonging to the genus Heteromysis, are known to prefer complex habitats such as dense vegetation, shells and gravels or to live in association with different invertebrate species (Wittmann, 2008). Commensalism in the genus Heteromysis was first demonstrated by Clarke (1955), describing an association between Heteromysis actiniae Clarke, 1955 and the sea-anemone Bartholomea annulata (Lesueur, 1817) in Bahamas Islands (Tattersall, 1967). Heteromysis species are known to have various hosts like sponges, corals, gorgonians, sea anemones, brittle stars and hermit crabs inhabiting empty shells (Wittmann, 2008; Wittmann et al., 2014). In Arcachon Bay, Upogebia burrows provide peculiar microhabitats where mysids can live more safely against predation and environmental perturbations as well as against desiccation at low tide.
According to Dworschak (1987), U. pusilla is primarily a filter-feeding species, generating a water flow into its burrow by pleopods beating. Astall et al. (1997) demonstrated that the mean irrigation rate into the burrows of Upogebia deltaura (Leach, 1815) and U. stellata (Montagu, 1808) were 149.5 ml.h−1 and 139.7 ml.h−1, respectively. The suspended material associated with water flow is driven to the “basket” formed by the long setae beared by pereopods 1-2, then transferred to the mouthparts by maxilliped 3 (Dworschak, 2004). As H. microps is a suspension feeder (Mees, 2016), this species could take advantage of the particle flow generated by the Upogebia host within its burrow. This nutritional model has been previously reported by Vannini et al. (1994) for Heteromysis (Gnathomysis) harpax (Hilgendorf, 1878). This latter species is associated with hermit crabs belonging to the genus Dardanus Paul’son, 1875 and ingests suspended particles brought into the gill chamber by the host. According to Dworschak (1987), U. pusilla is also a deposit feeder via a ‘gardening’ behaviour. Indeed, this decapod can actively store detritus and plant fragments in the walls of its burrow, consuming them with their associated microflora. Mysids are also able to pick up detritus particles with their anterior thoracopods (Albertson, 2004). Unexpectedly, the huge thoracopod 3 of H. microps (a morphological peculiarity of this genus) does not appear to be related to a predator behaviour but could be used to consume the organic particles stored in Upogebia burrows. Furthermore, San Vicente and Monniot (2014) suggested that the enlarged thoracopod endopods of Heteromysinae could be used as weapons. With the adoption of a symbiotic life in these taxa, it is suggested that these weaponries probably have played an important role in determining the behaviour and morphological evolution of such mysids (Vannini et al. 1994).
In this study, commensalism seems to be proved between the mysid and its host. As the mysid associate remains external and was never found in another habitat in Arcachon Bay, the association between H. microps and U. pusilla may be classified as obligatory ectocommensalism (Nardon and Charles, 2002; San Vicente and Monniot, 2014). H. microps seems to take advantage of the filter feeding and the gardening behaviour of U. pusilla. Furthermore, H. microps is clearly protected from predators within U. pusilla burrows.
Further studies will be conducted to understand the behaviour of both species (laboratory experiments in thin aquariums, each colonized by one U. pusilla specimen). These mesocosm observations will allow answering different questions: (1) what is the behaviour of mysids during night time? Indeed, Heteromysis species become actively pelagic at night while they live sheltered during daytime (Tattersall, 1967; Wittmann, 2008); (2) are mysids able to breed within Upogebia burrows, thereby benefiting from some protection for their offspring?; (3) are mysids expulsed from burrows during the breeding period of U. pusilla?
Arcachon Bay is a 180-km2 macrotidal coastal lagoon (maximum tidal range: 4.9 m) located on the south-western coast of France (Fig. 3). This lagoon is connected with the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow channel and receives freshwater inputs in its south-eastern part (Leyre River). It is characterized by large intertidal flats (115 km2), the lower parts of which are used for cupped oyster [Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793)] farming. Most of the intertidal area (46.2 km2) is covered by seagrass beds, Zostera noltei Hornemann, 1832 (Plus et al., 2010). In the inner lagoon, tidal channels represent an area of 71 km2, with 1.02 km2 occupied by eelgrass beds, Zostera marina Linnaeus, 1753 (Plus et al., 2010).
Sampling site (“Le Navire Brûlé”) of Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (G.O. Sars, 1877) in Arcachon Bay (SW France)
During surveys carried out between March and September 2015, 68 mysid specimens were fortuitously collected from Upogebia pusilla burrows (0-1 individual per burrow), using a bait piston pump and later on identified as H. microps according to the identification key published by Wittmann (2008) for Atlantico-Mediterranean species. Sampling was carried out at low tide within a homogeneous patch of Z. noltei at “Navire Brûlé” site (temperature from 7 to 21 °C, salinity from 21.9 to 32.8) (Fig. 3). All specimens were examined under a Nikon SMZ25 stereomicroscope and photographed with a Nikon DS-Ri 2 camera, after anaesthetizing them with magnesium chloride (MgCl2). An image of one specimen was drawn with a Wacom Intuos 5 tablet, using Inkscape software (v.0.48). Body length BL was measured with the NIS-Elements Analysis software from the rostrum anterior margin to the telson apex.
Five specimens from Arcachon Bay were deposited in the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (MNHN-IU-2014-10181).
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Authors thank F. Prince and P. Dusoewoir, captain and crew member of R/V Planula IV for help during field work. They also thank three anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on the manuscript. This work is part of Ludovic Pascal’s doctoral thesis (University of Bordeaux) financed by a PhD fellowship from the French “Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche”. This study has been carried out in the framework of the Cluster of Excellence COTE and was financially supported by the UPO (EC2CO-DRIL) project.
University Bordeaux, EPOC, UMR 5805, Station Marine d’Arcachon, 2 Rue du Professeur Jolyet, Arcachon, 33120, France
Nicolas Lavesque, Ludovic Pascal, Benoit Gouillieux, Jean-Claude Sorbe, Guy Bachelet & Olivier Maire
CNRS, EPOC, UMR 5805, Station Marine d’Arcachon, 2 Rue du Professeur Jolyet, Arcachon, 33120, France
Nicolas Lavesque
Ludovic Pascal
Benoit Gouillieux
Jean-Claude Sorbe
Guy Bachelet
Olivier Maire
Correspondence to Nicolas Lavesque.
OM and LP discovered for the first time H. microps in U. pusilla burrows. NL, BG and JCS identified and described H. microps specimens. OM is responsible of the project and LP supervisor. NL wrote the manuscript and BG, JCS, OM, LP, GB significantly improved the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Lavesque, N., Pascal, L., Gouillieux, B. et al. Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps (Crustacea, Mysidae), a commensal species for Upogebia pusilla (Crustacea, Upogebiidae) in Arcachon Bay (NE Atlantic Ocean). Mar Biodivers Rec 9, 14 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41200-016-0001-1
Heteromysis (Heteromysis) microps
Upogebia pusilla burrows
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Erratum to: First record of the glass octopus Vitreledonella richardi (Cephalopoda: Vitreledonellidae) from the Arabian Sea
K. K. Sajikumar1,
V. Venkatesan1,
R. Jeyabaskaran1,
Abbas Muhammed1 &
K. S. Mohamed1
The original article was published in Marine Biodiversity Records 2016 9:53
The original version of this article (Sajikumar et al. 2016) unfortunately contained an error within the abstract conclusion.
This has been corrected to: Conclusion: Record of this rare octopus, from Arabian Sea is an addition to the cephalopod fauna of India.
Sajikumar, et al. Marine Biodiversity Records. 2016;9:53. doi:10.1186/s41200-016-0041-6.
Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Post box No.1608, Ernakulam North, Kerala, India
K. K. Sajikumar, V. Venkatesan, R. Jeyabaskaran, Abbas Muhammed & K. S. Mohamed
K. K. Sajikumar
V. Venkatesan
R. Jeyabaskaran
Abbas Muhammed
K. S. Mohamed
Correspondence to K. K. Sajikumar.
The online version of the original article can be found under doi:10.1186/s41200-016-0041-6.
Sajikumar, K.K., Venkatesan, V., Jeyabaskaran, R. et al. Erratum to: First record of the glass octopus Vitreledonella richardi (Cephalopoda: Vitreledonellidae) from the Arabian Sea. Mar Biodivers Rec 9, 77 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41200-016-0081-y
Received: 21 July 2016
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Mr. Armitage, his fans, our pursuit of “great art,” and me as critic, part 1
Photo: Richard Armitage with Annabel Capper at the 2006 Children’s BAFTAs award ceremony. Source: Richard Armitage Fan Blog. I’m posting this not as an entry in the perennially boring “who’s his partner?” sweepstakes, but because he looks as happy here as I’ve ever seen him in any photo, and that’s what I wish for him, no matter what else happens in his life and career: happiness. Really, it’s the least I could wish for the life of someone who’s — all unknowing — brought so much pleasure to mine.
In the wake of the initial broadcast of Strike Back, a “quo vadis Mr. Armitage?” mood seemed to be emerging in the Armitage blogosphere and environs. You’re probably familiar with some of these comments: from mulubinba, for example, who reads the Armitage fandom as a potential broad church, although she’d prefer more period drama herself, and a slightly more critical one from pi (which is what finally got me out of my funk to finish writing about this, so thanks as usual, pi!). I think other statements dealt with this question, too, although I can’t find them now. Please use the comments to post a link if you wrote or commented on this theme elsewhere. The specter of “Go West, young man, go West!” and the potential Nat polled about of the desirability of him undertaking work in Hollywood –a topic mentioned in several of the Strike Back related interviews– was a component of this discussion; there are worries that some fans only want to watch Armitage playing British characters and from something I read recently it seems Armitage, too, worried about the possibility that pleasing his fans would lead to being typecast.
Reading the latter saddened me. An actor has plenty to worry about without being concerned about the loyalty of his fans. It’s not that I think fans have an obligation to be loyal any more than I think an actor has an obligation to do only things that he knows will please his fans. It’s that I’m sorry he feels or felt influenced in his choices to the extent that he would even ask himself that question. It’s that I think that the line between actor and audience has to be fairly robust; despite the desire on both sides to reach out in good will, good fences make good neighbors. On both sides we pay a price for the free experience of his artistry: as much as I may identify with what I know about him, I can’t ever have him as my friend, and even if he likes what well-disposed fans write, he can’t ever count on us treating him as if he were. The artist must remain free to make his own choices, free of duress, if he’s to grow in skill and spirit, just as the critical (in the sense of evaluative) audience needs to be able to respond in freedom to the artist’s choices or its response will not be truly critical. The risk, of course, is that not every aesthetic or professional choice one makes will be loved, or even understood; the freedom to succeed with something new is equally the freedom to fail at it. It would be creatively laming for any artist worth his salt to believe that the main reason he continued to get roles was because of the preferences of his core fans and not because of the quality of his performances. (For legitimate objections that an artist never performs in the absence of (at least a notional) audience, see section below on “getting work.”) In such a situation, anyone even slightly introspective would wonder about the quality of his performances in a spectrum outside fan love, or alternately, if he’d have to force himself to channel his artistic growth into channels that his fans already approved to keep working. If he’s who he seems to be in interviews, I’m sure Armitage doesn’t want us praising his new work on the basis of his earlier performances or because many of us have grown to like him based on what we think we’ve learned about him personally. The artist who wants to improve has to sort through the criticism he gets, consider the source, and incorporate what’s accurate and helpful into his performances — or not. If he doesn’t go through the process of sifting genuine and relevant responses to his work, he will lose the capacity to surprise us or enchant us with his skills in new ways. The price of artistic freedom is inherent insecurity — a mood that drives one on to try to get better and better. But the necessary preconditions for Armitage’s artistic growth — especially the freedom to take risks that may not always provoke universal applause — also neutralize his right to hurt feelings about our reactions to his work. If he is going to please and satisfy himself as an actor, he has to focus on matters beyond pleasing and satisfying us. He’s absolutely right that as an actor, he can’t also be a “hopeless people-pleaser” to his fans.
Now, I’m not worried about staleness with Armitage at the moment: I am regularly so surprised by his work that I have to watch or listen to it repeatedly to make sure I’ve gotten everything that’s there. I’m just stating that appreciation circumscribed by mutual autonomy is the only real basis for the actor / fan relationship. Fans did a lot for Mr. Armitage at the beginning of his career, via a spontaneous burst of enthusiasm for a job well done, and then by giving him an internet presence that initially well dwarfed the significance of his career and certainly enhanced awareness of his work more quickly than it might have spread otherwise. And he’s expressed his sincere appreciation for fan support many times in ways that suggest that he understands the role that fans played in setting him on a particular professional trajectory. But you know what? He’s said at least once that he sees the turning point in his career as Sparkhouse, because it marked a new approach for him in pursuing a role. Even more: fans didn’t get him the role we probably see as the turning point: Mr. Thornton. He did that all by himself. He said once in an interview that he thought having a following helped, but even at that point it didn’t get him everything he wanted –films, for example– and he talked about the role, not the fans, putting him on the map. Presumably he still had to audition for roles afterward and he still may. So gratitude for fan support should not and cannot mean extending power over his creative choices to fans — even those who might think they know better than he does what he’s doing — and that includes me. If he can’t act freely, then I have no chance of evaluating his acting freely. Of course I have preferences. I have a right to my opinion, but that’s all it can ever be in his life: my opinion. None of us have any right in the universe to any hurt feelings at all about any of his choices.
John Porter (Richard Armitage) indicates on a map where Sister Bernadette should go in order to cross the border to South Africa in Strike Back 1.4. My cap. Can’t resist pointing out that this is a nice thumb shot. They turn up everywhere once you start looking.
Still, constant questions about his fans in interviews (and our responses to his answers — did anyone like being called motherly or protective? Thankfully he stopped saying that by the time of the Spooks 9 publicity) point out that we stand in an atypical relationship to him, one engendered not least by Mr. Armitage’s unusual awareness of and generosity to his fans after the broadcast of North & South. So it’s not surprising that many of us might feel a reciprocal obligation, one that hems our willingness to respond with complete candor to his career choices. I’ve had at least a half-dozen conversations off blog about Strike Back in which the consensus was simultaneously “he is so much better than that lousy script” and “I’m not sure it’s fair / kind to say that.” RAFrenzy expressed comparable reservations about the scripting of Lucas North’s entire character arc on Spooks yesterday (I haven’t had time to read this very closely, but the discussion is interesting. I think I disagree with her, but I’ll have to put that off as I want to finish writing this post!). I feel some of that myself, insofar as I thought after reading the Sunday Express interview that his statements about the lack of attractive drama scripts might have applied indirectly to his own perceived capacity to choose projects he really liked. I concluded privately that perhaps it’s not fair to criticize because John Porter might not have been his first choice of roles. However he felt about it, though, — and the full cut of the first Donald Stephenson interview, I believe, mentioned that his first reaction to the project was negative — he didn’t stray from the course once he had chosen it. He did a great job of selling Strike Back as potential art, full of ethical conflict (of this, more below, in the section on what constitutes art), but — as he noted himself — it was something that the audience that discovered him in North & South was not automatically inclined to like. It wasn’t that we couldn’t be moved there, as RAFrenzy noted several times (once here). She said something smart that I can’t put my mouse on but that’s been ringing in my ears about how Mr. Armitage understood that the audiences that would come along with him from his previous projects needed Strike Back to be more than an action flick. I do think his remarks about Strike Back suggest that he was making a good faith effort to explain to us how a project so out of the average North & South fan’s comfort zone fit into his own professional and artistic trajectory. That was considerate of him. But even so, he shouldn’t have to plead for our understanding. Conversely, if those of us who write or comment about him feel strongly that the roles he’s taking are problematic, we should feel no bounds beyond those of common courtesy on stating exactly that. I don’t mean to delegitimate his marketing effort for Strike Back, which made sense to me and which I think played well, despite a definition of “atonement” that was rather loosy-goosey for anyone who knows much about the theological meaning of that word, and a resulting rhetorical confusion about who exactly was atoning for what, as Ann Marie noted. I simply want to reiterate that given my understanding of the artist – fan relationship as sketched above, both sides have to feel autonomous in terms of their judgments.
But to come back to the beginning of this past, which pondered the recent emergence of this question: why now? It wasn’t because Strike Back was universally disliked; on the contrary, my reading of the response to it in Armitageworld was that the many luscious views of Mr. Armitage’s body nearly made up in the eyes of many readers for any failings in the script. There was the nagging problem of feelings of manipulation, of the show’s appeal to base instinct, and I wrestled with this myself. (Of this, also more below in the section on “beauty”). As this discussion of his career path emerged, it wasn’t immediately apparent what his next project after Spooks 9 might be, so there was opportunity for a lot of speculative chatter. Certainly, his career appears to be at a crossroads, as the sequence of roles in Robin Hood, Spooks, and Strike Back suggests that he’s hit a summit in terms of the number of screens he can control simultaneously on UK television at any one time. (One interviewer made a nice joke about this, suggesting that Armitage could hold the BBC primetime lineup for ransom. Armitage responded in quite vivid terms that this responsibility would be too much pressure.)
My own guess, though, is that the discussion is emerging now in this particular form because, although he must have been making choices all along about what to audition for, and maybe very recently about which roles to accept that he was offered without having to audition, this is one of the first moments in his career where we can see that he must be having to choose between different projects. As a consequence, we now have the freedom to disagree with his choices as opposed to parroting a central dogma of Armitageworld, to wit: we just want him to keep working, to be able to see him in anything. Because Strike Back was renewed for 10 more episodes, it is common consensus, his commitment to that will limit the amount of time that Mr. Armitage can devote to stuff that many of us already know we like better — Spooks 10, if Lucas North doesn’t get killed, maimed, or fired during the current series — or think we would — like “The Rover,” which would be a satisfying move back in the direction of North & South and of his RSC roots. As we puzzle over the extent of his freedom to make choices at this particular moment (one assumes that he was contracted to continue in SB if it was renewed), week after week, voicework appeared –an audiobook, a radio broadcast, auto, sports, and jewelry advertisements, documentary voiceovers– all of which seemed to suggest that rather than planning to surprise us with a new production in the genre of high art, Armitage might be working around the clock at a number of things that look suspiciously like piecework. And there’s no break for him on the horizon. Anyone who was already skeptical about Strike Back because of its doubtful artistic merit is potentially even more bothered by the information that gradually trickled out about Mr. Armitage’s role as the German villain Heinz Krüger in the upcoming Captain America film. It’s not that he’s abandoned art: this year we heard Clarissa and Symphony of a City, and he was great in both. But they were not screen or stage productions. His Spotlight showreel (which doesn’t include any work completed after Robin Hood 3) still ends with the proposal scene in North & South, but it begins with a(n attractively crafted) sequence that manages to make even Mr. Thornton look edgy and seems to set him up as an action specialist. His continual repetition of the refrain of his interest in selling a retelling of the Richard III story notwithstanding, it is not entirely unreasonable to conclude that Richard Armitage is starting to look like someone who wants to do action roles and projects that fall under the rubric of “entertainment,” instead of the actor that the fans who used their computers to catapult him to public attention in 2004 thought he was: a dramatic artist with the potential to become the next great interpreter of Shakespeare — or at the very least, an ongoing competitor worthy of Colin Firth for favorite period drama lead.
A map (hidden under a VHS cassette) is one of the objects that give clues to Lucas North / John’s mysterious past in Spooks 9.2. My cap.
As a good academic writer, I always trace what others think and then comment on it critically before presenting my own stance, which is generally much harder to pinpoint. Now I have to write what I think about all of this from my situation as interpreter of what I know of Mr. Armitage’s career. On a simple level, should I admit to reservations about Strike Back? Or about any other project? If so, on what basis? Can I sign on to any reservations about the direction his career is taking? And if so, should I express them? And what about (I write, trying to avoid raising my left hand to my face in imitation of Lucas North’s “extreme emotional distress” signal) his acting itself?
I joked recently that the love language of Servetus is “close analysis.” The more I love something, the more closely I’ll look at it, and the more I’ll write. Thinking via synecdoche has been my pattern since I was a child: what does the detail tell us about the whole? (I’ll also keep wearing an awful piece of clothing just because it has a detail that I really love.) Moreover, for reasons closely connected to my personal issues for writing it, and because of the mechanisms by means of which Armitage has influenced me most deeply, a great deal of the analysis concerning him presented on this blog has been about “how.” How an effect is established, how Mr. Armitage performs, how a scene is put together, how a costume fits, how his eyes or his body move. There’s a component of “why” there as well: why I find a still picture or a scene compelling, for example. I write about myself in terms of “what” and “whither,” and I’ve commented on things like how we can know “who he is” and my own identification with Mr. Armitage that get to content issues, but even these posts have mostly been constructed as analyses of rhetoric rather than evaluations of anything I assert to be real. I’ve been reluctant to make normative recommendations on larger issues, beyond things like what he should be looking for in a suit. That doesn’t mean I haven’t; aside from the discussion about what he should say about his fans, I speculated that he might have good reasons for taking ad work; I expressed no regret about his detachment from the Charlie project, and I’ve said in a few places that I assume that the primary purpose of Captain America is networking as opposed to artistic merit or professional trajectory. Except occasionally, “me + richard armitage” hasn’t been about the really big questions, and I envy writers who can easily take on that kind of question. (It’s an issue that’s bedeviled me as an academic writer, too.)
So I think that readers of this blog would have a case for claiming that –despite all the analytical detail– I’ve abandoned the viewpoint of objective observer, since I have never written anything strongly negative about Mr. Armitage except, perhaps, as regards his clothing choices, and have never been more than mildly negative about moments in his work that I don’t care for, and even that I do very rarely. Believe it or not, though, I actually do have some negative evaluations of moments in his work! Now, I don’t have anywhere near the time to write or develop every thought I have. I have notes and notes and notes of stuff to write here — and on any given day I pick the theme that fits my mood or the time I have available. So readers shouldn’t discount the possibility that more negative criticism might eventually appear. Admittedly I am usually writing to cheer myself up, reassure myself, or vent, and fingerpointing at Armitage’s flaws as an actor has never fit into those needs especially well.
Photo: Servetus — really just a propagandist for Richard Armitage
As an explanation for why I haven’t yet written much like that, though, more important is my feeling that all evaluation occurs in a particular context; this is an insight that follows upon so many years spent teaching. I taught for my first time in a Sunday School class as a newly-confirmed fourteen-year-old, and so I have been thinking about how to reach learners for 2/3 of my life. Now, I am not trying to teach Mr. Armitage anything. But the pattern of “first praise, then blame,” the mantra of successful grading, has ground its way deep into my synapses. My awareness of this state of mind suggests to me that I will be more likely to offer negative comments about any of his work as moments of a longer analysis — when I am noticing them as part of a particular question I’ve asked — than as a separate theme. Errors (apart from moral ones) are always errors in context; what is right in one place can be wrong in another. Seek to understand before you judge — one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in the classroom. I’m not ready to pardon everything I understand, even as a teacher, but I do find that it trying to understand enriches my appreciation of my students’ work. That may not be the most helpful approach for writing succinct blog posts, but that is who I am: as writer, teacher, and critic. So the final question is the easiest to answer: would I criticize his acting? Yes. If I felt it were warranted. In context. After I had sought to understood what he was doing on the basis of what I could grasp were his own terms.
The other four questions are the same question, and the answer(s) are a bit more complex. So that I can be understood, if not pardoned, I’ll first offer the answer, and then reasons why I give it. Though I can’t guarantee how I’ll feel in six months, I am pretty sure at this point — unless Mr. Armitage starts making sn*ff, or something else that I find morally objectionable (that is, beyond “just” troubling)– that he’s not going to to be likely to get criticism from me on the basis of either genre or the scripts of the work he takes. (I consider a test case for this assertion below.) Now, I have and will continue to point out script problems, but I am going to be more interested in how effectively he deals with them in his performances than I will in arguing that a weak script was a reason not to take a role. I reiterate the position I sketched above: I read with interest the arguments of those who make such arguments, I think I understand where they are coming from, and in line with my notion of their actor / fan relationship, I not only support their right to make them, I can think of good reasons why they might be helpful to Mr. Armitage’s self-understanding as an actor. Not only that: I suspect that many readers of this blog are more likely to agree with those kinds of critiques than with the position I explain below. It seems inevitable that if Mr. Armitage continues making TV drama and action pieces rather than projects that are considered more “artistically significant” following conventional judgments, that the number of people making them (particularly among that initial group of fans and/or among those who came to Armitage fandom via North & South) will increase rather than decrease. In line with my comments above: whether to respond or react to that sentiment is his problem — though in my opinion, not his obligation. In the next post, however, I will make the opposite case, which underlines some important analytical principles for understanding the judgments I articulate on this blog.
[Sorry — don’t mean to leave you in medias res — this just got way too long for words.]
~ by Servetus on October 7, 2010.
Posted in acting, Armitage as victim, Armitage on Armitage, Armitage's body, Armitageworld dogmas, audiobooks, Captain America, career, Clarissa, equilibrium, fans, gratitude, Great Sperm Race, Heinz Kruger, if I could interview Mr. Armitage, John Porter, loss, Lucas North, me, morality / ethics / norms, North & South, reality, redemption, Richard Armitage, Richard III, Robin Hood, Sparkhouse, Spooks, Strike Back, Symphony of a City, the face, the hands, the real Armitage, The Rovers, voice work, why Armitage?, Why me?
150 Responses to “Mr. Armitage, his fans, our pursuit of “great art,” and me as critic, part 1”
Yup, he looks happy, but keep in mind, he’s an ACTOR
mren said this on October 8, 2010 at 12:27 am | Reply
Yes, certainly. In modern society we have all learned to smile when our heart is breaking. This picture is also extremely blurry. But my phrase was not “here he’s happy,” but rather, “he looks as happy as I’ve ever seen him.” 🙂
servetus said this on October 8, 2010 at 3:33 pm | Reply
There is also a scan up at RANet from a Woman’s Own article that shows Richard reacting to something Max has told him on the Spooks set. If that isn’t a genuine belly laugh he’s giving, then I will eat that big black hat of mine RA Frenzy likes so much.
I love people who can laugh like that, actors or no.
angieklong said this on October 8, 2010 at 4:19 pm | Reply
That does look like a great laugh. Then again, sometimes we laugh for reasons other than to indicate our pleasure 🙂 such as to support someone or make them feel welcome/understood, etc. I think the point is true that we can’t learn anything definitive from pictures, but I feel inclined to defend my stance as analyzing appearances on this blog as opposed to reality … 🙂
That’s fine by me. I love looking at that picture (and he’s fully clothed, too!) He looks like someone I would like to know as opposed to simply Mr. Gorgeous to drool over.
angieklong said this on October 10, 2010 at 8:36 pm | Reply
That’s one of the things I love about him, he seems such a nice guy, the kind I’d like to have as a friend.
OML 🙂
OneMoreLurker said this on October 11, 2010 at 6:46 am | Reply
Great post, perhaps in part because it expresses so much of what i have been thinking. ( ;
First off–he does look very happy in that photo, doesn’t he? And I do so dearly want this fellow who has brought me so much pleasure to find happiness and satisfaction in his personal as well as his professional life.
Secondly–I am with you at this point. Unless he does start making nothing but dreck I’m not really prepared to take potshots at his career choices, because so far it seems to me he always does the best he can with what his is given to work with and makes something more, much more, quite often, than meets the eye at first glance. He is still surprising and enchanting me.
You well know how much I love the character of John Porter as crafted by Richard. You also know how unhappy I was with some elements of the scripts and how I hope some of those elements will be addressed in the second series. Since I am a fan fic writer aside from being a journalist by profession, I worked through some of my dissatisfaction with underwritten characters and lack of background by writing my own version, thank you very much.
I am glad you pointed out Sparkhouse because in my opinion, that was truly RA’s breakthrough role. I came to know him through RH initially, but then watched N&S, VoD and Sparkhouse (not necessarily in that order) in quick succession.
I can easily understand why legions of fans flocked to him from N&S (It’s the first piece of his work I purchased to share with my older sisters), but he’d been working and toiling away at his profession for years prior to that and yes, he did it himself.
We the fans didn’t earn him the role of Thornton anymore than we did his subsequent roles.
And while he has always been, I think, very good to his fan base, I don’t want him to think he has to please us with his career choices.
It frankly bothers me that a few fans seem to think that should be able to dictate to Richard which roles he should take.
It is his career, after all, and not ours; he is not obligated to us in any way that I can see. Would I like to see him in another good period drama? Absolutely. Would I like to see him in a well-scripted contemporary love story with comedic elements (note I did NOT say a rom-com)? Definitely. Would the possibility of me begging, borrowing and stealing to see him on stage in The Rover or a similar project send frissons of delight through me? Oh, yes. I would also dearly love to hear him in more radio plays like Clarissa.
But I will leave those decisions to him. And rest assured, I will make my way to The Edge to see him in Captain America (I agree, I am pretty sure it’s a networking move, not because he wants to do comic-book movies the rest of his career).
Because watching Richard Armitage at work continues to fascinate me, even when the vehicle is not my first choice of roles for him.
angieklong said this on October 8, 2010 at 12:49 am | Reply
I don’t wish Mr. Armitage limited to any genre. I have a love of “period” stuff. Not action stuff – but. We have to pay the rent. And the BMW 🙂 As well as liking much contemporary (And murder-mystery stuff! William Monk and Anne Perry!) I did a lot of acting in the teen years, and I’m intro, not extra, and never for a minute considered acting as a career). So I don’t know how you go through these voyages.
I have very great respect, as well as enjoyment in, theatre/acting/screen. This actor is too good to be wasted, and I just hope his managers and agents present him with better “stuff” in the future. “Cause until next month, I can’t judge SB. But Captain America boggles my limited mind. As Geraldine might say, “Please God, NO!!” Just my limited mind…
fitzg said this on October 8, 2010 at 12:56 am | Reply
He won’t have all the time he did to create an amazing full-blown character as he did with evil henchman Guy in RH, but hopefully our RA can work his magic with Nazi bad boy Heinz Kruger, too, @fitzg. We can but hope. *grin* Will be interested to hear what you think of SB and John Porter when it arrives up North.
angieklong said this on October 8, 2010 at 1:03 am | Reply
I agree with servetus that he does CA (apart from the money and the fun it must be) for networking purposes and three cheers to him for that! I had a feeling that he was comfortable with his TV career and would never try to move beyond that. A bigger role in a TV piece might be more satisfying for both the audience and the actor and this small role might never lead to anything or only lead to a string of small baddie parts but at least it bears a CHANCE that it will lead to bigger and better things in a way a TV production never could. So for a change he is actually taking a risk that may or may not pay off instead of going for the save option. I’m much happier with CA than SB even if all we instantly get will be three minutes in a movie I probably won’t even watch!
Jane said this on October 8, 2010 at 3:39 pm | Reply
Your last line made me smile, Jane. 🙂
But isn’t it exciting to let your admiration for an actor take you into new avenues, Jane? Since Christmas I have discovered fanvids and fan fic and watched films that I might not have thought I’d enjoy. Having three sons has actually exposed me to a lot of films of the Strike Back variety, but due to Richard’s portrayal of John Porter I have allowed myself to enter this world with a different attitude. It has even extended to reading articles about Afghanistan with a sharpened sense of interest.
I’ll watch CA and probably discover a whole new world through that 🙂
Just reading Servetus’ blog leads to all sorts of new thoughts, too. I’m sorely missing a bit more phwoar, Servetus, but I’m sure you’ve got more in store of us soon.
MillyMe said this on October 8, 2010 at 5:10 pm | Reply
Yes, probably. After all, comic book movies are “cult” and I have never bothered the slightest do explore what it is all about. On the CA blogs certainly are people that are passionate about this movie and take it all very seriously, just like we take RA related stuff more seriously than we should.
I never thought I would like a series like Spooks but I did. I bought all previous series after RA joined to see what it is all about and was hooked. I also never thought that I would enjoy a series like Doctor Who and I love it!
I have issues with SB because I really dislike the sight of uniforms and machine guns and contemporary and real military settings. It disgusts me to see RA in combat gear and posing with a gun. I can deal with it better when it is a historical/fantasy setting. And I am determined to regard CA as a fantasy movie, not a WWII movie and RA’s character as a fantasy baddie. Otherwise I would have a real problem with it.
I strongly believe that all those not so “artsy” shows have to be judged and enjoyed from what they are meant to be and that it is not fair to blame them because they are not what they don’t claim to be. (And I really enjoy that this blog does not do that!) However, there are choices I would be happier with and I cannot stop asking why his career has taken this turn.
Ultimately it is not the genre or the type of character. As much as I would enjoy another romantic hero in a period drama, it doesn’t have to be that. I would be very happy with the ugly, damaged character he threatens us with.
Jane, you certainly have every right to dislike military uniforms and guns and all that is involved with that.
I don’t love war and bloodshed myself. I have often said if there was more dialogue established and less greed and desire for glory, there would be less war.
However, I am also the wife of a former military officer who served his country very faithfully for 12 years. He was a USAF Emergency War Orders training instructor and you didn’t want him to have a bad day at work, because it would have meant nuclear war and the end of the world as we know it. My father also served during WW II and all my brothers-in-law served honorably in the military as well.
I loved seeing my husband in uniform, including the dress uniform he wore to marry me all those years ago. I should also add he is one of the kindest and gentlest human beings I have ever known.
No offence to anyone who has loved ones in the military. It is just a gut feeling I cannot help, not a political statement.
I completely understand the feeling. Most of my German friends feel the same way, incidentally.
I wouldn’t really call comic book movies ‘cult’ as that implies an enthusiastic but small audience for them which is not the case since comic book movies have been mainstream box office draws for many years, often breaking box office records. The Captain America movie is huge, believe me, and it will raise Richard’s profile in the US massively, no matter how small the role.
kaprekar said this on October 8, 2010 at 11:59 pm | Reply
You’re right, Kaprekar. Look at the success of the Iron Man movies, which are part of the Marvel Comics group spawning Captain America.
I quite enjoyed the first Iron Man (as did most critics, I recall), although the second one depended too much on special effects in neglect of the story. I’m sure Hubby will want to see CA with his interest in WWII in particular, which I happen to share, and I certainly will look forward to seeing RA on the big screen, even if for only a brief time. Baby steps . . . and the raising of RA’s profile here in the US would be great.
After all, it was a kiddie show called Robin Hood that led me to watch N&S and Sparkhouse and VoD . . .
Did you hear that interview, Jane, in which he stated that he had the right to reject ad images of him for the series and he stated that he didn’t want those big bulletin board pictures to include him holding a gun? He said it was because SB was about more than that, but it really, really warmed my heart. I wrote a post about it at the time. I think he must have had his own ambivalence about that level of the role.
John Porter really is damaged, and the script indicates that, although not always with a lot of force or subtlety. I think (if I understand you correctly?) that you are right that to some extent his beauty interferes with our perception of that.
Oh, I definitely think there was an ambivalence there for RA and thank goodness he played the role because I really don’t think I would feel about JP the way I do, if a lesser actor had played him and not given him the subtleties, the heart and soul beneath the uniform, that Richard provided.
I have imagined Richard would have enjoyed the uglification JP underwent in the original novel–missing finger, missing teeth, the wear and tear of sleeping rough and drinking your way through the day takes on a body.
Indeed, maybe hoping he’d get to be uglier was one reason to take the role.
And then they went and prettied him up again, bless his heart.
angieklong said this on October 11, 2010 at 1:25 am | Reply
I think he said they kept him ‘in good shape’ because of time. In the film, in a matter of a couple of days he was ‘reactivated’ and in the operation team. If he would have been ugly and barely sober wouldn’t have been believable to be in shape for it in 2 days.
Yeah, this is the most unconvincing aspect of the book — that they get someone who’s been homeless and alcoholic for a decade together, rehabilitated and activated in 48 hours. The plot discrepancies are myriad.
I love your enthusiasm, Milly, it is going to keep you young and it really helps me with the fan fic writing, too.
I agree, it says something about the capacity to love and the regenerating force within one’s personality when one can get so excited. One reason for me writing all this stuff is that Mr. Armitage reawakened a piece of that in me. I’m so grateful.
I’m grateful, too. Benny sometimes teases me about girlish glee over things, the way I wax rhapsodic over our pets and even him, but I think he actually likes it.
When we were going through those years when every time the phone rang at an odd time, we were afraid it was one of our parents with some new crisis–well, I lost some of that. And then part of me died when they died, I think.
But Mr. A provided such good therapy and helped lift some of that burden from my shoulders. And I will always be thankful for that.
I’ll try to get in some more phwoar soon, MillyMe. Part of it was that I felt like I went a little overboard on that during the summer, part is probably that I am now reintegrated into the university world and thus living in a more “elevated” atmosphere. But no worries, phwoar is still definitely on the agenda. 🙂
I think this point about how drama causes you to be interested in things that passed you by otherwise is a really intriguing one. I feel that way about Zimbabwe, now, actually. It was just a footnote in my lectures about colonialism and decolonization in western civ, but now I have a colleague from there, and then seeing that episode has really made me not only more interested in the topic of what’s going on there (which is really frightening), but also more evaluative / critical of what I do learn.
Drama can become a part of our learning experience.
Becoming interested in RA’s characters has lead me to do more reading (which I do a lot of, anyway) on medieval history, Victorian England, espionage, current affairs . . . he’s influenced me in many positive ways. *grin*
A little phwoar now and again keeps Jill from being a dull girl, methinks.
What the heck is phwoar…I feel like sometimes I need a decoder ring…?
Ann Marie said this on October 11, 2010 at 1:09 am | Reply
@Ann Marie:
“The definition of PHWOAR is “Acknowledgement that a person is fit, sexy, hot”
from InternetSlang.com
This reveals just how shallow I can be when it comes to Mr Armitage, as Servetus and readers of this blog will know. 🙂 I do not apologise for my appreciation of physical beauty in regards to his person as I greatly appreciate his talent and personality as well. The man is the complete package when it comes to actors IMHO.
MillyMe said this on October 11, 2010 at 4:59 am | Reply
And you know how much I love that total package, too, MillyMe.
He’s a keeper!!
@MillyMe, thanks for the definition. No apology necessary as I could not agree more that he has the complete package. I appreciate most that he is not “pretty boy” handsome but more of a adult masculine (and in some roles, alpha male-ish without the artificial “body-builder” look) build.
I remember during the promos for SB he talked quite a bit about the training he underwent so that he would look like a “soldier” and not a “bodybuilder”.
I though it interesting that the promos and appearances for Spooks 9 showed him leaner and more slender (his natural tendency) than SB. I’ve also noticed that those Prada button downs disguise his physique than those sexy tees (black, oh my) that he wears as Lucas.
Thanks again for the definition. I learn so much in this class! 🙂
Ann Marie said this on October 11, 2010 at 10:52 am | Reply
My guess, based on what I know about you, fitzg, is that you will say “why is he in this?” and yet nonetheless find things to like about his performance in it. In any case, the closest the script lets him come to a long dramatic monologue is in the very last episode, so you’ll have to hang on until then, I think. 🙂
But I agree, on the face of it, he looked really happy here. How much do we read into it? Probably not not as much we might wish, We weren’t there.
Just the limited, cautious mind working here.
And, he does make me melt, so not quite THAT cautious…
fitzg said this on October 8, 2010 at 1:06 am | Reply
Speaking of melting and similar effects, someone elsewhere said considering the amount of tingles he sends through women’s bodies on a daily basis, he could be considered a one-man powerhouse!
Yeah, they can plug him into the grid in California the next time they are threatened with rolling blackouts. 🙂
I think we have to consider the reality of the business that Richard Armitage is in, and it is a business. We don’t know what he’s being offered and what, if anything, he’s turning down. We may think he’s being offered his pick of Shakesperean roles and period dramas,when the reality, regardless of what he or we want, may be entirely different. Unless he has or finds the money to produce on his own (Richard III as an example of a wonderful idea in need of money) he’s at the mercy of producers, directors, and casting people seeking to hire him. Sometimes it’s just a matter of luck. He’s talked a great deal about how he struggled for a decade before he was in any way successful. I find this so difficult to believe given his good looks and that voice, but for a long time he couldn’t get work. So I don’t blame him at all now for constantly working and taking advantage of being in demand now. He’s probably just now making real money with RH and Spooks. It may be romantic to be a starving artist, unless you’re the one “starving”. I agree that I also think he’s doing Captain America because he’s been trying for a long time to break into the US TV/Movie world, part of the career success he seeks, and so here’s his first job in a Hollywood film, and yes, of course, he’s doing it to get his foot in the door, so he can hopefully be offered better roles. From his interviews I think he yearns himself to do work that’s more artistically fulfilling. I don’t see or think this has changed. This would certainly be wonderful for him, and great for us. We can hope and wish him well.
Musa said this on October 8, 2010 at 2:22 am | Reply
Excellent point, Musa. This also ran across my mind, but I was writing far too much as it was.
There are trends in what’s popular and “hot” as far as what producers and publisher, et al. are looking for. There is an author whose period mysteries featuring Irene Adler from the Sherlock Holmes stories I adore and have re-read several times.
She was asked in an interview why she hadn’t written another entry in the series and she said publishers just weren’t looking for that particular type of book right now (so she has a paranormal series going . . .) You can’t act in what isn’t there or isn’t offered to you. Plain and simple.
I, too, find it hard to believe Richard struggled so hard but he did, and it has to be satisfying for him to finally feel some degree of financial stability. (I think in part he had to grow into his amazing good looks and truly become comfortable with himself; he doesn’t fit the typical pretty boy leading man, certainly, and thank goodness he doesn’t).
I do hope and wish him all the very best and that the bigger and better roles will come, and in the meantime, that he will have satisfaction and enjoyment in all his current projects. I am thrilled success is coming to him and don’t blame him either for taking the audio work along with the TV roles. It can’t hurt to have that delicious voice out there as much as possible . . .
Wow, I didn’t realize that she had stopped writing Irene Adler because publishers didn’t want it — that’s so sad, as it’s an established series and those are excellent books. And I’ve never been able to get into the paranormal stuff with any enthusiasm.
Yey, you’re a Carole Nelson Douglas fan, too, Servetus! I read the first book because I am a Sherlock Holmes fan from my early teens, and I got hooked on her books. I was really saddened to hear there wasn’t a new one in the works. I also enjoy her Midnight Louie series (well, of course, they feature a gumshoe cat, what’s not to love?!)
I read some reviews of her new paranormal series and they were very mixed. Lots of people commented the editing was extremely bad, which again surprised me.
I do admired the fact she has written and published in several genres: historical mystery, contemporary mystery with fantasy elements, sci-fi/fantasy and paranormal. I would love to be as prolific and versatile as she is.
Yes, this is very important. I talk about it at length in the end of the post that I didn’t publish yesterday, so I’ll just agree with you here and not comment if that’s ok with you.
If he’s not offered Shakespeare or period drama or high quality contemporary drama (as opposed to “entertaining” drama) it might be a valid question to ask WHY? After all there are actors who are offered those parts. The obvious answer is that he wasn’t available because for the last few years he has continuously worked on TV series. But could he have gotten such parts if he were free to take them?
I’d really like to know this, too. There are a lot of questions on my mind:
1. Are there physical strictures on being case in a stage lead? Is he just too tall, as he was apparently too tall for musical theatre?
2. Is it that he just can’t even get to those auditions? That the people involved in casting for those things have a shortlist of actors they want to consider and he’s not on it (yet, or still)?
3. Is it that he’s not an ace auditioner?
4. Is it that given the risk-averse features of his personality, he prefers not to try for productions that are less likely to be successful than the kind of thing he does on tv, which is backed by huge audiences and large ad budgets?
5. Is doing so much tv (with its emphasis on editing, short cuts, etc.) affecting his acting skills in the realm of stage material, where the actor must hold the audience’s attention for long periods of time with voice and acting as opposed to closeup?
6. Are people who cast for the stage suspicious of an actor who has such a significant “popular” following?
7. Since he’s had the classical training with LAMDA and the RSC, etc., is it just that his particular skills in acting are not the kind that lend themselves to the lead role in a classical or contemporary drama? I’m not saying “that he’s not good enough,” but that the skills he has don’t fit well with this sort of piece?
I’ve been thinking about this. We would lose some of what many of us love in his screen performances if he stuck strictly to stage performances–the micro-expressions, those tiny but telling details that would be lost on the vastness of a stage.
And perhaps you are right, his impressive skills in acting might not lend themselves to certain types of roles. That certainly doesn’t make him less of a fine actor, but it might limit the venues in which he best shines . . .
Well, we’d have to see how he addressed the challenge of the stage with the audience very far away from the actor’s face. Presumably, he could adapt. One thing I notice in Ultimate Force is how (relatively) open his expressional repertoire is — much more so than in later stuff. It’s like he saw himself on TV and toned it down.
Good point. It’s been a while since I watched UF, but thinking back I can see what you mean.
Obviously people who move back and forth between screen and stage must learn how to adapt and scale down performances for the screen.
Very late to respond, no sure if still anyone is around. I was not necessarily asking about stage productions. As people that run theatres have to fill their seats I don’t even think that being a popular name from TV is a disadvantage, quite the contrary. Many popular TV actor to stage work, in the UK it seems to be relative easily to move between stage, TV and movies yet he does not do it. I was more asking about high quality, serious, awards worthy TV productions. As I mentioned somewhere else, they always seem to cast Matthew Macfayden.
I think each role he takes adds something to his repertoire or provides the opportunity to learn a new acting skill, try out a different media, work with a particular actor or director (and cultivating those connections can’t be bad) or simply just want to try something to see if he’s like it. He has come from a dancing banana to Lucas North and John Porter (scripts not withstanding, large budget and publicity).
I can already see the effect of his Porter training on how Lucas manages his weapons (maybe its because he is still a little built up from the Porter role) but he moves with a masculine, assured grace (I think servetus commented on this after Episode one) that wasn’t as prevalent before Porter. I think, simplistically, in some ways acting as a career can be like other careers in that each job or position we take gives us an opportunity to learn or take something from it whether it be a new skill (How I learned EXCEL) and my current student information system or a new management skill or a connection and even a best friend. And sometimes you just build experience and clout.
So, I want the dear man to keep on working because even when the script is bad or the show is over the top I sit enthralled watching him on screen, not an actor playing the part but the living, breathing character. And sometimes, its just more fun to see what he can do with less lofty roles. Although I have decided that the time for gratuitous nudity has passed. ‘Night all…
Ann Marie said this on October 8, 2010 at 4:36 am | Reply
Exactly, so, Ann Marie. All the different hats I have worn in my various jobs–and as a community journalist in a recession, I have to wear a lot because the staff is small and the county, big–have taught me something new and different.
I can write a fine obituary, a heart-wrenching human interest story, an amusing column, a strictly-by-the-books town council meeting, a whimsical story about Super Saturday at the Library . . . (and thanks to Mr. A’s constant inspiration, do some pretty nifty fan fic writing, I like to think).
Surely all Richard’s roles are broadening his acting repertoire and enriching his experiences. And yeah, Lucas has definitely been enhanced in his action scenes by John Porter, without a doubt.
The actor George Kennedy once said about the great Jimmy Stewart, “even if the picture wasn’t great, you knew it would be worth watching because Jimmy was in it.”
That pretty much sums up how I feel about dear Mr. A.
@Angie..
Yes, you do write some really nifty fanfic (I believe I’ve read most of everything you’ve posted around) and With Mr. A for inspiration its o wonder.
The quote about Jimmy Stewart (coincidentally my favorite actor of that era) is EXACTLY right about I feel about Mr. A.! You hit it dead on. Thank you!
Ann Marie said this on October 8, 2010 at 12:59 pm | Reply
@Ann Marie,
Thanks for your shout-out. Mr. A is directly responsible for me dipping into fiction writing, something I had toyed with before but never seriously, until he came into my life and started inspiring me, first as Guy and then as Lucas and currently, as John Porter.
I also love Jimmy Stewart in every thing from “It’s a Wonderful Life” to “Harvey” and all those Hitchcock movies.
I caught that quote about him from a piece on Turner Classic Movies (another fav) and thought how that suited the way I felt about Richard. Wouldn’t it have been great to see those two on the screen together?
Yes it would. Interesting that one of the articles posted up yesterday he mentions a good night in with a classic movie, North by Northwest. Wasn’t that a Jimmy Stewart movie (I used to know them all and loved them)?
North by Northwest featured Cary Grant (and I was absolutely thrilled to see it was a favorite of his as I am a huge Hitchcock fan and NbN is one of my favs–I used to live in Rapid City where the climactic scene is held and visited Mount Rushmore many times.)
However, Jimmy was in Rope, Vertigo and Rear Window–all great Hitchcock movies.
How odd, I lived in Rapid City for 10 months. First full weekend there, July 4th, got caught in a hailstorm in the Black Hills, a few thousand dollars in damage on the Blazer, it was a dimpled as golf ball. Should have seen the omen.
Oh, the hailstorms were nasty there. I was there three years and one time the hailstorm was so bad there was baseball-sized hail–it left our Chevy out at the base with more damage than it was worth, broke out lots of windows in base housing and killed some poor dog. Growing up in south Alabama, I had never seen hail larger than golf ball-sized. My husband was stationed at Ellsworth. First Blizzard I ever experienced was there. Three days trapped in our house without light and heat. Oh, the stories I could tell . . .
Word. The point about John Porter improving Lucas is especially well taken, I think. It’s really, really clear that Lucas is a lot more physically confident in Spooks 9 than he was in the previous series — he’s “in” his body in a different way, and that has to be due to playing John Porter.
I’ll address nudity in the next post, so for now I’ll just say “this is an important question.”
Ah, I was wondering if you would tackle the ‘getting his kit off’ question.
Re JP’s influence on Lucas, I think some of viewer’s concepts of Lucas being more Alpha male this series is due in part to that new confidence and energy playing John has brought to Richard’s portrayal of Lucas (or should we say, John version 5.0?)
It’s as if his former dance training and his intense training and workouts to play JP have merged to create this very graceful, athletic and dangerous-looking agent I find totally believable and totally watchable as he handles weapons and races through the streets.
This is a matter of perspective. I think JP and LN are bound to be similar as the roles have similar requirements (which again leads to the question if it was wise to do JP at all) especially now LN is team leader and we see him as the action man in the field a lot (BTW didn’t RA say that this series LN is more grid base and cerebral?). Many people enjoy the Porterish Lucas a lot, but there has been critism of his currently limited range as well.
They are actually the two faces of the special services: MI-5 and MI-6, so yes, there are some similarities.
He did say there would be more cerebral time for Lucas; maybe we just haven’t seen that yet.
As for criticism of his portrayal of Lucas, well, I’ve read that ever since S7. “Wooden, limited, a bad actor, just OK eye candy.”
All of which I completely disagree with.
As you say, a matter of perspective.
I don;t think I understand what you mean as currently limited range. Did you men, physical activity of the role, acting ability? I’m not clear.
It has been mentioned elsewhere that the fact that LN has shades of JP is a kind of disappointment as so far RA has managed to make his character very distinctive in the past. I’m not necessarily in agreement but it is in the nature of the beast that two action men/special agents move in a similar way, use similar expression in similar situations etc. .
Jane said this on October 9, 2010 at 5:11 am | Reply
I’ve thought for almost the entire duration of my Armitagemania that it’s interesting that someone who worked as a dancer for so long seemed / seems at some points in his acting work to struggle with controlling his body. I’ve said numerous times that the most frequent point at which an Armitage characterization will erode is when he’s going up or down stairs. Walking is another point at which there are occasionally problems. He establishes a unique walk for each character, but again he’s not always 100% consistent.
So I think it’s odd that he has some difficulties in this regard. Of course, I’m inclined to defend him just by saying that after all, it is the same body, and once you’ve become comfortable in an action role, it’s probably not attractive to “regress,” i.e., to make Lucas do action scenes the way he did before Armitage played Porter.
I just think it’s odd.
It is interesting. It’s like he’s graceful and gawky all at the same time. There’s still that coltishness you see in some scenes in his roles, as if he’s not quite sure what to do with those long limbs of his.
(admittedly, I find this quality endearing, but it has to hamper him in some roles).
He’s described himself as a late bloomer. It’s almost as if everything is finally failing into place–he’s grown into those unconventional good looks and he’s learning to master that sometimes renegade body, too.
@angie, My dear friend who turned me on to Mr. Armitage in the first place hadn’t had a chance to see SB when she saw some photos of John Porter. She mistakenly though they were photos of Lucas. I corrected her and said, when you’ve seen the SB and Mr. Armitage as John Porter you will clearly see how different he is in either role. The differences are just the body build up of Porter but the face and expressions are completely different than Lucas North. I’ve lent her by SB DVD which she has now seen several times and two days ago her facebook status said, “How could I have ever confused John Porter and Lucas North, they are completely different”!
@ann marie, I can glance at a photo of Lucas or John in civilian clothing and know which character it is–Richard just has an amazing ability to inhabit a role and transform himself, and I don’t just mean by gaining or losing weight, being more or less muscular, changing hairstyle, and so forth.
The way he carries himself, the intonation of his voice, his mannerisms–all these things change in sometimes subtle but undeniable ways. RA is an amazing chameleon as a performer. It is so easy for me in my little Sloth Fiction stories to imagine there are all those separate and distinct Characters roaming around in my den, watching telly, eating my cookies and milk and arguing over who’s had the roughest time of it LOL
I agree that Sloth Fiction is the real proof of this point. Or the Lucas – Guy interactions in TAC.
Aren’t you glad you planted the seed of that idea in my mind, Servetus? *grin*
I remember my beta for TAC commenting how easy it was for her to imagine Lucas and Guy being two separate characters with their own distinct personalities who just happened to bear a striking resemblance to one another. And that’s thanks to the Amazing Mr. A.
What is TAC please?
Sorry, Ann Marie, the full title of that fic is Guy & Rebecca: The Adventure Continues. It’s such a mouthful I generally just refer to it as TAC.
Lucas and Guy get to meet each other in that one.
Thanks, I just saw that this weekend when I was trawling several sites looking for fanfic to read to break up the dissertation jags.
Now, I just need to remember where it was…searching can be half the fun. Thanks for the response. I am definitely not on his fandom’s “inner circle”.
Oh, I figured out why I have such typing and tech difficulties on this blog. Your type comes up sooo teensy tiny that it was very difficult to see at all. Think I have it fixed now.
You’re a member at DF, right, Ann Marie?
That will be the easiest place to find TAC, since it’s all tucked neatly into its own topic thread. There are 11 chapters, as I recall, so it should provide you with a nice little dissertation break. The Zoom In button is very handy, isn’t it? My middle-aged eyes have trouble with the small print, too.
BTW I just posted the final chapter-21- of Truce. Feeling quite a sense of accomplishment there. Still got an epiloque to do, but the difficult part for me as a writer is done. Phew!!
angieklong said this on October 11, 2010 at 4:43 am
Servetus, I am in awe as ever of your ability to take a subject, in this case, RA’s roles, and lead your readers into new and interesting areas. Looking up all your references means learning something about Gary Chapman’ 5 languages of love amongst other things.
In this particular post I would say that I agree wholeheartedly with what you and your posters have written. This boils down to:
“The artist must be free to make his own choices” … within the constrictions of this particular industry which, as we all know, is extremely fickle. Richard may have particular goals for himself, and his fans may wish to see him in particular roles, but there are no guarantees in an industry which is quick to pigeonhole people and where the money often follows the flavour of the month. Many seemingly undeserving individuals achieve great success while other talented souls trudge along, perhaps undiscovered until years later, if at all. Those that know something of the British tv and film industry will be aware that money has always been a problem, and that major cut-backs are the reality. In such a climate, and in view of the fact that the States has not yet materialised as an option, I would say that Richard has done well. He has a wide range of roles under his belt and has acquired skills that will always stand him in good stead wherever his career takes him. The voice-overs and adverts give him a steady income and will be good to fall back on if times ever get hard. You have to establish a name for yourself in that branch as well.
Richard once expressed a wish for himself as actor, to have as many and varied roles as possible. Now he’s started talking of desiring The Elephant Man roles. This is an actor who is committed to his craft and whose further development will be a pleasure to follow.
To end. I have always especially loved pictures of Richard grinning or laughing. He seems to be very fond of a good laugh and it’s one of the most endearing qualities of his personality!
MillyMe said this on October 8, 2010 at 10:25 am | Reply
Aaaw. 🙂 Thanks for the love.
Maybe he should tone down his new teeth a little — make it easier for himself to get “ugly” roles. Or go to an audition after a psoriasis breakout … 🙂
Are there fans that truly believe that Mr. Armitage owes them something? Really? Why do they think that? That doesn’t make sense to me.
@Rob said this on October 8, 2010 at 2:49 pm | Reply
Weird as it may seem, @Rob, yes, there is a small (thankfully) group of Richard’s fans who seem to think they can dictate to him how to behave, what parts to take, etc. because they “made” him.
Excuse me, but it’s HIS talent and HIS hard work and dedication and professionalism that have taken him this far. I, for one, am just very thankful I stumbled upon Robin Hood on BBCA a couple of summers ago and the bad boy caught my eye . . .
@angie, I became enamored of him in North &South BUT then I saw Guy’s black leather-clad swagger, the dark hair, the deep voice, the bluest eyes (man, he made black liner rock!) and THAT was my *THUD* moment.
Guy is the role I saw him as first, and it wasn’t an immediate “Thud” to be honest (although I thought him considerably more to my tastes than Robin) but as I watched I became impressed with what he was doing with the character and oh, yes, my, my–Guy is one sexy, sexy boy. Richard is a man who can wear eyeliner without looking silly or effeminate–simply HOT. And Guy will ALWAYS be my favorite RA character because that is the role that brought the lovely man into my radar. N&S, VoD and Sparkhouse just cemented my belief he was one heck of an actor on top of being very nice to look at.
I don’t want to be accused of creating a straw man here. I think it’s not as transparent as that, that they would say “you owe us another N&S because we followed you all these years.” Afaik no one is saying that. It’s more that I read some commentators as thinking “if you keep doing roles that are not in the genre of what I want to watch, I’m going to stop watching you.” That’s entirely fair, and I don’t want to imply that I think anyone has to continue watching Armitage because they loved N&S. It’s rather that I think it’s odd to justify one’s love for N&S on the grounds that Mr. Armitage is a fantastic actor (as opposed to a pretty face) but then say, when he plays a role in which being a pretty face is important, that they’re not going to watch him because he’s betraying his talent. Presumably if he’s a good actor, he’s a good actor in whatever he does. Of this more later today in the conclusion to this post.
I agree, no one should feel they “have” to watch any RA project just because they loved him in N&S or any of his other work.
I do feel really uncomfortable with “fans” who denigrate almost everything else he has done outside of N&S and yes, I have run across some. Sometimes they come across as snobs, and I am afraid I don’t deal with snobbery very well. So I just stay away from them as much as possible.
No, Richard’s work is not all based on great lihhh-ter-atoor, but that doesn’t make it not worth watching. Richard is a very good actor, and frankly, I would watch him even if he lacked that handsome face and physique because I like good acting, period.
And I like to see good acting in a variety of types of roles–comedic, dramatic, period, action, mystery and so forth. His beauty is just the icing on the cake for me. And let’s face it, producers and directors are going to capitalize on having such a good-looking star, and “fluff his hair and erase his wrinkles.” *wink* Maybe he will get that Elephant Man-type role he wants some day. I will still watch, I assure you. The beauty that lies within is to be admired, too.
All of you, and servetus, express my thoughts. Better.
This does appear a very committed actor, “driven” perhaps, which is necessary to persevere in that bloody BUSINESS. Would that it were more art-driven, but that’s not reality.
Yes, he does make a lot of fans melt. And he has slightly unconventional good looks. So fans can pat themselves on the back for recognising all his qualities. (We probably, mostly, don’t swoon over Brad; Maybe, maybe not) But that gives us no rights to feel he owes us. I have my list of characters I’d like to see him play, and I’m 100% certain they’re RIGHT. But, that’s not pay the rent/get on with career RL and have a more comfortable middle-class life than you used to have, when laminating, whatever… 🙂
fitzg said this on October 8, 2010 at 3:09 pm | Reply
Not a Brad swooner. Especially not when he had that horrid beard that made him look like a goat. *giggle* Think he’s a good actor and attractive fellow, but just doesn’t have the effect on me dear RA does.
And a fella as good at acting as Richard certainly should be doing just that, even if not in the most high-brow or artistic of roles, because it truly would be a crying shame to waste all that talent laying floors and the like.
He would make a great William Monk, though . . . *sigh*
Thanks, fitzg. As I wrote in the follow up to this, I’m suspicious of “art,” but I also wouldn’t discount the possibility that if he stays in acting (as opposed to directing or whatever) that he eventually will do more “art” roles — if the people commenting who have been saying that his looks are a barrier to being cast in artier roles are right, as he ages and wrinkles, etc., perhaps those roles will be more available to him. It may exclude Romeo or Hamlet, of course, but not Lear or Prospero.
I haven’t been casting him in my mind in Shakespeare roles, honest I haven’t, but OH. Prospero. I’d love to see him as Prospero.
I look forward to seeing how his roles change (as they inevitably will) as he does age.
I can’t see him trying to play action roles at 60 as some botoxed and lifted American actors have done (one reason I think he is pursuing such roles now, along with the desire to increase his male audience); I think he’s going to age gracefully because he seems to live gracefully and I believe it will give him the opportunity to play very interesting “character-type” roles.
Prospero. Yes, I could definitely see that.
What I meant to ask was are there fans that believe that Mr. Armitage owes his career to them? Huh?
Brad Pitt does nothing for me at all what so ever.
NO! We don’t have “rights”! We can project, but that is in private, or on this blog.
And (no right to project here) definitely William Monk…
There’s also a “Charles Todd” series, with a WWI protagonist, shell- shocked – well, projecting again…
We just have to let him get on with RL, and the acting assignments proferred. And paying for the house/flat, and eating, occasionally. He’s rather large, so probably needs occasional meals…
Well put, fitzg. And the lad seems to genuinely enjoy his food, which I quite like to see in a man. *grin*
I have read those novels, fitzg. I think he’d be fantastic in the role — you’re thinking of the policeman, former WWI officer, who executed his friend and trench comrade for subordination? That is some of the most intriguing crime fiction I’ve read in years.
I just read somewhere that he weighs 13 stone. He probably has to eat quite a bit to maintain that, with his lifestyle. I wonder that he worries about pizza and beer.
I’ve got to read Perry’s WW I novels. I think I read the first one and for some reason didn’t get to the rest, which is unusual for me as I think I have read every single Pitt and Monk novel she has written. I’ve always enjoyed her work.
182 pounds–yeah, and I bet a lot of that is muscle, which weighs more than fat. Playing Porter must have had him wolfing down protein constantly.
Well, you know he said he also has to watch his alcohol consumption while filming Spooks because the transfers are put on with alcohol and drinking too much of it makes them fade out quickly.
I think that the Financial Times article from yesterday is quite interesting and relevant to the discussions above.
kaprekar said this on October 9, 2010 at 12:04 am | Reply
I agree, and anyone who wants to read it can access it at http://www.richardarmitagenet.com RA comes across as a very prudent person who is wisely not depending on the government to take care of him in his old age. As a side note, I also found his love and respect for his parents for all their support very lovely, in part because it mirrors the way I felt about my own late parents for all their sacrifices. I wanted to spoil them a bit, too.
Great interview I thought. How adorable can he be – LOL? I do love what a level headed person he is despite being in a crazy business. Love the story about parking his car in an inconspicuous place so his colleagues didn’t think he was showing off! He should come to my office where people love to show off their giant SUV’s 🙂 Also love his choice of films.I feel we get to know a little bit more about him as a person in this interview.
Yes, I particularly enjoy these types of interviews that are not strictly about an upcoming project–although I enjoy those, too– but given us a bit more about him, his tastes, his goals, his outlook on life. He does seem to be incredibly grounded and down to earth in a business that doesn’t exactly seem to abound in such personalities. I loved the car story, too. Such modesty!
I imagine not showing off is more important in England than in the US, where people take showing off to a fine art 🙂
I thought that, too, Servetus. We park our big honkin’ vehicles where everybody can see them AND put vanity plates on them . . . the American way!
Indeed. I read that as I was about half way through writing these two pieces.
In an interview some time ago, Richard told us he could never marry an actress. I believe him and expect he will marry as he supposed Sir Guy would have, one of the “royals.” (Poor fellow)
Servetus, you make me think I’m back in grad school. Ugh!
Armitage’s role in Captain America will make the Nazi look better than it ever has. Look out for more neo-Nazi love. RA really is great at playing bad guys and America LOVES BRITISH BAD GUYS. This could do for RA what it did for Patrick Stuart of Star Trek fame.
Mary Lou said this on October 9, 2010 at 1:25 am | Reply
Excellent point about American loving Brit baddies, @Mary Lou. Alan Rickman certainly comes to mind; Jeremy Irons has also provided some good “bad guy” moments as have many others over the years.
Rickman (another favorite of mine) is a nice reference — someone else who has one or two iconic screen roles that get him money to live off and who can spend the rest of his time doing theatre or smaller film as he wishes. Who also has a very long term relationship with an extremely normal woman who appears most to wish to stay out of the limelight.
Yes, Alan always be the deliciously nasty sheriff in Prince of Thieves for many, but I also think of his work in Truly, Madly, Deeply (love that film), and now the Harry Potter movies . . . and many small projects, too. He’s someone else I always enjoy watching.
And it’s good to hear he has that long-term relationship with a normal gal . . . Richard seems to like “normal” ladies, too, and that is so refreshing.
angieklong said this on October 10, 2010 at 10:02 pm | Reply
Rickman has been together with Rima Horton since the late 1960s, I believe. He says such sweet things about her in print. I’m prejudiced because she’s been an adjunct economics professor and has a less than model-like figure, I suppose — makes me think that we normal mortals can attract such magnetic men. She was also some kind of London city politician, I believe (would have to look it up).
Wow, that is long term for regular folks these days, much less a celeb. Good for them!! When I tell people I just celebrated my 25th anniversary this year, they seem impressed by that. But then I think about it and a lot of our classmates have been divorced at least once and several more than once. Because I’ve had a happy long-term relationship, it makes me really feel good to see others who have enjoyed the same sort of partnership.
If there is anyone who would not marry a member of the Royal family, it is Richard. He would loathe the fuss and publicity that such a life-style would entail. Sir Guy had “greater ambitions” of establishing himself in society. Richard deliberately keeps a low profile in his private life.
MillyMe said this on October 9, 2010 at 7:43 am | Reply
Yeah, imagine Mr. Armitage having to invite his mum and dad to Christmas celebrations at Balmoral. 🙂
Nope, don’t see Richard as the type to marry royalty. He has quite enough of life in a fishbowl as it is.
Quicky: I did not know Patrick Stewart is british!! I’m very fond of him since I was 10 or so with ST:TNG and just now I discover that.
PS also played Mr. Thornton on the BBC in a very early stage of his career. So lots of hope for Mr. Armitage, as PS has had a very distinguished career, and starring in a cult scifi series didn’t do him any harm at all. I had no idea who he was until ST:TNG, in which I loved him.
I didn’t know Patrick once played Mr. Thornton! I’ve loved him ever since I first saw him as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. “Engage!” I’ve been watching some eps of TNG running on BBCA right now. A nostalgia trip.
I wonder what Patrick Stewart’s fans thought when they heard about his participation in Star Trek? I wonder could be some of the same as I’m reading about Mr. Armitage’s (official on IMDB now) participation in Captain America (CA)? Perhaps some of the “how could he, he’s so much better than that”? Turned out to be an iconic role. One never knows.
Great point, Ann Marie. I’m sure some turned their noses up at it. And now, as you say, he’s an icon.
This blog IS graduate school, Mary Lou. That stuff about the Institute of Richard Armitage Studies is not a joke. At the end of the blog you will be given six hours to answer an interpretive question about Mr. Armitage’s career in writing, after which you will be given 30 minutes to defend your answer in front of a board of three examiners. If you fail, you may retake the test once, but if you fail a second time, you will be expelled without possibility of redress from the Institute.
I’m sorry, I thought you knew that! 🙂 Flee while you can!
*grin* Oh, Servetus. You tease, you.
You don’t believe me? I believe that I need to ask the John Porter Chair how your MA thesis is coming along 🙂
The John Porter chair reporting: Angie is nearing completion of her MA thesis and, once the epilogue of Truce is completed, will have passed with flying colours. She is to be awarded a disctinction in honour of her ability to substantially increase her readers’ tingle factor with each chapter she has written.
Yesss! *does a little happy dance*
And more tingling to come!
(Wish I could split a bottle of bubbly with John and Layla . . .)
@servetus, Can i just say that I LOVE the way you write administrative policy! I can imagine the entrance exam…..or better yet, may I please have permission to do a research-based study abroad? I plan on ace-ing this program..hehe.
Yes, you can do a research project abroad, or you can also do a practical internship if you can find someone to supervise it at Kudos or the BBC 🙂
We’re very flexible here at the Institute, we want each student to fulfill not only her potential, but also her desires 🙂
**Spoiler Alert** If you read the interview with Laila Rouass be prepared for a real spoiler, in my opinion.
You’re not kidding, @ann marie. I am wondering if those scenes she is alluding to are current day or flashback scenes (because we know RA shot some 1995 scenes in Wandsworth . . .) and that is all I had better say.
Please. I am stockpiling all the publicity for S9 so as to preserve the potential to be surprised!!!
My lips are sealed.
@angie and servetus,
I somehow missed a spoiler alert on that article from RichardArmitageNet.com when I clicked on the link. I wouldn’t have read the article had I realized it (there is a spoiler alert there now) as I have been trying to avoid reading spoilers and just enjoying the fun of letting the series unfold each week. 😦
A great post, as usual. I’m pretty ambivalent about fandom in general. I did the Duranie thing in high school and I wonder how much of fan response is conditioned by years of reading teen magazines. That’s what bothered me about the “Life in a Day” article, it seemed channeled by dianediane in Bop! during the Seven and the Ragged Tiger tour in 1985. There were entire sections of the magazine dedicated to stories of fan meetings with the band and you know what? The stories I read of fans meeting Armitage, exhilirating as they are, are no different. It bothers me that I find them exhilirating to begin with. I don’t begrudge fans their meetings or their joy; I just think that *I* should be past it.
A friend of mine is the younger sister of a major rock star. You would absolutely know him if I mentioned his name. When she turned 21 a mutual friend of ours threw her a surprise party in a restaurant. Her whole family was there except her rock star brother. He didn’t want her party to become about him or any insane people to ruin it for her. How sad is that? This same man was accosted in a record store by some people from Sweden who’d come to town on a Dead Rock Star pilgimage. They were flashing around photos they’d taken of gravestones, of places where people had died and were particularly pleased to have found the apartment building where one Almost Rock Star ODed. Rock Star Brother and Almost Rock Star had been roommates. RSB walked in the door just as they were crowing about finding the place where his roommate, friend, blood brother and creative partner had died. They chased him around the store asking him what it was like to find the body. How do you kick someone in the soul like that? That’s a level of callousness that I cannot comprehend but they excused themselves by calling themselves fans.
jazzbaby1 said this on October 9, 2010 at 2:57 am | Reply
This is a really sensitive comment, jazzbaby1. I think that you are right that somehow the exhilaration fans feel when they encounter their desired wish object can cause them to abandon everything else that makes them human. No artist, no matter how famous, ever deserves that sort of treatment from fellow humans, let alone fans, who claim to respect and admire him. You get at the weird paradox that sometimes fans seem to want most to destroy the objects of their affection.
At the same time, exhilaration, the capacity for unbounded excitement, is an important moment in being human. I wouldn’t want to give it up. The problem is remembering that that sensation does not exempt one from the Golden Rule. I wonder if there’s any way to remind people of that when they’re in the situation of meeting their favorite artist.
Thank goodness most fans don’t go to those awful extremes.
That’s not fandom to me, that’s really poor manners and inexcusable.
I am with you, Servetus–unbounded excitement, the “squee” factor is one of the nicest parts of being human and something I don’t want to lose, either.
I think maybe the distinction is that the squee by itself is sufficient — the cause doesn’t need to see that or acknowledge it for it to be meaningful.
Very interesting post as always, Servitus. I’ve been following Richard Armitage’s work for four years and I’m just as interested in the genres he chooses as I was when I first saw him in Vicar of Dibley. While N&S was the catalyst for an increase in his fanbase and the start of his online communities, I actually feel that it was the character of Guy of Gisborne that he is best known for. Some might disagree with me but by the time RH Series 2 had finished airing, many of the initial N&S fans had become quieter and were replaced by the Guy lovers. I still believe that RA is most well known for that role but now it is over, people are moving on. I think the fanbase is a continually evolving phenomen and as RA plays new roles he will attract new and different audiences. I therefore believe that choice of work must be more dictated by the actor’s interest in that work and script, the availability and working conditions and not by whether his old audiences might like it or not, although, I agree that his comment when Strike Back was first aired gave the impression he cared what they thought. I guess he has to have the confidence to know that his professional skills are strong enough to survive a dubious work choice (if one ever arises) and my personal belief is that he has the ability to do great things with even poorly written scripts. If he continues to put in the hard yards and delivers good performances, then he will always have an audience even if the demographic of that audience is constantly evolving and changing. I’m interested that RA has never mentioned in an interview (to my knowledge), how important a good review is to his work. I would have thought a good review from a respected film/theatre critic is more important to an actor than whether a group of his existing fans like a particular work. I think the man will always have an audience and I would like to see him in a role that will win him an award for acting excellence at some stage.
mulubinba said this on October 9, 2010 at 3:15 am | Reply
I appreciate this longer term and broader perspective on the views of the fandom than I have. (I also hesitated to some extent while composing these two posts insofar as I need to concede that my opinions about Mr. Armitage and his fans may well change when I’ve been watching him for several years, as opposed to now, after about a year.)
I imagine a good theatre review is probably important for future roles in theatre, but I can’t imagine that good reviews for television performances influence all that much, since television is much more directly driven by viewer numbers and sales.
@mulubinba: Good reviews are not essential in an appraisal of one’s work. There are so many different motives for how your work is assessed and who is doing the assessimg, believe me. I have personal knowledge of this as my son is in the music industry. Depending on a good review would have the effect of crippling your own feeling about your work. You have to trust yourself, sometimes in the face of fierce opposition. Isn’t this what trailblazers have always experienced -first, denigration by the establishment, years later, acclamation, often by the same?
There’s also the question of the source: a good review is of differing value depending on who gives it and where it appears. I write a lot of book reviews (about 20 per year over the last decade) and I notice that people take what I say more seriously when it appears in a major venue as opposed to a less respected one.
This made me think of those blurbs promoting really lousy movies where they flash one or two words on the screen–“amazing” (“It’s amazing how boring this movie is”) or where the critic’s name is printed in very tiny words so you can’t see it’s from one of those “less respected” sources. *grin*
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MyPetLizard
Bearded Dragon Guide
Fun Facts for Kids
Brumation
Enclosures for Bearded Dragon
Top Lizard Names
Bearded Dragon Basking Temp
Most pet owners regulate their ambient temperature for their pets around a single point. But that’s not the case with bearded dragon dens. Vivariums need to have a graded heating system for bearded dragons to thrive. It should have a warm spot, a cool location, and a medium heat area. And there’s different bearded dragon basking temp requirements for babies, juveniles and adults.
In the next sections, we’ll get into more detail about bearded dragon basking temp, and how to set up an awesome habitat to keep it healthy and happy.
Cold Blooded Animals
Bearded dragons belong to a category of mammals commonly known as cold-blooded animals. This name often gives people the idea that lizards, snakes, and other reptiles must be terribly cold on the inside. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Science was a bit more accurate in describing cold-blood animals, and they are aptly referred to as ectothermic animals. They can’t use food for energy, so they reverse the process. They get heat energy from their environment, and they use it to digest food, move, and stay alive.
In contrast, we have warm-blooded or endothermic animals, like cats and dogs. These guys eat the food and get loads of energy out of it. They use it to keep themselves warm, and for all their living activities. And if they feel hot, they just sweat it off.
Ectothermic animals could become too hot. If they bask in the sun longer than they should, then they’d need to lower their temperature. But they can’t sweat or pant to cool off, so they have to physically move to the shade.
At night, most animals need a cool temperature to unwind and sleep. Bearded dragons seek a place far away from the heat to do that. By sunrise the next day, it would be so cold that it would rush off to its favorite basking spot and soak up the heat.
The Ultimate Bearded Dragon Guide for Beginners
Are you thinking about having a pet beardie? This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to care for a Bearded Dragon.
Bearded dragons spend the best part of the day basking in the sun. While some people assumed that they’re just being lazy, we already know that’s not the case at all.
Basking in the sun has an essential biological function for these lizards. The surroundings of the bearded dragon should reach a certain temperature for its metabolism to work properly. Otherwise, it would be lethargic and cranky.
Interestingly, baby and juvenile bearded dragons favour a different basking temperature than the adults. They need a slightly higher temperature to feel good.
Here’s a more detailed listing of the preferred temperatures for young and older bearded dragons. Including the basking spot, the warm side, and the cool side temperatures.
Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit
Baby Bearded Dragons
(below 4 months)
Juvenile Bearded Dragons
(5-11 months)
Adult Bearded Dragons
(above 12 months)
Basking Spot 105 -110 100 – 105 95 – 100
Warm Side 95 – 100 95 90 – 95
Cool Side 85 80 – 85 75 – 80
Basking Lamps
The basking lamp is one of the most important components of the bearded dragon’s vivarium. It should imitate the sunny, bright, hot, and dry desert that lizards prefer. Several types of lamps could be used to recreate this climate.
The most important thing is to get their power right. A small terrarium needs a heat bulb of around 50 watts, while a large one could use a 150 watts bulb.
These lamps should provide UVA and UVB, which are two distinct types of ultraviolet light. And some of them come with internal reflectors to focus the basking heat on a specific spot.
These are versatile light bulbs that come in various shapes, with a broad range of powers. They are often used as basking lamps, and so they’re mounted on a fixture on one end of the terrarium.
If you have a higher basking ground in the terrarium, you should measure the bearded dragon basking temp on that spot, and make sure it’s not too high for your pet. The spots closer to the lamp are usually hotter than the ones further away.
It’s best to install them without a mesh, as this would filter out the UVA necessary for bearded dragon growth and wellbeing.
These lamps use less electricity than incandescent lamps. At the same time, they’re capable of emitting more heat. This higher tech often comes at a higher price, but many people still favor them as they last for a long time.
Ceramic Heat Emitters
These emitters look a lot like a flattened light bulb. They use a similar technology as the basking lamps to emit heat, but without the light.
Ceramic heat emitters are used mainly as a source of heat during the night. To make sure that the temperature wouldn’t drop below 65 degrees.
Mercury Vapour Globes and Heat Mats
Mercury vapour lamps are highly efficient, and they produce plenty of light and heat. That’s why it’s preferable to place them in larger terrariums than smaller ones. Also, make sure to measure the temperature around it. Overheating any zone isn’t good for the bearded dragon.
Heat mats are used to warm up the substrate part of the terrarium. They’re often taped to the bottom, on one side only.
Daytime vs. Nighttime Temperature
By day, a bearded dragon wants to soak up heat to sort of recharge his batteries. This is how he gets the necessary energy to digest its food, move about, and play. When the day is done and it needs to unwind, then the heat should be disposed of.
That’s why bearded dragons head to a cool place of about 75 degrees. But what if your house is colder than that? Below 65 degrees a bearded dragon could go into a hibernation state called brumation. It could even get sick.
That’s why it’s essential to provide extra heating for the vivarium in the cold season. And it shouldn’t be done by using a hot light. As that would interrupt the bearded dragon’s sleep cycle. It could be set up by using a ceramic heater.
Temperate Gradients
Bearded dragons aren’t finicky eaters, but they are quite picky when it comes to their optimal ambient temperatures.
They need a graded heat profile that starts from the hot zone, which is the basking spot. Moving on to a warm area, then eventually a cool zone. Lizards are incapable of regulating their own temperatures. So they count on nature, or us, to provide a temperature gradient.
Clearly, the temperature in various parts of the vivarium needs to be accurately regulated. This requires a dependable setup of lamps, heaters, and thermometers. It’s also best to provide high ground near the basking lamp and a few shaded hiding places.
Bearded lizards are quite sensitive to heat changes. If their basking lamp becomes ineffective or stops working they’ll be negatively affected until a new one is installed. That’s why it’s best to have a standby lamp in stock.
An accurate thermometer would let you ensure that the right bearded dragon basking temp is delivered. Actually, you’d need several of them to monitor the various heat zones. And you can vary the power of a lamp to suit the material and size of the vivarium.
As a final note, make sure to also monitor and regulate the humidity of the habitat. Keeping a bearded dragon happy isn’t hard at all. Just a few fixtures to setup a nice bearded dragon basking temp, and it’ll blissfully bask in its vivarium.
Bearded Dragon Brumation
Everything you need to know about Bearded Dragon brumation and hibernation.
Bearded Dragon Diet
Bearded Dragons have special feeding requirements. For instance, juveniles are very demanding and need to…
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How to Take Care of A Bearded Dragon
Best Bearded Dragon Enclosures
Bearded Dragon Impaction
Bearded Dragon Facts for Kids
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Review of Reboot: An Epic LitRPG (Afterlife Online Book One)
Reboot (Afterlife Online: Book 1) by Domino Finn. Whenever possible, I will try to keep this post free of spoilers. If you’re wondering why I do that, you can find out more by reading my complete Review Policy.
Recap & Brief Synopsis
Tad Lonnerman is a developer for a small-time studio that gets acquired by the soulless mega-corporation Kablammy Games. After a couple of years of steady career progress, he has a major setback that changes the course of his life. He dies in a car accident.
Expecting to wake up in a hospital on high doses of painkillers, he instead finds himself a resident of a newly created MMORPG (appropriately named Haven). As Tad slowly adjusts to his new reality, questions about what he left in life behind keep nagging him.
His teenage brother will be forced to fend for himself. Projects he was working on will be scrapped. There was never any time to find that special someone. All-in-all, Tad didn’t do much with his life… and now that he has a second chance, he doesn’t want to spend it on a game.
Not everything in the afterlife is paradise. Themed as it is, Haven is packed with angels, demons, saints, and sinners. When Tad meets the devil himself, he’ll have to make a choice… should he risk his new digital reality for a chance to reclaim his old life?
Premise & Concept
This story reminded me of a particular episode of Black Mirror. I can’t say which, but you’ll know exactly what I mean when you read it. Being able to upload your consciousness into a machine has been the fodder of science fiction for decades.
What separates this story from the pack are the layers of plot that Finn slowly peels back throughout the narrative. There are no intentional red herrings. Just well-placed reveals that keep your attention centered on Tad and his struggle.
Among all the stat increases and questlines is a Redemption story mixed with a more conventional Hero’s Journey. Like most great stories, there’s also a romantic subplot and plenty of comedic hijinks to go around.
This book is noteworthy because the author artfully twists each of the expected tropes into something deeper and more meaningful by the end. Everything that you take for granted as cliche becomes infinitely deeper as you progress.
If you’re going to write about the afterlife, you can’t get by without including (at least) a callout to the elements of western religion. Heaven and hell, good and evil, judgment and forgiveness. Along with all that, Finn throws in some Temptation and a little Identity Crisis.
What might catch you off-guard are the Idealistic Capitalism themes sprinkled throughout. As with many of the conventions in this book, the author comes through in the end by not following the traditional paint-by-numbers template. No spoilers. Read and find out.
Fair warning, if you’re the type of person that may be offended by labels… the author did choose to call the less-developed races “pagans.” If you can overlook that small bit of political incorrectness, there are no other overtly discriminatory remarks in the rest of the book.
I only mention it because I believe it was unintentional and will hopefully get revised in a future update. Even if I’m dead wrong, there’s something to be said about artistic license. In my opinion, it’s a distraction at best. Certainly not a dealbreaker.
Structure & Plot
This book has strong action/adventure pacing. You feel the familiar rise and fall of the try-fail cycles and each chapter transitions well into the next. There’s no use of cliffhangers or other gimmicks to keep you turning pages. Reboot doesn’t need it.
Reboot brings you along for a ride that feels thoroughly crafted. Nothing like the rickety wooden rollercoaster at the local fairgrounds. This book has a theme-park polish to it. Finn understands how to build an entertaining story that works.
If I had to pin this on the spectrum of “entry-level” to “hardcore fandom,” I’d say it favors the newcomer. Gaming terminology is present, but only after repeated explanations about how a mechanic works, and most of the group or party functions only happen beyond the first act.
LitRPG as a genre has a natural progression, and the author uses that to its full advantage when introducing the world of Haven. Even the all-white loading room (a staple of the genre) takes on an entirely new light when you consider that the book opens with Tad’s death.
Character & Dialogue
In typical indie fashion, the narrative is in first-person, past tense. There’s something to be said for an author that understands what the audience is thinking and builds a character that accurately represents their interests.
That’s precisely what Finn has done with Talon (aka Tad Lonnerman). Every time you imagine what he might do next, you find yourself reading about him trying exactly that. The feeling compounds if you’re a developer because so is Tad. He thinks like an engineer.
Much like Survival Quest [internal link], everyone in Haven has a backstory that you’re interested in learning about. You’re curious about how the players in the game ended up there. How they died and what the circumstances were that led to their upload.
Nothing is exactly what it seems, and the clues about why are scattered in character build, avatar names, and play style. It’s almost a metagame that Finn has artfully woven into the fabric of the story itself. One that you can truly appreciate if you’re a gamer at heart.
Setting & Worldbuilding
Repetition in stories is a feature, not a bug. Checkov’s Gun is the most famous example of a technique where you show the audience a piece of the set… and then use it to drive the story later on. Everything you see in Reboot is integral to the story at some point.
Most readers will understand that to be true, which is why I don’t mind including it in a spoiler-free review. It’s like saying “pay close attention” during a magic show. Everyone is doing it anyway. Only a trained eye will spot the tricks through the misdirection.
I think the most important aspect of Reboot’s worldbuilding is the fact that it isn’t perfect. You could easily imagine a place called “Haven” being free of flaws and inconsistencies. When Tad starts to find the loose ends, they become the threads that unravel the rest of his reality.
To keep things manageable, you only explore one of the nine cities in the game world. I can easily imagine a series that takes the main character to each of the major hubs of civilization. You can always tell an epic-in-the-making with a map at the front of the book.
Market Fit & Positioning
Here’s a bit of cleverness that took me a few chapters to realize. Finn uses the names of video games as chapter headings. Another detail that could easily be overlooked by the casual observer and caters directly to the geekdom. Well played, sir.
Despite the heavy thematic elements, this book is a fun and easy read. It’s not overburdened with deep meaning or spiritual posturing. It’s a look at what happens when you take things in your life for granted. Kinda like Jennifer Connelly in Labyrinth. (Dance, magic dance?)
When someone makes something look easy, you know they’re a real expert. Domino Finn has proven himself as a storyteller with this book. The author put in the work to make his product feel seamless and polished. Reboot is an indie title sets itself apart.
There are a lot of ways this book could have gone off the rails. Instead, it coasts smoothly into a home in the top hundred LitRPG titles on the market right now. As of this review, the book earned an “orange flag” which represents a bestseller in its category on Amazon. Congratulations.
Recommendations & Invitation for Feedback
There will be no more wire ratings! No ratings of any kind. That’s not how I operate. I’m not a critic. I’m a fan. That means I believe in being inclusive of anything that helps brings more readers into the community. Someone else can enforce the rules.
This book gets a Meta +7, Quirk +2, and Luck +4. Reboot is an easy-to-pick-up title that’s enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. I went cover-to-cover in a weekend. Speaking of covers, the design is top notch. You would struggle to find better, even among traditional titles.
If you like Edge of Tomorrow, Black Mirror, or Grim Fandango, then Reboot is for you. Recommended as a weekend read for the avid LitRPG fan or a good break-in title for someone just getting started. Reboot belongs on the same shelf as Ready Player One.
Ok people, over to you. I realize this book is new and your TBR list is long. Skip over a few and let’s talk about this. Would you upload your consciousness into an afterlife server? Do you think that the residents are still technically alive? Would you play with pain filters? Comment below.
in Books by Benjamin Ryker
ben ryker domino finn fantasy review
Benjamin Ryker
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Mudskipper Press
June 3, 2018 June 3, 2018 mudskipperpress
Fiction Sampler: Death on the Oyster Bay Trail
Death on the Oyster Bay Trail
Footpath Mysteries #1
by Garnet Beck
Walking on the beach close to Whitstable, Finnegan Bubb discovers the dead body of a man washed up on the shingles. The local police write off the case as the accidental drowning of a day-tripper, but Finn is not so sure.
Unexplained lights at sea; strange goings-on in the ruined castle towers above the cliffs at Reculver; a mystery surrounding the abandoned Maunsell sea forts; and a showdown at Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate are all elements of a traditional English amateur-detective novel, set along the Thanet coast of Kent.
Death on the Oyster Bay Trail is the first in a series of cosy murder mysteries set against a backdrop of footpaths and long-distance walking routes.
Kindle 978 1912226 05 4
Paperback 978 1912226 06 1
Sick of Death
Seaview Holiday Park to Tankerton Skatepark
Distance 0.5 miles
GPS coordinates 51.367° N, 1.076° E to 51.365° N, 1.062° E
Finn did not walk past the body because he was especially callous; he walked past it because he had had it with dead bodies. Had it right up to here. Dead bodies were the reason why he had started walking in the first place.
“It won’t do, will it?”
Barnacle paused from where he had been burrowing into an unsavoury, flyblown mound of dried, black seaweed, which had got flung up beyond the high-water mark on the shingles. He looked up, one furry ear raised at the sound of his master’s voice, but Finn had not been talking to him.
“It won’t do at all.”
He knew that he was going to have to go back; knew that a dead body on the beach was not something that could be ignored, no matter how indifferent you feigned to be. After all, this was Whitstable, for goodness sake, not Mogadishu. Or Margate.
Finn began to retrace his steps, slowly at first, still maintaining the hope that his initial sighting had been mistaken, and then more quickly when the pathetic flotsam of twisted limbs came back into sight and it became impossible to deny an obligation of responsibility. Sensing some unexpected new game, Barnacle had run on ahead of him and was first to reach the body. The small dog barked excitedly, making increasingly short darts back and forth between Finn and the corpse, as though undecided which one offered the greatest entertainment. In his excitement, he made a feint to snap at the prone body, his sharp, little teeth bared.
“No. Bad dog. Shoo!” Finn said, clapping his hands and advancing with more purpose.
Barnacle barked again, but quickly retreated from his prize in the presence of a more-committed claimant. The discarded plastic sole of an old flip-flop, half-sticking out of the tightly-packed shingle offered the potential for just as much amusement-value for him, without any unseemly battles regarding rights of ownership.
In a dog-eat-dog world, to the victor his spoils.
Finn knelt down on the cold shingle beside the body. The pebbles were still wet from where the sea had only recently retreated. There was no question of checking for vital signs––not that Finn was possessed of any superior knowledge of how to go about looking for them. The small brown crab, which crawled almost guiltily out of one of the empty eye sockets, precluded the need to begin even the most perfunctory acts of resuscitation.
In life, the corpse had been a man. Finn judged a relatively young man, based on the flesh that still remained on his face. A tall fellow. A black man. His upper torso was naked, abnormally bloated from exposure to the sea. Waterlogged trousers and one sock and one boot still provided the bare modicum of propriety in an otherwise bleak spectacle of desecration.
“There, there. It’s all right.”
Finn could not have explained why he stroked the dead man’s arm; was scarcely conscious that he performed the act.
“It’s all right. It’s going to be all right.”
The reassurance was more for him, than it was for the corpse. In his experience, words were wasted on the dead. They were words that he should have said several weeks before. They were words that were intended for an entirely different person.
A cold wind suddenly blew in from the sea and it brought with it the first hint of the rain, which Finn would later cite as the reason why he was not able to sleep that night. The fact was he had not been able to sleep any other night since Ava had died. Rain or no rain, it made no difference. There was nothing that could make any difference now. How could there be?
The wind agitated the exposed ridge of the dead man’s trouser leg, puckering the fabric as it might have teased the crests of the white breakers as they rushed and died upon the stony shore. It was the movement, which drew Finn’s attention to the object that was half-sticking out of the trouser pocket. It was a dirty-white piece of material, which might simply have been taken for the lining of the pocket, but for an emblem transferred onto the fabric. Finn withdrew the handkerchief, unfolding it until he had a small, white sail flapping noisily in the wind, like a seagull’s wings. Wet sand clung to the material; wet sand that clings to everything, gets into every crevice; continues to be discovered, long after the beach is nothing more than a child’s distant memory of summer.
“What’s this then?”
The emblem was of a small sailing boat, confidently navigating a moderate sea. The motif was framed by a wreath––laurels? It would seem quite possible––above which two animals stood, unnaturally balanced on their hind legs––no doubt there would be a heraldic term for the pose––as though protectors to a small shield and Latin motto. None of it meant anything to Finn. It was fortunate then that beneath the entire ensemble were the simple words: The Gambia Police.
The pockets might have contained more, but it was not Finn’s place to search them, nor his desire. He knew that he should not be taking the handkerchief, but against the greater backdrop of life and death, it seemed a relatively minor crime. He looked about him but, except for Barnacle and the body, the beach remained deserted. A witness-less crime.
It was raining more steadily now, not hard, but with greater intent. There was a rainbow. It started far out at sea, arching up in a tall halo from the horizon, descending into a pocket of calm water seemingly within touching distance of the shore. The sun reflected off the wet shingles with a strange orange light; a gentle warning that its illumination should not be taken for granted. It would be dark soon. Finn had been out walking longer than he intended.
There would be no one coming now. Not with the rain. Not with it beginning to get dark. Not here. The body had washed up on a headland, which linked directly to the nature reserve. Nature reserve. It was not entirely the misnomer that Finn’s cynical double-take warranted, nevertheless Finn had known the place when it had been simply a boggy marshland resulting from the residual run-off from the local sewage works. Nature reserve seemed like a slightly pretentious description for the small expanse of muddy meadow bisected by a shallow river. Still, it was a pretty-enough green space in a land of grey and concrete. And strangely isolated in an otherwise well-used thoroughfare. Even the more determined walkers along the coastal path tended to be suspicious of its lack of tarmacked pathways and long grass, preferring instead to keep to the longer route around, beside the caravan park and the road.
If Finn had been possessed of a mobile phone this would have been a good time to use it. His friend––his only friend? Contentious––Phil was always berating him for his Luddite adherence to an age when constant communication was not considered the norm. Nevertheless, even now, Finn did not believe the circumstances warranted what, for him, would have represented a sea-change in lifestyle and opinions. After all, how often does someone ever stumble across a dead body washed up on a beach? The likelihood of the eventuality simply did not justify the monthly subscription charges.
“Barnacle! Barnacle! We’re going.”
The little dog returned promptly from the game of ‘chicken’ he had been playing with the beaching waves, his paws struggling to find a purchase, sinking in between the shifting stones and shingle. Finn had no misapprehensions as to Barnacle’s apparent obedience. The scruffy mutt did nothing except what it wanted to do. Clearly Barnacle was only too ready to return home. He was probably cold and, by any reckoning, it was past dinnertime. Barnacle’s fur was wet when Finn stroked him, sticking up in shapeless tufts around his ears and clinging to his flanks, emphasizing his already ratty body. He had something black and sticky matted into the fur on one hind leg, but Finn could not be bothered to stop and extricate it. It was going to require a bath when they got back home, and Finn knew that neither of them was likely to enjoy the experience.
One last look out to sea––the manmade island that had once been the end of Herne Bay Pier was still visible, but would soon fall victim to the encroaching dark horizon––and Finn turned back inland, following the side of the small stream until he reached the solitary bridge where he could cross. He had no sentimental qualms about deserting the pitiful spectacle of death on the beach. He had form as far as that particular action was concerned. He would perform his duty and report the discovery of the body, but the obligation he felt was to the underlying decency of civic society and not to a stranger he had never known.
Finn’s first encounter with sentient humanity did not come until he reached the smooth, concrete peaks and troughs that demarcated the skate-park, which was segregated from the promenade by a thin and temporary metal fence, anchored by sandbags. Even then, he was barely convinced that ‘sentient’ appropriately described the three hooded shapes that huddled close together at the furthermost corner of the park, like one melded golem of teenage vacancy. The now persistent drizzle had evidently been sufficient deterrent to motivate the three skaters to abandon their boards; the dreariness of the homes that awaited their return had prevented them from departing altogether. They were wedded to the place, like the graffiti and the plastic litterbins.
Finn was conscious how he must look to their eyes. Old. Boring. Pointless. Finn knew, because it was precisely how he appeared to himself when he ever chanced to look in his bathroom mirror.
It was Barnacle who broke the ice. Barnacle who bridged a gap between youth and experience; between the corduroy trousers of convention and the branded band-motif sweatshirts of rebellion. The little dog was not a keen observer of the boundaries of social convention. He ran, barking, between a gap in the tubular barriers, did a comedy pratfall on the slippery concrete slope, and then attempted to disguise his athletic ineptness by scooting along, inelegantly, on his bottom; a manoeuvre, which provoked a titter of embarrassed amusement from the three stoics. Finn took advantage of the unscheduled sideshow, calling through the fence:
“Got a phone I can use?”
“Whadya want it for?”
It was a more hopeful response than blank disregard.
Finn was torn whether to admit the truth. He could confess to the discovery of the body on the beach––a strategy, which would be guaranteed to ignite the youngsters’ morbid interest and so secure the use of a mobile phone––but it would also initiate an inevitable juvenile stampede to view the corpse, which he would be powerless to prevent. In the end, he decided that recourse to simple economics might outweigh any other arguments.
“I’ll pay you.”
“A pound?”
The suggestion was too tentative. It was an open invitation for any aspiring capitalist.
“A pound! Make it a tenner.”
A tenner! A monthly subscription for a mobile phone was suddenly looking like a more attractive proposition. However, Finn recognised that the offer was non-negotiable. Any quibbling was more likely to be met with a blanket refusal. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet, withdrew a ten-pound note, folding it once lengthwise, and offered it silently across the cultural divide, like a customer waiting at a busy bar. Hooded golem number one rose, grudgingly, to receive the offering; handing over a slim, black object as his part of the exchange.
Finn looked at the device in his hands as though it were a piece of alien technology.
“How do you switch it on?”
“A tenner.”
“It’ll cost you a tenner if you want me to switch it on for you.”
The brazen opportunism was acknowledged by appreciative sniggers from his two accomplices.
The nascent complaint died on Finn’s lips. He was neither so aged not to appreciate the enterprise of youth, nor sufficiently egalitarian not to believe that knowledge came with a price tag.
Finn returned the phone along with another folded note:
“Just show me how to make a call, Bill Gates.”
“Who?” A frown beneath the hoodie.
“Never mind. Just get it to where I can ring a number.”
The youth pressed four buttons in rapid succession and handed the phone back. At the current rate of pay, Finn estimated his juvenile extortionist must rank in a similar income bracket to a Premiership footballer.
At least the screen was alight now. There was a touchscreen keyboard, with which Finn was familiar, and a green symbol of a ‘traditional’ telephone, which seemed self-explanatory.
Finn dialled 999, pressed the green button, and took a distancing pace away from prying ears as soon as he heard the reassuring dialling tone.
By the time the police arrived, the earlier rainbow and the three golems had long since gone, and the darkness had taken over.
Available on Kindle and as a paperback.
Footpath Mysteries
Garnet Beck
Isle of Sheppey
Maunsell Sea Forts
mystery novel
Previous The Launch of the Mudskipper Remote Places Project and the Mudskipper Micronations Project
Next The Little Irritations of Life #11: Ripen at Home Fruit
The Charlie Priest Crime Books of Stuart Pawson
Lost in a Good Book
The Angry Old Woman of Pisa
Rooms with a View #4: Reine Rorbuer
Fiction Sampler: The Working Dead
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Tag: election 2020
Lynda Carter First Starred as Wonder Woman on 11/7/1975, Kamala “Momala” Harris Declared First Ever Female Vice President-Elect 45 years later
November 8, 2020 ~ Todd Russell ~ Leave a comment
Let’s set aside President Trump’s current legal challenges to the election results in multiple battleground states for a moment and focus on something exciting and historic.
On Saturday November 7, the AP and consequently multiple other news agencies called the presidential election for former Vice President Joe Biden.
A curious coincidence that Lynda Carter aptly pointed out: she first starred as Wonder Woman in the pilot for the popular TV series exactly 45 years ago on November 7, 1975.
Carter also wrote of Harris becoming the first female vice president in U.S. history, “Beyond thrilled for my friend @KamalaHarris, who has fought for progress and justice for so long. A true stateswoman, she will show us all the things a VP is supposed to be.”
Lynda Carter Celebrates Kamala Harris By Noting 45th Anniversary of ‘Wonder Woman’ TV Premiere | Hollywood Reporter
I’ve been wanting to see more women in the highest political positions for years and this is one step for women closer to the presidency. In fact, if Biden should die during his time in office, which isn’t exactly a far stretch considering he will be the oldest president ever, then Kamala Harris will become the president.
I’d rather see a woman elected president than be awarded the position under 25th Amendment circumstances, but a win for women is a win.
Congratulations to “Momala” Harris, as she’s lovingly referred to by her family.
Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris explains what it means to be “Momala”
Kamala Harris will provide a number of firsts in the White House, and it’s time these barriers fall for women. It will be good to see a man stand by his woman vs. the opposite. Women can and very much should be just as eligible for any elected political position.
And Now We Wait, Election Day Now Extended To Plural DAYS
November 4, 2020 November 4, 2020 ~ Todd Russell ~ Leave a comment
Early morning on election day 11/3, ballot has been cast and delivered to the ballot box
This presidential election is turning into a bit like a Martin Scorsese film run time: going longer than it probably should.
For those who voted for Biden or Trump, there remains no closure yet. No ending. The run time continues …
Like many others across America, we watched the massive amount of election coverage last night and on a positive note: we were excited that so many voted. Whichever way you voted, it’s the fact that you voted that is awesome. Increased turnout is a very exciting thing to see!
Now, on the not so positive front: a result remains in a waiting pattern for votes to be counted in multiple states. It’s reminiscent of 2000 only it’s happening in more than one state.
Worse, when I turned on the news this morning the words, “lawyers are in the air flying everywhere” this is exactly what we don’t need in this country (see: PLEASE NO CONTESTED RESULT — Whether Trump or Biden Wins Election 2020, We Need a Definitive Result). Am hopeful that once these votes are counted — and all eligible votes must be counted — a definitive result will present itself avoiding activity from these “flying” lawyers.
Emphasis on hopeful, because 2000 Bush vs. Gore and the whole hanging chad and Florida voting controversy is not something this country wants or needs in 2020. We don’t need multiple states with recounts, but there is a possibility we’re headed this direction.
Two of three battleground states being promoted as keys to watch for President Trump have been settled: North Carolina, Florida and Ohio with only North Carolina in the “still counting votes” waiting mode. That seems to be leaning toward President Trump as of this writing, but even if he carries that he still doesn’t have 270
Longtime GOP pollster and political strategist Frank Luntz told CNBC on Tuesday he will be closely watching the results in North Carolina, Florida and Ohio, describing the trio of states as key bellwethers in determining the election outcome between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. “If Donald Trump wins all three of them, he’s going to be in this,” Luntz said on “Squawk Box,”
GOP pollster Frank Luntz: Trump-Biden race comes down to 3 states
Unfortunately, most of us in America and probably some in other countries are watching this unfold more than movies.
Again, as said in my other post linked above, I just want a definitive outcome — if that’s for Biden or Trump, either way. Disputed anything outcomes suck. Badly. They will drag this on and we’ll be all too glad to unplug and go back to watching more movies. At least movies have endings. They might not be great endings in some case, but you watch for 90 minutes or so and you see a story played out.
From a purely technology standpoint, I don’t understand how elections can’t be resolved in a single day in 2020. These aren’t horse and buggy times, we are on the edge of self-driving vehicles that can drive anywhere safely and efficiently. I recognize and appreciate this is a challenging year with unusual circumstances — and many ballots are being mail-in vs. voting in person — and am sending out positive vibes to the hard working men and women counting votes and doing the best with their jobs in these polling places.
PLEASE NO CONTESTED RESULT — Whether Trump or Biden Wins Election 2020, We Need a Definitive Result
November 3, 2020 November 2, 2020 ~ Todd Russell ~ 2 Comments
Just sealed envelope and will take to the ballot box in the morning, long before the deadline.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to get into who I’m voting for, nor asking you what your vote was. This site is about movies and TV shows, but there is an entertainment angle to this election that will be played out on TV that’s worth exploring. At least in a post or two, before we return to regular business.
For the record, I don’t believe the current polls are accurate.
I believed them in 2016 and was shocked, so this time around I’m going the converse: don’t believe them.
I simply don’t think Biden is ahead a little bit. He’s either ahead a lot more than the poll results say or Trump is a little ahead and nobody in the media wants to report that. Trump could also be way ahead and that would make the polls wrong. Biden could be way ahead, also, and that would make them wrong, too.
Whether or not President Trump is reelected isn’t what this post is about, it’s the drama that exists between the two possible outcomes and played out on multiple news broadcasts. on election day and beyond. This sort of political theater, at least once every four years is entertaining to watch. I think this year might be the most entertaining election coverage since I’ve followed … but I worry about an ending to the story.
Will we get an ending?
Here’s what I hope happens: a definitive outcome one way or the other. If Biden wins big, good, then President Trump better accept the loss gracefully. Biden already said in one of the debates he would accept the results if he lost and I believe he will.
For the sake and dignity of our country, whichever one wins, please to the other support the peaceful transfer of power. Please. We don’t need some super close contested results that drags on for days, weeks or … gasp —
Not knowing who the President of the United States will be is the unacceptable outcome. Will admit I fear that will be the outcome … at least for a little while.
I’ll be tuning in on Tuesday to follow the coverage, curious to see if the pundits are right or wrong, but hoping to find some definitive result.
I like that David Letterman is picking one side to win “big.” If the other side wins big, that’s OK with me, too. Just give us a “big” result one way or the other so we know what’s going to happen and who’s going to be the president the next four years.
I believe he will lose it big, and it will be a relief to every living being in this country, whether they realize it now or not. It certainly will be a relief to me and my family, and I think generally the population. I’m more confident now than I was then, and I was pretty confident then. I was wrong. I don’t think I’ll be wrong this time.
Interview: David Letterman on Trump and 2020 Election
Fellow American readers, whichever candidate you voted for — and I’m not asking to know but you’re welcome to share below if you want — I hope your candidate wins big.
I’ll accept either winner, although I have my favorite — and no, I’m not going to share who that is — I just hope he wins big. Biden or Trump, just win big already so we don’t have to hear about a deadlock over contested election results. That would just add insult to the pandemic injury.
Do you hope the result is undisputed? Hopefully, we’ll find out soon enough.
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Todd Russell
Debra Messing Is Available To Play Lucille Ball – Again – And Has Family Support
Stunts Gone Wrong: Yes, Courtney Henggeler really slapped Martin Kove in Cobra Kai Season 3
Hulu offers Student Discount: $1.99/month to both new and existing subscribers
TV SERIES Review: Star Trek: The Animated Series S1E11 – The Terratin Incident ⭐️⭐️⭐️
WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND #3 of 2021 Movie and TV Streaming Picks – Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
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Increasing Connection To Care Among Military Service Members At Elevated Suicide Risk
Thomas Joiner
Peter Gutierrez
Suicide rates have increased in the U.S. military in recent years, which has prompted many researchers to look at how clinicians are treating those experiencing suicidality. Although efficacious interventions and treatments exist connecting individuals at elevated risk to behavioral health care services, these connections remain an uphill battle. Less than one third of service members with mental health problems, including those at elevated suicide risk, access care. Thus, increased efforts are needed to connect military service members at elevated suicide risk to evidence-based treatments.
One persistent barrier to help-seeking is stigma. Self-stigma, defined as one’s own stigmatizing attitudes about help seeking (e.g., “I am weak if I seek treatment”) poses a particularly significant barrier to care for those at elevated suicide risk and especially for military service members. Strikingly few interventions exist to reduce help-seeking stigma and increase connection to care among military service members. Pilot data previously collected by this study team found promising results when using a novel web-based intervention, cognitive bias modification (CBM) for help-seeking stigma (CBM-HS).
Drs. Joiner and Gutierrez plan to build off this pilot data by conducting an RCT on the CBM-HS intervention designed to target stigma-related cognitions among individuals at elevated suicide risk not currently engaged in behavioral health treatment. Interventions that leverage CBM principles involve the completion of brief, web-based tasks in which participants are presented with a series of stimuli (e.g., words, sentences) and are trained to respond to those stimuli in a manner that is positive or neutral, rather than negative and unhelpful. Consistent with the general theoretical rationale for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, CBM interventions function by reshaping negative cognitions. If shown to be effective in reducing help-seeking stigma, enhancing intentions to seek care, and increasing help-seeking behaviors, this study has the potential to contribute to a decrease in suicide rates among U.S. military service members.
Dissertation Award
2020 MSRC Dissertation Award Winners Announced
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Valid and Reliable Suicide Risk Assessment for Active Duty Personnel
© Military Suicide Research Consortium
1107 W. Call St.,
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Supported in part by U.S. Department of Defense Award W81XWH-10-2-0181
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Tag: Allen Leech
Plot: The story of the legendary rock band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury, leading up to their famous performance at Live Aid (1985)
Wow. I went to see this in cinema in December and never got around to reviewing it. It simply needs a spot on this blog because even though I never got around to posting a top 10 films for 2018, this would have ranked high up.
Let’s focus a few seconds on the performance that made this film – Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddie Mercury. Malek has always embraced oddball roles with vigor and has no trouble taking on a human legend full of eccentricity like Mercury. The two sides of Mercury is explored – his crazy media and onstage persona and him as a loner and intensely private. Malek handles both with aplomb. He switches seamlessly between the two sides of Mercury and seems truly lost in his performances on stage. I doubt anyone else could have given such a convincing performance. He deserved his Oscar, and he deserves all the praise being thrown his way for his work.
I liked that the movie focused on the band and how they developed, grew and thrived to become one of the greatest bands of all time. It could have gone without a few fabrications, such as a breakup by the band. I know there was some uproar online about the numerous factual inaccuracies in the film, but Bohemian Rhapsody is still one of the strongest films to walk out of 2018.
The other performances are stellar as well, although I would have enjoyed more time with the other band members on screen. I still don’t accept that Gwilym Lee portrayed Brian May – he looks so much like the real deal in the film that I won’t accept that they didn’t just dye the real Brian May’s hair brown again. Anyway, he obviously does a convincing job to portray the amazing guitarist. Joseph Mazello plays John Deacon and Ben Hardy Roger Taylor, and I think the only thing that could have made the movie better was more in-band conversations. Lucy Boynton plays Mercury’s female love interest Mary Austin, and yup, you guessed it, a fine job too. Allen Leech plays a villainous manager that corrupts Mercury and derails his life, and it was quite upsetting seeing my favorite Tom Branson behaving in such a manner.
I have been a Queen fan for a big part of my life. Their music is just so alive and interesting and original. I probably sound so much older than what I am when I say that they just don’t produce music like this anymore – the originality seems to have gone down the drain in lieu for bum shorts and gangster lyrics. It was an amazing to listen to all the songs in cinema and know every single word. There is also the incredible Live Aid performance reenacted in the movie, which made me re-watch the actual performance countless times.
Freddy Mercury succumbed to aids-related illness in 1991. His death continues to be one of the greatest losses in the music industry, with such an incredible talent gone forever. With the medical advancements we currently enjoy, he could have fought the progression of the disease for many years and continued to thrive. This film manages to capture the genius and essence of who he was. If you haven’t sat down to watch this yet, I really suggest you do.
April 2, 2019 by Natasha Categories: 2018, Movies, movies, Review, Reviews, UncategorizedTags: 2018, Allen Leech, Ben Hardy, Bohemian Rhapsody, Brian May, Bryan Singer, Freddie Mercury, Gwilym Lee, John Deacon, Joseph Mazello, Movies, Queen, Rami Malek, Roger Taylor 3 Comments
Series Review: Downton Abbey Season 6 (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
It is a very well-known fact that I own the title to the biggest Downton Abbey fan that has ever lived. I adore everything about the show – how very British everything is, a look back into a lost era and the class systems. That and the excellent costume design, dramatic sequences and veiled sarcasm that only the British can manage? The show was designed for me. Downton Abbey came around at a time where I was desperately tired of the vulgarity of shows like Game of Thrones – yes, shoot me, I know there is an enormous fan base, but is anyone else tired of it? It has no class and it has no style and senseless violence.
Anyway, now that I’m done sounding like a pompous little prick, let me tell you what I loved about Season 6 of Downton Abbey. Clue: Nearly everything.
Anna and Bates. These two have had so many plights throughout the show that I’d been thoroughly exasperated at the end of Season 5. Like can they just stop being accused of killing people or stealing or whatever?! Sheesh. The season ended so sweet for them that this I was willing to cry of happiness for them. I was.
Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. Everyone knew they should marry because Mrs. Hughes is the only one on earth that can sass Mr. Carson right back. I loved this entire story arc and they managed to pull it off in such a way that it wasn’t fake or annoying and just seemed so lovely that two people could find love nearing the end of their lives.
Edith and her Bertie. Oh, Edith. How you’ve grown on me. Arguably the most beleaguered character ever, frequently by her own design, but Edith Crawley somewhere grew a backbone and received a purpose in life. I loved her Bertie too – here was a man tailor made for her, kind, caring, and could properly assess the complexity of her relationship with her surviving sister. Their wedding is the most romantic thing I’ve seen since Mary and Matthew’s wedding SOB SOB SOB.
Mary’s incredibly attractive new counterpart, Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode). Where has this man been all my life?! Mary made me so angry. I’ve always been a Mary fan but when she nearly messed up Edith’s life (AGAIN), I was legitimately pissed at her. In my mind the best version of Mary will always be the woman she was when she was married to Matthew, but I found that Henry Talbot had all the wonderful characteristics of my beloved Matthew and could influence her as well. And I reiterate – Matthew Goode is so beautiful.
The darling boy they cast as Matthew Crawley’s son – it ripped out my still bleeding heart but that child could really be the child of Dan Stevens.
Tom returning – let’s face it, everyone loves Tom the most.
How perfectly happy everything ended. Some people will roll their eyes at how tidily every arc was wrapped up and how everyone got their happiness.
I’m mentioning Edith’s wedding again. The happiness. The romance. How deserving she was of her big moment.
The new puppy – awwwwww
What I didn’t like:
Spratt and Denker. I don’t know why these two got so much time in the show. Their quarrels were annoying and silly and it really grated on me.
Daisy. The character has always been a hit and miss for me but she truly grated on my nerves in the final season. She comes across as an ungrateful and immature child, and I just wanted to smack the petulance out of her.
That big fright with Lord Crawley’s health scare. DON’T DO THAT TO ME AGAIN, DOWNTON.
Well, there you have it. My favorite show has come to an end. I will always rewatch this show and even though I am sad that it has ended, I applaud Julian Fellows for stopping while they were ahead. Gosh Downton, I’m going to miss you.
February 11, 2016 February 6, 2016 by Natasha Categories: 2016, Review, Series, UncategorizedTags: Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey Season 6, Edith Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggart, Laura Carmichael, Leslie Nicol, Maggie Smith, Mary Crawley, Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Phyllis Logan, Rob James-Collier, Sophie McShera 8 Comments
Series Review: Downton Abbey Season 5
I can’t believe that I‘ve watched everything there is to watch of this show right now. When is the next season coming? Next year? Can 2016 arrive now? Sherlock AND more Downton in one year? Yes, please.
This season is better than the fourth. Everyone has dealt with Matthew Crawley’s death and almost forgiven Dan Stevens for his choice to depart from the show (It is hard to hate him after seeing The Guest and knowing that he will be the Beast in the new Disney movie – also in 2016!). Even Rose managed to not annoy me so much – although her relationship with Atticus Finch and the time frame that Downton is now entering does not even hide what the writers are planning for season six. I liked her relationship with Atticus – she is a much more manageable person with him. I still hate her mother and like her father and find their divorce in the time this show plays off very interesting.
I thought Mary’s relationship with Tony Gillingham had great potential then just fell flat. I’m not saying she should have chosen him – I said back in my review of season four that he is not her intellectual equal, but the way the story worked out felt rushed and not properly developed. Her meeting that handsome man at the end of the Season tells me that she will have yet another suitor in Season 6. How gorgeous is Matthew Goode?! I hope he becomes a series regular in Season six!
Edith is still in her perpetual bubble of misery and still annoying AF. Sorry, this girl just constantly chooses to make herself unhappy. She chooses to compare herself with Mary endlessly. I do hope that she and the man who she also met in the last episode can be happy, but we will see if Edith allows herself to be happy. The fire in her room was quite dramatic and Barrow’s heroic rescue of Edith was a great moment in the show, and then they just left it and a great story stayed underutilized.
Can we just talk about the shocking death of Isis? (No, sadly not the terrorist organisation). Who kills the dog?!?!?! I loved that beautiful animal and really felt so sorry for Lord Grantham about it.
Tom planning to leave – NO. Come back, darling. I love you and little Sybbie too much. Come back now.
As for downstairs, I really enjoyed the latest romance. The Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes story has been developing for quite some time now, and it was so lovely to see a strong direction with their love story. Bates and Anna kept on being Bates and Anna – drama drama drama. Barrow still keeps on being Barrow – the second you have some sympathy for him he does something and you are just certain that you will never like him. The Spratt and Barrow bitch fest was really annoying – what is the point of either of them getting such sudden limelight?
Some of the smaller story angles managed to stay surprisingly interesting. I usually hate when writers of the story deviate too far from the story surrounding the central characters, but Charles Blake setting up the reunion of Tony Gillingham and his fiance had some entertaining moments (and I do think that Charles had his own ulterior motives there). I didn’t really get the point of the Dowager Countess and Prince Kuragin. It is definitely the most unique attempt at romance this show attempted yet. I love Maggie Smith’s role in here and she is such a fantastic asset, but come on: We really don’t HAVE to give every female in this show a marriage proposal, do we?
I really enjoyed this season and am so happy they returned to the original glory of the show. I can’t wait to see season six and I really hope that the show ends on a high note, although I am sobbing with angst that this show is ending!
July 15, 2015 July 14, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Reviews, SeriesTags: Allen Leech, Charles Blake, Downton Abbey, Edit Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern, Henry Talbot, Hugh Bonneville, Isobel Crawley, Jim Carter, Laura Carmichael, Maggie Smith, Mary Crawley, Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Review, Series, Tom Branson, Tony Gillingham, Violet Crawley 3 Comments
Top Ten Television Crushes
Have I done one of these already? If so, I don’t care because I am doing another one! My list has certainly evolved the past few months with some pretty awesome and fine gentlemen working their way in! As I’m writing this the post is threatening to turn into a novel, so sorry for the long one!!
Special mentions:
Luke Danes – Scott Patterson, Gilmore Girls
Jon Snow – Kit Harrington, Game of Thrones
Jax Teller – Charlie Hunnam, Sons of Anarchy
Chuck Bass – Gossip Girl
Jess Mariano – Milo Ventimiglia, Gilmore Girls
Character rating: 8/10
Smoky factor: 8/10
Jess comes in at number 10 because he is the perfect bad boy that every girl should have once in her life. He is not always good to Rory and his problems in life keeps him back, but later on in the story his character becomes extremely satisfying to see succeed.
Seely Booth – David Boreanz, Bones
I LOVVEEE Bones. The show is good and takes place in a lab which, as it is part of my career world, I enjoy immensely (although the drinking and eating around human remains… nope).
Booth is so damn fine. The height, the size, the character, just take me now. I have a big thing for the whole injured soldier story so that factors in really well too.
Damon Salvatore – Ian Somerhalder, Vampire Diaries
Character rating: 7.5/10
Final Score: 16.5/20
I’ve only seen the first three seasons and I’m not that interested in seeing the rest because season three is already rather boring, but the main attraction of that show is Damon Salvatore. He is comfortable with his nature and doesn’t whine as much as his brother. Also, the eyes of Ian Somerhalder, paired with the black hair and that fuck-it-all attitude. Win.
Robb Stark – Richard Madden, Game of Thrones
Smoky factor: 8.5/10
Rating: 16.5/20
SOB. He was everything until George Martin was George Martin and killed him off. I’ve noticed that GoT has the same route – endear a character to the watcher/reader, and then pop him. Rob, with his curly hair, his kingly nature and his impulsive streak (that lead to said popping) made such a good character. Richard Madden was a great attribute to the show – looky wise, acting wise and execution of the storyline. He is sorely missed.
Tom Branson – Allen Leech, Downton Abbey
Tom Branson is initially introduced into Downton as a depiction of the unrest that was very much real in the middle and lower classes in Britain in the 1920s. Tom is adorable in his outspokenness and opinions and his fearless determination to give his opinion. His love story with Sybil is so romantic and fun because it is seen as inappropriate.
I love Tom. He is a good man and can see how the upper class isn’t all that bad although he disagrees with the class system. His grief at Sybil’s death had me so upset because it was done so well. His love for his young daughter and his determination to make life good for her.Just YES.
Khal Drogo – Jason Momoa, Game of Thrones
Smoky factor: 10/10
If this post was based solely on characters Khal Drogo would probably have been lower on the list. His character is cool but let’s face it – even though the love story between him and Khaleesi eventually becomes so beautiful it causes physical pain, the start of their sexual relationship is not at all consensual (at least in the series)
So it is thus the looks department that brings Khal Drogo in at number five on this list. He is so hot. All that muscle and manliness and the little scar above the eye and his looks and everything
Dean Winchester – Jensen Ackles, Supernatural
Ah Dean. Supernatural is such a great show (until season 5) and I’ve been scared plenty of times watching it. We all know who the better Winchester brother is. Sam Winchester is the most annoying crying baby that any show has had (apart from Carrie Matheson in Homeland). Dean however, is everything. HE is strong and resilient and such a good brother and smoking hot. His taste in music, his taste in cars, clothing and food. Everything just wins where Dean is concerned!
Peter Quinn – Rupert Friend, Homeland
Character rating:9/10
This could really be a list of my favorite shows too, as far as the numbering is currently going! I really enjoy Homeland and even though I find the drama, especially in Season 4, very much like a war propaganda from the US, I think the show is really well produced and the characters extremely well written. Carrie Matheson is the bane of everyone’s existence, not just mine, so the show’s quality relies on the supporting cast and the story.
Peter Quinn came to Homeland in Season 2 but never really received the proper character development he deserved. Every season would start off with some introduction on his life and extraordinary work skills and then just fade as Carrie’s crying face got all the attention.
Season 4 finally really starts to focus on Quinn, and although I retched when his feelings for Carrie came out into the open, I really enjoyed that he got more screen time.
Quinn is efficient and loyal and dedicated to his team, all of the things which Carrie is not. When he goes into avenging mode, it is damn hot and I just want to jump through the screen. I enjoy the many layers the character has and how he struggles with many of the decisions his superiors make.
Sherlock Holmes – Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Sherlock comes in a close second on the favorite characters list. He is so intelligent and quirky and Benedict Cumberbatch brings the legendary sleuth to the screen in the way that no person could have thought possible. The three seasons are all highly entertaining, the banter between Sherlock and Watson is sharp and acerbic and the chemistry onscreen between Cumberbatch and Freeman contributes to the enormous success of the show. The story is sharp and layered and excellently written and produced. However, without Cumberbatch this show would have been really good, but I don’t think that it would have been as excellent. His unique features and nature brings the character to life – no one will ever be Sherlock as well again as he. Then there are Cumberbatch’s eyes and that voice that just kills me. (The hair and his height and his trench coats too)
Matthew Crawley – Dan Stevens, Downton Abbey
Character rating: 10/10
Matthew Crawley has forever ruined television crushes for me, because no one will ever be able to compete against him and walk away the victor. I don’t always go for blonde haired guys, so when I do, you must KNOW that it is for character reasons as well as looks. Matthew really perfected my standards here. His character is amazing. He is kind and compassionate in situations where it wouldn’t be unfair of him to lose his temper. He goes through so much in the show and he remains this gentle soul. I love everything about him and I can’t see myself ever giving this spot away to anyone else.
June 26, 2015 June 24, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Friday, Fun, Top Ten CrushesTags: Allen Leech, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bones, Damon Salvatore, Dan Stevens, David Boreanz, Dean Winchester, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Gilmore girls, Homeland, Ian Somerhalder, Jason Momoa, Jensen Ackles, Jess Mariano, Khal Drogo, Matthew Crawley, Milo Ventimiglia, Peter Quinn, Richard Madden, Robb Stark, Rupert Friend, Seely Booth, Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes, Supernatural, Tom Branson, Vampire Diaries 20 Comments
The humor: It is plentiful, intelligent, sharp, everywhere and of a higher quality that entertainment produces as a usual standard. It is dry wit properly used. I can’t get enough of it.
I now know that it is pronounced “Downton Abbey” and not “Downtown Abbey”
The costume design is gorgeous and suitable to the periodical setting
The estate – just wow. It is absolutely gorgeous and such a strong structure. I don’t often freak out about many buildings – architecture is not my greatest passion but I can really get behind a beautiful structure if it appeals to me. It was even more fascinating that this is a real holding and not just a magnificent prop stage.
The depiction of relationships between upper, middle and lower class is keeping me really intrigued. All the sides are really well developed and gets proper show time. The Class system remains one of the most amusing hierarchical systems in the world. It is not really prevalent in South-Africa so I cannot imagine how people would willingly subject to such forms of oppression. It is interesting though, and the clear line between the classes even while they are still perfectly civil to each other.
Maggie Smith slays. Just WOW. This role is so worthy of her time. The dry sarcasm, the disdain, her supreme lack of care of what people think of her, that entire character she brings so authentically to life. She’s my idol. That’s all.
There are some characters I love and some I dislike, but every cast member does a wonderful job. The characters I dislike are purely because they were written for that exact reason – as antagonists. The characters I love the most: Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), who I can easily devote this entire post too, Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), whose sad and intriguing lifestyle I can think days about, John Bates (Brendan Coyle) – THAT FIRST SAD EPISODE WTF, The Lord Crawley, who has such a loyal heart and works so hard to save his inheritance.
Theo James, I am so sorry. HAHAHA. My demented sense of humor was way too tickled about what happened to the Middle-Eastern prince when he visited Downton. It is just…. HAHAHA. The ramifications of how that poor girl must have felt. (Not disclosing who though #notospoilers). You are absolutely gorgeous though, sir.
That kiss. OMFG I nearly went through the roof. It is so beautiful and proper and appropriate and introduced on the perfect time in the story.
Dan Stevens and his eyes. I get really irritated when people harp on other people’s pretty eyes. It seems so… false. But Dan Stevens has eyes that make me finally understand that sentiment of carrying on about it. It’s so blue and gorgeous and when he focuses on something… just hold me back haha. ❤ ❤ I also love the character that he plays. Matthew Crawley has the biggest heart and the most common sense, and I just adore his determination to stay true to who he is.
I really mostly liked all of it. The pilot episode is the weakest but it is still very good and the show picks up pace and character as it progresses through the season. It remains such an extremely cultured experience to watch, that I kid you not, I wore stockings the next day to work as a testimony of my adoration and desire to be part of 1912’s England. I really do dislike two of the characters, not for their acting, because it is wonderfully good and exceeds in making their characters exactly as unlikable as they were created to be. The relationship between Edith and Mary has so many complex layers and is quite satisfying to watch. I really sympathize with both of them – Mary has such a daunting task that goes against every grain of her personality and poor Edith is always found lacking next to her two absurdly pretty and charming sisters. They both did something that made me shake my head in exasperation – sisters should never fight like that. I see both of their sides and the vindictiveness of their actions – it’s horrid but there is an element of reason to what they do.
This is truly a wonderful show and enormous amounts of fun. It might be somewhat chaste to people who like things constantly bawdy (hey, not judging, I enjoy bawdy fun too), but it is such a lovely experience watching this DownTON Abbey and I can’t wait to get through the rest.:)
June 2, 2015 May 29, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Reviews, SeriesTags: Allen Leech, Brendan Coile, Dan Stevens, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggart, Laura Carmichael, Lesley Nichol, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Phyllis Logan, Rob James-Collier, Rose Leslie, Sophie McShera 3 Comments
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Artist Proofs
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Only -890 pieces in stock!
Title: Grand Canyon National Park
Artist: Robert B. Decker
Paper: “Conservation” 100% recycled, domestically produced.
Inks: Soy based.
The Grand Canyon National Park Poster is an original work by Robert Decker and features a view of the canyon from the Kolb Studio patio, near the trailhead to the Bright Angel Trail.
Each Grand Canyon print is dated and signed by the artist. And Rob’s signature attests that he has personally inspected and approved each print — and further verifies that no unsigned copies are known to exist.
About Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size: 277 river miles (446km) long, up to 18 miles (29km) wide, and a mile (1.6km) deep. Grand Canyon National Park, established in 1919, exposes unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms. You can explore the canyon by mule, bicycle, by hiking or backpacking or on whitewater and smooth water raft trips along the Colorado River. Grand Canyon National Park is located in Arizona.
About the Grand Canyon National Park Poster
The Grand Canyon National Park Poster measures 13" x 19" and is an original work by Robert Decker. The original photograph was taken from the Kolb Studio patio, near the trailhead to the Bright Angel Trail, which can be seen in the foreground. The Grand Canyon National Park Poster is created in the style of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the 1930s and 1940s and printed on “Conservation,” a 100% recycled, domestically produced (80 lb.) paper stock with soy-based inks. From start to finish, each print is 100% American Made. Hang this Grand Canyon National Park Poster on your wall and capture the essence of this spectacular location.
Grand Canyon National Park Artist Proofs
Artist Proofs are the first 25 posters pulled from each print run. They are numbered 1-25, and are dated and signed. Each Grand Canyon print features the color bars used by the pressman to make sure that the print stays registered and colors stay consistent throughout the print run. Grand Canyon Poster Prints (Artist Proofs) are 13″ x 20″.
Click here to see the Grand Canyon National Park Artist Proof
Grand Canyon National Park Canvas Prints
Printed on superior-quality, artist-grade canvas, designed for museum display and gallery exhibitions. This 350 gsm, acid-free canvas has a tight, natural weave which maximizes image quality, while also revealing the texture of an artist's canvas. Grand Canyon National Park canvas prints are available in two sizes: 16" x 24" and 24" x 36", are shipped free and are ready to hang.
Click here to see the Grand Canyon National Park Canvas Print
Photographer and graphic artist Rob Decker studied photography with Ansel Adams in Yosemite National Park during the summer of 1979. The experience solidified his love of photography and our National Parks. Now he is on a journey to photograph and create iconic WPA-style posters of all our major national parks as we celebrate the next 100 years of the National Park Service.
"I feel that it’s important to protect America’s special places, and to connect people with nature. And it’s up to all of us to pitch in. Perhaps more importantly, we need to inspire the next generation of park stewards. I’m trying to make a difference by giving back to the amazing organizations that support our National Parks. I donate 10% of annual profits, so when you buy one of these original works, you're helping these trusts, conservancies and associations, too."
Learn more about our Giving Back program.
Robert B. Decker retains the sole copyright of the original Grand Canyon National Park poster image. Any unauthorized reproduction violates international copyright law.
Robert B. Decker - Limited Edition Grand Canyon National Park Posters - www.National-Park-Posters.com
Orders containing 6 or fewer posters are shipped out UPS Ground in a 15" mailing tube.
Orders with more than six posters, or orders where UPS 2-Day or 3-Day shipping has been selected are shipped out in a flat mailer.
Orders are typically shipped the same day, or within one business day of purchase.
Customers are provided with a UPS Tracking Number to track their orders.
There are no in-store pick up options at this time.
Mailing tubes and flat mailers are recyclable, and I encourage you to recycle these materials.
About National Park Posters
National Park Posters is the premiere source for original art of America's National Parks! Rob Decker is the creative spirit behind the National Park Poster Project and he donates 10% of annual profits to many organizations that support our National Parks.
National Park Posters
rob@national-park-posters.com
ABOUT THE WPA
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© National Park Posters
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Rumor: Zion Williamson could get signature shoe in 2020
By Dane DelgadoAug 6, 2019, 8:00 AM EDT
Zion Williamson is now a Nike athlete. The New Orleans Pelicans rookie will be the newest face for the Beaverton, Ore.-based shoe giant. It’s a great get for Nike, and a turnaround from the fiasco that faced them when Williamson blew out his Paul George signature shoes during a game at Duke.
Williamson is technically a Jordan Brand guy, and his own signature shoe isn’t here just yet. The Pelicans youngster will reportedly star the year wearing the latest Jordan — the 34 — but his own signature line might not be too far off.
According to ESPN, Williamson’s first shoe (perhaps the “Air Zion 1”) could arrive in February of 2020.
Via ESPN:
Though the Swoosh was present, the plan from the start was for this to be a Jordan Brand pitch, grounded in the belief that Williamson could take the $3 billion sub-brand of Nike Inc. centered around the Air Jordan line to even greater heights. He would potentially wear the upcoming Air Jordan 34, the brand’s flagship annual model that Michael Jordan himself made famous during his playing career. Eventually, he would receive his own signature Jordan Brand model, with a reveal of that sneaker coming as early as All-Star Weekend in Chicago, Jordan’s home for most of his professional playing career.
That’s an incredible turnaround for a guy who hasn’t even played a game yet and who doesn’t appear to have a set position or a strong jumper. No doubt guys can be stars without excellent 3-point shooting in this league — LeBron James did it at a young age — but LeBron didn’t play his entire career in this 3-point crazy era.
I’m not saying Williamson won’t be a star, because he already is. But signature shoes aren’t just handed out willy-nilly, particularly for Jordan Brand athletes. Giannis Antetokounmpo just got his shoe released, right after his first MVP. The point being, Wililamson needs to be very good to make that happen as early as next February.
No doubt Williamson’s shoe will cater to his every need, and the particular forces he induces upon a shoe when playing the game of basketball. Antetokounmpo’s shoe came out pretty good, I’ll be curious to see what Nike cooks up for Williamson if and when that day comes.
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Back to Class: The trouble with being No. 1
By Joe YerdonDec 10, 2012, 8:30 AM EST
We’re taking you “Back To Class” for our roundup of the weekend’s action in college hockey. Look for more college hockey on NBCSN Friday night, January 4 as Nebraska-Omaha takes on Colorado College.
It’s never easy being the top dog. In college football, being the No. 1 team means always having to watch your back when the voters deem you to be the best team in the land and it’s no different in college hockey. A pair of Hockey East teams learned that in the last couple of weeks and it was the same team that taught them that lesson. Jim Connelly of USCHO.com examines things a bit closer.
Two weeks ago, Boston College’s run as the top team in the country came to an end thanks to a 4-1 loss to Boston University. When New Hampshire took over as the No. 1 team this week, again it would be BU teaching them a lesson on Thursday taking them out with a 3-2 victory.
Being the top dog is never easy. Ever. It puts an instant target on your back to have everyone come after you. Seeing how it was BU that managed to earn wins in two out of three games against top-ranked opponents, it makes you believe Jack Parker’s team has a little something extra to their game.
Considering Boston University was ranked No. 7 in the country last Monday, they’re due for a boost after beating UNH and Maine. They might want to avoid the top spot for the time being.
So long, Cissé: Redshirt sophomore Yasin Cissé left Boston University to pick up and play for QMJHL Blainville-Broisbriand and BU coach Jack Parker was more than honest in his assessment of his game. “He’s really struggling in every phase of his life because hockey’s not going the way he wants it to go.” Uh… Ouch. For what it’s worth, Cissé scored a goal in his first game with Blainville-Broisbriand.
So about that “Yerdon Jinx”: Denver University has gone winless in six straight games after tying North Dakota on Friday night and losing 6-3 to the former Fighting Sioux on Saturday. When I highlighted the Pioneers a couple weeks ago, I thought their bad weekend losing to Yale and UNH was curious. I didn’t think it signaled a full-on early season meltdown.
Yale’s bad weekend: The Yale Bulldogs were starting to let their presence be known in the ECAC. That is until RPI and Union showed up at The Whale this weekend and took three of four points from them. An embarrassing 6-1 loss to Rensselaer and a 2-2 tie with the Dutchmen should take Yale down a notch after cracking the USA Hockey/USA Today polls at 15 last week.
Alabama-Huntsville’s plight: While things are rough this season for the UAH Chargers, they’re still plugging along in hopes of landing a spot in the WCHA for the future. Matt Semsich of USCHO.com has a good piece on what coach Kurt Kleinendorst has to deal with in a tough position there.
(Photo: UNH’s Kevin Goumas — Hockey East Online)
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The Impact of Increased Political Polarization
As I write this, the House Intelligence Committee has voted to adopt the committee's Impeachment Inquiry Report along strict party lines. All 13 Democrats on the committee voted "Yes"; all nine Republican committee members voted "No." This party-line split is neither unusual nor unpredictable, but reflects the deep partisanship that is one of the defining aspects of our American society today.
I use the words "American society" rather than "American politics" here on purpose. We know that personal partisan identity affects one's views on a wide variety of policy issues, and, of course, partisanship is the defining determinant of people's views of their political leaders. But recent Gallup analyses show just how much our political identity today is a part of our views of a wide variety of other aspects of life, which often are not directly related to politics. Personal political identity affects views of the nation's healthcare system, how one views the economy, one's overall satisfaction with the way things are going in the nation, views of the safety of the nation's schools, worry about mass shootings, job satisfaction, views of the state of the environment and views of one's personal life situation, among others.
The impact of political partisanship appears to be increasing. As my colleague Jeff Jones has documented, the difference between Republicans' and Democrats' job approval ratings of President Donald Trump is the largest Gallup has ever measured for a president, eclipsing the already high polarization measured in approval of President Barack Obama.
Pew Research recently reported on Americans' views of the opposite political party, concluding that "the level of division and animosity -- including negative sentiments among partisans toward the members of the opposing party -- has only deepened."
An important review of academic research by journalist Thomas Edsall last year highlighted the degree to which the political polarization has increasingly taken on an emotionally negative tone. As Edsall notes: "Hostility to the opposition party and its candidates has now reached a level where loathing motivates voters more than loyalty," and "The building strength of partisan antipathy -- 'negative partisanship' -- has radically altered politics. Anger has become the primary tool for motivating voters."
There Are Some Benefits of Increased Political Polarization
Is this increasingly pervasive influence of party as a key and defining aspect of the way Americans look at the world around them good or bad? As is true with almost all such questions, the answer is complex.
There are some benefits to individuals and society from political polarization and conflict between opposing viewpoints. As we know, the Founding Fathers anticipated there would be conflict between factions in our society and set up the three branches of our federal government to deal with them. If handled correctly, optimal solutions are more likely to emerge when everything is subject to skeptical analysis. (Along these same lines, billionaire Ray Dalio defines this process of constant questioning as the search for "radical truth" and contends it is a secret to his business success.)
Plus, a strong emotional allegiance to one's political and ideological reference group can have significantly positive effects for individuals, who gain meaning and purpose in life from social solidarity with an in-group while railing against threatening enemies. Partisan "us versus them" perspectives are easier for many individuals to handle cognitively than are complex approaches to issues and situations that attempt to take into account multiple pluses and minuses.
And importantly, there are real economic benefits for businesses that can take advantage of and monetize the behaviors of emotionally driven partisans seeking reinforcement for their views. Among these beneficiaries: cable news networks, talk show hosts, book publishers, bloggers and podcast producers. And, of course, politicians gain support and maximize turnout when their constituents can be emotionally activated on the basis of perceived threats. As political consultants advise clients, negative campaigning is most often much more effective than efforts to remain positive.
Significant Costs of Political Polarization
But today's increase in partisanship in the U.S. also has significant harmful effects. Most importantly, polarization and partisan conflict lead to inaction, as "my way or the highway," ideologically rigid mentalities lower the probability of achieving the compromise that should be at the heart of legislative functioning. (We saw this "destroy the village in order to save it" mentality shut down the U.S. government in 2013.)
As I've reviewed previously, the American public as a whole rues this approach to politics, giving Congress and its ability to deal with domestic and international problems very low evaluations (even if the American public itself in some ways causes this political inaction by virtue of its own polarized attitudes).
We also have the sociological impact of polarization and increasing disapprobation of one's political opposites. Any functioning society needs to develop and maintain its social institutions -- the widely agreed-upon ways in which society handles the core functions necessary for survival.
But that agreement appears to be waning. Partisans on both sides increasingly see institutions in the U.S. not as beneficial and necessary, but as part of an effort by the other side to gain advantage and to perpetuate its power and philosophical positions. Liberals and Democrats today, for example, have lower trust in traditional family institutions, traditional religious institutions and the economic system. Republicans have lower trust in the scientific process, higher education, the mass media, and the role of the state (government).
These skeptical views of institutions and social structures skew us toward distrust, anger and internal infighting -- not actionable efforts to fix problems and address threats.
As noted, a healthy skepticism of the way things operate in society is often warranted. But our society must continue to function, and that functioning requires an underlying agreement in the legitimacy of societal institutions. This is particularly true today, when there are increasing external threats to our society and way of life from all sides, ranging from rogue states to terrorists to changes in weather and climate patterns to shifting world economies and massively unstable populations.
At some point, our society must balance the internal conflict resulting from differences in partisans' views of the world with a broader agreement on how we as a society adapt to external threats and achieve societal objectives. What will it take to do that? Presumably we need leaders who don't focus as much on taking advantage of, and stoking, partisan differences as they do looking at the larger picture. That's a difficult challenge, but one to which the American public may well be quite receptive. It's usually easier to criticize than to make efforts to agree on solutions. But we are going to need more emphasis on the latter in the years ahead, I think, if our society is to thrive and survive.
Frank Newport, Ph.D., is a Gallup senior scientist. He is the author of Polling Matters: Why Leaders Must Listen to the Wisdom of the People and God Is Alive and Well. Twitter: @Frank_Newport
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Gallup https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/268982/impact-increased-political-polarization.aspx
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Triangular taps yield tiniest droplets, researchers determine
University readies for Wen Jiabao
By Steve Bradt FAS Communications
Triangular nozzles provide the tiniest droplets, say researchers in Harvard University’s Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences who used a mathematical algorithm to determine that a miniature three-sided tap could produce drips some 21 percent smaller than a conventional round nozzle.
The miserly taps – which could, in theory, create drops just 8 billionths of a millimeter in size – might prove a boon for technologies that employ sprays of costly materials. For instance, triangular taps could boost the resolution of ink-jet printers, which work by squirting fine droplets of ink onto surfaces. They could also cut the size of traditional silicon chips and biochips, both of which feature patterns that are sometimes produced by a tightly controlled spray of droplets.
“Round nozzles are perfectly good for most applications,” says Henry Chen, a graduate student in physics who presented the work at a recent meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics. “Most nozzles don’t need to perform with exacting volume or pressure, so it may not even have occurred to anyone to try anything other than a circular opening.”
The minuscule triangular nozzle envisioned by Chen and his adviser, Michael P. Brenner, allows just one tiny drop to squeeze through. The tap’s three corners reduce a drop’s curvature and in turn the pressure needed to eject it from the nozzle. Compared to droplets from a tiny round tap, the scientists found, drops from an equally small triangular nozzle require less pressure to spray them out, easing the toll on pipes.
Chen and Brenner came across the new and improved tap shape – a triangle with slightly concave sides – using an algorithm developed to optimize the shape of mechanical devices, including ones familiar from everyday experience.
“We hope that the theoretical methods we used to answer this problem will prove broadly applicable,” says Brenner, Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics. “We are trying to develop the general mathematical methods that are needed for carrying out mathematical optimizations of structures used in engineering.”
In addition to taps, Chen and Brenner see their mathematical methods applied to a number of other examples, including a new switch with a shape deemed optimal and a coffee cup whose form facilitates boiling and convection.
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2021 Toyota Fortuner Starts Reaching Dealerships Across India
Royal EnfieldBikes
Royal Enfield Classic 650 Spotted For the First Time
Maxabout Team Jan 12, 2021 4,229 0
Royal Enfield Classic 650 Spotted For the First Time: The all-new 650cc twin-cylinder Royal Enfield Classic has been recently spotted undisguised for the first time. Royal Enfield is all geared up for its new product launches in 2021 as the retro-classic brand is planning to launch one new motorcycle every 4 months in India.
The company will launch some updated models and few next-generation thumpers are also in the pipeline. Although the new 650cc cruiser is on its way, this time, Royal Enfield has been spotted testing another twin-cylinder prototype that is expected to be launched as Classic 650.
A recent spy image of an accessorized 650 cruiser was wrongly identified earlier, the prototype featured a conventional roadster riding as compared to the previously spied cruiser test mule, also the accessorized test mule is featured considerably with a higher seat height.
Both the prototypes share quite a lot in common in terms of the basic design elements like split seats, an almond-shaped fuel tank, a circular headlamp, same seat height and ergonomics. The motorcycle also features black alloy wheels, front and rear discs, twin exhaust pipes, and an eccentrically mounted circular instrument dial.
The spy images reveal that the 650cc engine features an all-black colour scheme but it is likely that it is just a cover. If one removes the cover, there would be most probably the same silver/chrome engine underneath, similar to the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650.
The Interceptor 650 covers the medium-displacement roadster niche for RE, and the company is quite confident that there will be sufficient difference in the appeal of the Classic 650 to have it alongside. The split seats, inverted telescopic front forks, a removable pillion unit, and an updated old-school body-coloured headlamp differentiate the Royal Enfield Classic 650 from its sibling.
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The 648cc, fuel-injected, parallel-twin engine, which also powers the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650, is good for a maximum power of 46.8 HP @ 7150 rpm along with a peak torque of 52 Nm @ 5250 rpm. The engine will come mated to a 6-speed gearbox along with a slipper and assist clutch as standard. We may also see a minor tweak to the gear ratios to suit the Royal Enfield Classic 650’s relaxed mile-munching nature.
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Antonis Rokas
Six Vanderbilt faculty elected as AAAS fellows in 2020
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Aug. 14, 2019—The Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative seeks to position the university as a global leader in evolutionary studies by engaging a large group of scholars who share this research interest.
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Three Vanderbilt A&S professors awarded 2018 Guggenheim Fellowships
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Vanderbilt evolutionary biologist makes finals of a national award for young scientists
Jun. 6, 2017—Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor in Biological Sciences Antonis Rokas has been selected as a finalist for the $250,000 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists
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Constitution Check: Does the government have the authority to write restaurant menus?
Lyle Denniston
Lyle Denniston, the National Constitution Center’s constitutional literacy adviser, tackles a weighty issue: the FDA’s constitutional ability to mandate calorie counts on restaurant menus nationwide.
Turkeyanddressing1
THE STATEMENT AT ISSUE:
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today finalized…rules requiring that calorie information be listed on menus and menu boards in chain restaurants [and] similar retail food establishments….The menu labeling final rule applies to restaurants and similar retail food establishments if they are part of a chain of 20 or more locations, doing business under the same name and offering for sale substantially the same menu items. Covered food establishments will be required to clearly and conspicuously display calorie information for standard items on menus and menu boards, next to the name or price of the item. Seasonal menu items offered for sale as temporary menu items, daily specials and condiments for general use typically available on a counter or table are exempt from the labeling requirements.”
– Excerpt from a public announcement by the FDA on November 25, describing new rules that require restaurant chains to tell their customers about the calories they are consuming. On the same day, EPA also put out new rules for calorie counts on food packages sold by vending machines. Congress in 2010 had ordered the EPA to write all of those rules as part of the new federal health care law, the Affordable Care Act.
WE CHECKED THE CONSTITUTION, AND…
Chances are, the early American generation that started the tradition of a hopefully bounteous Thanksgiving dinner – and wrote a new Constitution to govern the nation – had no idea that, one day, there would be an “obesity epidemic” that the government would feel obliged to stop. The Constitution-writers left deliberately vague just what they were allowing Congress to regulate as “commerce among the several states,” in the wording of Article I, Section 8. They knew that “commerce” would change, in unpredictable ways.
Now, long after Congress began exercising parental instincts in attempting to assure that the nation’s food supply is healthy (even if many of its citizens are not), it may seem very much out of date to ask whether the Constitution puts some limits on how far food controls will be allowed to reach.
But in an era of widespread suspicion that Big Government is reaching too far into Americans’ private lives (recall the deep controversy over the Affordable Care Act’s mandate for everyone to buy health insurance even if they didn’t want it), that is very much a current source of worry, at least in some sectors — and particularly among some conservative constitutional scholars.
At the Food and Drug Administration this week, in the kind of announcement that stirs up such worries, it told the nation about how the government will be reaching into the nation’s restaurant chains to dictate what they say about the weight-affecting contents of their regular menu items (Thanksgiving turkey, apparently, will be exempted as a seasonal item, as also will plum pudding with brandy at Christmas time).
The announcement, though, came with hardly any justification of its constitutional authority to do that. The FDA clearly operates on the assumption that it has authority from Congress to do what it is doing, and thus silently assumes that it must be acceptable under the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. The agency noted that it has had authority from Congress since 1990 to require nutrition labels on food, and that the Affordable Care Act extended that authority to restaurant menus and vending machines.
Restaurant food, of course, does contain ingredients that move across state borders, so it is an item that might be thought covered by the regulatory power granted by the Commerce Clause.
But the underlying policy rationale for this new regulatory regime appears to be something more than the interstate movement of, say, the potatoes that become French fries. The use of the phrase “obesity epidemic” in some of the agency’s policy statements is a clue to what it is thinking. By labeling the problem of an overweight America as similar to some other form of social menace, it places its authority over restaurant menus in the same category, for example, as the marketing of carelessly compounded drugs or of cancer-causing tobacco.
It may be that a child entering a fast-food restaurant will be quite unaware of how fattening that experience may potentially be, but it can hardly be a surprise to any adult who has paid even the slightest attention to the media blitz over obesity. At least for a good many people who indulge in fast food, it is a matter of consumer choice. The government, presumably, has the authority to try to influence that choice, but no one is likely to suggest that the government could constitutionally close down the restaurant chains to give it even more influence.
The FDA, no doubt, is convinced that it is not substituting its regulatory judgment for the tastes of the American food consumer. But of such assumptions is constitutional controversy born. It was not long ago that the Affordable Care Act was mired in such controversy as its critics likened its insurance mandates to compelling Americans to eat broccoli. Eating healthy, it seems, is a matter of private choice – even as a constitutional matter.
Thanksgiving Stories on Constitution Daily
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The real story behind the presidential turkey pardon
The Founding Fathers really didn’t want the turkey as our national symbol
A woman accused of breaching the Capitol and planning to sell to Russia a laptop or hard drive she allegedly stole from Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office was arrested in Pennsylvania's Middle District Monday, the Department of Justice said.Driving the news: Riley June Williams, 22, is charged with illegally entering the Capitol as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct. She has not been charged over the laptop allegation and the case remains under investigation, per the DOJ.Support safe, smart, sane journalism. Sign up for Axios Newsletters here.The big picture: Video footage appears to show Williams entering the Capitol with other rioters on Jan. 6. She appears to direct them up a staircase in the building. * Following the siege, a person called the FBI tip line to identify Williams and claimed that she told them she planned to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, per a DOJ statement of facts. It's alleged the friend planned to then sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. * The caller said the transfer fell through and alleged that Williams either still has the device or destroyed it. Of note: Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff confirmed the laptop's disappearance on Jan. 8 but said it was "only used for presentations." For the record: Williams had developed a sudden interest in President Trump's politics and "far-right message boards," her mother told ITV News on Jan. 16. * Her mother said her daughter fled after the insurrection. * Williams also deleted her social media accounts and changed her phone number, according to FBI officials.Go deeper: Deadly Capitol riot: The people facing federal chargesBe smart: sign up FREE for the most influential newsletter in America.
Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen is calling on Congress to do more to fight a deep pandemic-induced recession, saying the threats of a longer and even worse downturn are too great to cut back on support now. “Without further action, we risk a longer, more painful recession now — and long-term scarring of the economy later,” Yellen said in testimony prepared for her confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Finance Committee. Yellen, who will be the first female treasury secretary in the nation's history, is expected to have little trouble winning approval in a Senate that will be narrowly controlled by Democrats once two Democratic senators from Georgia are seated.
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Impeaching Trump after he leaves office would be ‘plainly unconstitutional’: Alan Dershowitz
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About Newsheater
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Can Exelon Corporation (EXC) Remain Competitive?
by Ethane Eddington
Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:EXC) went down by -0.83% from its latest closing price compared to the recent 1-year high of $50.54. The company’s stock price has collected 1.68% of gains in the last five trading sessions. MarketWatch.com reported on 12/11/20 that Exelon Corp. stock falls Friday, still outperforms market
Is It Worth Investing in Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ :EXC) Right Now?
Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:EXC) scored a price-to-earnings ratio above its average ratio, recording 17.21 x from its present earnings ratio. Plus, the 36-month beta value for EXC is at 0.45. Opinions of the stock are interesting as 15 analysts out of 20 who provided ratings for Exelon Corporation declared the stock was a “buy,” while 0 rated the stock as “overweight,” 4 rated it as “hold,” and 0 as “sell.”
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The average price from analysts is $47.78, which is $6.32 above the current price. EXC currently public float of 972.62M and currently shorts hold a 0.88% ratio of that float. Today, the average trading volume of EXC was 5.43M shares.
EXC’s Market Performance
EXC stocks went up by 1.68% for the week, with a monthly jump of 1.87% and a quarterly performance of 6.79%, while its annual performance rate touched -9.51%. The volatility ratio for the week stands at 2.13% while the volatility levels for the past 30 days are set at 2.03% for Exelon Corporation. The simple moving average for the period of the last 20 days is -0.07% for EXC stocks with a simple moving average of 8.34% for the last 200 days.
Analysts’ Opinion of EXC
Many brokerage firms have already submitted their reports for EXC stocks, with BofA Securities repeating the rating for EXC by listing it as a “Neutral.” The predicted price for EXC in the upcoming period, according to BofA Securities is $43 based on the research report published on December 15th of the previous year 2020.
Guggenheim, on the other hand, stated in their research note that they expect to see EXC reach a price target of $42, previously predicting the price at $46. The rating they have provided for EXC stocks is “Neutral” according to the report published on October 26th, 2020.
BofA Securities gave a rating of “Underperform” to EXC, setting the target price at $39 in the report published on August 17th of the previous year.
EXC Trading at -0.13% from the 50-Day Moving Average
After a stumble in the market that brought EXC to its low price for the period of the last 52 weeks, the company was unable to rebound, for now settling with -17.17% of loss for the given period.
Volatility was left at 2.03%, however, over the last 30 days, the volatility rate increased by 2.13%, as shares surge +1.60% for the moving average over the last 20 days. Over the last 50 days, in opposition, the stock is trading +5.79% upper at present.
During the last 5 trading sessions, EXC rose by +1.68%, which changed the moving average for the period of 200-days by +14.40% in comparison to the 20-day moving average, which settled at $41.92. In addition, Exelon Corporation saw -0.85% in overturn over a single year, with a tendency to cut further losses.
Reports are indicating that there were more than several insider trading activities at EXC starting from Khouzami Carim V, who sale 6,800 shares at the price of $38.00 back on Sep 02. After this action, Khouzami Carim V now owns 8,872 shares of Exelon Corporation, valued at $258,400 using the latest closing price.
Stock Fundamentals for EXC
Current profitability levels for the company are sitting at:
+12.43 for the present operating margin
+17.58 for the gross margin
The net margin for Exelon Corporation stands at +8.72. The total capital return value is set at 5.84, while invested capital returns managed to touch 4.50. Equity return is now at value 7.30, with 1.90 for asset returns.
Based on Exelon Corporation (EXC), the company’s capital structure generated 122.05 points at debt to equity in total, while total debt to capital is 54.97. Total debt to assets is 31.47, with long-term debt to equity ratio resting at 102.49. Finally, the long-term debt to capital ratio is 46.15.
When we switch over and look at the enterprise to sales, we see a ratio of 2.53, with the company’s debt to enterprise value settled at 0.46. The receivables turnover for the company is 5.59 and the total asset turnover is 0.28. The liquidity ratio also appears to be rather interesting for investors as it stands at 0.85.
Tags: EXCEXC stockExelon CorporationNASDAQ:EXC
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by Daisy Galbraith
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Sousa, P. M. P. E., Nov 2018, p. 1-1. 1 p.
Global study of the behaviour of textile reinforced mortar under tensile stress
Larrinaga, P., San-José, J. T., García, D., Garmendia, L. & Chastre, C., 2011, p. 1-2.
GOVERNÂNCIA AMBIENTAL– promoção de uma cidadania ativa
Vasconcelos, L. M. T. D., 2015.
Governância no ordenamento do turismo em ambientes insulares: algumas reflexões sobre Fernando de Noronha,Brasil e Faial-Açores, Portugal
Grupos musicais, sociabilidade e repertório: em busca de uma abordagem articulada
Castro, M. C. D., Santos, T. G. D., Lopes, G. & Silva, J. S. D. C., May 2017, p. 30. 1 p.
Guitar multiphonics: Overview of an ongoing research
Torres, R., 10 Jul 2018, p. 19-19. 1 p.
Hacking ao som de música techno: paralelismos sociais entre a música techno e o hacking como práticas culturais, no filme Hackers
Malhado, A., 2016. 2 p.
HDV-induced splicing alterations at the heart of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Tavanez, J. P., 2016.
Health expenditures, infant mortality ratio and aging
Perelman, J. & Ferreira, M., 1 Jan 2014.
Health literacy: concepts and state of the art
Loureiro, I., 2019.
Health literacy workers who act in emergency rooms of a public hospital in Brazil
Martins, R., Barbosa, C., Farinelli, MR., Pacheco, E., Carascosa, MGS. & Saboga-Nunes, L., 2019, p. 110.
Health related quality of life in a Portuguese cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Mateus, C., Almeida, A., Fontes, M. F., Lourenço, F. & Antunes, A. M. M., 2013, p. 45.
Hemodiálise ou transplante renal: qual a modalidade terapêutica que beneficia a sociedade?
Domingos, M., Pereira, J., Nolasco, F. & Gouveia, M., 2013, p. 55-56.
Hermeneutics of the Cantigas: recovering notational sense
Ferreira, M. P. R., 2016. 1 p.
Cantigas De Santa Maria
Literalism
Copyists
Hidden opportunities in (un)privileged urban spaces: the case of the Cova da Moura
social intervention
High level resistance to isoniazid and ethionamide among multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from Lisbon, Portugal, is associated with double mutations in inhA gene
Machado, D., Perdigão, J., Ramos, J., Couto, I., Portugal, I., Ritter, C., Boettger, E. C. & Viveiros, M., 2012.
History, art and curses: how the Portuguese press reported the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun
das Candeias Sales, J. & Mota, S., 2019, p. 27. 1 p.
History learning through old board games
Alberto, E., 2019, p. 4. 1 p.
HIV-2 seroprevalence in Guinea-Bissau
Piedade, J., Viveiros, M., Costa, C., Santos Pinto, A., Prieto, E., Albuquerque, R., Paulo Silva, A., Dias, F., Mansinho, K., Champalimaud, J., Araújo, C. & Canas Ferreira, W. F., 1993.
HLA-G exon 8 (3’ UTR) sequence variation in two populations from Portugal and Guinea-Bissau
Alvarez, M., Piedade, J., Balseiro, S., Ribas, G. & Regateiro, F., 2009.
hnRNP A1 proofreads 3 ́splice site recognition by U2AF
JP, T. & J, V., Feb 2011.
Hors d'Oeuvres ao estudo da circulação e recepção de um repertório na Península Ibérica: as óperas de Donizetti e Bellini (c. 1830-1850)
Cymbron, L. M. O. R., 2015, p. 32-33. 2 p.
Hospital inpatient use: the perspective of primary care
Santana, R., 1 Jan 2014.
Hot Clube de Portugal after the April revolution: the importance of the archives to an inclusive version of the history
Mendes, P., 2019, p. 89-90. 2 p.
Houses in transit: expressions of transnationalism between Portugal and France
Saraiva, A., 26 Jun 2018, p. 12-13. 2 p.
freight traffic
How do inequalities in smoking emerge among adolescents? An agent-based modeling approach
Lorant, V., Soto-Rojas, V., Chiem, J. & Perelman, J., 2014.
How fishy does it smell when it smells fishy? A study on the Portuguese olfactory verb cheirar
Oliveira, M. T. F. D., 2016, p. 834-835. 2 p.
How human biomonitoring data increases knowledge base to support circular economy: a case study in the e-waste industry aiming to assess occupational exposure to chemicals
Viegas, S., Ladeira, C. A. F., Ribeiro, E., Louro, H. & Silva, M. J. A. D., 2020.
Human biomonitoring of multiple mycotoxins in the Portuguese population: strengths and limitations under risk assessment
Martins, C., Boevre, M., Saeger, S., Nunes, C., Torres, D., Goios, A., Lopes, C., Assunção, R., Alvito, P. & Vidal, A., 2019.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) active replication
Barros, M. F., Piedade, J., Canas Ferreira, W. F. & Machado Caetano, J. A., 1992.
Humanism and Technology: Comparative analysis of More’s Utopia, Bacon’s New Atlantis, and Miguel Real’s O Último Europeu 2284
Monteiro, M. R., 2016. 18 p.
Utopian
Ideias integralistas na concepção do neoclassicismo de Luís de Freitas Branco
Pina, I., 2015, p. 19-20. 2 p.
Ilhas de plástico – Que fazer?
Imagens da Sagração em Portugal: apresentação fotográfica
Rocha, L. A. V. D. S., 2013, p. 1. 1 p.
Imaginação musical e orientalismo vernacular: A inovação no fado como política de identificação em contexto de mudança
Losa, L., 2017, p. 32. 1 p.
Imagining the future: subjectivity, schooling and neoliberalism in contemporary Portugal
Fernandes, M. J. B., 2018.
Imitation in Iberian Motets around 1500
Rodríguez-Garcia, E., 2017, p. 84-85. 2 p.
Imitative tools and processes in the Iberian motet circa 1500
Impact of economic and public debt crises on healthcare use in Portugal
Perelman, J., Santana, R. & Felix, S., 1 Jan 2013. 31 p.
Impact of vertical integration on the readmission of individuals with chronic conditions
Fernandes, OB., Santana, R. & Lopes, S., 2017, p. 31.
Impact on Cultural Significance: a values-based approach to architectural heritage conservation
Aleixo, S., 2019, p. 63. 1 p.
Cultural Significance
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Shows At This Venue
Nearest Tube:
Victoria (50m)
Nearest Train:
Nearest Bus:
Victoria Bus Station (50m)
Plan an accessible journey
0800 912 6973 | apollovictoriaaccess@theambassadors.com
Sound Amplification:
Induction Loop & Sennheiser Mobile Connect
Mens and Womens throughout. There is an accessible toilet located in the Main Foyer near the Cloakroom.
Guide Dogs Policy:
Access dogs are allowed inside the auditorium. Staff can also dog-sit, returning them to the owner during the interval and at the end of the performance.
4 wheelchair spaces situated in Circle.
Access from Street to Foyer:
Stairs & Lift
Access From Theatre Foyer To Seat:
29 stairs to Stalls. 14 to Dress Circle Rows A-F. 37 to Dress Circle Rows G-Y.
Level Access:
To toilets and foyer facilities from Vauxhall Bridge Road entrance
Stairs/Lift/Ramp Available:
Platform lift to Dress Circle via Vauxhall Bridge Road entrance.
Contact the venue:
0844 871 3001 (Calls cost 7p per min plus your telephone company's network access charge)
Security note: For your comfort and security, you may be subject to additional checks on your visit to London theatres. Please contact the venue for more information.
Bars on each level. Foyer bar through swing doors from the Box Office. Bar counter is 1.2m high and there is no seating. The bar counters are not low level, however, drinks orders can be taken at seats and brought over by staff.
Air Conditioned:
Accepts Theatre Tokens:
The Apollo Victoria Theatre is a West End theatre best known for hosting long-running musicals such as Starlight Express, and since 2006, the hit musical Wicked.
Commonly known as the Apollo Victoria, the spectacular venue can hold over 2,300 people and is ideally located right near Victoria Station. It is a stunning Art Deco theatre with a heritage dating back to 1929, when it opened as a state-of-the-art cinema, commissioned by Provincial Cinematograph Theatres (PCT) to accommodate the growing popularity of ‘talking pictures’. Known as the New Victoria Cinema, the building was renowned as a place to watch film, big band and variety performances. It also showed some of the first broadcasts of a fledging BBC!
In 1975, the building was refurbished and shifted its focus on to more musical content. A concert celebrated the new opening, starring Dame Shirley Bassey as the headline act. In the late 1970’s and 80’s, the theatre hosted a series of well-loved musicals, including Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music and Camelot, before becoming the venue for the premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express. The interior of the auditorium was completely redesigned for the production, with race tracks running through the audience and modifications to incorporate a split-level roller-skating rink. Starlight Express played at the theatre for an incredible 18 years before finally closing in 2002.
Get your tickets to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and you can experience this fantastic theatre for yourself.
apollo theatre apollo victoria theatre london theatre wicked wicked theatre
Hard Rock Cafe – Kids Eat Free With Main Meal Purchased
Caffe Concerto – Kids Go Free
Ristorante Granaio – 15% off
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Orphans in the Wild
Looking towards a brighter future
Simon Shercliff OBE
Bruce & Jane Fox
Patricia Marion Gough MBE
Tanzania Team
Geoff Knight & Jenny Peck
Long term Volunteers
The Children’s Village
FCWCT – Conservation
Get Involved – Volunteer
Our story begins in the green, lush, tea growing hills of Southern Tanzania and a remarkable couple, Geoff and Vicky Fox, who have lived and worked in the Mufindi district since 1959.
The silent merciless effects of HIV/Aids in their remote area led to a breakdown in the extended family support system, usually strong and effective in Africa, leading to vulnerable orphans, poverty and hunger.
Geoff and Vicky Fox
By 2005, Geoff and Vicky felt the need to act to help their community and Foxes Community and Wildlife Trust, a Tanzanian Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO 0971) was conceived. This project came to be known in Tanzania as Foxes’ NGO. In 2016 Geoff Fox was awarded the MBE for “his services to conservation and the community in Tanzania”
The first step was to provide shelter and refuge for the increasing numbers of orphans and thus the Igoda Children’s Village was begun with one small house, first occupied in 2007.
Building work, handmade bricks
To financially support and expand the work on the ground by FCWCT in Tanzania, Orphans in the Wild (Reg Charity 1113719) was founded in the UK in 2006 for the purpose of raising awareness and funds together with our sister charities worldwide.
Mufindin Ystavat www.mufindinystavat.net (Finland), Mufindis vänner (Sweden) Mufindi Orphans (USA) https://www.mufindiorphans.org/ , https://www.Berglarfoundation.com (Germany), African Book Box Society https://www.africanbookbox.org
Isa, Willy and Brian our first children
The Children’s Village Today
Now in 2020, 62 children being cared for in six single storey houses, each with dedicated house mamas, an on site clinic, a kindergarten and nursery, a continuing vocational school project and accommodation for volunteers.
But the Children’s Village is one part of a holistic approach. We want to make a lasting difference, empowering people to be able to help themselves.
So support for Healthcare an education are vital for long term recovery. We have already made a difference but more needs to be done before these proud and independent people can overcome the ravages of this disease.
In tandem with its work at the children’s village the NGO has established a HIV/Aids
Care and Treatment Clinic (CTC) where people are encouraged to come for testing for Aids and dispensing of Anti retro viral drugs, has built dispensaries in the more remote regions of the District, supported primary and secondary education, established a programme of Outreach carers, provided community support and income generation projects.
But there is still a long way to go.
Some Facts:
99.9% of all donations are used directly on the ground in Tanzania.
Orphans in the Wild have no paid staff.
Only the local Tanzanian employees receive a wage.
The project area is centred on Igoda village, Mufindi District.
16 villages, 35,000 population.
It is a ‘hot spot’ for HIV/Aids.
37%-44% of people are infected. Compared to national average 5%-7%.
Approximately 40% of children have lost at least one parent.
Average income less than a dollar a day.
Life expectancy = 43 yrs.
“To provide shelter, sustenance, education and medical care for the orphans and foster families in the Mufindi District of Tanzania, to curtail the spread of HIV/Aids, to teach life skills (language, fiscal, vocation and self sufficiency) and to create help and opportunities for future generations”.
View our privacy policy here
Rudgeley House
Cold Pool Lane
Badgeworth
GL51 4UP
Email: bruce@wildorphans.org
marion@wildorphans.org
© Great White Designs Ltd. 2017 All rights reserved - Site donated by Pete and Julia with grateful thanks
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The Blueprint Method Amberin Fur 2017-05-16T16:10:09+00:00
What is the method?
The Blueprint method is an approach to health, based on retrieving full movement and function in the body. It takes into account sound osteopathic principles of the body’s self-regulatory and self-healing mechanisms to restore the full potential of health.
The Blueprint Method is bespoke to the needs of each individual whilst following a structured approach to ensure that their health is addressed from all angles.
The method was devised by Amberin Fur through decades of looking at the complexity of the body and how it presents in dysfunction. Although grounded in osteopathic principles, the Blueprint method goes further to understand the body’s history and cellular memory. Addressing how the dysfunction may have come about, and moreover what holds that cellular memory patterning. Amberin & Laura look to incorporate somato-emotional techniques and other targeted approaches to uncover and acknowledge patterns of tension held within the body limiting the body’s true expression.
The team at Amberin Fur & Associates work closely with mind professionals (Psychotherapists, Psychologists and Counsellors) to provide their patients with support when a more in-depth view and support are needed. Blueprint, is as the name suggests, an expression of our story. Our treatment is a specific acknowledgement on the past (physical, emotional, epigenetics). We recognise that history defines our behaviour and influences our capacity to heal.
The Blueprint Method explores key areas of health:
Story: injuries, emotions, habits
Lifestyle: movement, nutrition, sleep, stress, gut- function
Body: posture, weight-bearing, breath, special senses,
Structure: musculo-skeletal system, nervous & arterial system, fascia
The importance of Cellular memory – the brain is often considered to be the conductor of the body, co-ordinating and responding to stimuli with appropriate responses. However studies are now showing that the body tissues have consciousness of past trauma.
Cellular memory is where the body tissues store past events, which can be evoked when similar chemical, emotional or movement states are present. One fascinating example of this phenomena has been seen with organ transplants, where the receiver has taken on behaviours that were specific to the organ donor. In a less dramatic but still fascinating way, cellular memory can be apparent when a person shows exalted responses to a strain due to past injury, for example if you had a lifting injury in the past putting the body in a similar position might cause a protective response to injury.
Current scientific thinking is exploring the role of the fascia, or connective tissue. It can be the source of dysfunction in the body for chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia. Once thought of as just a connective tissue, fascia is now believed to play a vital role in communication, force transmission and tissue memory.
The fascia has a role in the articular, neural and myofascial systems.
“I realised I was in the special hands of someone who has access to enormous knowledge and experience and Amberin has indeed made a medical, tangible difference to chronic body issues. I had not been able to solve these problems no matter how many and various therapies I tried- but Amberin has a talent to intuit and create a feeling of safety so that the opening process is swift and to my delight,permanent!”
Marianne – Director Holistic Retreats
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Hong Kong-based Pickupp makes logistics more affordable for e-commerce sellers – TechCrunch
Logistics startup co-founder and chief executive officer Crystal Pang
Logistics is one of the biggest challenges in e-commerce, especially for smaller merchants. Pickupp helps them compete in the on-demand economy with flexible, customizable delivery services. Based in Hong Kong, Pickupp also operates in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, and claims it can save clients an average of about 28% in logistic costs.
Pickupp is able to do this with an asset-light business model. Instead of operating warehouses or its own fleets, it partners with logistics companies and uses proprietary software to make delivering batches of orders more efficient.
The company, which currently serves about 10,000 e-commerce merchants, announced last month it closed an undisclosed amount in Series A funding from Vision Plus Capital, Alibaba Enterpreneurs Fund, Cyperport Macro Fund, Swire Properties New Ventures and SparkLabs Taipei.
Pickupp currently offers three kinds of door-to-door delivery services: on-demand couriers who deliver within a four hour window, same day deliveries, and one to three day deliveries. It can also customize logistics and last-minute delivery solutions for businesses.
In Singapore, Pickupp runs its own e-commerce platform. Called Shop On Pickupp, the platform enables merchants to move more of their retail operations online and has been used to digitize marketplaces like the Shilin Singapore Night Market during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before starting Pickupp, co-founder and chief executive officer Crystal Pang, a software engineer by training, was part of the team that launched Uber in Hong Kong in 2014.
“Around that time, I started looking into logistics, because I found out a lot of merchants were trying to use Uber cars to deliver other stuff, anything but people,” she said.
But unlike delivery services, merchants couldn’t bargain with Uber drivers—for example, negotiating discounted fees if they were able to wait longer for a vehicle. “That’s the gist of logistics, because everyone wants to get part of those cost savings,” Pang said. Sensing a market opportunity, Pang began using her software engineering background to think of a solution.
Pickupp was founded in December 2016 and began operating the next year. When it launched, Pickupp already had formidable rivals like Gogovan and Lalamove. But since those companies focused mainly on on-demand, point-to-point delivery, Pang saw an opportunity to tackle other parts of the supply chain.
“How we see ourselves compared to other logistics companies is that we fulfill all these e-commerce needs. We behave like a logistics company, but we don’t need to own anything. So we perform the function of a traditional logistics company, which in this area is SF Express or Ninja Van, that lease warehouses and operate their own fleets, but Pickupp choses a lightweight asset approach to getting it done,” she said.
Pickupp positions itself more as a data and tech company, Pang added.
“You can almost imagine us as a monitoring system,” she said. Pickupp partners with sorting facilities, cross-border freight forwarders and delivery vehicles, and gives merchants visibility into where orders are along the supply chain.
Its system keeps costs down by predicting when and where available delivery people will be available, so it can match them with batches of orders. This also prevents bottlenecks during demand spikes and makes sure couriers are used at the most capacity possible, which is especially important for holidays and major shopping events like Double Eleven and Black Friday.
One of Pickupp’s advantages is that its system is designed to be flexible so it can scale into new Asian markets quickly. Pang told TechCrunch that the round will be used to add more services, and invest in machine learning, predictive analytics and understanding customer purchasing behavior. The company also plans to expand into up to five new Asian markets over the next three years.
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Home/UK News/FTSE 100 weighed down by sterling’s strength; US markets abandon early momentum
FTSE 100 weighed down by sterling’s strength; US markets abandon early momentum
Editorial BoardOctober 19, 2020
FTSE 100 index slides 34 points Sterling soars against the US dollar Gove turning his focus to prepa..
FTSE 100 index slides 34 points
Sterling soars against the US dollar
Gove turning his focus to preparing for a "no-deal" Brexit
5pm: FTSE 100 closes lower
London's leading index ended Monday down nearly 35 points, 0.6%, at 5,884.6. The FTSE 250, on the other hand, closed 43 points higher, a gain of 0.2%, at 17,866.1.
The struggles for the FTSE 100 were rooted in part in a strengthening pound.
"On the FTSE 100, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, British American Tobacco, Diageo and GlaxoSmithKline are some of the biggest fallers in terms of index points," CMC Markets UK analyst David Madden wrote. "The groups all derive a relatively large portion of their revenue from outside of the UK, so a move higher in sterling typically weights on those stocks."
In the US, the major indices tumbled into the red despite a positive start. The Dow, which gained more than 100 points early on, was down 84 points, 0.3%, just after noon ET. The Nasdaq dropped 22 points, 0.2% to 11,649, and the S&P 500 slipped 10 points, 0.3%, to 3,473.
"The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ 100 are fractionally lower as trading is lacklustre," Madden wrote. "There has been more major news with respect to the proposed stimulus package and it has been a quiet session in terms of economic announcements. Traders seem to be sitting on their hands for now."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office announced this weekend that she is giving the Trump administration 48 hours to reach a deal on a coronavirus relief package after speaking with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Saturday, according to CNBC.
“The 48 only relates to if we want to get it done before the election, which we do,” Pelosi said.
4pm: Gove briefs MP on progress (or lack thereof) in Brexit talks
Sterling’s strength hung over blue-chip equities like a black cloud all day, despite further signs that a Brexit deal is not nailed on.
Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has briefed MPs on how the negotiations on Britain’s exit from the European Union are progressing.
Surely Betty will succumb to these headlines #Brexit : UK MINISTER GOVE SAYS THERE IS NO BASIS TO FIND AN AGREEMENT
SAYS TRADE NEGS ARE IN EFFECT ENDED
SAYS THE EU REFUSED TO DISCUSS LEGAL TEXTS IN ANY AREA
EU HAS TO BE SERIOUS ABOUT TALKING INTENSIVELY
— Neil Wilson (@marketsneil) October 19, 2020
SPOILER ALERT: it’s not looking good.
According to Gove, the EU has refused to step up the pace of negotiations and noted that EU leaders excised a line from their recent communique about the need to intensify the talks.
The EU is waiting for Britain to blink and Britain is waiting for the EU to do likewise; as a precaution, Gove is focusing on preparing for a “no deal” Brexit.
There’s 10 weeks left for a deal to be finalised and Gove said the UK is still keen to get some deal done. Forex traders appear to be taking him at his word, chasing sterling up to US$1.30, up 0.85 cents on the day.
The FTSE 100, no fan of a strong exchange rate because so many of its constituents rely heavily on sales in US dollars, was down 20 points (0.4%) at 5,895.
3.25pm: Proactive North America headlines:
Matinas BioPharma's Holdings Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:MTNB) cryptococcal meningitis trial of MAT2203 gets approval from oversight board after first cohort
Helix Technologies Inc (OTCQB:HLIX) to merge with healthcare data provider MOR Analytics to create integrated US cannabis commercial analytics platform
Ceylon Graphite Corp (CVE:CYL) (OTCMKTS:CYLUF) poised for new C$4.5M placing to accelerate operations
Aequus Inc (CVE:AQS) (OTCQB:AQSZF) and partner Medicom Healthcare win Medical Device License for Evolve Intensive Gel to treat Dry Eye Disease
GlobeX Data Ltd (CSE:SWIS) (OTCQB:SWISF) in talks to circulate its security and privacy solutions through Canadian IT software distributor
BevCanna Enterprises Inc (CSE:BEV) (OTCMKTS:BVNNF) taps former PepsiCo pro Melise Panetta to drive global commercial strategy
XPhyto Therapeutics Corp (CSE:XPHY) (OTCQB:XPHYF) German subsidiary Vektor Pharma builds oral disintegrating film formulation for big European client
Fury Gold Mines Limited (TSE:FURY) (NYSEAMERICAN:FURY) set to get rigs turning at Eau Claire project to upgrade the resource after receiving drill permits
Ximen Mining Corp (CVE:XIM) (OTCQB:XXMMF) sees good silver grades from sampling at Providence project in British Columbia
Loop Insights Inc (CVE:MTRX) (OCTMKTS:RACMF) in partnership with Empower Clinics to provide an end-to-end COVID-19 mitigation solution
3.15pm: Early enthusiasm wanes across the pond
As expected, US indices opened higher but early enthusiasm did not last.
The Dow Jones industrial average even fell into the red, sliding 32 points to 28,574 while the S&P 500 was up a quarter of a point at 4,484.
Even the mighty NASDAQ Composite was struggling to stay in positive territory and was little changed.
“S&P 500 earnings in Q3 have so far been better than expected with the technology sector showing almost 10% earnings growth from a year ago. Our view remains positive on Q3 earnings, but there will likely be hiccups here and there in some of the most hyped stocks. Both Netflix and Tesla reporting earnings this week are part of the 'US technology trade' this year and expectations are extremely [high] for those two companies to deliver,” noted Peter Garnry at Saxo bank.
In London, the FTSE 100 was off 33 points (0.6%) at 5,887.
Property giants British Land Company PLC (LON:BLND) and Land Securities Group PLC (LON:LAND) were among those defying the weaker trend, with the former rising 1.7% to 363.2p and the latter advancing 1.0% to 530.6.
Land Securities held a capital markets day today in which the senior managers laid out the future strategic direction for the company.
The presentation was entitled “Positioning Landsec for growth”, which is certainly a more upbeat title than “Positioning Landsec for survival”.
2.45pm: US stocks open higher
US benchmarks started Monday higher as investor sentiment was buoyed due to an agreed stimulus package from Washington to help ease the coronavirus blow coming increasingly into view.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added over 70 points at 28,677. The broader S&P 500 added around 17 at 3,500. The tech-laden Nasdaq exchange bounced up over 93 points at 11,763.
Over in London, the mood was less upbeat. The FTSE 100 dropped nearly 28 points at 3,891 in the middle of the afternoon session.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin are expected to hold more talks today after the former said on Saturday that the White House had just 48 hours to strike a deal with the Democrats that could pass before Election Day on November 3.
In election news, early voting in the key state of Wisconsin starts tomorrow, among other states. In-person voting begins today in Florida, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho and North Dakota.
Democrat Joe Biden’s national lead has fallen to 8.9 points, whilst in the battlegrounds Trump has reportedly narrowed his trail to 4.3 points.
2.00pm: Sterling rises by four-fifths of a cent
The strength of sterling continues to dampen enthusiasm for equities.
The pound was up nine-tenths of a cent at US$1.3001, with forex traders covering their bets in case the prime minister does the unthinkable and agrees to a Brexit deal with the EU.
Holger Schmieding at Berenberg said both sides would like a deal but both want the other side to yield first.
“We see a 30% probability that the EU and the UK may still strike a deal that will continue to [give] both sides privileged access to the markets of the other side after the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. Despite the current stalemate, the risk to the 30% probability is tilted slightly to the upside,” Schmieding said.
“In the absence of a deal, both sides would probably take significant joint or unilateral steps to soften the immediate shock of a hard Brexit (50% probability). That leaves a 20% tail risk of a hard Brexit without such mitigating steps to soften the blow. In such a case, the disruptions to the UK economy could be significant.” the economist said.
OANDA’s Craig Erlam said it is no surprise that the negotiation are “going to the wire”.
“Both sides are of the belief that the other isn't doing enough, an expected outcome at this stage and one that will likely be resolved in the coming weeks at the last possible moment. To fail to reach an agreement because of something as small as fishing would be outrageous,” Erlam suggested.
“We have to look past all the games that are being played and that includes the Internal Market Bill, a clear attempt to put a little extra pressure on Brussels that has little chance of becoming law without changes being made. The Lords will surely debate and make changes this week, paving the way for talks to continue and a deal eventually reached. Sterling traders clearly share my optimism, although that leaves quite a horrific void below if we're all proven wrong,” he added.
If playing the forex markets is proving tooooooooooo risky, there is always gold, which is having a good day, rising US$9.30 (0.5%) to US$1,915.70 an ounce.
The FTSE 100 was down 32 (0.6%) at 5,887.
12.30pm: Sterling regains its mojo; US indices to rise on stimulus programme optimism
Hopes that the setting of a 48-hour deadline for finalisation of a fiscal stimulus package will get the job done are boosting US sentiment.
Spread betting quotes suggest the Dow Jones will race 255 points higher at the outset to 28,749 while the S&P 500 is set to open 18 points higher at 3,501.
The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite is seen rising 218 points to 11,935.
“The proposed US coronavirus relief package remains in focus. Nancy Pelosi, of the Democrats, said that she is optimistic about a deal being struck before the US presidential election, but there was an acknowledgement that differences still exist,” said CMC’s David Madden.
“Some people are less convinced that an agreement can be reached … by tomorrow – the deadline that Pelosi set out. It would seem that traders are taking the view that where there is a will there is a way attitude as the political landscape isn’t looking too great but US index futures are higher,” he added.
Traders are also drawing encouragement from Chinese data this morning, which while mixed, had some positive aspects that they were quick to spot.
“China’s third-quarter GDP growth figures were slightly below expectations, but the broad picture shows the key importance of virus containment as the dominant driver of recovery. Compared to the developed world, China’s growth has bounced back stronger and quicker – today’s print confirms that – without the kind of kitchen sink policy support unleashed in developed market countries as lockdowns came online in March,” said Fidelity International's Salman Ahmed.
“High-frequency data shows that China’s economic recovery is still strong and the bounce back from golden week is also starting to show in the data. According to the IMF, China is likely to be the only country to register positive growth in 2020 and is projected to deliver more than 8% growth in 2021,2 he added.
On the corporate front, traders are ruminating over third-quarter figures from oilfield support services giant Halliburton.
Senate returns today at 4:30pm but no votes will take place until tomorrow on PPP bill and Senate GOP $500B COVID-19 relief bill on Wednesday. McConnell plans for the Senate to take up Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett Friday, the day after Senate Judiciary Cmte vote.
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) October 19, 2020
The adjusted earnings per share, at 11 cents, were three cents higher than analysts had expected but revenue of US$2.98bn was down 46% year-on-year and was below the consensus forecast of US$3.09bn.
In London, the mood remained sombre, with the FTSE 100 down 9 points at 5,911, as sterling regained its virility on foreign exchange markets on weekend reports that a Brexit compromise may yet be thrashed out. Sterling was four-fifths of a cent firmer against the greenback at US$1.30.
11.35am: Little sign of recovery in householders' optimism
The IHS Markit UK Household Finance Index for October was unchanged from September at 40.8.
The index measures respondents’ perceptions of financial well-being and is one of those indices where a value below 50 indicates things are getting worse, so the October reading was another grim one.
"October survey data provide little good news, with household finances remaining under severe strain. The overall rate of deterioration did not worsen on the month, but was still sharp overall,” said Lewis Cooper, an economist at IHS Markit.
"Households reported a fall in the availability of cash, a quicker reduction in their spending, further use of savings and increased demand for unsecured credit, all of which highlight the hardship facing some UK households at present. This again resulted in pessimism with regards to financial wellbeing in 12 months’ time.
"With new COVID-19 related restrictions introduced, job security perceptions remained negative and incomes from employment fell again in October. Moreover, the measures are likely to have a severely negative impact on household finances, and as such, hopes of a recovery will be on hold until the pandemic is under control and restrictions loosened,” he added.
IHS Markit's UK Household Finance Index (HFI) for October is worth a look. It's mostly bad news, but – despite the grim headlines – people's perceptions of their #job security did at least continue to recover from April's low…https://t.co/Uzp1nSFQbj pic.twitter.com/9S4LDsbPu2
— Julian Jessop (@julianHjessop) October 19, 2020
The FTSE 100 was down 9 points at 5,910.
11.00am: An ocean of calm
Trading on Euronext exchange has halted because of a technical glitch and you might be forgiven for thinking the same things has happened in London.
The FTSE 100 is up 6 points (0.1%) at 5,925 and remains on a short leash tethered to Friday’s closing value.
There has been little news flow from the top-tier [Don’t mention tiers! – Dastardly Dom] companies. Drugs giant AstraZeneca has popped out a couple of announcements but as neither of them are about a coronavirus vaccine, the market has not shown much interest.
AstraZeneca’s Trixeo Aerosphere has been recommended for marketing authorisation in the European Union for maintenance treatment in adult patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use also gave an indication extension to Forxiga of its marketing authorisation in the European Union for the treatment of symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in adults with and without type-2 diabetes.
The shares were up 0.2% at 8,236p.
Boohoo Group PLC (LON:BOO), the bad boy of AIM, was off 14% at 272.4p after it confirmed reports that PwC, its auditor since 2014, is stepping down.
VG news @CommonsEAC doing follow up inquiry. Hope they bring @boohoo back to question & call in shareholders @JupiterAM_UK @InvescoEMEA & @BaillieGifford whose response to findings of Levitt review makes mockery of their claims to champion Environmental Social & Governance #ESG https://t.co/cpL7G44Dcx
— Liz Kendall (@leicesterliz) October 6, 2020
9.40am: The starter's pistol was fired but did anyone hear it?
Most of us appreciate a gentle start to the working week and that’s what the stock market is giving traders.
The FTSE 100 was up 4 points (0.1%) at 5,923, helped by some half-decent economic data from China.
The Chinese economy grew by 4.9% in the third quarter, which was an improvement on the previous quarter’s growth of 3.2% but below the 5.5% rise that was forecast.
“Any ill-feeling was tempered by improving industrial production and unemployment rate numbers, and, crucially, a far better than expected retail sales reading. That metric – which, after the GDP gross domestic product] figure, is the most important for investors – surged from 0.5% in August to 3.3% in September, marking the second positive reading in a row,” noted Connor Campbell at Spreadex.
Across the pond, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has set Tuesday evening as a deadline to reach a coronavirus stimulus deal ahead of the presidential election.
“While the odds are still slim, market participants are reacting positively to every progress made as time is running out to maintain the momentum of the economic recovery,” Milan Cutkovic at Axi.
“Investors will need strong nerves in the coming days and weeks. Fears about the consequences of a second corona wave, Brexit uncertainties and the upcoming elections in the United States will guarantee a continuation of the stock market´s roller-coaster ride,” Cutkovic said.
8.50am: Better than expected start for Footsie
The FTSE 100 got off to a slightly better than anticipated start to proceedings on Monday amid coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine hopes and data showing a resilient economic performance from China.
The index of UK blue-chip shares opened 25 points higher at 5,944.45.
Keeping the lid on any further exuberance at the start of the trading week, however, were Brexit negotiations, which have an impending train wreck feel to them.
Any sniff of a COVID-19 inoculation, such as the one seen over the weekend as Pfizer said it was ready to file for regulatory sign-off for its coronavirus prophylactic, seems to have an immediate impact on travel-related stocks.
Flying high early on Monday was British Airways owner IAG (LON:IAG), which gained 2%.
Rolls Royce (LON:RR.), which maintains jet engines for fleets of the world’s airlines, jumped a further 4%.
That said, much of the recent Lazarus-like revival of Rolls, which has doubled in value since its low at the start of October, has been put down to short covering.
On the debit side, traders appeared to be calling the end to the recent run for Just Eat (LON:JET), up 15% in the last month, as the stock was marked down 1.3%.
On the FTSE 250, IWG (LON:IWG), the office group formerly known as Regus, was ahead 6.9% after an upgrade to ‘buy’ from Berenberg.
Proactive news headlines:
Landore Resources Ltd (LON:LND) has begun an autumn-winter drilling programme on the BAM gold deposit in Ontario, Canada. The company will drill 14,000 metres aimed at further infilling and extending the defined resource of 1,015,000 ounces of gold, and to test the depth potential of the previously delineated mineralisation.
Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC (AIM: SYM) said the largest baker in Turkey, Uno Bakery, has launched a biodegradable packaging programme using Symphony’s d2w technology. Uno is the first major bakery in Turkey to upgrade most of its packaging with d2w biodegradable technology, Symphony said. The collaboration follows a similar partnership the company has with the largest bakery in Mexico. Packaging made with d2w can be recycled if facilities are available, but if it escapes collection and ends up in the environment as litter, it will degrade and biodegrade in a continuous, irreversible and unstoppable process, in the same way as nature's wastes and much faster than regular plastic, the biodegradable plastic specialist noted.
Shield Therapeutics PLC (LON:STX) has confirmed that the generics giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has withdrawn its patent challenge, which had gone to the appeal stage. The company said this means European Patent No.2668175, which covers the "process for preparing an iron hydroxypyrone" has become final and that the patent will be maintained as amended on March 14 last year. Additionally, Teva's ending of its opposition to European Patent No.3160951 ("crystalline forms of ferric maltol") means the patent is maintained as granted, providing protection out to October 2035.
Ceres Power Holdings PLC (LON:CWR) has agreed an expanded collaboration with South Korean group Doosan which gains the licence to manufacture Ceres' proprietary solid oxide fuel cell stacks. Doosan plans to build a manufacturing facility with an initial 50MW capacity by 2024. It is worth £36mln to Ceres over 3 years, plus a further £7mln potentially due subject to key performance indicators (KPIs). This income precedes longer term royalties on the sale of fuel cell stacks.
IXICO PLC (LON:IXI), the artificial intelligence-driven data analytics company focused on neuroscience, has racked up its fourth consecutive year of strong top-line growth, seeing underlying earnings double. In a trading update for the year to the end of September 2020, the group said revenue rose by 26% to £9.5mln, up from £7.6mln the year before, signifying the fourth year in a row that revenue had increased by more than 25% year-on-year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) more than doubled to achieve at least market expectations of £1.1mln (2019: £0.5mln), the firm said. In a separate announcement, the company revealed that Dr Robin Wolz, its senior vice president of Science & Innovation will present on the industry panel at the virtual SCA & ARCA Global Conference, taking place on October 19-21, 2020.
Amryt Pharma PLC (LON:AMYT) (NASDAQ:AMYT) said it has signed a distribution deal for Lojuxta covering 17 countries in central and eastern Europe (CEE). Swixx BioPharma, which also has the exclusive contract for Amryt’s Myalepta, will start deliveries later this month. Lojuxta, also known as lomitapide, has been developed to treat adults with a rare cholesterol disorder.
IQGeo Group Plc (LON:IQG) has secured a major contract extension with a large utility network operator in the USA. The company will continue to provide the client with software licenses and services. It has been using IQGeo's Inspection & Survey application for gas leak detection in its utility networks. The new contract also includes meter surveys and increases the number of divisions deploying IQGeo technology. The value is anticipated at US$600,000.
Advanced Oncotherapy PLC (LON:AVO), the developer of proton therapy systems for cancer treatment, is to set out its stall at an investor event on Monday. The company’s management team will discuss the broader market potential for proton therapy and outline how Advanced Oncotherapy’s LIGHT system could accelerate the adoption of proton therapy as a treatment modality for several different cancer indications. The team will also discuss how the LIGHT system can potentially be adapted for FLASH delivery of protons, an emerging mode of proton therapy treatment that uses ultra-high dose rates.
BlueRock Diamonds PLC (LON:BRD) said it has sold 2,900 carats at an average price of US$300 per carat. The aggregate consideration amounted to just over US$870,000. The production comes from the company’s Kareevlei diamond mine in the Kimberley region of South Africa.
88 Energy Ltd (LON:88E) told investors it has increased its stake in the area including and surrounding the previously Charlie-1 well in Alaska to 75% from 30%. The 'Area A' comprises around 40% of the gross Project Icewine acreage. A new independent resource estimate for this area is anticipated in the coming weeks. It is planned that a new farm-out process will follow the release of the report.
Coinsilium Group Limited (AQSE:COIN) has told investors that its shares begin cross-trading publicly on the OTCQB Venture Market (OTCQB) in the United States on Monday. The shares will trade under the ticker symbol ‘CINGF’. Previously, they were quoted on the OTC’s Pink Open Markets but the group said the upgrade to OTCQB provides greater access to new and materially larger pool of prospective US investors.
Europa Metals Ltd (LON:EUZ) has been awarded a €466,801.50 grant by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology, a Spanish government entity operating under the umbrella of the Ministry of Science and Innovation. The grant is for use towards research and development at the Europa’s wholly-owned Toral lead, zinc and silver project in the region of Castilla y León, north-west Spain. The grant is categorised as a partly refundable loan with a nil per cent interest rate.
Shanta Gold Ltd (LON:SHG) said it produced 19,973 ounces of gold from its New Luika mine in Tanzania during the third quarter of 2020. That, in turn, generated underlying earnings (EBITDA) of US$22.5mln, with all-in sustaining costs (AISC) at US$883 per ounce, the group added. The company closed out the period with net debt of US$5.1mln, following a US$7.8mln cash payment related to the acquisition of the new West Kenya project.
Afarak Group PLC (LON:AFRK) said that overall production of speciality alloys and ferroalloys during the third quarter of 2020 dropped by 60.1% when compared to the same quarter of the prior year. Speciality alloys production dropped by 31% to 17,411 tonnes, while ferroalloys production dropped by nearly 70% to 23,325 tonnes, it added. Reduced mining activity in the South African mines resulted in significant lower mining volumes as the company focused on the protection of staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Salt Lake Potash Ltd (Read More – Source
Proactiveinvestors
UK terror threat level lowered for first time in five years
Coronavirus restrictions in parts of England to remain in place
Queen pays tribute to dedicated and respected heir to the throne
Coronavirus vaccine horror: Elderly patients forced to queue in freezing cold for HOURS
Who are Zalie Warren, Florence van Cutsem and Jasper Dyer
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My Top 15 Film Scenes of 2015
Haven’t Seen: Legend, Crimson Peak, Grandma, I’ll See You In My Dreams, Trumbo, Heaven Knows What, James White, Taxi, Arabian Nights, Spy, Breathe, Experimenter, The Forbidden Room, Heart of a Dog, Mustang, The Walk, The Assassin, Chi-raq, Victoria, Li’l Quinquin, Blackhat, Hard to Be a God, Magic Mike XXL, Mr. Holmes, Amy, Bone Tomahawk, Dope, Girlhood, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Youth
HONORABLE MENTIONS: The opening (It Follows), The hospital scene (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Long take boxing match (Creed), Rey gets the lightsaber (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), The ending (End of the Tour), Connecticut (Mistress America), Catherine’s monologue (Queen of Earth), Dirty Talk (The Duke of Burgundy), Shootout (Slow West), Selling the Mop (Joy), Eilis gives advice (Brooklyn), Celebrity cameos (The Big Short), Boyz-N-The-Hood recording (Straight Outta Compton), Opening chase (Bridge of Spies), Agu’s final monologue (Beasts of No Nation), Church fight (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Opening sequence (Steve Jobs)
Awesome moment: The Rock flexes off his cast in Furious 7
*In no particular order. Note: there are spoilers for some of the endings to these movies.
Speak Low, “Phoenix”: Arguably the scene of the year, and a literal drop the mic ending. It’s an inevitable, devastating, and absolutely perfect conclusion that leaves you in stunned silence. It’s also Hoss and Zehrfeld at their absolute best.
The final scene, “The Hateful Eight”: I could choose many scenes from this–Warren’s monologue and the coffee poisoning, to name a couple–but this is my favorite. It’s a surprisingly poignant ending to a brutal and bloody movie, and the symbolism of the Lincoln Letter paired with the beautiful music paired with an unexpected alliance makes this one of the best scenes of the year.
Vienna Opera House, “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation”: This is just an impressively crafted action scene all around, and the violence is nicely juxtaposed with a beautiful background and music.
The final battle, “Mad Max: Fury Road”: The entire movie just seems like one awesome, extended action scene, but I’ll choose this final chase back to the Citadel as the highlight. This is an example of chaotic filmmaking as amazing filmmaking, and it’s one of the most thrilling movie sequences I’ve seen in a while.
Donut shop, “Tangerine”: This is the scene that brings the various storylines together, pitting everyone against one another in some way through a flurry of entertaining confrontations. It’s also the type of scene I’d describe as ‘chaotic’, but in a good way.
Day of the Dead, “Spectre”: Far and away the best part of the film, it opens with a slick tracking shot and follows Bond both through and above the Day of the Dead parade. The movie’s action brings diminishing returns later on, but this opening is a stellar piece of action filmmaking.
Sex scene, “Anomalisa”: The fact that one of the most realistic sex scenes I’ve seen in film comes from stop-motion animation is a problem. That aside, this is a scene that maintains both an air of awkwardness and an undercurrent of genuine emotion, and it’s extremely well done.
Paul Walker tribute, “Furious 7”: I’m ambivalent about the movie as a whole, but the tribute to Paul Walker is clearly the product of a lot of love, sadness, and appreciation of him as a person. “See You Again” is nothing special as a song, but in this context, it’s without a doubt powerful.
Escape and reunion, “Room”: The two go together, but they have slightly different tones: the former does well by the uncertainty and tension of the escape, whereas the latter is an extremely powerful and affecting reunion between mother and son. Larson and Tremblay are fantastic here.
Final scene, “Carol”: Feel good, poetic, touching, etc. etc. etc. The final scene is the culmination of a movie that comes full circle, and that one last look between Therese and Carol speaks volumes. It’s a gorgeous image to end on.
Bear attack, “The Revenant”: Along with the opening Arikara battle scene, this is the movie at its best, whether it be from a tension or sheer visceral impact or technical standpoint. It’s just absolutely relentless, having you believe that the scene isn’t so bad before it just bludgeons you over the head again and again with BEAR. Shoutout to Lubezki and co. for their work here.
Dance scene, “Ex Machina”: This is the perfect encapsulation of this movie. It seems fun and lighthearted throughout, but this is also the point where you start to realize just how messed up Nathan might be. Also, Oscar Isaac doing anything–let alone dancing–is worth watching.
Anniversary dance, “45 Years”: What a lovely, quietly heartbreaking scene. “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” is the perfect song choice for this final scene, and the look we’re left with before we cut to black is beautifully played by Charlotte Rampling.
Border crossing, “Sicario”: For me, this is the most tension-filled sequence of the movie, and everything is set up brilliantly before all hell breaks loose. Deakins does a great job of utilizing windows and reflections to build up said tension.
Reunion/”Take her to the moon for me”, “Inside Out”: The most affecting scene of the film for me is Riley’s reunion with her parents, during which she realizes that it’s okay to be sad. It’s the thematic climax of the movie, and it’s wonderful. I’d be remiss not to mention Bing Bong and “Take her to the moon for me”, though.
*Shoutout to Brian Eno’s “The Big Ship”, used brilliantly in The End of the Tour and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.
Photo credits: A24, Ex Machina, Sicario, Black Label Media, Anomalisa, Starburns Productions, Tangerine, Phoenix, Duplass Brothers Productions, Schramm Film Koerner and Weber
For poll purposes: if your choice is a different scene from one of my selected movies, feel free to either select “Other” or the scene I chose.
Tags: Anniversary dance final scene 45 Years Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Anomalisa sex scene stop motion Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bear attack Leonardo DiCaprio The Revenant, Best Movie Scenes of 2015, Border crossing scene Juarez shootout Sicario, Church fight scene Kingsman The Secret Service, Dance scene Ex Machina Oscar Isaac, Day of the Dead Spectre opening scene James Bond, Donut shop scene Tangerine, Escape scene Jacob Tremblay Brie Larson Room, Final battle Mad Max Fury Road Citadel, Final scene Therese Belivet Carol, Hospital scene Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Brian Eno The Big Ship, Long take boxing match Creed, Paul Walker tribute Furious 7 See You Again, Phoenix final scene Speak Low Nina Hoss, Reg lightsaber Force fight scene Star Wars The Force Awakens, Take her to the moon for me Bing Bong death Inside Out, The Hateful Eight final scene Lincoln Letter Walton Goggins Sam Jackson, Top Film Scenes of 2015, Vienna Opera House fight scene Mission Impossible Rogue Nation, Year end critic top 10 lists movies film 2015
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3 Responses to “My Top 15 Film Scenes of 2015”
JustMeMike January 20, 2016 at 11:23 am #
I loved the scene in Room when Larson tell Tremblay, upon his 5th birthday some of the facts of their situation. And Tremblay says, I don’t want to be five anymore , I want to go back to being four.
I also like the scene in Sicario when Benicio’s character sits down for dinner with Jefe and his family, the very family he will shortly kill. The tension was intense – I was reminded of the scene in Godfather when Michael Corleone had to sit down for dinner with Sollozzo and the police captain McCluskey.
Small question – when it comes to doing a favorite list like this – how do you start. Do you work from a list of movies that you have seen and written about or do you have notes from the preparation of your review – sort of an index card file of scenes that you have compiled during the year.
polarbears16 January 24, 2016 at 4:28 pm #
Yup, those were fantastic scenes as well. What I usually do for the scenes list is make my overall movie list rough draft first, then look to see if there were any particularly memorable scenes that stood out. I also like to go to other sites’ best scenes threads or lists to see if I’m missing anything.
MovieManJackson May 11, 2016 at 9:59 pm #
Went with Mad Max, Spectre, and Sicario. God, I love Sicario.
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Name of political tactic
Is there a name for a political tactic or a political theory where the leader of a public organization performs actions that only just fulfill the expectations of the masses (when potentially far more can be done), and makes the lay public (which forms majority of the population) believe that nothing else can be done? An example of this is a Cricket Team where, despite a wealth of talent in the domestic teams, the chief selector selects the same mediocre players for the international team in spite of countless failures. The majority of the lay public (who are unaware of players in the domestic system) may remember one or two good performances of the players selected, and may consider this selection a good one, while those who have access to statistics and are critically following the sport both internationally and domestically may consider the selection as absurd. Another example is the political scenario, where the politicians set aside funds to build a transport network in a localized area that is visually appealing for the public, but benefits only a selected few, when the same amount is more than enough to overhaul the electricity infrastructure the country? At the same time, the politicians makes the lay public believe that overhauling of the electricity infrastructure is not possible due to lack of funds?
political-theory
Asfandyar SheikhAsfandyar Sheikh
Is "superficial" the word you want? – Bobson Oct 8 '14 at 17:55
As they used to call this tactic in the context of the labour market in USSR, "they pretend to pay us salary for our pretending to work" – user4012 Oct 8 '14 at 17:57
lazieness?????? – Sam I am says Reinstate Monica Oct 8 '14 at 21:26
Here's a few terms that fit your description to varying degrees:
Demagoguery: appealing to common prejudices, fears, biases, or ignorance to gain power. The cricket coach going with the popular player (who they can remember good things about, but isn't actually the best candidate) is acting as demagogue, relying on public support to stay in control of the team rather than making the best choice with his careful study.
Exploiting Rational Ignorance: People in a democracy don't really get much from voting; the outcome of an election will almost definitely be the same whether or not any individual votes. Therefore, it doesn't make much sense for an individual to spend a lot of time researching an issue; the voter might as well just go with his gut on most issues, or ignore them altogether. In the infrastructure example, no individual voter has any reason to question the assertion that the electricity infrastructure is too expensive. The almost zero benefit of using that information correctly is unlikely to be able to overcome the costs of time investment of personal research or the money it would take to hire an impartial panel to study the cost.
Democracy: Early theorists of Democracy like Plato and Aristotle saw this kind of manipulation as the status quo for a system where popularity and rhetoric rather than wisdom ruled. In fact, for Aristotle, democracy was considered the be the deviant form of a government called polity, where the passions of the masses were moderated by a constitution that limited the ability of the mob to influence government. Plato's forms of government:
This fear of direct rule helped shape division of power in the Roman and American Republics.
lazarusLlazarusL
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Image detail: Robert Wade, Connie Matthews, Copenhagen, Denmark 1969
ALL POWER: VISUAL
LEGACIES of the Black PANTHer Party
Opening reception: APRIL 20
members preview & tour 5pm | Public Opening 6pm
Endia Beal Sabrina and Katrina, 2015 from “Am I What You’re Looking For?”
All Power: Visual Legacies of the Black Panther Party is drawn from a book of the same name and showcases a select group of contemporary black artists, including emerging and internationally acclaimed practitioners, women and men spanning twenty-two to seventy years of age, who have been informed or influenced by The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.
Formed in 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, two students at Laney College in Oakland, California, and active for less than twenty years (1966–1982), the Panthers indelibly pierced the public consciousness through its visual code and social platforms. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Seattle chapter, the first outside of California, and PCNW’s presentation is timed to that.
Exhibiting Artists: Maikoiyo Alley-Barnes, Endia Beal, Sadie Barnette, Bruce Bennett, Ouidakathryn Bryson, Howard Cash, Emory Douglas, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Kris Graves, Ayana V. Jackson, Christopher Paul Jordan, Kambui Olujimi, Lewis Watts, Carrie Mae Weems, Dr. Deborah Willis, Hank Willis Thomas, and Robert Wade.
Bruce Bennett, Center 2, Bronzeville, Chicago 2013
Lewis Watts, Graffiti, West Oakland 1993
RELATED Public Programs:
The following related programs have been developed in collaboration with the Frye Art Museum by Negarra A. Kudumu, Manager of Public Programs. They include a 3-part discussion series examining the ongoing impact of the Black Panther Party’s aesthetic legacies internationally, nationally, and here in Seattle. Featured speakers include artists and activists Royal Alley-Barnes, Endia Beale, Yadesa Bojia, Councilman Larry Gossett, Ayana V. Jackson, and Robert Wade.
Sunday, April 22, 2 pm: International Impact, moderated by Negarra A. Kudumu, Frye Art Museum Manager of Public Programs
Saturday, May 19, 2 pm: National Impact, a conversation
Saturday, June 9, 2 pm: Local Impact, moderated by Michelle Dunn Marsh, Executive Director & Curator of Photographic Center Northwest
Check fryemuseum.org/all-power for more information.
ALL POWER AT THE AIPAD PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW:
All Power: Visual Legacies of the Black Panther Party has been chosen by the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD) to be on view at its annual art fair, The Photography Show, April 5-8, 2018, Pier 94, New York City.
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Programming Archive
Opportunities and Announcements
Fly By Night | experimental art park hangs
Sat., July 6, 2019
223 Gladys Allison Pl.,
North York Centre Station
Part of Summer 2019
Fly by Night is an experimental art park hang out. Opening with sound artist, Elliott Fienberg, performing a hybrid of a DJ set and live PA, mixing ambient, techno and sounds from around the world. Then, percussionist and performer, Germain Lui, will lead us through the art park with a dynamic sound performance. These sound performances are followed by an hour-long outdoor screening at night delving into the rhythms and waves of immigrant narratives that sustain and thrive in North York, ON. Fly by Night celebrates a multitude of voices including filmmakers from the Korean, Persian, Chinese communities and more.
7:00 – 8:30 pm Elliott Fienberg – Ambient Techno
8:30 – 9:00 pm Germain Liu – Sound Performance
9:20 – 10:30 pm Fly by Night – Outdoor Screening
Read below for interview tidbits with the Fly by Night filmmakers!
Ramyeon, Kimura Byol-Nathalie Lemoine, 2012.
Le Flan, Raoul Olou, 2013.
Whitewashed, Nadine Valcin 2016.
Caribou in the Archive, Jennifer Dysart, 2018.
Abuelita, Alejandra Higuera, 2013.
Portrait of a Zamboni Driver, Nadine Arpin, 2018.
Mnoomin (Wild Rice), Alex Fox, 2014.
Stroke, Weibin Wang, 2017.
Flower Casting Shadow on Stone, Taravat Khalili, 2014.
Moving, Leslie Supnet, 2007.
Double-sided Tape, Bo Fan, 2018.
Negative Reversal, Samuel Lee, 2015.
Grief without Fantasy, Midi Onodera, 2012.
Flown Awake, Taravat Khalili, 2018.
Afriqueville, Raoul Olou, 2018.
SOUND PERFORMERS BIOS
Germaine Liu is a Toronto-based percussionist, performer and composer. Her compositional interests involve collaborations with people or the objects she plays and joyful explorations of everyday gestures and feelings. Recent collaborations include CeramiX with artist Chiho Tokita, creating compositions to Tokita’s ceramic works and Water Music with Joe Sorbara and Mark Zurawinski, exploring sounds of water. Liu has performed as a soloist and has been privileged to collaborate with many wonderful musicians, dancers and artists. She is part of a number of Toronto-based ensembles, including c_RL with Nicole Rampersaud and Allison Cameron, Octopus with Mark Zurawinski, The Titillators, and Picastro.
Sound artist and producer Elliott Fienberg approaches music as a practice of tinkering, both when designing sounds or designing physical interfaces and installations for performances. For the Fly By Night screening, Elliott will be performing a hybrid of a DJ set and live PA, mixing ambient, techno and sounds from around the world. Hear his work here: soundcloud.com/fienberg
This FREE EVENT is sponsored generously by the Animating Parks program with the Toronto Arts Council and in partnership Arts in the Park with the Toronto Arts Foundation.
Interview tidbit with Germaine Liu:
PD: As a percussionist, you don’t only use percussion instruments, but also multiple objects and their sounds, as your performances also involve a lot of objects. You once stated that it can be regard as “friendly exchange” between you and the objects, can you elaborate on the relationship between sound and object as a composer?
Germaine Liu: As a person that likes to compose, my relationship with sound changes depending on the situation. Sometimes I like to go on youtube and find 8 hours of bird sounds and play it as a background when I am not actively listening or make up silly songs and sing them around the house or rock out on a classic drum beat! In the context of instrument/object explorations, I am particularly drawn to touch and the tactile experience through physical exchange and welcoming sound as a bonus part of the exchange.
This is what I think of sometimes as “friendly exchange” which is my musical version of how I first experienced the practice of ‘contact dance’, a form of dance improvisation where dancers remain in contact throughout. I see it as a partnership of movement creation through an exchange of trust and negotiation with a commitment to the flow of everchanging activities. Since there is this commitment of sticking together, negotiating balance and heightened listening to the bodies for safety and creation, there will always be a kind of ongoing adventure into the unknown which is exciting to me. Often when I explore the exchanges of touch with the instrument/object I try my best to commit completely and follow to where the momentum takes our relationship.
PD: From a sound artist’s perspective, it seems that you prefer real objects instead of synthetic sound, electronica sounds, do you consider there’s sort of naturalism in your work?
Germaine: From my perspective as a person that enjoys exploring with objects and acoustic sounds, I don’t think I prefer one kind of sound exploration over another. I think there is a lot of incredible music out there, both electronic and acoustic. I think I just got involved with acoustic sounds because I studied music with a percussionist/composer/educator Jesse Stewart who is interested in object exploration. He encouraged me to explore the sonic potential of percussion instruments and objects while I was in school and I have just continued on with that journey. I love loop pedals and all these amazing sounds that people are making with computers. I am just so grateful that there are many different ways to explore sound out there that allows us to experiment with what is possible beyond ourselves.
Interview tidbit with Bo Fan:
PD: In the video work “Double-Sided Tape”, it seems that you use the term as a metaphor of the family relationship fixed by Chinese-speaking world, especially the video juxtaposes Ang Lee’s film clips of the movie “The Wedding Banquet”, as well as the song lyrics in the video “The worst is to not produce any offspring”. Do you regard this work as a resistance to so-called traditional Confucianist family value that conflicts your gender identity? Can you also elaborate a bit on the anxiety that you show in the works by presenting the home video footages and soliloquy?
Bo Fan: The song, Often Going Back Home to Visit Our Parents, in the karaoke/lyrics segment of the video, is a very well-known stereotypical Chinese New Year song that indicates the idea of the family reunion. What I feel about the juxtaposition of The Wedding Banquet and my family footages in this part is almost like a reminiscence of the days of a happy family, the days before I came out to both of my parents; it has a sense of “false” happiness. It is genuine happiness, but with some distance, especially through my position nowadays.
I don’t think of the work as a resistance to traditional values, Chinese or Confucianist, whichever it may be called. Interestingly, in ancient China, homosexuality was not considered as sin; rather, it was tolerated and recognized, though not totally accepted. It was regarded, as a common fetish co-exists with the “continuing the family line” ideology. The traditional belief of “Yin and Yang” (though it is Taoist) principle of sexuality allows genders and orientations to stay in a relatively fluid state. The legitimation is also reflected in many flourishing Chinese homoerotic literature and art.
It is frustrating that many of the great ancient wisdom were sometimes misunderstood or even being standardized to one interpretation with the passage of time. For instance, the offspring quote in the next segment of the video was an analogy of how my parents and I interpret the traditional values differently. I guess I was also hoping to use this video to bridge the gap between my dad and me.
Interview tidbit with Raoul Olou:
PD: You once talked about the history of animation and how animation is able to address or serve as a vehicle to convey important messages. Compared to your previous works Hell Kitchen and Le Flan, Africville seems to address a serious topic about the history of marginalised black community on the outskirt of Halifax. What inspired you to make the work?
Raoul Olou: I grew up in Senegal, and lived in Paris myself for 8 years. I moved to Toronto after living in Montreal for better work opportunities. With Africville, I was contacted by Leroi Newbold the school director of Freedom School in Toronto, a three-week program for kids to learn about black liberation, community organizing and self-pride. We travelled to Halifax and met people that had lived in Africville or had their parents growing up there. With that film my main intention was to let people that knew about Africville through their personal experience or that of their parents, share their vision of what Africville meant for them.
Pleasure Dome Presenting Experimental Media Art Since 1989
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Playwright's Alley
Where inspiration becomes creativity in the Arts
Posted on August 24, 2019 August 24, 2019 by Steve Odenthal
Something Fresh in Catch Me If You Can at Heritage Community Theatre
Steve Odenthal
Flying the friendly skies… A Conman’s story takes flight.
There is something quite fresh about the musical Catch Me If You Can now playing at the Heritage Community Theatre in Perry, Utah. The chances are that you won’t be familiar with the show which premiered on Broadway in 2011 at the Neil Simon Theatre and garnered four Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical. I wasn’t. And you probably will not yet know the songs. But you will, after watching this production. Mixing a laugh with a tear and splitting time between poignancy and guilty pleasure, this show is one that entertains.
Since I did not know the show, I was hoping for a Guys, and Dolls feel, and at times I almost got there, but this show has legs of its own to stand on. The father and son relationship is explored at length, and from a few angles that surprised me. That made this show something fresh. I found myself entranced in the action and story of this piece. I think you will be swept up as well. Be aware that this is a show without children on the stage and I think that this is a night to leave them home as well. There is no blatant license taken here, but it is a picture of the times and told from a Con-man’s point of view. There is a comeuppance, and justice is done in the end, but the story’s covers are peeled back far enough to see the motivation, and even the criminal’s naivete at times. I loved the portrayal, but make no mistake, this is not the role model you seek.
A million-dollar grin can only take you so far. But you will fly first class right up to the end.
The play, with Music by Marc Shaiman, Lyrics from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and book by Terrence McNally (the same production team that brought forth Hairspray) is well directed by Heritage veteran Leslie Richards maps the criminal career of Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Ben Lowell), a too-clever 16-year-old who has the charm, charisma, and chutzpah to bluff his way through any situation. He learned from the best, his dad, Frank Abagnale, Sr. (Troy Hone), an entrepreneur and slickster never far from a big win, but usually, a day or dollar short. The father-son relationship is the heart of this show, and the casting of Lowell and Hone is as ideal a pairing as could be imagined.
Lowell, for his part, never fails to shine in his own light with a grin that could melt an iceberg. I immediately felt I was being conned by this guy, but I loved the con and fell right into line with the character. While pulling this feat off with every audience member, because that is what conmen are supposed to do, I was amazed to find that Lowell could maintain that hold on me as he took the audience into the awe which Frank Jr. felt for Frank Sr.
Hone, seen many times before on Heritage’s stage, completes the show as we see his pure love and devotion for his one earthly price, Paula Abagnale (Brooke Wardle) who slips through his fingers, and also the pride with which he regards his son—who is reeking the revenge on the world Senior only wishes he could. Hone’s portrayal of sixties-cool and quiet desperation makes everywhere he wanders on stage a poignant treat.
Wardle commands the stage each time she appears but does so with a poised distinction that holds us at bay but softens and melts as she beholds the two men whose world she has shaped. It seems a mere matter of fact that she has room in her life for a third and separate lover. I should mention again that no special attention is paid to this part of her compartmentalized life, but it is there. It is just the character’s way.
Every show must have a good guy. The character Carl Hanratty (Travis Williams) is a hero, but in this telling, he is a well-weathered guy not above making a mistake—remember, this is Frank Jr. telling us the story. At times Hanratty, the beleaguered FBI Agent-in-charge, seems about to go under himself as he chases the criminal waiting for that one mistake, they all make. Williams takes us through a lot of emotions as he inadvertently bonds with his nemesis, and winds up the winner in this cat and mouse game. His part in the “My Favorite Time of Year,” “Little Boy Be A Man,” and “Don’t be a Stranger” numbers are among the most touching of the night. Lowell, Wardle, Hone, and Williams make for a very strong presence on stage in this show.
Hanratty—Agent in Charge with his assorted minions, somehow keep on the trail and in pursuit.
I must say that the FBI agent presence, with Agents Branton (Daniel Price), Cod (Colton Jones), and Dollar (Cameron Linford) looking to steal a scene or two, made me a little uncomfortable. I am biased because I am old enough to have had friends in the FBI at this time, and little is done with these characters except to use them as comic relief. I knew a stronger, silent type Agent—in fact, one friend who worked on this particular case. But I need to understand that this probably was the way Frank Abagnale Jr. saw his pursuers. Laugh with their antics is the best way to handle it, I guess because you will not have my personal baggage and the four actors do a good job in their roles.
But while we are on the subject of comic relief, actors Amber Kacherian and Jordan Martineau combine to become a tour de force in the roles of Carol and Roger Strong, doting parents of Brenda Strong (Aisha Marie) the apparent love of the younger Abagnale’s life (and coincidentally, the mistake the criminal finally makes). Marie comes alive in the second act and knocks us dead with her voice on “Fly, Fly Away.”
I did mention earlier that the music in this show is catchy, but it is more than just that; everyone who takes a song turn seems to be able to belt when appropriate—I’m looking at you, Tyler Bender (as the nurse soloist)—and lend a full voice to the songs. Ensemble actors: Annelise Anderson, Katie Hassell, Allison McEvoy, Mckenzie Nay, Eric Hawkins, and Kiressa Cullimore make the score look easy. Misa Findley, as music director has a lot to be proud of here.
In fact, the entire cast has a lot to be proud of in this production. It is not every day that the Heritage Community Theatre steps out of its own shadow to bring a new, relatively unknown, but very promising play to our area. It is a great leap of faith. We have the opportunity to see a play in its infancy that will soon become VERY popular and a standard. Are we up to it? I think we as a community are. See Catch Me If You Can—you will be entertained and probably have a new favorite show. I think I do.
Catch Me If You Can at the Heritage Community Theatre in Perry, Utah
Fri, Sat, Mon August 23 – Sept 14 with Matinee August 31
Curtain: 7:30 PM – Tickets: $12.00
Steve Odenthal is a Playwright, Humorist, Writer, and Patron of the Arts. Theatre is a great passion and with this website he hopes to promote thought and discussion (not soundbites and crusades) pertaining to what goes into great theatre at all levels. A playsright's alley is that spot in the production where communication between the Playwrights and Directors can come to grips with their respective visions.
CategoriesTheater Around Town - Local Reviews and Musings
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Matilda The Musical at the Ziegfeld Absolutely Soars in Ogden/Park City Engagement
The Music Man Corners the Market in Charm at Heritage Community Theatre
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MICHAEL SUMKO on I Hate Hamlet: A Grown-Up Night of Fun
Steve Odenthal on Flamboyant Occasion: A Workshop of Love
Susan Neidert on Flamboyant Occasion: A Workshop of Love
An Actors Life
Theater Around Town – Local Reviews and Musings
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News from the world of maths: Excel 2007 Bug
Excel 2007 Bug
Microsoft Excel is the back of the envelope for the modern problem solver. If a problem can't be solved in a few cells and perhaps a pivot table, then perhaps it's a problem best left alone — or left for the mathematicians in any case.
As such, recent news of a calculation bug in Excel 2007 has caused quite a stir.
In a blog post, Microsoft employee David Gainer reported that there are occasions where, when the result of a multiplication should be 65535, Excel instead displays 100000 as the answer.
You can try this yourself. Multiply 77.1 by 850, 10.2 by 6425 and 20.4 by 3212.5.
"Further testing showed a similar phenomenon with 65,536 as well," Gainer blogged.
According to Gainer, Excel gets the calculation correct but does not display it. The bug is limited to six numbers from 65,534.99999999995 to 65,535, and six numbers from 65,535.99999999995 to 65,536.
Microsoft have released a hotfix for the problem that can be downloaded and it will be included in the the first service pack update of the program.
Dan B, a Microsoft employee, commented on the Microsoft blog that:
"We're not planning to share details on this beyond what we've already communicated — i.e. that the issue occurred in formatting of floating point numbers near 65,565 and 65,536. It was code that we introduced as part of the calculation overhaul that we did for Excel 2007 however."
The problem seems to be an error in the 64-bit floating-point to string conversion routine. You can read more about this on the Microsoft blog.
At 5:47 AM, Chaitanya Sagar, Excel Expert said...
For more clear details about this Bug, I can refer you a link which would give details about this bug, which is by the head of Microsoft Ireland.
link:http://blogs.technet.com/daven/archive/2007/09/27/issue-in-excel-2007-and-excel-services-2007-involving-calculation-of-numbers-around-65-535.aspx
News from the world of maths: The Plus podcast: Women in mathematics
We visit the European Women in Mathematics conference and talk to two leading mathematicians, Caroline Series and Cheryl Praeger.
Rate this podcast: Women in mathematics(online surveys)
Hear more...
Labels: podcast
News from the world of maths: The Plus podcast: The geometry of viruses
We update you on the BA Festival of Science and talk to Reidun Twarock, who finds symmetry in viruses and uses maths to understand them.
Rate this podcast: The geometry of viruses(answers)
News from the world of maths: Industrial Mathematics Internships
Industrial Mathematics Internships
The Industrial Mathematics Internship, a joint program run by The Smith Institute and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), was launched at the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) on the 18th of September 2007.
The Internship is a way for companies and university research groups to promote direct knowledge exchange and develop long-term working relationships through engaging a dedicated postgraduate researcher to work on a specific industrial project over a period of 3 to 6 months.
The Smith Institute manages the Knowledge Transfer Network for Industrial Mathematics (KTN) and hopes that the program will inject fresh energy into UK businesses by bringing cutting-edge techniques to business innovation and by developing long-term working relationships between companies and universities.
Each Internship is a collaboration between a host company, an intern, and a research group within a university. Industrialists can improve existing, or develop new, operations through the impact of mathematical expertise. Universities can grow new industrial collaborations and relationships, whilst interns can gain first-hand experience of the business environment.
A pilot phase of the initiative will run between September 2007 and August 2008 and will establish 6 Internships. Each Internship will last between 3 and 6 months and will be supported by one of the KTN's Technology Translators, who will assist in establishing the projects, building the relationships, exploiting follow-on opportunities and disseminating a final case study through the industrial mathematics community.
Dr Tim Bradshaw, Head of Innovation, Science and Technology at the CBI, said, "The Industrial Mathematics Internships programme is an excellent example of how business and universities can collaborate for mutual benefit — helping businesses become more innovative and successful by making effective use of skills and knowledge developed in universities while at the same time providing extremely valuable experience for postgraduate researchers. The critical component is that researchers will work on finding solutions to real business problems, something for which the Smith Institute already has an excellent reputation."
Further details on Industrial Mathematics Internships can be found on the KTN web site.
If you would like to apply for an Internships or simply discuss a project idea, please contact Dr Claudia Centazzo at the Smith Institute.
You can also visit the blog by Trevor Maynard from Lloyd's Exposure Management.
Find out more about the Smith Institute on Plus, in the article Helping business make a crust and the career interview with Claudia Centazzo.
News from the world of maths: .2 million Cash Injection for Australian Mathematics
$3.2 million Cash Injection for Australian Mathematics
Leaders of Australia's mathematical sciences community today welcomed the announcement of a major Collaboration and Structural Reform grant to the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI). AMSI Director, Professor Philip Broadbridge, said: "AMSI has established a unique collaborative venture. This grant will enable us to continue to grow and expand our programs that are critical to industry, innovation and product quality. "Maintaining capacity for innovation and research is dependent on building Australia's base in mathematics and statistics which has been declining for some time," Professor Broadbridge added. Dr Jim Lewis, Chair of the AMSI Board, said he was delighted with the news. "As a former senior executive in the resources industry, I am very conscious of the value of mathematics to the mining and manufacturing industry. Australian education, research and industry need AMSI and the superb expertise it brings together in its ventures. This support is most welcome acknowledgment of the important role mathematics plays in own right and as a foundation enabling discipline." Chairman of the National Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research Working Party, Professor Hyam Rubinstein, also welcomed the news. "We found overwhelming support for AMSI during the Review and funding for it was one of our two priorities," said Professor Rubinstein. "With this announcement, and the increased funding for the teaching of mathematics and statistics in the May budget, universities should now be in the position to address a national need for more mathematics and statistics graduates." A further $1.2 million has been awarded to AMSI member, the University of Sydney, to enhance collaborative mathematics and statistics advanced course delivery across universities using Access Grid Rooms (AGR). The AGRs have been partly funded through the International Centre of Excellence for Education in Mathematics (ICE-EM), which is managed by AMSI and funded by DEST.
News from the world of maths: BA Festival of Science - Day 4
BA Festival of Science - Day 4
Another evening, another function, this one sponsored by the More Maths Grads programme. Dr Reidun Twarock, to whom I spoke earlier in the day, gave her talk on viruses and symmetry, possibly the most interactive maths I have seen. Icosahedrons made from cardboard and real footballs were thrown into the audience to help explain her mathematical concepts, and the talk was followed by a brief function in which the More Maths Grads people promoted their activities.
Journeying in this morning, I regretted somewhat the dodgy Yorkshire fish and chips I had the night before. I attended a press conference on studies conducted by the University of Bristol that suggests that not only is there trace evidence of drug usage on nearly every UK bank note in circulation, but that the notes circulate quickly enough throughout the country that no particular area has higher instances of drug use on their notes. Cocaine was found on nearly every note, whilst heroine is found on around 5%. The presence of the drugs is not simply because notes are used in drug-taking activities - even fresh new notes have some contamination because they are contaminated very early on through contact with infected notes. Cocaine is particularly sticky, and so only very brief contact can contaminate a note.
The next press conference was from Professor Terence Cosgrove from Revolymer, who has developed a non-stick chewing gum. More to the point, he was at pains to note that it is not "non-stick" but rather "low-adhesive". He has made the chewing low-adhesive by introducing a patented polymer that has hydrophilic ends, and so will wash off the pavement with water.
I spent the afternoon chatting to Plus editorial board member Chris Budd about all sorts of mathematical issues - mainly that of Euler and the role of maths in the food and drink industry. But we also touched on mathematics communication, period costumes, maths in crime solving and maths in Celtic and African knots and art. You can hear all this on the podcast very shortly.
Unfortunately my time at the BA Festival of Science is coming to an end. I am about to head into York for a session entitled "How maths changed my life" followed by the last train back to London. I certainly look forward to attending the 2008 version in Liverpool.
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Watch Vampyres (1974) Online
Director: José Ramón Larraz
Actors: Anulka Dziubinska, Brian Deacon, Karl Lanchbury, Marianne Morris, Michael Byrne, Murray Brown, Sally Faulkner
Sunburn (2020)
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Dolly Dearest (1991)
An American family moves to Mexico to fabricate dolls, but their toy factory happens to be next to a Sanzian grave and the toys come into possession of an old,…
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Country: Germany, Hungary, UK
Arizona ants mock the food chain on their way to a desert lab to get two scientists and a woman.
Nightwish (1989)
A professor and four graduate students journey to a crumbling mansion to investigate paranormal activity and must battle ghosts, aliens and satanic entities.
When a group of misfits is hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they…
Class of Nuke ‘Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown (1991)
The class of nuke ’em high is back, and this time they’re in college! Tromaville’s nuclear factory has been rebuilt and now includes the Tromaville institute of technology. Located inside…
The Other Lamb (2019)
A haunting and nightmarish tale that tells the story of Selah, a young girl born into a repressive cult known as the Flock. The members of the Flock – all…
Country: Belgium, Ireland, USA
Home with their newly-formed family, happy parents Dan and Jody are haunted by sinister, paranormal activities. Determined to expel the insidious force, they install security cameras and discover their family…
The Dark Tower (2017)
The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark…
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Western
All the Colors of Giallo
‘Giallo’ is Italian for ‘yellow’, the color of the lurid pulp novels that inspired one of the most intense, extreme and influential genres in movie history. In this unprecedented collection,…
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Hellmaster (1992)
A psychotic college professor uses unwitting students as laboratory rats, injecting them with a drug that mutates them into gory killers
Trailer: Vampyres (1974)
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2011 SPRING CINEMA SERIES
February 2: GROUNDHOG DAY
Harold Ramis, 1993, USA
When hundreds of people gather in Punxsutawney, PA to watch the groundhog emerge from his hole, self-important TV weatherman Phil Connors makes no secret of his disdain for the festivities of February 2. However, when Phil is forced to cover the holiday for a fourth time, his scorn backfires as he awakens the next morning to find that he is forced to live through Groundhog Day again…and again…and again.
February 9: JOURNEY FROM ZANSKAR
Frederick Marx, 2010, USA
Bay Area filmmaker Frederick Marx bravely follows an impassioned Buddhist monk as he escorts the children of Zanskar on a perilous journey over the Himalayas in search of an education. This moving and suspenseful portrait of heartbreak and heroism is an eye-opening account of the danger, uncertainty, and sacrifice that Tibetan Monks endure to preserve the threatened Tibetan culture. Director Frederick Marx will be in conversation at the screening.
February 16:MOOLAADÉ
Ousmane Sembene, 2004, Senegal
Moolaadé tells the extraordinary tale of a brave West African woman who decides to shelter four little girls from the torturous (and sometimes fatal) procedure of female circumcision, a traditional rite of passage in her village. This sumptuously shot and thought-provoking film, directed by the African continent’s most internationally acclaimed filmmaker, elegantly addresses one of the most controversial issues of our age.
February 23: Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN
Alfonso Cuaron, 2001, Mexico
Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna star in this sexy coming-of-age road movie. Acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron explores the sensual and chaotic relationships between the three central characters as well as the socio-political changes taking place in Mexico itself, ultimately offering the viewer powerful lessons concerning life, love, and growing up.
March 2: THE BLUE ANGEL
Joseph Von Sternberg, 1930, Germany
Joseph Von Sternberg’s 1930 expressionist classic uses memorable performances and extraordinary visual design to tell the story of a pretentious professor (Emil Jannings) and the seductive cabaret singer (Marlene Dietrich) who manipulates him into despair and shame. A relentless, twisted tragedy of repression and moral degradation, The Blue Angel is a milestone in the expressionist canon and a portrait of crumbling Weimar Germany.
March 9: MONSOON WEDDING
Mira Nair, 2001, India
Cultures and families collide in Mira Nair’s exuberant Bollywood tale of five interweaving love stories set against the background of an arranged Indian marriage. Cathartic and colorful, this entertaining crowd pleaser has warmed the hearts of audiences around the world and become one of India’s biggest global box office sensations.
March 16: GOODNIGHT NOBODY
Jacqueline Zünd, 2010, Switzerland
Goodnight Nobody chronicles four protagonists, each living on a different continent, who all share the same affliction: they can’t sleep. Zünd takes viewers on a hypnotic journey through night, space, and time as each insomniac struggles to exist in the strange world between reality and dreams. The film has been selected to open this year’s Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival. Director Jacqueline Zünd will be in conversation at the screening.
March 30: A PLACE IN THE SUN
George Stevens, 1951, USA
When an old flame threatens young George Eastman’s efforts to climb into a new social sphere, he must make a harrowing decision that will either grant him a perfect new life or shatter everything he’s built for himself. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, A Place in the Sun features extraordinary performances from Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters, and seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Taylor.
April 6: RAGING BULL
Martin Scorsese, 1980, USA
Based on the life and career of boxer Jake La Motta, Martin Scorsese’s seminal and elegiac masterpiece explores the rage and violence that made La Motta virtually unstoppable in the ring. Robert DeNiro, who won the Oscar for perhaps the finest performance of his career, gained a record 60 pounds to play La Motta in the final sequences of the film. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards.
April 13: THE CONVERSATION
Francis Ford Coppola, 1974, USA
When a secretive, obsessed surveillance expert listens in on a conversation between a young couple that may have deadly consequences, he is forced to confront his own dark and complex past. An examination of guilt, paranoia, and the psychology of voyeurism, the film features a virtuoso performance by Gene Hackman and groundbreaking sound design work by legendary editor Walter Murch. Walter Murch will be in conversation at the screening.
April 20: THE BIG ANIMAL
Jerzy Stuhr, 2000, Poland
This gorgeously photographed black and white fable of a man who finds a camel abandoned by the circus in a small Polish village becomes a striking parable about individuality under a repressive Communist regime. Written by the great Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski, the film is quiet and beautiful with the camel illuminating every frame.
April 27: DOUBLE INDEMNITY
Billy Wilder, 1944, USA
When a successful insurance salesman meets the seductive wife of one of his clients, he quickly becomes embroiled in a plot of conspiracy, corruption, and manipulation. With witty dialogue and a dark, expressionistic design, Billy Wilder crafts a stylish crime thriller exploring misguided morality and feminine danger. Nominated for seven Oscars, the film remains one of the greatest film noirs ever made.
May 4: FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Wes Anderson, 2009, USA
Visionary filmmaker Wes Anderson adapts Ronald Dahl’s classic tale of the Fantastic Mr. Fox, who tries to outwit the neighboring farms of Boggis, Bunce, and Bean to pull off the greatest chicken heist the world has ever seen. Exquisitely designed and photographed in stop motion animation, this film for all ages features the vocal stylings of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray.
May 11: YOU, THE LIVING
Roy Andersson, 2007, Sweden
This vignette-style tragicomedy from Sweden relies on stunning cinematography, non-professional actors, and deadpan humor to portray the absurdity and poignancy of everyday existence. Critically acclaimed and winner of multiple international awards, You, the Living is a unique ode to humanity that is sad, perplexing, beautiful, and hilarious all at the same time.
May 18: ANNIE HALL
Woody Allen, 1977, USA
The Cinema Series closes with the Woody Allen classic Annie Hall, which chronicles the romantic adventures of New York neurotic Alvy Singer and his newest love interest Annie Hall. This experimental and layered comedic narrative won Oscars for best picture, director, screenplay, and actress for Diane Keaton in the title role.
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Home/Books
Behind Locked Doors (Poster)
By Dorothy Dundas Dorothy Dundas, a survivor of forced combined insulin coma/electroshock, psychiatric drugging, seclusion and restraint during her teenage years, has created this powerful poster from her actual hospital records
By Bruce Levine
Polls show that the majority of Americans oppose recent US wars and Wall Street bailouts, yet most remain passive and appear resigned to powerlessness. Many Americans have lost confidence that genuine democracy is possible, and Get Up Stand Up explains how major US institutions have created fatalism. When such fatalism and defeatism sets in, truths about economic injustices and lost liberties are not enough to set people free something else is required. For democratic movements to get off the ground, individuals must recover self-respect, and a people must regain collective confidence that they can succeed at eliminating top-down controls. Get Up, Stand Up describes how anti-elitists can unite and recover dignity, confidence, and the energy to wrest power away from the ruling corporate-government partnership (the “corporatocracy”). Get Up, Stand Up details those strategies and tactics that oppressed peoples have successfully employed to gain power. As you read Bruce Levine’s rousing Get Up, Stand Up, inevitably you will be reminded of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, which served as a rallying cry for the colonialists to take action against their British rulers. Today, Levine argues, Americans are ruled by a tyrannical “corporatocracy” i.e. government by big business and for big business and his analysis of why the American people remain so passive in the face of such tyranny is smart, lucid, and passionate. Readers will also find, in his proposals for how the “people” today can stand up and “do battle” with the corporatocracy, a stirring call for action that surely needs to be heard.” Robert Whitaker, author of Anatomy of an Epidemic and Mad in America
Living for Two
By Lauren Spiro
A Daughter's Journey From Grief and Madness to Forgiveness and Peace
This courageously personal memoir describes Lauren Spiro’s journey from unbearable emotional pain following her father’s murder, down into psychosis, through the depths of our dysfunctional mental health system, and finally to a place of transcendent healing and peace where she knows that we are all connected much more deeply than we understand. This book has been a way of sharing meaning found in madness and honoring the vision of a sixteen year old that has lead to her life’s work. The Dialogues of Discovery book tour is a testament to the power of dialogue to transform consciousness and an invitation to explore topics touched on in the book, such as; How do you redefine who you are? How do you fill the emptiness in your soul? How do you come to know who you were born to be? How do you find liberation for yourself and others? How do you access and trust your own innate wisdom? Ms Spiro is passionate about developing our capacity for compassion, appreciating the vast intelligence and creativity of the human mind, and co-creating pathways so everyone may come home.
Lauren Spiro’s magical book conjures creativity from tragedy, visions from madness, and leadership from despair. I was especially inspired by her courage to challenge racism in the context of a terrible crime. This heartfelt account of Lauren’s life will inspire everyone to reach higher. ~ Will Hall, host of Madness Radio and author of The Harm Reduction Guide to Coming off Psychiatric Drugs
In this moving, beautifully written memoir, Lauren Spiro tells of unfathomable loss, the madness of a psychiatric system that would diagnose her with “chronic schizophrenia†at age 16, and her ultimate recovery from both of those childhood traumas. In her poetry and prose, we see too that words—the language that can bring us understanding and compassion—can have a healing power of their own. ~ Robert Whitaker, award-winning author, Anatomy of an Epidemic
In vivid prose and poetry, Lauren Spiro has painted for us a picture of her spiritual journey, a journey that took her from unbearable emotional pain, down into psychosis, through the depths of our dysfunctional mental health system, and finally to a place of transcendent healing and peace. This is a story of hope and love, the story of how a daughter, so devastated by her father’s senseless murder, was rescued by his cherished spirit awakening in her adult life. The message is clear: healing of the mind and heart is always possible, love needs to be the guiding star in recovery, and we are all connected, much more deeply than we understand.†~ Dr. Mark Foster, Family Physician
A beautiful story of liberation and growth, Living for Two eloquently expresses the path to forgiveness and offers the reader tools and inspiration to get there. Interspersed with dream-like color paintings and poetry, Lauren’s story blends her personal life history with accounts of the larger movement for mental health liberation. A revealing story that will help other survivors of loss and trauma find hope and possibilities. ~ Cassandra Nudel, Editor, Firewalkers: Madness, Beauty & Mystery
Lauren’s story embodies the strength and resiliency of persons who have experienced trauma. With refreshing insight she graciously shares her journey and the tools and resources that have been the wind beneath her wings. ~ Nikki Migas, MPA, Managing Director, CARF International
Lauren takes us on a journey where culture and cosmology enter different doors of the same house. Living for Two is a love story that celebrates the fragility of humankind and the resiliency of one very brave and wise little girl. ~ Cardum S. Harmon, author, Mandala Project: Transfiguration of Ordinary Souls
Lauren Spiro’s Living for Two provides a compelling account of the struggle to map the unfathomable territories that lie at extremes of human experience. Her recovery and transformation after senseless violence, profound loss, spiritual emergency and extreme mental states exemplify hope, resilience and post-traumatic growth. People in recovery, psychology and social work students, helping professionals, children of violence, and others will find this small volume worthwhile. ~ Priscilla Ridgeway, PhD, co-author, Pathways to Recovery
Lauren invites the reader to accompany her through experiences of devastating personal loss and abuse, and being further harmed by the mental health system. Lauren’s creativity, reflected in her prose, poetry, and painting, evoke insight and empathy in the reader. Living for Two takes its place in the literature of personal challenge and recovery, and the ensuing social activism they engender. ~ Jonathan Finkelstein, PhD Associate Dean, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
A powerful story of a young woman’s experiences with trauma and her courage to reclaim a path of recovery and healing. This memoir should be read by all who work in the mental health field. ~ Kevin Ann Huckshorn PhD, RN, State Director, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, Delaware
Lauren’s story is as courageous as it is tender in her exploration of how our deepest losses shape the soul, how fear and misunderstanding can too easily silence it, and how love can give our souls voice again, no matter how long they have been silent. Lauren’s memoir invites us to consider whether there is any wound love cannot heal. A question we must answer with our own lives and hearts. ~ Jennifer Maurer, Managing Director, Mother Bear: Families for Mental Health
Powerfully written, this personal journey from loss and sadness to reclamation and healing is soul-redemptive and emotionally stirring. Thank you Lauren for being real, vulnerable, and sharing your story which will ultimately empower others to share theirs. ~ Amikaeyla, Singer / Songwriter / Executive Director, ICAHSI, The International Cultural Arts & Healing Sciences Institute
You’re Crazy – Volume One
By Craig Lewis You’re Crazy Volume One compiles twenty-five first-hand accounts of people from the punk scene who live with mental health struggle, addiction and trauma. This volume also includes two stories of punk rockers who are allies to those of us who struggle and their experience. This book exists to help empower the writers who are sharing their personal experiences so that they can be better understood. It also exists to help show that we are not alone in this world and that life can get better. It’s a necessity in our community. We all deserve to be heard. You’re Crazy aims to help decrease the stigma that the authors, and those like them, face while dealing with mental health struggle, addiction and trauma. By sharing their stories they are putting themselves on the line as they take ownership of their lives and experiences while demonstrating the reality of their lives. These stories educate and inspire, increasing understanding and empathy while reducing stigma.
Coming of Age on Zoloft
By Katherine Sharpe
A compelling and troubling exploration of a generation raised on antidepressants, and a book that combines expansive interviews with substantive research-based reporting, Coming of Age on Zoloft is a vitally important and immediately engrossing study of one of Americans most pressing and omnipresent issues: our growing reliance on prescription drugs. Katherine Sharpe, the former editor of Seed magazines ScienceBlogs.com, addresses the questions that millions of young men and women are struggling with. Where does my personality end and my prescription begin? Do I have a disease? Can I get better on my own? Combining stout scientific acumen with first-person experience gained through her own struggle with antidepressants, Sharpe leads the reader through a complex subject, a guide towards a clearer future for all.
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educator novelist writer a poet
Jorge Amado's literary career can be counted from 1931 when his first novel, O País do Carnaval (The Country of Carnival) saw publication. True popularity came to the writer with Cacau novel two years later. In 1935, Amado was arrested for the first time for his involvement in the activities of the political left. His books were prohibited within Portugal. However, Amado received international recognition due to the publication of Jubiabá in France in 1939. The book was highly appreciated by a notable French writer Albert Camus. The three early works of Amado reflected the instable socio-political climate in the country of the time featuring the exploitation of the poor workers on the cocoa plantations. After the release in 1938, Jorge Amado relocated to Sao-Paolo. At the beginning of the new decade, he came back to Rio de Janeiro and then spent the period from 1941 to 1942 in exile in Argentina and Uruguay as a communist proponent. While there, Amado wrote a biography of Luís Carlos Prestes. In 1943, Jorge Amado contributed to the Hora da Guerra column of the O Imparcial magazine. He edited a literary supplement for another periodical, the Nazi-funded political newspaper Meio-Dia, in the same period. In 1945, Jorge Amado was appointed a federal congressman of the Brazilian Communist Party, serving in that capacity till the declaration of the Party as illegal in 1947. He was among the signers of the law which proclaimed the freedom of religious faith. Persecuted again as other members of the Party, he found exile in Europe settling down in Paris the following year. While in France, Jorge Amado got acquainted with many writers and painters, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso among others. In 1950, Amado was expelled from the country for political reasons and found shelter in Czechoslovakia where he lived with his wife for two subsequent years. He then traveled around Eastern Europe visiting the Soviet Union, Mongolia, and China. Upon his return to Brazil in 1954, Jorge Amado published Os Subterrâneos da Liberdade (The Bowels of Liberty trilogy) written after a long break. It was at that time when Amado abandoned political activity and concentrated on writing only. The character of his books changed as well. He began to use more humor, lyricism, and imagination and his criticism of the establishment became subtler as it can be seen in Gabriela, Cravo e Canela (Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon) published in 1958. The writer departed from the social topics and turned his attention to the cultural heritage of afro-brazilian people often featuring feminine characters as the main heroes of his novels. Such well-known stories of Amado as Dona Flor e seus dois maridos (Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands), Tenda dos Milagres (Tent of Miracles), Teresa Batista Cansada da Guerra (Tereza Batista: Home from the Wars), and Tieta do Agreste (Tieta) appeared in publication the following years. In the 1980s, Jorge Amado wrote his memoirs O menino grapiúna and Tocaia Grande (Showdown) both dedicated to the culture of cocoa which figured as the main topic at the beginning of his career. O Sumiço da Santa (The War of the Saints) dates to the same period of the 1980s. In 1992, Amado started to work on a novel commission by an Italian company to celebrate the 500 years of the Exploration of America. A Descoberta da América pelos Turcos (The Discovery of America by the Turks) was completed in 1994. Jorge Amado had problems with reading and writing at the end of his life because of the obcecation caused by a pulmonary disease. He lived in his home in Rio Vermelho neighborhood of Salvador till the end of his days.
School period
Gallery of Jorge Amado
R. Moncorvo Filho, 8 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20211-340, Brazilia
The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Faculty of Law where Jorge Amado studied from 1930 to 1935.
Jorge Amado as the Brazilian delegate at the World Congress of Intellectuals in Warsaw. Photo by Keystone.
Jorge Amado speaking at a meeting for the World Congress for Peace in Bucharest. Photo by Keystone-France.
Jorge Armado in 1951. Photo by Siao.
Jorge Armado at work. Photo by Franco Rubartelli.
Jorge Amado in Paris, France. Photo by Mohamed Lounes.
Jorge Armado at work. Photo by Gysembergh Benoit.
Jorge Armado in Paris, France. Photo by Ulf Andersen.
Jorge Amado in Paris, France. Photo by Ulf Andersen.
Jorge Amado in Cassis, France. Photo by Patrick Box.
Jorge Amado (right) with the pianist Miguel Angel Etrella in Cassis, France. Photo by Patrick Box.
Jorge Armado. Photo by Funke.
Jorge Amado at the Cino del Luca Prize reception. Photo by Sergio Gaudenti.
src="/web/img/loading.gif" data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2732357&cache=false" alt="Other photo of Jorge Amado" class="gallery__img" height="167"
Other photo of Jorge Amado
Jorge Armado with his second wife Zelia Gattai in France. Photo by Micheline Pelletier.
Jorge Amado with his wife Zelia Gattai in France. Photo by Micheline Pelletier.
Jorge Armado in Paris, France. Photo by Gysembergh Benoit.
Jorge Armado with his wife Zelia Gattai in Paris, France. Photo by Gysembergh Benoit.
Jorge Armado in Rome, Italy. Photo by Leonardo Cendamo.
Jorge Armado with his wife Zelia Gattai in France. Photo by Louis Monier.
Jorge Amado with his wife Zelia Gattai in Cassis, France. Photo by Patrick Box.
Jorge Armado in London. Photo by Christopher Pillitz.
Jorge Armado in Paris, France. Photo by Antonio Ribeiro.
Cousin: Gilberto Amado
Lawyer, politician, and writer Gilberto Amado, Jorge Amado's cousin.
Cousin: Véra Clouzot
Actress and screenwriter Véra Clouzot, Jorge Amado's cousin.
Acquaintance: Pablo Picasso
data-src="/web/show-photo.jpg?id=2732357&cache=false" src="" alt="" class="gallery-slider__content__img" height=""
Jubiabá
(A Brazilian Portuguese edition of Amado's novel that prov...)
A Brazilian Portuguese edition of Amado's novel that provided him with international acclaim.
https://www.amazon.com/Jubiaba-Em-Portugues-do-Brasil/dp/8535913548/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Jubiab%C3%A1+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581516493&s=books&sr=1-1
Sea of Death
(The author tells the dockside tales of Bahia.)
The author tells the dockside tales of Bahia.
https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Death-Brazilian-Literature-Translation/dp/1933227494/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Sea+of+Death+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581516775&s=books&sr=1-1
The Violent Land
https://www.amazon.com/Violent-Land-Jorge-Amado/dp/0380754754/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=The+Violent+Land+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581516939&s=books&sr=1-2
The Golden Harvest
(A conspiracy of cacao-exporters attempts to destroy the p...)
A conspiracy of cacao-exporters attempts to destroy the plantation owners of Bahia, Brazil, by encouraging their weaknesses, and the struggle divides families and friends on all levels of society.
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Harvest-Jorge-Amado/dp/0380761009/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Golden+Harvest+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581517030&s=books&sr=1-1
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
(Lusty, satirical and full of intrigue, the book is a vast...)
Lusty, satirical and full of intrigue, the book is a vastly entertaining panorama of small-town Brazilian life.
https://www.amazon.com/Gabriela-Clove-Cinnamon-Jorge-Amado/dp/0307276651/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Gabriela%2C+Clove+and+Cinnamon+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581517260&s=books&sr=1-1
The Double Death of Quincas Water-Bray
(The book tells the story of Joaquim Soares da Cunha, who ...)
The book tells the story of Joaquim Soares da Cunha, who drops dead after he abandons his life of upstanding citizenship to assume the identity of Quincas Water-Bray, a “champion drunk” and bum who is whisked along on a postmortem journey that climaxes in his loss at sea.
https://www.amazon.com/Double-Quincas-Water-Bray-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143106368/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Double+Death+of+Quincas+Water-Bray+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581517373&s=books&sr=1-1
Home is the Sailor
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Sailor-Jorge-Amado/dp/B0000CMDJ4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Home+Is+the+Sailor+Jorge+Amado&qid=1581517532&s=books&sr=1-1
Shepherds of the Night
https://www.amazon.com/Shepherds-Night-Jorge-Amado/dp/0380399903/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Shepherds+of+the+Night+Amado&qid=1581574653&s=books&sr=1-1
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
(It surprises no one that the charming but wayward Vadinho...)
It surprises no one that the charming but wayward Vadinho dos Guimaraes, a gambler notorious for never winning, dies during Carnival. His long-suffering widow Dona Flor devotes herself to her cooking school and her friends, who urge her to remarry.
https://www.amazon.com/Dona-Flor-Her-Two-Husbands/dp/0307276643/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Dona+Flor+and+Her+Two+Husbands+Amado&qid=1581574762&s=books&sr=1-1
Tent of Miracles
https://www.amazon.com/Tent-Miracles-Jorge-Amado/dp/039444826X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Tent+of+Miracles+Amado&qid=1581574850&s=books&sr=1-1
Tieta
(Returning with her protegee to her native Bahia, talkativ...)
Returning with her protegee to her native Bahia, talkative and generously wealthy Tieta, who has been the madam of a splendid brothel, enlists the help of a big political connection to halt the building of a polluting factory.
https://www.amazon.com/Tieta-English-Portuguese-Jorge-Amado/dp/039450139X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Tieta+Amado&qid=1581575074&s=books&sr=1-2
Pen, Sword, Camisole
(The bitter competition for the late Antonio Bruno's seat ...)
The bitter competition for the late Antonio Bruno's seat in the Brazilian Academy of Letters mirrors the greater political conflicts of Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s.
https://www.amazon.com/Pen-Sword-Camisole-Jorge-Amado/dp/0879235527/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Pen%2C+Sword%2C+Camisole+Amado&qid=1581575192&s=books&sr=1-1
Show Down
(Set in the Brazilian city of Tocaia Grande at the turn of...)
Set in the Brazilian city of Tocaia Grande at the turn of the century, this novel captures the violence, ambition, greed, honor, and earthiness of a time and place in Brazil's history comparable to the legendary American West.
https://www.amazon.com/Show-Down-Jorge-Amado/dp/0553051741/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Showdown+Amado&qid=1581575322&s=books&sr=1-1
The War of the Saints
(A statue of Saint Barbara comes to life in order to help ...)
A statue of Saint Barbara comes to life in order to help Manela, a beautiful girl involved in a forbidden love with a taxi driver.
https://www.amazon.com/War-Saints-Jorge-Amado/dp/0553095374/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+War+of+the+Saints+Amado&qid=1581575475&s=books&sr=1-1
The Discovery of America by the Turks
(The book follows the adventures of two Arab immigrants, "...)
The book follows the adventures of two Arab immigrants, "Turks," as Brazilians call them, who arrive in the rough Brazilian frontier in 1903 and become involved in a merchant's farcical attempt to marry off his shrew of a daughter.
https://www.amazon.com/Discovery-America-Turks-Penguin-Classics-ebook/dp/B0081KZ0ZG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Discovery+of+America+by+the+Turks+Amado&qid=1581575620&s=books&sr=1-1
Life Stance
Georges Dumézil
Leon Kruczkowski
Jorge Amado Edit Profile
also known as Jorge Leal Amado de Faria
Jorge Amado was a Brazilian writer. A representative of the modernist school, he wrote comic novels and novels involving violent conflict in his native land. His stories are often critical of the Brazilian government and have lower-class people, usually living in his native Bahia, ranging from dancers and poets to cobblers and bandits, as the main characters.
Jorge Amado was born on August 10, 1912, in Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil, and was raised in Ilhéus city, Bahia. He was the firstborn of João Amado de Faria, a cocoa plantation owner, and D. Eulália Leal. Amado had three younger brothers, Joelson, James, and Jofre who died at the age of three.
As a child, Jorge Amado witnessed the hard events lived by Brazilian working people, including land wars and conflicts. As a youngster, he even worked on the plantations along with the impoverished people harvesting cocoa beans.
The struggles of working people that Amado saw wasn't the only thing that had a great impact on him and formed a basis for his further stories. Living in a coastal region, he also developed a passion for sea which was featured in many of his novels.
Amado first studied in a convent school of Ilhéus. At the age of eleven, he was sent to Colégio Antônio Vieira in Salvador where he discovered the works of such authors as Charles Dickens, Jonathan Swift, José de Alencar as well as the Portuguese classic literature. One of Amado's teachers, Luiz Gonzaga Cabral, noted a writing talent in his pupil.
Amado left college in 1924. After a two-months trip around the Bahia regions, he entered a Ginásio Ipiranga. Since the age of fourteen, Jorge Amado became involved in the literary life. He contributed articles to several periodicals and took part in the foundation of a Bahian Modernist literary movement, Academia dos Rebeldes (Academy of Rebels) in 1928 along with his friends.
From 1930 to 1935, Amado studied at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Faculty of Law. He never served as a lawyer, however.
Jorge Amado obtained honorary doctor’s degrees from the universities in Brazil, Portugal, Italy, France, and Israel.
Jorge Amado's literary career can be counted from 1931 when his first novel, O País do Carnaval (The Country of Carnival) saw publication. True popularity came to the writer with Cacau novel two years later.
In 1935, Amado was arrested for the first time for his involvement in the activities of the political left. His books were prohibited within Portugal. However, Amado received international recognition due to the publication of Jubiabá in France in 1939. The book was highly appreciated by a notable French writer Albert Camus. The three early works of Amado reflected the instable socio-political climate in the country of the time featuring the exploitation of the poor workers on the cocoa plantations.
After the release in 1938, Jorge Amado relocated to Sao-Paolo. At the beginning of the new decade, he came back to Rio de Janeiro and then spent the period from 1941 to 1942 in exile in Argentina and Uruguay as a communist proponent. While there, Amado wrote a biography of Luís Carlos Prestes.
In 1943, Jorge Amado contributed to the Hora da Guerra column of the O Imparcial magazine. He edited a literary supplement for another periodical, the Nazi-funded political newspaper Meio-Dia, in the same period.
In 1945, Jorge Amado was appointed a federal congressman of the Brazilian Communist Party, serving in that capacity till the declaration of the Party as illegal in 1947. He was among the signers of the law which proclaimed the freedom of religious faith. Persecuted again as other members of the Party, he found exile in Europe settling down in Paris the following year.
While in France, Jorge Amado got acquainted with many writers and painters, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso among others. In 1950, Amado was expelled from the country for political reasons and found shelter in Czechoslovakia where he lived with his wife for two subsequent years. He then traveled around Eastern Europe visiting the Soviet Union, Mongolia, and China.
Upon his return to Brazil in 1954, Jorge Amado published Os Subterrâneos da Liberdade (The Bowels of Liberty trilogy) written after a long break. It was at that time when Amado abandoned political activity and concentrated on writing only. The character of his books changed as well. He began to use more humor, lyricism, and imagination and his criticism of the establishment became subtler as it can be seen in Gabriela, Cravo e Canela (Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon) published in 1958.
The writer departed from the social topics and turned his attention to the cultural heritage of afro-brazilian people often featuring feminine characters as the main heroes of his novels. Such well-known stories of Amado as Dona Flor e seus dois maridos (Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands), Tenda dos Milagres (Tent of Miracles), Teresa Batista Cansada da Guerra (Tereza Batista: Home from the Wars), and Tieta do Agreste (Tieta) appeared in publication the following years.
In the 1980s, Jorge Amado wrote his memoirs O menino grapiúna and Tocaia Grande (Showdown) both dedicated to the culture of cocoa which figured as the main topic at the beginning of his career. O Sumiço da Santa (The War of the Saints) dates to the same period of the 1980s.
In 1992, Amado started to work on a novel commission by an Italian company to celebrate the 500 years of the Exploration of America. A Descoberta da América pelos Turcos (The Discovery of America by the Turks) was completed in 1994.
Jorge Amado had problems with reading and writing at the end of his life because of the obcecation caused by a pulmonary disease. He lived in his home in Rio Vermelho neighborhood of Salvador till the end of his days.
Jorge Amado was one of the most popular and critically respected authors in Brazil, and he also had a large international following with books published in over fifty languages. He is sometimes called the "Balzac of Brazil" or "The Pele of the written word".
His works have sold millions of copies, making best sellers of such novels as Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon, Home is the Sailor, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, and his personal favorite, The Violent Land.
Several of his books were adapted into movies and television series. Even several samba schools of the Brazilian Carnival found inspiration in Amado’s novels. When Bantam bought the rights to his 1984 novel, Showdown, for $250,000, Amado became the highest-paid foreign author in the United States of that time.
Jorge Amado won numerous awards and honors for his work, including the International Stalin Prize for Strengthening Peace, the Prêmio Jabuti, the French Legion of Honor, and the Meritorious Citizen of the Freedom and Social Justice João Mangabeira (posthumously). He was also a nominee for the Nobel Prize in literature.
Amado was also named Commander and Grand Official in Venezuela, Spain, Portugal, Chile, and Argentina.
There is a House of Jorge Amado Foundation established in 1987 in the Historic Center of Salvador for the protection of Amado’s legacy and the promotion of Bahian cultural heritage.
The Violent Land 1943
Home is the Sailor 1961
Shepherds of the Night 1964
Tent of Miracles 1969
Jorge Amado was a member of the Brazilian Communist Party from 1932 to 1955. He also was a member of the Aliança Nacional Libertadora from 1935.
In later years, Jorge Amado's political views mellowed somewhat and he claimed to favor a "utopian socialism" rather than communism.
Quotations: "I am a writer who basically deals with social themes, since the source material for my creation is Brazilian reality. [Many of my] novels narrate the life of the people, everyday life, the struggle against extreme poverty, against hunger, the large estates, racial prejudice, backwardness, underdevelopment. The hero of my novels is the Brazilian people. My characters are the most destitute, the most needy, the most oppressed – country and city people without any power other than the strength of the mestizo people of Brazil. They say that I am a novelist of whores and vagabonds, and there is truth in that, for my characters increasingly are anti-heroes. I believe that only the people struggle selflessly and decently, without hidden motives."
Jorge Amado became a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters on April 6, 1961. His wife replaced him after his death.
Brazilian Academy of Letters , Brazil
Brazilian Association of Writers
Physical Characteristics: Jorge Amado died of a heart attack and lung failure.
Quotes from others about the person
"Amado was strongly influenced by modern U.S. writers, who were in turn influenced by film. He's a son of Steinbeck." Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Brazilian director
reading, gardening, cats, poker
Mark Twain, Charles Dickens
Jorge Amado was married twice. In 1933, Matilde Garcia Rosa became his first wife. She gave birth to a girl named Lila. Jorge and Matilde divorced in 1944.
A year later, Amado formed a family with Zélia Gattai, the writer. The family produced two children, João Jorge and Paloma.
Amado's daughter from the first marriage died in 1949.
João Amado de Faria
D. Eulália Leal
Wife:
Matilde Garcia Rosa
Daughter:
Lila Amado
Son:
Juan Jorge Amado
Cousin:
Gilberto Amado
Véra Clouzot
Brother:
Joelson Amado
James Amado
Friend:
Alice Raillard
She is a French translator of Jorge Amado's works.
Acquaintance:
The Jorge Amado Foundation Website
August 6, 2001 (aged 88)
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Rua Alagoinhas, Rio Vermelho, Salvador, Brazil
Jorge Amado's parents wer...
Ilhéus convent school
Colégio Antônio Vieira Salvador, Brazil
Ginásio Ipiranga Ipiranga, Brazil
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Faculty of Law Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
federal congressman , Brazilian Communist Party
Official Titles
Obá de Xangô of the Candomblé
Commander of Meritorious Citizen of the Freedom and Social Justice João Mangabeira
International Stalin Prize for Strengthening Peace, Soviet Union
Prêmio Jabuti, Brazil
Legion of Honor, France
Nonino Prize, Italy
Prix mondial Cino Del Duca, France
Camões Prize, Brazil
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Version 2.0.47.1177 2020
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Press Release The Andy Warhol Museum Announces Schedule for Off the Wall 2012 Season Performance Series
Carmelita Tropicana
Off The Wall is a multi-disciplinary performance series devoted to challenging conventional perceptions of art and providing audiences with a diverse offering of unique and thought-provoking live performance experiences.
The 2012 season of Off The Wall features seven nationally acclaimed performing artists and runs from January 21, 2012 through April 27, 2012. Off The Wall 2012 is the 12th season for the program.
The Off The Wall series is curated by Ben Harrison, curator for performing arts at The Warhol. Performances take place at The Warhol, as well as the Byham Theater, Carnegie Lecture Hall, and New Hazlett Theater.
The schedule and artists: Off the Wall: 2012
Mike Daisey: The Agony & Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
Byham Theater
Co-presented with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust 8 p.m.
Mike Daisey, writer and commentator for NPR, BBC, and New York Times Magazine, critically acclaimed creator of monologues, and self-proclaimed “Apple fanboy,” trains his patriotic criticism and moral compass on the questionable labor practices of one of the world’s most cherished companies. Through the minimalist form of monologue-based theater, Daisey finds a haven to focus on and emotionally connect to a subject dealing with rapid technological developments and our high- tech obsessions in an increasingly digital age.
Tickets: Ticket range $18 – $35; visit www.pgharts.org or contact the Box Office at Theater Square at 412-456-6666.
Rabih Mroué: Looking for a Missing Employee
Two distinct performances. One unique interdisciplinary artist. Rabih Mroué, a key figure in a new generation of artistic voices in Lebanon, presents Looking for a Missing Employee, which combines video imagery, storytelling and an archive of articles and other documents used to scrutinize the print media’s role in shaping and propagating rumors, public accusations, national political conflicts and scandals. Rabih Mroué is the recipient of the 2010 Spalding Gray Award from PS 122, The Andy Warhol Museum, On the Boards, and the Walker Art Center.
Tickets: $25/$20 CMP members & students; visit www.ticketweb.com or call 412- 237-8300. Both performances (including February 3, Rabih Mroué: The Pixilated Revolution): $30 / $25 CMP members & students
NOTE: Both performances are included in series subscription.
Rabih Mroué: The Pixilated Revolution
Rabih Mroué, a key figure in a new generation of artistic voices in Lebanon, illustrates his unique interdisciplinary practice, which exists at the crossroads of theater, performance, and visual arts. In Mroué’s latest work in progress, The Pixelated Revolution (co-commissioned by The Warhol), he presents a timely lecture/performance about the usage of mobile phones during the Syrian revolution. Tickets: $10/$8 CMP members & students; visit www.ticketweb.com or call 412- 237-8300. Both performances (including February 2, Rabih Mroué: Looking for a Missing Employee): $30 / $25 CMP members & students
Young Jean Lee: We’re Gonna Die
Young Jean Lee returns to The Warhol performing with her new band, Future Wife, in We’re Gonna Die, a cabaret-style evening that premiered to rave reviews last April at Joe’s Pub in New York City. In her uniquely unnerving, subversive and hilarious style, Lee has created a dark song cycle with an ultimately affirming message about life’s futility. You may be miserable, but you won’t be alone. Tickets: $25/$20 CMP members & students; visit www.ticketweb.com or call 412- 237-8300.
Carmelita Tropicana: Homage to Jack Smith & Ole/Ghost
Alina Troyano (aka Carmelita Tropicana) is a Cuban-born, Obie award-winning performance artist, playwright and actor who has used humor, fantasy, and cultural identity as subversive tools to rewrite history. For this one special evening in the Warhol Theater, Tropicana will weave components of two works: Homage to Jack, which reveals her fateful first encounter with the legendary filmmaker and performer Jack Smith, and Ole/Ghost, a story of lost love, obsession and our modern preoccupation with fast fixes.
Tickets: $25/$20 CMP members & students; visit www.ticketweb.com or call 412- 237-8300.
Henry Rollins: The Long March 2012
Carnegie Lecture Hall
Co-presented with Carnegie Museum of Art
Spoken word artist, musician, actor, author, radio show host, columnist, iconic cultural gadfly, and frontman for the Rollins Band and the seminal punk band Black Flag, Henry Rollins is above all else a self-described “workaholic.” He brings what the New York Daily News describes as “some of the most provocative chit-chat around” to Carnegie Lecture Hall, via spoken word performances that are a seamless mix of humor and outrage; political commentary and personal anecdote; healthy skepticism and rugged optimism.
Kota Yamazaki/Fluid hug hug: (glowing)
New Hazlett Theater
Co-presented with New Hazlett Theater 8 p.m.
New York based, butoh-trained and Bessie award-winning dancer/choreographer, Kota Yamazaki makes his Pittsburgh debut with his company Fluid hug hug. Inspired by novelist Jun’ichiro Tanizaki’s essay In’ei Raisan (In Praise of Shadows), which describes Japan’s appreciation of the refined beauty found in darkness and shadows, Yamazaki re-examines the fundamentals of butoh. In an unparalleled collaboration with African dancers, American architect Robert Kocik, lighting designer Kathy Kaufmann, and Tokyo-based composer DJ Kohji Setoh, six dancers will perform within a set constructed to evoke the soft lighting and dim interior of a traditional Japanese house.
Co-commissioned by Japan Society and EMPAC (The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center). This tour of (glowing) is made possible by a grant from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
JacobTV: THE NEWS
Friday, April 27, 2012 Byham Theater
Co-presented with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
This controversial musical maverick has been called the “Andy Warhol of new music” by the Dutch press. Perhaps because JacobTV (Jacob Ter Veldhuis) has a unique “avant pop” sensibility that exists at the high/low crossroads of rock, pop, jazz and classical music. As part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Distinctively Dutch Festival, JacobTV will premier his new “reality opera,” THE NEWS. This non fiction video opera is a topical form of Gesammtkunstwerk, based on original footage from the international media: “revealing” one-liners from the likes of Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, Silvio Berlusconi, Fox News, TV evangelists and more.
Tickets: Ticket range $20 – 40; visit www.pgharts.org or contact the Box Office at Theater Square at 412-456-6666.
Co-presented with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust as part of the Distinctively Dutch Festival
Season sponsor: Supported in part by Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Media sponsor:
Full subscriptions:
$140/$112 Students & Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh members
Single tickets: $25/$20 Students & Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh members For tickets call 412-237-8300 or visit www.ticketweb.com.
Special single ticket program pricing:
Mike Daisey at Byham Theater, ticket range $35 – $18 JacobTV at Byham Theater, ticket range $40 – $20
For tickets call 412-456-6666 or visit www.pgharts.org.
Seating is limited for most performances, advance purchase is strongly suggested.
For more information, please visit www.warhol.org.
Please note: All performances may contain adult subject matter and strong language.
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866-940-7453 (Toll free from USA & CANADA)
Services & COVID-19
Public Service – COVID-19
New Services & Policies – COVID-19
Measures Aruba has taken to minimize COVID-19 impact
What measures has Aruba taken to avoid, prevent or minimize the influx or spread of the coronavirus into its population?
The proper handling of the coronavirus threat cannot be done without taking strong measures. Aruba is one of the very few small-island communities in the world that have quickly – already since the end of February 2020 – taken aggressive actions to prevent or minimize the foreign influx of the COVID-19 virus into their relatively small populations. Introducing such far-going measures rapidly is a much greater challenge for larger countries. Thus, the rapid and aggressive actions taken by the Government of Aruba, thereby making good use of its small-island’s advantage in this case, should be surely applauded and are now proven to be effective. After the inevitable influx of the virus by travelers around mid-March 2020 and shortly thereafter the subsequent lock-down of its borders: As early as the beginning of May 2020 till June 28, 2020, with ongoing testing Aruba has registered no (= 0!) additional cases of COVID-19; the total count of cases remained at 101 since the lock-down of its borders to that date, proclaiming Aruba temporarily as a Covid-free country. Globally, the pandemic is still ongoing and with the re-opening of its borders, the re-influx of the virus on the island is inevitable but now more controllable and better prepared for.
Prestige hereby informs travelers that, as per the last update of this publication (see date at bottom of this article), Aruba is facing the coronavirus threat by having the following measures in place:
The Government of Aruba provides several times per week updates of the coronavirus situation in Aruba through live nationally televised and social media streamed press conferences 1.
As a result of the controlled situation of coronavirus spread on the island, on April 28, 2020 the Government of Aruba announced a slow release of the previously imposed local ‘virus-constraining’ measures (e.g. shelter-in-place, curfew, closing of businesses, etc.); the island releases local measures in 4 phases starting as of May 4, 2020.
Each of the first 3 phases comprise a 2-week period (Phase 1: May 4 – 17; Phase 2: May 18 – 31; Phase 3: June 1 – 14) where during each phase more categories of businesses are consecutively allowed to reopen, and more restrictive social measures are released. The continuance to the next phase depends however on the effect that the previous phase has on the public health situation and on the overall coronavirus infection and spread on the island 1.
On June 10, 2020, the government of Aruba officially announced that the country will reopen its borders (= Phase 4!) and once again welcome inbound travel from certain countries, including from sister islands Curacao & Bonaire (on June 15th), from Canada, Europe and most other Caribbean islands (on July 1st) and from the USA (on July 10th). Official opening dates for other markets, including the Dominican Republic, Haiti, South America, Central America and Mexico, have yet to be determined.
Note: The government of Aruba has imposed strict traveler health requirements for entry into Aruba, in order to as much as possible avoid new influx and outbreaks of the coronavirus in Aruba that has ‘proven’ to be a very safe, a rather popular, but also an inherently vulnerable island 2.
Concurrently with the announcement of the reopening of Aruba’s borders, the Aruba Airport Authority published on its website (which will be continuously updated with) all information about those airlines from various countries that have already scheduled their flights to Aruba 3.
On May 19, 2020, the Aruba Tourism Authority introduced a stringent cleaning and hygiene certification program that will be mandatory for all tourism-related businesses and service providers across the island. This certification is paired with a multi-color seal (= pre-inspection certification) or a gold-color seal (= post-inspection certification) that must be prominently and visibly displayed by/at the as such certified business or service provider 4.UPDATE November 23, 2020: After the re-opening of Aruba’s borders for international travel on July 1, 2020, during the first two weeks of August 2020 Aruba has experienced a locally contained outbreak of the virus. Contact tracing quickly determined that the outbreak originated at a local bar/nightclub that simply did not adhere to any of the known and mandatory guidelines of social instancing and mask wearing in enclosed areas. Meanwhile, by applying strict and effective measures, Aruba has reduced the level of infections back to very low numbers, thus meriting that on Thursday, November 19, 2020 the island is once again internationally categorized as ‘code yellow’; this is the ‘safest’ category in international coding regarding countries with Covid-19 infections, second only to those countries with reported zero local transmission.
Corona Virus cases in Aruba as per December 5, 2020
Main touristic conclusion on the above data:
– To indicated date, Aruba received more than 120,000 travelers since July 1, 2020, the majority of which got themselves tested in their place of origin to officially prove their negative infection status within the strict 72-hour window before traveling.
– Those travelers who did not get or provide a negative test before traveling, 28,217 persons to be exact, underwent the mandatory PCR test at the airport before entering the island, about 90% of which were non-residents (=tourists).
– Of these tourists that were tested at the airport, only 131 tested positive (and all 131 were of course immediately put under mandatory monitored isolation in an accommodation paid for by the Aruba Visitor’s Insurance Policy).
– Of these 131 positive-tested tourists, 106 already recovered to healthy condition, thus tested negative again and were released from isolation; leaving only 25 non-residents that are still actively positive and in isolation on the island.
Travelers are kindly requested to – during their stay in Aruba – abide by the precautionary measures of social distancing and personal hygiene as imposed by the government, which measures are simply based on the WHO guidelines, the USA’s CDC guidelines and the guidelines of the Dutch National Institute for Health and Environment (RIVM). Note: Wearing a mask in public is now mandatory in certain stores, offices, enclosed spaces and public transportation in Aruba. Since the outbreak, wearing a mask are mandatory in enclosed (indoor) bars, restaurants, offices etc. and in places and businesses where social distancing guidelines cannot be adhered to.
Supplementary to its high standards of quality and cleanliness, Prestige Vacations Aruba has since June 2020 introduced new and strict protocols of health, safety and hygiene at all of its operational locations, thereby fully complying with the ‘Aruba Health & Happiness Code’ as certified by the Aruba Tourism Authority 5. On November 16, 2020, following an on-site inspection by the Department of Health of Aruba of all its resort locations, Prestige Vacations Aruba (and all of its affiliates) was certified with the Gold Seal of the Aruba Health & Happiness code:
ArubaCovid19.org – Official website by the Government of Aruba concerning the coronavirus pandemic.
Aruba Traveler Health Requirements – Official advisory web-page by the Aruba Tourism Authority concerning coronavirus-related health requirements upon the reopening of Aruba’s borders for tourists.
New Services and Policies – COVID-19 – Concise summary for our guests of the most important and relevant travel prerequisites of Aruba in general, and of thereto related Prestige services and offers in particular.
AirportAruba.com – Official website by Aruba Airport Authority (ATA) concerning the scheduled flights of certain airlines to resume Aruba-bound service as of June 15, 2020 onward.
Aruba Health & Happiness Code – The new ‘Aruba Health & Happiness Code’ (AHH code) certification will help ensure the safety and well-being of Aruba’s visitors and locals.
List of businesses in Aruba with AHH code – Official list published by the ATA of businesses that are certified and may thus use/display the AHH code seal.
This publication is compiled and updated by
Prestige Vacations Aruba
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Prestige Vacations
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Mall deal gives big boost to cell-phone coupons
By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO and PETER SVENSSON , AP Business Writers
(AP) -- The nation's biggest mall operator is teaming up with a Silicon Valley startup to reward smart-phone-equipped shoppers for walking into its shopping centers.
The partnership between Simon Property Group, which owns 370 shopping centers, and technology company Shopkick Inc. is a big step in realizing retailers' long-held dream of using cell phones to beam ads and coupons to people passing by.
Simon is launching the program by the end of the month in 25 malls in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.
Separately, four retailers will start offering Shopkick offers at the same time at some stores, including Macy's Inc. and electronics chain Best Buy Inc. The other two are being kept under wraps.
The potential to expand the program and affect how and what shoppers will buy is huge, according to Mikael Thygesen, Simon's chief marketing officer. He is traveling around the country to recruit more retailers into the program.
Thygesen expects to roll the program out to 100 of Simon's 370 shopping centers over the next couple of months. He anticipates one-third of the centers' stores to sign up over the next year. Each center averages about 140 stores.
Shopkick's system doesn't use the Global Positioning System, or GPS, which is what phones usually use to determine their location. Instead, it relies on retailers installing small speakers at the entrance to their stores or the mall. The speakers emit an inaudible sound that can be picked up by cell phone microphones. The sound contains a code that identifies the store.
Customers have to pull out their phones and fire up the Shopkick application - available for iPhones and Android phones - to pick up the signal. The app figures out where they are, then credits their account with "Kickbucks," which can be redeemed for songs from Napster; Facebook credits, a currency that can be used to buy games; magazine subscriptions; and cash-back rewards at store partners.
Participating stores also will be sending their own offers, which could include sneak previews to a new fragrance launch or discounts on goods.
One step that may give privacy-conscious customers pause is that they have to give their cell-phone number to the cashier to redeem the rewards to identify their accounts.
"We view this as a win-win ... for retailers and for consumers," said Thygesen. Shopkick will drive shoppers not only to enter stores but also steer them to particular merchandise, he hopes.
Simon won't get access to the mall's traffic patterns but will be privy to figures on how many people used the Shopkick app when they're in the public areas, according to Les Morris, a spokesman at Simon.
Shopkick's transmitter system guarantees that customers are in the store, not nearby, because the sound doesn't travel far, said Cyriac Roeding, co-founder and CEO of Shopkick. That sets it apart from GPS-based systems like Foursquare, an app that encourages people to "check in" to stores and other locations to let friends know where they are and compete to accrue "points," which have no cash value. Retailers want more accuracy than that, Roeding said.
"Nobody can reward anybody for being in the parking lot," Roeding said.
Roeding said Shopkick isn't intrusive because shoppers have to actively use the app, and the system can't track their location outside the store.
At the beginning, shoppers will get generic offers, but as they keep using Shopkick, the technology will learn their preferences and send more customized offers. Retailers will pay Shopkick only for those consumers who walk into their stores with the app recognizing the signal. Payment terms weren't disclosed.
Forrester Research analyst Sucharita Mulpuru, who previewed the Shopkick technology, said it will help drive customer loyalty but does require a shift in shopper behavior.
"Right now, people are using their smart phones for texting. They're looking at news sites and playing games," she said. "But they're not really shopping yet."
The most recent Forrester survey, about a year old, found that less than 20 percent of Web buyers had smart phones and of that number, only 30 percent were doing anything retail-related. Still, Mulpuru noted that if the deals are compelling enough, Shopkick could push "shopping" higher on the list.
Best Buy and Macy's plan to post marketing materials throughout stores explaining how Shopkick works. Best Buy would say only that it's launching the program in certain markets including San Francisco.
Macy's will test the technology in more than 150 of its roughly 800 stores starting next week. The markets include the New York area and San Francisco.
Martine Reardon, Macy's executive vice president of marketing, wouldn't reveal rewards, but they'll have a back-to-school focus.
She said she can envision sending customers who bought a certain color of lipstick a coupon for matching blush. Other offers could be a sneak preview of a new fashion collection, she said. The chain is waiting to see how the tests perform before deciding whether to expand the program, Reardon said.
"We like to be innovative," she said. "We never shy away from something that's not proven. I am not sure if it's going to work, but every sign points that it will."
Paper, plastic or digital? Technology is changing shopping
©2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Citation: Mall deal gives big boost to cell-phone coupons (2010, August 11) retrieved 19 January 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2010-08-mall-big-boost-cell-phone-coupons.html
Shoppers with smart phones IQ squeezing retailers
Christmas Web sales spike after snowstorm
Online shoppers concered about credit info
Grocery Retailers Need Not Fear 'Cherry Pickers'
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Astronaut John Glenn, 92, has heart procedure
Former astronaut and Ohio U.S. senator John Glenn has had a heart valve replacement as he approaches his 93rd birthday.
A spokesman at Ohio State University says the first American to orbit Earth is recuperating. John Glenn School of Public Affairs spokesman Hank Wilson says Glenn is strong and healthy ahead of his birthday July 18.
Wilson said Wednesday that Glenn had a minimally invasive version of the valve replacement procedure at the Cleveland Clinic in May. He says Glenn is recovering well.
In 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth as a member of the Mercury 7 program. He later spent more than two decades as a U.S. senator and returned to space at age 77 aboard the space shuttle Discovery.
John Glenn to mark 50 years since orbit of Earth
© 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Citation: Astronaut John Glenn, 92, has heart procedure (2014, June 11) retrieved 19 January 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2014-06-astronaut-john-glenn-heart-procedure.html
Astronaut Scott Carpenter recovering from stroke
Students thrilled by Glenn's tale of orbit
Laptop used for first US presidential email finds a buyer
Glenn chats with space station to mark anniversary
Glenn marks 50 years since historic orbit of Earth
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Announcement: Firm Operations Continue Uninterrupted During the Coronavirus. Click here for more information
Toll Free: 833-PUSHWIN
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How Daylight Savings Can Affect Driver’s Safety
2 Decreased Visibility due to Nighttime Driving
3 Why Night Driving Becomes Harder as We Grow Older
4 Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
We all know the rhyme to help remember when the time changes each year— spring forward; fall back. Each November Daylight Savings comes to an end, and people around the United States turn their clocks back one hour, resulting in shorter days and less sunlight. One common result is people spend more time driving in the dark. You wake up at 6 a.m. and the sun is still down, and when you get off of work at 5 p.m., the sun has just about run its course.
Decreased Visibility due to Nighttime Driving
These changes in the amount of light affect motorist’s visibility. Decreased visibility due to nighttime driving presents a greater risk for car accidents and personal injury for drivers, bikers, and pedestrians traveling the roadways.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than a 3% increase in the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2018, totaling 6,283 deaths – the most since 1990. It has been estimated that approximately 72 percent of all pedestrian accidents, which result in a serious injury, occur at night.
Although you may feel as if you are fully capable of driving at night, visibility is limited to about 500 ft when using your bright lights, and just 250 ft when using your normal lights. This creates less time for you to react to objects in, or that enter, the road when you are traveling at high speeds. As a result of your eye’s inability to adjust quickly after looking into oncoming traffic’s headlights, obstacles become drastically more difficult than during the daytime.
Why Night Driving Becomes Harder as We Grow Older
As we age, we tend to have greater difficulty seeing at night. For instance, a driver that is 50 years old may need twice as much light to see the roads clearly compared to a 30-year-old driver. According to the American Optometric Association, at age 60 and older, driving can become even more difficult because of compromised vision due to cataracts and degenerative eye diseases.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident at nighttime, it is important to contact an experienced Houston car accident attorney so that they may investigate possible factors that may have contributed to your nighttime crash. Call to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer at Pusch & Nguyen Law Firm. Receive a free consultation to see what your case may possibly be worth. You don’t have to face your car accident alone.
By Chi Hung David|2020-06-10T09:06:17+00:00May 5th, 2020|Blog|
FDA Hand Sanitizer Warning
Is Brake Checking Illegal in Texas?
Tire Safety Tips to Help Avoid Accidents
Firework Laws in Texas
What to do After a Swimming Pool Drowning or Near Drowning
Leaving A Child in An Unattended Vehicle – What You Need to Know
Ride-Sharing Insurance Requirements
What to Do After a Boating Accident
Dangers of Xylene Exposure to Residents Around the ITC Deer Park Facility Fire
WARNING: LAWYERS FOR ITC REACHING OUT TO INJURED RESIDENTS OFFERING $1000.00 TO RELEASE ITC OF LIABILITY FOR INJURIES
Who Is Allstate and How Can You Win An Insurance Settlement Against Them
Pusch & Nguyen is a personal injury law firm specializing in all injury related matters. Founding partner Gerard Pusch is board certified in personal injury trial law, an accolade less than 10% of attorneys in Texas can claim. Our team of attorneys work together in all our cases to execute the most strategic legal theory to enable our clients to receive the maximum settlement possible. Our attorneys have strong knowledge and experience in handling injury claims. Our process involves keeping the client informed and educated from the start of the law suit until the end.
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PUZZLED PAGAN PRESENTS
A Shrine to Pop Culture Obsessiveness. With Lots of Spoilers
Lifetime of Simpsons
S04 E03 – Homer the Heretic
By Patrick D Gaertner on October 21, 2015 • ( Leave a comment )
Hey everybody! Let’s talk about religion again! This episode is so great, even though the ending seems a little odd. I’ve talked about it before, but any time the Simpsons tackles church, and religion in general, it’s fantastic. It’s also amazing that the chalkboard gag starts right off with a commentary of the last episode by having Bart write “I will not defame New Orleans.”
We start off with the incredibly strange visual of baby Homer enjoying his mother’s womb before being violently dragged out. Thankfully it’s a dream so we don’t have to see any birth horror, and it’s just Marge waking Homer up for church. Now, I don’t want to start off this early by griping about organized religion, but I feel like if you have to be forced to go to church, it’s not for you. You’d think it should be something you’re happy to go to, not something you need to be dragged out of bed to go to. But whatever. Marge tells Homer to get ready, but after a lot of grumbling Homer rips his pants, and declares that he’s skipping church that morning. So even though Marge is not happy with that decision she heads off with the kids into the coldest day of the year to go to church. We then get a couple scenes of the family suffering in church, and Homer enjoying being home alone, which is seriously fun. When you live with someone it can be so refreshing to have time to yourself, and Homer lives his morning to the fullest. “I’m whizzing with the door open, and I love it!” We learn that the church furnace is on the fritz, so everyone is slowly freezing to death while Reverend Lovejoy rambles about Hell, while Homer is having the time of his life. He dances around like Risky Business to “Who Likes Short Shorts,” and makes his favorite breakfast, his Patented Space Age Out of this World Moon Waffles, which is just waffle batter, caramel, and liquid smoke, wrapped around a whole stick of butter. Oh Homer.
I love that back in church Bart and Lisa are dealing with the cold by enjoying Reverend Lovejoy’s descriptions of Hell. Back at home Homer wins a radio contest by naming a terrible spoken word album, watches the Three Stooges (“Moe is their leader.”), turns to a random TV channel that has a municipal roundtable that gets interrupted for a football game, and even finds a lucky penny. All of this adds up to be Homer’s new best day of his life, narrowly beating out the day he married Marge and the day he danced in a rain of beer from a crashed Duff tanker. Back in church, the sermon has ended, but the doors are frozen shut, so they all have to stay there until Groundskeeper Willie can get it open with a blowtorch. The family finally gets home, frozen, and Homer smugly announces that he’s done with religion and will never go to church again, much to Marge’s horror.
Marge is obviously not down with this, and starts arguing with Homer, and he starts to make the basic arguments that anyone finally questioning their faith in college starts to make, like why go to church if God is everywhere, and does it really care if one dude doesn’t go. But Marge is still not cool with this plan, and starts praying for Homer’s soul while he hilariously starts trying to seduce her. But mid-seduction he falls right to sleep, and has a crazy dream where God visits him. God looks like the standard dude with white hair and a robe, although he does have five fingers. He’s initially mad at Homer, but ends up taking his side, and tells Homer that it’s okay if he doesn’t go to church, and says he doesn’t like Reverend Lovejoy. After his vision Homer becomes something of a guru, walking around in his robe while talking to wild animals like he’s a Disney princess.
But while Bart and Lisa are okay with Homer’s new choice, Marge is still against it, an even invites Reverend Lovejoy over to dinner to help her ambush Homer. Which is weird right? Would you invite your preacher over for dinner? I guess if you have ulterior motives. But it doesn’t work, since Homer sticks to his guns and tells Lovejoy about his vision, mentioning that God had “Perfect teeth, a nice smell, a class-act all the way.” I also love that Reverend Lovejoy quotes scripture at Homer, and Homer responds with:
Homer: “And you remember Mathew 21:17”
Lovejoy: ““And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.”
Homer: “Yeah…remember it.”
I really want to quote that line to anyone who talks about the Bible. Homer apparently wins that debate, and continues practicing his non-religion, even calling into work for the Feast of Maximum Occupancy (Which is seriously what we should call Thanksgiving). The Flanders family then starts to harass Homer, unable to stand him not going to church, and begin stalking him while singing some terrible Noah’s Ark song. The stalking even reaches its fever pitch when they engage in a 70’s car chase with Homer, which ends with Homer diving off a dock, landing on a barge headed for Garbage Island.
Marge then starts to get kind of shitty when she starts telling Homer that she’s going to tell the kids he’s a bad man because he’s not going to church. Which is so jacked up. You shouldn’t force your spouse to be the religion you are. I’m an atheist, and my wife works at a church, and it works just fine for us. The key is to not be insulting. Everyone’s welcome to their own ideas, but the important word there is “own.” You shouldn’t try to proselytize people or goad them into joining your thoughts, if they don’t agree, so what? Anyway, the family goes off to church again, and Homer spends another morning to himself, wandering around and experiencing non-Christian members of the town. Krusty comes to his door collecting for the Brotherhood of Jewish Clowns, and Homer discusses Hinduism with Apu, even offering Ganesha a peanut. But things start to go bad when Homer falls asleep smoking a cigar and reading Playdudes, and the cigar lights the house on fire. I laughed so hard at Santa’s Little Helper running into the burning living room, seemingly saving Homer, but he just steals his chocolate bar and leaves him to die. Homer finally wakes up and is terrified of the fire, and begins panicking. But luckily the volunteer fire chief, who is Apu for some reason, sees the smoke and heads off the save Homer, leaving his little nephew Jamshed and his shotgun to defend the store. But they won’t get there in time to save Homer, who has already fainted from the smoke, so Flanders saves the day, who is not at church for some reason? Flanders breaks into the house, and starts to drag Homer out, but the spreading fire sends him up to the second floor, where he throws a mattress out the window and throws Homer to safety. We then get one of my favorite sight-gags with Homer falling from the top floor, hitting the mattress, and bouncing right back into the first floor. Flanders then jumps down and pulls a gymnastic move to save Homer again.
The fire department then saves the rest of the house just in time for Marge and the kids to come home, and they all debrief in the singed kitchen. I love that Reverend Lovejoy sums things up by talking about all the religions that banded together to save Homer, “Christian, Jew, or miscellaneous.” Poor Apu. Homer then swears to go back to church, and we cut to him asleep and snoring in the front row. The episode ends with one more visit from God while Homer gets a tour of heaven, complete with Ben Franklin and Jimi Hendrix playing air hockey. Homer then asks God about the meaning of life, and is told to wait six months, because apparently Homer’s end is nigh.
This is such an amazing episode. Like, one of my top ten. Homer’s glee at being home alone and avoiding church is hilarious, and it’s great seeing Homer explore other religious options, and kind of making his own faith. And man is it funny. Seriously, that scene of Homer bouncing back into the house makes me cry with laughter every time, it’s so wonderfully animated. The thing I don’t really like about the episode is that Marge was so crappy. She gives Homer so much grief about him not going to church, and doesn’t even allow the possibility that church isn’t for him. And then by the end he decides his lifestyle doesn’t work, so he’s going to go back to boring church he hates…which was an odd ending. It kind of ends by telling us that we should agree with Marge, and go to church even if we hate it, which is a strange ending. Oh well, it’s still an amazing episode.
Take Away: Find your own opinions about religion, don’t force others to believe what you believe.
“Homer the Heretic” was written by George Meyer and directed by Jim Reardon, 1992.
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Quantum gravity from quantum error-correcting codes?
Posted on March 27, 2015 by Beni Yoshida
The lessons we learned from the Ryu-Takayanagi formula, the firewall paradox and the ER=EPR conjecture have convinced us that quantum information theory can become a powerful tool to sharpen our understanding of various problems in high-energy physics. But, many of the concepts utilized so far rely on entanglement entropy and its generalizations, quantities developed by Von Neumann more than 60 years ago. We live in the 21st century. Why don’t we use more modern concepts, such as the theory of quantum error-correcting codes?
In a recent paper with Daniel Harlow, Fernando Pastawski and John Preskill, we have proposed a toy model of the AdS/CFT correspondence based on quantum error-correcting codes. Fernando has already written how this research project started after a fateful visit by Daniel to Caltech and John’s remarkable prediction in 1999. In this post, I hope to write an introduction which may serve as a reader’s guide to our paper, explaining why I’m so fascinated by the beauty of the toy model.
This is certainly a challenging task because I need to make it accessible to everyone while explaining real physics behind the paper. My personal philosophy is that a toy model must be as simple as possible while capturing key properties of the system of interest. In this post, I will try to extract some key features of the AdS/CFT correspondence and construct a toy model which captures these features. This post may be a bit technical compared to other recent posts, but anyway, let me give it a try…
Bulk locality paradox and quantum error-correction
The AdS/CFT correspondence says that there is some kind of correspondence between quantum gravity on (d+1)-dimensional asymptotically-AdS space and d-dimensional conformal field theory on its boundary. But how are they related?
The AdS-Rindler reconstruction tells us how to “reconstruct” a bulk operator from boundary operators. Consider a bulk operator and a boundary region A on a hyperbolic space (in other words, a negatively-curved plane). On a fixed time-slice, the causal wedge of A is a bulk region enclosed by the geodesic line of A (a curve with a minimal length). The AdS-Rindler reconstruction says that can be represented by some integral of local boundary operators supported on A if and only if is contained inside the causal wedge of A. Of course, there are multiple regions A,B,C,… whose causal wedges contain , and the reconstruction should work for any such region.
The Rindler-wedge reconstruction
That a bulk operator in the causal wedge can be reconstructed by local boundary operators, however, leads to a rather perplexing paradox in the AdS/CFT correspondence. Consider a bulk operator at the center of a hyperbolic space, and split the boundary into three pieces, A, B, C. Then the geodesic line for the union of BC encloses the bulk operator, that is, is contained inside the causal wedge of BC. So, can be represented by local boundary operators supported on BC. But the same argument applies to AB and CA, implying that the bulk operator corresponds to local boundary operators which are supported inside AB, BC and CA simultaneously. It would seem then that the bulk operator must correspond to an identity operator times a complex phase. In fact, similar arguments apply to any bulk operators, and thus, all the bulk operators must correspond to identity operators on the boundary. Then, the AdS/CFT correspondence seems so boring…
The bulk operator at the center is contained inside causal wedges of BC, AB, AC. Does this mean that the bulk operator corresponds to an identity operator on the boundary?
Almheiri, Dong and Harlow have recently proposed an intriguing way of reconciling this paradox with the AdS/CFT correspondence. They proposed that the AdS/CFT correspondence can be viewed as a quantum error-correcting code. Their idea is as follows. Instead of corresponding to a single boundary operator, may correspond to different operators in different regions, say , , living in AB, BC, CA respectively. Even though , , are different boundary operators, they may be equivalent inside a certain low energy subspace on the boundary.
This situation resembles the so-called quantum secret-sharing code. The quantum information at the center of the bulk cannot be accessed from any single party A, B or C because does not have representation on A, B, or C. It can be accessed only if multiple parties cooperate and perform joint measurements. It seems that a quantum secret is shared among three parties, and the AdS/CFT correspondence somehow realizes the three-party quantum secret-sharing code!
Entanglement wedge reconstruction?
Recently, causal wedge reconstruction has been further generalized to the notion of entanglement wedge reconstruction. Imagine we split the boundary into four pieces A,B,C,D such that A,C are larger than B,D. Then the geodesic lines for A and C do not form the geodesic line for the union of A and C because we can draw shorter arcs by connecting endpoints of A and C, which form the global geodesic line. The entanglement wedge of AC is a bulk region enclosed by this global geodesic line of AC. And the entanglement wedge reconstruction predicts that can be represented as an integral of local boundary operators on AC if and only if is inside the entanglement wedge of AC [1].
Causal wedge vs entanglement wedge.
Building a minimal toy model; the five-qubit code
Okay, now let’s try to construct a toy model which admits causal and entanglement wedge reconstructions of bulk operators. Because I want a simple toy model, I take a rather bold assumption that the bulk consists of a single qubit while the boundary consists of five qubits, denoted by A, B, C, D, E.
Reconstruction of a bulk operator in the “minimal” model.
What does causal wedge reconstruction teach us in this minimal setup of five and one qubits? First, we split the boundary system into two pieces, ABC and DE and observe that the bulk operator is contained inside the causal wedge of ABC. From the rotational symmetries, we know that the bulk operator must have representations on ABC, BCD, CDE, DEA, EAB. Next, we split the boundary system into four pieces, AB, C, D and E, and observe that the bulk operator is contained inside the entanglement wedge of AB and D. So, the bulk operator must have representations on ABD, BCE, CDA, DEB, EAC. In summary, we have the following:
The bulk operator must have representations on R if and only if R contains three or more qubits.
This is the property I want my toy model to possess.
What kinds of physical systems have such a property? Luckily, we quantum information theorists know the answer; the five-qubit code. The five-qubit code, proposed here and here, has an ability to encode one logical qubit into five-qubit entangled states and corrects any single qubit error. We can view the five-qubit code as a quantum encoding isometry from one-qubit states to five-qubit states:
where and are the basis for a logical qubit. In quantum coding theory, logical Pauli operators and are Pauli operators which act like Pauli X (bit flip) and Z (phase flip) on a logical qubit spanned by and . In the five-qubit code, for any set of qubits R with volume 3, some representations of logical Pauli X and Z operators, and , can be found on R. While and are different operators for , they act exactly in the same manner on the codeword subspace spanned by and . This is exactly the property I was looking for.
Holographic quantum error-correcting codes
We just found possibly the smallest toy model of the AdS/CFT correspondence, the five-qubit code! The remaining task is to construct a larger model. For this goal, we view the encoding isometry of the five-qubit code as a six-leg tensor. The holographic quantum code is a network of such six-leg tensors covering a hyperbolic space where each tensor has one open leg. These open legs on the bulk are interpreted as logical input legs of a quantum error-correcting code while open legs on the boundary are identified as outputs where quantum information is encoded. Then the entire tensor network can be viewed as an encoding isometry.
The six-leg tensor has some nice properties. Imagine we inject some Pauli operator into one of six legs in the tensor. Then, for any given choice of three legs, there always exists a Pauli operator acting on them which counteracts the effect of the injection. An example is shown below:
In other words, if an operator is injected from one tensor leg, one can “push” it into other three tensor legs.
Finally, let’s demonstrate causal wedge reconstruction of bulk logical operators. Pick an arbitrary open tensor leg in the bulk and inject some Pauli operator into it. We can “push” it into three tensor legs, which are then injected into neighboring tensors. By repeatedly pushing operators to the boundary in the network, we eventually have some representation of the operator living on a piece of boundary region A. And the bulk operator is contained inside the causal wedge of A. (Here, the length of the curve can be defined as the number of tensor legs cut by the curve). You can also push operators into the boundary by choosing different tensor legs which lead to different representations of a logical operator. You can even have a rather exotic representation which is supported non-locally over two disjoint pieces of the boundary, realizing entanglement wedge reconstruction.
Causal wedge and entanglement wedge reconstruction.
This post is already pretty long and I need to wrap it up…
Shor’s quantum factoring algorithm is a revolutionary invention which opened a whole new research avenue of quantum information science. It is often forgotten, but the first quantum error-correcting code is another important invention by Peter Shor (and independently by Andrew Steane) which enabled a proof that the quantum computation can be performed fault-tolerantly. The theory of quantum error-correcting codes has found interesting applications in studies of condensed matter physics, such as topological phases of matter. Perhaps then, quantum coding theory will also find applications in high energy physics.
Indeed, many interesting open problems are awaiting us. Is entanglement wedge reconstruction a generic feature of tensor networks? How do we describe black holes by quantum error-correcting codes? Can we build a fast scrambler by tensor networks? Is entanglement a wormhole (or maybe a perfect tensor)? Can we resolve the firewall paradox by holographic quantum codes? Can the physics of quantum gravity be described by tensor networks? Or can the theory of quantum gravity provide us with novel constructions of quantum codes?
I feel that now is the time for quantum information scientists to jump into the research of black holes. We don’t know if we will be burned by a firewall or not … , but it is worth trying.
1. Whether entanglement wedge reconstruction is possible in the AdS/CFT correspondence or not still remains controversial. In the spirit of the Ryu-Takayanagi formula which relates entanglement entropy to the length of a global geodesic line, entanglement wedge reconstruction seems natural. But that a bulk operator can be reconstructed from boundary operators on two separate pieces A and C non-locally sounds rather exotic. In our paper, we constructed a toy model of tensor networks which allows both causal and entanglement wedge reconstruction in many cases. For details, see our paper.
This entry was posted in The expert's corner, Theoretical highlights by Beni Yoshida. Bookmark the permalink.
About Beni Yoshida
I am a David and Ellen Lee postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, affiliated with the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter & the Walter-Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics.
View all posts by Beni Yoshida →
17 thoughts on “Quantum gravity from quantum error-correcting codes?”
Pingback: Putting back the pieces of a broken hologram | Quantum Frontiers
rrtucci on March 27, 2015 at 2:00 pm said:
So what is the classical probabilistic analogy of this, if there is one? And what is a perfect tensor, in simple terms?
Ivette Fuentes on March 28, 2015 at 4:19 am said:
🙂 Gerardo Adesso and I jummped into using quantum information techniques in blackholes in 2007 mmmmm we might have jummped to early? http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/0702001 and Alice falls into a Blackhole http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/quant-ph/0410172
John Sidles on March 31, 2015 at 6:11 am said:
Question In what respects do the methods and insights of “Holographic quantum error-correcting codes …” (arXiv:1503.06237) apply to sonic black holes (a.k.a. acoustic black holes, analogue black holes, etc)?
A followup post on this topic would be welcomed by many (including me). For example, what is the acoustic analog of AdS/CFT correspondence? Is it simply the solution of the (linear) acoustic field equations for Neumann boundary conditions?
Especially welcome would be a tutorial walk-through of an (idealized) 1-d experiment acoustic black-hole experiment from beginning to end, accompanied by a dictionary: (1) thermal bath of phonons in a fluid [microwave radiation in space], then (2) startup of the flow [deformation of the metric], (3) attainment of critical velocity [formation of an event horizon], (4) singular cusp in local energy density [formation of a singularity], (5a) transition from known acoustic physics to unknown atomic physics [transition from known geometric to unknown pre-geometric physics], (5b) concomitant appeal to general thermodynamic constraints upon shock/detonation waves [concomitant appeal to general thermodynamic properties of firewalls].
In any event, thanks for this fine weblog, and for sharing this very interesting work!
N.B. In the world of sonic black holes, if we entangle a phonon-pair, and then send one of these photons into an acoustic firewall, and then slow the flow such that the shock-firewall cools back to normal fluid (with attendant emission of firewall energy as quasi-thermal phonons), then formally the starting entanglement is present in the shock-firewall emission (because shock-dynamics is formally unitary), yet computationally it is infeasible to extract (by measurement) that entanglement.
Broad question (6) Supposing that we pullback Hilbert-space dynamics onto varietal subspaces (as is done in practice by large-scale quantum simulation codes [Jaguar:2013]), so as to simulate the dynamics with computational resources in P, then what elements of the above dynamical understanding survive (6a) exactly, versus (6b) approximately with exponentially small error, versus (6c) approximately with polynomially small error, versus (6d) not at all?).
Resolved for purposes of debate Quantum firewalls and quantum simulation algorithms are comparably mysterious (albeit the latter are easier to observe) and it is reasonable to conceive that these two great mysteries are strongly entangled.
@article{Jaguar:2013, Author = {Bochevarov, Art D. and
Harder, Edward and Hughes, Thomas F. and Greenwood,
Jeremy R. and Braden, Dale A. and Philipp, Dean M. and
Rinaldo, David and Halls, Mathew D. and Zhang, Jing and
Friesner, Richard A.}, Journal = {International Journal
of Quantum Chemistry}, Number = {18}, Pages =
{2110--2142}, Title = {Jaguar: A high-performance quantum
chemistry software program with strengths in life and
materials sciences}, Volume = {113}, Year = {2013}}
John Sidles on April 7, 2015 at 8:24 am said:
Twentieth century discussions regarding classical firewalls, that can be read as ancestral to 21st century discussions regarding quantum firewalls, are surveyed in two recent Bull. AMS articles: Denis Serre’s “Von Neumann’s comments about existence and uniqueness for the initial-boundary
value problem in gas dynamics” (2010), which is accompanied by a reprint of von Neumann’s comments “Discussion on the existence and uniqueness or multiplicity of solutions of the aerodynamical equation” (1949). The accompanying comments by Heisenberg, von Karman, and Burger retain considerable contemporary interest too (as Serre’s article discusses).
In particular, von Neumann’s comments tiptoed right up to the boundary of what was then-classified in regard to the theory of detonation (shock) waves. Indeed, Heisenberg had only recently been rehabilitated in regard to his research in service of the Nazis. Similarly, Soviet dynamicists were notably absent from this conference, plausibly because the Soviets were only ten days away from conducting their own first atomic test.
This helps us to appreciate a great merit of modern quantum firewall analyses (and many other aspects of quantum information science too): these analyses are not directly connected to issues of national security, state secrecy, or trade secrecy.
@article{cite-key, Author = {von Neumann, J.},
Journal = {Bulletin of the American Mathematical
Society}, Number = {1}, Pages = {145--154}, Title =
{Discussion on the existence and uniqueness or
multiplicity of solutions of the aerodynamical
equation}, Volume = {47}, Year = {2010}}
@article{cite-key, Author = {Denis Serre}, Journal
= {Bulletin of the {AMS}}, Number = {1}, Pages =
{139--144}, Title = {Von Neumann's comments about
existence and uniqueness for the initial-boundary
value problem in gas dynamics}, Volume = {47}, Year
= {2010}}
alex_v on April 1, 2015 at 4:31 am said:
The paper mentioned in the post is also discussing three qutrits ECC. I wonder, if such short code may correct any single qutrit error? It is written about recovering after erasure – does it include all possible kinds of single qutrit errors from U(3)? And next, could the qutrit ECC be considered as an argument against Gil Kalai’s point about lack of analogue of classical repetition code?
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Emi on April 16, 2015 at 6:28 pm said:
Reblogged this on Pathological Handwaving and commented:
I wonder if my abstract professor has seen this.
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Manchester United reportedly hold talks with AC Milan playmaker
Manchester United have reportedly held talks with AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu over a potential free transfer move next summer.
Calhanoglu is out of contract in the summer and according to Bild’s Christian Falk, Man United have held concrete talks with the AC Milan midfielder.
Milan are reportedly keen to keep the Turkish international however talks over a new deal fell through between the two and Calhanoglu is set to leave when his contract is up.
The 27-year-old has been impressive since his arrival at the San Siro from Bayer Leverkusen in 2017, scoring 27 goals across all competitions.
Calhanoglu is also known for his quality at set-pieces.
Man United had been in the market for a right-sided forward in the summer, with a potential move for Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho failing to materialise.
They signed midfielder Donny Van de Beek from Ajax as well as Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles during the transfer window and it would be interesting to see where Calhanoglu would fit in at Old Trafford should he sign for Manchester United.
United struggled at the start of the season losing to Crystal Palace as well as a devastating 6-1 loss to Tottenham before the last international window.
They have managed to regain form however, defeating Newcastle in the Premier League, as well as two very impressive wins in the Champions League over both PSG and RB Leipzig.
United take on Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
“Arsenal is always going to be difficult because they are a very good team with a good manager, who’s got some great ideas on how football should be played and I’m looking forward to it,” the Man United boss said in quotes reported by PA.
“I am surprised it’s 100. It’s gone really quickly, even though a lot has happened.
“So, let’s hope I can celebrate number 100 with a good performance and a result. I’ve enjoyed it so far.”
Read More About: Manchester United, Premier League
Author: Oisin McQueirns
Oisin McQueirns is a digital journalist at Pundit Arena. Massive fan of Leeds United, Ric Flair and Trusting The Process. Contact him here oisin@punditarena.com View all posts by Oisin McQueirns
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NEWSPEAK HOUSE
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Louise Downe
An event to celebrate the launch of Good Services, a new book about how to design services that work for users.
Good service is a book about what makes a good service, and how to design services that work for users. It took a lot of work to make, so we’re having a party to celebrate!
Talks by Lou Downe and Sarah Richards about all things services - good, bad and ugly - followed by a conversation between both speakers on writing books about emergent disciplines.
And if that wasn’t enough, music, a special gin from The Electric Spirit Co and an opportunity to buy posters, stickers and (more!) books.
There will be live music after the talks and a promise of a party atmosphere.
Talk by Sarah Richards
Founder of the content design movement, Sarah pioneered the standards during her 10-year career with the UK government. As head of content design for the Government Digital Service (GDS), Sarah created and implemented the content strategy for the GOV.UK website.
Talk by Lou Downe
Director of Housing and Land transformation for the UK Government, based at Homes England and author of Good Services - a book about how to design services that work. They were previously Director of Design for the UK Government, where they established the cross-government standards for good services and founded the discipline of service design, building a community of over 3,000 designers, user researchers and content designers across government.
Gin by Electric Spirit Co.
Founded by James Porteous (ex EY Seren and Engine, now distiller extraordinaire). James has been a long term service design friend through the years, and gave it up to distill amazing gin that just so happens, matches the colour of the book!
Music from a live band, followed by Sarah Drummond (aka. DJ Drummondbass).
Party and Talks Schedule
18:00 - Arrivals
18.30 - Welcomes
18:40 - Talk by Sarah Richards
19:10 - Talk by Lou Downe
19:30 - In conversation with Sarah and Lou, with questions from the audience
20:00 - Shake a leg and celebrate!
Gen:Impact [CANCELLED]
Gen:Impact
Gen:Impact was set up to connect young professionals in London working to have social impact. Our goal is to provide a casual setting to exchange ideas, build relationships, and collaborate towards social change. Whether you’re a teacher, a civil servant, an impact investor or you work in the charitable sector, our work is aligned by the fact that we work to make the world a better place. Meet similar people and hear inspiring talks from peers!
7:00 - 7:30 PM - Arrivals - Arrive and meet.
7:30 - 8:30 PM - Speakers - Learn about exciting projects in the impact space from your peers
Beatrix Pitel, Fawcett Society - Fawcett Society is a charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights at work. They publish research and bring together politicians, academics and activists to tackle issues such as closing the gender pay gap and secure equal political representations.
Anna Fraser, Social Finance - After studying Human Computer Interaction Design, Anna worked in the Home Office in user research across immigration and law enforcement. She worked to understand and champion the needs of people using the services, researching with a wide range of users including vulnerable people, and people with access needs. Since then, she has moved to Social Finance, working to embed user research in projects across a range of complex social issues.
More tbc!
8:30 - 10 PM - Networking - Chat and share a drink with your peers in the impact community
Org/speaker bios:
Surveilling school children: Digital privacy & education [CANCELLED]
Join us to hear about research into the use of highly intrusive monitoring technologies in children’s lives at school, after school, and beyond the school gates. Hear what you can do to help the campaign to make all school data safe, fair and transparent.
The creeping capability of commercial school safeguarding software now includes imposed surveillance at home. Companies that once offered only filtering and blocking now monitor individuals on screen content and searches. Typing words that match keywords libraries of thousands of terms can trigger a risk flag.
Advancing technology enables ever more one-sided opaque access to information about children, building profiles, even taking their photos via the webcam.
But there is no discussion of its growing risks or transparency to schools or families about how it works.
defenddigitalme has obtained statistics using Freedom of Information requests that suggest 70% of schools in England use web monitoring software, and a growing trend to monitor personal devices beyond the school playground.
Parents want to know how these flags and watchwords are being used about their children. Under a third of parents polled believe their school use these tools. None of the 400 school policies reviewed by defenddigitalme explain it.
Will the Online Harms agenda normalise or even seek to legalise this gross invasion of private and family life?
Speaker: Jen Persson @TheABB from defenddigitalme
Further reading: https://defenddigitalme.com/2018/12/response-to-school-pupils-being-spied-on-through-webcams-and-school-web-monitoring-software
Wine & Wotsits [CANCELLED]
Alison Goldsworthy
The sell out corn-based snack event is back. It’s Wine and Wotsits time.
You say wot?
That’s right, there aren’t enough wotsits in campaigners lives, so a few times a year we co-ordinate people coming together to share some of their successes. It’s a pecha kucha format, which means approx 5 presentations of 20 slides, each lasting 20 seconds. It will be an opportunity to hear from cutting edge speakers doing exciting things. Previous speakers include those from Save the Children, Shelter, WWF, Unlock Democracy, Which?, Change.org, National Autistic Society, Care2, Let Toys be Toys, Transform Justice and many more. If you have something you’d love to talk about, please let us know!
Wot Wot Who?
We’ll be unveiling the full list of speakers over the next few weeks.
How many tickets are there?
About 125. We always sell out, so please grab a ticket early to avoid disappointment, and if you can’t make it let us know so someone else can grab your spot.
You show up with whatever you want to drink (wine, fizz, non-alcoholic, whatever takes your fancy), we provide the wotsits and some cups. Rebels sometimes bring onion rings or monster munch.
You have a great evening, make friends with strangers and learn a bunch.
Building Power: Movement technology & collective power [CANCELLED]
This is an event for anyone with an interest in the labour movement.
Too often in our movement, technology has been touted as the answer to all our problems. Clearly, it’s not. But clearly, in 2020, we’ve got to wield it effectively to build power and coalitions across the movement. 120 years after labour unions founded the Labour Party on the basis of collective action, are we making the most of the tools of the 21st century?
We’ll hear from Brian Young, Executive Director of Action Network in the US, where trade unions and activists got together and decided to stop buying technology owned by hedgefunds. Instead they built a coalition first and then the movement decided what technology it wanted and then they created and owned it themselves. This technology has powered the Womens March, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sunrise Movement, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and Stop School Cuts here in the UK.
Brian will share experiences of building that coalition culture in the states, how they’ve started to change the way they think about tech so that it serves organisers and activists rather than the other way round.
It’s not about one set of tools over another, we want to think about how we build and use technology more effectively to build the power of the labour movement.
Tea & pastries from 2.30pm with a talk and Q&A to start at 3pm.
16 MAR 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Exit to Community [CANCELLED]
Vica Rogers (Co-operatives UK) & Nathan Schneider (Media Enterprise Design Lab @ University of Colorado Boulder)
At a time when successful startups are under growing scrutiny, when too many people are being left out of the value startups create, it’s clear: we need better options. One critical leverage point is the “exit”—the holy grail for most ambitious startups—the moment when the company is sold to another company or a new set of investors. These kinds of outcomes guide startups’ mission and purpose from the very beginning. What if there were another kind of goal to aspire toward?
Already, mission-oriented startups and funds are working on making “Exit to Community” or E2C possible, one experiment at a time. Meanwhile, the likes of Uber and Airbnb are seeking ways to share equity more broadly with their worker-users. Community ownership could be a new way forward for the future of work, data, and innovation. At this workshop, we’ll pool our knowledge and experience to identify pathways for making community ownership more available in the startup economy and its surrounding mythology.
Reconfigure: Digital Privacy Workshop with Time's Up UK [CANCELLED]
Julia Slupska, Oxford Internet Institute & Time's Up UK
Do you want to improve your digital security? Do you keep putting it off? We’re a collective of feminist cybersecurity researchers and activists, and we want to help you access free tools and resources to protect your data. Join us for a free, practical, hands-on workshop exploring how digital security affects your life.
Please consider bringing a laptop, smartphone, or any data-collecting device you own, as the workshop includes a hands-on tech support session. Snacks and drinks will be provided!
This project is a form of “action research”—a type of research which combines research with activism to understand a problem and find solutions. In other words, we want cybersecurity to be more open, fair, and inclusive, and we’re “learning by doing.” Results from the workshop will inform ongoing research, however participation in the research aspect of the workshop is entirely optional.
No prior experience or knowledge of cybersecurity required! As a feminist organisation, we want to reconfigure the assumption that digital security is for technical experts only. While the workshop is open to all, we particularly welcome women and other groups which are underrepresented in cybersecurity discussions.
This workshop is run in partnership with TIME’S UP UK. TIME’S UP came into being following the revelations about Harvey Weinstein and the widespread disclosures of abuse by powerful men via #MeToo across the entertainment industry. The global movement brought together filmmakers, actors, directors, producers and writers in Hollywood and the UK to campaign for systemic change and the ending of harassment and abuse across the sector. TIME’S UP looks forward to achieving zero tolerance of harassment, 50/50 pay parity and equal representation across the leadership of film, television and theatre sectors bringing about sustainable cultural change. https://www.timesupuk.org/
This workshop is organised by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, in collaboration with Darktrace, a cyber defence company. It is funded by a UK Research and Innovation “Citizen Science” research grant (BBSRC Grant reference number BB/T018593/1).
Collaborating to solve the Climate Crisis
The Climate Venture Collective
There’s a Climate Crisis raging around us and all that anyone seems to want to do is talk, now it’s time for action.
We’ve formed this group for everyone who is passionate about human and environmental problems and wants to collaborate to create impactful solutions.
We’ve adopted some simple techniques from the startup world and combined them with some theories on collaborative working to create a simple process for producing impactful solutions we can actually enact.
We hope from this group we’ll invent new products, start exciting projects, come up with interesting campaigns, launch innovative charities and have fun doing it.
Don’t worry! Taking part requires no specific knowledge of anything. Everything is tailored for simplicity to ensure a diverse group can come to the meeting with basically no training and leave with a Climate Crisis solution to collaborate on.
These monthly events will occur in various locations around London, please share this event with anyone else you think would like to attend. You should also sign up on our website for more information: https://cvcollective.mailchimpsites.com
LivingMaps Network Meetup
Phil Cohen // LivingMaps
Livingmaps Network was established in 2013 to develop a network of researchers, community activists, artists and others with a common interest in the use of mapping for social change, public engagement, critical debate, and creative forms of community campaigning. It now has nearly 2000 names on its subscription list, people who have attended one or more of our events over the past few years, and/or who follow our online journal. We are keen to involve more people in our activities, and to facilitate new projects and events proposed by members of our network.
Join Julie Futcher and other members of the Blue-Sky team to hear about their crowdsourcing project – generating a map of London’s Sky to document and share city-wide feelings of improved wellbeing, to better understand how a view of sky influences our lives and happiness.
Find out more about a planned exhibition and participatory mapping event at Tate Exchange (4th -5th April) where there will be opportunities to discuss your experiences with like-minded souls, put your happiness on the map and do some sky bathing. Together we will be exploring how a view of sky can generate momentary value, towards happiness, health and wellbeing. Take a photo of the sky on your phone, bring it along, and put it on the Tate Map!
The #BlueSkyHappiness project is a collaboration between London Citizens, Flourishing Lives, Inner London Ramblers, Living Maps, London National Park City, Urban Generation and Tranquil Cities.
Tickets are £5.00 to cover the cost of refreshments: Register
Women’s History & Future in the Media & Tech
Alex Varley-Winter
A gender-inclusive chat about women’s past & future in cultural & tech industries, for International Women’s Day.
We will all sit around an art table, to amuse ourselves and attending children.
Towards a Technoprogressive New Deal
London Futurists
The Technoprogressive New Deal (TND) builds on various ideas known as “Green New Deals” by additionally emphasising the possibility and desirability of greater liberation from the constraints of what is known as “human nature”. In this way, the TND draws on insights from the worldwide transhumanist and technoprogressive communities about the radical potential of emerging technologies.
The TND is a work in progress. This event, which is jointly organised by London Futurists and the Transhumanist Party (UK), is a chance to shape and improve this initiative, at a time when most political discussion is being blindsided by the accelerating pace of technological innovation.
In this event, David Wood, Chair of London Futurists, will review and raise questions about eight overlapping angles of the TND:
A technoprogressive social contract: How should society be structured for a world in which many fewer people earn money by working? What preparations are needed as we move towards a “post work society”?
A technoprogressive scorecard: What metrics should be put in place as a replacement for the GDP index as the guiding light for evaluating the success of the economy?
The technoprogressive dividend: How will investments in measures to address inherited flaws in human nature (body, mind, spirit, and social relations) have strong and equitable economic benefits as well as strong and equitable humanitarian benefits?
A technoprogressive regulatory framework: How should Big Tech be constrained and regulated? And what regulations should govern individual freedom of choice regarding new drugs, therapies, and treatments?
Technoprogressive approaches to environmental crises: Green technologies offer considerable promise to address environmental risks. However, major questions remain.
Technoprogressive approaches to international conflict: As technology raises worrying new possibilities for warfare and terrorism, how can technology be used in parallel to help establish greater peace and safety?
Technoprogressive fundamentals: How should decisions be made, regarding which parts of human nature should be cherished and protected at all costs, which should be enhanced, and which should be overcome (transcended)?
Building a technoprogressive alliance: Changing the world involves alliances as well as ideals. It involves compromises as well as principles. Which alliances and partnerships should the technoprogressive movement cultivate?
For each area, there will be opportunity for audience Q&A and group discussion.
David Wood is the author or lead editor of nine books, including, most recently, “RAFT 2035: Roadmap to Abundance, Flourishing, and Transcendence, by 2035”, from which many of the ideas in this talk have been developed. For more details, see https://deltawisdom.com/books
For information about London Futurists, see https://londonfuturists.com
For information about the Transhumanist Party (UK) see https://www.transhumanistparty.org.uk
Please arrive in time to be seated for the start of the presentation at 6.30pm.
The meeting is free to attend, but numbers will be restricted, so please register.
No refreshments will be provided, but attendees are welcome to bring their own.
Effective Altruism London Social
Ellie Raison
Effective altruism is about answering one simple question: how can we use our resources to help others the most?
Rather than just doing what feels right, we use evidence and careful analysis to find the very best causes to work on.
Come along and discuss whatever you feel like. If you’re new to effective altruism, you are very welcome too.
Please bring some vegan food to share.
Svelte Lightning Talks #1
Antony J and Joe R
Svelte is a radical new approach to building user interfaces. Whereas traditional frameworks like React and Vue do the bulk of their work in the browser, Svelte shifts that work into a compile step that happens when you build your app. Instead of using techniques like virtual DOM diffing, Svelte writes code that surgically updates the DOM when the state of your app changes. Read the introductory blogpost to learn more.
Join fellow Svelte enthusiasts for an evening of lightning talks and chatter.
Svelte at Bloomberg - Julian Burgess (@aubergene)
The Svelte Context API - Antony (@antony)
Using Svelte in React 🤷 - Kevin Wenner (@kevinwenner)
Svelte-Utils, a quick intro - Joe Reeve (isnit0)
There are currently spots available for lightning talks: if you have a project, or have seen a tool/library/project you want to tell the community about, message or comment to give a <5min talk (need not be your own thing).
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Radical Tuesdays
Labour for a Public Vote // London Activist Meetup
Labour for a Public Vote
This will be the first of a series of activist meetups/chats around the country. They’ll be opportunities for a relaxed, open and activist-led discussion (as opposed to a panel event) on where LPV and Labour pro-Europeanism more generally could go next.
29 FEB 11:00am - 9:30pm
Campaign Lab Hack Day XVIII - Tooling up for the Local Elections
James & Hannah
Please note - you will need to bring a laptop to this event
It has only been two months since the election defeat and the upcoming local elections are more important than ever if we want to prevent the consolidation of that Conservative victory across the country.
We made astonishing headway in the 2019 General Election, building and thoroughly testing the GOTV Dashboard, our Twitter tool and the powerful insight viewer.
With only 9 weeks to go from the hack day to the election we need to work fast, build on our existing toolsets and tackle the problems presented to us by the campaigners at our Campaigner Confession event on February 12.
All technologists, activists, organisers and campaigners, are welcome!
Including new people who are interested in evidence based campaign innovation and want to work out what happened and why.
What is Campaign Lab?
Campaign Lab is a community of politically-minded progressive data scientists, researchers and activists who are working together to build new election tools and change the way we analyse and understand political election campaigning.
You will need to bring a laptop to this event
28 FEB 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Citizen Beta
The London meetup for civic and political technology.
Speakers this month are along the theme of political parties and coalitions, and the tools that parties organise on.
James Clarke, Deputy Leader of Renew UK a new political party
Tabitha Morton, CEO of MoreUnited a coalition of MPs across the spectrum brought together by shared aims
Flore Blondel-Goupil, Business Development Director EMEA at Nationbuilder, these are a suite of tools that have helped revolutionise campaigning.
James Smith, Leader of Something New, a new startup political party.
7.00pm – Doors Open
7.30pm – Welcome and intro
7.40pm – Speakers
9.00pm – Drinks
Means TV World Premiere
Means TV
Join us in celebrating the launch of Means TV, the world’s first worker-owned, post-capitalist streaming service in London on 2.27.2020!
We’re kicking off the world premiere of Means TV with an evening of entertainment for the 99% with comrades, drinks, and a screening of one of our flagship films, Gaza Fights For Freedom.
Tickets are £15. All proceeds go back into making worker-owned entertainment.
Together, we can build media that empowers and reflects the working class!
About Gaza Fights For Freedom
A riveting documentary on Gaza’s Great March of Return by Abby Martin and a heroic team of Palestinian videographers.
This collaboration shows you Gaza’s protest movement like you’ve never seen before. Filmed during the height of the Great March Of Return protests, it features exclusive footage of demonstrations where 200 unarmed civilians have been killed by Israeli snipers since March 30, 2018.
Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fru3tsO6dzE
About Means TV
Launching on 2.26.2020, Means TV will have a library of documentaries, movies, and shows with new programming added all the time. We’ll also have live weekly shows covering news, culture, gaming and sports.
All of this will be available to subscribers for $10/month across desktop, mobile and smart TV devices like Roku, Fire TV and Apple TV.
No advertisements or product placements. No corporate backers or VC cash ever.
We’re entirely funded by people like you.
Together, let’s build a long-standing, worker-owned media infrastructure that reflects and empowers the 99%.
Means TV is for all of us: https://means.tv
26 FEB 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Data science ethics book club #8 - recommender systems
DataKind UK
Our next data science ethics bookclub is on recommender systems. You are welcome to pick from this reading list, depending on your interest and the time you have:
“How Recommendation Algorithms Run the World” is a Wired article giving an overview of recommender systems and associated risks by Zeynep Tufekci.
“YouTube’s algorithms might radicalise people – but the real problem is we’ve no idea how they work” is an article from The Conversation, by Chico Q. Camargo
Business Insider article: Former Google data scientist: Don’t blame the internet for dividing the country
Academic journal articles
“Recommender Systems and their Ethical Challenges” is an academic review paper by Milano, Taddeo & Floridi
“Regulating Recommending: Motivations, Considerations, and Principles” is an academic paper by Cobbe and Singh
Five risks of news personalization - particularly good for the non-technical reader
“Experimentation with fairness-aware recommendation using librec-auto” is material for a hands-on tutorial from FAT* Conference 2020, by Burke and Mansoury
There’s a lot of good writing out there and one of the most important principles (even in our own ethical principles) is to discuss and debate the ethical questions.
We hope this will help people gain the tools they need to think about this in their jobs or in DataKind projects, or in encountering algorithmic tools in their everyday life. But if all you get out of it is some friendly discussion over a coffee or beer, that works too :-)
Do I need to be a data scientist to participate?
Nope. We’ll have a mix of technical and non-technical reading material. The aim is to think about data science in a context of ethical impacts and consequences - and that affects everybody!
Is there an online option?
We will be hosting an online group alongisde the in-person event - if you’d like to join remotely, please select the ‘remote bookclub’ option from the ticket options. We’ll also be live tweeting using the hashtag #DKbookclub and taking comments/questions.
I have a brilliant idea for reading material/a theme! Who do I tell?
We love suggestions! Tell us at [email protected]
Community Dinner for Female-Identifying & Non-Binary People
Isla, Lucie, Georgia & Sabrina
We welcome you to the very first community dinner at Newspeak House specifically for female-identifying and non-binary people.
A casual dinner to meet new friends and bring people together in the politics and technology sectors. No matter your job title or your experience in these industries, we welcome all diversities of thought.
Vegan food will be provided. Donations are welcome. For specific dietary requirements, email [email protected]
What if I identify as male but I want to come and support?
You can support by sharing this event link with your female-identifying and non-binary friends, encouraging them to come along. But you are not welcome to attend this event.
What if I don’t identify with any gender identity labels?
If you feel you need a safe space to connect with others and express yourself, and currently feel you can’t do that in other social spaces, then this event is a good place to start. You are welcome to join us.
Data Privacy Meetup [CANCELLED]
Subversion / Olu N.
Data privacy is an important and often an overlooked subject in technology. With the rise of devices such as Amazon Ring, the Cambridge Analytica scandal and facial recognition software being rolled out by the Metropolitan police, it is more relevant than ever.
There will be lightning talks (speakers TBC) and then plenty of time to discuss the topics raised and meet fellow attendees. If you would like to give a lightning talk, please get in touch.
Optional Reading:
Olu’s thread for Data Privacy Day
CW: domestic abuse Engadget “For victims of smart home abuse, there’s no easy out”
The Recompiler “But It Doesn’t Have Gifs! Moving privacy, anonymity, and anti-surveillance tools into the mainstream”
Brought to you by Subversion.
PaperJam Game Jam: Factorio
Edward Saperia
PaperJam Game Jam is like a book club, but instead of a book we play a videogame, and as well as discussing it, we make paper prototypes inspired by it!
This time, we’re looking at Factorio, an extraordinary game about escaping an alien planet by building a rocket from scratch.
All are welcome, but some basic familiarity with boardgames or game design will be helpful. It generally goes like this:
Arrive at the event having played Factorio. There’s a free demo available, but I encourage you to buy it! If you don’t find time to play, don’t let that stop you from coming.
We discuss the game: Why is it fun? What are the systems in it and how do they work? etc
We eat dinner together: there are a dozen places on the street that do takeaway of various cuisines.
We try and make paper prototypes inspired by the game. A selection of materials are provided, but feel free to bring your own.
We play and discuss each others’ prototypes.
ToryTechs Hackathon #1
ToryTechs
The Conservative party has won a huge majority. ToryTechs want to use technology to help make the most of this.
help new MPs get their offices setup?
engage people in what the government is doing?
help the party and MPs be more effective?
Join other Tory Technologists and designers at the first ever ToryTechs Hackathon!
We’ll be spending Saturday and Sunday the 15 & 16th building, testing, and launching tech to improve democracy, and the effectiveness of government.
A hackathon is a weekend event for technologists, designers, and domain experts to come together and solve problems in an intensive and collaborative way. Read more here: https://hackathon.guide
Anyone can come (even if you’re not a member of the Conservative Party), we welcome your interest and would appreciate different perspectives. Everyone is welcome, as long as they follow our code-of-conduct.
Beginners are welcome too! Attendees have a huge range of skill-sets, so you’ll have no problem finding someone to learn from.
Let's Get Local - Campaign Lab Presents Campaigner Confessions
Join Campaign Lab to see how we can help out in the upcoming local elections! The fightback begins now!
Local elections and mayoral elections will be happening this May across the UK. Some of these elections will be taking place in areas where Labour has lost MPs so the fightback locally begins now!
Join Campaign Lab for our event where we’ll be inviting campaign organisers and activists from across the country to share their local campaign challenges and what technical help they may need. We’re just confirming on our three fantastic speakers for our event - more details to follow!
During the panel and breakout session we’ll explore how the speakers are currently running their campaigns, their current practices in an effort to identify where there is space for innovation and improvement - asking our candidates and activists: how can the Campaign Lab community help their campaigns on the ground?
Campaign Lab is a community of activists, researchers and technologists working towards a more evidence-based approach to campaigning - outside of this event series we run monthly hackdays and meetups, come join us.
Neighbourhood Watched: How Police surveillance undermines digital privacy
From facial recognition to social media monitoring, from remote hacking to the use of mobile surveillance equipment called ‘IMSI catchers’, UK police forces are using an ever-expanding array of surveillance tools to spy on us as we go about our everyday lives. Too often, these new and intrusive spying technologies are rolled out without the say, or even the knowledge, of the public or their locally elected representatives.
The use of police surveillance technologies can threaten our privacy and may cause us to change who we associate with and what we feel we can do and say. These technologies can also be used to target, profile and discriminate against certain communities - including minority, low-income and politically active communities.
Join us in London to hear about Privacy International & Liberty’s campaign for the public to have a greater say as to whether their local police force should be allowed to use such highly intrusive technologies.
Speaker: Privacy International Legal Officer Camilla Graham Wood @milliegw
Further reading: https://privacyinternational.org/campaigns/neighbourhood-watched
Research and Wikimedia
Lucie-Aimée Kaffee
We are organizing an event for Wikimedians and researchers to exchange! Come along and learn more about research happening around Wikimedia and what Wikimedians can teach you about the different Wikimedia projects!
A large part of the computer science research community is exploring Wikipedia, Wikidata and their sister projects. In the fields of natural language processing (NLP) as well as semantic web, Wikipedia and Wikidata are often used as a fundamental part of the research world. At the same time, the community of Wikidata and Wikipedia could make use of a variety of tools developed by researchers. However, currently, the gap between things explored in research and actual applications in Wikidata and Wikipedia needs bridging. Therefore, we want to build a community of Wikidata community members and research to exchange needs, existing tools, open challenges and research question to foster an environment, where both communities can benefit from the exchange.
The ideal is to have all the different approaches and commonalities under one umbrella to foster exchange and support of different research communities and their approaches.
OpenSym and the WikiWorkshop are already doing that for the people submitting to and attending computer science research conferences. But without the exchange with the community, there is a lack of communication, creating silos of missing exchange.
The Goal is to connect the researcher and the Wikimedia community to enable an exchange that could ultimately lead to the research projects being implemented as tools for Wikipedia. And vice-versa: More research projects build on community needs.
We invite researchers, Wikimedians, anyone who does or is planning to do research on or around Wikimedia projects, such as Wikipedia, Wikidata and others, anyone in the community, who is interested in improving the research happening around Wikimedia - you don’t need any experience in research. Wikipedia editor, Wikidata data magician, whatever you do in Wikimedia projects, your feedback will be highly valuable.
We would ask all researchers to bring an A2/A3 poster about what they are doing in Wikimedia that we can put up so that we can create an easy way to exchange on different projects. If you don’t have a project yet, don’t worry- just bring a poster with topics you find interesting, and you might be able to meet other researchers already working in your field of interest. (If you struggle with printing the poster beforehand, please reach out to us a few days in advance.)
We will spend a day exchanging on recent challenges around Wikimedia. Besides the posters, we aim to form working groups for the afternoon to work on topics of shared interest and possibly propose a project of common interest.
05 FEB 12:30pm - 3:30pm
Ministry of Justice Data-Centric Working Group (Directed) Unconference #1
Simon Manby
In our commitment to identifying the gaps in how we think about and work with data in the department, we have agreed to focus on four main problem spaces;
Silos exist between data analysts, policy teams and digital product teams
We lack a set of organisation-wide data standards
Our data is often hard to find and difficult to share
We give little or no thought to the potential uses of data outside each service
I am holding a cross-functional, (directed) unconference [I realise this is an oxymoron but stick with me] to explore these problem spaces and come up with desirable, feasible and viable actions we can take away and present to our Deputy Directors (Helen, Martyn, Jon and Danielle) particularly around the emergent themes of stakeholders mapping, central knowledge management and education, and access to data.
This session will be very much about actually doing stuff; agreeing positive, tangible actions we can take to improve the use of data, to demystify it for our colleagues and to work across the Policy, Data, Product and Tech Arc communities to drive a collaborative, user centred approach to how we work. We would welcome attendance and input from anyone in the MoJ who has an interest in contributing to this, and who wants to share and learn.
More information about the DCWG here. Please read our draft Terms of Reference and draft Justice Services Data Principles as they will inform the discussion. I’d also welcome people’s opinions on the Digital Ethics Charter.
Intelligence Rising - RPG Playtest
Linda Linsefors and Shahar Avin
Intelligence Rising is a role playing game about the future of AI and its consequences for society. You will be playing as heads of states and leaders of big tech companies, and your decisions will determine the future of the world.
The goal of this game is to:
Train AI developers and AI policy professionals to reflect on and prepare for future social and ethical challenges related to AI.
Explore possible futures involving AI technology development, deployment, social impacts, and governance.
More info: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1912.08964.pdf
Intelligence Rising is still under development. This event is one of several play test events we expect to perform this year.
As a play tester, you are expected to:
Select your character ahead of the game and read up a bit on the person you are playing
Participate in a game and debriefing
Fill out a feedback form
The game is also lots of fun and you will be given lunch.
If you want to participate in this game, please contact me directly via email: [email protected]
If you want to participate in future games, fill in this interest form https://sites.google.com/view/intelligence-rising/ and/or join our player google group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/intelligence-rising-players, to stay informed.
30 JAN 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Drawing Room / Terrace
Systems management reading group
Adam Bricknell
A reading group focusing on systems management, where an organisation or group is considered as one or more living systems and this perspective is used to assess how such a system could be structured to function at the highest level possible. This could consider multiple facets of the system, including the individuals working in the system, physical environment, virtual spaces used, tools available, media used for communication, how teams are structured and how information travels, is processed and stored (and more)!
The general intention is that by developing our ability to understand systems we’ll be better equipped to improve (or at least assess) the organisations or groups we work in or with, whether not-for-profit, corporate, or government.
We meet roughly monthly on a weekday evening to eat and discuss that month’s book, including its ideas and any practical applications (the day of the week varies). There is no set reading list - the next book is generally chosen at the meeting. Past books include Thinking in Systems (Meadows) and Doing the Impossible (Slotkin).
This month we are reading Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip E. Tetlock and Dan Gardner.
29 JAN 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Games For Good 3.0 – Tend & Befriend Edition
Cybersalon
Last decade will be condemned as a total failure of humanity to work together. Next decade and climate change crisis brings challenges that can only be solved by working together.
Join us on a journey of discovery of games that can skill up our ability to collaborate, from passing weapons, providing covering fire in a firefight, healing or boosting a teammate over obstacles.
Eva Pascoe (Cybersalon.org) – a peak into history of collaborative video gaming
Ben Greenway – emotional exploration on how to cooperate with total strangers and without language in Journey and Sky: Children of the Light (by ThatGameCompany).
Karo Janicka – how to leverage community to improve village life in Stardew Valley (by Concerned Ape)
Simon Sarginson – surviving galactic wars by teaming up with aliens in Startopia (by Mucky Foot)
Douglas Rushkoff – author of Cyberia book (1994) and lead of Team Human podcast on collaboration for survival of the species
The Echo Chamber Club
The purpose of this meet up is to meet people who are working in adjacent fields to enable collaboration. However, we also have some exciting provocations lined up to help stimulate conversation.
Every meet up has provocations designed to get the attendees to think about the problems they are facing in different ways. This meet up with have three provocateurs:
Alain de Botton is a writer of essayistic books that have been described as a ‘philosophy of everyday life.’ He’s written on love, travel, architecture and literature. His books have been bestsellers in 30 countries. Alain also started and helps to run a school in London called The School of Life, dedicated to a new vision of education. His latest book, published in September 2019, is a collection of essays written for The School of Life, titled The School of Life: An Emotional Education.
Frederike Kaltheuner is a writer and technology critic and a 2019-2020 Mozilla Tech Policy Fellow. Before joining Mozilla, Frederike was a director at Privacy International in London, where she led the organisation’s strategic work on corporate surveillance and emerging technology. Frederike has given expert evidence in the European Parliament, the Belgium Parliament, and the UK House of Lords. She holds an MSc in Internet Science the University of Oxford and a BA in Philosophy and Politics from Maastricht University.
Areeq Chowdhury is the founder of the think tank WebRoots Democracy which explores the intersection of technology and democratic participation. He’s also Head of Think Tank at Future Advocacy focusing on the social, economic, and political impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
The meet up will be hosted by Alice Thwaite, founder of the Echo Chamber Club. We will provide snacks and drinks. Please do give us a donation to help us buy the goods.
Provocations from 7pm
Join us to talk all things political and civic technology - anything from promise trackers, to new ways of campaigning or government. We’re here for it.
We’re starting off the year with 3 brilliant speakers:
Dan Barrett, Head of Data Science, Citizens Advice
Alex Parsons, Research Associate, mySociety
Tabitha Morton, CEO, MoreUnited [TBC]
We’ll also be joined by some of the Newspeak House fellows who will share some of the new tools they’re developing for future civic tech endeavours.
22 JAN 9:00am - 9:00pm
One Green Gov London
One Team Gov
A all-day event bringing public servants together with experts to teach, connect and inspire action on the climate emergency
OneGreenGov is the next global event in One Team Gov’s calendar, focused on the environment, sustainability and climate change.
The global environmental problems we are facing are becoming ever more apparent, and are higher in the public consciousness than ever before. As public servants, our work will be touched by climate change and environmental sustainability whether it is part of our day jobs or not.
The OneTeamGov community wants to bring people together to talk, learn and be inspired to take action - to live and work in more sustainable ways, to share their knowledge, and to develop policies, systems and practices which contribute to tackling the climate crisis, resource sustainability and environmental degradation.
To help contribute to this agenda, we are organising events in the UK and convening events worldwide to do this on 22nd January 2020. The events will have different flavours depending on where in the world they’re organised.
The event in London will be held at Newspeak House, hosted by the London College of Political Technologists. Our ambition is for this event is for participants to:
Learn something new to help you contribute to the fight against climate change;
Meet people interested in taking action for the environment, sustainability, and climate change;
Be inspired to take action.
The event will be part-unconference, and part-scheduled speakers and pre-arranged sessions. If you would like to run a session, please submit this form.
Building a new economy - what happens now?
New Economics Foundation
Our lives are dominated by an economic system that fuels inequality, makes our jobs and homes more insecure, and hastens environmental breakdown. Support for this system is crumbling, which places us at a moment of both great danger and opportunity. Disaffection with political and economic institutions has unleashed the forces of the populist right, but also created a once-in-a-generation chance to define and build a new economy.
Some people are building this new economy right now in the places they live and work. From workers’ cooperatives to community-owned energy they are shifting wealth and power to people and their communities. But while our zombie economic system stumbles on, all that energy will continue to be blocked by an outdated set of economic rules and institutions.
For more than three decades, the New Economics Foundation’s mission has been to transform the economy so it works for people and the planet. We celebrate – and help to enable – the new economy springing up from below, but we also know that it needs support from above, including a state that prioritises people’s wellbeing and a healthy planet over a misplaced faith in free markets and competition. Therefore we work with people igniting change from below and we combine this with rigorous research to fight for change at the top.
Join us to hear from an exciting panel of speakers to discuss what next for the new economy movement:
Gary Younge - Journalist and professor of sociology, Manchester University
Maya Goodfellow - Author and journalist
Miatta Fahnbulleh - CEO New Economics Foundation
Dave Ward - General Secretary, CWU
More speakers TBC
December saw the election of a government without a plan to tackle climate breakdown or fix an economy that has failed so many. Exciting and transformative ideas were put forward during this election but failed to cut through. This agenda remains our best chance to tackle the seismic issues we face, yet people have lost the will to believe change is possible. How can we learn from mistakes, and build on the strength of our ideas to continue making the case for a better future?
After discussion there will be drinks and a social.
How will Brexit affect UK life online?
It may not make the headlines, but Brexit’s impact on UK life online will be a gamechanger. Join us for a night with Open Rights Group to discuss how leaving the European Union will affect how UK residents experience the Internet.
Open Rights Group Policy Director Javier Ruiz: Javier will explain how post-Brexit international trade deals with the United States and other countries could impact UK rights online. Trade agreements increasingly include clauses to promote digital trade, which unfortunately tend to translate into weakening the protection of the personal data of ordinary people and increasing the protections on the algorithms and trade secrets of businesses. Entering these agreements will put the UK in a difficult position as it strives to maintain the current arrangements for data flows with the EU.
Open Rights Group Campaigns Manager Mike Morel: Mike will provide an overview of EU laws and institutions that currently influence UK rights to free speech online and digital privacy. Find out which protections will disappear, which will remain, and what could happen in a no-deal scenario.
18 JAN 10:00am - 6:00pm
HackThePress Hackathon #2
Hack The Press // Joe Reeve
News is broken.
The current system of monetisation (advertising) dis-incentivises good quality journalism in favour of clickbait and sensationalism.
News organisations have historically existed to solve distribution (printing presses) and monetisation/marketing (town criers) problems, these are problems the internet has solved in a much more scalable way.
It’s time Journalism, and by extension society, got a new model - one that uses technology to make high quality journalism sustainable again.
The first HackThePress Hackathon in September 2019 was a huge success, you can read more about it here: https://hackthepress.org/write-up-hackthepress-hackathon/
For the second HTP Hackathon we’ll be back at Newspeak House on Jan 18-19th. The core themes we’ll be exploring are:
Monetisation - How can news organisations monetise differently?
Public Advice - How can news orgs help people make better decisions?
Follow-through - How can news pieces inspire real change?
We will have a judging panel of 4 people from the tech and news industry who will select a winner in each of the three themes above.
For more information, see https://hackthepress.org/2020-hackathon-jan/
Slack workspace: https://bit.ly/HTPSlack
Campaigns Forum - January 2020
Jen Bamforth, Jazmin Glen, Jessica Rich And Usman Mohammed
This event is for charity campaigners to discuss best practice and challenges in campaigning for change. We meet quarterly for discussions and to hear from expert speakers. New members are always welcome.
Steve Pound, Labour MP for Ealing North from 1997-2019, will be answering a Q&A on what it is really like being an MP and how charities can be better at working with them.
Mary Milne, Head of Comms and Campaigns from Traidcraft Exchange will be speaking about their Injustice Advent Calendar which brought together actions from a number of organisations throughout December.
Strategies and Tactics for Platforms and Marketplaces
Manfredi Sassoli
This event is designed for everyone in and around London who is interested in building and growing great businesses through platform strategy and platform design.
70% of value created by tech companies in the past 30 years has come through businesses with network effects, based on market cap data. Network effects are the ultimate growth hack! On the other hand, launching or managing a platform business is extremely difficult and it can have dangerous side effects.
How do we improve our success ratio for launching new platforms in the London tech ecosystem?
How do we build, manage and create platforms that truly deliver value to all players involved?
What role do platforms play in today strategy making? How does it differ in start-ups vs enterprises?
How do pipeline products gain Network Effects?
How do platform businesses evolve?
These and more are the theme we can discuss together. To start our first session there will be two short (15 min) presentations:
Manfredi Sassoli introducing the group and providing context for the relevance of the field.
Simone Cicero, ideator of the PDT (Platform Design Toolkit) and worldwide renowned thought leader on platform design and strategy.
Food will be provided.
12 JAN 11:00am - 10:00pm
Campaign Lab Post Election Hack Day, Retrospective & Drinks
We really hoped we’d be holding this under happier circumstances but right now a genuinely neutral evidence-based analysis of the election results is urgently needed. In many ways this speaks to the heart of why Campaign Lab was set up.
So join us for our election campaign retrospective to look at what innovations worked, what maybe didn’t and try to understand some of the factors that contributed to the result.
This event will also be an chance for us to take stock, evaluate what we’ve achieved and think about where we should be heading next.
Finally it will also be a chance to thank our community for all their hard work over the past few months and year.
Check out the Campaign Lab volunteer teams and project guide
Turkish culture Wikipedia editathon
Wikimedia UK
Wikimedia UK is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia movement which supports Wikipedia and its sister projects. In January 2020, we are hosting a training workshop for Turkish speakers in basic Wikipedia editing. Currently, all language versions of Wikipedia are blocked in Turkey, and although it is still possible to access the website, it is much harder to edit Wikipedia from Turkey. That is why we are encouraging Turkish speakers in the UK to learn to edit Wikipedia so that we can help to improve content on Wikipedia in Turkish.
The workshop will give a general introduction to the basic skills needed to edit Wikipedia, and we will help you to start creating and updating content on the Turkish Wikipedia in the areas of culture, history and the arts. Whatever your interests, Wikipedia has articles about them and we need your help in improving those articles.
Please bring a laptop to the event which you can use to edit Wikipedia. A laptop with a keyboard is much easier to work on than a tablet. If you do not have one of your own, please let us know and we will provide one for you. Snacks and refreshments will also be provided.
For any other questions, please contact Communications Coordinator John at [email protected] or ask us on Twitter @wikimediauk
Görüşürüz!
Venture capital & the de-nationalisation and de-monopolisation of state functions
Julio Alejandro
Julio Alejandro asks “If politicians, diplomats and bureaucrats are perennially stupid and illiterate in technology, economics, and globalisation, why should they concentrate the monopoly on creation of human-civilization services?”
He will explain his map of the systems, technologies, and startups fighting to provide competition, markets, and choice in centralised, monopolised government industries to build better, cheaper, more affordable, transparent, inclusive, and market regulated services in social welfare; immigration; money creation; legality, criminality, enforcement; nation building; environmentalism; gender-racial-religious equality; and private property protection; Bitnation, Social Evolution, Seasteading, (3D Printed) Distributed Defense, Alcor Cryonics, Aragon DAO, Special Governance Zones, AI Pandora Boxchain, privacy Monero, Ulex OS Legal System, Free Private Cities, Kleros (crowdsourced jury), the Paralelni Polis ecosystem, and more.
Julio Alejandro is a VC investor, former CEO of three Blockchain and Disruptive Technologies consultancies, and has lectured in +70 universities and think tanks worldwide, including Oxford, Cambridge, United Nations, Google, EU Parliament, MIT, LSE, WeWork Headquarters, Amnesty International, and the Bahrain EDB.
Wine & Wotsits
For this purpose we are organising an event in the New Year which will give you an opportunity to meet the directors and advisory group, and to find out more about our plans for the future. Readers of the journal will be able to meet the editors and some of the contributors, and discuss the possibility of writing something for us. It will also be an opportunity to share your own plans with us, to exchange experiences and ideas with other people in the network, all over pizza and drinks.
Screening of The Citizens Atlas of London
Living Maps Review Panel Discussion
Putting ourselves on the Map: social networking
Tickets are £5.00 to cover the cost of refreshments and room hire: Register
Election tech debrief
Joe Mitchell
Yes it’s cold and dark and January. But remember when it was cold and dark and there was a general election?
Let’s not forget everything we learned: good or bad. What worked? What absolutely bombed?
Let’s celebrate efforts to register voters, get out the vote and all the other good stuff.
If you liked the ElectionTechHandbook, you’ll love the Election Tech Debrief!
17 DEC 7:00pm - 10:00pm
17 DEC 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Every other Tuesday we will be meeting up to collaborate on projects, to discuss progress and to learn together. This is a meetup for engineers of all stripes (hackers, makers, designers and other technologists) who wish to contribute their spare time and talents to radical projects, or work on their own projects. The evening will kickoff with a short introduction round, after which you can proceed to work on your own project, join someone else’s or join one of ours.
See some projects Radical Engineers are working on.
12 DEC 7:00pm - 2:00am
UK Election Night Wikipedia Editathon!
Just like in 2017, we will be at Newspeak House to experience the election excitement of adding new MPs to Wikipedia and updating pages related to UK politics subjects.
This is not a training event, so we would expect those who come to be reasonably proficient Wikipedia editors already. There will be lots of updates to do, so come and join us and help improve Wikipedia’s coverage of UK politics.
Election Tech Networking
Dinner, wifi, sofas, desks, drinks & chats: if you’re a fan of electiontechhandbook.uk then this is the place for you!
Every Wednesday night from now until the election, 7:30 till late, show up any time and ring the bell!
27 NOV 7:30pm - 11:00pm
25 NOV 5:30pm - 9:00pm
Lib Dem GE Hack Evening
Freddie Fisher
Building technology for the Liberal Democrats. You’ll need a laptop to participate.
HackThePress Co-Working #4
Join your fellow HackThePress members at Newspeak House to hang out and continue hacking on news-tech 👩💻.
We’ll provide power, WiFi, and somewhere warm, you bring the code! (and beer)
There are a few projects for you to join, or you can come with your own idea to work on.
Crowdsourcing Election Candidates Party
On the 14th of November, local councils will release details of who is standing for the upcoming election. At this event, we’ll be collecting all that data together into one database.
Stay for the whole session or just drop in whenever you can — every little helps! We’ll provide drinks and snacks! You’ll need a laptop, but no technical knowledge.
No text this month - volunteers will give lightning talks, and then we will have a discussion.
DotComrades: Art, Culture and Building Working-Class Power
Left Culture Club
Digital technology has transformed the way that humans are able to relate to each other. In spite of being able to connect over vast differences, we are more atomised, alienated and culturally estranged than ever. What does this mean for building working-class power? How can we create the cultural infrastructure that we need to be able to organise together and change the World for the better.
Douglas Lain of Zero Books hosts a conversation with some of the most important voices on the British left.
Sasha Josette, The World Transformed festival and Momentum organiser.
Chris Nineham, Counterfire and Stop the War founder, Zero Books author
Tom O’ Brien, Alpha to Omega podcast host
Angie Speaks, Youtuber and Left wing commentator
Cian Prendiville, Socialist organiser, Bottom Dog podcast host
David Swift, Historian and Zero Books Author
29 OCT 6:30pm - 11:00pm
Happy Birthday Wikidata!
It’s Wikidata’s 7th birthday at the end of October. Come and celebrate with drinks at this informal meetup organised by Wikimedia UK.
Meet other Wikidata users and talk about your projects, get help with questions and hang out with other people who share your love of data science!
Mozfest Drinks
Anouk Ruhaak
Come and get the conversation started ahead of the main event. Hosted by Mozilla Fellow Anouk Ruhaak.
17 OCT 7:30pm - 9:00pm
This month we are reading two papers:
Useful Theory of Change Models: Although frequently discussed in the evaluation literature and general agreement on what a theory of change is conceptually, there is actually little agreement beyond the big picture of just what a theory of change comprises, what does it show, how it can be represented and how it can be used. This article outlines models for theories of change and their development that have proven quite useful for both straightforward and more complex interventions. The models are intuitive, flexible, well-defined in terms of their components and link directly to rigorous models of causality. The models provide a structured framework for developing a theory of change and analysing the intervention it represents.
The COM-B Theory of Change Model (V3): Discussion of the COM-B (‘capability’, ‘opportunity’, ‘motivation’ and ‘behaviour’) model for making interventions to cause behaviour change.
Top notch speakers. Wot else?
Tamsin Omond on Extinction Rebellion and how they are shaking up campaigning
Pete Moorey on what campaigners can learn from the Marvel Comic Universe
Joe Mitchell on Democracy Club’s fantastic election tools
.. more to come
A limited number, we generally have a waitlist, so sign up early. We try and fit in as many people as we can.
You show up with whatever you want to drink (wine, fizz, non-alcoholic, whatever takes your fancy), we provide the wotsits and some cups. You have a great evening. It’s deliberately timed to allow people to come straight from work.
Wot you waiting for? (as Gwen Stefani would say) #wineandwotsits
The Echo Chamber Club invites you to a meet up and discussion on: “what makes a healthy information environment?”
There are many subjects being examined by academics, journalists, think-tanks, technologists and policy makers when it comes to digital’s impact on democracy. Disinformation, misinformation, information warfare, truth-making, conspiracy theories, data privacy, data politics, political advertising, microtargeting, transparency, mediatisation, normalisation, echo chambers, filter bubbles, herd thinking and more.
Democracy is a contested term. We agree that it means: “rule by the people”. But we also acknowledge that in a modern nation state the people need to elect representatives to govern them. Information then must circulate between citizens and the government in order to ensure that ‘the people have the power’. But what are the best mechanisms for this? What are the institutions that we absolutely need? Are there any red lines?
We often talk about various digital structures ‘undermining democracy’. But if we cannot agree what democracy is, then how do we agree that it is being undermined? How can we then look to how to use digital to promote democratic ideals?
The purpose of this meetup is to meet people who are working in adjacent fields to enable collaboration. However, we also have some exciting provocations lined up to help stimulate conversation:
Matthew d’Ancona - partner at Tortoise Media and columnist for GQ, the Evening Standard and the Guardian. Matt has decades of experience commentating on politics and has written many books including: “Post-Truth: The New War on Truth and How to Fight Back”.
Nafisa Bakkar - founder and CEO of Amaliah and CEO of Halal Gems. Amaliah is dedicated to representing Muslim women. It has a reach of 3.2 million across all editorial channels and publishes on topics from lifestyle to relationships to fashion and politics.
Gemma Milne - tech and science journalist and co-founder of Science: Disrupt. Gemma has written for many publications including Forbes, the Guardian and the BBC. Her latest book focusses on hype and is called: “Smoke and Mirrors”. It is out next year and helps form a realistic understanding of what is going on in tech and science today.
Please register to ensure your place.
29 SEP 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Lost In écofeminism
Josiane Smith
For those who can’t choose sides between Greta Thunberg and the Suffragettes… or between ecology and feminism…
We are a bit lost… somewhere between the #metoo movement and the rise of Extinction Rebellion. Feeling stretched between fighting for women’s rights and the earth… so we want to create a space to connect with, explore the tensions between and raise questions about ecology and feminism. Are they compatible? How can feminist action be mindful of climate change activism and the other way around? How can we join forces to make a difference?
Using dialogue, drama and dance, we will explore your own lived experiences and questions around the climate crisis and the feminist cause. Through this creative process, we will together define the themes that are most alive in us as Londoners, and be the key points in coming meetings.
28 SEP 10:00am - 10:00pm
Campaign Lab General Election Emergency Hack Day
It’s General Election Time! Join Campaign Lab for a Hack Day working on political data science challenges and designing, developing and testing election tech and campaigning innovations.
From data analysis to improve targeting and working out the factors that could swing an election to developing new election tools for activists on the ground, we’ll be working out how together we can make the biggest impact on this election.
ThinkCit Conference
ThinkCit
We are a group of philosophy researchers and students from the University of Bristol. We acknowledge that in our increasingly busy lives, the time people spend to inform themselves is extremely narrow. On top of that, behind all media – newspapers, advertising, even entertainment – lies incentives that are no longer driven by truth but by financial or political interests. This means that information is designed to exploit our ignorance and our vulnerability to sentimental persuasion. Information is no longer primarily truth-guiding.
In this talk, we will describe how our Validity Code, a 13-step system that incorporates both logical analysis and fact-checking, will help people to check the validity of the information that every media delivers.
Our mission is to create a citizen who is not only better informed but has a broader outlook on the world, and, ultimately, is better placed to reconcile.
Learnings from the Body: Perspectives in XR Embodiment
Trajectory Theatre
For the third round in our Trajectory Talks series of free debates we consider this: how important is the presentation of a human body to our experience of virtual realities?
Direct evidence suggests that embodiment is a key factor in immersion and presence within XR. It is important to recognise however that existing design principles around this embodiment betray implicit ableist and heteronormative bias. In cases where creators attempt to move past this, their efforts are often made in the questionable pursuit of empathy and the inhabiting of another’s experience. So whether extended, cross or augmented the virtual space is as problematic as the traditional performance space when it comes to perspective and representation.
Starting with the lived expertise of makers with different or changing experiences of their own bodies or identities, this Trajectory Talk will examine and debate current and future uses of embodiment in XR. We will ask what insights can be inferred when decontextualizing narrative and design elements from LGBTQ+ makers and makers with disabilities, and to what extent these forms of embodiment effect meaningful representation.
Rob Eagle (Chair), PhD researcher at UWE Bristol, uses methods from audio documentary storytelling, immersive theatre and interactive digital art to present nonbinary and genderqueer narratives in mixed reality.
Jane Gauntlett, whose work explores the impact of storytelling, shared experience and human connection. She works as a writer, director, producer and lecturer (interactive audio, interactive theatre, game, 360 film, VR, MR). In 2009 she founded the In My Shoes project, each piece combines multi-sensory theatre, technology and first-person documentary to recreate extraordinary real-life events.
Michelle Baharier, whose artistic practice is influenced by her heritage and life experience, brings new context to a space and gives a voice to people whose stories are hidden and unheard. Since 2006 she has worked collaboratively developing The Largactyl Shuffle. This project is named after Chlorpromazine, one of the first anti-psychotic drugs, whose side effects included a deterioration of motor functions that often manifest in a slow shuffling walk. In 2011, she was commissioned by Southwark Council’s Public Realm Department to create a sculpture on Camberwell Green – representing CoolTan Arts. Using a two part process, we created a live sculpture - a Ginkgo tree to mark the Largactyl Shuffle and to symbolise positive mental health, resilience and memory. She then worked with artist Rossen Daskalov to produce a bench that celebrated all that Largactyl Shuffle represents for the local community – a place of safety, contemplation, friendship and destigmatisation.
6.30-7pm: Arrivals, drinks, nibbles and networking.
7-8pm: Debate and ‘fishbowl’ discussion.
8-9pm: Drinks and networking.
London Tech Workers Coalition
Steering session for London Tech Workers Coalition, a coalition of workers in and around the tech industry. London chapter of @TechWorkersCo
Open to all tech workers, students and those seeking work in the industry. Bring a friend.
if you’ve any questions or requirements email us at techworkersldn {at} protonmail {dot} com
Hack The Press Social
Join us at our first ever HackThePress social!
We’ll spend some time talking about what we all want to get out of the group - learning, networking, or something else entirely. Then there will be plenty of time to get to know your fellow tech and news nerds over booze and food.
We’re looking forward to meeting you there!
Two Workshops in Applied Mathematics
Alex Hill
Help us to beta test two workshops in applied mathematics:
Workshop 1: Intro to Bayesian Statistics (50 mins)
The first half of this session will focus on the base rate fallacy, building intuitions of how it affects probabilities. In the second half we’ll compare Bayesian and frequentist methods of inference and consider the advantages/disadvantages of each.
Workshop 2: Can Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) stop the AIDs epidemic? (50 mins)
We’ll read a paper that makes some exciting claims about the possibility of ending the global AIDs epidemic. With a small amount of contextual knowledge, we’ll look at the paper with a critical reviewer’s eye to see what we make of its methods and claims.
Confessions of a "Digital Gun-for-Hire"
Hear a digital marketing expert blow the whistle on deceitful tactics used by digital advertisers and show us how we can “opt out” of the corporate surveillance economy.
We’ll also receive an update about Open Rights Group’s AdTech complaint against Google and the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
This event is a great way to learn easy and practical ways to protect yourself online from companies that aggressively target and track you across the Internet.
Bring your laptops and mobile phones so you can use what you learn immediately.
Labour Together Environmental Bridgebuilders Network Meetup
Labour Together
Our planet is in ecological crisis and everyday we are seeing the effects of increasing climate breakdown. Yet from Heathrow expansion to debates over land use, time and again the environmental movement comes up against barriers to achieving the significant systemic change that is needed.
To secure democratic consent for the significant actions we will need to take, we need to understand how to bring more people into the conversation and reach out beyond the activist base. This means exploring how we can create a positive vision of a greener future for everyone in society.
How can we get people to understand the scale and urgency of the challenge without them feeling hopeless? How can we understand and more effectively counter right wing populism and conspiracy theories which deny climate change? At this meet up we’ll be looking at how we can start working together more concretely to solve some of these pressing challenges.
If you know someone who you think needs to be in the room, please do invite them too! We’re really keen to hear from a range of perspectives across the movement and working at different levels.
Drinks and refreshments will be provided.
Book Launch: Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon
The solar power industry is growing remarkably fast worldwide, with over 100GW installed for the first time in 2018 and over 120GW expected in 2019. This is largely driven by rapidly dropping costs and increasing competitiveness of solar electricity with gas and coal in many countries, almost regardless of action on climate change. Over the past decade, the price of solar modules has fallen over 90% and the big challenges for solar power have moved beyond the cost of electricity, to much bigger questions about the future of electricity.
A new book, Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon, introduces key concepts in finance and renewable energy and provides a readable introduction to the world of business as it applies to solving the energy portion of climate change. It covers startup culture from a personal angle, some less successful examples of solar companies with candid interviews of the founders, and explanations of concepts like levelised cost of energy, the power markets and the experience curve.
Author Jenny Chase, head of solar analysis at financial information provider BloombergNEF, has been tracking solar price, demand, technology and investment since 2006 and aims to write the book she should have read as a student wanting to work in clean energy. This evening will be a chance to meet the author and talk about renewable energy with like-minded people.
The book is available from publisher World Scientific Publishing here and on Amazon here.
The YouTube to Meatspace Pipeline: Left Organising in the Digital Age
New social media communities have bred a renewed interest in radical politics, particularly among the youth generation. Will this culture persist only online, or can we bring our digital communities into the real world to bolster left-wing struggle here?
Join Left Culture Club’s panel event, where we talk about the benefits and pitfalls of using social media to organise online in the digital age.
Angie Speaks is an anarchist video essayist and Youtuber.
BadmanMassive is a video producer for Zero Books and Means TV UK, and host of the YouTube-based Spicy Takes series.
Xexizy (aka. Muke) is a Marxist vlogger and streamer, and founder of the Marxist society at the University of Sussex.
Doors are at 7:00 for a 7:10 start. All are welcome!
14 SEP 8:00am - 5:00pm
Hack The Press Hackathon
The current system of monetisation disincentivises investigative journalism in favour of clickbait and sensationalism. We must find a new model - perhaps technology can help make high quality journalism sustainable again?
A two day hackathon. See the schedule and register your place at hackthepress.org/2019-hackathon/.
Policy Lab on Youth Violence
Wandsworth Young Labour + London Young Labour
Wandsworth Young Labour + London Young Labour trial a new format for a workshop, focused on developing policy solutions to Youth Violence.
The book for this month is Seeing like a State by James Scott.
Campaign Lab presents "Campaign Confessions"
With the prospect of a general election becoming ever more likely, now more than ever we need to build bridges between technologists and activists on the ground.
Join Campaign Lab for our event Campaign Confessions where we invite candidates, organisers and activists from across the country to share their campaign challenges and where they think Campaign Lab volunteers can help.
For our event, we’ll be joined by Patrick Alcantara & Joe Morrison who are leading the local campaign to unseat Boris in Uxbridge, and Jessie Joe Jacobs one of the Labour Candidates for Tees Valley Mayor, where Labour lost a lot of ground to the Tories in the last election. Our third speaker is to be confirmed.
During the panel and breakout session we’ll explore how the speakers are currently running their campaigns, their current practices in an effort to identify where there is space for innovation and improvement - asking our candidates and activists: how can the Campaign Lab community help their campaigns to innovate?
Election Tech Meetup
Newspeak House Fellows
A networking event for those applying technology to the upcoming UK election to talk about ideas, resources, strategy and collaborations.
If you have something you want to share with everyone attending, please add it to electiontechhandbook.uk
Effective Altruists in Tech Meetup
Sebastian Becker and Henry Stanley
A meetup for effective altruists who work in/are interested in software, data or tech.
6:30pm: Doors open
7:00pm: Coworking time and/or networking
This month there will be time for co-working if you wish, bring a laptop and feel free to work on EA-related projects with likeminded folks! Otherwise, you’re welcome to use the time for networking as normal.
Note: This event is targeted at people who already know about Effective Altruism. If you’re new to EA, start with one of the newcomer socials advertised here: https://www.facebook.com/LondonAltruism/
09 SEP 12:30pm - 2:00pm
The Equality Discussion Group: "Women, Race, and Class" by Angela Y. Davis
The Equality Discussion Group // Lucy Caldicott
The first meeting of the Equality Discussion Group, where there shall be a discussion on Angela Y. Davis’ book “Women, Race, and Class”.
Future books, podcasts, things to watch will be discussed and chosen by the group each time for the next event.
NB. Don’t worry if you won’t have read the whole book - it doesn’t matter.
Effective Altruism Co-Working
An informal meetup for people interested in effective altruism and want to work on their own projects or self study.
This may be as individuals or in groups, but we plan to work for 50+ minutes then break at least once and maybe up to three times depending on how much you want to do, with the rest of the evening set aside for socialising and discussing what you’re working on with others.
Note: This event is targeted at people who already know about Effective Altruism. If you’re new to EA, start with one of the newcomer socials advertised here: https://www.facebook.com/LondonAltruism
01 SEP 11:00am - 5:00pm
Liberal Democrats Hack Day
The Liberal Democrat Software Group
A day of coding to help the Liberal Democrats HQ, The Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors, and local parties around the country get more done and win more votes.
This event is hosted by The Liberal Democrat Software Group - join to hear about future events.
There will be free pizza for lunch.
31 AUG 1:00pm - 6:00pm
London Wikidata Meetup - learn how to query Wikidata with SPARQL
Meet people working with Wikidata, learn to use SPARQL to query the database and visualise data in interesting ways! Please bring a laptop to work on.
This is the fourth Wikidata meetup organised by Wikimedia UK at Newspeak House. We hope to support the community of people working with Wikidata and encourage new people to get involved in the project.
This event will be aimed at training people to query Wikidata using SPARQL, a coding language similar to SQL which is commonly used to query databases. SPARQL is not a complicated coding language, and the basics of it can be learned easily, especially if you have previous experience of working with data. This event is aimed at people who want to learn the basics of data science, or people already working in that field.
Wikidata is becoming increasingly important, and data science skills are increasingly sought after by employers in the tech sector. This training will help you get acquainted with some basic concepts in data science, or improve your skills at working with and visualising data.We think this could especially appeal to people studying data science, data journalism or any other data-related field, as well as established data scientists and journalists who want to improve their skills.
Non-alcoholic refreshments will be provided.
If you have a Wikidata project you’re working on and would like to do a 5-10 minute presentation on, please contact me about it - [email protected]
30 AUG 7:00pm - 11:00pm
IWGB Fundraiser
Independent Workers Union of Great Britain
Raise money for the next round of outsourced worker strikes at the University of London
Tech for Good July Meetup - Are we being radical enough? Part II: Cyberdelics Society Citizens Assembly
This special TechforGood side-event follows on from our last meetup, which we had to cut short because of the heat: https://www.meetup.com/techforgood/events/263194160/
You don’t have to have attended the first event to come along to this one, and you can see the outputs of that event here: http://bit.ly/TFGJulAllAssets
For this August meetup, the Cyberdelic Society (whose co-founder Carl M Smith spoke at last month’s event) will host a Collective Intelligence summit in order to explore how immersive technologies can be radically recontextualised to help tackle some of the grand challenges humanity is currently facing.
The Cyberdelic Society will set the scene by sharing the outputs from our recent XR for XR event which explored how immersive technologies can be utilised to help combat the climate and extinction crisis. The full video of the XR for XR event is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzwfzwaI81Q
Help us build the collective intelligence around Tech for Good solutions by sharing your opinions, ideas and skills. What are the most relevant areas of concern for you? We look forward to this process of collectively co-creating.
KEY QUESTIONS:
How do we ensure technologies are part of the solution rather than the source of the problem?
How are we going to use the power of technology to radically change lives and the environment for the better?
How can we use technology to help us imagine and realise the level of transformation needed to meet the challenges we face?
KEY CONCERNS:
How can we avoid replacing imagination with computer animation?
What do our current imaging and sensing technologies already do to our perception of reality?
If our senses are enhanced or augmented will we become distracted – or more mindful and connected?
What are the biological and psychological risks of altering your perception with technology?
Is transformative technology just a shortcut for people who lack the willpower for consistent work with their bodies, breath, meditation and sitting in silence?
Do AR/VR/MR/AI (XR) experiences endanger people from getting lost further inside the simulation?
Do Cyberdelics promise a ‘shortcut’ to a false experience of ‘awakening’/‘enlightenment’?
Why rely on something external when we have all the answers, power and ability to be conscious co-creators of this ‘world’/’reality’ within ourselves?
POTENTIAL APPLICATION AREAS:
How can we use immersive tech to both measure the impact we are having on our environment and also explore some appropriate systems change solutions?
How can we use immersive tech to expand our experience of ourselves and the reality we live in?
How can we create truly transformative experiences within these immersive technologies?
How can these technologies help us to reprogram our associations and see ourselves from other perspectives (including the non-human)?
How can we design and use these technologies to contribute to individual and collective awakening?
What is the healing potential of these technologies?
How can hybrid technological devices, of often-prosthetic alienation, help us to reconnect to ourselves and to the surrounding environment?
To what extent can we influence our internal processes and bodily sensations using external sources? How adaptable is our perception?
How much can we understand the rules that govern our minds and bodies through these technologies?
How can artificial senses be used to access a greater dynamic range of reality?
If there is appetite, this may form the first in a series of follow-ups along this theme, led by the Cyberdelic Society.
"The Great Hack" Film Screening & Discussion
Hannah O'Rourke & Abraham Baldry
How did Facebook allow an obscure data company named Cambridge Analytica hack the 2016 US presidential election? Why did they do it? What have been the consequences for democracy?
In this enlightening documentary join film makers Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim as we explore the motivations of some of the key players in the story and the journey of those that tried to hold them to account.
Featuring some familiar Newspeak House community faces, this is a must see for anyone interested in increasingly murky intersection between politics, data and ethics in elections.
Popcorn will be provided.
“You leave with a very clear sense of how one company aided and abetted the selling of democracy down the river, not to mention having your fingernails chewed down to the quick.” - David Fear, Rolling Stone
“An intelligent but infuriating piece of liberal hand-wringing.” - Owen Gleiberman, Variety
DiEM25 London Meetup
DiEM25 UK
Climate disaster and far-right politics continue to pose an increasing threat in Britain, the rest of our continent and the world. It is time to act. Time to get organised.
DiEM members and supporters from London and the surrounding area will gather on the 8th of August for a third time - this time in the Newspeak House in Bethnal Green, where we will continue to discuss DiEM policy, how to get organised and the future of Europe.
The overarching goal will be to set up AT LEAST ONE new London local group!
There will be a loose agenda for the evening, including a “creative space” at the end of our meet-up.
Considering the great interested in the “Green New Deal for Europe”, our plan to tackle the threat of climate disaster and the burning injustices in Europe and beyond, you can find out more about it here: https://www.gndforeurope.com/
The book for this month is The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error, by Sidney Dekker.
We meet roughly monthly on a weekday evening to eat and discuss that month’s book, including its ideas and any practical applications (the day of the week varies). There is no set reading list - the next book is generally chosen at the meeting.
Past books include Thinking in Systems (Meadows) and Doing the Impossible (Slotkin).
PaperJam Game Jam
Prototype games to explore complex systems. Today we explore the game loop in Baba Is You.
6.30 pm: Doors open
7 pm: Talks
Vicky Clayton (Senior Researcher, Nesta): the desirability of automating impact measurement
Ozzie Gooen (Research Scholar, FHI Oxford): Forecasting infrastructure and Foretold, a new forecasting app
03 AUG 11:00am - 5:00pm
Green Party Hackathon
London Green Party
Are you digitally able? A videographer? A copy writer? A social media mastermind? London Green Party has put together a Green Party Hackathon on the 3rd August to help put together a digital campaign from scratch.
Work with Sian Berry to put together a housing campaign designed to push the Mayor and local Councils to take radical Green backed action!
Spaces are limited so please fill out this form to let us know how you want to contribute. We’ll be in touch to confirm places.
27 JUL 8:00am - 6:00pm
Hack and Scratch
Join us for a day of making, playing, failing, and doing as we take a Hackathon and a Scratch Night and smash them together.
We invite those from the arts and technology worlds, as well as anyone interested in different ideas and new approaches, to come along to this open and relaxed forum for the creation and testing of work that combines digital and immersive technology with artistic practice.
The Hack strand will be a chance for tech people and art people to get together to test an idea, iterate on a concept or demonstrates a method none of which existed at the beginning of the day. They’ll be working away all day and will show off what they’ve created at the open sharing session.
We will give you the chance to try out work in development from those participating in the Scratch strand. Similar to traditional theatre scratch nights we invite direct and collaborative feedback from audiences, but with the pieces growing and changing throughout the day. The Scratch space will be open to the public for free from 12 – 5pm, no sign up required.
The day will culminate in an open sharing session at 5:30pm before we head to Newspeak’s terrace to reflect on the work of the day over a BBQ and drinks.
Further details and participant details to follow. Sign up so you don’t miss out.
Though our open call has now closed there may still be possibilities to participate - get in touch via [email protected]
About your hosts
Trajectory Theatre are interactive digital performance makers. We produce work for both site-specific physical and virtual spaces. Our interests centre around interpersonal connection, the future of the digital era, and challenging notions of reality through perception. To get in touch please reach out on Twitter, or email us at [email protected]
26 JUL 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Sustainable Tech Meetup
Katrin Fritsch
Why fight for a just digital future if there might be no future at all?
Technology crisis and climate crisis have many aspects in common: they are both often invisible, yet pervasive in their impact. Whether it is privacy, bias in AI or open data, the digital human rights community often fights for more equal and just futures while vastly ignoring the environmental crisis we are currently facing.
In this meet up series we want to initiate, map and advance the intersection between digital human rights and climate crisis. That means that we want to figure out how to create a sustainable social, environmental and technological future. By that we aim to go beyond current debates in the community that include arguments such as 1) we need to fly less 2) we need to repair devices 3) bitcoin consumes too much energy. We want to figure out how topics such as bias in AI or open source can be combined with the very idea of sustainability. We want to deepen the intersection between technology and nature.
At this first Sustainable Tech Meetup in London Katrin will give a short introduction with some initial thoughts on the topic. Then we will discuss how the intersection of digital human rights and climate crisis can advance. We will collect national and international initiatives that already work at the tech for good/sustainability intersection to make a first overview. Also, we are going to create a roadmap for more research and activism to advocate for a sustainable social, environmental and technological future.
The Sustainable Tech Meet Up and Newspeak are very happy to receive donations. Please bring pen and paper. If you want to contribute with an input or if you have any questions contact Katrin on Twitter at @KatrinFritsch, private messages are open.
Tech for Good July Meetup - Are we being radical enough?
“We have developed an immensely powerful technology. We have stronger means of changing the physical universe than has ever existed before. How are we going to use it? This whole attitude of using technology as a method of fighting the world will succeed only in destroying the world. Technology and its powers must be handled by… people who cherish… above all, the Earth, and treat it with the reverence that is due to one’s own body.” - Alan Watts
How are we going to use the power of technology to radically change lives for the better? That’s a question we will explore in this meetup to really find out if we’re thinking and acting radical enough in applying technology to solve the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Tech for Good is certainly gaining mainstream recognition and popularity, but so is our collective appreciation and recognition of the scale of existential threats facing humanity.
How can we use technology to help us imagine and realise the level of transformation needed to meet the challenges we face? Who is involved? Who needs to be? This event will look at some more ambitious and consciousness-shifting applications and explorations within tech.
The event will start with speakers, then open out into a facilitated ‘citizens assembly’ style discussion where we invite you to bring your ears and ideas.
As always, we’ll have our community announcements at the end, which is a chance for attendees to share an update, funding opportunities, jobs and more with the community. If you’d like to share yours in advance with the organisers, email us at mail@techforgood.tv.
We charge £3 (+VAT) to help manage the number of people who show up on the night, which goes towards the cost of running the event. We don’t want this to become a barrier to attendance, so please get in touch via Meetup messages or directly via mail@techforgood.tv if this causes a problem for you. Furthermore, if you need a VAT receipt please email mail@techforgood.tv.
Our speakers are:
Cassie Robinson, National Lottery Community Fund / The Point People / Tech for Good Global / CAST / Nesta New Radicals Awards: Cassie wears multiple hats in the tech for good space, which gives her a rare perspective on the field and the changes within it. She’ll discuss some of the key burning questions she feels we should all be asking, and who’s working to answer them currently. She’ll set the scene for the citizens assembly discussion around different possible futures, and the challenges we must overcome to get there.
Carl H Smith, Ravensbourne University London / The Cyberdelics Society / The London Experimental Psychonautics Club / Contextology: Carl is a regular writer and speaker on Humanism, Transhumanism and Hyper-Humanism, and how a new mental model can help us better shape our relationship with technology and the world around us. He will share examples of where mixed reality and other XR technologies are enabling positive context engineering, as well as new modes of thinking and embodiment. He will also share the outputs from a recent XR for XR event, hosted by the Cyberdelics Society which explored how immersive technologies can be utilised to help combat the climate and extinction crisis.
Dama & Ellie (Bethnal Green Ventures + CAST)
BOOK LAUNCH: Future Histories: What do Ada Lovelace, Tom Paine and the Paris Commune teach us about digital technology?
Lizzie O'Shea
When we talk about technology we always talk about the future—which makes it hard to figure out how to get there. In her new book Future Histories, Lizzie O’Shea argue that we need to stop looking forward and start looking backwards. Weaving together histories of computing and social movements with modern theories of the mind, society, and self, the book constructs a “usable past” that help us determine our digital future.
What, she asks, can the Paris Commune tell us about earlier experiments in sharing resources, that might hold relevance for similar concepts today, like the Internet? Can debates over digital access be guided by Tom Paine’s theories of democratic economic redistribution? And how is Elon Musk not a visionary but a throwback to Victorian-era utopians?
Future Histories has been described by Claire L. Evans as “a potent, timely, and unrepentantly radical reminder of history’s creative potential.” O’Shea will be talking about some of the questions raised by her book and how we can use history to fight for a democratic digital tomorrow.
https://www.versobooks.com/books/2960-future-histories
Guest Lecture: Carol Gall, wife of the late John Gall, author of "The Systems Bible"
Hannah O'Rourke & Edward Saperia
Often referred to as one of the fathers of systems thinking, Dr John Gall was the first to articulate the counterintuitive nature of systems, in particular how they succeed and how they fail. He is best known for his seminal work The Systems Bible. A Renaissance man, as well as writing on systems, John worked as a paediatrician writing books on parenting, child development, historical novels and memoirs.
Join Newspeak House in warmly welcoming his wife Carol Gall for a special guest lecture celebrating John’s work and their life together.
Carol Gall married Dr Gall in 1994 and for many years worked in his medical office. Together they taught parenting classes and jointly authoring Hit by a Low-Flying Goose a book about their experiences. She has worked as a piano teacher, a special education teacher and tutor, a family counsellor, specialising in young offenders and as a lecturer in child development and music.
In this lecture Carol will explore some of John’s later thinking laid out in his unpublished work and share stories that illustrate some of the many concepts raised in The Systems Bible. Alongside this she will share some of the many personal biographical anecdotes and memories of her life with John that inspired his thinking around systems. The listener does not need a background in systems theory to enjoy and learn from this lecture about John’s life and work.
Remain and Reform: Grassroots organising meeting
Labour for a Public Vote is setting up an independent, activist-led grassroots organisation to fight Brexit and promote a left wing remain and reform agenda, called Remain and Reform: Grassroots. They’re proposing a predominantly non-hierarchical structure which they hope will encourage autonomy and engagement - in short, you’re encourage you to get involved, and take a lead on the issues that you’re passionate about.
They are eliciting ideas from across the UK, and from across Europe, in order to develop a transformative agenda that can win widespread public support for our EU membership, and which can win support for the changes needed to make our economy fairer, our societies safer and more secure, and to help us stop climate chaos.
They’re looking for activists who want to be there at the start of this journey, and want to help shape this project from the outset. If this sounds like you, come to their first organising meeting when they’ll discuss all this and more in an open and friendly setting.
Fairbnb.coop in London: Local node kick off
Fairbnb.coop
Presenting the community powered tourism platform Fairbnb.coop, and kicking off the search for someone to develop the London node!
Fairbnb.coop platform cooperative is a community-centred alternative to current vacation rental platforms that prioritises people over profit and offers the potential for authentic, sustainable, and intimate travel experiences.
As a community of engaged citizens, researchers, and people coming from a variety of professional backgrounds and different cities we have been working together for several years to create the platform, and the beta version is finally nearly ready to be released.
We are now looking for like minded people to foster the creation of Local Nodes in towns and cities in the UK.
If you’re interested in finding more about what this involves you can find more info here.
While in London for LONDON UNBOUND 2019 we are organising a meet up and our co-founders will be delighted to meet whoever is interested to participate in this co-creation process.
This will be the first of a series of events part of a European roadshow that will span over the next 15 months with the goal to involve as many communities as possible in our project.
Programme of the meet up::
6:00 pm: Doors open
6:30 pm: Presentation of Fairbnb.coop project
7:00 pm: Co-creation Workshop in small groups
7:45 pm: Food and drink, chill
Brave Conversations
Brave Conversations was created to bring thinking around Web Science and the Social Machine to mainstream conversations that occur in everyday life. Its objective is to demystify the world of emerging technologies and enable an exploration of the impact that these technologies will have on our selves, our communities, our societies and our planet.
We deliberately create a space where everyone can be brave, can say the things that they know need to be said, and be prepared to apply intellectual rigour to challenging ideas that might take us to uncomfortable places.
In 2008 a group of people from industry, government, academia, and the community sectors came together to create the first Brave Conversations (then called the Meta conference) to create a forum for people to discuss and debate the emerging issues related to humans and their use of digital technologies.
At about the same time a group of luminaries from the Web world were creating Web Science in order to focus interdisciplinary research on precisely the same thing.
Since that time the world has changed.
The Web has evolved from being read-only to read-write and now dominates how the majority of society interacts with digital platforms, giving rise to the largest companies of the modern era. These companies are now pushing the boundaries for how data and information are used and are becoming a key driver for the next step in human evolution.
We can all feel that the world ahead is very different from the world behind, but:
How often do we find the time to step back, to engage in robust and challenging dialogue and debate with others from diverse backgrounds about what sort of future we want to create?
How often do we feel that our opinions are respected, that we have the space to imagine real possibilities, and that we can take some proactive control of the world that is emerging?
The goal of Brave Conversations is to challenge everyone who participates - regardless of what background they come from, or what their skillset and expertise are - to more fully explore and understand the interplay between humans, the societies we live in, and the technologies we have created.
We want to empower people to proactively make decisions about how we live our everyday lives, how we participate as commercial actors within the economy, and how we operate as digital citizens and exercise our political rights. That empowerment comes from demystifying data and information and understanding how it informs the everyday decisions which gradually create the future.
Each of those decisions begin on an individual human level - our bodies and our minds - and then emanates out to our families, communities, societies and from there to nation states. We are all responsible for the world we are creating and never has there been a time when we have more potential to influence the changes around us. But we need to be given the space for robust debate and respectful curiosity, learning from each other, playing with ideas, and asking the questions that are both confronting and potentially will take us to uncomfortable places.
The best way to learn is through experience and the act of playing with ideas.
We have deliberately chosen to partner with Newspeak House to co-host Brave Conversations London 2019 to build on the work we have been doing around the world over the past two years. Our aim is to enable that teams of diverse participants to critically examine our current societies through the lens of systems, communications, governance and technology.
This is important as the Geopolitics of Political Governance is now playing itself out as the Internet and the Web become more enmeshed in how regimes govern.
Brave Conversations complements the work being done at Newspeak House to address the challenges and opportunities which face contemporary society.
Creating a National Food Service
The National Food Service Campaign
A new public service - and how we plan to make it
How do we better create a culture of mutual aid, reciprocity, co-operation, and collaboration in our cities?
How can more public social eating spaces be made and how can they be more inclusively designed?
At a time when public services are increasingly under threat, can we create an entirely new one?
The National Food Service is a new idea. A public system emerging from a network of social eating spaces across the UK. The goal is to enable social eating spaces to better interrelate, tackle common issues as a unified body, and provide a collaborative, inclusive welfare system for all.
Join members of the NFS Campaign as they explain their vision for the organisation, detail the progress so far, and invite the audience to contribute their ideas to the project.
This event is free to attend. Donations for the evening meal are optional, and not expected. Please email ‘‘[email protected]’’ about dietary requirements.
Running order:
18.00: Doors open
18.30: Campaign update - What is the NFS, and what have we been doing?
19.00: Group discussions
20.00: Dinner is served
Follow the campaign on:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/National-Food-Service-472002436672526/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/national_food
Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/31CVoO6KLoXq1wyjmM7zhR
Campaignion meetup
more onion
more onion is an award winning digital agency behind the Campaignion platform, which delivers high-impact digital campaigns and fundraising for progressive non-profits. Come and meet the more more onion team as well as fundraisers and campaigners from across the UK charity sector.
New Campaignion features - thank you page overlays, custom redirects and more
Campaign showcase - how Compassion in World Farming have gathered over a million signatures for their #EndTheCageAge European Citizen’s Initiative
Consultation report launch - be the first to see tips, best practice and case studies from Young Minds, Stonewall, Open Rights Group and more on helping your supporters take part in public consultations
Please Register: https://www.more-onion.com/en/campaignion-london-july19
For those who are new to Campaignion (or fancy a refresh!), please feel free to join us a little earlier at 2.00pm for a demo.
Renters are getting organised! Help us get the word out
London Renters Union
A year since launching, the London Renters Union is establishing itself as a powerful union where renters can get organised and win the big changes to the housing system we all need.
We’re now looking to grow and expand the union so we can organise in new places, get more people involved and build the power of renters.
To do that, we need YOU!
Join us for an evening of training and planning.
We’ll be talking about how we can communicate in ways that encourage people to get involved in organising, and how we can do street stalls and other outreach effectively.
We’ll also be planning some exciting stalls and outreach for over the summer. Bring your diaries so you can leave with some dates for exciting outreach in it!
No experience of activism or the LRU is required to join this session!
Childcare is available if needed, please let us know in advance by emailing [email protected]
09 JUL 6:30pm - 10:00pm
Come to chat with other EAs about doing the most good with tech. After our first successful run of having talks last time, we’ll return with another exciting talk this time.
Michal Trziesimich (Rethink Charity, Local Effective Altruism Network): How LEAN rebooted the EAHub, a social platform for effective altruists
Mark Somerset (Freelance software engineer): How to find freelance work as a software engineer
Ditch the screens: try Shared Reading
Kirsty Styles // The Reader
Millions and millions of people across the UK say they are sometimes, or always, lonely. Many older people say they go more than a month at a time without speaking to friends or family.
It’s thought to be as bad for you as being obese and even smoking.
At The Reader we have spent more than 20 years getting people of all ages reading great literature aloud together because it gives us the opportunity to read more and read differently.
Storytelling is an ancient human practice and, done in this way, it allows us to imagine a future beyond screens.
The Reader has launched a unique collaboration with Hackney Libraries to get people of all ages reading great literature aloud together.
If you’ve been wanting ‘something more’ in your life, you can train to use this powerful practice to change your local community.
Come to Newspeak House on Monday 8 July from 7pm to 8.30pm for a conversation about why getting together in real life matters more than ever, followed by a Shared Reading taster.
Stop scrolling.
Email: [email protected] to book.
07 JUL 11:00am - 9:00pm
Campaign Lab VIII HackDay
Since June 2018 we’ve been a busy bunch, the Campaign Lab community has sourced hundreds of demographic and austerity impact datasets, developed scrapers and written parliamentary questions and FOIs to source the more hard to get datasets. We’ve built a comprehensive UK ward-level election results dataset and begun comparing factors impacting elections across the country.
But we’re not finished yet. Come and join us for our next hackathon as we continue to build the case for an evidenced-based approach to electoral campaigning in the UK.
Thousands of activists across the UK volunteer their time and energy for electoral campaigns every year. Year in, year out, we use the same campaigning methods and tools we always have, because we think they work.
But there have been very few contemporary analysis or studies undertaken to assess the impact or value of electoral campaigning methods in the UK. Similarly, there have been precious few attempts to determine the effect of local economic factors such as house prices and austerity on election results and vote share.
So, if no one else has done this, then maybe it’s about time we started?
We’re building a repository of publicly available data and models to better understand the 2018 Local Elections, identifying which results bucked the national political and demographic trends. These are areas in which local campaigning may have actually made a difference and where we can start learning and testing.
This is about developing an evidence-based approach to electoral campaigning.
But we need your help.
So if you’re interested in chipping in and developing a new data-driven approach to understand what actually goes on in elections and campaigning, bring your laptop and join us for a day of politically motivated data science.
Over the course of our new hackdays we’ll be tackling the questions plaguing activists up and down the country, making a real impact on elections and political campaigning right across the country.
Everyone welcome – beer, soft drinks, a big homemade soupy lunch and pizza dinner will be provided!
Not been to a Campaign Lab meet up before? No problem! Come along to meet politically-minded progressive data scientists, reasearchers and activists who are working together to change the way we analyse and understand political election campaigning.
All attendees to Campaign Lab HackDays may join future discount data science courses put on specifically for Campaign Lab volunteers - contact us for more information.
Data Science Ethics Book Club
We think that discussing the ethics and impacts of data science is important, but also, kind of fun? There’s a lot of good writing out there and one of the most important principles is to discuss and debate the ethical questions. We hope this will help people gain the tools they need to think about this in their jobs or in DataKind projects, or in encountering algorithmic tools in their everyday life. But if all you get out of it is some friendly discussion over a coffee or beer, that’s also good.
How do we define fairness? 21 Fairness definitions and their politics - Arvind Narayanan, 2018 [video; 1hr]
Machine Bias - the Propublica COMPAS story that is the key reference point in talks about algorithmic bias and unfair outcomes [article]
Where fairness fails: data, algorithms, and the limits of antidiscrimination discourse - Anna Lauren Hoffman, 2019 [academic article]
IBM AI Fairness 360 tool [blog + links to interactive tutorials]
Association of Independent Music Wikipedia Engagement Workshop
Wikipedia is one of the first places that people go to find out information about any subject. Google’s search results privilege Wikipedia links highly, and many Wikipedia pages receive millions of views a year. It’s hugely important for fans and music companies to ensure that their artists are well-represented on the site.
Join the Association of Independent Music (AIM) and Wikimedia UK for the latest AIM Academy workshop, with expert guidance on how music companies and artists can fully optimise and understand Wikipedia.
Why Wikipedia is important for you and your artists
Having a Wikipedia page is a sign that an artist is established and successful. Because the text is Open Licensed, it can be reused elsewhere - Spotify and the BBC use biographies from Wikipedia for artists listed on their sites.
Images used on Wikipedia also end up appearing elsewhere, so uploading a good image of your artist is a way to influence how other sites present your them.
Wikipedia pages will be added to and curated by fans, so it’s also a way that fans can engage with the artists they care about.
Wikipedia pageviews are open – find out about how to access your data (page views, edits, editors etc) and how to analyse it. Did you know these pageviews count towards some charts.
Anyone with an interest in understanding Wikipedia and open licences.
Anyone working in artist marketing, press, promo or label management.
Self-releasing artists, or anyone who manages their own online presence.
Roadmapping the UK's future 2019-2025-2035 with the UK Transhumanist Party
Thanks to breakthroughs in science and technology, the future could be profoundly better than the present – provided we recognise this opportunity, and take appropriate actions.
In this vision, there will be an abundance of all-round human flourishing. Everyone will have the means to live better than well - healthier and fitter than ever before; nourished emotionally and spiritually as well as physically; and living at peace with ourselves, the environment, and our neighbours both near and far.
That’s the vision of the Transhumanist Party UK. The Party is developing a set of bold top level targets for the UK to seek to achieve by 2035. These goals are intended to be memorable, clear, and inspiring.
A number of these goals have already been publicised (text/video) and are generating a rich set of feedback (feedback survey!)
This meeting is a chance to join members, supporters, friends, and critics of the Transhumanist Party UK to take this discussion further forward:
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Party’s current set of goals for 2035?
What are the most important steps to take to significantly enhance all-round human flourishing by 2035?
And bearing in mind both the potential and constraints of both technology and politics, what transformations would need to be well advanced by 2025?
The event will involve a short presentation followed by an extended discussion of roadmap options and priorities. It’s free to attend, but numbers will be restricted, so please RSVP in advance.
29 JUN 3:00pm - 6:00pm
London Wikidata & OpenStreetMap Meetup
Join Wikimedia UK and Open Street Map UK for a joint event, following on from Open Street Map’s AGM earlier in the day. The plan is to get people interested in Wikidata to meet people from the OSM community and talk about possible areas of collaboration.
If you would like to present a short talk of 5-10 minutes about a Wikidata or OSM project you are working on, please email [email protected] to let us know that you would like to speak.
There will be room for people to meet and discuss their projects, and hopefully the weather might be nice and we can also use the outside terrace. So whether you want to come and talk about a specific project or just to meet other Wikidata and OSM users to find out more about the projects, come and join us for a casual discussion of all things OpenData and OpenMaps!
OpenStreetMap UK Annual General Meeting
OSMUK
This year the OSMUK AGM will be held in London at Newspeak House, Bethnal Green, 1-5pm. There will be an official AGM bit followed by short talks and possibly some planning activities.
Schedule talks or discussions at https://www.loomio.org/d/rnWSF7uZ/osmuk-agm-schedule
At 3pm we have invited Wikimedia UK to join us for a “Wikidata Meets OSM” crossover. There should be attendees from the South East and further afield.
28 JUN 8:00pm - 11:00pm
Distributed Governance [DGOV] London Community Meetup
DGOV Foundation
The future of governance is distributed. Exchange ideas and get a glimpse into our governance track at Web3 Summit. Also: Open afterparty!
Are you involved or interested in distributed governance, future of governance, DAOs, blockchain governance? Join us on Friday, June 28 at Newspeak House and discuss related topics in an open conference format.
This will be the official after-party drinks to the OPEN 2019 Event (www.open.coop). So, prepare to welcome the participants from the conference too, discussing P2P, co-ops and distributed governance.
We will run a similar format to the DGOV Council, with open discussion format and some lightning talks. If you’re working on an interesting project related to Decentralized Governance, DAOs or Blockchain and want to share it: please drop an email to [email protected]
Phoebe Tickell will share ideas and thoughts from the dgov retreat in May with us. Also, there might be a glimpse into our preparation for the dedicated track on governance during Web3 Summit on August 19-21 in Berlin.
Welcome / Intro / Topic Selection – 10 mins
Lightning talks, 3x 10 mins
Phoebe - dgov foundation retreat recap
[propose yours]
Facilitated Discussion (Lean Coffee Format) – 60 mins
Campaigns Forum
Ellie Cusack
Join charity campaigners from across the sector to learn how to communicate effectively with stakeholders in government.
Hattie FitzGerald, former campaigner and now a civil servant at the Home Office, will talk about how charity campaigns and communications are viewed from within a Government department, and how to land your messages most effectively.
Simon Morrison is Deputy Chief Executive at Nesta, the innovation foundation working to bring bold ideas to life to change the world for good. He has extensive experience of communications, and whilst at the Home Office led one of the most comprehensive media engagement and public affairs programmes in the UK. We’ll be talking to Simon about what he learned and how it shaped the way he now approaches influencing stakeholders in Government.
This event is for charity campaigners to discuss best practice and challenges in campaigning for change. We meet quarterly to hear from expert speakers, share ideas and build relationships across the sector. New members are always welcome.
Registration will open at 13:30 with the event starting promptly at 14:00. The session will finish at 16:00.
Under the Clouds of War: the Role of Military Funding in XR Development
Trajectory Theatre brings together the brightest minds in the XR community for an evening of debate and discussion.
Like most technologies XR has seen a lot of its research and early exploration performed under the banner of the armed services. Without long term investment from governments attempting to use it as a tool of military strength, we would not have consumer VR and AR today. Does this then have moral implications for the artists and makers using XR? And what should be our stance on further funding from the military?
Bill Thompson is a technology writer, best known for his weekly column in the Technology section of BBC News Online and his appearances on Click on the BBC World Service. He is also an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow at City University London’s Journalism Department and writes for BBC Webwise.
Roderick D. Morgan, Director and Producer at Trajectory Theatre.
Chair: Jo Kerr, digital consultant, Fellow of the Intersticia Foundation and a Resident Fellow of Newspeak House.
Read the re-cap of our last event: Content vs Technology in XR.
7-8pm: Debate and discussion.
Trajectory Theatre are interactive digital performance makers. We produce work for both site-specific physical and virtual spaces. Our interests centre around interpersonal connection, the future of the digital era, and challenging notions of reality through perception. To get in touch please reach out on Twitter, Instagram or email us at [email protected]
Coworking, Coop and Coliving Community Co-BBQ
Open Coop
Welcome to our Co-BBQ, made up of three communities centred around Coworking, Coop and Coliving.
Hosted by Open Coop, The European Coworking Assembly, and co-liv.
26 JUN 11:00am - 2:00pm
Founders and Coders Partners Day
Founders and Coders
Founders and Coders CIC is a UK-based nonprofit that develops and runs tuition-free, peer-led training programmes in web development, guided by our core values of cooperation, inclusion and social impact. We operate in London and work with Mercy Corps and the UK government to deliver programmes in the Middle East and Africa.
Today we’ll discuss upcoming changes to the programme and Tech For Better, as well as have demonstrations of the summer cohort’s prototypes.
Book Launch: Fully Automated Luxury Communism // Aaron Bastani
Virtual Futures
Virtual Futures presents Aaron Bastani in conversation on his new book, ‘Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto’ (Verso, 2019).
Fully Automated Luxury Communism promises a radically new left future for everyone.
The first decades of the twenty-first century marked the demise of the current world order. Despite widespread acknowledgement of a series of disruptive crises, the proposed response from the mainstream has been to stick with the status quo. Against the confines of this increasingly limited politics a new paradigm has emerged. Fully Automated Luxury Communism claims that new technologies will liberate us from work, providing the opportunity to build a society beyond both capitalism and scarcity. Automation, rather than undermining an economy built on full employment, is instead the path to a world of liberty, luxury and happiness. For everyone.
In his first book, leading political commentator Aaron Bastani conjures a new politics: a vision of a world of unimaginable hope, highlighting how we might move to energy abundance, feed a world of 9 billion, overcome work, transcend the limits of biology and build meaningful freedom for everyone. Rather than a final destination, such a society heralds the beginning of history.
In conversation with Richard Barbrook, Senior Lecturer at University of Westminster. Moderated by Luke Robert Mason, Director of Virtual Futures.
Aaron Bastani is co-founder and senior editor at Novara Media. He holds a PhD from the New Political Communication Unit, University of London, examining social movements in the digital environment which fail to correspond to the traditional logic of collective action. His research interests include new media, social movements, asymmetric strategies and post-scarcity political economy. He has written for Vice, London Review of Books, Guardian and Open Democracy.
Richard Barbrook is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster, London, England. He is a trustee of Cybersalon and a founder member of Class Wargames. He has written about the politics of the Net and gaming in his books Media Freedom: The Contradictions of Communications in the Age of Modernity; The Class of the New; Imaginary Futures: From Thinking Machines to the Global Village; and Class Wargames: Ludic Subversion Against Spectacular Capitalism.
18:30 – 19:00: Registration & Drinks
19:00 – 20:00: In Conversation with Aaron Bastani
20:00 – 20:30: Audience Q&A
20:30 – Late: Book Signing & Networking
Please register. Discounts are available for students and early career researchers. Contact [email protected] for Promo Codes. Tickets are FREE for journalists and members of the press. Virtual Futures (Est.1994) is a Community Interest Company (CIC). Ticket sales help to cover the cost of filming and documentation.
‘Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto’ is published by Verso: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2757-fully-automated-luxury-communism
Follow the debate on Twitter #VFSalon / @VirtualFutures
25 JUN 9:00am - 5:00pm
GCCC Workshop: Transition Training adapted for interDependence
interDependence Agency
This 2 day workshops will cover elements of the ‘Transition Training’ used by the Transition Towns movement to resources its members. This will include covering the following elements:
Exploring the context issues; such as climate change and peak oil, and wider ecological questions, and social justice and equality.
Introduction to the Transition model and the principles behind it. We will examine the issue of the right scale to create a Transition Initiative. Small groups will experiment with a world cafe style discussion around what experience we bring.
We will explore different types of visioning, including an exploration of the ‘Deep Adaptation’ agenda.
We will look at awareness raising, why we need to do it and how. We will explain how people engage with change and play the awareness raising game. We will also take a look at practical projects.
We will look at groups and group process, in particular the role of the initiating group. We will look more generally at how and why functioning in groups can either be heaven or hell.
We will examine the role of networking and partnerships. A strategic model for building good relationships in your community will be explained.
We will introduce the role and practices of inner transition. What is inner transition, and why is it important. We will offer some psychological models which make it easier for us to incorporate this often neglected and tricky side of Transition.
We will look at what makes a healthy human culture and how to avoid burnout.
We will see us look at the global spread of transition, how to connect with and make best use of the world wide learning network.
Workshop host background:
Naresh Giangrande
Co-founder of Transition Town Totnes, the first Transition Town, and of Transition Training, Naresh has been involved in designing, running and evolving many of the events, groups, and trainings that have been at the heart of the enormously successful Transition project. He has delivered the hundreds of Transition Trainings to thousands of participants in twenty countries worldwide.
As one of the Transition Town founders he has given dozens of lectures and interviews, and spoken at many conferences and other public events. He set up and coordinated the Energy Group of Transition Town Totnes and was a director of Transition Town Totnes Ltd. Before the Transition movement took over his life he lived and worked in an eco community, was Managing Director of a landscape company, and a gaffer in the film industry, as well as teaching meditation.
His work for Transition Network has lead to a passion for working with self-organising systems, and how participatory learning can be fostered and strengthened across the movement. This has lead to coordinating Transition Network’s work with academic researchers. He is fascinated by data analysis and the block chain, while being painfully aware of the preciousness of life, his capacity for love, and acceptance of his own mortality.
He is father to two lovely daughters.
Sophy Banks
Sophy jointly set up the first “Heart and Soul”, or Inner Transition group in Totnes in 2006. She co-founded Transition Training and, during her time at Transition Network, delivered Launch and other workshops to transition projects around the world.
A trainer for over 20 years she has worked as an engineer, information systems consultant and psychotherapist and has considerable experience of voluntary sector and community projects.
In 2016 Sophy stepped back from the Transition movement to give time to her own work and teaching.
Experiences of Migration - Film Screening for World Refugee Day
Join Medact, Medact Refugee Solidarity Group, MSF Take Action Group, and Docs Not Cops
Join Medact, Medact Refugee Solidarity Group, MSF Take Action Group, and Docs Not Cops for an evening of short films, and discussion to celebrate #WorldRefugeeDay.
We will be showing a selection of shorts exploring the themes of identity, inclusion and how we can contribute.
HAMSA - Caroline Spearpoint (trailer)
Only My Voice - Myriam Rey (trailer)
Flight - Laura Wadha (trailer)
Entitled - Adeyemi Michael (trailer)
We are delighted to be joined by Caroline, Laura and Adeyemi who will introduce their films and join us in a discussion exploring people’s experience of migration and the impact of the Hostile Environment on migrant communities. There will also be an opportunity to hear about what Migrant Solidarity Group, Medact, Docs not cops, and the local MSF group are doing in refugee and migrant health and meet other folk from the group. The event is free to all, no one will be turned away.
How can we build bridges across the left to deliver the systemic change that is needed to tackle climate chaos?
From Heathrow expansion to debates over land use, time and again the environmental movement comes up against barriers to achieving the significant systemic change that is needed to tackle climate chaos.
With Extinction Rebellion and the School Climate Strikes bringing unprecedented attention to the threat of inaction and Labour voting to declare a climate emergency, how can we make sure this focus is best utilised? What are the competing priorities within the left that stop more from being achieved? How can we find a way through them? What compromises can we reach? Could a Green New Deal offer the solution?
Join us for a workshop in which we explore how we can build bridges across the left to unlock new and lasting support for a greener future.
Faty Kane - Girls Not Brides
Ella Goldner - Zinc VC
Alex Chesterfield - behavioural scientist
Deborah Coughlin - Studio X
Ros Urwin - The Sunday Times
Delivering, developing and funding the future of social care
With deepening funding cuts and an increasing need for support, the services that charities and non-profits provide are more crucial than ever. In short, we need to help more people, but with less funding.
In addition, consumer behaviour and expectations are rapidly changing – as are those of our beneficiaries. People do not change how they want to access and experience services when they switch between sectors – charities and non-profits need to meet these expectations. Frankly, social care needs to catch up.
This event will showcase the journey that Action for Children and the charity sector is embarking on. Exhibitions and speakers will talk about:
developing user-led services that start small
real life examples and (often hard) lessons learned
our vision for the future of digital services – which is scalable and data rich
how to work collaboratively with agencies and funders to achieve real impact for beneficiaries
Kate Stulberg – UX Lead, Action for Children
Rachael Gilthorpe – Digital Services Manager, Action for Children
Lynn Roberts – Head of Digital and Innovation, Action for Children
Darshan Sanghrajka – Founder, SuperBeingLabs
This event is free to attend, however registration is mandatory to secure your space.
What's next for Generation Rent?
Georgie Laming // Generation Rent UK
It’s been a busy few months! We’ve won section 21 but with Theresa May resigning as Prime Minister we are going to have to work hard to push this new legislation over the line.
On Monday 17th June we are coming together to plan out our next steps on Section 21 and more. We’ll work out which campaigns to work on, who we need to join us and what each of us can do to win for renters.
Expect a big conversation about section 21, next steps and building a big network of campaigners.Feel free to bring a friend and some food or drink (if we each bring something , we’ll share a big picnic together).
The civic tech meetup for curious passionate people.
Tonight we’ll be hearing from:
Helen Milner, CEO of Good Things Foundation
Laurie Parma, Neuropsychologist - The fastest way to culture change
Irina Bolychevsky, Redecentralize - We can’t just break up Big Tech, we must break them open
Alex Blandford, Person of Interest - ‘I’ve got the power’ and 3 other inaccurate songs about politics and the internet
Documentary Screening: Knock Down The House
Webroots Democracy
Join us for a screening of Knock Down The House - the story of four women taking on American politics. Hosted by BBC journalist Catrin Nye at Newspeak House in Shoreditch, this event has been put together by WebRoots Democracy and Unicef’s Next Gen London.
Entry is free of charge and we are planning to hold a Q&A session with one of makers of the film (details tbc). Spaces, however, are limited and you will need to be on the guestlist in order to attend.
When tragedy struck her family in the midst of the financial crisis, Bronx-born Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had to work double shifts in a restaurant to save her home from foreclosure. After losing a loved one to a preventable medical condition, Amy Vilela didn’t know what to do with the anger she felt about America’s broken health care system. Cori Bush was drawn into the streets when the police shooting of an unarmed black man brought protests and tanks into her neighborhood. Paula Jean Swearengin was fed up with watching her friends and family suffer and die from the environmental effects of the coal industry.
At a moment of historic volatility in American politics, these four women decide to fight back, setting themselves on a journey that will change their lives and their country forever. Without political experience or corporate money, they build a movement of insurgent candidates challenging powerful incumbents in Congress. Their efforts result in a legendary upset.
The purpose of this meeting is to bring experts in this field together to discuss these difficult issues. There will be provocations, conversation, drinks & snacks.
SCHEDULE TBC
6 pm: Doors open
6.30pm: Talk by Alex Zari (Senior Software Engineer, Imperial College London): “Why research science needs software engineers”
Campaign Lab: Psephology 101 - an introduction to political polling
Psephology is a division of political science that deals with the examination as well as the statistical analysis of elections and political polling. Psephologists and the polls they create and interpret are a powerful force in contemporary politics. They shape our political narratives around elections, govern the news cycle and act as powerful social proof of a campaign’s success or failure.
As trust in polling declines and as technology begins to unlock new sources of political information, we ask what is the future of this discipline and how will it affect campaigning?
So how do psephologists calculate results and turnout? What kind of models, approaches and data do psephologists currently use? Can new approaches be developed using data science techniques which are emerging from different sectors?
For our event, we’ll be joined by Marcus Roberts, Director of International Projects for YouGov and John Sandall, Founder of SixFifty, a community of voluntary data scientists, and software engineers who worked on a model to predict the 2017 election results. (Further speakers to be announced).
Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Personal Data and AI Meetup
Mydata // Wilhelm Van Der Walt
This event will feature two top data protection experts working “hands on” to devise mechanisms of accountability for personal data processing, with particular focus on artificial intelligence applications. Reuben Binns will present some of the work that he is leading at the Information Commissioner’s Office on AI auditing, while Sophie Stalla Bourdillon will discuss promises and challenges that she has encountered at Immuta in promoting the adoption of responsible data management practices. We’ll thus have the opportunity to hear about cutting-edge issues in this domain from the perspective of both the regulator and the private sector.
6:30 - 7:00 pm Networking time
7:00 - 8:30 pm 2 talks (30 mins + 15 mins Q&A for each speaker)
8:30 - 9:30 pm Networking time and refreshment
Reuben Binns recently joined the ICO on a two-year Research Fellowship. He will research and investigate a framework for auditing algorithms and conduct further in-depth research activities in AI and machine learning. Dr Binns is also a researcher in Computer Science at the University of Oxford. His research interests include technical, legal and ethical aspects of privacy, machine learning, and decentralised systems. He has a BA and MSc in Philosophy from University of Cambridge, and a PhD in Computer Science and Law from the University of Southampton.
Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon is Senior Privacy Counsel and Legal Engineer at Immuta, the leading data management platform for data science. She is responsible for examining current data protection and model risk frameworks, helping customers to embed aspects of these frameworks within the Immuta platform, and framing these practices into digestible, easy-to-scale methods so they can better control risk across their data science programs. Sophie is also a professor at the University of Southampton Law School of law, where she co-directs the Web Science Institute. She is the author and co-author of several legal articles, chapters and books on data protection and privacy, including Privacy vs. Security (Springer, 2014). Sophie is Editor-in-chief of the Computer Law and Security Review, a leading international journal of technology law, and has also served as a legal and data privacy expert for the European Commission, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for the Cooperation and Security in Europe, and for the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation.
The talks and QA will be filmed for people who can’t make the event. For past presentations check out London Mydata on Youtube.
Doing Democracy Better: How to improve information in election and referendum campaigns
UCL Constitution Unit
Most people agree that the quality of information and discourse during election and referendum campaigns is too low – both in the UK and in other democracies around the world. But what can be done about it?
Drawing on their recent report for the UCL Constitution Unit, Alan Renwick and Michela Palese will lead a discussion of what our vision for a better democracy should be and what practical steps can be taken to get there. They will explore the lessons that can be learnt from a range of democracies in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific and propose an ambitious new model for transforming how we conceive of democratic campaigning.
Dr Alan Renwick is Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit. He is an expert on elections, referendums, and deliberative democracy, and recently served as Research Director for the Independent Commission on Referendums.
Michela Palese was Research Assistant and McDougall Fellow at the Constitution Unit. She is now Research and Policy Officer at the Electoral Reform Society.
Their report, Doing Democracy Better: How Can Information in Election and Referendum Campaigns Be Improved?, can be read here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/news/2019/mar/new-report-doing-democracy-better
Minds on Tap: Scientists Discuss Neurodegenerative Diseases
Irena Schneider / Lyrical Science
Join Lyrical Science for Minds on Tap, our event series where public audiences listen to scientists discuss their research in the format of 10 minute-long inspiring talks.
Six scientists from King’s College London and University College London will speak about their cutting edge research on Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Motor Neuron Disease. We’ll also share our vision to bring public support and philanthropy to early career researchers in the medical sciences.
You’ll be able to learn more about the state of critical research in this field, network with the scientists over drinks, and discover a new way to get involved in scientific discovery.
For an example of what these talks look like, check out Dr Lizzie Glennon’s talk from our inaugural Minds on Tap event last November: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5SrS6JOUH0
The event is open to all members of the public – carers, friends or family members of those who have suffered from neurodegenerative diseases; scientists, science lovers, philanthropists, members of foundations or corporations and anyone interested in helping the scientific community gain the support it needs to conduct critical research on neurodegenerative diseases. Whatever your background, simply come on by, hear the scientists and enjoy the informative and inspiring evening.
At Lyrical Science, we help scientists share their inspiring stories with the public in an effort to connect them with private funders and philanthropists. Scientists are often prevented from doing life saving research by funding shortages outside of their control. This event is about helping brilliant young scientists communicate their research to the public in an inspiring and compelling format. It’s also a call for philanthropists to fund their labs. We’re a team of early career researchers and public speaking creatives across the US and UK and can’t wait to share our vision with you in person.
Visit lyricalscience.com and find out how we got started
30 MAY 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Learn about UnFound, The Platform Co-op Accelerator
UnFound
UnFound is for tech founders and start-ups looking for a different way to set-up and run platform businesses. It brings together platforms that would like to go about their business in a more collaborative and inclusive way.
Hear about the potential for platform co‑ops
Hear how your platform or product could benefit from the co‑op model
Learn about next steps and support available
Meet others exploring this space for their next platform idea
The events are being delivered by Cat Ainsworth and Annie Legge of Dot Project in collaboration with Co-operatives UK and Stir to Action. Find out more: http://unfound.coop
UnFound is funded by The Hive - a support programme for co-ops delivered by Co-operatives UK in partnership with The Co-operative Bank: http://thehive.coop
EU Elections Debrief
Abraham Baldry
Come and share your most prescient analyses, cutting insights, and hottest takes on the European Elections, a day after the dust has settled.
EU Election Results Party
The European Parliament Election 2019 is a pivotal moment in the history of the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025, and even more so for the European Union as a whole. How well will DiEM25, the European Green New Deal and the European Spring perform in the 6 countries they are running in? What will the future of the continent look like? How much will the far-right gain?
The fate of Europe is on the line! This is why we teamed up with Another Europe Is Possible and DiEM25 United Kingdom in watching the announcement of the Exit Polls.
The Race Beat Meetup
The Race Beat
The Race Beat is a network for people of colour, open to anyone working in, or interested in, journalism.
We are independent of any media organisation and open to all people of colour – experienced news reporters, citizen journalists, students, writers, freelancers, staff writers, broadcasters, media academics, aspiring columnists and critics. You don’t need to be a professional journalist to join us. Come down and get involved!
The May meet up will be a great a chance to get to know people of colour who are interested in the media. We will also be discussing further our big events coming up later in the year, including a panel at Byline Festival on the coverage of climate change the environment. Where are the people of colour?
We are also planning a one day conference in Glasgow on Friday 27 September with Gary Younge as keynote speaker and another day long event in London in November. Both will include workshops, panel discussions, networking.
Bring ideas for who you would you like to see speak at our events this year, or maybe you are a journalist who could offer some training?
This is a space for people of colour only. We welcome queer and trans people of colour and all other identities.
The venue is wheelchair accessible.
We want to create space for writers of colour to come together and begin to:
collaborate on race related stories and reporting projects on a wide range of subjects,
provide accessible spaces for regular discussion; on craft, on racism, on class, skills sharing, solutions,
build partnerships with small organisations fighting for better representation and supporting writers of colour,
strategise on ways to properly fund more quality journalism (comment, criticism, investigations) and race reporting by writers of colour.
Open Rights Group Election Week Special: The dangers of political advertising and electronic voting
Join us for a special EU Election week event focused on technology’s worrying impacts on UK democracy.
Nearly a year after the General Data Protection Regulation was implemented, questionable data practices on social media advertising are threatening UK elections. We’ll hear from Who Targets Me about their innovative browser extension that improves transparency in online advertising by showing users who is targeting political ads at them and why.
We’ll also hear from our new Data & Democracy Project Officer Pascal Crowe about why we should be concerned about electronic voting trials in the UK. We’ll also hear about ORG’s upcoming event ORGCon.
No technical expertise are necessary, all are welcome to this free event. Attendees will be offered discounted access to our July event ORGCon 2019!
Extinction Rebellion Democratic Socialists Launch Event
Extinction Rebellion Democratic Socialists
Extinction Rebellion Democratic Socialists is an independent collective of activists within the XR movement who are interested in progressive socialist ideas for concrete political, economic and social change. We view the climate crisis primarily in terms of climate justice: this means that in order to fight climate change, we also need to fight the social systems which drive its destructive march. We sponsor events and workshops dedicated to sparking conversations around movement-building practice, outreach and consciousness-raising, and the practical policy questions that come with any serious committment to de-carbonising the economy within our lifetimes.
This is our launch event! XRDS is a freshly-minted collective, so this will be a relatively informal occasion for people to meet, greet, and share their ideas about what kind of good a group like XRDS could do for Extinction Rebellion and the broader movement to de-carbonise the economy.
Asad Rehman, Executive Director of War on Want, will join us to talk about the need for an intersectional approach to the climate crisis and the need to place the people most affected by climate change at the heart of the movement to defeat it. Asad was Head of International Climate at Friends of the Earth from 2009 to 2017, and has over 25 years’ experience in the non-governmental and charity sector. Asad has served on the boards of Amnesty International UK, Friends of the Earth International, Global Justice Now and Newham Monitoring Project. Find out more at www.waronwant.org
Doors open from 7:00 PM for a start around 7:30. Asad’s presentation will be followed by a period for questions and discussion, which will be followed by time for general networking. Snacks and drinks will be provided.
To stay up to date, follow XRDS on Facebook and Twitter!
www.facebook.com/Extinction-Rebellion-Democratic-Socialists-2296611777242659
www.twitter.com/XRDemSocs
18 MAY 10:00am - 2:00pm
Extinction Rebellion: Non-Violent Direct Action / Train the Trainers
XR London / James Moulding
In this training we will take people through the methodology and practice of an NVDA (non-violent direct action) training. We will discuss what makes an effective training and trainer, as well as the necessary facilitation skills to hold a training session.
Those attending will practice leading the exercises used in our training, and better understand why they are used.
Those attending will NEED to have attended one of our NVDA trainings previously and be prepared to lead the group through various exercises.
As the movement grows, we need to build our base of organisers. This is a great opportunity to develop the tools needed to effectively carry out NVDA training, prepare people for actions, and understand why Civil Disobedience works.
By the end of the session you will be ready to carry out XR NVDA Trainings.
When 900 million people go to vote: discussing the 2019 Indian elections
Chaitanya Kumar
900 million people are currently participating in a massive festival of electoral democracy in India. Over 6 weeks, Indian citizens are going to the ballot to elect 545 MP’s to govern them for five years. 2014 saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi ride a massive wave of anti-incumbency to enter the highest office with a thumping majority. Five years hence, the man and his mania may have waned a little but he remains the favourite to win the elections.
The five years of Modi rule has raised profound questions on the idea of India. His government has witnessed the rise of whatsapp lynchings, Hindutva terror, environmental destruction, devastating fiscal and monetary policies and a near absolute control of popular media.
So how does Modi continue to remain popular? How do we, here in the UK, view these elections? What do the outcomes mean for democratic space and dissent? How social media is shaping the Indian elections?
To discuss these complex questions and engage in a lively debate, we have Salil Tripathi joining us. Salil Tripathi is a senior adviser at the Institute for Human Rights and Business. Based in London, he is a contributing editor at Mint and Caravan in India, two respected media outlets. He is currently Chair, PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee and an outspoken individual on twitter @saliltripathi
Event format:
A quick primer on Indian elections for 7-10 minutes
Salil Tripathi offering his views for 25 minutes
QnA from the chair for 10 minutes
QnA from the audience for 45 minutes
Come join us for this free event. Please arrive from 6 PM for a 6:30 start. We will wrap up by 8:30 pm.
This event is not being put together by any organisation. We are just individuals interested in Indian politics, culture and society.
Gen:impact - Networking and Fireside Chats
Gen:impact aims to connect young (22-35 y/o) professionals in London who work in the social impact space. Our goal is to provide a casual setting to exchange ideas, build relationships, and collaborate towards social change. Whether you work in social entrepreneurship, education, the charity sector, impact investment, or something different, we look forward to meeting you.
7:30 - 8:30 PM - Fireside Chats - Learn about exciting projects in the impact space from your peers.
Angus Innes, Jangala
Tanveer Sian, Social Finance
Ellie Ereira & Aly Blenkin, Pivotal Act
8:30 - 10 PM - Networking - Mingle with your peers in the impact community
Jangala is a London-based charitable organisation that design and make Wi-Fi systems to provide connectivity to those displaced by natural and man-made disasters. In 2015, Jangala made the first and only wifi network in the Jungle, the refugee camp in Calais, providing internet to over 5000 people a week. In 2018, they equipped 16 grassroots groups across 3 continents with their first product Big Box. In 2019, their aim is to distribute 100 more systems. Angus joined Jangala back in November to lead strategy and business development. His talk will discuss what brought Jangala together back in Calais, how he came to join and what they have planned for the future.
Social Finance is a London-based social enterprise that aims to deliver social change through innovative mechanisms such as its social investment model, the Social Impact Bond, now scaled across 24 countries, and its Impact Incubator which has incubated unique responses to difficult issues such as domestic violence and refugee integration. Tanveer is an analyst at Social Finance who will speak about the Impact Incubator’s Black Thrive initiative which aims to reduce inequalities in mental health outcomes in the black community in London.
Pivotal Act is a program that partners with humanitarian organizations and nonprofits to identify, design, and develop practical technology solutions to pressing challenges around the world, born out of San Francisco-based software and design org Pivotal. Aly and Ellie are associate directors at Pivotal Act and will talk about the projects they’ve run. These include finding ways for NGOs to share data during emergency responses for distributing cash aid, improving the design of toilets in refugee camps, creating a tool to support young people in foster care, and designing for climate change resilience in coastal cities. With a background in Industrial Design, Systems Thinking and Service Design, Aly is passionate about designing products and services that addresses social and environmental issues. Ellie comes from a product management background and has has worked on developing technology to make social impact from an international development angle at the World Bank and with private sector startups.
Note: This will be the first event held by Gen:impact. There will be some light snacks and drinks available, but please BYOB!
Designing Caseworking Systems #3
The third meetup for government digital folk to share their work and ideas around designing case-working systems in government.
For this event, the theme is around around developing standards and patterns. We’re going to experiment with more collaborative sessions.
The agenda will be:
10:00 - 10:30: Arrival
10:30 - 12:30: Morning session: A series of workshops to look at defining standards for caseworking systems
12:30 - 13:30: Lunch break (sorry, no lunch provided)
13:30 - 16:00: Afternoon session: Unconference style sessions open to anyone to suggest topics
If you have any questions at all, please email: [email protected]
You can read write-ups of the previous events here:
Pease note this event is limited to people working in government only.
Please sign up with a government email address.
The End of Money
Open Credit Network
The financially driven, capitalist economy works as it does by design. Money is created by banks as interest bearing debt and serves the interests of the few over the many. Money, as it has been designed, is the core driver of environmental destruction, global warming, inequality and poverty.
If we are going to escape the multitude of systemic issues which plague our planet the monetary system has to change.
Since revolution is unsafe, and reform has been proved ineffective, we need to implement new systems of exchange which out-evolve capitalism. A money system that serves our needs better is not only possible, but is already in operation - it’s known as mutual credit.
The challenge is to refine, scale and integrate the various mutual credit systems so they can support a saner global economic system for people and planet.
The event is for anyone with an interest in the evolution of money and will focus on how mutual credit networks are beginning to build a new, alternative financial system known as the Global Credit Commons.
In an exclusive round table discussion we will hear from:
Thomas Greco, author of The End of Money and the Future of Civilization, who, for more than 35 years, has been working at the leading edge of moneyless exchange systems, community currencies, financial innovation, and community economic development - and is on a rare visit to the UK from Arizona.
Representatives of the Open Credit Network, a new UK co-operative mutual credit network made up of businesses who have come together, under a simple shared agreement, in order to trade with each other without the need for hard cash.
Matthew Slater, complementary currency engineer and author of The Credit commons - A money system for the solidarity economy, a proposed accounting system to allow mutual credit schemes anywhere to trade with each other in a new, global, moneyless system.
Please register. This is a free event but as places are limited we ask for five (conventional) pounds as a deposit to encourage attendance. Attendees deposits will be refunded on request.
Knock Down The House: A FREE screening for do-gooders & troublemakers.
Rally & Jo Kerr Consults
Paul (Rally) & Jo Kerr Consults are excited to present a screening of Knock Down The House.
The film will take us behind the scenes as four determined women, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, challenge big money politics in the 2018 race for Congress.
We’re expecting a great crowd of general troublemakers from all sorts of amazing organisations. We will provide popcorn and time for chat. You should bring something to drink.
Newspeak Hall / GREENHAUS
GREENHAUS launch party!
GREENHAUS
Newspeak House starts a partnership with GREENHAUS, the co-retail concept store for sustainable products.
Come try some cocktails all PERMACULTURE focused using SUSTAINABLE liquors and SEASONAL fruit!
London Charter Cities Meetup
Center for Innovative Governance Research
Join the Center for Innovative Governance Research for a discussion about charter cities, effective altruism, and their plan to lift ten million people out of poverty.
Charter cities are cities with special jurisdictions which give them a blank slate, or close to it, in commercial law. The new jurisdiction allows them to adopt the best practices in business registration procedure, labor law, tax administration, commercial dispute resolution, and more. By adopting governance systems which encourage trade, investment, and entrepreneurship charter cities create the conditions for decades of economic growth. Examples proto-charter cities include Shenzhen, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai, whose successes demonstrate that it is possible for cities to achieve prosperity in 2-3 generations.
Executive Director Mark Lutter and Communications Lead Tamara Winter will be on hand throughout the night to say hi and answer your questions. Whether you’re interested in discovering just what exactly charter cities are or are a skeptic, they’d love to meet you.
Light appetisers will be provided.
Open Food Network Hack Weekend
Open Food Network
Are you an experienced coder, tester or designer that wants to contribute your skills to a socially and ecologically transformative project? Are you new to software and want to join a project that will help you develop your skills? Do you hate a series of vague questions attempting to lure you into something before you know enough to be excited?
Then read on!
The Open Food Network are thrilled to announce our first ever UK Hackathon. Over the weekend of the 4th and 5th of May we’ll be nestling into Newspeak House to spend two days working on real issues for the global open source project. Together we hope to expand our exciting community, bring in new people that believe in what we do and share our experience in building a successful remote open source community. And of course we will share great food, laughs and fun!
What is the Open Food Network?
The Open Food Network (OFN) is a global, open source collaboration building software for short and local supply chains. We want to make it easy for people to build vibrant and viable communities around the production and distribution of healthy, sustainable food. Our open source platform is used in a dozen countries by hundreds of food enterprises, selling millions of pounds of good food every year. Our global team is built of about 25 people around the world, working on product, dev, testing, UX and support. OFN is growing fast and are hoping to expand our community of passionate food tech enthusiasts.
Over the weekend you will:
Work in teams to tackle issues that are affecting sustainable farmers and community food projects all over the world
Build and share your skills. Our stack is built on Ruby, Rails, Postgres, AngularJS deployed with Ansible (Unicorn, NGINX).
Learn from OFN developers, contributors and professionals
Contribute to issues in different stages of our pipe process – from development to testing to release
Work on problems that suit your skills and interests – design, UX, coding, APIs, testing
Learn about our processes and systems, including how to become a paid contributor in the longer term.
Meet an amazing group of like minded people working to use tech to make the world we want to live in
Stickers and other (much more) exciting rewards for being involved and making contributions!
We’ll provide lunch, snacks and drinks throughout the two days.
If you would like to attend but travel or accommodation costs are prohibitive please get in touch as we might be able to help.
London Wikidata Meetup
Wikimedia UK is organising the second London Wikidata meetup. If you’re working on Wikidata projects, or interested in Wikidata and want to find out how to get involved, come along and talk to us about it.
As this will take place in the downstairs part of Newspeak, there will be an opportunity for brief presentations. If you have a Wikidata project you’re working on and would like to do a 5-10 minute presentation on, please contact me about it - [email protected]
This event will not be catered, but you are welcome to bring your own food or drink into the venue.
Autopia: a platform for co-created gatherings
Stephen Reid
Come along to this free introduction with Autopia creator Stephen Reid to learn how to use the platform, and how you can contribute to its development.
Autopia (https://autopia.co/) is a platform that makes organising co-created gatherings and sticking to good habits easy and fun.
Most of the gatherings organised via Autopia are smaller than 150 people and last less than a week. We’ve found this to be a sweet spot offering great depth of connection for reasonable time and cost.
People use Autopia to organise gatherings across the globe: both standalone gatherings, and camps at larger events like Nowhere and the Borderland.
The process of co-creating a gathering on Autopia can act as a kind of initiation into collective intelligence and emergent order.
Come along to this free event to learn more.
At the April meet up we will talk about our plans for 2019, including day long training events in London and Glasgow, as well as panels at summer festivals. Bring ideas for who you would you like to see speak at our events this year - writers, editors, broadcasters. Are you a journalist who could offer some training? Do you want to get involved with organising or have access to event space?
It will also be a chance to chat and get to know people of colour who are interested in the media. Some of us might also have a drink afterwards.
This is a space for people of colour only. We welcome queer and trans people of colour and all other identities. You don’t need to be a professional journalist.
13 APR 10:30am - 9:00pm
Campaign Lab VII HackDay
We’re building a repository of publicly available structured data and models to better understand the 2018 Local Elections, identifying which results bucked the national political and demographic trends. These are areas in which local campaigning may have actually made a difference and where we can start learning and testing.
So if you’re interested in chipping in and helping with a new approach to understand what actually goes on in elections and campaigning, bring your laptop and join us for a day of politically motivated data science and innovation.
Over the course of our hackdays we’ll be tackling the questions plaguing activists up and down the country, making a real impact on elections and political campaigning right across the country.
You do not need to be a data scientist or developer to take part in this event!
Everyone welcome – beer, soft drinks, breakfast pastries, a big homemade lunch and dinner will be provided!
Not been to a Campaign Lab meet up before? No problem! Come along to meet politically-minded progressive data scientists, researchers and activists who are working together to change the way we analyse and understand political election campaigning.
Collective Intelligence Lab
Adam McKenty
Collectives are everything, from the cells of our bodies and brains to the groups, nations, and ecosystems we are part of. Are there principles that characterise collective intelligence across scales? Have the factors that lead to human group performance been accurately measured? How do flocks of birds or swarms of bees make collective decisions, and are there lessons in them for human groups? When are crowds wise and when are they stupid? Can technology improve collective decisions? If so how, and by how much?
Drawing on research from academia, corporate performance optimisation, and group decision technology, we’ll dive into the knowns and unknowns of collective intelligence and see where they lead.
We’ll start with an interactive presentation on some of the key findings on collective intelligence from psychology, biology, ecology, and elsewhere.
Then, we’ll take the research out of the journals and experiment with it, using conversational games, human swarming, voting by convergence, and other experiments to test our real-world sensitivity to collective intelligence principles and how they appear (or don’t!) in the groups we’re part of.
Throughout, we’ll tap the collective’s intelligence about collective intelligence with reverse Q&A, discussion, and experimental group decisions about the flow of the event.
Building the Data Ethical Web
Metomic
A meetup discussing the state of data privacy and data ethics. If you’re working in privacy, grab a free ticket.
“Fuck your banners, fuck your pop-ups and fuck your feature walls!” - Shad Jahangir @systemantix, fellow of Newspeak House, design director of Metomic. He’ll talk about designing data transparency and trust into the fabric of the web.
“Data everywhere, how we got to this point.” - Ben van Enckevort @benvan87, CTO of Metomic, will be talking briefly about the state of data on the web and how we got here. He promises he will only mention Facebook three times.
The People's Mayor: In conversation with Magid Magid
Areeq Chowdhury
Since becoming Lord Mayor of Sheffield in 2018, Magid ‘Magic’ Magid has taken the political scene by storm, making headlines in the UK and across the world. A former child refugee, Magid is Sheffield City Council’s first Green Party mayor and its youngest at 29. His monthly campaigns have reached millions of people online and have touched upon a wide range of issues including knife crime, climate change, Brexit, and the NHS.
Areeq Chowdhury (Chief Executive, WebRoots Democracy) will be in conversation with Magid and will be delving into his journey from Somali refugee to one of the most engaging young politicians the UK has ever seen. In particular, we will be exploring his methods for “doing politics differently”.
New responses to the threat of climate change
How urgent is the need to take serious action over the threat of what some are calling “climate catastrophe”? What are the factors that prevent sufficient attention being given to this topic? And what are the best methods to overcome this state of learned ignorance, and to advance practical solutions?
Andrew Medhurst, former investment banker, now climate change activist with Extinction Rebellion, a global movement focussed on creating mass nonviolent civil disobedience.
Paul Powlesland, founder of Lawyers for Nature and Newspeak House Fellow.
Gavin Starks, founder of Open Environmental Risk Standard, aiming to radically increase the accessibility of data required to address a wide range environmental risks.
Communication & Conflict in Decentralised Teams
The Hum
In this half-day training, we will focus on the foundation of every collaborative team: how to communicate effectively and deal with conflict in a productive way.
We’ll look at the appropriate use of digital communication tools, understanding how different tools suit different jobs. We’ll examine typical reactions to conflict, and how to choose the right response when conflict arises. We’ll explore how to give good feedback and improve your listening skills.
You’ll leave with processes your team can use to address conflict, and practice the skills that will make you a more effective communicator.
This workshop is ideal for groups working with less hierarchy and more collaboration: cooperatives, self-managing teams, startups, Teal organisations, Agile squads, innovation units, flat NGOs… if you’re growing a participatory culture of shared leadership and mutual accountability, this training is for you. Our knowledge is rooted in our lived experience in our own organisations at the forefront of collaborative work practice. We bring examples from different groups around the world, as well as research from academic studies. We host participatory learning exercises for participants to reflect on how these lessons apply in their group context.
The Hum is Nati Lombardo and Richard Bartlett. We have been immersed in decentralised organisations since 2011, playing co-leadership roles in the Loomio tech co-op and the Enspiral network of social enterprises. For the past 3 years, we’ve been travelling the world sharing our experiences, and learning with others about non-hierarchical management. We’ve worked in 17 countries, with a huge diversity of organisations across all sectors.
We’re offering a 20% discount for “early bird” tickets, purchased before March 20th. This training is even more effective when multiple people from the same team can join. If you have 3 or more people coming together, contact us for a group discount.
On the 5th of April, each council will release a document called a Statements of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates for the upcoming local elections. We need to manually enter this information into a database so that more useful things can be done with it. Come and help!
Content vs. technology — XR’s false polarity?
The first in the ‘Trajectory Talks’ series will explore the nuances of a topic that has long fallen into platitudes and empty conjecture.
Does the answer to broadening audiences for XR lie with content, or technology? It’s a challenging binary choice, but it’s also potentially limiting.
We’ll unpack the arguments through lively discussion to reach a collective understanding of what a successful content-driven ecosystem looks like.
Four people from across the arts and tech space will frame the discourse, before we open up to a ‘fishbowl’ discussion where everyone has the opportunity to share their views and experiences. You are all experts, so we’ll hear from as many of you as we can.
Chair: Jo Kerr, digital consultant, Fellow of the Intersticia Foundation and Resident Fellow of Newspeak House.
Further speakers to be announced soon.
Decentralised Decision Making Workshop
This training explores how we make group decisions when there’s no top-down command-and-control structure.
You’ll learn different decision-making protocols, like consensus, consent, and the advice process. We’ll unpack the neuroscience of cognitive biases, and how to de-bias your decisions. And we’ll investigate how digital tools can help you make collective decision more efficiently.
Doing Good with Tech
Henry Cooksley
A meetup for software/web developers, tech and data science people in London who are also interested in effective altruism.
Cross-Gov Design Meetup: Innovation
Innovation is a term we hear a lot in government and the private sector. Innovation is a lot of things. Innovation is emerging technology, new ideas, experimentation, and partnering across sectors. It’s self-driving cars and conversational interfaces and it’s also applying for your first passport online.
We’ll have talks from the GovTech Catalyst team, the head of front-end development at GDS on Progressive Web Apps and more. We’ll hear about what innovation means for designers in government.
23 MAR 9:30am - 8:00pm
We Hack London
We Make Change
We Hack London is a hackathon where you will have the opportunity to work together with people, NGO leaders and entrepreneurs to develop solutions to challenges in London.
Confirmed mentors include:
Alex Stephany: Founder & CEO, Beam
Marilise de Villiers: Director of Security Skills And Culture, Centrica
Sherry Peck: Chief Executive, Safer London
Ben Hudson: Project Director, London Sustainability Exchange
09:30am Registration
10:00am Welcome and speaker
10:20am Split into Challenge groups
10:30am People pitch project ideas
11:20am Project teams form
11:30am Break
12:00pm Hacking begins with Mentors
02:00pm Lunch
02:45pm Hacking continues
05:30pm Break
05:40pm Keynote speaker
06:00pm Presentations to judges
07:30pm Judging and awards
08:00pm Close
All attendees must register.
Find out more at the We Hack London website.
The Impact of the Prevent Policy on Children and Families
London British Association of Social Workers (BASW), MedAct
The UK government’s Prevent policy places a legal obligation on professionals working with children and families to identify and report children and vulnerable adults at risk of radicalisation. This process can have serious implications for families’ freedom of movement and right to privacy, including restrictions on children travelling abroad under guidance issued by former President of the Family Division Sir James Munby, or removal of children in the family courts according to documentation collated by CAGE in 2018. This is contentious and raises many questions. As practitioners what do we perceive as ‘radicalisation’? Are terms like ‘radicalisation’ and ‘extremism’ adequately defined in law? At what point does ideology place children at risk of serious harm? And in cases related to radicalisation, does secrecy in the interests of national security interfere with the human rights of children and families?
This event is open to social work and mental health practitioners, academics and students. Beginning with a panel discussion, we will explore the impact of the Prevent policy on children and families in social work and mental health practise from multiple perspectives. We will invite practitioners to together for a workshop led by the charity Medact, and share experiences of working within the Prevent policy, the ethical challenges it raises for practitioners, and ways of practising or advocating to uphold the human rights of the people we work with.
19:00 - Welcome/Refreshments
19:30 - Panel Discussion
20.15 - Break/Refreshments
20.30 - Workshop
21.30 - End
Note: The perspectives offered by panellists are their own. They do not represent BASW London, Psychologists for Social Change or MedAct.q
Chair: Sumayyah Hart is a BASW London committee member and has held a number of senior roles in children’s services across London, including Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) in Lambeth and Independent Reviewing Officer in Hammersmith and Fulham. Her current positions are Child Protection Advisor and Child Protection Conference Chair for Brent.
Dr. Asim Qureshi is Research Director for CAGE, a London-based advocacy organisation working to empower communities impacted by the ‘War on Terror’. Asim collected evidence from families and published the report ‘Separating Families - How PREVENT Seeks the Removal of Children’ in 2018. The full report can be found here.
Dr. Tony Stanley was Chief Social Worker for Birmingham Children’s Trust and Principal Social Worker for Tower Hamlets. He has published three papers on social work practise and the Prevent duty with colleagues Dr. Surinder Guru, Dr. Anna Gupta and Vicki Coppock, and recently led the BASW Webinar ‘A Risky Time for Muslim Families: Professionalised Counter-radicalisation Networks’.
Dr. Charlotte Heath-Kelly is Associate Professor in Politics and International Studies at Warwick University. Her research focuses on Counterterrorism in the UK and USA and Counter-Radicalisation Policies The Guardian’s coverage of her research into Prevent Duty Safeguarding in the NHS is here and here (also see Ted-X Warwick talk on ‘The Motivations for Terrorism’).
Dr. Tarek Younis is Newton International Fellow at UCL (University College London). His current project is a a community ethnography study of the impact of anti-radicalisation discourse within healthcare institutions on the recipients and providers of PREVENT policy.
Anna Sekular is a caseworker with PreventWatch, which supports people impact by the Prevent policy to access legal advice and representation.
Workshop Coordinator: Reem Abu-Hayyeh works for the charity Medact, and is set to launch a consultation into healthcare professionals experiences of working within the Prevent policy in 2019. Reem has worked in advocacy and campaigns particularly on social justice issues relating to the marginalisation of BAME and migrant communities in the UK and Europe. In her last role at Maslaha, Reem managed projects focusing on Islamophobia, gender and stereotypes, working primarily with young people.
The sell out corn-based snack event of the quarter is back. It’s Wine and Wotsits time.
ou’re getting a sneak peak at this and we will be unveiling the full line up in the next week or so. We’re thrilled to announce our first speakers though..
Sarah Corbett - Craftivist Collective
Polly Billington - UK100
Bayo Adelaja - Do it Now Now
Kat Sladden - We Huddle
Cybersalon: Games for Good
Hate has gone viral and is destroying our communities. Our world has has become tribal, ‘betrayal’ and ‘treason’ appear daily in social media about even the smallest differences of opinions.
How can we fight this footballisation of politics ?
How can we change Them and Us into our shared community again?
“Learning another language is like having a chance to live another life” this quote is true but learning another language takes a lot of time and are all busy people. Lucky for us, playing a game can be like peeking into someone else’s life. In the space of a few hours we can explore in-depth how native Alaskans live (Never Alone), with a glimpse into how incredibly collaborative culture manages to survive in the harshest of climates, how lack of privacy is turned into strength.
In Where the Water taste like Wine we are faced with unemployment and survival dilemmas from the Great Depression times in US. It has amazing soundtrack and shows live in rural US during the tough period in American history. It also explores the Other, non-urban values.
On The Surface – How to be friends with people who are different? Exploring empathy and feelings for others. A game by Digital Liberties for The Challenge and ISD.
Flash Demo VR from Casto – showing a VR game recreating old environments, alternative worlds that can be explored as a story background- Huddersfield Uni) will be show in the break.
The Problem: Our online filter bubbles (Twitter, Facebook) have a propensity to create rapid polarisation (Paolo Gerbaudo and Jamie J Bartlett), where quickly some Them and some Us emerge, praying on people’s innermost fears, emphasising tribalism and exploiting their insecurities. From polarisation to extremism is only a short hop and as a society we need to search for ways to ‘vaccine’ ourselves against the siren call of hate.
The Challenge: How do game designers create worlds where experience of other world, other lives and unfamiliar cultural context can be experienced by thousands of people in a space of few hours and without the need to learn their language? Can games become our hate-vaccines? How can intense emotional gaming experience convey the subtle and often nuance differences in opinion love, sense of community, sense of belonging and shared history or lack of it. Can we create as powerful games as 12 Angry Men movie was for Human Rights movement in 1960 ?
Join us on 18th March to find how hit games step up are the Force for Good in the world obsessed with hate.
Ben Greenaway – Cybersalon’s Game Reviewer-in-Chief
Simon Sarginson – ex game developer (RockSteady Studios and SplashDamage)
Casto Vocal – VR /3D developer (Huddersfield University /Teeside University)
Chaired by Eva Pascoe – Cybersalon
A Conversation with Roberto Unger on the Knowledge Economy and the Rise of Populism
Art / Earth / Tech
What is holding us back from creating a powerful and inspiring vision for our future? Why do we seem stuck in making minor upgrades to managerial capitalism?
One of the youngest law professors in Harvard’s history at 29, Professor Roberto Unger played a significant role in bringing democracy back to Brazil, served in Lula’s government as a minister and has been called “a prophet” by the famed philosopher Richard Rorty. A key influence and inspiration to Obama he was also one of Obama’s toughest critics, memorably arguing against Obama’s second term.
Unger is the author of several important and groundbreaking works, most recently “The Future of American Progressivism” and “The Knowledge Economy”. For decades, he has been a pragmatic utopian, working to envision a practical path to a radically better future at a time when such political dreams were unfashionable. An outspoken critic of neoliberalism and a prophet before his time, he early identified the ideological bankruptcy of managerial capitalism. Now, at a time when history seems to be proving him right, we should learn all what we can from this pioneering voice.
The conference will be facilitated by Dr Rufus Pollock, economists, technologist and author of the Open Revolution and Dr Liam Kavanagh cognitive scientist and Director of the Art / Earth / Tech institute.
Common Knowledge: researching political organisers
Common Knowledge is a newly founded non profit tech workers cooperative with a mission to support and build infrastructure for grassroots political and community organising.
Join us for an evening debrief and workshop. We’ll be presenting the work done in the last two weeks, the third sprint of work. Then we’ll be putting this in the context of the last six months of the project and deciding next steps.
Since October, we’ve been designing and testing our first product, a political organising and community capacity building platform. This work is aimed squarely at boosting the levels of autonomous organising in the progressive space and grassroots movements, activating a largely passive activist population and decentralising and devolving key community resources currently held by large institutional actors.
March 15th will mark the end of our third sprint. We’d like to invite you down, have a few drinks with us and share in our work and learnings. We’ve interviewed over 70 activists and organisers across London as part of this project so far and are currently testing a range of assumptions we’ve developed from those conversations - that’s a lot of juicy learnings.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and snacks will be provided.
The event will be split between a presentation and discussion of our work and a short breakout and group feedback session.
Get Out The Vote - Time to innovate?
Campaign Lab
Every year, hundreds of thousands of party activists across the world pound the streets and knock on doors in an effort to mobilise large numbers of citizens to vote for their party of choice.
Get Out The Vote (GOTV) voter mobilisation has become a staple of electoral campaigning, but as new technologies develop and new political forces take root, is there room for improvement?
Join Campaign Lab for the first event in our new series exploring the potential for innovation in electoral campaigning in the UK and beyond.
For our debut event, we’ll be joined by Rudi Shenk, former National Outreach Director of Obama for America, and Matt Goddin, Labour Party organiser for Ilford North, one of the few Labour wins in 2015. Our third speaker is to be confirmed.
During the panel and breakout session we’ll explore current methods and GOTV strategies used by political parties and campaigns in an effort to identify where there is space for innovation and improvement - asking our speakers: in an ideal world, how would you improve the GOTV operation?
How to build resilience in organisations: the importance of purpose
@eloisetaysom
Purpose is central to resilience in organisations, but it’s more than a mission statement. Drawing on academic theory and practical examples, this talk will show how to figure out what an organisation is really working towards and build resilience. It will touch on the relationship between people and technology in organisations, how to understand different people’s perspectives and how to design for changeability.
Dr Eloise Elliott-Taysom is a Product Manager specialising in emerging technology, data and AI. She did her PhD in Engineering at Cambridge University looking at resilience in complex socio-technical systems. Her most recent publication, ‘On the Resilience of Sociotechnical Systems’, can be found in a new book on Systemic Design.
Police Rewired Meetup: helping victims of burglary
Burglary affects 2 in every 100 households, and it sucks! In 2018 there were 664,000 burglaries. It’s a miserable and frightening experience for the victim, and a huge drain on police resources.
We’re building a bot to help the victims of burglary. If you’re interested in being a part of the project, join us on Tuesday 12th!
You can find out more at our site: https://www.policecoders.org/home/2019-01-projects/002-burglary-victims-support-bot
If you meet any of these criteria, then you’re perfect for this project:
Creative problem solvers who’d like to give a little back.
Former victims of burglary who’d like to reach out and help others.
C# developers with a passion for doing some civic good.
Professional testers who can push our bot to its limits.
Security professionals with knowledge around GDPR compliance and secure design.
HTML/CSS/Javascript coders and designers who’d like to help make our work open and accessible to the public.
Copywriters who can help us with conversational text and blog posts.
Technical writers to help us preserve the legacy of our framework.
Police officers, we’ll be reaching out once we’ve completed a working prototype that we can structure around the work you do.
The Economics of Personal Data - How to Fix a Broken Market
Yo-Da (Your Data)
The market for personal data is broken. All of our information is traded behind our backs every day by 3rd parties with whome we have no direct relationship. Misaligned incentive structures ensure our privacy is violated again and again.
How did this happen and what we can do about it? The GDPR gives you powerful new rights, but real world constraints continue to prohibit large numbers of people from exercising those rights.
While the problem may seem unprecedented, it is actually something we have solved many times before. Personal data is just an information good, best thought of as a newspaper we publish about ourselves to be read by AIs. What this means is that, in effect, every person is now an author whose copyright is being infringed. As such, we draw draw important insights into this problem by studying information economics and information law.
In this lecture, we identify the key failures afflicting the market for personal data by examining the history of other types of information goods, including books and music. We examine how societies in the past helped fix these broken markets, how new technologies require regular updates to the rules and regulations governing these markets, and outline our solution to the problem modelled on the Worshipful Company of Stationers.
What does a 15th century publishing guild have to do with this 21st century problem? Join the discussion to find out!
Maps for Syria: Pilot Mapathon
Maps for Syria
Open to those interested in conflict intervention and reconstruction, the mapathon will try to bring people together through a collective activity of mapping one of the Syrian cities (Daraya) affected by the conflict.
Bring along your laptop and mouse to the mapathon where you will be guided through the process of mapping, and given a summary about our project as a whole. Also, the role of open maps platforms in humanitarian intervention and human rights protection in conflict areas.
Other than being a tool for intervention and protecting property rights for Syrians, this mapathon will be a safe and friendly space where we can get to know each other and explore together what can maps reveal about different areas in Syria and how can they be put on the map for all Syrians.
Part of a multi-stage project that seeks to draw maps for urban cities and areas across Syria based on satellite images available through open mapping platforms. The priority is given to areas which fall under laws and decrees that legalise the confiscation of properties owned by Syrian citizens who fail to claim it, giving the priority to the destroyed properties a result of the conflict. The project will be carried out through multiple mapathons adopting a bottom-up approach which depends on the the participation of volunteers (Syrians and non-Syrians) in the mapping process.
Cohousing London meetup: Embassy Network experiments in living
Cohousing London
One of a series of bi-monthly socials for those interested in community-led housing.
This month we’re joined by Zarinah Agnew (zarinahagnew.com), a US based neuroscientist and social scientist, and a member of the Embassy Network (www.embassynetwork.com) of ten intentional communities spread over six countries.
Zarinah will give a short talk about their exploring and iterating living methods, and in particular their eight month experiment with forms of governance (embassygovernance.space).
Also present will be members of existing cohousing and coliving communities in London, who will be happy to share their experiences and knowledge. You can meet others who are forming projects, looking for members for existing projects and you can find out about other events, advisers, consultants, funders and other organisations.
The event is free to attend and children are welcome.
Feeling daunted about coming alone? We feel that too sometimes. Send us a message with the words ‘buddy me up’ and we’ll make sure you are welcomed in by one of the group and helped to feel at ease.
Cohousing London is a community-led organisation working to create a network of diverse, inclusive, sustainable and affordable cohousing developments across London: facebook.com/groups/cohousinglondon
KIN helps to deliver world-class sustainable and community-led housing projects, providing site finding, facilitation, design and funding: cohousing.co / kinarchitects.co
Right to Repair on Open Data Day: Data hack on open repair data
The Restart Project
An afternoon diving into an open dataset of repair data on electronics to discover what is impeding repairs.
Take part in person at Newspeak House, or participate remotely.
The Restart Project collects data on every repair attempted at their community repair events. That data is used to present insights into the devices and problems found to those who design, manufacture and regulate products in the first place. The aim is to identify the barriers to repair that people come up against, whether it’s lack of spare parts, poor documentation, or simply bad design.
This Open Data Day focuses on computers, the product most frequently brought to Restart Parties. New regulations on the repairability of computers will soon be discussed at EU level. The data may reveal common problems, common (and less common!) solutions, and what are the barriers to repair that should be highlighted to policymakers.
There is data on over 10,000 devices from repair events around the world, and a group of volunteers has fixed over 50% of them, offsetting tonnes of e-waste and hundreds of tonnes of CO2 emissions in the process.
There will be a range of data and research tasks suitable for newcomers and experienced analysts, and tools will be provided for the analysis if required. All you’ll need to do is bring a laptop.
Heading for Extinction and What To Do About It
Extinction Rebellion London
The planet is in ecological crisis: we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction event this planet has experienced. Scientists believe we may have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown. This is an emergency.
In this public talk, climate speakers from Extinction Rebellion will share the latest climate science on where our planet is heading, discuss some of the current psychology around climate change, and offer solutions through the study of social movements.
Everyone is welcome and there will be time to ask questions and discuss afterwards. Entry is free.
The Digital Party: Political Organisation and Social Media
Paolo Gerbaudo
Paolo Gerbaudo (author), Anastasia Kavada (University of Westminster), Adam Klug (Momentum co-founder), Matteo Canestrari (digital politics expert).
From the Five Star Movement to Podemos, from the Pirate Parties to La France Insoumise, from the movements behind Bernie Sanders to those backing Jeremy Corbyn, the last decade has witnessed the rise of a new blueprint for political organisation: the digital party.
Paolo Gerbaudo will discuss the transformation of political parties in the digital era, drawing on the argument of his new book The Digital Party: Political Organisation and Online Democracy, with scholars and practitioners of digital politics.
In the book Gerbaudo addresses the organisational revolution that is transforming political parties in the time of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Cambridge Analytica. Drawing on interviews with political leaders and organisers, he demonstrates that besides rapidly growing in votes, these formations have also revitalised party democracy, involving hundreds of thousands in discussions carried out on online decision-making platforms.
Participatory, yet plebiscitarian, open and democratic, yet dominated by charismatic ‘hyperleaders’, digital parties display both great potentials and risks for the development of new forms of mass participation in an era of growing inequality. All political parties will have to reckon with the lessons of the digital party.
Paolo Gerbaudo is a political sociologist and the Director of the Centre for Digital Culture at King’s College London. He is the author of The Digital Party: Political Organisation and Online Democracy (2018), The Mask and the Flag: Populism and Global Protest (2017) and Tweets and the Streets: Social Media and Contemporary Activism (2012).
Campaign Lab VI HackDay
Film screening "The Internet's Own Boy", The Story of Aaron Swartz
Tam Borine
Aaron Swartz was a young hacktivist, and co-founder of Reddit, early developer of RSS, Markdown and Creative Commons. He led the campaigns against SOPA and was both an excellent technologist and activist.
He was convicted for mass downloading academic journals from JSTOR from MIT. His final charges included a cumulative maximum penalty of $1 million in fines, 35 years in prison. He hanged himself two days after prosecution.
Let’s come together and remember what happened by watching the documentary about him, The Internet’s Own Boy (available here), and be inspired together by his courage. Afterwards we will have time for chatting.
19:00 Arrivals
19:30 Screening starts
21:30 Discussion/networking
Radical Engineers Meetup: Radical Health
This month’s theme is health. Whether you lead a healthy life still largely depends on where you are born, your socio-economic class, race, gender and sexual orientation. Given this reality, how do we ensure we all have access to health services? How do we ensure issues that affect the health of marginalised populations (e.g. drug addictions, or tropical diseases) get researched and treated? And, how do we promote healthy habits when our digital lives, increased social isolation and sedentary lifestyles are putting our (mental) well-being at risk? Many radical initiatives are working to tackle these problems. They need our help!
We are inviting organisations working in this area to meet engineers of all stripes (hackers, makers, designers and other technologists) who wish to contribute their spare time and talents to these projects. During the meetup we will run a speed dating session, for organisations to introduce themselves to our engineers.
Please confirm your presence.
See other projects Radical Engineers are working on.
Datakind presents Interdisciplinary alchemy: data science + civil liberties activism
This meetup is the final one in our three-part series, ‘Interdisciplinary alchemy’, exploring what data scientists can learn from delving into other disciplines.
This time, we’re turning the spotlight on civil liberties activists. As technology continues to permeate more and more aspects of our lives, data is increasingly becoming a civil rights issue.
We’re asking how data scientists and activists can work together to design innovative tech solutions that don’t compromise our civil liberties.
Bringing years of experience along with some fresh ideas to help us consider this question, we have a panel of speakers from the world of civil liberties activism, including:
Hannah Couchman - Policy and Campaigns Officer at Liberty
Frederike Kaltheuner - Data Programme Lead at Privacy International
More speakers to be announced soon!
6.30pm: Doors open and sign-in
7.00pm: Welcome from host
7.10pm: ‘What can the worlds of data science and civil liberties activism learn from working together? - panel discussion
7.45pm: Questions to the panel
8.30pm: Drinks and a chance to chat
9.00pm: Finish
Wikimedia UK is organising the first Wikidata meetup in London.
If you’re working on Wikidata projects, or interested in Wikidata and want to find out how to get involved, come along and talk to us about it.
Open Discussion on Ethical Investment
Eline Hesse
Those of you familiar with the world of finance know it is a complex world built on trust. Banks and financial institutions are hard at work with how they can win our trust again, and offering options for ethical investment is high on the list. It is a positive development, but also something we need to remain critical about: to what extent can we see ethical investing as a way to make the world a little bit better?
The discussion will be hosted by Eline Hesse, who has spent three years creating Petrol Dollars for a Different Engine, a documentary of her experience researching how to reinvest her portfolio in a sustainable manner. She has spoken to many sustainable investment experts and various bankers raising the question if it is possible to match your ideals with your capital. She would like to start a discussion about the value of ethical investing presently and in the future.
Extinction Rebellion Song Sharing Workshop
Extinction Rebellion Bethnal Green
Join us at Newspeak House for a rebellious song sharing workshop. Bring your favourite protest, peace and medicine songs and let’s learn them together in a co-created space.
Whether you want to learn songs to take with you to Extinction Rebellion actions, or you just want to come together with a group of people to create beautiful music you are very welcome. We will start by sharing some XR favourites before opening up the space for new sharings. If you have an instrument that you wish to bring, please do. Otherwise just come with yourself and your voice and you’re ready to go!
Following from this event there will be an open discussion on ethical investment, asking to what extent we can see ethical investing as a way to make the world a bit better.
Campaign Lab Strategy Planning Meetup
Campaign Lab is a community of political analysts, researchers, developers and data scientists organised around a simple idea, to develop an evidence-based approach to electoral campaigning in the UK.
After 5 fun meetups and a fantastic hackday we’re pausing for breath to do some strategy thinking!
We’ll be discussing:
Our methodology: What have we achieved so far, next steps & getting to grips with statistics
Our “austerity mapping” platform: How can we get funding for it and who can help us build it?
Our testing & innovation: How can our community help candidates who approach us for help in future elections?
Our governance & structures: How can we organise ourselves and make better decisions together?
Our skills & training: How can we upskill our community? How can we share and exchange our technical and political knowledge?
It’d be great to see campaign labbers old and new come along and help us work out our strategy for the next 6 months… We can promise homemade veggie burgers & wedges!
Want to recap where we’ve got to? Check out our GitHub and join our slack!
Radical Engineers Meetup: No Time To Waste
Our second meetup is themed around the idea of waste. From fast fashion to endless packaging, we are surrounded by the unnecessary. This meetup is about ways to get rid of it.
This could be dematerialisation, sharing, reuse and transformation.
We are inviting organisations working in this area to meet engineers of all stripes (hackers, makers, designers and other technologists) who wish to contribute their spare time and talents to these projects.
Human Networks / London
Human Networks Convergence
Following up from the Human Networks Convergence held in Barcelona in October 2018, a gathering which brought together people from 16 different networks to see how we might experiment and learn together, we are hosting a small gathering in London to continue the conversations on ecosystemic collaboration, systemic change and networks, working on shared challenges.
This will be an open space with a small number of people (10-12) who are working in the areas of ecosystemic collaboration and addressing complex issues that involve a variety of players. The purpose is to exchange insights and learn from each other.
This gathering is organised by Corina Angheloiu (Forum for the Future), Phoebe Tickell (Enspiral) and Manel Heredero (Ouishare). If you can’t attend or think of someone who would be interested in this topic, please feel free to make it your own and invite them.
For more context:
Weaving networks — when we all need to be spiders by Corina at Medium
Write Up after the Convergence in Barcelona
Festival by Emergence by Manel at Medium
“If we want to address the complex problem situations that the world is facing, being a smart systems thinker and innovator is not enough. We need to engage in new ways of collaborating that promote continuous, productive and collective learning and innovation. These collaborations require us to learn social skills, build social structures, and adopt attitudes of openness to learning, trust and responsibility, however hard it is to let go of the behaviours and structures that hold us back.” Why being smart is not enough — the social skills and structures of tackling complexity by Mieke van der Bijl
19 JAN 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Live Workathon
Ultraworking London
Take part in a live round of Work Cycles, a productivity technique:
Register for the event. (It’s free, but there’s limited capacity — so we ask you only register if you can actually attend.)
Bring work you want to accomplish. This isn’t a lecture or networking event — you’ll actually be getting your work done at the event.
There will be 20-30 minutes of setup and overview where you’ll learn how to break your work into a more efficient format.
You’ll work in cycles: 30 minutes of focused work followed by 10 minute breaks to analyze, plan the next cycle block, get feedback if desired, and do some brief socializing.
At the end of the whole day, you’ll debrief lessons learned for 10-20 minutes, share lessons with other cool people attending, and call it a day.
Ultraworking has run Work Cycles both virtually via videoconferencing, and live and in-person with thousands of people around the world, including at coworking spaces, top universities like the University of Chicago, at the offices of top companies including YCombinator-backed startups, and at government-sponsored innovation spaces like the Seoul Global Startup Center.
For more info on the technique, see ultraworking.com.
Prototype games to explore complex systems. Today we explore the game loop in Return of the Obra Dinn.
The Meaning of Sacrifice: Jan Palach memorial
Adam Lalak
On 16th January 1969, young Czech philosophy student Jan Palach burned himself to death. He did so in protest against the growing indifference of citizens towards the gross injustices of the communist regime. The impact of his act was unprecedented. It changed the course of Czechoslovak history and became a symbol that inspired protesters around the world.
There are many different kinds of sacrifice. What is the meaning of sacrifice today? Is it the right way to protest? What can we learn from the legacy of Jan Palach’s most radical act?
The purpose of this event will be to address these questions. We will discuss the philosophical origins of the idea of self-sacrifice, from Christianity to Buddhism to the New Left. We will hear people sharing their own personal experiences with protest by sacrifice. We will engage in a collective ritual to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jan Palach’s death.
Palestine Open Maps Mapathon
Palestine Open Maps
Help us vectorise Mandate-era maps of Palestine, and learn about open mapping tools
We found archival maps of mandate-era Palestine (from 1923 to 1948), including details of 500+ ethnically cleansed villages and towns. We have made them available through PalOpenMaps.org. Now we are working on extracting the data out of the maps, in order to make them useful and accessible to artists and researchers. All the data that we produce will be freely licensed for anyone to use.
In this event, we will introduce the project, show you how to vectorise historic maps using open mapping tools (OpenStreetMap/osm-seed), and we will spend the rest of the session exploring the maps and vectorising sections of it.
No previous mapping experience is necessary. All you need is a computer, curiosity and a desire to help. Please bring a laptop & mouse if you have one. If not, then you can still help by pairing up with another attendee. The more eyes the better!
This will be a relaxed Sunday afternoon, we will provide light snacks and drinks.
Palestine Open Maps is a project supported by Visualizing Palestine and the Bassel Khartabil Free Culture Fund.
Insights from the South: Challenging Development Perspectives
IDEAS Globally
Insights from the South is a new event format by IDEAS Globally, to create the space for knowledge exchange between London and the Global South. Our theme for this event is ‘Designing for Development’: how can external efforts for development be improved through perspectives from the ground?
Come listen to IDEAS Globally authors present their Insights on key issues in Development today, and have your perspectives challenged by our international speakers - community leaders, business people and artists who connect us with the local reality of each topic. Witness conversations that will change your perspective of development and North-South relations.
IDEAS Insights are short academic briefs written by members of the IDEAS Globally international network, providing thought leadership on development and social enterprise. All IDEAS Globally Insights can be read freely at: www.ideasglobally.org/Insights. They have been viewed over 6,000 times (and counting!). This event will use selected insights as the starting point for deeper discussion of issues in the Global South.
Our Selected Insights authors:
Tamas Katona: “Narratives of Development (Hungary’s Social Enterprise Landscape in Historical Context)”.
Kristina Funk & Alyette de Royere: “Women in Nepalese Healthcare as a Potential for Development”.
Joe Forsdick: “Grids & Batteries: Strengthening Energy Reliability against Natural Disasters”.
Our Outsights leaders:
Dr Estella Carpi, Postdoctoral Research Associate: “Analysing South-South Humanitarian Responses to Displacement from Syria: Views from Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey”.
Shamim Azad, writer and poet: “The Significance of British-Bangladeshi Bilingualism and History in my Writing and Social Activism”.
Alternative Futures: Creating a Consent Culture
Zarinah Agnew
We live, socialize and work in communities, with some of our closest friends, families and colleagues. We also live in a world that socializes and reinforces violence. We live in a rape culture where media portrays violence and violation as romance.
Data indicates that most consent violations take place, not in abandoned alley ways by strangers, but by people we know, in places where we are supposed to feel safe. One in four women in north america will be assaulted in their lifetimes, many men also. This affects us all, not just those directly harmed. Families are destroyed, communities are fragmented, workplaces become alienating.
How we do best prepare ourselves for these issues? How do we create a culture that clearly sets the bar for the future society that we wish to live in? How do we create restorative and alternative processes and practices that protect those that are harmed in our communities, and also work to guide, teach and serve those who have done the harm? What do you each want to see, how would you like to be treated should you find yourself on either side of the coin in one of these situations?
Come and join us for a discussion around how we’d like society to deal with these issues and to see if we can take some of these lessons on into our day to day life.
Format // Doors 7pm // Talk 7.30pm // Moderated discussion 8pm - 10pm
Christmas at Newspeak House
Food, drink, pretty lights, live music, and more political technologists in one place than is probably wise.
Please register so we can plan for attendance: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/christmas-at-newspeak-house-tickets-52482297966
Data for Trade Unions
Jonnie Penn
Recent predictions about the future of work point in the direction of an incredibly fluid labour market. We face an increasingly precarious employment-market, where the individualisation of labour — seen as a push towards self-employment, short-term contracts, unpaid internships, and disingenuous forms of non-standard employment — becomes the unhappy norm.
At Newspeak House on 13 December 2018, three leading experts will debate the future of work, unions, and the digital economy.
Dr. Christina Colclough, Director of the Future World of Work, UNI Global Union
Dr. Barry Cofler, Deacon Fellow, Oxford University; Researcher, Policy Network
Final Speaker TBA
Audience participation is encouraged. We will assess the technological and political barriers that limit union’s use of data as well as the skills and systems needed to overcome them.
Our goal is to understand how trade unions – the natural and historic advisor and guardians of collective rights – must adapt to this new digital economy to meet the needs and aspirations of workers.
In the question period, we will explore how digital technologies could be used by unions and workers to improve job quality and collective empowerment.
Book Launch: HOW TO DISMANTLE THE NHS IN 10 EASY STEPS by Dr Youssef El-Gingihy
Dr Youssef El-Gingihy
New, expanded and updated edition of How to dismantle the NHS in 10 easy steps: The blueprint that the government does not want you to see, by Dr Youssef El-Gingihy published by Zero books
The much anticipated new, expanded and updated edition of How to Dismantle the NHS in 10 Easy Steps comes with high praise from Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn, John Pilger and Ken Loach.
Dr Youssef El-Gingihy is a Tower Hamlets GP at the Bromley by Bow Centre. This book tells the story of how the NHS is being sold off and why you might have to buy private health insurance soon. It contains new chapters on the junior doctors’ strike and the introduction of US style healthcare models of accountable/integrated care. It also has a coda on how we can save the NHS.
Events have spiralled since the first edition of How to Dismantle the NHS in 10 Easy Steps. The junior doctors’ strike, the Conservative victory in the 2015 general election, the Corbyn phenomenon, the unexpected Brexit vote and the arguably even more unexpected loss of the Conservative majority in 2017.
Further, since writing the first edition, Dr. Youssef El-Gingihy found himself stricken with a life-threatening illness and the NHS doctor became the NHS patient. The fight to save the NHS transformed into a fight for his own life.
Now, fully recovered, Dr El-Gingihy returns to his 10 Easy Steps in order to strengthen his original argument on the 70th anniversary of the NHS. Dr El-Gingihy’s insights have never been more vital as our National Health Service continues to be hit by the privatisation of public services.
more onion is an award winning digital agency behind the Campaignion platform, which delivers high-impact digital campaigns and fundraising for progressive non-profits. Come and meet the more more onion as well as fundraisers and campaigners from across the UK charity sector.
New Campaignion features - upgraded ‘email protest’ actions and more
Campaign showcase - insights into campaign actions and strategies including Mencap’s Treat Me Well campaign, and Friends of the Earth’s lead generation quiz
Campaign clinic’ - chance to get input from other campaigners and fundraisers into your campaign plans and challenges
Christmas drinks, networking and discussion with peers from across the sector
Please Register: https://www.more-onion.com/en/campaignion-dec2018
Utopia Cafe: Holiday Special
Frank Davies
From The Hunger Games to Ready Player One, visions of dystopia dominate contemporary ideas of the future. But is there room for a more hopeful alternative?
At the Utopia Café we explore alternative ideas of the future through the lenses of literature, film, and other media. We also consider how these ideas can be realised.
Drinks and snacks will be provided. Everyone is welcome. :)
Redecentralize Get-Together
Irina Bolychevsky & Anouk Ruhaak
Decentralisation is charging ahead, but where to? How do we ensure a decentralised web brings about greater autonomy, privacy, choice? What’s the priority? Which apps work now? What’s in the way for mainstream adoption?
Join us for an evening of decentralized conversation! This month, we’ll host a redecentralized speed dating session: a chance to embark on deep (but short) conversations with those building decentralized apps, or developing decentralized governance models and designs.
In addition we’ll have drinks, pizza and tons of fun!
We encourage you to bring anyone with an interest in decentralization. No prior knowledge required! This movement belongs to all of us!
You can reach us at [email protected], or find us on Twitter: @anoukruhaak, @shevksi
For anyone wanting more context, here’s a blog post on the motivations and values behind redecentralize.org, with suggested characteristics of decentralisation that we should care about (TL;DR distribution of power and how this applies to tech)
Cooperatively developed software tools for food saving communities
Nick Sellen
A huge amount of edible food is wasted and many efforts are being made by governments, companies, charities and community organisations with mixed results. Nick Sellen is hopeful that de-centralized co-operative community organising using open source software can provide a way forward.
Please note that space is limited in the Drawing Room so seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
Kairos UK Christmas Meetup
Phoebe & Seth
This event is open only to Kairos Fellows and specially invited Friends of Kairos.
Kairos UK has partnered with Enspiral to bring you a unique evening, exploring the future of entrepreneurship. Registration is required.
Kairos is a global network of young entrepreneurs seeking to fix broken industries. We are from different continents, verticals and backgrounds but share a desire to leave the world in a better way than how we found it, by sharing our experience, networks and expertise.
Enspiral is a global ecosystem of entrepreneurs and freelancers who develop software and practices for global collaboration, and who collaborate together to launch businesses with a social and/or environmental mission. The Enspiral network has been experimenting with new forms of governance, making decisions and collaboratively budgeting together for 8 years.
Life as an entrepreneur can be tough. As Elon Musk says, “Being an entrepreneur is like eating glass and staring into the abyss of death.” Long days, constant challenges, learning from failures - and unfortunately a lot of this is often done alone.
But could it be different? Imagine a new kind of entrepreneurship, an Entrepreneurship 2.0, where instead of the focus being on the lone wolf entrepreneur, the focus is on the community, and the ecosystem that supports a start-up into flourishing? This kind of collaborative entrepreneurship throws up some big questions:
How can we come together as entrepreneurs and be stronger?
How could we pool our resources, time and know-how to be larger than the sum of our parts?
What kind of impact could we unlock if we learned to collaborate on a large scale?
Cost: We are asking for a £15 contribution to cover food and drink (beers, wine and soft drinks) for the evening and nothing else. If there is any money leftover after organising, this will be donated to charity.
Dresscode: Casual. The evening will be casual but we may decide to go out in Shoreditch after the event.
Format: There will be drinks, we’ll order in some food, and some light exercises to get to know each other better. There will also be slots for some Lightning Talks - 5 minute talks from the community to share what they are working on, and any problems they need help solving.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Phoebe ([email protected]) or Seth ([email protected]).
Citizen Beta: An Atlas of Arguments
The internet has democratised speech — it has given everyone a publishing platform. So how can we make sense of this explosion of material?
In this Citizen Beta we talk to Turi Munthe and Jamie Bartlett about the new projects they’re working on that try to do just that.
We’ll be covering whether argument mining can actually map an atlas of ideas or arguments, how knowledge and information is currently stored and how that needs to change, and who will actually benefit from these kinds of tools?
Doors open at 7.00pm, talks start at 7.30pm
Turi Munthe. Turi is a VC for Northbase Media. He is most recently the founder of Parli. He is also the founder of Demotix and served as its CEO. Turi has worked as Head for CNN, and at the BBC, NBC, al-Jazeera, Asahi, Reuters, Sky, you name it. He is a Publisher, Editor, Policy Analyst, Lecturer, Journalist. He has written for The Economist, Slate.com, the FT, the Telegraph, the Nation and many others. He has given lectures on Iran to the Central Communist Party of China, and on erotica to the ICA. His one book is the Saddam Hussein Reader. He studied at Oxford University, the Hebrew University and NYU.
Jamie Bartlett. Jamie is the Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think-tank Demos, where he has become one of the UK’s leading thinkers on politics and technology. He is also author of The People Vs Tech (2018) about the relationship between technology and democracy, Radicals (2017) about political outsiders and best-selling The Dark Net (2014) about internet subcultures, which has been translated into 13 languages. His Ted Talk about how dark net technology is changing the nature of cybercrime has been viewed almost 3 million times.
7.40pm – Turi Munthe
7.50pm – Jamie Bartlett
8.00pm – Q&A
8.10pm – More drinks and mince pies!
01 DEC 10:30am - 11:00pm
Campaign Lab Hackday
Since June, together we’ve sourced hundreds of demographic and austerity impact datasets, and made a start on setting up scrapers and writing parliamentary questions and FOIs to source the more hard to get datasets.
But we’re not finished yet. Come and join us for our first full HackDay as we continue to build the case for an evidenced-based approach to electoral campaigning in the UK.
Everyone welcome – beer, soft drinks, lunch and dinner will be provided!
Radical Engineers Meetup
Anouk Ruhaak & Tom Berman
Connecting developers, designers and other technologists to radical organizations in need of technological support. Radical organizations aim to solve society’s gravest problems by addressing the underlying systems, rather than merely fighting symptoms.
During this meetup we’ll host a speed dating session, to connect the two groups and get you working on the world’s most urgent problems. In addition we’ll also have drinks and chats and lots of fun!
Are you a technologist? Great, join our meetup and we’ll connect you to organizations that need your help. ‘Help’ can range from getting e-mail setup to building full-fledged apps.
Are you a radical organization? Send us an email: [email protected] We’ll reach out to you and explain a bit about the evening and how you can get the most out of it!
Find more: http://radicalengineers.com and find us at [email protected], or @anoukruhaak on Twitter.
Minds on Tap: Beautiful Stories from the Front Lines of Science
Four scientists from across the UK will speak about the battle against Alzheimer’s, cancer and the future of regenerative medicine. We’ll also share the story of Lyrical Science, and our vision for the future of science funding.
You’ll be able to learn more about the state of critical life science research, network with the scientists, celebrate our public launch over drinks, and discover a new way to get involved in scientific discovery.
At Lyrical Science, we help scientists share their inspiring stories and earn research incomes from their public backers. Scientists are often prevented from doing life saving research by funding cuts outside of their control. This event is about how we change that.
We’re a team of early career researchers across the UK and can’t wait to share our vision with you in person. We look forward to welcoming guests from all backgrounds– scientists, science lovers, philanthropists, impact investors, and anyone interested in helping the scientific community gain the support it needs to conduct critical life science research.
Let’s come together for a beautiful and inspiring evening!
Utopia Cafe: Utopia Forum 1
Got an idea to make the world a better place but need advice or volunteers? Utopia Forum wants you!
We’re looking to follow the reading groups of Utopia Cafe with a venue for people to plan and work on their projects together. Unlike many planning groups, we’re not focused on one type of politics, or on one sector for transformation. Instead we’re hoping to bring together lots of different projects together to transform society as a whole.
In this first meeting, we’ll be discussing Utopia Cafe and Forum as a project, and then opening up the floor for discussion of various projects. Bring your ideas!
Design Hop
The Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology
Design Hops are the first step for charities exploring the role of digital in their services. By demystifying technology and design approaches, this free half-day creative workshop builds confidence and motivation to take the next step, as well as focus on what that immediate next step should be for each organisation.
For more details and to apply for a place, https://wearecast.org.uk/for-nonprofits/design-hops
Intro to Python for Data Science: Part II
John Sandall / Coefficient
At its heart, data science is a set of tools for turning impenetrable datasets into clear insights & decisions that can help you to achieve your goals. This workshop series will introduce you to several of these tools with the aim of giving you practical skills to take away and immediately apply in your own work.
Part I (Mon 5th): A Crash Course in Coding
The first workshop will focus on learning the Python programming language and related libraries for importing, manipulating and visualising datasets.
Part II (Wed 7th): Dabbling with Data
The first workshop leads straight into Part II, which will cover more advanced data visualisation techniques, creating your own datasets by scraping web pages, and a brief introduction to building your own regression models.
The workshops will be hands-on throughout with code examples and exercises provided to apply what you’ve just learned. We strongly encourage you to attend both workshops if possible as they are designed to run together. There are no pre-requisites other than a laptop and your own curiosity.
Registration and further details
{Police.Rewired} Projects Meetup
{Police.Rewired}
Over the last decade, the police, tasked with ensuring our safety, have been so severely defunded that they are unable to help every person, or respond to every crime report. The numbers don’t lie. Over the last 8 years, police funding dropped by 19%, resulting in 20,000 fewer police officers and significantly reduced resources to tackle, investigate and prevent crime.
We can’t magically restore the policing budget, but we can help the remaining officers leverage their police skills by providing the tools and technologies they need to be effective.
While innovation within the police has historically been slow, technology could help overcome a number of obstacles. That’s where you come in.
On 6th November we’re holding our first meet-up at Newspeak House to start building tools for police officers! We welcome software developers, designers and anyone with ideas, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to come along and help out. If you’re not available on the 6th, but you’d like to get involved, join our community to find out more about the projects.
Intro to Python for Data Science: Part I
04 NOV 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Wikimedia Editathon, Middle Eastern Human Rights
Want to learn how to be a Wikipedia editor and improve the quantity and quality of information about underrepresented subjects on the world’s biggest encyclopaedia?
Wikimedia UK is hosting a Wikipedia training workshop at Newspeak House on November 4 on the subject of Middle Eastern Human Rights.
The content and contributors on Wikipedia still do not represent the diversity of our world. If we are going to truly create ‘the sum of all knowledge’, we need to improve the coverage of underrepresented subjects.
Recent global events have highlighted the lack of free and factual media both in the Middle East and about Middle Eastern human rights subjects.
Wars continue to rage in Syria and Yemen, creating untold humanitarian disasters. Authoritarian states silence their critics at home and abroad. Wikipedia allows anybody with an understanding of its rules and guidelines to contribute to a shared understanding of any subject area, and there has never been a better time to increase understanding of the human rights situation throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area.
Wikimedia UK is the charity responsible for promoting Wikipedia in the UK. We aim to increase the diversity of the content and contributors to Wikipedia, and organise training workshops for anybody who wants to take part in our projects.
Come to Newspeak House on Sunday 4th November from 12pm for training from Wikipedia experts and help to improve articles on human rights defenders, violations, laws, events and other related areas.
Redecentralize Party
Irina Bolychevsky
Redecentralize get-together to meet, catchup, share news
So many interesting topics and a key time for the decentralisation movement. Come to Newspeak House to hear about what’s been happening, plan next steps and meet the community!
We’ll be doing lighting talks - contact hello[@]redecentralize.org or @shevski on twitter to sign up!
How to Dismantle the NHS in 10 Easy Steps
Unite Community Tower Hamlets
Dr Youssef El-Gingihy tells the story of how the NHS has been gradually converted into a market-based healthcare system over the past 25 years. This process is accelerating and the very existence of a National Health Service is in danger. He fears that there will not be an NHS as our generation grows old and certainly not for our children - yet the British public remains largely unaware of this and the media, with few exceptions, have failed in their duty to inform them. Youssef’s book, How to Dismantle the NHS in 10 Easy Steps, has been described by Jeremy Corbyn as wonderful and sobering, and has received rave reviews from the likes of Noam Chomsky and John Pilger.
Dr Sonia Adesara is the co-chair of the Young Medical Womens International Association, Director of the 50:50 Parliament campaign, and Communications Director for Doctors For Choice.
Tech for Better Launch Party
Come and join us for the official launch of the Tech for Better programme, run by Founders and Coders.
Find out what the programme involves.
Hear from clients that participated in the initial round of the programme and see the MVPs that have been developed.
Talk to us about how you can participate in Tech for Better!
More info to follow.
Are we more polarised than ever before?
Western communities are plagued with divisions; Leavers and Remainers, Momentum and moderates, ‘deplorables’ and ‘the resistance’. This has been called polarisation, and we’re in an era where identities are fractured more than ever before. Pundits and academics have stated that this is terrible for democracies. Populism is on the rise and we no longer believe in facts to make decisions.
But is this the right way to understand politics in the 21st century? To what extent can the concept of polarisation help us design online public spaces, offline forums and structure journalism?
This evening seminar looks to understand the difference between polarisation and disagreement and asks are we truly more polarised now than ever before? And does that matter?
Join us on the 23rd October where we will host a keynote by Alice Thwaite of Oxford Internet Institute and the Echo Chamber Club, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.
Spaces are limited so please register
Rationalish Meetup
A discussion group for London-based members of the rationalist diaspora.
The diaspora includes, but is not limited to, LessWrong, Slate Star Codex, rationalist tumblrsphere, and parts of the Effective Altruism movement.
All are welcome, whether or not you identify as rationalist.
Usually we have a short list of articles for discussion. No need to read them, but you may well want to. This week the articles are:
Diversify your identity (https://markmanson.net/diversify-your-identity)
Conscious dreaming and controlled hallucinations (http://www.shaman-australis.com/~claude/dreams.html)
In defense of flogging (https://harpers.org/blog/2011/07/in-defense-of-flogging-six-questions-for-peter-moskos/)
We’ll start to talk about these around three. People usually start showing up around two, and there are almost always people around until after six, but feel free to come and go at whatever time.
We also have a subreddit, reddit.com/r/londonrationalish, which right now is mostly used for announcing meetups, but if you think it would be useful for other things too I encourage you to use them for it. You can also suggest discussion articles in the thread for that, reddit.com/r/londonrationalish/comments/8oxedb/reading_group_voting_thread/.
Hacktoberfest - Civic Tech Edition
Kevin Lewis
Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open source software. Sign up online, contribute to five projects and get a sweet t-shirt.
At this event, we’ll be focusing on civic tech projects - those which enable engagement, participation or enhances the relationship between the people and government.
If you want to highlight your open source civic tech projects to attendees - you can do so here: https://goo.gl/XaMJK8
We’ll provide some snacks and refreshments.
See you at the event!
Political Systems Modelling Workshop
Dr John Bryden
What would happen if we locked 100 people in a complex with access to barely enough food for everyone? What if we made it so only one person had the power to say who could eat what and when? Would such a society always fall into totalitarianism? What simple changes to such a society would make a difference?
We know that power can be structured by simple rules in some societies. Bee colonies have a queen with access to the best food and lays all the eggs. Are there simple rules for human societies? How do people organise themselves politically?
We’ll be investigating questions like these in the workshop using a systems modelling approach. It’s possible to create simulation models on computers where individual ‘agents’ behave and interact according to simple rules. We can then observe and study the artificial societies and political systems that we create.
You can see some examples of simulation models from the excellent explorable explanations.
The workshop will be hosted by Dr John Bryden, a research fellow at Royal Holloway, University of London and a fellow of Newspeak House. It will start with a background talk about the topic. Examples of simulation models will be provided to get you started.
You’ll need to bring a laptop and an aptitude for programming. We’re going to be using python, so it would be good if you have python 3, matplotlib and scipy installed.
Since June, together we’ve sourced over 130 demographic and austerity impact datasets, and made a start on setting up scrapers and writing parliamentary questions and FOIs to source the more hard to get datasets.
But we’re not finished yet. Come and join us for our next event as we continue to build the case for an evidenced-based approach to electoral campaigning in the UK.
But there has never been any contemporary analysis or studies undertaken to assess the impact or value of electoral campaigning methods in the UK. Similarly, there have been precious few attempts to determine the effect of local economic factors such as house prices and austerity on election results and vote share.
To create these insights we need to identify as much publicly available demographic and political data sources as possible.
So if you’re interested in chipping in and developing a new data-driven approach to understand what actually goes on in elections and campaigning, bring your laptop and join us for an evening of data gathering.
You do not need to know how to code to attend and help.
You will need to bring a laptop to this event.
Everyone welcome – beer, soft drinks and food will be provided!
WorkerTech Meetup: Good work in the gig economy
Bethnal Green Ventures
The rapid rise of the gig economy in recent years reflects a huge shift in the way people work. While greater flexibility has created more jobs and low unemployment, in many cases the low-pay and insecurity of some of these jobs means that workers are worse off.
Over three million people in the UK are now estimated to be in insecure work such as temporary work, low-paid self-employment or working on a zero-hours contract, according to the IPPR Prosperity and Justice report. This is not just a problem of the gig economy. The report argues that this trend has reversed the income gains and employee protections secured over much of the last century.
While policy reform is back in the news (BBC), this event will explore how technology could be used to create better work for flexible and independent workers.
We’re interested in how technology can be used to push back against these trends. We’ll discuss products or services that make flexible work benefit workers, as well as employers. For example by helping independent workers increase their income, access benefits, or have more control over when and how they work.
Emma Blackmore, Head of Partnerships and Marketing at Gigstr
Kayleigh Walsh, Co-op member at Outlandish, CoTech and member of the Worker Co-op Council
Anna Maybank, Co-founder of Poplar (aka Better Work Lab)
Alysia Wanczyk, Head of Marketing at Trezeo
If you’d like to put forward a speaker then please message us through the WorkerTech meetup page.
The WorkerTech event series is brought to you by Bethnal Green Ventures and sponsored by Resolution Trust and Accenture. This event is delivered in partnership with Newspeak House, The London College of Political Technologists.
Global Priorities Research Discussion
This discussion is aimed at people who have a relatively good understanding of the core concepts of effective altruism and know the basic principles behind global priorities research.
We’ll be discussing what the current gaps may be in global priorities research and if and how we as individuals and a community can do anything to help out, whether that is self directed research or working out which organisations we can support more or even whether individual and volunteer research may be negative.
Game Maker Meetup
Quang Nguyen, Julian Adams, and Jupiter Hadley
A casual meetup for those who make games!
Please contact @Jupiter_Hadley if you would like to bring your game to show off, we’d love to see what you’re working on!
Diplomatic Data Hackathon
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is publishing a list of all British diplomats from 1782-2015. They’re looking for bold and innovative ideas for navigating, using, and presenting the data.
Where have we had the most female Ambassadors?
Did diplomats follow similar career paths, or were they posted at random?
How old are diplomats when they die?
Everyone is welcome, experienced developers and total beginners alike.
the chance to see your idea become a live product, with the help of FCO experts
a private tour with our expert historians of the FCO King Charles Street building in Whitehall
a chance to win Palmerston memorabilia and potentially meet the infamous feline himself
The Event:
Hacking and building: Friday 28th September 18:00-23:00 & Saturday 29th September 09:00-16:00
Pitches and Judging: Saturday 29th September 16:30
Prizes awarded: Saturday 29th September 18:00
Open Rights Group: Do You Have a License To Read That Law?
Some of our most important laws- public safety codes such as building, fire, or electrical codes - are considered the private property of standards development organizations and may only be read at great cost and under conditions set by them. In this talk, Carl Malamud will discuss his 10-year fight to change that situation in the U.S., Europe, and India, including court fights that are ongoing on all 3 continents.
Carl will then discuss the efforts Public Resource, the nongovernmental organization he heads, has undertaken to make other forms of knowledge more broadly available, including works of government and the ongoing fight to free up scientific knowledge for use by students.
Carl Malamud has spent 30 years making government information more broadly available on the Internet. He helped put U.S. court cases, the patent database, non-profit tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service, and the Securities and Exchange Commission on the net. In 1993, Carl created the first radio station on the Internet. He has been a visiting professor at the MIT Media Lab and is the recipient of the Pioneer Award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Carl’s current work is focused for the most part on India, where he is leading efforts to make several important repositories available. He is the author of 9 books, most recently (co-authored with Sam Pitroda), Code Swaraj: Field Notes from the Standards Satyagraha.
Citizen Beta: Statistics, APIs and Stories
The numbers that govern our lives: The Office of National Statistics, new APIs and the stories we tell
There are some numbers which mean more than others. GDP rising, prices falling, the average cost of a house. Numbers tell us stories about the lives people are leading, whether they have jobs, how much they are earning and how that’s changed year on year.
Access to these numbers governs how we understand and tell those stories, and who we hold accountable for the choices that have lead us there.
The Office for National Statistics has done a spectacular job in recent years of moving us to a position where we can do more.
Come to this Citizen Beta to hear about that journey, and how it’s changing the lives of people everywhere.
Andrew Dudfield, Office for National Statistics
Mevan Babakar, Full Fact
More speakers announced soon
7.40pm – Talks
8.30pm – More drinks and chat
Drawing Room or Terrace
Utopia Cafe: Is Utopia Always Socialist?
In our third meeting, we’ll be discussing Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed and exploring what the strengths and weaknesses of different types of utopian societies might be. Don’t worry if this is your first meeting as we’ll be focusing on the broad themes of the book more than specifics!
Drinks and snacks will be provided. Everyone is welcome.
Cultures of Algorithms
Adam Greenfield / Theatrum Mundi
This event is brought together and led by Adam Greenfield in collaboration with Theatrum Mundi
Contemporary society is traversed at every level by the software-encoded rules generically known as “algorithms.” Algorithms determine whether or not we’ll be offered a job, or a loan, or a place at school. They guide the route and mode of transit we take on our way to and from work. They drive the disposition and posture of police on our streets, and if we should happen to run afoul of those police, strongly shape just what it is we’ll experience as we make our way through the criminal justice system. They shape what we wear, what we watch, what we listen to, what kind of answers we’re offered when we ask questions, possibly even who we woke up next to this morning. Together, their field of operation is little short of total.
And yet, for all their tremendous power to condition our life choices and chances, very few of us understand algorithms — neither where they come from, nor how they do their work in the world, nor even necessarily what they are. The aim of this one-day workshop is to trace the material effects of these seemingly immaterial actors from a variety of different disciplinary perspectives, and to share what it is we know about their origin, purpose, function and impact on our lives.
For the purposes of this conversation, we have chosen to emphasize three different aspects of our encounter with algorithms: their poetics, kinaesthetics and politics.
By “poetics,” we mean a consideration for an emergent algorithmic aesthetic in art, design, literature and craft, and especially the ways in which algorithmic systems begin to suggest the metaphors through which we explain and contextualize everyday experiences. By “kinaesthetics,” we mean the ways in which algorithms and machine-learning systems capture, understand, represent or condition the human body’s movement through urban space. And by “politics,” we mean the ways in which algorithmic systems condition, constrain or determine collective choice, especially with regard to the allocation of power.
During this day-long working group we will discuss these facets of algorithmic experience. We’re especially interested in the perspective of artists that consciously use the expressive dimension of emergent technologies to communicate experience, as we believe their work plays a critical role in helping a broader public understand the capabilities, implications and limits of the technologies that already do so much to condition our lives.
11.15 Session 1 | The Poetics of Algorithmic Culture
Topics to be discussed might include James Bridle’s putative “New Aesthetic”; the legibility (for humans) of spaces and objects designed procedurally/parametrically; the drift into other expressive media of terminology originating in the study of algorithmic systems; and dimensions of the algorithmic sublime and uncanny. Three 10-15-minute presentations and discussion.
12.30 Session 2 | The Kineaesthetics of Algorithmic Culture
Here we’ll treat aspects of the algorithmic capture and regulation of bodily experience: techniques of face recognition, gait recognition, etc.; the abandonment of traditional choreographic notation in characterizing the movement of the human body through space, and possible new approaches to doing same; pattern recognition and the characterization of stereotyped human gestures; and crowd detection, crowd-size and footfall analysis, and their use in the design of urban space. Three 10-15-minute presentations and discussion.
14.30 Session 3 | The Politics of Algorithmic Culture
By “politics,” we mean the ways in which the systems described and discussed condition, constrain or determine collective choice, especially with regard to the allocation of power. Topics might include decision-support systems; credit-scoring systems and their use as tools of discipline; new modes of association or collective. action based on blockchain technologies; and China’s “social credit” system and its implications for networked authoritarianism elsewhere. Three 10-15-minute presentations and discussion.
15.45 Session 4 | General discussion: Algorithms, activism and the arts
16.45 Wrap-up and next steps
Registration: email [email protected] to express interest in attending.
Climate Change: Heading for Extinction and What To Do About It
Roger Hallam
In this public talk, Roger Hallam will explain why we are entering a climate apocalypse and show how denial mechanisms stop us from seeing what is now obvious. Based upon his award winning PhD research on effective campaign mobilisation, he will outline the political response necessary to maximise the chances that we will avoid the extinction we are presently racing towards. It doesn’t involve NGOs and governments.
A year ago, Roger organised a rapid 8-week direct action campaign at Kings College which resulted in a commitment to fully divest from fossil fuels. It involved the painting of the central hall of the university for which he was suspended. He then went on a 14-day hunger strike which led to the College agreeing to all the campaign’s demands.
This talk in being held by the Rising Up Network in towns and cities all around the country in preparation for large scale civil disobedience activities in London this November which will call for emergency action on the climate crisis.
Prototype games to explore complex systems. Today we examine at the game loop in Dead Cells.
But we’re not finished yet. Come and join us for our next event as we continue to build the case for an evidenced-based approach to electoral campaigning.
This coming event we’ll be:
Doubling down on Police cuts in an effort to correlate local crime data, police cuts and local election results.
Inputting Local Election results into Democracy Club’s beta results platform.
But there has never been any contemporary analysis or studies undertaken to assess the impact or value of electoral campaigning methods in the UK.
We’re planning to build a repository of publicly available data and develop a model to better understand the 2018 Local Elections and identify which results bucked the national political and demographic trends. These are areas in which local campaigning may have actually made a difference and where we can start learning and testing.
This is about developing an evidence-based approach to campaigning.
So if you’re interested in chipping in and developing a new data-driven approach to understand what actually goes on in elections and campaigning, bring your laptop and join us for an evening of data gathering where we’ll be asking:
What existing data sources are already structured at a ward level?
How can we transform data that is not at a ward level into data that is?
What data is missing and how can we use Parliamentary Questions and FOIs to access it?
Open Rights Group: Should platforms be liable for copyright violations of content they host?
Article 13 of the EU Copyright Directive makes platforms liable for copyright violations of the content they host. It’s facing yet another major vote on 12 September, with dramatically conflicting narratives coming from rights-holders, industry bodies, artists, musicians, and free speech organisations.
Is Article 13 good for musicians or just music labels? Will it usher in a new era of automated Internet censorship or instead help direct royalties to under-appreciated artists? Where do UK political parties stand and why aren’t MEPs voting on strict partisan lines?
Join us for a lively night as we review the current status of the Directive and consider all sides of this important debate.
Jake Beaumont-Nesbitt, Copyright Committee, International Music Managers Forum
Anna Mazgal, EU Policy Advisor, Wikimedia Foundation
Mike Morel, Campaigns Manager (& musician), Open Rights Group
The Future of Journalism is Automated
Manisha Ganguly
Are the robots coming for our reporting jobs? How can we augment reporting workflows? What would the automated utopia look like for journalism?
This month, we’re looking at the whole gamut of automation historically used in journalism, and the future promised by AI.
Panel discussion, with:
Bill Thompson, Principal Engineer, BBC Research & Development
Bill has been working in, on and around the Internet since 1984, and was Internet Ambassador for PIPEX, the UK’s first commercial ISP, and Head of New Media at Guardian Newspapers where he built the paper’s first website. He helped develop the Labour Party’s internet policy in 1996.
Bill appears regularly on Click on BBC World Service radio and writes for a range of publications.
Mevan Babakar, Head of Automated Factchecking at Full Fact
Mevan leads a tool-building team that scales the work of factcheckers around the world for the UK’s leading factchecking charity. She co-authored the seminal report “The State of Automated Factchecking” in 2016.
« more speakers announced soon»
Chaired by Manisha Ganguly, Director of the Future of Journalism network.
Drinks and discussions to follow.
Places are very limited so please Register.
Lounge / Drawing Room / Terrace
When Your Left Arm Becomes A Chicken
The New Politics of Meaning
Can Economists and Humanists Ever be Friends?
Yuppie Fishtanks: YIMBYism explained without “supply and demand”
The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics
25 AUG 9:30am - 7:00pm
Hack Fear
Karen Palmer & Tam Borine
“Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear”
HACK Fear is an interdisciplinary hackathon bringing together technologists, neuroscientists, psychologists, academics, hardware tinkerers, UX, gamers, activists with parkour and mindfulness practitioners to team up and experiment on designing and building out ideas and solutions to hack our own fear and develop our self awareness through technology.
There will be:
Interactive workshops, both physical and non
Intensive hacking sessions where teams work on the design and implementation of a prototype that makes progress in hacking fear
Input and feedback from subject matter experts
Deeper work uncovering and moving past your own fears and shared ones
We welcome coming both solo and as a team. Cross disciplinary teams will be created with the intent to maximise the potential towards successful fear hacking.
Please note: Bring a laptop. The event will be livestreamed and remote listeners will have opportunities to input comments/requests. Inform the organisers if you do not want to be recorded.
The ideas that come out of Fear Hack could contribute towards R&D for the award winning work of Karen Palmer, who is currently in development for RIOT*, an emotionally responsive film which uses facial recognition and A.I. technology to navigate through a dangerous riot.
*RIOT: You are confronted by a riot cop. Respond with fear and the film goes in one direction respond with anger and it goes in another. RIOT makes the player aware of their subconscious behaviour and enables them to consciously build new neurological pathways in their brain, to override automatic behaviour responses and create new ones.
Open Data Sprint - Investor Relations in the Fashion Industry
Clean Clothes Campaign
Fashion consumers can make better buying decisions if they can find out whether an item is ethically produced or not. Likewise, transparency along the fashion supply chain allows investors to better understand where their money is going. Ultimately, clear investor information can help manufacturing workers in the global garment industry know who they are working for and how to leverage for better working conditions.
Yet, supply chain and investor information are scarce, scattered and hard to access.
On August 23, 2018, Clean Clothes Campaign, in collaboration with OpenCorporates and WikiRate, invite you to an Open Data Sprint to find out what kind of investor data is publicly available and how we can all start connecting the dots in supply chains.
We will bring together researchers, data analysts, and activists to map investor to company relations in the fashion industry. The focus of the sprint will be on some of the largest companies within the apparel industry, such as HANES, ASOS, GAP, and H&M.
After the research and review session, we invite you to stay with us for a get together.
Follow updates about the event on twitter with the hashtag #InvestorDataSprint
13:30 - 13:40 Welcoming remarks and introduction
13:40 - 13:50 Learn how to research (Goals, Methods, Process)
13:50 - 14:00 Group settings
14:00 - 15:50 Researching in groups
15:50 - 16:20 Share findings and wrap-up
16:20 - 17:00 Networking and refreshments
Refreshments will be served. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements.
As this is an interactive event please bring a laptop so you can participate in the research. The event is open to the public but the venue has limited space, so please confirm your attendance by registering.
A new network for people of colour in the UK - open to anyone working in, or interested in, journalism.
Catch up with exciting plans to develop the Race Beat network, meet other journalists of colour, and feed in your own ideas on what the collective should look like and focus on in the future.
We will dedicate around 30 minutes to workshopping a piece of work/pitch/project proposal by one of our members.
Roundtable on post-consensus cooperative decision-making
Doug Webb
For decades people wishing to organize in more cooperative ways have been encouraged to make decisions by consensus, and for good reason: when it works well, it’s awesome. However—when it doesn’t work—it can lead to personal guilt, frustration; organizational paralysis or disintegration.
What should we do when consensus can’t be reached? What if cooperative decision-making is better achieved in such cases with practices other than “reaching consensus”? In this talk I will explore how score voting with tweaks can provide a simple, scalable and systematically cooperative alternative to the often utopian ideal of consensus.
Please note, due to space this event is limited to only 15 people. If you aren’t able to come, please cancel your ticket so someone else is able to attend.
THE DEATH OF THE GODS: The New Global Power Grab | Book Launch
Carl Miller
Launch of the debut book by Carl Miller, Newspeak Fellow & Research Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos: “The Death of Gods – the new global power grab”, a ground-breaking journey to reveal the new centres of power and control in the twenty-first century.
The old gods are dying. Giant corporations collapse overnight. Newspapers are being swallowed. Stock prices plummet with a tweet. Governments are losing control. The old familiarities are tumbling down and a strange new social order is rising in their place. More crime now happens online than offline. Facebook has grown bigger than any state, bots battle elections, technologists have re-invented democracy and information wars are breaking out around us. New mines produce crypto-currencies, coders write policy, and algorithms shape our lives in more ways than we can imagine. What is going on?
For centuries, writers and thinkers have used power as a prism through which to view and understand the world at moments of seismic change. This talk will be about Carl’s journey to find the reality of power today. From a cyber-crime raid in suburbia to the engine rooms of Silicon Valley, and from the digital soldiers of Berkshire to the hackers of Las Vegas, he will explain how power – the most important currency of all – is being transformed, fought over, won and lost. As power escapes from its old bonds, he shows us where it has gone, the shape it now takes and how it touches each of our lives.
The Social Pop Up
Jo, Amanda and Char
Meet and mix with Londoners working in or passionate about social impact and enterprise.
No agenda - This is purely social and with the goal to make connections, learn and collaborate within the industry.
Pop in at anytime between 6-8:30pm for drinks, nibbles and mingling.
BYOB and BYOGrub! Please contribute whatever you would like to share with the group.
Tech for Good Summer Party
Dama Sathianathan
Get ready to mix and mingle with people working or interested in the tech for good space over a drink or two. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from some tech for good funders and field-builders, and find out who is actively involved in this space.
We’ll kick off at 6.30pm with a short round of introductions of tech for good funders and field-builders, dive straight into community announcements and use the rest of the time to socialise with some quality people in this community.
Registration: We charge £3 (+VAT) to help manage the number of people who show up on the night, which goes towards the cost of running the event. We don’t want this to become a barrier to attendance, so get in touch via Meetup messages or directly with [email protected] if this causes a problem for you.
Hollaback! Countering harassment after #metoo
Amy O'Donnell
The #metoo movement spread virally in October 2017 prompting a global dialogue about countering sexual violence and assault. A stream of more localised movements brought more contextual alternatives around the world. Almost a year on, it’s time to reflect. What has been achieved in challenging norms? How do we build on the momentum? What is the role of digital technology in reporting, solidarity and opening dialogue?
Introducing Hollaback! a global, people-powered movement to end harassment. We work together to understand the problem, ignite public conversations, and develop innovative strategies that ensure equal access to public spaces on and offline. Hollaback! are delighted to invite you to an event to unravel strategies and methodologies which are open for civil society to challenge harassment.
Please join us to hear from these incredible speakers in a panel discussion:
Laura Somoggi - Women’s Empowerment Expert at Womanity - Womanity fights for girls’ and women’s empowerment and Laura manages The Womanity Award for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, an international award that supports collaborations to combat gender-based violence.
Manisha Ganguly - Newspeak House Fellow Manisha specialises in investigative journalism and ran a feminist news website and collective in India for five years, including anti-harassment and bystander intervention campaigns
Molly - Hollaback! London Site Leader
Miranda Dobson - Hollaback! Oxford Site Leader Miranda is also Communication Manager at the Orchid Project who have a vision of a world free from female genital cutting
Courtney Young - Board Member, Hollaback and Founder of Think Young Media - a professional storytelling and digital media firm that practices strategic storytelling.
Moderated by Amy O’Donnell - Board Member, Hollaback! and Digital in Programme Lead at Oxfam
DataKind Summer Party
Celebrate summer with DataKind UK, a non-profit helping charitable organisations explore and unlock the possibilities within their data.
Impact Founders Summer BBQ
Impact Founders / Maiko Schaffrath
Impact Founders is a community-run support system for impact-driven entrepreneurs and their companies, which are trying to contribute to solving the world biggest problems.
We love the London summer & are celebrating it with our first Impact Founders Summer BBQ, and we’d love to have you join us!
While attending is free, we ask for a contribution on the day of the event to cover costs of the food.
Find out more about Impact Founders here: www.impactfounders.io
Impact Founders is powered by www.realchangers.com, the recruitment matching platform for impact-driven companies.
Data Democracy workshop
Ben Falk will be leading a session getting volunteers to log as many subject access requests as possible, from as many organisations as possible, as a first step towards building a ‘data democracy.’
You will be given instructions on how to request your data from organisations that include the Home Office, the NHS and Facebook, hopefully highlighting how much of your data is available to you, and prompting you to ask the question ‘what do I do with all this?’
Please bring a laptop or tablet if you wish to take part.
Citizen Beta: New ways to support innovation in public services
We’ve recently seen a flurry of new startup programmes aimed at supporting innovation in public services - from accelerators and incubators to catalysts and challenge prizes.
In this joint CitizenBeta + Tech for Good Meetup we’re bringing together some of these programmes to discuss how they’re supporting startups and public service innovation.
What are the opportunities and challenges for startups in govtech and civic tech?
How do these programmes help startups tackle the challenges of developing and selling tech for public services?
What do they look for when they select startups?
Talks and Speakers
We’ll be joined by speakers from:
GovTech Catalyst
Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge
more to be announced
PS: Don’t miss out! Applications for the GovTech Catalyst and the Mayor of London Civic Innovation Challenge are already open and will close soon.
Apply by July 8th for the Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge. Offering £15,000 plus partnerships for solutions in 7 challenge areas: dementia, housing and data, active travel, physical activity, isolation and loneliness, electric vehicles and financial inclusion.
Apply by July 18th for the 1st GovTech Catalyst. Offering up to £80,000 to develop a new digital solution to help track waste from source through treatment to end destination.
Learn to Play Commonspoly!
Stacco Troncoso
Commonspoly is a hacked version and critique of the game Monopoly, where the goals are to first re-municipalize private goods and then turn them into Commons. Rather than compete against each other, players must overcome ingrained training and ‘rational’, self-interest maximizing behaviours and instead learn how to cooperate to create a commons-oriented locality. It’s also great fun to play and a good challenge.
We’ll be playing with several boards simultaneously, which will make for a lively game. Apart from enjoying a fun and thought-provoking board game, we’ll also be chatting about commoning, radical politics, collaboration and much more in the context of the game.
An action-oriented workshop hosted by Stacco Troncoso, Richard Bartlett and Natalia Lombardo.
The workshop is free but places are limited! Please sign up by emailing contact AT p2pfoundation.net
Utopia Cafe: What is Utopia Anyway?
Join us for our second meeting as we discuss Rutger Bregman’s Utopia for Realists and sketch out what we think Utopia could look like. Don’t worry if you haven’t attended before: we try to just use the book as a starting point for much broader debates!
Drinks and snacks will be provided. Everyone is welcome :)
Masterclass in Decentralised Organising
If you are trying to organise in a decentralised, collaborative, less-hierarchical team, you are probably asking yourself: How do we include people in decisions without spending so much time in meetings? How do we develop an open, collaborative culture? How do we encourage participation, engagement, and shared responsibility? And if nobody is in charge, where does accountability come from?
You are not the only one. For the last decade, we have been immersed in these challenges, as we co-founded and built Loomio and Enspiral, two pioneering decentralised organisations. (Read more about us here.)
Everyone seems to face the same challenges when we try to work without a traditional command-and-control structure. The good news is: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel! Many of us have found solutions, and we are here to guide you along the way.
In this Masterclass we will share with you 14 Patterns for Decentralised Organising. These patterns are like lenses for understanding the challenges of working with less hierarchy, and the practical responses that have proven to solve them.
Through this full day of participatory learning, you’ll not only gain new understandings, connections and fresh perspectives. You’ll leave the workshop with practical actions that you can start applying right away, to grow a purpose-driven team environment that feels nourishing, engaging, hugely productive and resilient.
Read More & Register
Future of Journalism: The Security Debate
Last year, 46 journalists were killed. 262 currently remain incarcerated. In the wake of the Capital Gazette shooting and attacks on journalists by governments and the far right around the world, how are we to safeguard journalists in the field physically and digitally from harm?
For this chapter of Future of Journalism, we’re threat-modelling the future of journalists.
It’ll kick off with lightning talks by:
Rebecca Vincent, the UK Bureau Director for Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières (RSF), which works to promote and defend press freedom around the world. Rebecca is a former US diplomat, with more than 13 years of experience working on human rights and freedom of expression.
Colin Pereira, Risk and Safety strategist for the Committee to Protect Journalists, supporting journalists and orgnaisations in the field through both physical & digital safety. Colin will be discussing far right threats, which start off as a digital threat and can have physical security issues.
Joseph Cox, journalist for VICE’s Motherboard, covering cybersecurity, the digital underground, and the surveillance industry.
Dr Ala’a Shehabi, activist and co-founder Bahrain Watch, a research and investigation collective. Ala’a is former policy analyst at Rand Europe. She has faced arrest while working with journalists in the field.
Talks followed by world cafe style discussion, and drinks.
Ethics in Mathematics
This is a workshop for people already exposed to the general idea of Ethics in Mathematics, have some intuition for the need for it, and who are keen to figure out how progress can be made in this area.
The workshop will be small, 10 - 15 people, and is by invitation only. It is mostly for people who have done or are doing mathematics or something adjacent, whether in industry or not. Maurice Chiodo, behind CUEiMS will be joining us.
The workshop will focus on imagining and defining what good looks like, after which we will come up with instrumental goals to get there. We will be identifying who in the room can help with what: from just offering ideas, to taking actions.
6.30 - 7.00pm - Arrivals, food and drinks
7.00 - 7.30pm - Introductions and expectations circle
7.30 - 8.00pm - Visioning and goal storming
8.00 - 8.30pm - Prioritisation: Evaluating goals by tractability, importance and neglect (prioritisation)
8.30 - 8.40pm - Break
8.40 - 9.00pm - Action item generation and failure mode spotting
9.00 - 9.30pm - Voting, action claiming/owning and collaboration going forwards
9.30 onwards - Informal discussion
If there is someone you know who you think should be here, please contact the organiser with a brief description of them and an invite can be sent.
Drinks and snacks will be provided, donations in cash on the day appreciated. If you have any dietary requirements, please contact the organiser.
NetSquared Meetup: AI and Charities
NetSquared London
Hear examples of charities using AI, machine learning, web forms and chat bots to great effect.
Product For Good Meetup
Tom Corfield
Measuring good: Defining product metrics to maximise social impact
Whether you’re working in a for-profit or not-for-profit, as a socially motivated product person you care about making the world a better place.
This meetup is about the challenge of defining product metrics that allow you to optimise the social impact of your product. We will be discussing questions like:
What in-product metrics do product managers use as a proxy for longer term social impact measures (that might be measured outside the product)?
How do you make sure that social impact measures can stand up to revenue and growth metrics in prioritisation discussions?
What do funders look for to give them confidence that an early stage product is generating positive outcomes?
Matt Kepple, Founder at Makerble
Rachel Kettlewell, Digital Manager at Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
10 Reasons not to measure impact and what to do instead
CAST “Mist” Growth (Measuring Integrated Social Tech)
P.S. thanks to everyone in the community who did the quick feedback poll last week - We’re doing this event because it was your top voted topic! If you’ve not done the poll yet, have your say here: Survey
Wot Wot Where?
We are lucky to be back at our regular venue, Newspeak House (big thanks to them for hosting)
Esther Foreman, Social Change Agency
Mike Harris, 89up
Beth Knight-Yamamoto, Citizens Advice
Helen Gravestock, Clic Sargent
Land Explorer Beta Launch
Shared Assets
We’re celebrating the launch of Land Explorer!
Land Explorer is our interactive online mapping platform that provides access to information on land; such as use, ownership and planning. We’ve been improving and updating our initial prototype and are ready to launch our latest BETA version!
Come and join us: test drive new mapping and drawing tools, enrol in future BETA launches, give us feedback.
We’d love the pleasure of your company, so come and celebrate with land professionals, policy folk, public servants, data geeks, and common good land users.
Our aim is to provide community groups, charities and not for profit businesses who manage land for public benefit, with access to the information they need, so everyone has easy access to information about the land around them.
Even in an age of increasingly open data, finding information about land can be time consuming, complicated and costly.
Developers and corporate landowners who purchase and develop land for private profit have the resources to do this but communities, and those seeking to own and manage land for the common good, often can’t access the same information.
Land Explorer has been created in response to this, utilising recently opened up MasterMap data from Ordnance Survey, and a range of other open data, to empower communities and enable more land to be managed for the common good.
Land Explorer helps to level the playing field for community-led development: housing, workspaces, green spaces, energy generation and rural or farming enterprises.
Land Explorer: spaces to live, work, play, generate & grow.
On June 13th we ran our first Campaign Lab, together we sourced over 90 demographic and austerity impact datasets, and made a start on setting up scrapers and writing parliamentary questions and FOIs to source the more hard to get datasets.
WhatDoTheyKnow.com's 10th Birthday Party
In 2008 mySociety’s Freedom of Information platform WhatDoTheyKnow.com was born.
10 years on, the site is the biggest online archive of Freedom of Information requests in the UK, and has over 6 million visits a year.
With 130,144 users making over 480,000 requests, the site has helped millions of people to get the information they need to understand the workings of public authorities, and to hold them to account.
WhatDoTheyKnowPro, a new powerful toolkit which provides extra functionality for journalists and other people who use FOI in their jobs, has also just been launched.
Now all of that is a reason to celebrate!
mySociety will host an evening of drinks, nibbles and presentations to reflect on the last 10 years, and to look forward to what the future holds for WhatDoTheyKnow.
As spaces are limited, this event is by invitation only and you must present your invitation on arrival. To request an invitation, please email [email protected] and she’ll let you know if spaces are available.
Ration Club 143
Ed Saperia
Communal meals at Newspeak House, open to members and non-members alike. A great chance to meet the fellows and get the latest tech & politics gossip.
BYOB, suggested donation £5.
Ration Club is run by volunteers from the community. If you’d be interested in cooking, contact [email protected]
Turkish Election Watch & Potluck Party
Ekin Can Genç
Turkey goes to the polls for a snap election, both presidential and parliamentary, on 24 June. In a rare move, Turkish opposition have largely united against President Erdoğan who could be at risk of losing parliamentary majority. And if no presidential candidate wins 50%+ of votes on June 24, the election will go to a second round in July.
Head over to Newspeak to watch the Turkish election results come in (English broadcast) as we eat, potluck style. Bring a Turkish dish to share if you can, and of course, BYOB.
Cook the Books Club #4: Platform Companies
Aleksi Knuutila
Cook the Books Club is a facilitated reading group to explore what we can learn about companies using public data sources, drawing inspiration from the latest ideas in social science.
In the fourth session we will discuss platform companies. The data that platform companies collect gives them unique advantages but can also make their operations traceable. What opportunities for intervention does this open, and what does “scraping” reveal about platform capitalism? For inspiration for the discussion, we suggest a number of readings and data sources, focused on creative ways people have studied AirBnb.
Please send an email to [email protected] for more information if you’d like to take part.
Blockchain Reconsidered: A Critical Perspective & Industry Applications
Andreas Kirsch
7:00pm: Doors open and welcome
7:30pm: Talks
8:15pm: Discussion & drinks
Newspeak House invites you to thoughtful talks and discussions on what Blockchain is and is not, and on real impactful applications of the technology that are already deployed today.
We are very happy to have Ben Laurie, Head of Security and Transparency, at DeepMind, and Sarah Meiklejohn, Reader in Cryptography and Security at UCL, with us to talk about:
real world non-financial applications of blockchain technology, and
the trade-offs of blockchain architectures.
Afterwards, there will be group discussions and plenty of opportunity to network.
Some drinks and snacks will be provided by Newspeak House.
If you’d be interested in speaking at or sponsoring this or future meetups, get in touch with @nwspk.
This event is hosted by Andreas Kirsch (@blackhc) at Newspeak House, a community space focusing on the intersection of politics and technology.
About the speakers Sarah Meiklejohn (smeiklej.com)
Sarah Meiklejohn is a Reader in Cryptography and Security at University College London. She has broad research interests in computer security and cryptography, and has worked on topics such as anonymity and criminal abuses in cryptocurrencies, privacy-enhancing technologies, and bringing transparency to shared systems.
Ben Laurie (@BenLaurie)
Ben Laurie is the head of security and transparency at DeepMind in London. He was a founding director of The Apache Software Foundation, a founder of OpenSSL, a member of the Shmoo Group, a director of the Open Rights Group, Director of Security at The Bunker Secure Hosting and spent 10 years in Google’s security team. He is a software engineer, protocol designer and cryptographer.
Ben has worked on Certificate Transparency at Google, and on Verifiable Data Audits at DeepMind Health using blockchain technology.
Roundtable on Political Psychology
A Roundtable on Political Psychology at Newspeak House with Lee de-Wit (University College London).
Registration by invitation only.
18:30 - 19:00 Networking and arrivals
19:00 - 19:15 Dr de-Wit opening with a short talk
19:15 - 20:30 Roundtable facilitated discussion
20:30 - 21:00 Open discussion
Lee’s talk
This discussion will review key findings in the psychology of politics from the last 10 years. This research has discovered a range of individual differences between voters with different political leanings (including different moral values, different personality profiles, and different patterns of neural activity), and more recently individual differences in cognitive flexibility between Leave and Remain voters in the UK’s Brexit referendum.
These differences will be explored in relation to claims that this ‘psychological profiling’ can be used to effectively target different voters (in the context of the Cambridge Analytica scandal). Following that Lee will explore some recent findings from my own research that seeks to test for underlying differences in psychological beliefs and cognitive styles that might help to explain divergent opinions on political polarised topics like immigration and inequality.
Lee is a Teaching Fellow at UCL in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences. He has recently published a book on the psychology of voting with Elliot and Thompson exploring the biases we bring to the political process.
Reading for this discussion:
Young Men Are Playing Video Games Instead of Getting Jobs. That’s OK. (For Now.)
Basic Income, Not Basic Jobs: Against Hijacking Utopia
Institutional Memory and Reverse Smuggling
Understand - Ted Chiang
Everyone welcome – beer, soft drinks and pizza will be provided!
Rufus Pollock "Open Revolution – New Rules for a New Age" Book Launch
Join us for the launch of Rufus Pollock’s new book Open Revolution – New Rules for a New Age
Forget everything you think you know about the digital age. The simple truth is that it’s not about privacy, AI or blockchain—it’s about the rules. And hope lies in the fact that we can change them in a radically better way.
Will the digital revolution give us information democracies or information empires? The answer lies not in technology but in a political choice: a choice between making information Open, freely accessible to all, or, making it Closed, exclusively owned and controlled.
In his provocative book Dr Rufus Pollock, founder and president of Open Knowledge, challenges our preconceptions about how the digital age work and its impact on our world.
Open Revolution shows us the source of the increasing inequality and stunted innovation that comes with building our digital age on outdated rules. It offers a solution for how to reboot those rules on a more equal and innovative basis.
The Hacking Superpower: An American Diplomat Gives An Inside View on North Korea
North Korea has been directly involved in a wide array of global cyber attacks, including an attempt to steal $1bn from the New York Federal Reserve, the WannaCry ransomware attack, and the Sony hack. Trump is now under pressure to confront North Korea about its aggressive hacking strategy alongside nuclear security issues.
On the night before the historic Trump-Kim summit*, Newspeak House hosts a drinks & discussion evening with Evans J.R. Revere, retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2007 as the principal deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Currently Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the The Brookings Institution and a senior advisor at the Albright Stonebridge Group, Revere has also served as the president of the Korea Society and has extensive experience in negotiations with North Korea
The event is hosted by Ekin Can Genç, a Resident Fellow at Newspeak House and an incoming postgrad student at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. Ekin is a policy consultant and has a background in international politics through work in Brussels, London, Istanbul and Washington, D.C.
Agenda (11 June)
19:00 Door open
19:30 Talk by Evans J.R. Revere
20:00 Q&A
20:30 Drinks & Networking
21:00 End
No ticket required.
*The Trump-Kim summit has now been called off – see the letter [but our event will still take place!]: whitehouse letter to kim jong un
The Future of Journalism is... collaborative
Come and discuss the threats and futures of the fourth estate.
We’re looking at collaborative journalism models for our first chapter. It’ll kick off with lightning talks by:
Jules Giraudat, deputy editor of Forbidden Stories, that allows journalists under threat to securely back up their work, so the network can continue the work if something happens to them. Jules is coordinating the Daphne Project, continuing the work of murdered Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on corruption and money laundering, through a global collaborative investigation of 18 news organizations and 45 reporters from 15 countries. (@JulesGiraudat), (@FbdnStories), (@DaphneProject)
Nick Waters, investigative journalist for BellingCat, that uses collaborative techniques with open source information to conduct investigations such as the downing of MH17, Russian airstrikes in Syria, and the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Nick has investigated the bombing of Damascus’ water supply and specialises in tracking the Islamic State’s drone program using open source information. (@N_Waters89), (@Bellingcat)
Jack Barton, journalist for WikiTribune, a publication founded last year by Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia, to pair the crowd-sourced strengths of Wikipedia with the skills of professional journalists. Jack focuses on international law and corruption. (@jackbarton91), (@WikiTribune)
Maeve McClenaghan, investigative journalist for Bureau Local, that works with local reporters to dig into datasets and publish over 220 exclusive investigative stories in partnership with over 50 local national and international media outlets. Maeve is part of the Bureau Local team, and founder of the award-winning podcast The Tip Off which aims to demystify the inner-workings of investigative journalism. (@MaeveMCC), (@BureauLocal)
#NovaraFM - LIVE
In a live podcast Novara tackles some of the big concepts in left-wing politics – from imperialism to revolution, from political ecology to political economy, from electoralism to insurrection.
After the recording, unwind with a few drinks, lively conversation and, doubtless, a disagreement or two.
Citizens in the Digital Age
The Fourth Group
Technology is completely changing the way we live, work, and play.
What does it mean to be a citizen in the digital age? What common things do we care about and want to tackle as a group? Those are the questions we’re asking people all over the world through our global inquiry into citizens in the digital age.
We kick things off in London where The Fourth Group will host a public conversation. It’s really simple: Join us, engage in debate, meet new people, be part of a movement.
This year The Fourth Group (in partnership with UCL and the Global Social Entrepreneurship Network) is running an inquiry to learn what people want, problems they want to sort out and what actions they want to take in regards to the fourth industrial revolution. To this, we are hosting conversations in every region of the world, and giving everyone the opportunity to engage through our online survey. After listening, we will develop an agenda of issues and solutions which will be launched at Politics Summit 2018 in London. This agenda will form the basis of The Fourth Group’s actions in 2019 and beyond.
WorkerTech Meetup 2: Technology for a fairer future of work
Join us at our 2nd WorkerTech meetup - an event for anyone interested in the future of work, and using technology to improve the prospects and power of workers.
“The opportunity for tech-led, pro-worker innovation are many, but there are just too few people pursuing this agenda. That’s what we want to change.” - Gavin Kelly, CEO Resolution Trust
We want to bring together a community of people who can help spread, use, develop, fund and support new WorkerTech solutions. For example, these could be tools that help workers organise and increase bargaining power, boost skills and pay and curb insecurity.
Join us for drinks, talks and networking from 6.30pm at Newspeak House.
If you’d like to speak about an initiative or demo a product on the night then get in touch: [email protected]
Critical Incubator
Anouk & Zarinah
Co-working on radical post-capitalist projects.
We look for a wide range of initiatives: from thought-provoking artworks, to alternative financial models and from cooperatively run factories, to tools for collective decision-making. We welcome projects that aim to instigate change and last until they achieve their goal, as well as those designed to survive the long haul. Our program is especially suitable for projects that hope to grow out of the idea phase.
Deliveroo #DeliverJustice fundraiser
Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain
Come on down to the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain’s #DeliverJustice party - raising money for our campaign to end Deliveroo exploitation.
Imagine putting your health at risk to deliver something as banal as a pizza. As absurd as it sounds, this is the reality faced by many Deliveroo couriers, who force themselves to make deliveries in snow, sleet and rain, just to earn enough to get by. By taking advantage of legal loopholes the company is able to deny these workers basic rights such as the right to a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay and trade union rights.
Abandoned by their employer and abandoned by the government, a courageous group of Deliveroo couriers decided to come together and fight back. First unionising with the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and then launching a ground-breaking legal challenge against this food delviery behemoth, these young couriers proved that nobody is too small to take on the powerful.
But now, they need your help. While their legal challenge established the overwhelming desire of the couriers to collectively bargain for their rights, Deliveroo was able to win by inserting an eleventh-hour legal loophole into its contracts. Now, these couriers, backed by the IWGB and armed with a crack legal team including legendary trade union barrister John Hendy QC, are taking Deliveroo on in the High Court.
On 12 June our lawyers will be going to the High Court to overturn a decision preventing the couriers from appealing the case. This case could have massive consequences not only for Deliveroo couriers, but for all workers in the so-called “gig economy”. Winning will create a major precedent that could stop future companies from exploiting workers the same way Deliveroo does, but defeat, could push back a number of earlier victories and put us back years in terms of employment rights.
The potential cost liability is in the tens of thousands and the IWGB, a grassroots union for low-paid and precarious workers, has already been saddled with a £10,000 legal bill by Deliveroo’s lawyers.
Despite the company’s attempts to scare us out of taking action by landing us with legal costs, we are determined to fight back. That’s why we are asking for £50,000 to cover these and any future costs. Any money that isn’t spent will go into the IWGB’s fighting fund, to take on other exploitative companies. With your help we will make sure the courts #deliverjustice.
There’s no reason why we have to allow this multi-billion pound company to bring Victorian work practices into the 21st century. We need your help to push back against the financial might of this company that can spend millions fighting our legal challenge, so please share and donate.
Digital Labour Meetup
Mark Graham & Jamie Woodcock
If you are interested in scholarship or activism on the topic of digital labour and the future of work, then consider joining our regular meet-up series that will be held in London.
We aim to meet from 7pm have a few drinks and talk about topics related to digital labour, the platform economy, digital gig work, and online freelancing.
Mark Graham (@geoplace), Professor of Internet Geography at @oiioxford, researching digital labour, gig economy, economic geography, critical data studies, development, and digital divides.
Jamie Woodcock (@jamie_woodcock), Fellow at LSE researching digital labour, sociology of work, resistance, videogames, and streaming. Publications: https://t.co/udwCHIzjhh + https://t.co/F66wMq9SSy
31 MAY 8:30am - 10:30am
Digital design principles to improve charity services
Digital and design principles are a well established concept across the tech and startup worlds, and there are already some great sets being used by some of the most digitally mature charities. The Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST) has conducted research over the last four months into how charities use principles to design and deliver better digital services.
Together with dozens of nonprofits and grant-makers, they’ve developed a new set of principles specifically designed to align with the needs, language and practice of the UK social sector. These provide clarity on what ‘good’ looks like when developing digital services, to help nonprofits and funders ‘build the right thing in the right way’, whatever stage they’re at.
You can read more about the process, rationale and learnings in this blog: Digital Design Principles for and by The UK Charity Sector
This event will see the launch of the first version of the principles. Over breakfast, we’ll hear from charities about how they’ve used these principles and the impact they’ve had within their organisations, as well as from funders on why the principles are important to them. We’ll also discuss the future of these principles and how we can engage the sector in their evolution.
For more info and to register, visit the Eventbrite Page
Please note - these digital design principles are designed specifically for nonprofits and their funders, so while they will also be relevant to other types of organisation, this event is primarily intended for those two groups and individuals/organisations that support them.
If you’re unable to attend in person, we’ll be livestreaming it on the Tech for Good Facebook page - simply tune in here at the start of the event: https://www.facebook.com/techforgood/
30 MAY 12:30pm - 5:00pm
What land and housing data do you need?
Rose Reese Jones
The digital land data team are a new team at the ministry for housing communities and local government. We’ve been set up to help make it easier for people to access the data they need about land and housing. We’re holding an open meeting at Newspeak House so that anyone can drop in and ask us questions about data, tell us the data they need and the problems they have.
show what we’ve done so far
discuss what data people need
support people to navigate the existing datasets
One way we think the digital land data team can help is to make it easy for different people to find the information they need when they make the decision to move house, build houses or plan local policies. We know that information about land and housing is hard to find, hard to use and hard to reuse. We’d like to make this better.
We’ve found roughly 300 existing datasets, published by around 400 different public sector organisations and done some work to tidy them up. Now we’re leaving the office and asking you to help us work out:
what data is most needed
what data is missing
what are the problems with the data
Github: https://github.com/communitiesuk/digital-land-data
Citizen Beta: A Short Long History of Civic Tech
When you hear words like civic tech and open data, we tend to think about shiny websites and csv downloads. But there is nothing necessarily modern or digital about civic tech.
Citizen Beta, History & Policy and mySociety have worked together to bring you historians with perspectives from different points over the last few millenia where technology has changed the relationship between the citizen and the state.
Short introduction on forgotten histories of civic tech – Alex Parsons (mySociety) & Alix Mortimer (History & Policy)
Pebbles, potsherds and the polis: legal and political decision-making ‘technology’ in classical Athens’ – Dr Christine Plastow (OU)
Power to the People? How printing changed politics in early modern Europe. – Dr Sara Barker (University of Leeds)
The 264-year plan to improve a nation, in every way imaginable: lessons from the history of the Royal Society of Arts. – Dr Anton Howes (King’s College London)
AI & Politics - Episode VIII
Talks: 7:30pm
Drinks & discussions: 8:15-10:00pm
OpenAI’s Jack Clark (@jackclarkSF) is visiting from San Francisco and will give a talk on “Policy puzzles: Openness, Measurement, and Malicious Actors”.
Jack will talk about how the open, rapid development norms of the AI community mean that the technology poses unique opportunities and threats to policymakers.
Some of the opportunities include figuring out ways for governments and other organizations to measure and forecast progress of AI-related technologies to better prepare society for its changes, and learning how to use the open development nature of the AI ecosystem to maximize the number of people that can participate in its development.
Some of the threats include the rapid proliferation of powerful AI capabilities via the open ecosystem leading to the arrival of new threats and the enhancement of existing ones, as discussed in the recent multi-stakeholder Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence report (PDF).
He will also discuss ways that the AI community in London can become more involved in these and other policy debates and would love to do a Q&A and discuss ways to develop grassroots policy movements in London for AI issues of interest to the attendees.
About Jack Clark
Jack is the strategy and communications director for OpenAI, a non-profit artificial intelligence research company whose goal is to ensure that powerful artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity - both through direct technical work and through analysis of its impacts.
Jack recently testified in congress on the subject of Artificial Intelligence and Public Policy. You can watch the testimony and read the comments here.
He writes a weekly newsletter about cutting-edge AI research and applications called Import AI, which is read by more than ten thousand experts around the world. He has given numerous talks about artificial intelligence and its impact on policy, ethics, and security.
He also helps run the AI Index, an initiative from the Stanford One Hundred Year Study on AI to track and analyze AI progress.
Transition Town London Hub Meet-Up
Rich Couldrey (Transition Town Tooting) and Joe Duggan (Crystal Palace Transition Town)
Transition Towns are about people in communities coming together to reimagine and rebuild our world. There are 30+ Transition Towns inside the M25 and 250+ across the UK, not to mention the thousands around the world.
Over the last 2 years, the London Hub has been connecting Transition Towns to share, support and celebrate actions on environmental, social and economic sustainability by local folks for their communities. We also look across and out to build a larger narrative and connect with other organisations as well as develop the infrastructure and communications to make the hub super useful to Transitioners and others.
You’re welcome to come along to the meeting in which we will:
share what’s going on in our respective groups in an opening go-round
respond to the needs and interest of those attending, leaving space for that which emerges
work on a project to connect with other Hubs around the world, share learning and best practice
open a discussion about a London wide event to build a movement for sustainability suggested for Autumn ‘18/Winter ‘19
share an invitation to connect with a Community of Practice about work with refugees and asylum seekers from Transition Town Tooting
Using GDPR to build a data democracy
Benjamin Falk
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a monumental piece of legislation, the ramifications of which we are only beginning to understand.
Join us to learn about your new and strengthened rights as a consumer over the data that organisations store about you including:
Your Right of Subject Access - get a digital copy of all your data from any organisation in the EU, including retailers, websites, hardware and device makers, government agencies, educational institutions, and many more!
Your Right to Withdraw Consent to Processing - tell organisatins you no longer consent to them analysing or selling your personal data
Your Right to Erasure - also known as the “right to be forgotten” exercise your right to delete sensitive personal information from 3rd party servers
Your Right to be Informed - ask for an explicit elucidation for what your data is being used and to whom it is being sold
Your Right to Rectification - correct any inaccurate or misleading data no matter where it sits
Following the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal, these rights are more important than ever because in a world where AI is ubiquitous, data is power. Understand your data rights, protect your privacy, and take back full legal control of all your personal data.
Wikipedia Editathon To Mark the Anniversary of Turkey's Wikipedia Block
We are organising a Wikipedia training workshop in London to mark the 1 year anniversary of the block of Wikipedia in Turkey. We are disappointed that no progress has been made to find a solution to resolve the issue, and would like to improve Wikipedia’s coverage of Turkish culture and history to show that the Wikimedia community is trying to improve both the Turkish Wikipedia as well as the coverage of Turkish culture in English.
All welcome – English and Turkish speakers, including those with no prior experience editing Wikipedia!
Bring a laptop, if you can.
Game Maker Meetup #9
Cook the Books Club #3: Corporate Governance 101
In this session, we’ll discuss the ideas and practice behind corporate governance. We’ll follow that up with a discussion of a critical theoretical perspective, asking whether the corporate form allows for moral action on the part of the corporation or the people within it, and considering what changes are necessary to allow this.
Please send an email to [email protected] if you are interested in participating.
Inadequacy and Modesty (https://equilibriabook.com/inadequacy-and-modesty/)
For Signaling Part I (https://meteuphoric.wordpress.com/2017/09/27/for-signaling-part-i/)
What’s College Good For (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/01/whats-college-good-for/546590/?utm_source=atltw)
College Isn’t a Waste of Time (https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-12-11/college-isn-t-a-waste-of-time)
Archipelago and Atomic Communitarianism (http://slatestarcodex.com/2014/06/07/archipelago-and-atomic-communitarianism/)
Decentralised AI Brunch
Nare Vardanyan
Ntropy and DCC Global invite you for Decentralised A.I. Brunch on Saturday, 5th May at 10am. On the menu - round table open discussion where we will be joined by our special guest Ben Livshits, Chief Scientist at Brave Software.
Software is eating the world and internet has become the most important connecting tissue between crowds, organisations and platforms. Lacking a web native model of value exchange, the internet resulted in copying business models of conglomerates of the past creating extremely centralised and powerful entities capable of establishing complete control over choice, opinion and access.
Artificial Intelligence is giving superpowers to the software that is already consuming the world, thus this control tightens. Responsibility frameworks are poorly established and not web native either.
10:00 Meet & Greet with tea/coffee
10:30 Inspiration video & discussion “Showcase how centralised computer and algorithms are inefficient and biased”, recommended by Guillaume Chaslot
10:45 Introduction to Ntropy and DCC Global
11:05 Special Guest’s Talk about “Machine learning on the edge”. We are accustomed to the big data approach to machine learning, where user data is aggregated, leading to privacy challenges. I’ll talk about the challenges of machine learning on the edge, i.e. client devices, and the trade-offs between the accuracy and privacy.
11:30 Closing, more tea & coffee networking
Ben Livshits - Chief Scientist for Brave Software, reader at Imperial College London and an affiliate professor at the University of Washington
Guillaume Chaslot - Founder at Algotransparency (virtual intro)
Nare Vardanyan - Co-founder at Ntropy Network
Alina Bezuglova - Leader at Decentralised Computer Consortium
About special guest:
Ben Livshits is Chief Scientist for Brave Software (https://brave.com/), the company behind the Brave browser, a fast, open source, privacy-focused browser that blocks intrusive ads and trackers. He is also a Reader at Imperial College London and an affiliate professor at the University of Washington. Previously, he was a research scientist at Microsoft Research. He received a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1999, and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University in 2006. Ben’s research interests include application of sophisticated static and dynamic analysis techniques to finding errors in programs. Ben has published papers at PLDI, POPL, Oakland Security, Usenix Security, CCS, SOSP, ICSE, FSE, and many other venues. He is the author of over 100 academic papers, dozens of patents, and multiple tech transfer awards for bringing research into practice.
About organisers:
DCC Global - research & innovation playground for decentralised computing community
Ntropy - a family of client-side data, algorithms and applications
Open Workshop for “Regulating The Internet”
House of Lords committee for Regulating The Internet is seeking submissions before 11th May.
Cybersalon will hold Open Workshop to formulate a combined submission.
The Lords have posted a set of specific questions/format and during the workshop we will address each of them in depth. Space limited so please book early.
Workshop Leaders: Helen Keegan (Mobile Marketing), Eva Pascoe and Ben Greenaway (Cybersalon)
Join us for an evening of discussion on Ethics in Mathematics, a relatively neglected field with high potential to make tractable improvements to society. This bold statement rests on the premise that mathematicians are extremely valued by society and often end up in powerful places.
Our speaker is Maurice Chiodo, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at the University of Cambridge, bye-fellow in mathematics at King’s College Cambridge, co-ordinator at the Cambridge University Ethics in Mathematics Society and lead investigator of the Cambridge University Ethics in Mathematics Project.
18:30 - 19:00 Maurice Chiodo introducing the field and current challenges
19:00 - 19:30 Q&A
19:30 - 21:00 Themed focus groups that revolve
21:00 - 22:00 Unfacilitated conversation
Drinks and snacks will be provided.
Citizen Beta: What government isn't building
It’s great that Government Digital Service has done so much for services and products that affect citizens lives, but…
What is government not building?
What are the services that are outsourced to third parties?
What does that mean for accountability?
In this session we’ll hear from some cancelled projects and third party services that are core to democracy in the UK.
Further reading: https://github.com/paulmaltby3/digitalpolicyreadinglist/blob/master/Digitalpolicyreadinglist.md
Prototype games to explore complex systems.
AI & Politics: Political Data Roundtable
Newspeak House invites you to a roundtable focused on political data and modelling, hosted by:
Dr John Bryden, Research Fellow at Royal Holloway. John’s research focuses on modelling the behaviour of political groups and developing methods to study political activity on social media, especially on Twitter.
John Sandall, Fellow at Newspeak House. John is an independent data science consultant. In April 2017, he created SixFifty in order to predict the UK General Election using open data and advanced modelling techniques.
The event will be very informal, and we particularly welcome activists and practitioners with no academic background. The event will be held in the Newspeak House Drawing Room. Space is very limited, so please register as soon as possible. We reserve the right to refund tickets depending on capacity changes up to three days before the event.
Snacks and drinks will be provided.
Like. Subscribe. Submit.
With the growing interest in so-called ‘dark’ political advertising, fake news, and unfettered online abuse, Governments around the world have been attempting to regulate and clamp down on social media platforms. Is it all in vain? Can it be done? Should it? What can practically be enforced?
Join us to listen, learn, and question on the 3rd of April.
Speakers to be announced.
Tapping the savvy of public juries – a glint of democracy’s rebirth?
Patrick Chalmers
Screening of short documentary “When Citizens Assemble”, panel discussion and Q+A
Panel - additional members to be announced:
Patrick Chalmers – director and producer of When Citizens Assemble, pilot episode for the All Hands On documentary series on democracy. Journalist and author of Fraudcast News.
Ireland’s efforts to break a decades-old political deadlock over its de facto abortion ban inspired a bold political response. Its politicians agreed to create a Citizens’ Assembly to tackle the issue.
A random pick of Irish people deliberated on the highly contentious question. One hundred people took part, balanced for age, gender, social class and region. They heard from experts, campaigners and women directly affected by the ban. Their conclusion, reached in April 2017, recommended radical liberalisation.
The assembly’s work helped bring on a national referendum on abortion in 2018, when Irish voters will have a chance to change abortion laws.
Ireland’s approach was similar to the one it used on same-sex marriage, which voters approved in 2015. Both mark breakthrough moments for all those wondering how politics could be done differently. Rather than leaving decisions to elected politicians, The Irish showed how public wisdom can help cut through controversy.
At a time of deep dysfunction in our electorally driven politics - what issue wouldn’t lend itself to a citizens’ assembly approach? Where might things be on Brexit, on Scottish independence, poverty and other social justice questions given access to public panels addressing such questions?
When Citizens Assemble is the first in the global, nine-film series All Hands On. The series focus will be the state of world democracy and real-life efforts to radically improve it using the ages-old device of public juries. Follow the films, or get involved directly to help fund and publicise it, by signing up for project updates via this link.
When Citizens Assemble was made possible thanks to help from founding partners the newDemocracy Foundation and Common Weal, who gave support in cash and kind.
{Police.Rewired} Software Self-Defence 101
Glyn Wintle, experienced penetration tester and security industry professional intersperses infosec horror stories with insights, tools and tips for keeping your users and their data safe.
This talk is scheduled to last 1 hour, with time for questions and an opportunity to meet others from the Police Rewired community afterwards.
Refreshments will be provided.
Economy Rewired
Are you a software developer interested in the media or economics? Or a journalist interested in technology’s capacity to inform and empower?
Join us for this informal brainstorming evening hosted by Economy, a non-profit organisation that aims to make economics more accessible and relevant to the public. Economy wants to experiment with innovative technologies that can change people’s consumption of news and make economics less confusing. They also believe that bringing people together from different fields is the best way to spark creativity. You don’t need a deep knowledge of economics, just an interest in helping the public make better life choices.
Swap ideas. Meet interesting people. Share a beer.
6:30pm: Registration and networking
6:45pm: Introduction from Economy
6:50pm: Group Brainstorm 1: How could we use technology to facilitate immediate interactivity and action around economic topics?
7:10pm: Group Brainstorm 2: What type of products could we design to embed a little bit of economic learning and literacy into people’s daily routine?
7:30pm: Debrief and networking, followed by the pub
Economy is a public education charity promoting accessible, engaging and pluralist economics. We produce accessible, relatable, engaging content on the subject for our digital platform, www.ecnmy.org, and run economics crash courses in marginalised communities across the UK. We also campaign for economics to be statutory in schools, and work with economic institutions to create spaces for people to engage with their policies and ideas in an accessible way.
Wikipedia Editing Training – Focus: Trans and Cis Women
Cicilia Östholm / unbias.cc
Evening and workshop with Stuart Prior (Wikimedia UK) and Denise Norris (Accenture Operations).
Targeting marginalisation in academia, RCA Students of Unbias is teaming up to run a workshop on equality with Wikimedia and Denise Norris focusing on Women (Cis & Trans) / LGBTQIA+ experiences in IT and in information access online.
Unbias.cc is a creative commons project that continues to seek collaborative and like-minded supporters keen for systemic change and an egalitarian, inclusive culture to challenge western and androcentric hegemonies. As gender and race bias is a well-known problem within higher education, our ambition is to join forces with academics, activists, and web developers to improve ease of access to web-based information featuring women, people of colour, non-western origin and LGBTQIA+.
Our work is revolving around finding a multitude of functions to increase equality in representation and access to marginalised perspectives. A first proof-of-concept response to the issue at hand pioneered the Unbias plugin supported by Wikimedia.
4:00 - 4:10 Short introduction and welcome by Unbias, hosting the event, and a safe space policy brief.
4:10 - 5:00 Speakers Stuart Prior and Denise Norris presentations and a joint Q&A.
5:00 - 7:30 Workshops in groups according to skills and interest, with different focuses.
Elena Falomo leading a speculative session on ‘rethinking equality in information access - what else must be done/how can it be addressed differently?’
Stuart Prior leading a workshop ‘Editing Wikipedia: A guide to improving content on the online encyclopedia’ by using the Unbias format, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/Unbias_Format
7:30 - 8:00 All reconvene and present their process and outcomes.
8:00 - 8.30 Thanks to all - stay for a chat!
Open Charities Meetup
Dan Kwiatkowski
How can charities consume and publish open data?
A meetup featuring presentations and discussion from Mor Rubinstein (360Giving), Nick Jewell (DataKind) and Simon Johnson (British Red Cross).
The case for a new union of citizens to hold tech companies to account
Throughout history, citizens have come together to respond to major societal problems and work towards common goals.
Today, technology is rapidly changing the way we live, work, and play, and new pressing problems are arising. Social media echo chambers, fake news, net neutrality, misuse of personal data, ethics of artificial intelligence. These are but to name a few.
Most recently, the Facebook Cambridge Analytica exposé has shown millions of people are being impacted worldwide.
The Fourth Group ran a petition calling to hold Facebook to account. It garnered the support of over 175,000 people in a matter of days and helped put pressure on Mark Zuckerberg to commit to appear in front of US Congress and investigate other cases of misuse of data by third party providers.
Now, to build on this momentum, The Fourth Group is exploring the potential of creating a new union of citizens to hold technology to account.
This union of citizens would be an organised group of people, non-partisan and independently funded, whose aims would be to ensure advancements in technology serve the interests of all citizens, leaving nobody behind.
This union of citizens would aim to:
Understand what citizens around the world believe are the major issues we need to collectively respond to in the digital age;
Develop citizens’ knowledge and skills to empower them to take impactful action for real world change;
Work with governments, businesses, and civil society to bring about the change we want to see in the world, and;
Build a world where technology leads to progress for us all, leaving nobody behind.
This month, we are hosting a meeting to explore this idea further and to see if there is a desire to make this happen.
We are charging a small nominal ticket fee of £5 for general admission, with free entry to founding patrons. To become a patron, go to www.patreon.com/UnitedCitizens. All proceeds will go to the early development of this project. Registration
Watch Mark Zuckerberg testify before US Congress live
Mark Zuckerberg will appear before the US Senate to answer questions about the misuse of Facebook users’ personal data. This is in response to pressure from the public, media, politicians, and organised civil society.
The Fourth Group will co-host a live viewing of his testimony with Newspeak House in London. To attend, please register here and we will send updates accordingly.
In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, The Fourth Group started a petition signed by over 175,000 people calling for Mark Zuckerberg to testify in front of US authorities and to investigate other misuses of data by third party providers. Mark has agreed to both of these actions. We also called for him to appear in UK Parliament which he has refused to do.
Details of the petition can be found here: www.change.org/TalkToUsMark
An afternoon + evening of election-related coworking, hosted by Democracy Club, Tech For Good and Citizen Beta at Newspeak House. Open to all, from experienced political technologists to those who are just interested. Bring a computer.
1/ Councils announce candidates today, but not as structured data - we all need this data so let’s aggregate it together! We’ll be here to help if you don’t know how to get started.
2/ Let’s share assets and expertise: 2018 Local Elections Tech Handbook
Kicking off with lunch at 1pm through dinner at 7pm and carrying on until everyone goes home!
"Yes In My Back Yard" Housing Campaign Meetup
Hear the story so far on our mission to end the housing crisis, meet other YIMBY activists, get involved with our plans for the council elections, and more!
londonyimby.org
Jam For Change
DevSpace, Women's Aid, Women in Games & BAME in Games
What: Jam for Change is a big arts Jam Session. We want people to come along and make art, music, video games and any content you can think of. At the end of the following week we will bundle it all together and sell it to raise funds for women’s aid.
The aim: raising money for Women’s Aid, to stop violence against women! You can join in person at Newspeak House, or take part online from the comfort of your own home.
Ability required: Absolutely none! we will be providing lots of support and materials, feel free to bring along children. They will find it easy to get involved and make content during the Jam.
The theme: party games!
Date: 10am - 6pm, Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th April 2018
Come make stuff together in a friendly space full of first-time jammers, experienced devs, and people who’ve never done any game development whatsoever.
We will offer support for everyone and even some of our own tools and entire games you can use to simply mod and theme yourself. Even if you have no experience whatsoever you WILL be able to make a game or two.
We will spend 8 hours each day together having fun and making things! It should be inspired by the theme, but can be as weird and wonderful as you like: a digital version of Pass the Parcel, or a twister inspired boardgame! Don’t worry if it all goes wrong! At the end of it, we shall have something fun.
At the end of the next week the creations will all be bundled together and sold to raise funds for women’s aid.
AI & Politics - Episode VII
Lightning talks:
Victoria Krakovna: Victoria is a research scientist at DeepMind, where she works on AI safety. Her PhD in statistics and machine learning at Harvard focused on building interpretable models. Before joining DeepMind, she co-founded the Future of Life Institute, a non-profit organization working to mitigate technological risks to humanity and increase the chances of a positive future.
Robert Miles: Robert is a computer scientist and online educator with an interest in AI, particularly the risks and safety issues around advanced AI systems. For the last year or so he’s run a YouTube channel, making videos explaining our best understanding of the nature of the risks posed by emerging AI technologies, and the technical research currently underway to understand and mitigate those risks.
Lightning talks: 7:30pm
Drinks & moderated discussions: 8:00-10:00pm
Limited places, register now (£5)
Ideas for Better Healthcare
Events for Action
A design thinking inspired open conversation around innovating health in the UK
What innovation programs and efforts are currently happening?
How can entrepreneurs and innovators respond?
What data, tech developments, and patient tools need development and better utilisation?
How could blockchain be used in the health sector?
What responsibility do pharmaceutical companies help innovate healthcare?
The event opens with a panel of experts discussing current innovation initiatives, the NHS outcomes framework, and their experiences ath the forefront of the NHS.
We will then open it out to a fishbowl format to continue developing ideas and discussion points, using design thinking as a guiding framework for exploring possibilities.
“Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.” — Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO
Drinks & nibbles will be available.
Doors open at 6.30pm, debate begins promptly at 6.45pm
How do social media, algorithms and automation change the way we do organising?
Paolo Gerbaudo, Rodrigo Nunes and Nick Srnicek discuss the consequences of digital technology for political organising.
Digital Principles Workshop
Tori Ellaway / Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST)
CAST will be running a workshop on the 28th of March with charities and funders, to explore how a set of digital principles might help the sector to create and fund better digital services.
There will be tea, coffee, lots of biscuits and plenty of time to network with other attendees.
Just sign up here and we’ll send you a calendar invite and the full agenda nearer the time.
More background here
Any questions, email [email protected]
Smart City meets Networked City
City Hall have launched a “listening exercise” to help the Chief Digital Officer Theo Blackwell and his Board fulfil the Mayor’s aim of making London the world’s leading Smart City.
We believe that a Smart City should also be a Networked City, where community-led mapping, technology and network-building combine to address social isolation and ensure an inclusive, fair society in a rapidly-changing world.
On March 27 2018 we are holding two events:
In the afternoon we are running a workshop for anyone involved in mapping assets and networks in London communities, or interested in learning how to do that.
We’ll share the results of our exercise in mapping the London mappers, to show who is doing what. We’ll do some hands-on work with Nicolas Fonty and Barbara Brayshay of Justmap, and also Drew Mackie of Connecting Londoners, who is using network mapping software Kumu and Sumapp. And we’ll discuss how we may form a Community of Practice to continue learning together.
14:00 - 17:30 workshop and mapping exercises
In the evening we’ll share insights from our workshop, hear different perspectives from our panel, and open up for discussion.
18:30 - 21:00 panel dicussion (speakers from Smart City, Connecting Londoners and #waywayahead) and group work
Technology and the radical transformation of politics
“A better politics awaits us, beckoning us forward. It’s up to us – all of us – whether we recognise that call and take the required actions. Key to these actions will be to harness technology more wisely and more profoundly than before.”
These are the opening words of the new book by chair of London Futurists, David Wood: “Transcending Politics - A Technoprogressive Roadmap to a Comprehensively Better Future”.
In this event at London’s Newspeak House, David Wood will be sharing some of the key analysis from his book, and inviting the audience to advance the creation of the better politics which technology can enable. Topics that will be covered include:
A integrative vision of sustainable abundance for everyone - and the technologies needed to achieve that outcome
Why technological change is presently making politics worse rather than better
Ten legitimate causes of the fear and unrest that are destabilising society - and suggested technoprogressive responses to these issues
The key role of the philosophy of transhumanism in accelerating the transformations needed for humanity to navigate through the existential landmines lurking in the near-future
The fundamental importance of “super democracy” alongside the three traditional “supers” of transhumanist thought: super longevity, super intelligence, and super wellbeing
The technological changes that can enable better humans and better politics to co-evolve over the next 10-20 years
The opportunity to transcend the present-day divisiveness of right-wing vs. left-wing politics
A roadmap of practical next steps.
People who attend this event will have the opportunity to purchase a physical copy of “Transcending Politics” for £10 (cash) - reduced from the standard cost on Amazon of £12.
People who would like to start reading the book ahead of the event can obtain it here: paperback or Kindle ebook.
More about the book: https://transpolitica.org/projects/transcending-politics/.
More about the author: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dw2cco/
Lost Voices Report Launch
The Social Change Agency
The Social Change Agency warmly invite you to the launch of our report: Lost Voices: Digital campaigning and its impact on the lived experience, funded by JRCT. Over the past year, we have been researching the role of digital campaigning in increasing democratic engagement - particularly by those who are most affected by the issues at hand.
We have collated our insights after over 70 interviews with charities, tech providers, MPs and those working with marginalised communities, to compile this report. The report will include key findings and recommendations, along with a tool to help organisations better interrogate their digital campaigning practices.
This event is free and open to all. We rarely get the chance to think critically about our digital campaigning practices. This event is intended to provoke, challenge and provide fertile ground for innovation. We can’t wait to see you there!
Cook the Books Club #2: Corporate Networks
Our second session is about corporate networks. We are reading a highly cited yet controversial paper that describes the structure of transnational networks of corporate control. For the adventurous, we also suggest trying out the possibilities of network analysis using a dataset from the Paradise Papers.
We’re seeking to link two ideas: the potential of “big data,” which is most commonly used to describe people, to tell us more about companies and their role in the world; and the power of social science to give us new angles to explore from.
In our sessions, we’ll explore existing datasets about companies including government-administered registers, scraped platforms and social networks as well as Panama Papers-style megaleaks. A corresponding reading will inform both how we use the data as well as the questions we are asking – “cooking the books” by looking for new meaning in raw data about companies.
Research for Action
Ludovica Rogers / Research for Action
Join us to celebrate one year of Research for Action.
How can research support grassroots movements? Can research be a tool for action? How can we avoid replicating oppressive structures such as class in our research work?
The co-operative Research for Action was set up a year ago to support campaigning for social, environmental and economic justice. This far, we have been focusing mainly on local authority finance and democracy. For this event, we want to bring together researchers, journalists and activists to discuss the relationship between research and action - and to celebrate our first anniversary!
The event will start with a panel discussion (speakers TBC soon), followed by interventions from the audience. After the discussion, there will be music and refreshments. Please join us!
Newspeak House is wheelchair accessible. If you have other access needs, please get in touch at [email protected]
Entry is free, but please register so we know how many people to expect: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/research-for-action-tickets-43164664674
WorkerTech Meetup: The Future of Fair Work
This event is for anyone interested in new approaches to improve the prospects and power of workers.
We want to bring together a community of people who can help develop, fund, support and use new WorkerTech solutions. For example, these could be tools that help workers organise and increase bargaining power, boost skills and pay, and curb insecurity.
Machine Learning for the Layman
“Machine learning” and “AI” are everywhere, but what is machine learning exactly about, and how is it different to e.g. blockchain?
We will provide a gentle introduction and overview for people who are not exposed to computer science and maths, but still want to know what it is all about.
There will be a presentation with some exercises and time to mingle at the end. You will come away with a basic understanding of what machine learning is, what it tries to solve and how, and what it is not.
Presentation starts: 7:15pm
£5 Registration
Side Project Hackday
After many successful hacknights, this is the first side project hackday. It started as a bunch of friends who wanted to work on side projects in the evening after work and not do so by themselves. Come join us and participate!
Everyone can come and bring their side project along. There will be space to sit down and work. Whether it is a mobile app, a novel or a painting, every project is welcome. Show it to people, get motivated and make unreasonable progress on it.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Product For Good
As a socially motivated product person you want to build products that make the world a better place. Maybe you work for a charity, a not for profit, government or a foundation-funded startup.
So you prioritise your product roadmap to maximise positive social impact, right? Hopefully!
But here are a few things that can disrupt this plan:
Need to focus on revenue generation
Funders who are too interested in growth/scale
Political imperatives
Priorities of senior stakeholders (internally and externally)
Your boss went to a conference and wants to build that shiny new AI / big data / machine learning / virtual reality / flying car feature
This is a meetup to share the things that stop us and discuss strategies for maintaining a product roadmap that’s focussed on social mission.
The second meetup for government digital folk to share their work and ideas around designing case-working systems.
11:00 - 12:30: Morning session including short talks from the Universal Credit team, Citizens Advice and FutureGov
12:30 - 13:30: Lunch break (sorry, there’s no budget for food)
13:30 - 16:00: Afternoon session Workshop (to be confirmed)
Please register: https://attending.io/events/designing-caseworking-systems-2
Activism and The Attention Economy
UNICEF’s NEXTGeneration London
Attention is activism’s most crucial resource, and social media has revolutionised the competition for it.
In many ways, social media has empowered activists and fuelled positive change. But could the trade for our attention be hijacking our free will, and even our democracy?
Join Unicef Next Gen London at this charity event to ask whether social media is empowering or enslaving our generation, with panellists:
Professor David Runciman: Head of Politics and co-director of the Conspiracy and Democracy Project at Cambridge University.
Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu: co-organiser of the Women’s March London, lawyer and founder of Women in Leadership.
James Williams: winner of the 9-Dots Prize for his groundbreaking research into the ethics of attention and persuasion in the digital age, recipient of Google’s highest honour during his ten years’ employment at the company.
Nimco Ali: anti-FGM campaigner and founder of Daughters of Eve, named ‘Woman of the Year’ by Red, and ranked as one of Debretts’ 500 most influential people in Britain.
Richard Wilson: founder of Stop Funding Hate, the viral social media campaign challenging hate advertising in British Tabloids.
Jamie Bartlett (Chair): Author of The Dark Net and Radicals and Unicef Next Gen London Committee Member.
The panel discussion will start at 7.30pm until 9pm, arrivals from 7pm with time for chat and drinks after.
All proceeds will go to Unicef’s emergency appeal for the children of Syria.
EVERYONE & The Future of Crowdsourced Politics
Crowdocracy
Dr Alan Watkins, Nick Loader and Simon Jones present their plans to create a digital platform to understand the opinions of citizens and extract wisdom from the crowd.
Dr Alan Watkins is recognised as internationally through his work on leadership and human performance. He has a broad mix of commercial, academic, scientific and technological abilities and over the past 18 years he has been a coach to many of Europe’s top business leaders. He is the author of “Crowdocracy, The End of Politics”.
Nick Loader is Head of Production for CSM group, and has 20 years as a media specialist. He works across digital content creation, brand development and strategy.
Simon Jones specialises in strategic communications and reputation management for governments, corporations, organisations and individuals globally. Over the course of the last 20 years he has advised chief executives and chairs of global organisations, in addition to managing complex and global communications campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands (including Barclays, BBC, BSkyB, Coca Cola, Facebook, Vodafone.
If you cannot attend, subscribe for updates: https://www.everyoneintheworld.org/take-action/
POSTPONED: WhatDoTheyKnow.com's 10th Birthday Party
In February 2008 mySociety’s Freedom of Information platform WhatDoTheyKnow.com was born.
As spaces are limited, this event is by invitation only and you must present your invitation on arrival. To request an invitation, please fill in this Google Form and mySociety will get back to you.
YouTube: The Dark Side
We have to talk about YouTube. Over 4bln videos are hosted but is it a force for good or evil?
YouTube and Google know your deepest desires and darkest fantasies, but also your home location and which is your local pub. How do they get your data? What is the secret sauce in their algorithm that makes you come back for more and more YouTube videos? Meet with YouTube researchers revealing what can be unearthed via scraping and reverse engineering of recommendation engine. What makes YouTube tick? Can we reclaim it?
CHAIR: Alessandro Gandini (King’s College) – Lecturer in Sociologies of Digital Media and co-editor of Journal of Convergence YouTube Special Issue
Sophia Drakopoulou (Middlesex University) – Researcher of Networked Tech and co-editor of YouTube Special Issue in Journal of Convergence (January 2018)
James Woodcock (London School of Economics) - research on what makes You Tube tick.
Panel will be joined by YouTube Vloggers, e-sports commentators and edu Vloggers
Join the discussion on the cryptic nature of YouTube algorithms. The emergence of intermediaries, Multichannel Networks (MCNs) and affiliate marketing agreements like MCNs claim to help YouTubers making money faster. Although YouTube is a platform seemingly characterised by the amateur video – the truth is that it is dominated by a myriad of commercial channels. What is really going on with the battle for your eyeballs, attention and emotions? Are we losing the opportunities for new video start-ups?
Data scrapping provides one method to attempt to understand how algorithms work. The way follow-up videos are determined can make or break a YouTube channel, but it remains undisclosed to users and your kid may end up watching “Peppa Pig Drinks Bleach For the First Time” or worse.
The recent changes in the terms of joining the partner programme have caused quite a big upheaval amongst small time You Tubers. Small channels now need to have longer viewing hours, longer length of membership and subscribers before they qualify for monetisation. Check out the winners and the losers and have YOUR say on video algos.
Trust & Design #3: data and utilities
With the launch of the Open Banking Standard, it’s a timely moment to look at the new ways banks and other utility companies are using data and making it available.
Stevie Graham, founder of Teller, will talk about emerging patterns that help people access and share utilities data. We’ll be announcing more speakers in the coming weeks.
trustanddesign.projectsbyif.com
Brexitannia + discussion - free screening
Exploring the minefield of class, racism and neoliberalism which informed the EU referendum result, Brexitannia - the first film about Brexit - portrays the people of a once powerful empire as they negotiate their identities in a world that is changing faster than ever, and in which power appears to lie further and further from people’s own hands.
In this first of a series of occasional screenings presented by Unite Community, we will be joined by director and Tower Hamlets resident Timothy George Kelly, and special guests, for a post-film discussion.
Free entry.
Analytics, tracking and privacy in the public sector
Michael Smethurst
Informal chats around web analytics, tracking and user privacy.
Cook the Books Club
Our first session will begin with a short article about the history of the corporation and a discussion about the nature of companies.
Commons Platform Project Planning Workshop
Sophie Varlow
The Commons Platform Co-Creation Group are building a secure, open source, decentralised commons-owned social network for community organising, activism, resource-sharing, crowd-sourcing, open access research, education and data, independent media, ethical commerce and a new economy.
Creating a more equal world where everyone can create solutions for themselves
Come along and meet other members of the group, get out some post-its and map out a plan for the Commons Platform. This workshop will be part visionary, part practical, methodical and thorough in places, and all hopefully fun and nice with great people. And lots and lots of post-it notes!
What is our collective dream/mission for 2025? What do we want to achieve in the next 5 years? Where could we realistically be in 2 years? What is our plan for the next 3 months, what are all the things we need to do and how are we going to do them?
If you are not able to be there the whole time please let me know what times work for you between 12 and 5 so I can work out how to fit your particular skill/interest area into the time you are available. If I don’t know what your interests are yet let me know!
If you are not already a member of the Commons Platform Co-Creation Group please contact Sophie Varlow [email protected] to find out about how we work and our values/aims.
{Police.Rewired} Makers Meetup
Join us for our first informal meetup and find out more about the community for coders and makers that want to make a difference in policing.
Threats to UK free speech online
Could new plans to make Britain “the safest place in the world to be online” have unintended consequences?
Hear from ORG campaigns manager Mike Morel about how the Government is working with social media companies to decide acceptable standards for online content.
Learn how heavy fines could encourage the use of automated censors that can hurt free speech, and how murky definitions of ‘harmful content’ give social media companies unprecedented control over free speech online.
AI & Politics - Episode VI
Ekin Can Genç & Andreas Kirsch
Federated Learning: the data privacy holy grail
Deepfakes: porn today, propaganda tomorrow
UK Gov announces Office of AI: what should we expect?
Hosted by Newspeak House Fellows:
Ekin Can Genç, Director at Politik Consulting, former Research Associate at Global Politics of AI Research Group
Andreas Kirsch, former Research Engineer at DeepMind, former Software Engineer at Google Zurich
Degrowth - Systemic Alternatives #1
Our Future Now
We are facing an age of massive political change. Racist nationalisms, pervasive gendered violence, the environmental breakdown, corporate power and precarious jobs — the system we live in doesn’t work for the majority of us and it is crumbling. But how can we fight inequalities in the long-term if we don’t know what we’re fighting for? DEGROWTH — SYSTEMIC ALTERNATIVES #1 is the first in a series of workshops where we imagine how the economic, political and social order could be different in the future.
Degrowth theory takes a political ecology perspective to challenge the idea that unlimited economic growth is the best way to organize our economies and lives. The movement demands that we scale-down our obsession with consumerism and shrink the economic system, leaving more space for human cooperation and ecosystems.
Together with our speakers, we’ll be exploring how degrowth can contribute to a future we want to live in. Is it possible to degrow our economy within a global capitalist order? What would a degrowth economy look like? What is the future of work and energy production? Can we live locally in a globalised world? And is degrowth really possible in a world of rapid automation and technological change?
DOROTHY GRACE GUERRERO is head of policy at Global Justice Now. Before, she worked for Focus on the Global South and other organisations in the Philippines, Thailand, Germany, the Netherlands and South Africa. She works on and writes about degrowth, climate change and energy issues, the impacts of globalised trade and investments on people’s livelihoods in Asia, China‘s new role in the global political economy and other economic justice concerns.
AARON VANSINTJAN is a writer and researcher whose work focuses on economics, politics, cities, and food. He is a member of Research and Degrowth and the Barcelona Laboratory for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability. He recently edited the book In defense of degrowth and is a co-editor at Uneven Earth.
Register for a free ticket by clicking on the eventbrite link above.
For more information on degrowth, visit https://degrowth.org/.
Our Future Now is a group of young activists based in London; we are part of the Global Justice Now youth network. LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE (https://www.facebook.com/OurFutureNow/) to stay informed about what we’re getting up to and our next Systemic Alternatives workshop.
How to turn your activist goals into reality in 2018!
Katherine Sladden / WeHuddle
What a difference a year makes! Social change often feels like a long game but more and more we are seeing incredible women harness the power of digital to create impact quickly.
Just days into 2018 the energy, conversation and activism of the #MetToo movement has translated into action with #TimesUp raising $15M for women to challenge sexual assault, harrassment and abuse in the workplace. And the year is only just beginning!
For WeHuddle’s first event of 2018 we are bringing together amazing women who show that it is possible to turn ambitions into action quickly. We’ll discuss our own activism goals for 2018 and hear tips and tricks to inspire us to make this the year we turn our goals into reality.
Come along to get the inspiration and support you need to make 2018 an impactful year for you!
We’ll be joined by:
Paula Akpan, co-founder of the ‘I’m Tired’ Project and social media coordinator for gal-dem magazine, and Nicole Crentsil, founder of Unmasked Women. In 2017 Paula and Nicole crowdfunded and launched The Black GIrl Festival, the UK’s first Black British festival for women and girls that celebrated and explored what it means to be a Black woman in the UK.
More speakers to be announced soon.
Doors open 6.45pm discussion starts at 7.15pm.
WeHuddle supports world changing women (all women!) through community, events and resources. Our events are open to all and proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the organisations represented by our speakers.
After the sell-out success of our first event, we look forward to starting 2018 as we mean to go on.
Come join us! Tickets are £6.50
Election Tech 2018 Meetup
Local elections on 3rd May: Let’s get ready! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_local_elections,_2018
Share your ideas, strategies and plans so we might collaborate and not duplicate effort. Bring a laptop if you can.
For the general election last year we did this: bit.ly/GE2017TechHandbook
Possible discussion points:
What do Londoners want from election tech?
What data is or will be available?
What are you planning in terms of digital engagement?
What’s happening re voter registration?
What’s happening re voter awareness?
What tech could be mobilised to help raise awareness and encourage participation?
Who’s running hustings? Can they be digitalified?
Agenda & pre-event discussion gdoc
DarVoz Sunday: Democracy Café
David Bovill and Dil Green
Democracy Cafe, a London-based network organisation focused on creating new technological tools for democratic debate, engagement and decision-making, is organising a day-long event at Newspeak House on the 4th of February, in which political activists from across Europe can meet and discuss pressing political issues in an informal “Cafe” setting.
09:45-10:00 Room open in Newspeak House
10:00-10:30 Introduction, Live streamed on Zoom
10:30-11:30 Meet each other and Presentation of topics
11:30-13:30 First Democracy Cafe Round - Practising Democracy and Use Cases
13:30-14:30 Lunch break at Newspeak House
14:30-15:00 Feedback session
15:00-18:00 Second Democracy Cafe Round - Events and Use Cases
18:00-19:30 Wrap up and feedback
19:30 Wrap up and drinks at Newspeak House
The Future of Wikipedia
Join a conversation with Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Katherine Maher and Wikimedia UK Chief Executive Lucy Crompton-Reid on the Future of Wikipedia and the Wikimedia movement.
As we reach 50% of the world’s population having access to the internet, what does the digital arrival of the Global South mean for the Wikimedia movement and its goal to give every human being access to the sum of all knowledge?
How will the movement deal with issues like the digital gender gap, and the problem of the representation of women and non-European people on Wikipedia? How is the community dealing with the problem of information verification in the ‘post-truth’ era? How should Wikipedia be used in academia, and how should educational and cultural institutions get involved in the Open Access movement?
Come and find out how the Wikimedia movement is addressing these issues and ask Katherine and Lucy anything you want to know about Wikipedia and its sister projects.
Wikidata Hackathon
Wikidata is the intersection between wikis and big data. You can upload data about almost anything to Wikidata, and then use its search functions to query this data in any language.
Started in Germany in 2012, Wikidata now comprises over 42 million items, and with some basic coding knowledge, you can ask it questions like ‘show me all the children of Genghiz Khan in a cluster tree’, ‘What are all the cities in the world with a female mayor’. and ‘show me all the cats with photographs on Wikipedia’.
Wikidata is an important tool for researchers, journalists, scientists and anyone else who wants to systematically study large quantities of data, and new data is being added to Wikidata all the time.
Come to a hackathon hosted by Wikimedia UK to find out how Wikidata works and how you can use it. Experienced Wikimedians will show you everything you need to know to start asking Wikidata questions which can help you research the subject areas you care about. If you are a more experienced coder or Wikidata user, we will have an advanced stream with developers there to show you more complex things you can do with Wikidata, and tools you can use to make the most of its vast possibilities.
Training will include:
Introduction to Wikidata - editing Wikidata items
Using SPARQL to write queries and search the data
A-Z of useful tools (Visualisation and upload/data management)
Wikidata games
Importing data to Wikidata from spreadsheets
Refreshments will be provided, and participants should bring their own laptop to work on.
Following the hackathon there will be a talk with Katherine Maher, the head of the Wikimedia Foundation. You must sign up to guarantee your seat!
Radical Philosophy Relaunch Party
Radical Philosophy, a UK-based journal of socialist and feminist philosophy, is relaunching as an open access journal with a redesigned website and renewed editorial energy.
Please join us to celebrate with celebratory drinks and copies of the newly-designed journal, issue 2.01, hot off the press.
Free tickets but mandatory registration
Platform.Earth at darVOZ week
Dil Green
Build a decentralised microservice platform for the Commons!
Platform.Earth is a vision of a microservices architecture to support human organisation - to digitally enable all sorts of stuff that seems tedious and bureaucratic, but which is necessary for legal constitution, for good democratics, for effective debate - and make these easy, so that the maximum space for the human interactions - the real work of groups - can be as free, as creative, as joyful, as beautiful, as serious, as it wants to be. #darVOZPlatformEarth #darVOZParty
Mapping the Ethical Framework
We’ll be designing a visual language for argument maps.
We have the opportunity of engaging with some coders who work in the area of argument / decision mapping - of building the data structures and graphical tools that we will need to present the Ethical Framework in effective ways.
The current tools are not quite as rich as we might need them to be. This session gives us a chance to show these projects what we are doing, discuss the potential reach of the Ethical Framework, discuss the use cases and the qualities which will be needed.
This work will carry forward into working with developers on Friday and a session on Sunday, too. #darVOZargmaps
Viable System Theory Workshop
Trevor Hilder will run his one-day, workshop course on Stafford Beer’s Viable System Model. Trevor learned directly from Beer in the 1990s, and has experience of using the model with great success. Highly interactive sessions, limited numbers. Book soon!
A four hour workshop to teach the fundamental concepts of how organisations work, based on the work of Professor Stafford Beer in the field of management cybernetics, which he founded in the 1960s.
Beer applied these concepts to fields as diverse as managing steel production, publishing, banking and economic policy. I learned them from Beer in the 1990s and since then have applied them with great success to understanding organisations and building better (software) systems to free people to get their work done with the minimum of bureaucracy.
I recently taught these ideas to the COO of an organisation with an annual turnover of £30 million which reduced his working week from 100 hours to about fifteen!
The workshop will be in depth and highly interactive, and I will be helping participants work on their own interests as we go along. It will consist of two sessions of about two hours each, with a break for lunch in between:
11:00 - 13:00 Introduction to the Viable System Model (VSM).
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch.
14:00 - 16:00 Overcoming Social Barriers to Organisational Change - the Moral Modalities Framework (MMF).
Democratic Money
How would you design a currency that strengthened democracy? Is debt-based currency inherently oligarchic? Is it possible for money with a monopoly on issuance to play well with effective democracy? Does size matter? How is the scale of operation of money systems related to the scale of operation of democracy? What are the parameters of money systems? What are their implications? How do they interact - with each other? With their social setting? Can we design money systems with any confidence about their large-scale systemic features? To what extent do currency systems exhibit formally complex properties?
Bitcoin has lifted the lid of Pandora’s money-box. It is now incontrovertibly the case that many characteristics of money are simply design decisions that get made. That many types of currency are imaginable, with wildly disparate characteristics and implications. At this point the important question is - what type of money will work best with the kind of society we would like? It’s time to institute the study of money as a design problem - to pull money, squirming and struggling, into the light, and begin to map the possibility space more thoroughly, more seriously, more operationally than ever before.
COME AND ENGAGE We’ll be running a World Cafe / Unconference approach - identifying areas for discussion, grouping up to open them up, re-grouping to share. Th podcast studio will be open for polemics, interviews, debates, summaries. We’ll be looking to identify key areas for exploration/research/documentation.
darVOZ will be soft-launching a creative currency, a mutual credit currency intended to facilitate all sorts of creative and collaborative work in the areas addressed during the week.
The Future of The Wiki
Wiki 2.0: Ward Cunningham, inventor of wiki, has been working on a full-on re-imagining of the wiki approach in a project called Federated Wiki - where your pages are your own, with lightweight and flexible navigation and multi-format content, but with a beautiful and liberating new dimension, whereby any user can fork, remix and adapt content from any public page, while preserving a full accreditation history.
Come and see what this amazing tool can do. #darVOZWIKI
darVOZ week 2018
A week long Holochain Sprint-athon; a hackathon, but with definite coding projects (of course, you are welcome to roll your own!).
The principal focus will be on LiquidWiki - a step change in the functionality and collaborative power of wiki. We’ll also we working on mutual credit currencies and argument mapping.
Running alongside this, there will be a series of evening DEMOCRACY CAFE style events, to provide inspiration, content and ideas to feed in to the coding. The week will be rounded off with two DemocracyLab events over the weekend, exploring new modes and tools for democratic design and constitution of organisations and institutions. Full Programme here.
Podcast studio too! #darVOZweek
Games for the Many
The Global Game Jam is the world’s largest game jam event (game creation) taking place around the world at physical locations. Think of it as a hackathon focused on game development. Get together and make a game in 48 hours.
This Global Game Jam hub is organised by Games for the Many, a collective of game developers and political activists using the power of play to impact politics.
Cybersalon: Games for Social Impact
Over 2.2 billion people worldwide will be playing games in 2018. A hit game is not only fun, but also an opportunity for a transformative and educational experience. As technology, politics and urbanisation make our lives more complex, games can help us thrive in this new post-truth world by allowing us to learn faster about things we need to know.
Cybersalon.org will host a panel on how game creatives and social innovators can put spotlight on real-world challenges like state and work surveillance, fake news and anti-democratic practices of modern governments while providing inspiring game experiences.
Rich Metson – game designer and OFF GRID co-author. The game reveals the world of surveillance and invites player to explore the avoidance and defense techniques.
Amanda Walker –”Fake It to Make it” US-based web games author and interactive designer interested in fighting propaganda and confusion in Mainstream Media in US and beyond (joining via Skype from US)
Osmiotic Studios – Hamburg-based authors of “Orwell” game, sharing the key points from the development and potential of the game for impact
Ben Greenaway – Cybersalon’s games’ reviewer who will discuss Riot and also impact of AI and AR in Games for Change
Chair: Rosa Carbo-Mascarell – London-based game designer and Corbyn Run game co-author, Creative Director for Game Jam and Games For The Many
Cybersalon will be hosting a Summer 2018 competition for Game Creators Challenge and will incubate/support projects with production and fundraising support. We are looking for AI applications in Games for Social Change, AR as well as web-based, mobile and board games that aim to bring fun to civic issues.
Digital rights in the courts in 2018
Open Rights Group Legal Director Myles Jackman joins us at Newspeak House to illustrate the critical importance of legal action in the fight to defend our digital rights.
Learn about ORG’s record of achievements at the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the Royal Court of Justice in London. We’ll also survey fast approaching legal challenges in 2018 involving age-verification technology, protecting free speech online, and fighting the Government’s mass surveillance programme.
No experience or knowledge is necessary for this FREE event! All you need is an interest in protecting our human rights in the digital era.
We want to hear from you, so there will be plenty of time for questions and group discussion. Join us!
Launch of NewSpeak The Boardgame
In The Box Board Games
In The Box Board Games is hosting a party to celebrate the launch of NewSpeak The Boardgame! And where better than at Newspeak House?
There will be a couple of short presentations from interesting people, and then there will be the chance for you to try out the game for the first time.
Drinks and snacks provided, but you must register
did russia hack the referendum?
The Brexit vote sent a shockwave through the political establishment in the UK and across the world, but there have been allegations that foreign states such as Russia tried to influence the vote. These include accusations of thousands of bots being set up to sow discord in order to destablise the European Union. Some Members of Parliament have even called for a judge-led inquiry into the possibility that Russia meddled with the referendum.
But is it all true? And if it is, did it really have an impact on how people voted on Brexit? What can or should be done to guard against social media warfare in the future? Join us to listen, ask questions, and learn on the 5th of January.
Speakers are to be announced in due course.
Unofficial GameMaker Meetup
This is a casual GameMaker Meetup where we will discuss development in GameMaker and game development in general. Feel free to come along if you are interested in GameMaker and game development!
Please contact us if you would like to bring your game to show off, we’d love to see what you’re working on! Feel free to bring down a computer and put on your game.
Radical Housing Network 2018 Strategy Meeting
Becka Hudson
January’s meeting will be where we determine the next few months of network work. We have a substantial amount of money in the bank, many members and a strong track record of work, but strategy and capacity problems have led to an impasse about how to move forward.
So January’s meeting will be a pot-luck of proposals and ideas for out future.
ALL RHN MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS FOR WHAT WE DO WITH OUR MONEY, TIME AND RESOURCES OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS AT JANUARY’S MEETING.
PLEASE BRING A PROPOSAL, OR TEN, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NETWORK DO FOR US TO DISCUSS.
"Nothing to Hide" Documentary Screening
Marietta Le
NOTHING TO HIDE is an independent documentary dealing with surveillance and its acceptance by the general public through the “I have nothing to hide” argument.
The documentary was produced and directed by a pair of Berlin-based journalists, Mihaela Gladovic and Marc Meillassoux. It was crowdfunded by over 400 backers.
NOTHING TO HIDE questions the growing, puzzling and passive public acceptance of massive corporate and governmental incursions into individual and group privacy and rights. After the emotion initially triggered by the Snowden revelations, it seems that the general public has finally accepted to live in a monitored digital world.
Newspeak House Xmas Party
An evening of food, drink, music, and political technology, co-hosted by Citizen Beta.
Lounge & Terrace
Games for the Merry
The Games for the Many team would like to invite you to our people powered festive party at Newspeak House with our friends and supporters.
We’re rustling up a hearty feast, traditional treats and a selection of games for the merry.
Doors will open at 7.30pm with a festive feast, before Newspeak’s main space opens up for us at 9pm for music, dancing and games on the big screen.
This Happened London #26
Kate Pincott
Stories behind interaction design from artists, designers, scientists and makers of all kinds working on Climate Change.
Civil Society Futures
Civil Society Futures is a national conversation about how English civil society can flourish in a fast changing world. Come and share your hopes and fears for the future, the changes you’re seeing in civil society, and together co-develop specific visions for what civil society might look like ten years from now.
“An inquiry into the future of civil society suggests concern about the present. In politics this relates to concerns about a democratic deficit, and a series of public issue crises: an environmental crisis, a refugee crisis, and health and housing crises.
This is set against a backdrop of concerns about fake news which adds to and reflects a lack of trust in public actors. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer (2017), between October 2016 and January 2017 trust in government fell from 36% to 26%; in business from 45% to 33% and in the media from 32% to 24%.
Britain also has a significant ‘trust gap’ of 19% between ‘informed publics’ (‘in the upper income quartile, university educated and with a declared interest in politics and the media’) and those with an income of less than £15,000.” - initial research report
Before the event we will send out a poll to help create a frame for the discussion - make sure you register.
The event will be hosted by Marietta Le who is an Engagement Manager at BetterPoints, and a founder and activist working on civic tech initiatives in Hungary.
Use the hashtag #CivilSocietyFutures or mention us at @civsocfutures on Twitter.
Please note that for the purpose of summarising the takeaways of the discussion the event will be recorded (audio).
The Cryptobar
Fabio Natali will be giving a presentation on the Cryptobar installation, a project aimed at spreading the word about privacy (and privacy-enhacing technologies) in an artistic and accessible way.
Britain's Digital Future
How does the UK become the world’s most advanced digital society?
In his first keynote speech since becoming Shadow Digital Minister, Rt. Hon. Liam Byrne MP will draw on his history of Britain’s entrepreneurial revolution to set out the roadmap for developing Labour’s digital manifesto over the year to come.
Liam Byrne MP’s speech will be introduced by Rt. Hon. Tom Watson MP, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Afterwards, Jamie Bartlett, Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at Demos, will lead an ‘in conversation’ with Liam Byrne, with time for questions and answers from the audience.
A drinks reception will be served following the formalities.
Please make sure to register
Any questions, please contact Demos’ Events team on: [email protected]
09 DEC 10:00am - 5:00pm
Hack The Police
Kevin Lewis / Hacksmiths
In the summer of 2013, front-line police officer’s from the Metropolitan Police’s Commissioner’s 100 volunteered to set up and run the first UK Policing Hackathon - Hack the Police. The entire event was a voluntary effort to develop and trial new technology and new ways of working. Invitees were both serving front-line officers, and independent software developers.
This year, we’re bringing the event back to further explore the themes of:
Better first hand evidence and reducing suggestion.
Improving comfort and building rapport in the interview room.
Tools for better police wellbeing and mental health.
We aim to once again engage with developers, designers, researchers, and officers. We’ll also have representatives from the Forensic Psychology Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Deborah Davies
Two contemporary artists critique media manipulation in this pop-up art show.
The Future of Work: working independently in the gig economy
Gone are the days of conventional 9 to 5. As we strive to redress our work-life balance;
How can we help each other to ensure our energies are focused where they should be?
How can we best leverage and sustainably build, our constant connection and ever expanding network?
Cut through the (white) noise and be connected to gigs where we can both give value and feel valued?
What are our personal value systems? How ready are we for skills-sharing and non-monetised working?
Please join facilitator Alexandra Wright, ceo/founder of Able app, for a special meetup celebrating and exploring work in the gig-economy. During the session you will have the opportunity to collaborate with other independent workers, and begin to build additional support networks together. Additional presenters/facilitators tba
The Future use of Digital Tools in Social Change
Louise Crow / mySociety
What is the current state of play with digital tools and social change?
How have digital tools impacted the work of social change?
What is the future of digital tools for social change?
What part do human relationships and connection play in today’s digitally enabled world?
To what extent has digital technology changed everything?
A discussion hosted by The Sheila McKechnie Foundation & mySociety
Human and Machine – dystopia or utopia?
Celebrating 20 years of Cybersalon techno-futures
8pm - a debate on Human And Machine with Alessandro Gandini (Kings College) and tech trade union activist David Dahlborn (Sweden Trade Union), chaired by Dr Sophia Drakopoulou (Middlesex Uni)
9pm till late - DJ set by Simon S
Blockchain and its applications for democracy
Areeq Chowdhury / WebRoots Democracy
Blockchain (a digital, decentralised, public ledger of transactions) forms a core component of Bitcoin, the worldwide cryptocurrency, and is often talked about for its potential in other aspects of society.
Due to the secure and transparent nature of blockchain, it is touted as a concept that could be used for online voting platforms not just for representative elections, but for direct democracy, liquid democracy, and participatory budgeting.
If you’re interested to find out more about blockchain and how it can be applied, join us to listen, ask questions, and learn on the 6th of December.
Dr David Galindo - Senior Lecturer in Computer Security, University of Birmingham
Further speakers to be announced.
How to Win Brexit?
Newspeak Fellow Awais Hussain
A fortnightly reading group. For this session, we’ll be talking about academia and research, with a particular focus on how Brexit will affect Britain’s standing as a place of research excellence and innovation.
Join this facebook group for updates.
Open News Algorithm Workshop
Fako Berkers & Ed Saperia
Over the past two years Fako Berkers and Edward Saperia have created an experimental framework called WikiFeed. It allows you to create open source algorithmic newsfeeds using semantic data and metadata from Wikimedia.
We think this could allow new transparent and collaborative approaches to editorial policy, and also be a powerful way to discover stories in niche areas.
We’re running our first open workshop to experiment creating custom feeds. We’ll teach you everything you need to know and be on hand to support. You’ll need to bring a laptop. Remote participation is also possible - get in touch via [email protected]
The workshop is being run on both Saturday and Sunday. Both days are the same; it’ll be a short intro followed by free time to experiment with the framework. Please register so we can gauge numbers.
Intro: 1pm - 1:30pm
Workshop: 1:30 - 4pm
A more detailed introduction to the underlying technology can be found here.
Project for a Progressive Ethics Workshop
On the basis of our working model, we are building our ethical network with each session. Come and learn about the approach, and add your own perspective to the ethical framework!
You can examine the network interactively here - for more detail, click on any circle and open the info panel using the three small dots mid left.
Newspeak House Book Club
Tom Steinberg
Tom Steinberg (@steiny) has decided to start a book club/reading group for Newspeak House folk and their most thoughtful friends.
The club will focus on books that relate to politics, activism, techno-social change, the news media, government innovation and failure.
This month we will be reading The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt.
Drop tom an email to [email protected] so he knows you’re interested.
Awais Hussain
Brexit is happening. And whatever level of hardness it eventually takes, we are all going to have to live with it. It makes sense then to gather and talk about how we plan to weather the storm.
There will be winners and losers from Brexit and I think it makes sense to sit and talk lucidly about the consequences we foresee, and what actions we can take. Hopefully this group will be as pragmatic as it is utopian.
There is a lot of negativity and despair in the news about Brexit, and some of it is certainly warranted. But rather than falling into apathy, we can do something wonderful by coming together reminding ourselves of the potential positives that will emerge over the next few years.
The plan is to host this as a fortnightly discussion group held at Newspeak House. Join this facebook group for updates.
Chaired by Newspeak Fellow Awais Hussain.
Politics & Psychological Bias
Lee de Wit
What are the broader psychology biases that cause people to vote in different ways?
How possible is it to change them?
Can we use psychological insights to improve participation in politics?
How can we improve public knowledge of how political systems work?
A roundtable discussion chaired by Dr Lee de Wit, author of What’s Your Bias
Cyber crime and Dissent in the Gulf
Maddy Fry / Open Rights Group
Open Rights Group presents a talk by Joyce Hakmeh on the use of cyber crime laws to criminalise criticism of governments in the Gulf states on social media. She is a legal and development expert working on the Middle East and North Africa region since 2006.
Her areas of expertise include cybercrime, rule of law, good governance, international criminal justice, and international aid. She is researching cybercrime legislation in the Gulf countries and has worked for organizations including UNDP, IFRC, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, as well as for NGOs and media organizations.
Patterns for Decentralised Organising
Rich & Nati
Rich and Nati have been supporting non-hierarchical organisations for more than five years, co-founding Loomio (a worker co-op building software for collective decision-making) and Enspiral (a network of self-organising companies):
We’re currently touring Korea, USA, Europe, and South America, meeting with all kinds of entrepreneurs, activists, coaches and organizers who are trying to work with less hierarchy and more collaboration: people in democratic workplaces, intentional communities, startups, collectives, and NGOs.
In our journey we’ve discovered that every group faces common challenges when they try to work non-hierarchically. In this workshop we’ll share 8 collaboration patterns that have been proven to help groups overcome these common failure points, from group culture, to technology, decision-making and flattening power imbalances.
Most importantly, we don’t just tell people about participatory organizing, we practice it together, co-creating the workshop and learning by experience. You can bring your real challenges that you are facing in your team, organisation, or collective and we’ll work together to design solutions you can try immediately.
“Through these patterns I could see how my past adventures with non-hierarchical groups had fallen apart. It gave me new ideas to bring back to my own fledgling cooperative. I imagine that everyone in the room was experiencing a similar revelation; the uncovering of something known but also unnamed, the implicit patterns that are present in every group of humans, which so often are never identified, seemed here to be explicit, finally.” - Drew Hornbein, Good Good Work
To maximise accessibility, we have a sliding scale of ticket prices. If you can’t afford a discounted ticket, but you really want to be there, send us an email at [email protected] We have a few scholarships available.
Spaces are limited, register here.
Find more information about us and our workshops on our website.
Space Travel & Mental Health
Olesya Myakonkaya
Mass hallucinations, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions have been a challenge for long duration space missions for decades and can only become more prevalent as we embark on Mars missions.
Join us at ‘Survive on Mars: Life in Isolation’ to learn from Dr Vincent Giampietro about the mental health issues astronauts face in space and train your brain like an astronaut. We will be exploring solutions to the mental health problems using design thinking.
Dr Vincent Giampietro is a Neuroscientist and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Neuroimaging at King’s College London (KCL). His main research interest is in imaging brain functions, in health and in disease, with a current focus on developing MRI-based neurofeedback as a novel neurotherapy.
Vincent combines his research activities with his innate curiosity for space through tailored educational sessions on the role of neuroimaging to study astronauts’ brains and to monitor their mental health and cognitive functions before, during, and after their missions.
Doors open at 7.00pm. There will be plenty of time to meet and collaborate with like-minded people.
Corruption & Civic Tech Meetup
Rose Zussman
How can civic technology be used to fight corruption in the UK?
Join Transparency International, mySociety, Members Interests, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and more for an evening of show and tells, food and drink, and networking at the interface of anti-corruption and civic tech.
18:00 – Open and refreshments
18:30 – Welcome: Corruption and Civic Tech
18:35 – Presentations (TI-UK, Members Interests, mySociety, CAAT)
19:00 – Group breakouts: Q&A’s, problem-solving
19:30 – Reporting back
19:45 – Networking
20:30 – Close
Project for the Post-Capitalist Future
The aim of this project is to work towards the development of some real projects that build out spaces of non-market value-creation and access as sustainable (and hopefully replicable and/or scalable) bubbles of engaging and useful human interaction that lie outside capitalism.
Such projects need careful imagination, design and consideration; to achieve sustainablility and scalability while deliberately standing outside the commoditising market system is deeply challenging. Wikipedia is our poster-child - something of enormous and continuing value, co-created by hundreds of thousands of people with no thought of market exchange, that would either pop like a bubble or simply re-emerge somewhere else if anyone attempting to buy it and monetise it.
Wikipedia has achieved this for systemisable knowledge (there are side projects like wiktionary and the like which extend the model to other areas than encyclopedia style systemising).
Knowledge was perhaps the low hanging fruit - all humans use and co-create knowledge, and systemised knowledge is eminently digitisable.
What other areas might we consider? Starters for ten: reputation/trust, intermediate currencies designed to resist amassing of capital, co-curation of medical experience, co-curation of social experience, platform co-ops.
Selling in the Digital Age
Josiane Smith / smart.london
With Winner-Take-All Platforms like Amazon, Airbnb, and JustEast, many small, local businesses are facing a huge challenge in delivering more orders online whilst maintaining a strong profit margin. This is a stand against the Extraction Economy. This meetup is for high street and local businesses with a strong connection to their communities - who want to use technology to reach more people and sell more goods, whilst finding a way to strengthen their local area in the process.
Have you had negative experiences selling your food or products through third party platforms online, and you want a place to share your frustrations and struggles? If so and you are eager to learn how and where you can do it better…
This event is for you. Hosted at the Hub of everything that intersects technological, economic and social change…
Evening Format:
6:30pm - 7:00pm: Arrival and Drinks
7:00pm: Introduction and insight by hosts
Josiane Smith, Country Manager, Digital Town and Project Lead, smart.london
You’ll learn about better ways to sell more of your orders online (make more money, get more online traffic, connect with the city and the world) through a visionary, new (and free) smart cities platform. For more info - check out https://smart.london
7:30pm: Pitches by 3 small businesses or restaurateurs who have stories to share about their online selling experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly! (Please contact Josiane if you would be interested in sharing your story.)
8:00pm: Speed Learning - the opportunity for those with tips and tricks about eCommerce to share what they know with other local businesses and restaurateurs who are new to online sales and/or online delivery and are eager to learn more.
Stop Killing Londoners: East London Anti Air Pollution Meeting
Stop Killing Londoners
10,000 deaths in London each year have been attributable to human-made particle air pollution. It’s time to demand change.
This open meeting will discuss why direct action is necessary to tackle the air pollution crisis and how East Londoners organise their own actions.
Stop Killing Londoners - Cut Air Pollution, is an inclusive direct action network organising short sit-downs & dance sessions on London’s most polluted roads. We are working with other groups in the city to create an escalation of protests this autumn to force the politicians to take concrete action.
We offer support and advice to local communities wanting to organise for drastic pollution reduction.
For more on the campaign follow twitter.com/stopkillingldn and like our page fb.com/stopkillingldn
Commons in the Time of Monsters
Stacco Troncoso / P2P Foundation
After 40 years of neoliberalization, the promised end of history has led to a decomposition of established hierarchical systems, including politics. This process has culminated in Brexit and Trump. While there are strong reactions against these, the current of political change cannot be rewound back towards neoliberalism. However, alternatives based on the logic of networks and Peer to Peer are emerging and gaining attention.
Join Stacco Troncoso from the P2P Foundation to discuss on how Commons-based peer production — the relational dynamic behind projects such as Wikipedia and Linux — can prefigure new heterarchical systems for dealing with complexity, and how the figure of the “commoner” can be seen as an emancipatory political subject. The discussion will also analyse the municipality coalitions which successfully won local elections in many of Spain’s major cities and how this process contributes to what we call a Commons Transition.
Diversity and Inclusion in Service Design
Service Design Fringe Festival
This year, the service design fringe festival team put a focus on inclusion and diversity in our work.
We ran an event in collaboration with UKBlackTech and FutureGov back in June to get service design in front of the BME community, and we ran a workshop about D&I with service designers to start to uncover the problem a little more.
This event is for us to collectively figure out what the value of diversity and inclusion is to the service design industry.
Issues in the Service Design Industry
The service design industry is still finding its feet. We have the problems of a teething industry - there’s still some difficulty in persuading clients of the value of service design, and when we get those contracts, there’s a great deal of explaining to do to enable projects to be successful.
People in organisations that want to hire service designers can have trouble providing evidence of the approach’s effectiveness to their colleagues with decision making power.
People transitioning in to service design have difficulty finding junior roles, regardless of their past experience in other professions.
And those with a little experience in service design find themselves starting teams in organisations where they have to build a service design practice from scratch, with little support, and a great deal of pressure to prove that service design works.
This session is an open discussion forum about the issues in the service design industry as it is today. Come to share your woes - you’ll likely find that you’re not alone - and to together come up with potential actions to make a difference to these issues. The session won’t end without some actions being identified! We’re focused on being constructive :)
We held a similar discussion event in April attended by festival volunteers - it was validating to attend, and we’d like to offer the opportunity for you to attend a repeat session.
The festival is designed to be an intervention to tackle some of the industry’s problems. Your input in this session could help the festival’s future direction. The festival is community-run, and this event may bring to light an opportunity for you to get more involved, and benefit your own career at the same time.
Film Screening: The Spider's Web
Queuepolitely Films
The Spider’s Web, Britain’s Second Empire is a documentary film that shows how Britain transformed from a colonial, to a global financial power.
At the demise of empire, City of London financial interests created a web of offshore secrecy jurisdictions that captured wealth from across the globe and hid it behind obscure financial structures in a web of offshore islands.
Today, up to half of global offshore wealth may be hidden in British offshore jurisdictions and Britain and its offshore jurisdictions are the largest global players in the world of international finance.
How did this come about, and what impact does it have on the world today? This is what the Spider’s Web sets out to investigate.
There will be a Q&A after the screening, participants to be announced.
Website • Trailer • Tickets
Parliament, Data and Democracy Meetup
Michael Smethurst, Data Architect, Parliamentary Digital Service
An evening of short talks and conversations around Parliament, data and democracy.
If you’re a librarian, statistician, academic, historian, technologist, designer or just interested please come along.
Dan Barrett, Head of Data and Search, Parliament Digital Service
Anna Scott, Head of Content, Open Data Institute
Samu Lang, Technical Director, Parliament Digital Service
Rachel Coldicutt, CEO Doteveryone, Trustee Fawcett Society
The Art of the Impossible
Dougald Hine
Politics is meant to be ‘the art of the possible’ – yet the defining political developments of recent years have been events widely declared ‘impossible’ until they happened. How do we find our bearings in a time when the boundaries of political possibility are repeatedly breached?
Over five days at Newspeak House, Dougald Hine has been hosting conversations with artists, technologists, thinkers and doers about this. On the last night he is opening it up to anyone who wants to join and hear a bit about where the conversations have led – and maybe try out some of what has been talking about.
He’ll be joined by guests including Billy Bottle and Liz Slade, and probably some of the others who have been involved over the weekend.
Here are some of the starting points for their conversations:
This suggestion from Will Davies in the LRB: ‘The coincidence of the Corbyn surge with the horror of Grenfell Tower has created the conditions – and the demand – for a kind of truth and reconciliation commission on forty years of neoliberalism.’
These lines from theatre-maker Chris Goode: ‘my sense is that only seldom is the problem that we ‘don’t know’ – or, at any rate, that we don’t know enough. The real problem is that we don’t have a living-space in which to fully know what we know, in which to confront that knowledge and respond to it emotionally without immediately becoming entrenched in a position of fear, denial and hopelessness.’
This Compass report from Indra Adnan on the future of political parties.
A series of occasional posts Dougald wrote, starting the morning after the UK general election of 2015, which people seem to have found helpful in making sense of unexpected political events.
Communal meals at Newspeak House, open to members and non-members alike.
Discuss the categories of action that are most appropriate , here and now, to further the agenda of a post-market paradigm shift.
Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum
Pictfor
Pictfor is hosting a Summer Reception to introduce our All-Party Parliamentary Group.
Members, Parliamentarians and potential future members are invited to apply to attend. Please also pass the invitation along to new and young employees - with a particular emphasis on young people and those new to the tech and political sectors who may not have engaged with us before.
Please join the waitlist for this event using your work email address. Once we have approved your request, your registration will be confirmed and you will be sent further details of the event. This event will introduce Pictfor to a wider network, engage young people working in tech and policy, while also exploring the future of tech.
This interactive, interview-style panel event will discuss:
What is the future of tech?
What skills do the next generation working in tech need to excel?
How will Generation Z shape technology?
BCS will be sharing findings from their new report on diversity in the tech sector.
Darren Jones MP
Catherine Knivett, Principal Policy Officer for Digital Skills, Greater London Authority
Maxine Mackintosh, Co-Founder, One HealthTech
Barry Whyte, COO, Decoded
Chair: Professor Tom Crick MBE, Trustee, BCS
More speakers to be announced
Wikifying Westminster Workshop
Lucy Chambers / mySociety & Wikimedia UK
Wikidata is a free and open knowledge base that can be read and edited by both humans and machines. It’s the structured sister to Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia, and it provides a common place to gather and re-distribute data that can be reused by anyone.
In this short event we’ll be examining what it is possible to do with Wikidata - using UK political data as a springboard. Whether you are interested in building an application, doing some analysis, or just experimenting, this is for you.
This workshop will be divided into two parts:
A brief introduction to Wikidata: cool tools and tricks for using it
A hackathon to use, visualise and improve the data
Join us if you’re interested in learning some new tricks, or to understand how Wikidata can be useful to your work or your organisation. If you’re interested in political data, or have experience in visualising or building tools to work with data, come along!
What Social Problems do Cryptocurrencies Solve?
Julio Alejandro will give an overview of new cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, ZCash, Litecoin, Steem, Dash, Wings, MCAP, IoTa, Voxel, Numerai, Indorse, Decent, Kin, Storj, Siacoin, Maidsafe, Monero, ZCash, Dash Gnosis, Augur…
…and how they allow distributed functionality that give new ways of solving problems in prediction markets, attention economy, smart cities, privacy, machine learning, distributed computing, mixed reality, ownership, digital identity, and more.
Julio Alejandro is director of three Blockchain companies in London, UK Foreign Correspondent for Excelsior, Founder & CEO of Humanitarian Blockchain. He has lectured, lobbied, and participated in transnational projects with the United Nations, the European Union, and the University of Cambridge.
Ration Club 99
Transitions into Service Design
Jenni Parker
This month we’re looking at the various routes people have taken to become Service Designers and the skills needed to succeed.
How does a doctor become a service designer?
How could a background in music help in the design process?
Do service design courses prepare you for life as a jobbing designer?
Why do so many UXers make the leap?
Our fascinating speakers will be telling us a little bit about their personal experience and ruminate on the essential skills needed to make a great Service Designer.
If you’re thinking of becoming a Service Designer this event will help you understand the may and varied routes that your peers have taken before you. If you’re a seasoned-hand it will remind you of the diversity of experience and how vital that makes our discipline.
This session will think about the most engaging and fruitful ways of connecting our membership into the work of the Project, as we develop the Ethical Framework that will underpin a Progressive Ethics (for more detail about this, look here - exciting and effective ideas have been developed).
This membership has built itself - there has been no outreach, no large event, no recruitment drive - the idea of a Progressive Ethics clearly has the potential to engage.
Looking through the list, the signs are that we are an excitingly diverse bunch, with a wide range of interests and skills.
Clearly, not all members will come to Working Session events (although they are engaging and exciting experiences - do give it a try!), but people don’t join a Project without some idea of contributing to its development: at this session we will come up with ways of opening participation and engagement out beyond physical Meetups.
This session is a complete event, with its own topic for discussion and consideration, built around the idea of participatory development - no prior engagement is necessary! No future commitment is required!
Assemblies for Democracy Planning Group
Andy Paice
Assemblies for Democracy will be having another planning group meeting at Newspeak House to prepare the meeting for an alliance for a citizens’ convention on the constitution. Any interested observers are most welcome to attend.
See this post for more info.
MalwareTech Arrest Support Planning Meeting
Naomi Colvin
On Wednesday 3rd August our friend and colleague @MalwareTechBlog was arrested by the FBI in Las Vegas after the Defcon/Blackhat security conventions.
Many know him for his integral role in helping analyse, explain and mitigate the WannaCry ransomware worm - particularly for registering the sinkhole domain which slowed the attack and saved upwards of millions of computers from infection and inestimable damages.
In the UK and possibly elsewhere, it is entirely plausible that his heroic contributions prevented loss or injury to human lives.
MalwareTech has been indicted by the US DOJ and faces charges relating to alleged involvement in the Kronos banking malware in 2014-2015. No evidence has been presented at this stage to substantiate the claims and under US and international law he is considered innocent until proven otherwise.
Understandable concern is being felt and important questions are raised regarding how a UK citizen and highly-regarded member of the security researcher community came to be arrested by US authorities. The possibility of decades of imprisonment due to the disproportionately harsh sentencing regime in the USA compared to the UK and the prevalence of coercive plea-bargaining give cause for significant alarm.
Within the community of information security researchers and practitioners the dangers of being criminalised for efforts to address malware and improve computer security are all-to-familiar. With the arrest of MalwareTech, especially after such conspicuous and laudable contributions in responding to cyberattacks, there is a serious risk that the already strained trust between the hacker community and law-enforcement and government authorities will be eroded further and significant “chilling effects” on the willingness of volunteers to assist with computer security will be felt at a time when their help is most needed.
We owe it to our friend and colleague, to his family and loved ones, to ourselves as a community and society at large to ensure that MalwareTech’s rights are upheld, that his brilliant potential to contribute to our collective security is not squandered, and that relations between the hacker community and state authorities are not harmed for the common goal of maintaining internet and private computer security.
Please attend if you are able, or contribute remotely, so that we can respond together in an effective and responsible manner to resolving this situation in the best interests of everybody concerned.
Tech Against Modern Slavery
Louisa Cowell / Free_D
Tech Against Modern Slavery is an event in aid of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, brought to you by Free_D and the London Tech for Good Meetup to raise the profile of human trafficking and explore tech’s role in addressing it.
Human trafficking is a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes including forced labour and sex. The International Labour Organization estimates that 21 million people are victims of forced labour globally. This estimate also includes victims of human trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation. While it is not known how many of these victims were trafficked, the estimate implies that currently, there are millions of trafficking in persons victims in the world (http://www.un.org/en/events/humantrafficking/)
This event will explore tech’s role and responsibility in prevention, prosecution, rescue, and reintegration; from the perspectives of charities, startups and big tech companies.
We’ll be hearing talks from:
Siavash Mahdavi, tech entrepreneur & co-founder of Free_D
Phil Bennett, Program Architect at Salesforce
And a panel discussion from:
Katherine Prescott, co-founder of Free_D
Gail Kent, Global Public Policy Manager, Facebook
Justine Currell, Executive Director, Unseen
Sarah Brown, Lead Analyst, Stop the Traffik
Min Teo, Strategy, Techfugees
Jessica Stacey, London Tech for Good & Bethnal Green Ventures
Ellie Hale, London Tech for Good & CAST
Doors open at 6 pm, talks start at 6:30 pm. There will be time for questions and networking after the panel discussion.
Hold Up PLUS+ Creative Workshop by MakeSense London & Local Welcome
MakeSense & Local Welcome
Join MakeSense with Local Welcome and their communities at Lunchtime on Sunday 30th of July for what is promised to be a very unique Holdup, MakeSense Design Thinking Workshop!
Come to Connect, Cook, Eat and experience first hand what the project is and who the project serves… and then Challenge yourself brainstorming and building a strategy to grow the Local Welcome movement!
Local Welcome project combines digital service design with traditional community organising. At the heart of it, they help refugees and locals cook and eat together. The experience of this shared activity helps atomised communities build solidarity and find common ground. They spent 2016 running test events throughout the UK, in Berlin and the States, connecting small groups of Syrian refugees and local residents to cook and eat together.
Now its time for them to do the next important step!
Everybody is Welcome! Due to the challenge we think that people who loves and practice User Research and Design, Marketing Campaigns and Community Building will LOVE to be part of this challenge. Let’s solve this all together!
Don’t be Late! We recommend to arrive at 11:50am, because at 12:00pm we start our group activities.
MakeSense is an international community that rallies SenseMakers in 128 cities across the world to help social entrepreneurs to solve their challenges. By putting together our skills and ideas, we can help social entrepreneurs create and develop their businesses and solve the most pressing issues faced by society in such areas as: education, health, environment, food, waste, refugees, etc. MakeSense is all of us. It’s an open project that brings together a community of passionate people.
UK Transhumanist Party Workshop
A workshop to set a common direction for The UK Transhumanist Party, something to inspire many towards a better future.
Using design thinking methodologies we will aim to align different voices around a single goal and strategy for the future of The UK Transhumanist Party.
Women of Newspeak House
Mevan Babakar & Mor Rubinstein
A discussion about what the experience of Newspeak House looks like for women at the moment, and how we may be able to improve it.
AI & Politics Meetup
A special event featuring Peter Krafft who has just finished his PhD at MIT Media Lab.
In his own words:
In my work, I develop computational models to reveal patterns in human social behavior and computational perspectives to guide that behavioral modeling. In this talk I will present a modeling framework I have developed that organizes my own thinking about the structure and function of social systems. I will then present varied models that can reveal topic-specific communication networks in complex organizations, information silos during rumor spreading, and political preferences in the American electorate. I will conclude with a discussion of potential future areas of interest to me, including participatory mechanism design, computational political theory, models of public engagement with science and technology, and models of “fake news”.
Talk followed by drinks & discussion.
If you’d be interested in speaking at this or future meetups, please contact Sophie.
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aiandpolitics/
Due to strong demand, registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-politics-episode-v-tickets-36275140923
MRM Prototype Discussion
Ed Saperia & James Darling
A meeting to discuss James Darling’s Membership Relationship Management Prototype:
“The majority of successful digital products in existence today are built on two possible organisational models: atomised individuals interacting with each other, or a centralised organisation (typically a company) interacting with its users (typically customers).
You can see this forced dichotomy playing out in the language of [the campaign] sector; you have ‘traditional organisations’ trying (and mostly failing) to engage with the ‘grassroots’. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but neither are particularly effective in 2017.
Traditional organisations are pulled into creating bureaucracies that are better suited to a corporate company of the 1990s. ‘Volunteers’ suddenly have to behave more like staff members, while new members who are unable or not yet willing to make such commitments begin to see the organisation as a professionalised company to be a customer of, rather than an active member.
Meanwhile, grassroots organisations struggle to create any useful bureaucracies at all, rapidly collapsing under their own weight if they try to expand or build power. They are too risky for power to engage with seriously. Without simple, public ways for new members to get involved, they often end up cliquey.
I feel there is the possibility to build new bureaucracies, largely written in open source code instead of rulebooks (because it’s 2017), that break down this dichotomy, and allow smaller grassroots teams to help and be helped by the more centralised and professionalised HQ. This prototype was a stab at that.”
https://medium.com/@abscond/membership-a-prototype-ea822b2683b#.57x1z2avb
https://github.com/james/membership
Book Launch: Lucky Ghost
Matthew Blakstad
The launch of Matthew Blakstad’s second novel, Lucky Ghost.
Please RSVP to [email protected]
Politician AI Hackathon
Alvin Carpio
This summer, The Fourth Group is hosting a hackathon to see how tasks politicians are expected to do can be automated.
These tasks include: Understanding voters’ preferences; writing speeches; making strategic decisions in regards to policy proposals, and; addressing problems faced by constituents.
We’re looking for people with experience in politics, data analytics, machine-learning, and design.
If you’re interested in joining, contact [email protected]
Digital Democracy: Participation or Representation?
Paulo Gerbaudo
Digital Democracy is a question that has been heavily debated in recent years at a time of intense development of practices of online decision-making. New digital democracy softwares, online services and applications are all manifestations of the vitality of this discussion, as are initiatives and experimentations launched by both emerging and established political parties, national parliaments and city councils.
However, often we are overlooking the degree to which the common label “digital democracy” hides the presence of a great diversity of directions and approaches. While some of these practices project the vision of a direct democracy, in which participatory practices can wholly substitute all forms of representation, other lines of development take a more pragmatic view, seeing digital democracy as a way to address some of the inconsistencies of representative democracy, and constructing a continuous feedback loop between represented and representatives.
How do these competing visions of digital democracy, the participatory and representative ones map onto existing practices and projects? What are their underlying criteria, visions, and claims to legitimacy? Which of these models of digital democracy is more effective and which one is destined to prevail in the long run?
The workshop will bring together theorists and practitioners of digital democracy from different European countries to explore the emergence of competing models of digital democracy, their theoretical inspirations and their practical developments.
Radical Housing Network meetup
Public meeting - Radical Housing Network members, campaigners, friends, residents and all others are welcomed to this meeting to discuss:
What housing campaigns have organised in the wake of the Grenfell atrocity.
What campaigning for better housing looks like after Grenfell - on safety, estate regeneration, tenant rights, privatisation, council housing - and more.
How, and for what, can we campaign - in our home, our areas and together?
How housing groups - across all types of tenure and property - can work to ensure Grenfell marks a transformation in how we house people.
Waynak
Solene Burtz
The film “Waynak”, which means “Where are you” in Arabic, is a six-part web documentary which was filmed in 2016 and produced by MakeSense presents men and women who have developed practical solutions (from arts, to theatre and technology) to problems encountered by refugees, and shows us how to move from screen to reality.
You can watch the trailer here.
The documentary was screened at the Cannes festival last May and was very well received. It was also awarded best international non fiction at the Melbourne WebFest in July 2017 !
In the last session, we looked at the components (technical and social) that could be assembled to build a bullshit detection system.
Discussion of each of these components generated questions, alternative approaches, awkward issues.
This session , we will look in more detail at a particular component that is part of the imagined ethical engagement system this Project is aiming for - an ethical chat-bot.
Why a chat-bot? Well, when thinking about building an ethical framework that can engage widely - both to help them traverse the ethical frameworks we might build, and to learn from people about the questions and the ethics that they might bring to bear - some sort of simple ethical chat-bot always seems like something to explore.
What would people want from such a thing? What should it try to do? What should it try not to do? Could it be used as an aid in building ethical frameworks? Can we allow it to give automated ethical suggestions - or should these always come from people?
No doubt we’ll come up with many more questions, and many answers too.
What we’ll aim for is a ‘starter-for-ten’ specification for what an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) ethical chat-bot should do.
Democracy Club: Annual Report Launch Party!
Come celebrate what we’ve achieved together over the last year!
Includes so many elections, much data! And we want your braaains on what’s next…
(Democracy Club is a community interest company that uses open data, design and technology to give every voter the information and participation opportunities they need, in a way that suits them. We are non-partisan and we work openly. Come say hello!)
27 JUN 8:30am - 10:30am
Well-designed Democracy
Chris Quigley / Delib
A breakfast event looking at how product and behavioural design principles could be used to improve the policy-making process, with the idea of bringing together a mix of product designers, behavioural scientists along with policy-makers/civil servants to investigate the idea of how we can create a ‘well-designed democracy’.
We’re delighted to say we’ve got some excellent speakers confirmed:
Dr Michael Hallsworth, Director at the Behavioural Insights Team – on using behavioural economics to design better policies
Glyn Briton, Chief Strategy Officer at Albion – on designing ‘democratic brands’; some lessons from designing GiffGaff, a pioneering democratic brand
Temi Ogunye, Citizens Advice Bureau – presenting research on how people practically engage with democracy from a day-to-day perspective
Chris Quigley, Delib – on ‘playocracy’: the use of gaming mechanics to build engagement in policy
Breakfast will be provided and, of course, there’ll be plenty of tea and coffee available.
This event is part of the Practical Democracy Project, a series of events organised by Delib dedicated to looking at how technology can best be used to make every-day improvements to the democratic process – with a particular focus on policy-making at local and central government levels.
The overall aim of the Practical Democracy Project is to design the ‘ultimate democracy user-journey’. On one side, we’ll be mapping out in practical terms how to create the best democratic user-journey for citizens, using technologies that dominate people’s everyday lives; on the other side, we’ll be mapping out the optimal user-journey for government officials/policy makers/elected officials. The key point being that democratic processes are a two-sided affair, which need to be optimised for both citizens and government if they’re to work.
For more info or to kick in ideas, drop us a line on Twitter: @delibthinks
Register: Eventbrite
Sam Jeffers (The Shop) - Who targets you? The inside scoop and results of the elections most talked about new tools
Hayley Davidson (Crisis Action) - Creative Coalitions
We’ll be unveiling a further list of kick-ass speakers for this event over the coming weeks. Expect more learnings from the snap General Election campaign to be among them.
If we can we will try and organise some pizza to be delivered after the event to allow people to keep talking.
Wot you waiting for? #wineandwotsits
Red Pepper Launch Party
Jenny Nelson / Red Pepper
Red Pepper meets to launch the latest print issue of Red Pepper Magazine - Empire Will Eat Itself - and chart out the path it takes from here.
#homelesshack17
homelesshack team
homelesshack17 is for anyone interested in helping solve homelessness in this city and beyond.
According to Crisis, more than 8,000 people slept rough in London last year. That number has doubled since 2010. The problem is much bigger than that, though - more than 100,000 people each year apply to UK local councils for help with homelessness, and that number is increasing by more than 10% a year.
Experts from charities, service providers and government will come together with service designers, policy professionals, data analysts, developers, researchers and people with lived experience to see if we can create some useful things to help.
There will be people who know what’s needed, people who know what data is available and where to find it, and people who can take on the ideas and prototypes from the event and find ways to make them happen.
Friday 23rd June
10:00 to 12:30: presentations from experts who work on homelessness in London to help hackers understand what’s needed
13:30 to 17:00: open space style event for everyone to talk about their ideas for ways to help
17:00 to 23:59: form self-organising teams and get to work
09:00 to 16:00: work in self-organising teams to design solutions and build working prototypes
16:00 to 17:00: show and tell
17:00: finish
Everyone with energy and ideas is welcome. This will be an inclusive, open and collaborative event. #Homelesshack is not only for people with special technical skills - come along if you have ideas, energy and any relevant skills or knowledge to offer. Please don’t worry if it’s your first time at an event like this - everyone is welcome and there will be plenty of help and support on offer.
A post-election planning meeting to work on the Citizen led Constitutional Convention.
Observers welcome.
Build something for the election? Come and talk about what you did.
Also please add it here: bit.ly/GE2017TechInitiatives
38Degrees Summer Party
38 Degrees is the angle at which snowflakes come together to form an avalanche.
A short introduction, followed by discussion, then for those who want to (everyone, hopefully!), a workshop session.
We’ll develop practical ideas for how a framework of entities, each taking responsibility for some aspect of an issue, can work together to make efficient and effective assessments.
We’ll think about how these entities can operate both as algorithms and as human-powered decision makers.
This is about starting to develop a product - the relationships and mechanisms we’ll develop will underpin the workings of an ethical framework that can interact, can deliberate, can make recommendations.
Election Night at Newspeak House
Spend election night at Newspeak House with a load of democracy nerds.
This will mostly look like a bunch of people furiously using laptops, but there’ll as much conviviality as is possible under the circumstances.
#GE2017 Hackathon
John Sandall / SixFifty
On Sunday 4th June election fever will be in the air: candidates crying clockwork catchphrases, pundits pontificating on polls, every citizen considering the choices before them. In other words, the perfect time for an election hackathon!
9am: Doors open & breakfast
10am: Opening remarks from Newspeak, SixFifty & e.g. Democracy Club
5pm: Pizza
7pm: Presentations
8pm: Wrap up, prizes, pub
Best for Britain Hack
Eloise Todd
Help promote a tactical voting tool
AI & Politics is back. With #ge2017 around the corner we ask: Can Facebook Win Elections?
Short talks, followed by drinks & discussion.
Speakers to be confirmed.
Due to strong demand, registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-politics-can-facebook-win-elections-tickets-34778022000
OpenCorporates #FlashHacks
Hera Hussain
EXPLORE OPEN COMPANY DATA & MAP CORPORATE NETWORKS
Drop in with your laptop, charger and enthusiasm to join us for an evening of civic activism.
It’s been four years since the tragic events at Rana Plaza, where lack of safety and humane working conditions were exposed due to the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh. This FlashHacks, we’ll be digging into the corporate network of apparel brands.
“There was barely any publicly available information about the apparel brands that were using the Rana Plaza factories. Activists searched through the rubble for labels and interviewed survivors. For decades, such secrecy has been the norm in the garment industry. While a handful of companies, like Adidas, Nike, Levi’s, Puma, and Patagonia, began publishing details more than a decade ago, others have recently joined. By the end of 2016, at least 29 apparel companies were disclosing some information about their source factories. Yet, company commitments to transparency about supplier information are inconsistent, with widely varying standards for what they choose to disclose. Many brands have held out completely.” - Human Rights Watch
We live in the era of transnational companies. If Panama Papers proved one thing - the world of business is complex, opaque and in critical need of transparency. Not just transparency but radical transparency, so we know who controls companies and how far their networks reach. OpenCorporates has always been a community-led initiative, and we would not have reached 125 million companies in over 100 jurisdictions worldwide without our community. You have joined the battle by writing bots, finding datasets, talking about us at events and working with us to convince governments to open up their data.
Clearly, if we are to win the battle to make a closed world open, we can only do so together. These events are a great opportunity to roll your sleeves up and get stuck into the nitty gritty of opening up data!
Hope to see you all there.
p.s. if you’re not on Slack already, please do sign up as that will be our main port for communication and work: slack.opencorporates.com
Launch of "Games For The Many"
Rosa Carbo-Mascarell
Join us for the launch party of CorbynRun, a game about building a movement to beat the Tories. You’ll get to try the game and chat to the makers.
Games can change the way you think. They’re more than just entertainment, they can help engage, teach, influence, spark conversations and start movements for change… and perhaps have an impact in the election.
What is Games For The Many?
Games For The Many is a new grouping of Labour members, creatives, gamers and tech enthusiasts, passionate about making games. From Melenchon’s Fiscal Kombat, to Molleindustria’s Phone Story, to UsVsTh3m’s 2010 viral election games - games have shown a meaningful capacity to help promote and develop ideas and messages, and they’re fun to boot!
(Open) Data for Development
Mor Rubinstein
This Meetup is going to bring together people and organizations working in (open) data for development.
We will feature speakers whose organizations have launched or are soon to launch a data portal for development purposes, speakers that will discuss responsible data handling for development, and others who are using large tranches of data to inform their work.
While we have some speakers secured already, we encourage anyone working on an exciting (open) data for development project to get in touch for an opportunity to speak!
Decentralisation of Attention Markets
Paweł Wojtkiewicz
How can decentralised technology change management, incentives and discovery in attention-content markets?
In today’s attention-based economy, institutions who hold power over data access and discovery can dictate what content and collaborations will be successful and what we spend our attention on.
Paweł Wojtkiewicz is a data scientist and phd candidate from Warsaw School of Economics. He will talk about his work implementing a system that manages and incentivises the creation and spread of content that people find beneficial while creating transparent environments where singular content creators and normal viewers can thrive as individual units.
27 MAY 9:00am - 7:00pm
London Design Jam - Politics and the Election
Sunil Pithwa / London Design Jam
Design Jam is a one-day brief to prototype event to work cool disruptive topics. This Jam’s theme will be politics and the upcoming election with the final brief being announced on the day of the Jam.
Why? We want to meet people, make things, learn, have fun doing it, and build a community of awesome people.
I’ve never Jammed before. What should I bring? Bring your laptops, coding environments, iPhones and iPads, Sketchpads, writing / drawing implements, cameras and video cameras, and whatever else you need to make sweet stuff. We’ll be finding ways of creating quick-and-dirty prototypes for testing, and then building convincing mockups by the end of the day.
Here’s the schedule (we try to stick to this, but we can change it up too):
9:00 - Doors open and breakfast begins. Groggy conversations and coffee.
10:00 - Topic presentation! We’ll give you some background and inspiration to get started with.
10:30 - Making teams and brainstorming session 1! Each team member will do rapid sketches of 4-8 different ideas. Then we’ll put them up, discuss and prioritise.
11:00 - Brainstorming session 2! Each team member will sketch a single idea. Then we’ll dot-vote and choose direction.
11:30 - Team discussion & finalizing idea
12:00 - Break for lunch
13:00 - Building your prototype begins here! This can be a sketch, paper prototype, html click dummy, a website, a video about your service or anything else that can be used for quick and dirty testing with real people.
15:30 - Testing with peers and on the streets!
16:00 - Prototyping, round 2! Refine Refine Refine!
17:30 - Finalise your presentations! Make them awesome, have fun!!!
18:00 - Final Presentations We’ll take 5 minutes with each project and see what you’ve built, and what you’ve learned.
19:00 - End of the day We’ll head to a local pub to celebrate and generally have a great time :)
The Inside Story on The NHS Malware Incident
Someone familiar with the matter will give an inside view on the NHS systems.
Chatham House Rules.
Generation Rent & PricedOut Meetup
Generation Rent and PricedOut are holding a joint social in London to introduce prospective volunteers to the organisations’ activities.
The organisations are both mobilising private renters to take action to improve the rental market, and to support more housebuilding.
The activities that the volunteers would be signing up for include:
Developing online tools for people to support housebuilding in their local areas
Using public data to create an evidence base to support policy change
Devising systems of holding local councils to account over their housing responsibilities
A subsequent training session in June, run by Generation Rent to equip volunteers with the skills and knowledge to start or get involved with a housing-related campaign.
This social offers an opportunity for people who have not been involved before to find out more and meet like-minded people in an informal environment.
What do you want from the general election?
This is an opportunity for community activists and voluntary organisations in London to get support for their priorities in this election.
We will focus on three sets of questions:
What are your priorities, who has similar priorities & how can we work together to achieve them?
What is the London manifesto and how can you use it?
How can you influence candidates to support your priorities?
Election campaigns are a national conversation about priorities. While most attention is on competing candidates and Brexit, the election is also a chance for you to draw attention to issues in your community, tell politicians what you want and get their support.
Key facilitators / presenters:
Titus Alexander, Democracy Matters – top tips for influencing
Matt Scott, LVSC – update on London manifesto
Women’s Resource Centre / ROTA
Community Sector Coalition – update on manifesto (tbc)
David Wilcox, Social Reporter- Networked City / Connecting Londoners
Newspeak House fellows – Josh; Edward tbc
Just Space – Richard Lee tbc
We will have refreshments, small groups discussions and a plenary to share ideas and get support for what you want out of the election.
Come along and get support for what you want politicians to do for your community and for London.
Please book so that we get enough refreshments for you!
WebRoots 3 year anniversary
Come and celebrate three years of WebRoots Democracy by attending this year’s anniversary event: take back ctrl: digital democracy, post-brexit
After the ground-breaking referendum last June, we will be looking at the future of digital democracy in the UK, setting out WebRoots Democracy’s next steps, and bringing together those in the democratic participation and civic tech fields.
Radicals Book Launch
Jamie Bartlett
A drinks reception to celebrate the launch of Jamie Bartlett’s new book Radicals.
Based on two years of field work, Radicals follows the people and ideas of outsider political movements, from psychedelic pioneers searching for oneness to futurists promising immortality to anarcho-capitalists founding new nations to communes trying to create a new model for life. As the mainstream of politics seems to hollow out, Radicals poses the question: are these groups the future of politics?
Join for drinks and snacks, perhaps even some very light conversation about politics that is definitely not business as usual.
History Hack Episode 1: "Do Artifacts Have Politics?"
Brandon Jackson
Technologists + History of Technology = History Hack
History Hack is an experiment to see what happens when you get technologists to read classics from the history of technology. Before each episode we’ll all read a text. Then we will meet up for a hack where we use the ideas from the reading to build amazing new things.
Episode 1 starts with an absolute classic: Langdon Winner’s essay “Do Artifacts Have Politics?” Winner explores a radical idea: technologies aren’t neutral inanimate objects. They have political agendas just like humans do. The essay totally reshaped the field. Let’s explore how it can reshape the way we build things.
Read the essay. Then come to Newspeak ready to brainstorm and be creative.
Use Your Voice: A Snap To Action
Billie JD Porter & Lizzie Hodgson
Journalist and filmmaker Billie JD Porter (BBC3, Channel 4, Vice) and ThinkNation invite you to an urgent summit addressing the state of political engagement across the UK.
It is a critical time for people across the UK, and on June 8, a decision will be made by all those who choose to vote. The third major vote in two years, constituents across all generations are said to already be ‘fatigued’ by the prospect of once again returning to the polling booth, but young people’s future remains at stake.
The event will be opened with the screening of “USE YOUR VOICE” - a short film that explores political disenfranchisement of the younger generation.
The film will be followed by a series of short interviews live on stage with Summit host Billie, mixed with talks and audience discussions with thought leaders across media, education, politics. Crucially, young people will be speaking on behalf of themselves.
Our agenda is not to sway people’s vote, but to call a state of emergency in encouraging young people TO vote.
This isn’t about party politics. This is much more important.
CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS:
Lord Jim Knight (ex Labour MP)
Abi Wilkinson (The Guardian)
Danny Fahey (Thirty Pound Gentleman)
Hannah Clare (Chair of the Young Green Party)
Simon Childs (Home Affairs Editor, Vice UK)
Mhairi Fraser (Director at Conservative Future Women and Parliamentary Assistant)
Mete Coban (Founder My Life My Say)
Shelly Asquith (Vice President Welfare National Union of Students)
Kathryn Corrick (Founder Represents)
Areeq Chowdhury (Chief Executive, WebRoots Democracy)
Kenny Imafidon (Young Political Commentator)
Jim Waterson (Political Editor Buzzfeed UK)
Gemma Styles (Writer / Digital Influencer)
Anna Rose Barker (Chair British Youth Council)
Liv Little (Editor-in-Chief gal-dem)
Isaiah Hull (writer and perfomer)
Schedule (subject to change)
6:45pm: Doors open for registration
7:00pm: Welcome by “Use Your Voice” event host, Billie JD Porter, who will also be joined onstage by some of the young people from “Use Your Voice” video
7:10pm: Screening of “Use Your Voice”
7:20pm-7:35pm: In Conversation: Billie talks with three of the young people from the video exploring what they learnt from their Brexit experience, and how they are engaging with GE2017
7:35-8:00pm: “Why do young people feel especially disconnected from politics?” Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A
8:00-8:30pm: “Should politics be taught at secondary school?” Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A
8.30-8.55pm: “How can we make sense of politics in the new media age?” Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A
8.55pm-9.20pm “Shouldn’t politics belong to everyone?” Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A9:20pm: Launch of Use Your Voice: The Toolkit. Billie is joined by with three young people who will explain why the Toolkit is important.
9:30pm: Networking/drinks
10:00pm: Finish
Project for a Progressive Ethics
We’ll start with a short presentation on how the Ethical Framework is currently imagined - how it works, how it gets built, how it can be used.
Then we’ll get some proposals for ethical dilemmas that we can explore - choose two or three, and explore the ethical issues they raise - and work out the Ethical propositions that capture these issues.
We’ll make linkages between these, look for patterns that underly and unify them, perhaps, discuss their characteristics (what specifics of the problem affect how they apply? Do they interact with other issues? What is their relative importance?).
We’ll explore using Kumu to capture and represent all of this, and see how we can link these issues together, beginning to see what a network of ethical propositions looks like.
12 MAY 10:00am - 11:59pm
On the 11th of May, each councils will release a document called a Statements of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates for the upcoming election. We need to manually enter this information into a database so that more useful things can be done with it. Come and help!
What Alex Parsons saw at TicTec 2017
Newspeak House Fellow Alex Parsons went to TicTec 2017, the Impacts of Civic Technology Conference focused on the impact that civic technology and digital democracy are having on citizens, decision makers and governments around the world.
At this event he will talk a bit about what he learned there.
The Essential Guide to Winning Elections
Rob Blackie
Rob Blackie talks about elections.
The rough agenda will be:
Why seats matter more than votes
The numbers that matter: Electorate, turnout, hard vs. soft voters
The two PIGs that drive campaigns (Persuasion, identification, getting out the vote)
Which voters matter most?
Tactical voting tool hackathon
Lucy Kimbell
Come and join us this Saturday to collaborate in the creation of online and offline tools to support voters to access the information they need to decide who to vote for in GE2017.
We can think of 4 themes to work around that might provide a useful focus for the day but are happy to hear other proposals at the start of the event when we’ll use an ‘OpenSpace’ approach to chose what topics to work on. This builds on much of the work that’s been happening in the past days and weeks.
We invite people with skills in UI, digital, data, political science, activism, media and communications to join us for a co-design session to build on and contribute to a range of initiatives which aim to build a progressive alliance and enable data-informed tactical voting on 8 June.
OpenIDEO London Outpost Launch
Doug Morrison
OpenIDEO is a global community working together to design solutions for the world’s biggest challenges. Come along to the launch of the London Outpost if you want to:
Use design thinking for issues you care about.
Exchange ideas with people everywhere.
Help projects get off the ground.
Connect with others in your community.
As well as introducing you to OpenIDEO London we will use Human-Centred Design to tackle a current challenge: How Can We Provide Higher Education for Refugees?
Draft Agenda:
6.30pm Poster Session
7.00pm Welcome and Introduction to OpenIDEO London
7.30pm Challenge: How Can We Provide Higher Education for Refugees?
9.30pm Community Development
10.00pm Close
Keep abreast of developments by following @OpenIDEOLondon on Twitter.
Ludum Dare Game Jam
Ludum Dare is a global event where you create a game from scratch in a weekend based on a theme. The theme is voted on by the community and revealed at the beginning of the jam.
Lightning fast internet speeds
Free food and drink
Optional self-care activites
What to bring to a game jam:
A laptop and charger
Pens, paper, whiteboards - whatever you need to get creative
A sleeping bag and a pillow
A matt or blow-up mattress
Money from ticket sales will all go towards providing free food and drink. If you are a student or unemployed and cannot afford a ticket get in touch at r.carbomascarell (at) gmail (dot) com.
Learn more about Ludum Dare: http://ludumdare.com/
Register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ludum-dare-game-jam-at-newspeak-house-tickets-32981465451
Zuckerberg 2020?
Anna Gát
In the past months, speculation over whether Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg will run for president has intensified. After the Trump victory, nothing of this sort seems impossible. Would such a shift establish a democratic tech utopia - or would it marginalise dissent in a way unseen even in 20th century dictatorships?
LightClock presents: ZUCKERBERG 2020?
Join us for our panel debate and our provocative games over drinks.
Anoosh Chakelian (senior writer; New Statesman)
Brandon Jackson (creative technologist; Kano)
Tom Paskhalis (statistics of political social media; London School of Economics).
Game master: Sarah Stein Lubrano (The School of Life)
Moderator: Anna Gát (founder, LightClock)
Tech and the 2017 general election
There’s going to be a UK General Election on Thurs 8 June.
Last time around, Democracy Club — a non-partisan group of technologists — used digital tech to help voters get better informed about their candidates. We reached millions of voters.
This time, there’s lots more stuff we can do — with your help! And we want more ideas!
This will be an open space session where we get together to talk data infrastructure, how we use that data, how we know what voters want, how we can use it, test it, research it.
Everyone is welcome — from activists to designers to techies — so long as you’re willing to do stuff!
A quick first draft of our plans, questions, resources etc is going in this Google Doc: https://goo.gl/8WtZvc
Not in London? Organise your own meetup and add it here: https://goo.gl/Mbbo2p Tweet it @democlub and we’ll help publicise it!
Freedom of Information & Openness
Dr Ben Worthy
Freedom of Information and Openness - why bother? The past, present and future of transparency in the UK
This event looks at why politicians push openness, how they try and back out of it and what happens once the policies are in place. It will look across FOI and Open Data in the UK and offer some thoughts on what may happen to the transparency agenda with Brexit.
Dr Ben Worthy, Birkbeck College, University of London
Martin Rosenbaum, BBC, FOI expert
The discussion coincides with the publication of Ben’s new book on this topic, ‘The Politics of Freedom of Information: How and Why Governments Pass Laws That Threaten Their Power’. The first chapter is available online here.
This month we will be reading Red Plenty by Francis Spufford
Expect strong characters, a fascinating fact/fiction hybrid, Leninist dogma, and linear programming.
Redecentralize Meetup
@shevski & @frabcus
We’re meeting up to hear about what’s new with decentralised apps, the Redecentralize Radar and have some drinks!
What is redecentralization?
We’re at the start of a new information revolution. The last one was the printing press.
It took centuries for us to work out how to use print fairly. Concepts like copyright, the novel and libraries were formed, which we all take for granted now.
Although it seems like lots has happened… personal computers, the world wide web, smart phones… Really, it’s only just begun.
The original Internet was decentralized. Anyone could set up parts of it. That’s why it won.
For various reasons, control of our information technologies is increasingly falling into a few hands. Some big companies and Governments.
We want it to become decentralized. Again.
The Digital Economy Bill: Stop UK censorship of legal content
Open Rights Group / Maddy Fry
Join ORG London for a discussion with ORG Legal Director Myles Jackman and feminist pornographer and sexual liberties campaigner Pandora Blake, about the Digital Economy Bill and what it could mean for you.
Myles Jackman who once described online pornography as “the canary in the coalmine of free speech” and is best known for his cutting edge practice in obscenity law and sexual freedom of expression.
Pandora campaigns for sexual freedom, read her Guardian article about the Bill link
Find out more about the Bill link
Letting Fees Research Night
Meeting for volunteers for Generation Rent and lettingfees.co.uk to update and expand the database of letting fees ahead of the consultation on letting fees.
That’s right, there aren’t enough wotsits in Campaigners lives, so a few times a year we co-ordinate people coming together to share some of their successes. It’s a pecha kucha format, which means approx 5 presentations of 20 slides, each lasting 20 seconds.
It will be an opportunity to hear from cutting edge speakers doing exciting things. Previous speakers include those from Save the Children, Shelter, WWF, Unlock Democracy, Which?, Change.org, National Autistic Society, Care2 and many more. If you have something you’d love to talk about, please let us know!
Who is speaking?
We will be unveiling our full speaker line up over the coming week but it includes
Penelope Gibbs - Director at Transform Justice on Herding cats- how one campaigner tried to persuade the criminal justice sector to reframe it’s messaging
Jess Day - Campaigner, Let Toys be Toys
Laura Osborne - Head of Corporate Affairs, Which?
Rachel Collinson - Donor Whisper for most of the big charities you have ever come across!
… and more to come.
You show up with whatever you want to drink (wine, fizz, non alcoholic, whatever takes your fancy), we provide the wotsits and some cups. You have a great evening. It’s deliberately timed to allow people to come straight from work.
Launch of the OpenOwnership Register
Zosia Sztykowski
Join us for the launch of the OpenOwnership Register: an open data register of global beneficial ownership, in the public interest.
The revelations of the Panama Papers have shown that anonymous company ownership bears an unacceptably high cost for society and business. On the anniversary of this game-changing leak, we are launching a tool that will bring information about who owns companies out into the open. By linking beneficial ownership data from worldwide corporate registries and other sources, and by providing a clear, consistent mechanism for data collection, the OpenOwnership Register will help reveal the transnational connections between people and companies and build a culture of corporate transparency.
Get a first look at the pilot version of the OpenOwnership Register.
Take a tour of the platform and learn how it will enable governments to crack down on crime, allow companies to verify who they are really doing business with and empower civil society to investigate and campaign against injustice.
The launch will be webcast worldwide. We welcome your questions before or during the launch on the Twitter hashtag #OpenOwnership or via email to [email protected]
Chair: José M. Alonso, Director of Digital Citizenship, the World Wide Web Foundation
Maggie Murphy, Senior Global Advocacy Manager, Transparency International
May Miller-Dawkins, Senior Global Advocacy Manager, The B Team
Zosia Sztykowski, Project Coordinator, OpenOwnership
This live event will be streamed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckC_EIvny9U
03 APR 8:30am - 2:00pm
One Year On - What the Panama Papers taught us and what next?
Transparency International, Global Witness and OCCRP
Timed to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Panama Papers leaks, this event will convene a range of journalist, data/tech and civil society actors to share research and findings released in the year since the leaks, share plans and brainstorm collective actions to make progress.
8:30 Registration
9:00 Introduction, by Gerard Ryle, Director, ICIJ
9:15 – 10:45 MiddleMen, Mansions & Maseratis: new research and tools
Drew Sullivan, OCCRP on brand new leaks
Max Heywood, Transparency International on brand new research on money laundering through luxury goods
Zosia Sztykowski, OpenOwnership on new tools
Rachel Davies, Transparency International UK on property
Oliver Bullough, journalist on getting the money back
10:45 – 11:15 Networking break
11:15 – 1:15 Pitches and plans
Naomi Hirst, Global Witness on golden visas
Nick Mathiason, Finance Uncovered on tax disclosure
Madeleine McCarroll, B Team on Ownership Transparency
Robert Palmer, Open Data Charter on what next
Emma Prest and Rishi Kumar, Datakind on data science in investigations
Alix Dunn, The Engine Room on support for making the right data/tech choices in projects
1:15 – 1:30 Wrap-up
1:30 – 2:00 Lunch
01 APR 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Workplace Activism Workshop
Effective Altruism London
• Ever found yourself stuck behind a corporate desk wondering what happened to your dreams of changing the world?
• Ever wondered how to leverage the resources of your company for global justice causes?
• Ever wanted to meet other young professionals with a similar passion for doing good?
EA Workplace Activism is a new project aimed at answering these questions - we use the power of our workplaces to maximise our positive impact, and help others do the same. You can make a real difference within and through your company - come and find out how at this informal, discussion-based event. Tickets are free via Eventbrite. We have a few speakers:
• Jo Macrae (GiveDirectly & former Head of UK Humanitarian Policy). Speaking about GiveDirectly’s pioneering work to administer direct cash transfers to the poorest households in East Africa.
• George Howlett (EA Workplace Activism/CEA). Giving an overview of our workplace activism to date, and discussing how we can leverage corporate resources for high-impact causes.
• Dr. David Reinstein (Exeter University Business School). David’s innovative ‘Give-if-you-Win’ initiative seeks to raise charitable donations from corporate bonus pools, via asking people to commit amounts in advance.
12:00-13:20 Intro to Effective Altruism workshop
13:20-14:00 Lunch (separately ticketed)
14:00-17:00 Workplace Activism Launch
14:10 Short talks on workplace activism
14:50 Discussion on workplace activism
15:40 Activism brainstorming & planning
16:40 End + feedback + stay for a drink
This event will be the pre-launch the effective altruism workplace handbook: http://eaworkplaceactivism.org/handbook-overview/
Shad Mughal
How can machine learning affect the political process?
Miles Brundage - Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Future for Humanity Institute and a PhD candidate at Arizona State University in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology. His research is focused on policy challenges in artificial intelligence. He is also affiliated with the Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes (CSPO), the Virtual Institute of Responsible Innovation (VIRI), and the Journal of Responsible Innovation (JRI). Miles will be talking about progress in AI and its long-term policy implications.
If you’d be interested in speaking at this or future meetups, please contact Shad.
Due to strong demand, registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-politics-episode-iii-tickets-32469821109
Not The Fake News
Full Fact
What we believe about the world affects the decisions we make every day, whether we are citizens or presidents. Bad information means bad decisions, and it corrodes trust. Join us and our special guests on the 27th of March at Newspeak House in London to discuss fake news and the misinformation ecosystem, and how best to respond.
Richard Allan, Vice President Public Policy EMEA at Facebook
Peter Barron, Vice President Communications and Public Affairs EMEA at Google
Rob Owers, Head of News Partnerships EMEA at Twitter
Jenni Sargent, Managing Director at First Draft News
Will Moy, Director at Full Fact
Bill Thompson, BBC
Full Fact is the UK’s leading factchecking charity, and has been at the forefront of automated factchecking. We’ve been to a lot of events about fake news recently, but none quite provided the opportunity for people to hear directly from the key players. So we organised this. We hope you enjoy the evening. The event will be live streamed. You can follow the Full Fact twitter account on the night for the live feed. Tickets are free. However, Full Fact is a charity, so if you would like to donate we would be very grateful.
Tickets will be released in batches:
First batch released on Weds March 15th at noon
Second batch released on Weds March 22nd at noon
Register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/full-fact-presents-not-the-fake-news-tickets-32541136415
Freelancer Cooperatives
Altgen
An evening for all freelancers to learn about setting up cooperatives.
Self-employment is booming in the capital. Freelancing can be liberating, but all too often this comes at a price: isolation, precariousness and insecure pay.
Join us for an evening of discussion, meeting like-minded freelancers, and hearing from speakers including Pat Conaty and Alex Bird (Co-operatives UK), and Kayleigh Walsh (Outlandish - a tech cooperative of freelancers).
The Mask and The Flag: Populism, Citizenism and Global Protest
Come to the launch of “The Mask and The Flag: Populism, Citizenism and Global Protest” by Dr Paolo Gerbaudo, Lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at King’s College London.
From the Arab Spring to the Spanish Indignados, from Occupy Wall Street in New York to Nuit Debout in Paris, contemporary protest bears the mark of citizenism, a libertarian and participatory brand of populism which appeals to ordinary citizens outraged at the arrogance of political and financial elites in the wake of the Great Recession.
The book draws from 140 interviews with activists and live witnesses of occupations and demonstrations to explore the new politics nurtured by the movement of the squares of 2011-16 and its reflection of an exceptional phase of crisis and social transformation.
7:30 Paolo will present his book and discuss the relevance of the progressive populism of the 2011 occupy wave for contemporary politics
8:00 Response by journalist and author Dan Hancox
8:30 Debate
9:00 Drinks & mingling, and the chance to buy signed copies of the book.
The Espionage Act
Sarah Kavanagh from the National Union of Journalists will be joined by Pam Cowburn, Open Rights Group’s Communications Director, to discuss the implications of the proposed Espionage Act.
Join us for a discussion and Q&A followed by a trip to the Brewdog pub next door.
I’ve decided to rocket forward from the 19th century to the 21st, looking at a book that’s mainly about the lessons from the Bernie Sanders campaign: https://goo.gl/Jg0aIW
Another Europe Is Possible Social
James Moulding
If you’re involved in Another Europe Is Possible, or an allied or interested campaign, feel free to join us for an evening of fun, politics and socialising.
We’ll have a quick presentation about what Another Europe is doing - including our fight against hard Brexit, campaigns for free movement and migrants’ rights, and Stop Trump. Exciting speaker TBA.
And then we’ll spend the rest of the evening getting to know each other and having a nice time.
Please make sure to get a ticket through the Eventbrite in order to give us an idea of actual numbers.
Open Research Data do-a-thon
Joseph McArthur
We invite you, whether you’re in London or afar, to a weekend of learning, making, and doing to advance Open Research Data. The event is hosted by SPARC and the NIH as part of an international celebration for Open Data Day.
At its heart, Open Research Data is about making it easy for you and others to see, use and share data (to find out more, read this). This simple idea is powering some of the largest breakthroughs of our time and our event aims to celebrate and accelerate the power of Open Research Data.
We invite you, whether new or old to Open Research Data, scholar or citizen, in London or across the globe, to join us for this weekend to make, hack, contribute, try, teach, design, test, learn (or just about anything!) in the name of Open Research Data.
In London, we’ll provide fast wifi, power (both for your laptops and your bodies) and a program that will spark ideas and collaborations for the weekend.
If you can’t make it to London, join us online from wherever you are. We’ll be documenting and discussing ideas before, during, and after the event for remote participants. As a remote participant, expect to be able to pitch and discuss your ideas for the weekend with all attendees!
Each day will run 9am - 6pm. We’ll provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks (including coffee, of course) with informal dinner & drinks each evening. The program is designed to be lightweight and flexible to allow the maximum time for doing.
9-10 am: Breakfast
10-12 am: Introductions & opening / pitches
12-1 pm: Lunch
1-6pm: Working with occasional lightning talks
10-12 am: Working with occasional lightning talks
1-6 pm: Working with occasional lightning talks
Ideas for the Weekend
We’re organizing ideas & more details on the program here. It’s up for you to decide how you spend the weekend, but if you’re short on ideas, here are some of ours:
Trying to find / reuse an open data set
Building engaging (and open) visualizations of open research data
Adding some field-specific examples to Data Carpentry lessons
Building a software library (Python module/ R package/ Ruby gem etc.) to facilitate access to and processing of open data from specific sources
Building a set of Wikidata SPARQL queries for a specific field
Harvesting data from the supplementary files of scholarly publications
Participating in research-related activities that others are planning for Open Data Day
A data-centric walk around the neighbourhood
Improving documentation for any of the above
Adding a “research data” section to the Open Data Handbook
Improving Wikipedia pages around or with open research data
Writing data management plans
Writing data-centric grant proposals
Make your own data FAIR
Test out reproducible computational tools such as Binder, R-Shiny, CodeOcean [we can supply a list of resources]
Prototype a tool to leverage the open datasets in eLife or in repositories (Zenodo, Dataverse, etc)
Prototype a tool to make it easy for researchers to share/discover/consume comprehensive, open and FAIR data
Devise a mechanism to incentivise deposition, review and reuse of datasets
We’re turning the monthly FlashHacks into every few months to make sure we can accommodate more people & partner with NGOs. We’ll be releasing more information in the lead up to the event!
People Before Pixels
Rose Rees Jones
Since the last People Before Pixels meetup, almost a year ago, a lot has happened politically and in how we design public sector services. But we’ve seen the rise of one question that now seems to dominates both: who do you work for?
The language we use to describe the people who use public sector services has been changing. ‘Human centred design’ has turned to ‘user experience’ and now to ‘designing for citizens’. How has this impacted the way we include people who use digital services? How do we talk about individual users as a group of people? And how do these groupings change our expectations of their behaviour? Will designing for citizens empower people using public sector services? What are the user needs for empowerment and how will we design for it?
Speaker: Rose Rees Jones @rosebotanic
I will be kickstarting a new round of monthly people before pixels with this discussion. This meetup welcomes anyone who is interested.
As always my fifteen minute talk will be followed lively conversation and drinks.
Doors: 6.30pm
Talk: 7.00pm
If you’d like to speak at this event or host a future event let me know: @rosebotanic, #pb4pixels
Short talks, followed by drinks & discussion. Speakers TBC.
Due to strong demand, registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-politics-episode-ii-tickets-32095092285
Dan Barrett - head of data and search at Parliament Digital Service - www.twitter.com/dasbarrett
Tony Hirst - Open Data Journalist https://www.twitter.com/psychemedia
Michelle Isme - Product Manager @gdsteam working on open registers https://www.twitter.com/icoo
Oli Hawkins - Statistical researcher at the House of Commons Library https://www.twitter.com/olihawkins
Steve Goodrich - Senior Research Officer at Transparency International UK https://www.twitter.com/stevejgoodrich
Megan Lucero - Director of the Data Lab at @TBIJ // Formerly Data Journalism Editor at @thetimes and @thesundaytimes https://www.twitter.com/megan_lucero
James Smith - Head of @ODILabs, party leader of @havesomenew, founder of @CleanwebUK, and chair of @CDCSSGUK https://www.twitter.com/floppy
16 FEB 10:00am - 12:00pm
Tools To Tackle Hunger
Publish What You Fund
How can digital tools be used to make information on agriculture development funding more accessible, and more actionable?
Join us to hear pitches from expert developers from across the world - sharing their plans to use state-of-the-art technology to improve aid and agriculture data.
This session is a public culmination of a week-long tool accelerator. Hear insights from our panel of judges, and provide your questions and feedback through an audience-choice session.
About the Initiative for Open Ag Funding
The Initiative for Open Ag Funding supports efforts to tackle hunger and food insecurity by improving the availability and quality of agricultural investment data. We know that in 2014 roughly $8.3 billion of official development assistance (ODA) was disbursed for agricultural-related development. However, we cannot accurately say where it was spent, who benefited or what that assistance achieved.
The Initiative for Open Ag Funding is aimed at ensuring that agriculture and food security practitioners have the data they need to answer those questions, with the ultimate goal of increasing the effectiveness of efforts in the sector. By improving access to this data, organizations will be better able to coordinate, find partners, identify promising approaches and target their assistance.
To that end, we are hosting a four day tool development workshop where specialist software developers will explore agriculture-relevant data needs, and build a series of prototype tools to address them. These include:
Improving the workflow for geocoding IATI data;
Approaches to merge improvements into IATI data without requiring updates to publisher’s source systems;
Improved API and query-tools for access to enhanced agriculture funding data;
Greater awareness of IATI amongst key stakeholders;
Improved user-friendly interfaces for access to open agriculture funding data.
Join us on the final day to hear the outcomes of the challenge, as the development teams present their ideas on how we can use data to tackle world hunger.
Political Technology in the Colombian Jungle
Ed Maklouf
We are not the only sufferers of ugly referendums. In Colombia, a recent national vote to end a fifty year war with the FARC guerrillas failed by 50.2% to 49.8%.
Ed Maklouf has just returned from three months living with and studying the political processes of remote Colombian communities: the FARC guerrillas, indigenous Arhuaco indians and Amazonian indians, afrodescendiente communities, and citizens of Bogota, Cali, and Medellin.
Come and hear about the history of their local decision-making processes, how their communities understood and responded to the peace referendum, and Ed’s experiments augmenting their politics with new technology. A talk followed by discussion.
Ed is writing a book about consensus “Hands Up - the history of voting” and is the founder of Gather, a social impact startup that makes democracy tech for citizen science, citizen reporting, and voting/consensus. He studied group communication at Stanford University, developed the Siine Keyboard, and now aims to improve collective agreements using both technology and historical research.
Taking control of politics: can digital democracy help?
The Democratic Society
Workshop: 1pm-5pm
Meetup: Digital Democracy & EU (drinks and pizza!) 5pm-7pm
How well are we using online and digital technology to take part in politics? Do platforms already exist for engaging with politics from a local to European level, or do we need to create something new? If so what, and how?
Bring your ears and your ideas to explore with others which online tools/platforms could be most powerful for people to engage with politicians and help you get your opinions heard where it matters.
You’ll have the opportunity to meet a variety of international people with expertise in the field of digital democracy, but we want to hear your expertise too. We hope you will develop thoughts and ideas about how you would like to engage in politics and input your ideas - whether you know a little or a lot!
Be part of an international programme - this event is part of a series being run in Paris, Iceland, Latvia, Slovenia, Amsterdam, Athens and Brussels as part of a European Commission funded investigation into how best to engage people with legislation making. It aims to explore the tools available and crowdsource the requirements for engaging citizens.
How do we give power to the people - could digital democracy be the answer? Be part of deciding the future. Priority on the waitlist for tickets will be given to people aged 30 and under.
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Preview of Noteworthy Abstracts from the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program
At a pre-meeting press conference, ASCO gave reporters a peek at some of the important presentations at the upcoming ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program. The topics covered include smoking and lung cancer, maintenance therapy for ovarian cancer, the value of geriatric assessment, changes wrought by the Affordable Care Act, and videoconferencing for caregivers.
Smoking and Lung Cancer
A large pooled analysis of 17 studies with a total of almost 35,000 patients enrolled in the International Lung Cancer Consortium (ILLCCO) showed that quitting smoking at any time prior to diagnosis improved lung cancer-specific survival and overall survival [Abstract 1512].
The risk of overall death was reduced by 12% for people who quit less than 2 years before their diagnosis, 17% if the interval was 2-5 years, and 20% if it had been more than 5 years since stopping smoking (all comparisons were with current smokers). However for lung cancer-specific survival, the benefit was significant only for those who quit more than 5 years prior to diagnosis compared with current smokers at the time of diagnosis.
“This research shows that if you are a current smoker and you quit, no matter when you quit you will be more likely to survive after being diagnosed with lung cancer compared to someone who continues smoking,” said lead author Aline Fusco Fares, MD, clinical research fellow at Princess Margaret Cancer center in Toronto. “The study’s message is simple: quit smoking now.”
“The improvements in survival seen even with quitting a short time before lung cancer diagnosis show that it’s never too late to stop smoking,” said ASCO President Howard A. Burris, III, MD.
Maintenance Olaparib in Ovarian Cancer
The final overall survival analysis of the double-blind, randomized, multicenter SOLO2 trial showed that maintenance therapy with olaparib provided an unprecedented improvement of 12.9 months of median overall survival versus placebo in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation [Abstract 6002].
At 5 years, 28.3% of patients in the olaparib arm were alive and did not need subsequent treatment versus 12.8% of patients in the placebo arm. At 5 years, 42.1% of olaparib patients were alive versus 33.2% of placebo patients.
Patients who received olaparib in the time between response and disease progression had a 26% reduced risk of death. In addition, 38.4% of the placebo arm crossed over to treatment with olaparib.
“This is the first study with olaparib tablets … to provide long-term follow-up and final overall survival data in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer,” said lead author Andreas Poveda, MD, Initia Oncology Hospital Quironsalud, Valencia, Spain.
“A median overall survival improvement of nearly 13 months is impressive in ovarian cancer and brings a substantial benefit to our patients. With the addition of overall survival data, this study helps usher in a new era of personalized medicine for women with this difficult-to-treat cancer,” Dr.Poveda added.
Geriatric Assessment and Management
Integrating geriatric assessment (GA) and geriatrician-led collaborative care for patients over age 70 slated for chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy improved outcomes for both patients and the healthcare system [Abstract 12011].
The INTEGERATE prospective randomized study of 154 patients showed that comprehensive GA and geriatrician-led management of issues identified in the GA improved patients’ quality of life, reduced emergency room visits, reduced in-hospital stays, and enabled more patients to stay on treatment compared with usual care.
“The comprehensive GA is a powerful tool, because it helps optimize care for older cancer patients. Older people receiving systemic anti-cancer therapy should receive comprehensive GA management to optimize their clinical care and health outcomes. This is one of the first randomized trials to show benefits to both the patient and the healthcare system,” said lead author Wee-Kheng Soo, MD, geriatrician and medical oncologist at Eastern Health, Melbourne, Australia.
ACA and Expansion of Medicaid
The first study to directly measure cancer survival after implementation of expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) found greater decreases in cancer mortality rates in states that adopted Medicaid expansion than in states that did not: 29% from 1999-2017 versus 25%, respectively [Abstract 2003].
The additional mortality benefit for states that adopted Medicaid expansion amounted to an estimated 785 fewer cancer deaths in 2017 alone.
Looking at subpopulations, it was somewhat surprising to find that although African Americans patients had large mortality gains during the study period, no additional reduction in mortality was observed for them in states with Medicaid expansion, while Hispanic patients had a greater magnitude of improvement in mortality in states that adopted Medicaid expansion. The authors said that it is not clear why African Americans failed to experience the same magnitude of benefit in these states and that further study is needed.
“This is the first study to show the benefit of Medicaid expansion on cancer death rates on a national scale. We now have evidence that Medicaid expansion has saved the lives of many people with cancer across the US,” said lead author Anna Lee, MD, radiation oncology fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City.
“Better access to quality cancer care, in this case through state expansion of Medicaid, leads to fewer deaths,” said ASCO Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President Richard L. Schilsky, MD.
Videoconference Intervention and Coaching
A study that has particular relevance in the COVID-19 era found that a videoconference coaching intervention helped to reduce anxiety and distress for caregivers who live more than one hour away from the cancer patient they were caring for [Abstract 12123].
The randomized controlled trial was conducted at a large urban comprehensive cancer center, and patients undergoing treatment for any type of cancer were included.
Distance caregivers were randomized to Arm 1 (4 monthly videoconferences with a nurse practitioner or social worker focused on information and support, participation in a patient’s appointment with the oncologist, and access to a specially-designed website for distant caregivers); Arm 2 (no coaching sessions but the other 2 components); and Arm 3 (access to the website only).
At the completion of the study of 441-patient-caregiver dyads, only Arm 1 showed a significant 21% improvement in anxiety over time, and a significant improvement in distress over time (54.3%).
The majority of the caregivers (71%) were female, 65% were Caucasian, and 65% were the child of the patient.
“Distance caregivers experience a tremendous amount of anxiety and distress – often greater than people with cancer themselves. With COVID-19, the challenges distance caregivers face are now the same challenges facing many local caregivers who can’t attend their loved ones’ appointments [with the oncologist].
“Our videoconference intervention shows that it’s possible to meaningfully reduce anxiety and distress for distance caregivers through fairly simple technology,” said lead author Sara L. Douglas, PhD, RN, professor in oncology nursing and assistant dean for research at the Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing, Cleveland, OH.
By John McCleery
OBR Green is our dynamic, eco-friendly digital journal featuring all of our original content. Register to begin receiving OBR Green today. View the Most Recent Issue
ASH 2020 Advances Immunotherapies, Puts Spotlight on Health Disparities
DAY 4: Circulating Tumor Cells, HDAC Inhibition, and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in High-Risk EBC
DAY 3: Less Chemo, Fewer Pregnancies, and a Setback for Ipatasertib
DAY 2: Three CDK4/6 Inhibitors and Trastuzumab Deruxtecan
ASH Late-Breaker Highlights for Tuesday December 8, 2020
Trish Goldsmith on More NCCN Categories Bring Inconsistency, Uncertainty, and Consternation
Trish Goldsmith on Lenvima Seated Next to Nexavar in First-Line Hepatocellular Carcinoma
john on Lenvima Seated Next to Nexavar in First-Line Hepatocellular Carcinoma
donsharpe on Lenvima Seated Next to Nexavar in First-Line Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Jan Heybroek on CLL & Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Immediate Impact of 2014 ASCO Presentations on Clinical Practice
AACR Conference Coverage
ACCC/CCBS Conference Coverage
AIDS-Related Malignancies (includes Kaposi Sarcoma and AIDS-Related Lymphoma)
ASCO and ASH
ASCO Conference Coverage
ASCO GI Conference Coverage
ASCO GU Conference Coverage
ASCO Palliative and Supportive Care Conference Coverage
ASH Conference Coverage
Bladder (includes Transitional Cell Carcinoma, Urothelial Cell Carcinoma)
Bone Metastases and Bone Loss
Brain (includes Glioblastoma Multiforme, Glioma, Brain Mets)
Broader Healthcare and Pharma News
Business (includes M&A, Licensing, Legal, Venture Capital, and Marketing)
COA Conference Coverage
COVID-19 (includes Novel Coronavirus)
Diagnostics (includes Molecular Diagnostics)
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
Endocrine and Neuroendocrine (includes PNET)
Endometrial and Uterine
ESMO / ECC Conference Coverage
FDA/Regulatory (includes NICE, EMA, CHMP, Biosimilars, Generics)
Featured Oncology News
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)
Health, Diet/Exercise, Lifestyle, and Patient Interest
Immuno-oncology (includes cancer vaccines)
Leukemia (includes ALL, AML, APL, CLL, CML, MDS, Myeloproliferative Disorders, Myelofibrosis)
Liver (includes HCC, Billiary Tract)
Lung (includes NSCLC, SCLC, Mesothelioma)
Lymphoma (includes NHL, HL, CNS Lymphoma)
Melanoma (includes BCC)
On-Currences
Oncology Business and Policy News
Oncology Clinical News
Patient Care (includes Supportive Care, Palliative Care, Survivorship, QOL, Advocacy, Adverse Events, Pain Management)
Patient Feed
Pediatric (includes Adolescents and Young Adults)
Personalized Oncology (includes Cancer Genetics)
Pipeline (Phase 1-3, Pharmacology, Clinical Trials, Statistics)
Policy and Value (includes Cost, Quality, Reimbursement, Guidelines, Pathways, Insurance)
Pre-Clinical (includes Genetics, Molecular, Translational)
Prevention, Risk Factors, Epidemiology, and Disparities
Rare Cancers and Disorders
Renal Cell Carcinomca (RCC)
SABCS Conference Coverage
Stem Cells and Bone Marrow Transplant
Technology (includes EMR, Digital, Devices)
Top Hits and Misses
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Yellow Jacket Tennis Camp
@GT_MTEN Opens Fall Season in Athens
THE FLATS – With eight letterwinners back from an NCAA Tournament team, Georgia Tech begins its 18th year under head coach Kenny Thorne in the Southern Intercollegiate Championships in Athens, Ga., the oldest collegiate tennis event in the South, this weekend at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.
The event begins Friday and continues through Monday, when the championship matches in singles and doubles will be held.
Tournament draws and results
TEAM UPDATE – Georgia Tech returns eight of nine letterwinners from its 2015 NCAA Tournament team that finished the spring 14-13 and reached the semifinals of the ACC Championship. The lone loss was senior Eduardo Segura, Tech’s leader in singles victories. Among the returnees, however, are senior Nathan Rakitt (Marietta, Ga.), juniors Carlos Benito (Madrid, Spain) and Cole Fiegel (Alachua, Fla.) and sophomores Christopher Eubanks (Atlanta, Ga.) and Michael Kay (Alpharetta, Ga.), who combined for 109 of the Yellow Jackets’ combined 159 individual singles victories last year. Also back are another pair of sophomore in Elijah Melendez (Suwanee, Ga.) and Daniel Yun (Marietta, Ga.), who won 21 matches between them in limited roles. Head coach Kenny Thorne recruited a pair of freshmen in Phillip Gresk of Warsaw, Poland and Andrew Li of Hong Kong.
Eubanks, Kay and Fiegel enjoyed successful summers on different fronts. Eubanks made the singles and doubles draws for the BB&T Atlanta Open, where he and Donald Young won their first two doubles matches before falling to world No. 1 Bob and Mike Bryan in the semifinals. Kay reached the finals of two key U.S. Open qualifiers and won two matches the ITA National Collegiate Summer Championships in singles, while also getting to the doubles finals at the ITA Nationals. Fiegel won an ITA Summer Series event in Tallahassee, Fla.
SINGLES UPDATE – Eubanks is seeded third and Rakitt 10th in the top singles bracket in the SIC. Eubanks faces Arkansas’ Santiago Munoz in the opening round Friday morning, while Rakitt takes on Clemson’s Christian Harris. Michael Kay opens against the Razorbacks’ Jose Salazar, while Fiegel faces Dominik Haider of Barry University and Li meets Lucas Cerin of Armstrong State.
In Division II, Melendez is paired against Winthrop’s Josh Ryan, Yun against Virginia Tech’s Aaron Gomez, and Casey Kay against Kennesaw State’s Alejandro Valencia.
DOUBLES UPDATE – For this weekend, Thorne has kept together some doubles teams that played most of Tech’s dual match schedule last spring, including Fiegel and Rakitt, who went 11-7 last year, Eubanks and Michael Kay, who were 15-11, and Melendez and Yun, who were 6-5. Casey Kay will team up with Li for the Yellow Jackets’ fourth doubles team this weekend. Benito, who played most of his doubles matches with the graduated Segura, a fellow Spaniard, is sidelined with an injury this weekend and will not play either singles or doubles.
HEAD COACH Kenny Thorne SAYS – “Compared to last fall, we were trying to assimilate four new freshmen. This fall, three of our four doubles teams have already played together. It’ll be good to see these guys playing both singles and doubles. Most of them know what to expect and have played this tournament before, and can establish themselves in the fall. We haven’t had an official team practice yet, but we’ve had individual lessons (allowed by NCAA rules). Most all of the guys have played all summer, which is important.”
THE SIC FIELD – The 2015 tournament features 174 participants from 28 schools: Arkansas, Armstrong State, Barry, Clemson, College of Charleston, Columbus State, Davidson, East Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, Georgia, Georgia College, Georgia Gwinnett, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Lander, Liberty, Lipscomb, Memphis, Mercer, Mississippi State, Saint Leo, Stetson, Tennessee Tech, Virginia Tech and Winthrop.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT – The field will be divided into three singles divisions and two doubles divisions, and there will be a champion from each division. Two rounds of consolation matches will be played for first round losers in singles, but no doubles consolation. No-ad scoring will be in place for both singles and doubles.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH MEN’S TENNIS
Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team is beginning its 18th year under head coach Kenny Thorne. The Yellow Jackets have played in the NCAA Championship 15 times. Connect with Georgia Tech Men’s Tennis on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_MTEN). For more information on Tech men’s tennis, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
January 13, 2021 Tech Men Listed in Preseason ITA National Rankings
Four Jackets featured in preseason top-60 doubles/singles rankings
Tech Men Listed in Preseason ITA National Rankings
January 12, 2021 Men’s Tennis Announces 2021 Schedule
Yellow Jackets release 2021 schedule
Men’s Tennis Announces 2021 Schedule
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Why should we care about snow in the mountains?
Mountain regions worldwide are the water-towers of the Earth. The Australian Alps produce over half of river flows in the Murray-Darling Basin which contain > 45% of Australia’s irrigated production (which is valued at more than $10B per annum). In addition, reliable winter snowfalls contribute >65% of the annual precipitation of the region, and the mountains host more than 2.5M visitors annually, with three quarters of tourists visiting the snowfields in winter, contributing roughly $960M annually in revenue for Victoria alone. Spring snowmelt into high country aqueducts and dams represents Australia’s largest energy store in the form of hydroelectricity. These local and regional economies can only exist because of a climate that produces regular snowfalls, and a mostly intact, adapted and resilient alpine environment. The alpine environment regulates water flows, controls soil erosion and provides habitat for many endangered and threatened plant and animal species. Indeed, the ecosystems of the Australian Alps are one of 11 Australian centres of plant diversity, one of 187 global biodiversity hotspots and they even include a RAMSAR listed site, Blue Lake, in Kosciuszko National Park. Alpine ecosystems – from bogs and fens to snowpatches – and some of their unique species (like Australia’s only hibernating alpine animal, the Mountain Pygmy Possum) rely on snow for protection from frosts and strong winds, for insulating soils, providing a steady water supply and as a cue for phenological events. Some species, like Snow Algae, even rely entirely on late melting snowpack as a habitat substrate.
It’s difficult to imagine the Australian Alps without snow. But predictable snowfalls and lasting snowpack are already dwindling, and a projected 30-70% decline in annual maximum snow depth relative to 1990 levels by 2050 (under a low-emissions scenario) seems likely. The ability of the Australian alpine environment to function properly without reliable snowcover and a lasting snowpack is unknown. Surprisingly, studies of snow ecology in Australia are few, and we do not have a good understanding of how, where or when snowpack interacts with vegetation or drives soil water content across the alpine landscape and, in turn, how this affects alpine plant growth in the months following snowmelt. But thankfully, that’s about to change.
Led by Dr Susanna Venn and Dr Adam Miller (Deakin University), with collaborators at the Australian National University, RMIT University and the Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, a new research project funded by the Australian Research Council and partners (alpine ski resorts, alpine nurseries, Parks Victoria and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne) will investigate how the Australian Alps will fare with declines in snowcover. Titled “Mountain champions: building resilience into alpine environments for a low-snow future”, the Research Group will assess whether alpine species have the regeneration and adaptive capacity to thrive under new climates, as well determining their tolerances to the extreme temperatures they will face in the future. The research also aims to determine which areas of the alpine landscape are most at-risk of collapse without snow. The project kicks off in 2021 (with post-graduate student and volunteer opportunities) and we look forward to working with our partners to help better understand “ice ecology” and to map a brighter future for our snow-covered ecosystems. Stay tuned for updates.
Snowdrift at Mount Hotham, spring 2020
This entry was posted in News on November 17, 2020 by zwalker.
Life Under the Snow
In the video below, RCAAE scientist John Morgan explains the importance of snow on alpine ecosystems as part of the Alpine Science Series organised by Falls Creek Alpine Resort
This entry was posted in News on October 9, 2020 by zwalker.
Dingoes in the Victorian Alpine Region
Zali Jestrimski, a La Trobe University Student, on her undergraduate research project investigating Dingoes in the Victorian High Country.
When Dr John Morgan suggested an undergrad research project on dingoes in the alps, I was thrilled. The idea was to use trail cameras at the Mt Hotham Alpine Resort – which had been set up to monitor foxes, cats and deer – to try and quantify the number of dingoes in the area. There was also the added bonus of assessing whether areas with dingoes had fewer feral animals. Dingoes have been a passion of mine for some time, and I know quite a lot about their behaviour from my time as a volunteer at a dingo sanctuary in Melbourne. But it was also apparent to me that we know relatively little about dingoes in the alps, and I was keen to improve that knowledge.
Zali and alpine dingoes at a wildlife sanctuary, with her recently published research paper.
There is a misconception that there are no pure dingoes left in the Victorian high country. However, genetic studies prove otherwise and it was not surprising that the trail cameras at Mt Hotham have detected the species in the vicinity of the resort.
For my research project, I wanted to study the activity patterns of dingoes near Mt Hotham as there was nothing known about this. Where were they? When did they move about the landscape? In addition, studies elsewhere have shown that dingoes likely suppress cat and fox numbers, and may even affect the behaviour of Sambar deer. Could I observe fewer ferals where dingoes were present? While my study is a small one, and much more work needs to be done, I think I found some very interesting patterns.
In the vicinity of Mt Hotham, there were several dingoes observed over a two year period using the trail cameras to document their occupancy, including young ones. This suggests that dingoes are resident and breeding there. I found that there were less cats in locations with dingoes – although it’s hard to know if one is directly responsible for the other. I observed that dingoes do overlap with both foxes and deer but that the ferals tend to be active at different times to that of the dingoes. Are they avoiding the dingoes?
Dingo capture by trail camera, near Mt Hotham
I hope this research is the start of an improved understanding of dingoes in the alps, as well as the role they play in this ecosystem. You can read about my work in The Victorian Naturalist 137: 96-104.
Summer Studentship Experience
My Summer Studentship Experience, by Nina Kerr
I initially applied for the RCAAE summer studentship for the 2018/19 season. I was not successful that time around so instead, I used that summer to experience the Victorian Alps for my first time, by working for an environmental contractor eradicating Hawkweed (Pilosella sp.) near Falls Creek. One benefit of staring at the ground all day is that you quickly become familiar with the shapes, colours and distributions of different plants even without knowing all their names. I was blown away by the diversity of plants and keen to learn more about alpine ecosystems. The following season I reapplied and was excited to be accepted into the RCAAE studentship for the 2019/20 season.
Before going, I had mentally prepared for some things I would experience during the weeks ahead: learning lots of new plant names, the volatile weather, long days, data entry and working solo at times. Something which I had not foreseen was the widespread and devastating bushfire season of Summer 2019/20. Little of Australia escaped impact from these bushfires and we were no different. At the start of the season it was uncertain whether we would be able to go at all. Luckily, Falls Creek escaped any physical impact and I was able to spend 7 weeks there on and off. However, several active fires surrounded the region at times and the smoke haze was an eery reminder of the reality of the situation. Other subalpine alpine areas were not so fortunate, and we were able to witness the impacts of the fires at Mt Buffalo. Clearly fires are becoming more frequent in this region and it is a real challenge for those managing and protecting the natural assets of the park.
Re-surveying long-term plots in grasslands in Pretty Valley.
An experience I was humbled to be a part of was helping resurvey long-term ecological monitoring plots. This took us to some amazing subalpine and alpine grasslands and snow patches from Falls Creek to Mt Bogong. One survey took us to the Mt Fainter grassland, where the wind and rain were so strong over the saddle it threatened to rip the data sheets from my clip board. Thankfully, these transects were efficient to reconstruct as the pegs were still standing and the bearings to locate them were true. For the last couple of transects the rain stopped, a little sun came through the clouds and we got some spectacular views.
After completing some of these long-term monitoring plots, I gained a serious appreciation for simple and robust methodology that can be repeated over decades. Although the humble stake is a common friend among ecologists, I was still impressed to see the red gum pegs standing in snow patches after 40 years, as the seasonal snow-pack has the force to drag down-slope any object sticking too far out of the ground.
It was easy to feel inspired up in the Alps. I met so many different people including researchers, land managers and other students who shared an abundance of knowledge and an incredible passion for understanding and conserving this complex landscape. Experiencing the process of research has got me excited for post-grad research with honours and I know I will be able to apply many lessons and practical skills I gained last summer.
Burnt vegetation at Lyrebird Plain, Mount Buffalo
This entry was posted in News on June 4, 2020 by zwalker.
What the heck is a Caltha Herbland?
By Alex Blackburn-Smith, currently doing her honours with the Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology at La Trobe University
The Caltha introloba Herbland Community is one of the rarest and most specialised vegetation alliances in alpine Australia, yet we know very little about it. Indeed, for 40 years, no-one has been quite sure how to classify them. Are they associated with Sphgnum bogs? Snowpatches? Are they wetlands? The rarity of Caltha Herblands has been recognised enough to list them as a threatened communities under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1998), and they have further protection under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) through their association with Sphagnum Bogs (listed as endangered under EPBC) and Snowpatches (critically endangered under EPBC). Yet, while Caltha Herblands are a form of wetland, and while they do commonly occur in areas of late snow lie, and while they are typically surrounded by sphagnum or bog vegetation, Caltha Herblands are a separate vegetation unit. A base study of where they are and what’s in them is critical for their management.
Caltha Herbland in low cloud on Mt Nelse
So, what are they?
Caltha Herblands are semi-aquatic, sparsely vegetated, short alpine herb fields that occur on a rocky/gravelly substratum called a ‘pavement’. They rely on a constant water source, either a ground water source, such as a spring or ground seepage, or a water course such as a creek.
Alpine Marsh-marigold, Psychrophilia introloba (formerly Caltha introloba), in flower during snowmelt
Whilst restricted to the Bogong High Plains in Victoria, Caltha Herblands are found in a range of different landscape setting – from steep slopes under snowpatch vegetation, to relatively flat slopes beside creeks. At least 98 patches of Caltha Herbland community have been identified across the Bogong High Plains, from the northern to southern end, both above and below the tree line.
Caltha Herbland next to White Rocks Creek
Caltha Herbland surrounded by Sphagnum near Mt Cope
What’s in them?
Some of the rarest alpine herbs and forbs in Australia! Key species include Psychrophila introloba (formally Caltha introloba – the species from which the community gets its name), Oreobolus pumilio, Drosera arcturi, Juncus antarticus and Celmisia sericophylla are the most common of the rare species across Caltha Herblands. Some sites contain species such as Oreomyrrhis pulvinifica, Plantago glacialis and Parantennaria uniceps which are all endangered species in Victoria and restricted to Caltha Herblands.
Why so important?
Not only do these communities contain a whole host of listed and vulnerable species, the total area that this community takes up within Victoria is thought to be less than 2 hectares. Further, we believe that the substrata on which this community lies is a periglacial relic or fossil periglacial feature. The origin of these pavements is hypothesised to be from freeze/thaw erosion and weathering action during a past cold climate period. If this hypothesis proves correct (further study is needed to attempt to determine this), then these communities have heritage significance as well as geological and geomorphological value.
Cushion of (A) Juncus antarticus, (B) Plantago glacialis and (C) Oreomyrrhis pulvinifica growing on a pavement.
This study
I’m currently undertaking an Honours Research project that has three aims:
To describe where Caltha Herblands are found within the boarder alpine landscape;
To determine the species composition and distribution within, and between, Caltha Herbland sites, and;
To determine whether they are static or dynamic systems.
Currently, this study has finished the field work phase. Abiotic, including slope, aspect, size, degree of rockiness, soil depth and water cover, and floristic data has been collected from 19 sites across the Bogong High Plains. Eight of these sites have long-term data which will enable us to look at any broad vegetation change that has occurred over the past 40 years.
(Left) A typical floristic quadrat, (Right) Re-surveying in a long-term data site
This entry was posted in News on May 6, 2020 by zwalker.
Re-post from the Mountain Journal: Fires and snow gums. To keep these forests we need less fire.
We are sharing this post on about fire impacts on the high country treeline from the Mountain Journal. The original post can be found here.
Fires are still burning out of control across much of the Australian High Country. Yet we are already well into the blame game, where some people and groups are blaming environmental activists and/ or The Greens party for ‘stopping’ fuel reduction burning and hence making the fires worse. While this is not true, this resonates with certain anti green and conservative demographics (check here for an alternative view of the conversation).
There is no doubt that fuel reduction burning has a role to play in how we manage forests and other landscapes. The problem is that it is often seen as a ‘one size fits all’ tool that will reduce fire intensity in all environments. But in reality, it works well in some ecosystems and is counter productive in others. This is a subtlety that is lost on the ‘fuel reduction is the answer’ boosters.
The argument that we need to increase fuel reduction burns in snow gum and true alpine environments is already caught up in the broader land management debate, and will continue in the coming months. So it’s worth taking a good look at what science says about the value of fuel reduction in our high mountain areas.
Snow gums are the quintessential alpine tree of the mainland, generally growing at elevations between 1,300 and 1,800 metres asl. Wildfire has devastated large swathes of snow gum habitat in the last few decades, with significant fires in the Victorian High Country in 1998, 2002/3, 2006/7 and 2013. Over 90% of the Victorian distribution of snow gums has been burned at least once since 2003. Each of the large fires of the last 15 years has overlapped to some extent, leaving thousands of hectares of snow gums burned by wildfire twice, and sometimes three times.
Much of Kosciuszko National Park was burnt in 2003.
‘Fire has always followed fire’
Fire at Precipice Plain, VIC Alps, Jan 2020
Early European occupation of the mountains was based on the widespread use of fire to clear land. This broad acre approach to burning was at odds with First Nations careful, localised use of fire. As noted by Philip Zylstra (Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong):
‘British graziers … cleared country using fire. The Snowgums tell the story: a seven-fold increase in fire scars when the invasion came’.
This use of fire has continued today, but does it reduce the flammability of the mountains? Philip points out that fuel reduction only brings a short reprieve:
‘Recently, I looked at every fire mapped across these mountains for nearly 60 years, and I found one thing in common from the foothills to the peaks: fire has always followed fire. For a couple of years, it brought quiet, then the undergrowth made the forests up to eight times more likely to re-burn for the next couple of decades until it self-thinned. So why did anyone burn it if this was the result?’
Keeping fire out may be the solution in snow gum forests
One significant piece of research that should inform our understanding about fire on snow gum forests looked at the impacts of fires on Lake Mountain and the Buffalo Plateau. The report How snow gum forests and sub-alpine peatlands recover after fire was written by Fiona Coates, Philip Cullen, Heidi Zimmer, James Shannon. They used the long unburnt Baw Baw Plateau as an example of what these systems could be like in the absence of fire events.
They found that:
Even areas that have been subjected to hot and very destructive wildfire, such as on the Lake Mountain plateau during the 2009 Black Saturday fires, can be expected to recover – provided we can keep fires out of these systems. However, this will take time. For instance they suggest it will take the forests at Lake Mountain at least 70 years to return to pre-fire structure. No specific management needs to be undertaken to aid this process beyond excluding fires
The researchers repeatedly note that there are serious doubts about the value of fuel reduction burning in these forests. They note that low intensity fires negatively impact on tree resprouting ability
Repeated fires change the character of snow gum forests, creating a multi stemmed forest of shorter trees. That is, forests get denser, with more of a ‘Mallee’ aspect to how the trees grow. They call this ‘potentially irreversible degradation of stand structure’, which has already happened to the extent that old growth snow gum forests are now rare. They note that the traditional open forest structure of snow gum forests will not be able to develop if there are repeated fires, as the result over time will be that forests will become dominated by lots of small stemmed trees rather than a ‘traditional’, open snow gum forest
Repeated fires can also inhibit the ability of trees to store carbon above the ground.
They say that ‘fire exclusion is imperative to preserve landscape quality and representation of long unburnt snow gums’
They recommend that current ‘fire and cattle exclusion policies’ at places like Mt Buffalo and Lake Mountain be continued. They note that cattle grazing can drive the creation of multi stemmed trees, in the same way that fire tends to, again driving the forest towards a multi stemmed and immature form. Exclusion of cattle is also very important for recovery of burnt areas of peat land
Older, more open snow gum forests are better at collecting water and ensuring regular run off, retaining soil moisture and snow accumulation.
Impact of fires on the upward spread of snow gums
Fires impact on mature trees and the resulting growth of seedlings may mean that snow gums start to colonise adjacent alpine vegetation.
David Turner, in his research carried out for his Masters of Environment thesis (School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne) titled Treeline physiognomy following wildfire in the Victorian Alps, Australia investigated snow gum seedling establishment above the treeline after fire.
He found that new seedling growth was greater after fire compared to locations long absent of fire. ‘Model probabilities estimate a 22% chance of seedling establishment four metres above treelines that are burnt, compared to only a 1% chance in unburnt locations’. (He does note that the number of seedlings, which was modelled to increase after fire, is controlled by the amount of litter and competition found at the site. Low levels of litter and competition facilitate maximum seedling growth).
One significant outcome regarding frequent burning showed that optimal tree ages that influence seedling establishment were found to be between 24 and 42 years of age. If climate change subsequently reduces fire frequencies to less than (for example) every 20 years, then seedling numbers may actually fall.
Repeat burn times that outpace snow gums (Eucalyptus pauciflora) reaching their optimal reproductive maturity age may subsequently have dramatic effects on the Victorian treeline.
His research suggests that the Victorian treeline physiognomy has slightly changed due to the 2003 alpine fires.
Sadly, the fact is that climate change is making fire seasons worse. As noted by the Victorian government’s report ‘Climate Science Report 2019’,
‘There has been an increase in dangerous fire weather and the length of the fire season across southern Australia since the 1950s. Fire weather in Victoria is largely measured using the Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI). This index estimates the fire danger on a given day based on observations of temperature, humidity, wind speed and fuel (based on factors including recent temperature and rainfall). Although considerable year-to-year variability also occurs, there is a trend in more recent decades towards a greater number of very high fire danger days in spring’.
So, regardless of how we manage forests with regards to fuel reduction treatment, we will be facing worse and longer fire seasons. It would appear that one key strategy will be to keep fire out of snow gum woodlands wherever possible, so these systems can age and become less fire prone.
Regular and repeated fires kill snowgums. So if we want to see snow gum forests continue we need less fire, not more, even low intensity fuel reduction burns. According to research by Tom Fairman, Associate Professor Lauren Bennett and Dr Craig Nitschke, of the University of Melbourne:
‘We found that the lignotuber continued to re-sprout very well after one fire, but after two and three fires, the number of new sprouts significantly declined. The level of whole-tree death (that is, the stems and lignotuber dying) was fairly low following one and even two, fires; however, after three successive fires, on average half of all trees in our plots were dead. In some plots, this figure was as high as 80 per cent of all trees’. (source).
A study in the journal Austral Ecology provides the most comprehensive analysis ever performed of the fire history of forests in the Australian Alps. This is a significant piece of work because it says that unburnt forests are less fire prone than those that have been recently burnt.
This has implications for how we manage these forests and woodlands. The current widely held assumption is that by reducing fuel loads, fire reduces the flammability of most eucalypt-based forests.
The study, by Dr. Philip Zylstra of the University of Wollongong (and available here) says:
‘The study provides an evidence base for fire management in the Alps that is based on observed reality rather than theoretical concepts.
‘Throughout the period for which fires have been consistently mapped across the Australian Alps National Parks, they have been smaller and less severe in long unburnt forests’. This is consistent across the five broad forest formations that cover the Alps’ (these forest types are Tall Wet Forest, Open Forest, Subalpine Forest and Woodland, Dry Open Forest and Low, Dry Open Forest).
The study looked at fires in five key forest types in the Alps and assessed how fire frequency changed over time. To take the example of snow gum woodlands, after a fire passes through, they are unlikely to burn for 6 years after fire, then more flammable until 25 years old. However, ‘forests older than this are 2.3 times less likely to burn than younger forest’. A similar pattern can be observed in the other forest and woodland types.
Ben Keaney, in his PhD research titled Bogong Moth Aestivation Sites as an Archive for Understanding the Floral, Faunal and Indigenous History of the Northern Australian Alps noted that climate change is already impacting on the mountains, and could drive forests into a more scrubby, flammable form, and that this has implications for land management practises like fuel reduction burning:
‘Structural change of the vegetation due to human induced climate change is a real threat to sub-alpine ecology. Pryor (1939) described the possible extent of high country degradation from burning as two extremes, that is a slightly damaged forest that is more or less undisturbed, to a barren waste of eroded mountains with a sparse cover of plants. This is poignant as a prediction for the natural land managers under the effects of anthropogenic climate change, where the flammability of the forest can drive ecological change of vegetation away from a forest form into a scrub form, a point that should be taken to account in the prescription of fuel reduction burns. Predictions of the effect of climate change on the ACT include fires with higher intensities, with reduced inter- fire intervals and that are more prone to spread (Cary, 2002)’.
The take home message seems to be that if we can reduce the frequency of fire at a landscape level in these ecosystems through the juvenile ‘danger’ period when there is a lot of vigorous re-growth, they become less fire prone after a period of 14 to 28 years (depending on the forest type). This means that older forests should be left alone rather than burnt to reduce fuel load, and younger forests should be encouraged to mature rather than being treated with fire to keep them permanently in a juvenile/ more flammable stage in their growth.
This forest (Mountain Gum?) near Lost Plain had a light fire through it in 2019. It cleared out the understory and moved into the canopy in some areas
Implications for fire management
What are the implications for fire fighting in the alpine country? The key message is that we need to keep fire out wherever possible. Locking in more intense fuel reduction regimes are unlikely to make snow gum forests less fire prone, for the reasons outlined above.
1/ More fire fighting resources. Most fires in the Alps start as a result of lightning strikes – that is they start small at a specific point. The aim must be to hit these fires while they are small.
This requires additional fire fighting resources at the state level to tackle these fires as soon as possible, before they grow and become difficult to contain. DELWP and Parks Victoria firefighters are well trained and equiped to fight these fires and do a great job of tackling them. But we clearly need more firefighters.
As one example of how the system gets overwhelmed: on New Years Eve 2019/20 a lightning storm passed over the Victorian Alps, starting many fires. DELWP and PV crews quickly mobilised to put these fires out before they grew, but some more remote fires were not able to be contained and subsequently grew into large blazes (such as the fire at Mt Tabletop near Mt Hotham, which eventually joined with other fires started by lightning and is now more than 42,000 hectares in size).
Stay governments should consider increasing the number of remote area fire fighters for the next fire season.
2/ Minimise burning for asset protection. There are various human settlements in alpine areas, which need to be protected from fire, especially the ski resorts. Doing fuel reduction burning is sometimes used as a last resort before fire fronts hit. The longer term implications of this need to be considered. Fire breaks are widely used in the Alps to limit the movement of fire. Research should be carried out to determine the relative value of fuel reduction, use of fire breaks, and other asset protection work around human settlements.
3/ Consider the development of a volunteer remote area fire fighting force. The Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Rural Fire Service (RFS) do a remarkable job of protecting land and community from fire. While they are primarily responsible for fires on private land, they are often active in fighting fires on public land. But their equipment (trucks) is often too heavy for deployment to remote areas with rough tracks and they are not directly trained or resourced to work in remote areas.
Is it time to develop a new fire fighting force that is specialised in remote area fire fighting? It could be part of RFS/ CFA or be a new stand alone entity, and would work closely with public land firefighters who are already doing this work. They could be trained in the same way that PV and DELWP prepare their rappel and hover exit crews (specialist firefighting roles performed in remote locations).
There has previously been a similar group in Tasmania, called the Smoke Walkers. The Smoke Walkers were volunteers, mostly bushwalkers, who were deployed to remote areas in Tasmania’s World Heritage Areas in instances where lightning had started fires that had not yet turned into major blazes.
In light of the scale of this summer’s fires, this is an idea that needs consideration in NSW and Victoria. A proposal can be found here.
This entry was posted in News on April 20, 2020 by zwalker.
Bushfire in the Victorian Alps
The 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfires, where significant fires were burning in northern and southern NSW, eastern Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia at the same time, has stretched the nation’s resources and capability to respond to such events. A clue to the reason for the extensive fires can be found in the data recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology. Much of eastern Australia in 2019 was:
The driest on record for the three year period January 2017 to December 2019. Mean national rainfall was 100 mm lower than the previous driest three-year period (1965-67).
2019 was the warmest year on record for Australia.
Severe fire weather conditions (national annual accumulated Forest Fire Danger Index) throughout 2019 were the highest they have been since national records began in 1950.
In Victoria, >1.5M ha of land was burnt, mostly in the east of the State, with profound impacts on many native animals, plants and landscapes. Some fires did affect alpine areas, including at Mt Buffalo National Park and the Alpine National Park. The extent of fires (at January 2020) is shown below (in red). Importantly, it is obvious that fires have been frequent, extensive and – in some places – repeated since 2003. It is the frequency of fire (what ecologists call the ‘fire return interval’) that will dictate the likelihood of ecosystem recovery. Looking closely at the map, you can see some high mountain areas have been burnt in 2003 and 2020, while others have been burnt in 2013 and 2020, and others near Hotham Heights have been burnt in 2003, 2013 and 2019.
Fire history map for the Victorian High Country, produced by Thomas Fairman.
Here’s a selection of photos that document the type of burning that has occurred in the Victorian Alps. The RCAAE will be monitoring the recovery of alpine ecosystems – utilising it’s network of long-term plots – to determine the ecological resilience of these areas.
Burnt heathland and grassland, north of The Horn, Mt Buffalo
Alpine heathland, grassland and wetland dominated by Sphagnum cristatum has been burnt at Mt Buffalo, south of The Horn
Forested slopes have been burnt, south of The Horn, Mt Buffalo
Obligate-seeding shrubs – like Grevillea australis – are killed by fire
Hovea is a resprouting shrub, recovering from basal buds, Mt Buffalo
Not all tussock grasses resprout well after fire. Here, Poa clivicola in an alpine grassland at Buckety Plain appears to have died when the canopy is consumed.
Snowgum forests near Mt Cope have had their heathy understorey consumed by fire. Note the leaves of the trees have been scorched by the heat of fire rather than consumed by fire.
This entry was posted in News on March 29, 2020 by zwalker.
Maisie’s Plots, and Long-term Monitoring in the Victorian Alps
Scientific research in the Australian Alps has a long and rich tradition. In 1945, Maisie Carr (nee Fawcett) and Professor John Turner (from the University of Melbourne) established the first long-term monitoring plots in the Victoria Alps at Rocky Valley and Pretty Valley on the Bogong High Plains.
‘Rocky Valley’ is a 5-ha exclosure that was the first permanent plot to be established by Maisie. In January 1945, she selected a large area (a small catchment) on the upper slopes of Rocky Valley that contained a range of vegetation types—mossbed, snowgrass grassland, open heath, closed heath and a Carex-dominated late lying snowbank. A fence was erected to exclude cattle, and a range of permanent plots established to monitor vegetation recovery inside the fence.
‘Pretty Valley’ is a 0.4-ha exclosure (and adjoining control on the edge of the Pretty Valley catchment) that examined the impacts of cattle grazing on range condition in Poa-dominated grasslands. The State Electricity Commission of Victoria erected the fence in 1946 (using the local snow gums for fenceposts) and permanent transects were established. Point quadrats used to assess changes in vegetation composition, ground cover condition, and bare ground.
Fig 1. Maisie Carr’s ‘Pretty Valley Grassland’ plot in 2009. Note evidence of bushfire in the background.
Both plots have been maintained to the present day and are now an integral component of the La Trobe University led Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology’s long-term plot monitoring network. Building on Carr and Turner’s work, RCAAE alpine ecologists have expanded the number of sites over the decades to include the wider Victorian Alps. An ongoing surveillance regime examines the impacts of bushfire, introduced ungulates such as sambar deer, exotic plant invasions and climate change on rare species persistence, plant community dynamics, and landscape function. With a succession of alpine scientists working on an expanding network of permanent plots (today there are more than 50), the value of the RCAAE Plot Network for documenting environmental change is inestimable.
To curate the long-term data, a purpose-designed database was commissioned. With the assistance of La Trobe University’s Department of Computer Science and (partly) funded by the Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Network (TERN; 2012-2017), the database has become the premier repository for long-term scientific data from the Victorian Alps. Over 70 yrs of monitoring at Maisie’s Plots have been captured in the database, providing a record of the sites’ vegetation change, represented by an exceptionally diverse set of population-related observations totalling over 200,000 records. More than 35 yrs of (near) annual population monitoring of the threatened Mountain Pygmy Possum has been entered into the database, along with data on roadside weed invasions, shrub dynamics in open heathlands spanning multiple decades, snowpatch vegetation change since 1992, and microclimate records (including soil and air temperature) since 2003.
Fig 2. Maisie Carr’s “Rocky Valley Bog’ plot in 1999, showing the distribution of Sphagnum moss (grey), interspersed with steams and pools (black).
These exceptional data provide an invaluable source of information. “The RCAAE database allows scientists to answer questions about long-term alpine ecosystem dynamics and their vulnerability to changing patterns of climate, fire and land-use pressure,” says Dr John Morgan, member of La Trobe University’s Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology. “Getting data into a database is a fantastic achievement, and one that needs ongoing support.”
Long-term research also needs to be supported to provide an evidence base for management decisions. The type of detailed monitoring undertaken in the Victorian Alps allows the RCAAE to anticipate environmental change and to inform how best to manage the land for sustainable use. According to Dr Dick Williams of Charles Darwin University, and an inaugural RCAAE member, the understanding gained from this research has also highlighted its current limitations. “70 years is a short time in the Alps, and there are still many things we don’t understand. Long-term monitoring will always be vital for increasing our understanding, anticipating change and managing the alpine environment for sustainability.”
Fig 3. An example of one of the new plots maintained by the RCAAE – “Mt Magdala Summit Survey Plot’. A network of 14 alpine summits are monitored at 5-yr intervals to assess the effects of climate change, fire disturbance, and exotic organisms on plant community composition and abundance.
The value of long-term research is often under-recognised. But sometimes being present in a landscape and taking repeat measures through time is the most innovative and important thing one can do to understand that landscape, how it is changing, and how it is likely to change in the future. The Australian Alps – small and vulnerable as they are to climate change and exotic invasions – are among Australia’s best monitored ecosystems, and it is from this evidence that trends, trajectories and change can be placed into context. Maisie Carr and John Turner could never have imagined such an enduring outcome of their work when the first fence-post was sunk at Rocky Valley in 1945.
For more information on the Victorian Long-term Alpine Plots, please contact Dr John Morgan at alpine.ecology@latrobe.edu.au
Fig 4. Still going strong. Maisie’s ‘Pretty Valley’ plots are due to be monitored again in 2023. Documenting the ongoing changes in the vegetation inform managers about successional dynamics in alpine rangelands, ongoing effects of drought, as well as providing a means for the early detection of new invasive plant species.
This entry was posted in News, Uncategorized on December 24, 2019 by zwalker.
Student Opportunities 2019 – 2020
For more information, see the Student Opportunities section of this website.
This entry was posted in News on September 16, 2019 by zwalker.
Honours research into the impact that a decline in bogong moth has on mountain pygmy possums
Claire Hutton is a new honours student at at La Trobe University studying with Dr Dean Heinze and Dr John Morgan. Below, Claire has written about her project and motivations for working in the alps.
My interest in the alps originates from two different aspects. Firstly, from a great appreciation for the beauty of mountains. And secondly, from the belief that the management of alpine environments should balance tourist access and the preservation of its ecosystems. My honours project focuses on two major species which rely on the perseverance of Australia’s unique montane conditions: bogong moth and mountain pygmy possum.
Bogong moth migrate in large numbers to the peaks of the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps, including the Bogong High Plains and Mount Buller, every spring. This, in itself, delivers a huge influx of prey to many species, such as mountain pygmy possum. These possums need to gain sufficient weight in the space of only a few months to carry them through their winter hibernation. Traditionally, they do this by capitalising on the extensive bogong moth availability, particularly in October and November; therefore these possums are believed to be dependent on the bogong moth. Over the last two summer, however, there have been anecdotal reports indicating a crash in bogong moth population, raising concern over the impact this decline could have on mountain pygmy possum, among other species.
This study aims to determine both the abundance of bogong moth and the composition of mountain pygmy possum diet, specifically the proportion of bogong moth to other carnivorous and herbivorous prey in faecal samples. This will give insight into the degree of specialisation of these species’ predator prey relationship.
Data collection will take place through field surveys at Mount Little Higginbotham and Mount Buller across the coming snow free season. Specifically, collections will be monthly from October to February capturing the traditional peak in bogong moth alpine population in Spring and allowing for comparisons across early and late summer. Environmental moth abundance will be measured using light traps; diet composition will be assessed through scat collection from possum trapping and subsequent laboratory analysis.
This research may find that moths are not arriving in large numbers. This may reflect the recent drought or agricultural changes in their lowland breeding grounds. This may lead to a reduced proportion of bogong moth being consumed. This study will be able to determine if other arthropods are predated upon in lieu, given that alternative species are available. However, there may be significant impacts on possum health and reproduction if bogong moth cannot be substituted with species which are both available in high numbers and rich in energy.
This study will contribute to records of bogong moth populations as there is currently very limited published data. It will also highlight an additional, potential threat to mountain pygmy possum and the importance of maintaining these ecosystems for supporting the species comprising them.
– Claire Hutton
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Consumer Durables and Information Technology
Low reponse to Air Purifiers by consumers despite WHO's red flag to Delhi's air
Indian consumers don’t seem to have woken up to the idea of air purifiers, despite the World Health Organisation raising the red flag over the air quality in New Delhi
Writankar Mukherjee
Updated: December 02, 2015, 15:53 IST
Kolkata: Indian consumers don’t seem to have woken up to the idea of air purifiers, despite the World Health Organisation raising the red flag over the air quality in New Delhi and several other cities reporting worsening levels of pollution.
Marketers blame the inherent nature of local consumers for the low response to air purifiers, which remove contaminants from the air in a room. Indians look for instant gratification and visible result while purchasing any goods, especially health-oriented or which improve life, they say. Air purifier sales are growing in India, especially after the recent WHO warning. But it is on a small base and the buyers are mostly expats and institutions, such as embassies, offices, government departments and luxury hotels.
Air purifier makers say the market will touch just 20,000-25,000 units in 2015, and they are hopeful to double sales in 2016. But they say it is still a few years away for consumers to latch on to the category. Retailers blame high prices and the lack of consumer awareness about the new technology for the weak demand.
“Consumers are slowly enquiring about it in retail stores, but still there is so much concern about whether air purifiers actually improve the air quality or even queries such as whether using it for a few hours at home will really help since people are mostly mobile nowadays,” said Eureka Forbes’ chief executive officer (direct sales) and senior vice-president (marketing), Marzin Shroff.
Panasonic’s India managing director and the president of industry body CEAMA, Manish Sharma, said though demand for air purifiers has gone up, it is at a slow rate. “The market is still niche,” he said.
Manufacturers such as Philips, Panasonic, Kent and Eureka Forbes said consumers buying air purifiers are either for their kids or themselves if they are suffering from allergies, and their elderly parents suffering from respiratory problems. Kent chairman Mahesh Gupta said air purifier in India is yet to evolve and that it will happen only when consumers feel the need after falling repeatedly sick or doctors recommend it. “It’s a slow process of evolution. It has happened even with water purifiers which is still an urban phenomenon,” he said.
India sales are moving in slow motion at a time when China's air purifier market is booming. Last year alone, more than 200 companies entered the market where consumer awareness is also on a high as increasing air pollution is choking that country’s capital, Beijing.
Manufactures in India are planning to launch consumer awareness programmes to push sales. Kent said it will soon start an advertising campaign about how air purifiers can remove particulate matter in air. Eureka Forbes is also planning to invest on a similar initiative. Philips India is spreading awareness about the threat of indoor pollution, which is usually 5-10 times higher than outdoor pollution, said Jayati Singh, business head (air purifiers) at the Dutch consumer electronics maker.
Rajan Malhotra, president (retail) at Future Group, said air purifiers is a category of the future and will only grow when there is a fear among consumers, which could be driven by repeated sickness or media reports on pollution. “It’s a new technology so prices are very high, which is a stumbling block, too. But we are going to launch an affordable range ourselves early next year which will increase adoption,” he said. These companies are hopeful that word-of-mouth referrals will help grow sales. Singh of Philips said over the past six months, the number of queries has increased threefold.
Future group
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January - February 2016 Teaching innovations in ultrasound-guided renal biopsy
Nefrología al Día
S.E.N Board
Nefrología (English Edition)
Nefrología is the official publication of the Spanish Society of Nephrology. The Journal publishes articles on basic or clinical research relating to nephrology, arterial hypertension, dialysis and kidney transplants. It is governed by the peer review system and all original papers are subject to internal assessment and external reviews. The journal accepts submissions of articles in English and in Spanish languages. Nefrología follows the publication requirements of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
MEDLINE, EMBASE, IME , IBECs, Scopus and SCIE/JCR
Vol. 36. Issue. 1.January - February 2016
Lee este artículo en Español
DOI: 10.1016/j.nefroe.2015.07.008
Teaching innovations in ultrasound-guided renal biopsy
Innovando en la docencia de la biopsia renal ecodirigida
Maite Rivera Gorrín
maiteelizabeth.rivera@salud.madrid.org
Corresponding author.
, Carlos Correa Gorospe, Víctor Burguera, Ana Isabel Ortiz Chercoles, Fernando Liaño, Carlos Quereda
Servicio de Nefrología e Investigación Animal, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Red de Investigación renal (REDinREN), Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRyCIS), Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
In medicine, learning has been based, until now, on study and clinical practice. There is great concern for improving patient safety, reducing complications in invasive techniques, and reducing healthcare costs. This has led to the creation of simulators and experimental models for medical and surgical skills development in the teaching–learning process. Simulators have been widely introduced in surgical specialties. However, their use is not widespread in medical specialties using invasive techniques. This is the case for renal biopsy (RB), essential invasive technique in nephrology. It is a procedure that can result in patient morbidity and mortality and, although supervised by experienced physicians, is learnt on real patients.1
There are very few studies in the literature related purely to teaching RB.2–5 Mrug and Bissler2 performed RB simulation with ultrasound control on an ex vivo model, using pig or cow kidney inserted into a turkey.2 They obtained ultrasound images similar to those of real patients, and characteristics of needle penetration resistance comparable to those of a real model, in both muscular tissue and renal tissue. They also investigated3 the effect of the simulator on improving residents’ confidence at performing RB and on the rate of post-biopsy bleeding complications in the before and after the use of the simulator. They found a significant increase in trainee doctors’ self-assurance and a smaller reduction in haematocrit after the procedure.
That learning model is highly interesting and represents a great advance in training. However, its simulation of the RB technique is not entirely realistic: in real patients, the kidneys move with respiration; also, the model does not allow users to see the haemodynamic consequences of renal haemorrhage or to detect post-biopsy vascular complications.
We present a novel progressive learning method based on 2 simulation models – ex vivo and in vivo – designed for teaching RB without putting patients at risk.
Our project consisted of designing 2 anatomical simulators, inanimate and animate respectively, that nephrologists could use to learn the RB technique correctly as a step before performing the RB in patients. With the inanimate anatomical model, they could acquire dexterity and skill in performing real-time ultrasound-guided RB, and with the live animal model, which resembled as closely as possible the human kidney in the practice of ultrasound-guided RB, they could optimize their skills before performing RB on humans.
Ex vivo model: a commercially available silicon kidney (CAE Healthcare®, USA) that simulated very closely the renal ultrasound anatomy was submerged in a recipient filled with edible gelatin. The surface of the model was covered with latex to simulate the resistance of skin. We used a Xario SSA-660a ultrasound (Toshiba Medical Systems, Japan). Biopsy was performed using a real-time ultrasound-guided technique with a convex multifrequency probe (3.5–5mHz) (Fig. 1).
Inanimate model. (A) Student taking a biopsy of a silicon kidney with ultrasound guidance. (B) Visualization of the kidney and the needle entering the silicon kidney indicated with an arrow (ultrasound screen image).
(0.32MB).
In vivo model: after obtaining the required regulatory approval for animal handling, the animal facilities of our hospital acquired a common piglet (40kg). The animal was anaesthetized and intubated by a veterinary in prone position, so that the performance of RB would be the same as in patients. With a sterile field, the inferior pole of the kidney was biopsied using the same technique and equipment as used in the inanimate model. To simulate patient apnoea, the respirator was stopped for 2–3s, during which the biopsy needle was shot. After the biopsy we performed, colour and pulsed Doppler ultrasound were performed to look for potential vascular complications from the technique (Fig. 2). Animal's vital signs were monitored throughout the procedure.
Live animal model. (A) Two students visualizing the appropriate puncture point in the kidney. (B) Taking a biopsy in the animal. (C) Macroscopic haematuria after renal biopsy in the animal (arrow).
An automatic 14 gauge needle (ACECUT-TSK®, Japan), was used in both models.
This method of progressive learning was put into practice in the II Curso de Experto en Nefrología Diagnóstica e Intervencionista 2012–2013 (Expert in Diasnotic and Interventional Nephrology Course II), a qualification from the UAH (code EC36) and in the I Máster Universitario en Nefrología Diagnóstica e Intervencionista 2013–2014 (University Masters I in Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology), a qualification from the UAH (code EF59). Here, we are presenting the results obtained.
The learning dynamic consisted of a brief review of the theory – the indications, contraindications, complications, and documentation necessary to perform RB – followed by a first attempt with the inanimate model and a subsequent attempt with the animal model.
With the inanimate model, the students learned:
The materials necessary for RB and how automated punch-biopsy needles work.
The appropriate use of ultrasound.
Ultrasound imaging of the kidney and how to locate the puncture site.
To efforts required to sample correctly one cylinder of renal tissue.
Once the students had acquired skill in controlling both needle and ultrasound on the inanimate model, they moved on to try the technique on the animal model. We chose a common pig as an alive model as the dimensions of the kidney and the ultrasound anatomy are very similar to those of a human.
With the animal model, the students learned:
To prepare a sterile field for performing an invasive technique.
To perform RB on a kidney that moves with respiratory movements.
To identify and detect the haemodynamic complications that may occur in a severe haemorrhagic complication.
To identify and detect post-biopsy vascular complications using 2-dimensional and Doppler ultrasound on the animal.
This teaching model was put into practice with 50 students (nephrology specialists) who participated in the 2 university courses mentioned above.
Twenty-five students from each course carried out RB on both models with the method described. After a mean of 2.6±0.8 punctures (range 1–4) on the inanimate model, the students acquired sufficient skill to control the ultrasound and the automated punch device. Practicing RB on the animal model allowed students a more realistic experience than with the inanimate model, in terms of the look and feel of a native kidney RB in a living being. The resistance of the skin, the depth of the organ, the movement of the kidney with respiratory movements, and the ultrasound imaging of the animal model were very similar to those of a human. In the biopsy in the pig, the students witnessed the most common complication of RB: macroscopic haematuria (Fig. 2). The animal did not develop haemorrhagic shock. As in humans, we performed 2-dimensional and Doppler ultrasound of the biopsied kidney. In doing this, the students witnesses the development of post-biopsy arteriovenous fistula, perirenal haematoma, and intrarenal haematoma. In the satisfaction questionnaire of the course, practicing RB on simulators received a score of 4.8 out of 5.
The use of simulators and models for learning was first used in aviation, with the aim that pilots would acquire sufficient dexterity and skill to fly an aeroplane without a passenger load, to improve flight safety and reduce accidents. In medicine, the use of simulators to learn various techniques was first used in the specialty of anaesthetics; however, it is the surgical specialties that have widely incorporated it in teaching and learning endoscopic and open surgery. Currently, simulators represent a valuable tool for surgeons to develop their surgical skills, to record surgeons’ psychomotor behaviour, and even as a method for innovation of surgical techniques.6–9
Teaching on patients is being increasingly questioned, not just for ethico-legal reasons, but also for economic reasons and due to the lack of time available for undisturbed teaching in areas of service overload. Simulators allow doctors to be “in the situation” without the stress of potential patient complications due to their actions. The safe environment in which learning is developed is more comfortable for both the doctors teaching and those who are learning. Furthermore, it allows a better use of material resources and reduced time dedicated to procedures done by trainee doctors. Finally, it allows self-learning and repeated practice without risk to the patient.
Currently, there is a great variety of types of simulator. They range from explanatory videos and computer programmes to cadavers, mannequins, and animal models.
The use of animal models is not free from controversy. The main barrier is the ethical aspect. The considerations about animal rights, the administrative procedures, and the required permits are amongst the obstacles to this method. Furthermore, the practice must be done in an animal laboratory equipped with a veterinarian and anaesthetist that are accredited in animal handling. Despite this list of disadvantages, there are multiple advantages, given that in animals the procedure has the same look and feel as when working with human tissues.
Renal biospy is an invasive technique in the specialty of nephrology. The most feared complication is bleeding, as this can be life threating. Since its introduction by Iversen and Brun in 1951, the percutaneous RB technique has remained practically unchanged.10 However, significant technological advances have been made that have led to more safety and efficacy in this technique, such as improving the punch needles, from the old and bloody Vin Silverman needles to the current automated punch models, which are much safer. Another great technological advance has been the use of ultrasound equipment to locate and guide the puncture device, in real time. Until a few years ago, renal puncture was blind, with the consequent high rate of blank samples and complications. With the emergence of imaging techniques (ultrasound and computed tomography), the drawbacks of blind RB have been eliminated to a great extent. Real-time ultrasound-guided RB is now an established technique.1,11,12 Compared with CT, ultrasound presents obvious advantages. In addition to having no radiation risk for the patient, it is more available, the biopsy can be performed “at the bedside”, it is cheaper, and it does not require contrast. Finally, it allows continuous visualization of the needle position in the renal parenchyma and in the desired renal zone, because it is not harmful to the professional using it. The time for performing a biopsy is also shorter, being around 30min with CT and 10–15min with ultrasound.
Real-time ultrasound-guided biopsy requires a degree of expertise in the use of ultrasound, as at times selecting and locating the puncture site and visualizing the point of the needle as it enters the kidney can be difficult (obese, senile, or uncooperative patients, and small or cystic kidneys). With the incorporation of ultrasound in RB, the current rate for obtaining sufficient material for diagnosis is over 90% in most series. The diagnostic yield depends on the ability of professional to control the needle and position it in the most superficial point possible to get a predominantly cortical sample. The incidence of complications from biopsy has been reduced from around 10% with the blind technique to between 2% and 6% with ultrasound guidance. The reported mortality is less than 0.1%: not an insignificant figure for being an exclusively diagnostic technique.
Since its original description, RB technique has been learnt on patients. It is easy to recognize not only that the ability to perform ultrasound-guided RB takes time, but also that this approach is quite unsafe for the patient. Therefore, having simulators available for use would be ideal. There have been interesting initiatives on this subject,2–5 which have partially recreated the conditions of RB, being performed only on inanimate models.
This study presents a novel methodology for learning real-time ultrasound-guided RB in 2 models (inanimate and live) which allows teaching of the RB technique on 2 levels (beginner and advanced) for both residents and nephrology specialists. With its drawbacks, above all bureaucratic, the animal model allows learning in a realistic setting, very similar to that experienced with patients, but without harming them. Thereby, the Hippocratic aphorism “First, do no harm” is met, and learning can be enjoyed.
The use of simulators for learning RB technique could mean shorter training times, improved training quality, and increased patient safety.
M. Rivera.
BR ecodirigida.
Nefrologia, 30 (2010), pp. 490-492
http://dx.doi.org/10.3265/Nefrologia.pre2010.Jul.10537 | Medline
M. Mrug, J.J. Bissler.
Simulation of real-time ultrasound-guided renal biopsy.
Kidney Int, 78 (2010), pp. 705-707
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ki.2010.213 | Medline
D. Dawoud, W. Lyndon, S. Mrug, J.J. Bissler, M. Mrug.
Impact of ultrasound guided kidney biopsy simulation on trainee confidence and biopsy outcomes.
Am J Nephrol, 36 (2012), pp. 570-574
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000345305 | Medline
A. Woywodt, T. How, M. Schulz.
A purpose-built simulator for percutaneous ultrasound-guided renal biopsy.
Clin Nephrol, 79 (2013), pp. 241-245
A. Hunt, A. Ristolainen, P. Ross, R. Opik, A. Krumme, M. Kruusmaa.
Low cost anatomically realistic renal biopsy phantoms for interventional radiology trainees.
Eur J Radiol, 82 (2013), pp. 594-600
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrad.2012.12.020 | Medline
S. Dutta, D. Gaba, T.M. Krummel.
To simulate or not to simulate. What is the question?.
Ann Surg, 243 (2006), pp. 301-303
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.sla.0000200853.69108.6d | Medline
J.I. Rodríguez, E. Turienzo, G. Vigal, A. Brea.
Formación quirúrgica con simuladores en centros de entrenamiento.
Cir Esp, 79 (2006), pp. 342-348
R.M. Satava.
The classic: virtual reality surgical simulator: the first steps.
Clin Orthop Relat Res, 442 (2006), pp. 2-4
P. Bradley, K. Posthletwaite.
Simulation in clinical learning.
Med Educ, 37 (2003), pp. 22-28
P. Iversen, C. Brun.
Aspiration biopsy of the kidney.
Am J Med, 11 (1951), pp. 324-330
M. Rivera, J. Ortuño.
Ultrasonography in nephrology.
Am J Kidney Dis, 32 (1998), pp. 703
M. Rivera, C. Quereda.
Nefrología diagnóstica e intervencionista: una oportunidad para los nefrólogos españoles.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3265/Nefrologia.pre2011.Feb.10825 | Medline
Please cite this article as: Rivera Gorrín M, Correa Gorospe C, Burguera V, Ortiz Chercoles AI, Liaño F, Quereda C. Innovando en la docencia de la biopsia renal ecodirigida. Nefrologia. 2016;36:1–4.
Copyright © 2015. Sociedad Española de Nefrología
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Page Design Web > Blog > Computer > Mac > The Evolution Of MAC OS Software
The Evolution Of MAC OS Software
Posted by Rohit Shetty January 9, 2021
Apple Mac Vs. Windows PC Pros and Cons
Mac OS software program, or greater popularly named as Macintosh System Software via Apple, become designed for the first time for use with 68K processors from Motorola. It becomes the primary running system for Macintosh machines. This progressive invention was introduced in 1984. It was a single person machine with the complete path to directories and folders hidden from the person. The system’s unique component changed into that the Mac OS software systems do not have the regular command line spark off as we saw with the antique MS-DOS systems. Instead, it was integrated with a MultiFinder System (MFS).
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The first Mac OS system that became formally released with the MFS was the Mac OS Software three. Zero. Further progress saw many other more recent variations that had been released together with Mac OS software program System five.0. The Mac OS software program System 6. Zero changed into brought lower back in 1988 with 1 MB RAM and 2GB difficult disk. Mac OS software 8 was launched in 1991 and had 2MB RAM, which doubled that of the System 6.0. The destiny versions of the Mac Os software program, such as System Software 7.Five become launched in 1994, required 4MB RAM. It will be run on both Power and 68K Macintosh machines. Mac OS 7.6 is a Mac OS software program model that could work thoroughly with any Mac PC having a 68030 processor and 32-bit cope. With this version, the reminiscence control is better, and the recuperation time after a machine crash has also advanced.
July 1997 noticed the emergence of the Mac OS software program machine eight, which required PowerPC or a 68040 processor helping one hundred twenty MB reminiscence and 32 MB RAM. Multi threads are used in this version’s finder and encompass two browsers Netscape Navigator 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.Zero. Information storage is some distance greater than green, and partition size depends entirely on the hardware of the device. 2 TB is the maximum length for the PowerMac and all Quadra Mac structures. Two billion documents can be controlled with support for document systems such as FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, and VFAT.
The next version of the Mac OS software program changed into version eight. Five which stepped forward the speed and the steadiness of the preceding model. Internet search wizard is one of the first-class capabilities of the machine. AppleScript pace has additionally progressed with this model. QuickDraw routines have enhanced the graphical display too. It also has an automatic tool for detecting and fixing errors. The utilization of software and hardware by using the device is tracked by the Apple System Profiler, which ensures that the users are privy to how a good deal a selected application is being utilized in a given amount of time. This model consists of Finder 8. Five Mac OS Runtime for Java 2.Zero, QuickTime Pro 3, Open Transport 2, Internet Explorer 4.01, File Exchange three, Outlook Express four.01, and Netscape Navigator 4.Zero.Five.
Mac OS software program 8.6 has 24 MB RAM and 250 MB of disk area. It has a prolonged assist for the PowerPC G4 processor too. Mac OS 9 become the OS version, which was launched with the name of Sonata in 1999. It has more than 50 new functions compared to the preceding OS. Mac OS X software is the modern-day operating gadget software released. It is ready with Mach Kernel, gear from FreeBSD and NetBSD, and GUI Aqua. Mac OS X’s various packages include virtual photography, audio processing, and net design, all of which can be high-quality improvements in technology these days.
Rohit Shetty January 9, 2021
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Saint Nicholas Day - History, How It Is Celebrated & Facts
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Home Life & Work Activities & Celebrations St. Nicholas Day – History, Celebration and Facts
Activities & Celebrations
St. Nicholas Day – History, Celebration and Facts
Ruchelle Fernandes
Who Was St. Nicholas
When Is St. Nicholas Day Celebrated?
History of St. Nicholas Day
How Is St. Nicholas Day Celebrated?
St. Nicholas Facts for Kids
Santa Claus is known for his jolly nature couple with benevolence. Each of us wants a piece of Santa even after we have become adults. St Nicholas was a noble saint who was renowned for his acts of kindness and good deeds. In fact, legend has it that Santa Claus and Father Christmas, famously, celebrated in America are actually figures who derive their qualities and attributes from this saintly figure. Popular as a Christian saint across Europe and known to be a devout Christian, there is a day that is celebrated in his honour. Read on to find out more about the history, facts, celebrations and St Nicholas’s day tradition if you are a devout Christian and would like to follow them.
Saint Nicholas was a third-century saint and hailed from Patar, a place located on the southeastern coast of Turkey. He was officiated as a bishop in Greece in the 4th century. He was a saint who patronised for noble causes and helped school children, clergymen, travellers, sailors and thieves. He believed in showing gratitude and acts of kindness. This led him to sell all his possessions and distributed all his wealth to the poor. During the third century, it was believed that a father who wished to get his daughters married had to pay large sums of dowry. He once left shoes to dry by the fire as he had no dowry to offer for his girls. It is believed that St Nicholas made gold appear in their shoes drying by the fire on three separate occasions. Such was the personality of St Nicholas. A kind soul whose sole aim was to dedicate his whole life to the sick and those who are suffering. St Nicholas was buried in a tomb in Myra which is believed to have released water with healing powers. This is called the Manna of Saint Nicholas.
December 6th, St Nicholas Day is observed widely in Europe with children and family following several traditions for days before leading up to the final day. The day is also known as Feast Day and is more of religious observance. The day holds a lot of significance for children as they eagerly await gifts hidden in their shoes. In fact, it is this tradition that led stockings to be hung up by the Christmas tree on Christmas for Santa to fill them up with goodies and gifts.
Saint Nicholas Day or Saint Nick Day is celebrated to honor the kind saint for his simple and generous acts of kindness. He believed in living life for others and making others happy. A few things to know about the history behind Saint Nicholas and why it is celebrated:
Saint Nicholas was born during the Roman Empire and to wealthy parents.
His parents died when he was very young and they left him a great amount of wealth.
He was a devout Christian from a very young age.
He spent all his inherited wealth giving anonymous gifts to those in need.
He died on December 6th and that is when the day is celebrated in his honour.
The history of shoes or stockings being left out by the fireplace on this day stems from the story of him leaving bags of gold for a man and his three daughters so that they could get married and would be eventually saved from being pushed into prostitution.
St Nicholas Feast Day is a day to celebrate good qualities like kindness, generosity, gratitude and selflessnesses. A good bishop known for helping others, the day is celebrated in several ways across the globe. You could adapt from this mix of celebrations from around the world:
1. Leaving boots in front of the fireplace
On the night of December 5th, the eve of St Nicholas Day, shoes or boots is left in the hallway by the fireplace. Kids leave them to expect gifts like coins (signifying money given by the saint), healthy treats like nuts, chocolates or even oranges (believed to have been given by the saint to children at this time of the year.) in some parts, sticks or a bag of salt are left for kids to know that they have not behaved well that year.
2. Gifts for unmarried women
In Italy, St Nicholas Day, gifts are not just for little ones. Unmarried women attend a special mass which gets them to turn a column seven times to change their destiny to meet the man of their dreams. It also recognises that St Nicholas believed in helping children and protecting the lives of virgin women who could be sold to a brothel if their family did not have money to offer as dowry.
3. Performing random acts of kindness
Generosity is a synonym for St Nicholas and another way to celebrate the day is to perform random acts of kindness. There are several ways to do this:
Drop off grocery or gift cards to families in need
Distribute wrapped gifts and clothes to underprivileged and impoverished families
Pay utility bills of families anonymously.
Distribute gifts for foster programs
There are so many ingenious ways to do this and one can just brainstorm for a list of them.
4. Feasting
Just like Thanksgiving and Christmas, many families get together to have a meal. In the Netherlands, St Nicholas eve is celebrated by exchanging gifts and a big feast. It is called Sinterklaasavond (Sinetklass evening). The menu is a traditional spread with bread, St Nicholas shaped cookies, Bishop’s wine and a special main dish reserved for holidays. In France, it is pork with mustard and apples. In Germany, it is German pancakes or Pfannkuchen. Of course, there are pizzas, soups, pastries to celebrate it worldwide.
5. A travelling statue of St Nicholas
Started off as fun, a small statue of Saint Nicholas or a statue of an angel could be left on someone’s doorstep with a gift for the family. Touched by the spirit of the anonymous person it will kick off a dominoes effect of continuing the generous act to revive the spirit of humanity.
6. A visit by Krampus, clove-footed companion of St Nicholas
Krampus is a menacing figure who accompanies Saint Nicholas in several countries to punish children who misbehave. Popular in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary he is a half-man and half-goat with traits of a demon, beast and a devil. Krampus is known to leave coal in the shoes of children on Saint Nicholas Day and in some parts of Europe, Krampus goes visiting misbehaving children to motivate to straighten up!
A few fun facts about St Nicholas that kids will love. Knowing these facts, kids could celebrate his life by learning about the noble deeds he did and follow the path.
Born to rich parents, Saint Nicholas lost them at a very young age.
As a little boy, he shared his toys and gifts with his friends. His rich parents bought a lot of gifts for him and he shared all of them with his friends.
He was always looking to make people happy and gave all his riches away after the death of his parents.
He always looked after children and poor families.
He helped a father to get his daughters married by leaving bags of gold in their shoes without their knowledge. The father caught Saint Nicholas as he was leaving coins for his last daughter. This is when Saint Nicholas started coming in the garb of Santa Claus a legend that is celebrated all over the world over Christmas.
Once when Saint Nicholas was on his way to the Holy Land, they were hit by a terrible storm. The tides were high, the wind was strong and the boat was split in half. When everyone was worried about dying, Saint Nicholas said a special prayer. He said “Oh my God, we need your help. Please calm this storm.” Something told him to stand up and tell the wind to stop blowing and stop raining. The storm calmed down just like when Jesus did it with Peter and his apostles.
Early Dutch settlers brought their beloved Sinterklass with them to America. This character eventually evolved into the cultural and lovable symbol of Santa Claus as we all know him today. Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day on December 6th is one way of reviving the spirit and also celebrating the characteristics of a noble person. It is a great way to retain the fun, revel in generosity without eclipsing the birth of Jesus Christ which is all about celebrating Christmas.
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Pregnancy Termination and What To Expect in East Rochester NY
For over quarter of a century, patients have relied on Parkmed NYC’s commitment and dedication to the highest standards of reproduction, medical care and pregnancy termination serving East Rochester New York. Parkmed NYC’s patient-friendly approach is evident from the start. When a patient calls for an appointment, a multi-lingual phone counselor addresses each question and concern. At Parkmed NYC, we realize that a visit for an abortion or a surgical procedure can be a stressful experience. That is why we have created a patient-centered environment designed to reduce anxiety and make our patients comfortable as they go through their abortion procedure.
Pregnancy Termination Counseling Serving East Rochester NY
At Parkmed NYC, individual abortion counseling is available to all patients and offered by trained and sensitive professionals who have been chosen because of their effectiveness in dealing with the abortion needs of patients of all ages with special attention given to teenagers. Post-operative abortion counseling and abortion follow-up care are also provided on-site.
Clean And Modern Clinical Space
Parkmed NYC is a clean and modern clinical space for ambulatory surgery located in the heart of Manhattan and New York City. We are committed to a program of constant re-evaluation, redesign, and rebuilding in order to offer our patients the most advanced medical technologies and procedures. Our facility includes emergency-equipped operating suites and comfortable recovery rooms. The Parkmed NYC on-site laboratory accurately tests for determination of pregnancy, CBC, and urine tests. We also test for the presence of sexually transmitted infections. Parkmed NYC offers patients the most advanced approved pregnancy termination services in East Rochester New York, including abortions up to 24 weeks, non-surgical abortions (abortion pill), early abortions, tubal ligations, Essure, colposcopy and LEEP.
24-Hour Emergency Hotline
Parkmed NYC also has a 24-hour emergency hotline which gives patients immediate access to our medical team. Patients requiring inpatient pregnancy termination are treated by our team of physicians at New York’s finest hospitals. To reach our Emergency Hotline (available 24 hours day, 7 days a week), call 212-686-6066.
The Parkmed NYC on-site laboratory accurately tests for determination of pregnancy, CBC, and urine tests. We also test for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases. Parkmed NYC offers patients the most advanced approved abortions services in East Rochester New York, including abortions up to 24 weeks, non-surgical abortions (abortion pill), early abortions, tubal ligations, Essure, colposcopy and LEEP.
Highly Skilled Professionals
The entire staff at Parkmed NYC are highly skilled professionals working as a team, focused on the patient’s well-being. The team’s leader is our full-time board-certified Medical Director. He is supported in this role by our full-time board-certified Director of Anesthesia, helped by our supporting staff of board-certified gynecologists, anesthesiologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, nursing assistants, and counselors.
Parkmed NYC surgeons are highly qualified physicians who have met the high standard of our demanding credentialing process. Our nursing staff is of the highest caliber; comprised of knowledgeable and experienced reproductive and abortion care clinicians who reflect the diversity of the patient population we serve.
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Many of our physicians and support staff are fluent in several languages and offer patients an opportunity to receive care from individuals who understand their cultures as well as their languages. Female providers are available.
Our Termination of Pregnancy Services
Safe Abortion Option Abortion Pill East Rochester NY
If you realize you are pregnant early, medical abortion may be an alternative to surgical abortion. These tablets together are commonly known as the abortion pill. In a surgical abortion, the pregnancy is removed through use of suction curettage, in medical abortion, “the abortion pill” is used to terminate and expel the pregnancy. The two drugs used for early medical abortion are Mifeprex (mifepristone) and Cytotec (misoprostol). The abortion by pill has been monitored in clinical trials in the United States and France, which have proven that medical abortion has a success rate of 95% or greater for individuals ten weeks pregnant or less. Since then, Mifeprex, also known as RU486, has been successfully used by over half a million patients to terminate early pregnancy.
Safe Abortion Option First Trimester Abortion East Rochester NY
First trimester abortion is an in-clinic abortion service that is one of the safest and most common abortion procedures performed in the United States, and our medical team is expertly skilled in providing this vital pregnancy termination near East Rochester New York. We understand that each patient has different needs and want every visit to be a positive experience. An in-clinic abortion procedure is a safe, simple procedure and usually lasts between five and 15 minutes. On the day of your surgery, you will be greeted and checked in at the front desk and proceed to the laboratory for a pregnancy test and blood work. You will then have a sonogram to accurately determine the length of your pregnancy. Once we determine how long you have been pregnant, you will meet with a patient counselor to be told about the abortion procedure, anesthesia, post-operative abortion care, contraception and how to contact us 24 hours a day following your surgery. We will also schedule an appointment for you to return to the facility in 2-3 weeks for your free post-abortion appointment.
Safe Abortion Option Second Trimester Abortion East Rochester NY
An in-clinic abortion in second trimester, also called dilatation and evacuation (D&E) is performed for pregnancies that are between 13-24 weeks from conception. When you call for an appointment an experienced staff member will ask you for the first day of your last normal menstrual period. We can use this date to estimate the stage of your pregnancy. When you arrive at the facility a sonogram will be performed to get an exact measurement of the pregnancy to determine gestational age.
Safe Abortion Option Aspiration Procedure East Rochester NY
The aspiration procedure involves insertion of a tube into the cervical opening. Through aspiration, the contents of the uterus are effectively removed. This method is safe and trusted by doctors to be an effective means of abortion with minimal risk or pain to patients.
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Parkmed NYC’s Board Certified team of doctors and medical professionals, assisted by highly qualified and sensitive support staff, truly believe that the patient comes first. Every member of our team understands the importance of remaining sensitive and responsive to the concerns of our patients.
At Parkmed NYC, one of the most renowned private abortion clinics in NYC, you will receive the highest quality care (NYC Abortion) for all of your reproductive health needs. Our highly skilled staff is trained to assist you through a safe, comfortable visit. Our anesthesia staff is certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Our support staff maintains certification in Basic Life Support and follows strict infection control practices.
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Parkmed NYC specializes in the following Abortion, Abortion Clinic, Abortion Pill, Birth Control, Early Abortion, Home Abortion, IUD Device, Late Abortion, Medical Abortion, Natural Abortion, Non-Surgical Abortion, Pill Abortion, Pregnancy Confirmation, Private Abortion, Proof of Pregnancy, Safe Abortion, Second Trimester Abortion, Surgical Abortion, Abortion and IUD Insertion, Termination of Pregnancy, Non Surgical Abortion, Abortion Options, Pregnancy Termination, Clinic, Womens Clinic, and Abortion Services for the following locations: Brooklyn, Long Island, Lower East Side, Queens, Staten Island, The Bronx, Upper Manhattan, Yorkville, Yonkers, Woodbury, Williston Park, Williamsville, White Plains, Westbury, West Haverstraw, Wesley Hills, Wellsville, Webster, Waverly, Watervliet, Watertown, Waterloo, Washingtonville, Warwick, Wappingers Falls, Walden, Valley Stream, Utica, Upper Westside, Upper East Side, Two Bridges, Tuckahoe, Troy, Tribeca, Tonawanda, Theater District, Tarrytown, Syracuse, Suffern, Springville, Spring Valley, Spencerport, Solvay, Soho, Sleepy Hollow, Sea Cliff, Scotia, Schenectady, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Saratoga Springs, Saranac Lake, Salamanca, Rye Brook, Rye, Rose Hill, Rome, Rockville Centre, Rochester, Rensselaer, Poughkeepsie, Potsdam, Port Jervis, Port Jefferson, Port Chester, Pleasantville, Plattsburgh, Penn Yan, Pelham Manor, Pelham, Peekskill, Patchogue, Owego, Oswego, Ossining, Oneonta, Oneida, Olean, Old Westbury, Ogdensburg, Nyack, Norwich, Northport, North Tonawanda, North Syracuse, North Hills, Niagara Falls, Newburgh, Newark, New York, New Square, New Rochelle, New Paltz, New Hyde Park, New Hempstead, Murray Hill, Mount Vernon, Mount Kisco, Monticello, Montgomery, Montebello, Monroe, Mineola, Midtown Manhattan, Middletown, Menands, Medina, Mechanicville, Maybrook, Mastic Beach, Massena, Massapequa Park, Manorhaven, Manlius, Manhattan, Mamaroneck, Malverne, Malone, Lynbrook, Lower Manhattan, Long Beach, Lockport, Little Italy, Little Falls, Lindenhurst, Liberty, Lenox Hill, Le Roy, Lawrence, Larchmont, Lancaster, Lake Grove, Lackawanna, Koreatown, Kiryas Joel, Kips Bay, Kingston, Kings Point, Kenmore, Kaser, Johnstown, Johnson City, Jamestown, Ithaca, Island Park, Irvington, Ilion, Hudson Yards, Hudson Square, Hudson Falls, Hudson, Horseheads, Hornell, Hilton, Highland Falls, Herkimer, Hempstead, Hells Kitchen, Haverstraw, Hastings-on-Hudson, Harrison, Hamilton, Hamburg, Great Neck Plaza, Great Neck, Goshen, Gloversville, Glens Falls, Glen Cove, Geneva, Geneseo, Garden City, Fulton, Freeport, Fredonia, Flower Hill, Floral Park, Flatiron District, Fayetteville, Farmingdale, Fairport, Endicott, Elmsford, Elmira Heights, Elmira, Ellenville, East Village, East Rockaway, East Rochester, East Hills, East Harlem, East Aurora, Dunkirk, Dobbs Ferry, Depew, Dansville, Croton-on-Hudson, Cortland, Corning, Colonie, Cohoes, Cobleskill, Chittenango, Chestnut Ridge, Chester, Chelsea, Cedarhurst, Canton, Canastota, Canandaigua, Buffalo, Bronxville, Brockport, Briarcliff Manor, Binghamton, Beacon, Bayville, Battery Park City, Bath, Batavia, Ballston Spa, Baldwinsville, Babylon, Auburn, Ardsley, Amsterdam, Amityville, Alphabet City, Alfred, Albion, Albany, Airmont
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H.R. 987 - Marketing and Outreach Restoration to Empower Health Education Act of 2019 [Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act]
Monday, May 13, 2019 - 10:00am H-312, the Capitol View Announcement »
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - 4:30pm H-313, the Capitol View Announcement »
Rules Committee Hearing H.R. 5, H.R. 312, and H.R. 987
Rules Committee Print 116-14 PDF XML
Showing the text of H.R. 938, H.R. 1499, H.R. 965, H.R. 1385, H.R. 1386, H.R. 987, and H.R. 1010, as ordered reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, with modifications.
Marketing and Outreach Restoration to Empower Health Education Act of 2019 (as reported)
H. Rept. 116-53, Part 1 PDF
Report from the Committee on Energy and Commerce
Reports on Incorporated Bills
H. Rept. 116-46
:: Report from the Committee on Energy and Commerce to accompany H.R. 938 PDF
H. Rept. 116-52, Part 1
:: Report from the Committee on Energy and Commerce to accompany H.R. 1499 PDF
:: (Part 1) Report from the Committee on Education and Labor to accompany H.R. 1010 PDF
:: (Part 2) Report from the Committee on Energy and Commerce to accompany H.R. 1010 PDF
Comparative Print PDF
Comparing the base document H.R. 987, as reported, with Rules Committee Print 116-14, as modified.
REPORTED BY A RECORD VOTE OF 9-4 on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.
Agreed to by record vote of 229-188, after agreeing to the previous question by record vote of 228-189, on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.
MANAGERS: Scanlon/Cole
1. Closed rule for H.R. 5.
2. Provides 90 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary.
4. Provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read.
5. Waives all points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended.
7. Closed rule for H.R. 312.
8. Provides one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources.
10. Provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read.
11. Waives all points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended.
12. Provides one motion to recommit with or without instructions.
13. Structured rule for H.R. 987.
14. Provides 90 minutes of general debate with 60 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and 30 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and Labor.
15. Waives all points of order against consideration of the bill.
16. Provides that an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 116-14 shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read.
18. Makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
19. Waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the report.
1 Version 1 Lynch (MA) Democrat Extends the deadline by which States may apply for federal assistance to establish state-based marketplaces by one year to December 31, 2023. Extends the date by which the State Exchanges must be self-sustaining by one year to January 1, 2025. Made in Order
2 Version 1 Lynch (MA) Democrat Asks the GAO to conduct a cost benefit analysis of the establishment of State-administered health insurance plans for states that may want to offer a public option in their health insurance exchanges. The report is due to Congress no later than one year after enactment. Made in Order
3 Version 1 Deutch (FL) Democrat Adds a duty requiring navigators to provide information in plain language regarding essential health benefits and consumer protections under the mental health and substance use disorder benefits parity law. Made in Order
4 Version 1 Harder (CA) Democrat Provides opioid specific education and training to the Navigators and the Certified Application Counselors (CACs) that ensures they can best educate individuals on the marketplace plans specifically for opioid health care treatment. Made in Order
5 Version 1 Harder (CA) Democrat Expresses a sense of Congress that Navigators and Certified Application Counselors (CACs) should provide equal access and outreach to homeless populations, and specifically to homeless populations impacted by drug use (such as opioid and opiate use). Submitted
6 Version 1 Harder (CA) Democrat Expresses a sense of Congress that there should be equitable geographical distribution of Navigators and Certified Application Counselors (CACs). Equitable distribution includes cities, rural districts, and homeless populations. Submitted
7 Version 1 Eshoo (CA), Wexton (VA) Democrat Requires Short Term Limited Duration Insurance plans (STLDI) to prominently carry a disclosure that the plan provides coverage for limited medical conditions and benefits. Also prohibits STLDI from being sold during the Affordable Care Act's open enrollment period. Submitted
8 Version 1 Bucshon (IN), McKinley (WV), Upton (MI), Carter, Buddy (GA), Collins, Doug (GA), Sensenbrenner (WI) Republican Strikes title II – Health Insurance Market Stabilization. Made in Order
9 Version 1 Escobar (TX), Porter (CA), Torres, Norma (CA) Democrat Requires Navigators to assist vulnerable populations including individuals with limited English proficiency and chronic illnesses. Made in Order
10 Version 1 Norman (SC), Meadows (NC) Republican Strikes title III – Budgetary Effects, and inserts a new Title III – Coverage and Access Effects, which requires CBO to determine the effects on access and coverage for individuals and how many people will lose insurance coverage in the health care market resulting from provisions under this Act, which repeals the short-term limited duration insurance rule. Submitted
11 Version 1 Norman (SC), Meadows (NC) Republican States that funds may not be used for any qualified health plan offered through an Exchange that offers coverage for abortion. Submitted
12 Version 1 Cartwright (PA) Democrat Extends the annual open enrollment period for Federally Facilitated Exchanges from 45 days to 3 months. Submitted
13 Version 1 Blunt Rochester (DE) Democrat Requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to release all aggregated studies and data sets created on or after January 1, 2014 related to marketing and outreach for the Affordable Care Act’s individual marketplace. Made in Order
14 Version 1 Wexton (VA) Democrat Includes findings that the final rule on short-term, limited duration insurance weakens protections for the millions of Americans living with preexisting health conditions, including children with complex medical needs and disabilities and their families. Made in Order
15 Version 1 Wexton (VA) Democrat Requests a GAO report on how funding cuts and changes to the navigator program have negatively impacted consumers purchasing coverage on the federal exchanges who are living in rural, undeserved communities. Submitted
16 Version 1 Brown (MD), Krishnamoorthi (IL), Barragán (CA) Democrat Adds that the Secretary shall implement outreach and educational activities in areas with high health disparities. Made in Order
17 Version 1 Brown (MD) Democrat Withdrawn Ensures that all Federal income tax return forms include a section that allows taxpayers to indicate whether they want Federal officials to determine their eligibility for Medicaid or subsidized healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. Withdrawn
18 Version 1 Roe (TN), Guthrie (KY) Republican Strikes section 204 – Short-Term Limited Duration Insurance Rule Prohibition - of the underlying bill and replaces it with language that codifies the current STLDI definition while also allowing for guaranteed renewability. Submitted
19 Version 1 Pappas (NH) Democrat Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to set annual enrollment targets for the Exchanges for the plan year 2020 and each subsequent plan year. Made in Order
20 Version 2 Scanlon (PA) Democrat Revised Requires the HHS Secretary to issue biweekly public reports during the annual open enrollment period on the performance of the federal exchange and the Small Business Health Options Program exchange. Each report will include a summary of information on the open enrollment season including the number of website visits, accounts created, calls to the call center, number of people who enroll in a plan and what enrollment path they took, e.g., website, broker, or call center. Made in Order
21 Version 3 Morelle (NY), Wexton (VA) Democrat Revised Requires GAO to study the effect of President Trump’s cuts to ACA outreach and the Navigator Program on health insurance enrollment and the cost of coverage. Made in Order
22 Version 1 Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX) Democrat Requires Navigators to receive training on how to assist consumers with Medicaid and CHIP enrollment. Made in Order
23 Version 1 Shalala (FL) Democrat States the sense of Congress that the Secretary of HHS should not take any action to prohibit or restrict “silver loading.” Made in Order
24 Version 1 Cox (CA) Democrat Adds a new subsection (b): Promote Transparency and Accountability in the Administration’s Expenditures of Exchange User Fees, which requires HHS to submit an annual report to Congress that includes a detailed breakdown of the Department’s spending on outreach and enrollment, navigators, maintenance of Healthcare.gov, and operation of the Healthcare.gov call centers. Made in Order
25 Version 1 Krishnamoorthi (IL) Democrat Withdrawn Acknowledges the diversity of the populations served through the required outreach and educational activities, and by the Exchange. Withdrawn
26 Version 1 Gomez (CA) Democrat Clarifies the ability of Navigators to provide referrals to community-based organizations that address social needs related to health outcomes. Made in Order
27 Version 2 Waters (CA) Democrat Revised Provides grants for outreach and promotional activities in states with state-run exchanges. Revised
28 Version 2 Waters (CA) Democrat Revised Requires HHS to submit to Congress a report on the extent to which increases in the prices of commonly prescribed drugs have caused individuals with health insurance to forego needed treatment. Made in Order
29 Version 1 Waters (CA) Democrat Withdrawn Requires prescription drug plans participating in Medicare Part D to include in their formularies and cover without step therapy all drugs approved for the treatment of serious medical conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, mental health conditions, and recovery from organ transplantation. Withdrawn
30 Version 1 Waters (CA) Democrat Withdrawn Requires qualified health plans to include in their formularies and cover without step therapy all drugs approved for the treatment of serious medical conditions, including cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, mental health conditions, and recovery from organ transplantation. Withdrawn
31 Version 1 Lipinski (IL) Democrat Requires a GAO report to determine whether the Department of Health and Human Services has taken appropriate steps to ensure that routine maintenance to the Healthcare.gov website is minimally disruptive to consumers. Made in Order
32 Version 1 Johnson, Dusty (SD) Republican Adds a new subsection to allow states to define short-term limited duration insurance. Submitted
33 Version 1 Walberg (MI) Republican Requires the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury to certify that any changes to the Short-term Limited Duration Plan final rule would increase the number of individuals with health insurance coverage before the changes can go into effect. In addition, the Secretary of Labor is required to certify that any changes to the Association Health Plan final rule would increase the number of individuals with group insurance coverage before the changes can go into effect. Submitted
34 Version 1 Hayes (CT), Waters (CA) Democrat Amends the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) navigator program to authorize $25,000,000 out of amounts collected by user fees for State-Based Exchanges. Ensures that no state shall receive a grant that is less than $1,000,000. Made in Order
35 Version 2 DeSaulnier (CA) Democrat Revised Commissions a study by the National Academy of Medicine into the amount of federal funding and research used in the development of drugs by pharmaceutical companies, and to put measures in place to curb excessive drug costs. Made in Order
36 Version 1 Bucshon (IN), Upton (MI), McKinley (WV), Collins, Doug (GA), Sensenbrenner (WI) Republican Withdrawn Strikes Title II – Health Insurance Market Stabilization, leaving only the drug pricing provisions. Withdrawn
37 Version 1 Shimkus (IL), Walberg (MI) Republican Allows funding for outreach and education for association health plans. Submitted
38 Version 1 Latta (OH) Republican Requires navigators to tell consumers if the health plan they are considering provides abortion coverage and the.associated surcharge for such coverage. Submitted
39 Version 1 Walden (OR) Republican Reduces exchange user fees and patients’ insurance premiums for three years. Submitted
40 Version 1 Scalise (LA) Republican Inserts the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Submitted
41 Version 1 Walden (OR) Republican Inserts the Preexisting Conditions Protection Act. Submitted
42 Version 1 Burgess (TX) Republican Strikes title II – Health Insurance Market Stabilization - and inserts language reauthorizing community health centers, the national health service corps and other public health priorities. Submitted
43 Version 1 Welch (VT), Schrader (OR) Democrat Prohibits the Secretary of HHS from ending autoenrollment. Made in Order
44 Version 1 Golden (ME) Democrat Removes portions of prescription drug exclusivity for significant prescription drug price increases during patent monopoly periods. Submitted
45 Version 1 Golden (ME) Democrat Requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to report significant prescription drug price increases to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary must report annually to Congress. Penalties are established for failure to report. Submitted
46 Version 1 Perlmutter (CO), Gallagher (WI) Bi-Partisan Requires all medical providers, including insurers and drug companies, to publicly disclose costs for all products, services and procedures. Submitted
47 Version 1 Adams (NC) Democrat Directs GAO to conduct an analysis of the 1332 State Innovation Program and determine other programs that could increase access to affordable health insurance coverage, including the feasibility of a publicly-sponsored option to the extent that it generates savings for the Federal government. The report is due to Congress no later than one year after enactment. Submitted
48 Version 1 Scalise (LA) Republican Late Disqualifies states that do not have born alive protections from receiving funds authorized by the bill. Submitted
49 Version 1 Phillips (MN) Democrat Late Directs Exchanges to establish an online website portal to facilitate the sharing of information between the Exchange and Navigator organizations about their clients’ applications for health insurance. Made in Order
50 Version 1 Carter, Buddy (GA) Republican Late Allows funding from the bill to be used to educate consumers about the potential pros and cons of short term limited duration plans. Submitted
51 Version 1 Davids (KS) Democrat Late Withdrawn Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance directing the prices of drugs to be included in all advertising of drugs, and requiring brand-name drug advertisements to include the name and prices of any generic versions of their drug. Withdrawn
52 Version 1 Cox (CA) Democrat Late Adds areas with high concentrations of unemployment to the list where such outreach and educational activities shall be provided. Made in Order
53 Version 1 Horn (OK) Democrat Late Ensures rural areas are included in navigator outreach. Made in Order
54 Version 1 McBath (GA) Democrat Late Provides pharmacy school outreach by directing the Labor HHS and Education Secretaries to do outreach to institutions of higher education as it relates to the use and availability of generic drugs. Made in Order
55 Version 1 Cunningham (SC) Democrat Late Ensures that state healthcare Exchanges’ outreach activities are also targeted towards veteran populations. Made in Order
56 Version 1 Pallone (NJ), Walden (OR) Bi-Partisan MANAGER’S AMENDMENT Late Clarifies communication requirements for eligible product developers and license holders regarding requests, offers, and delivery of product samples. Made in Order
57 Version 1 King, Steve (IA) Republican Late This amendment strikes the ObamaCare-related bills in the HR 987, specifically HR 1385, HR 1386, HR 987, HR 1010, so that the House can begin an earnest discussion regarding prescription drug pricing. Submitted
Motion by Mr. Cole to amend the rule to provide that after the Committee of the Whole completes consideration of H.R. 987 for amendment, the question of adoption of the amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be divided as follows: first, adoption of Title I of the amendment; and second, adoption of the matter comprising the remainder of the amendment in the nature of a substitute. Defeated: 4–9
Motion by Mr. Woodall to amend the rule to H.R. 987 to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #11, offered by Rep. Norman (SC), which states that funds may not be used for any qualified health plan offered through an Exchange that offers coverage for abortion. Defeated: 4–9
Motion by Mr. Woodall to amend the rule to H.R. 987 to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #39, offered by Rep. Walden (OR), which reduces exchange user fees and patients’ insurance premiums for three years. Defeated: 4–9
Motion by Mr. Burgess to amend the rule to H.R. 987 to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #42, offered by Rep. Burgess (TX), which strikes Title II – Health Insurance Market Stabilization - and inserts language reauthorizing community health centers, the national health service corps, and other public health priorities. Defeated: 4–9
Motion by Mr. Burgess to amend the rule to H.R. 987 to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #37, offered by Rep. Shimkus (IL), which allows funding for outreach and education for association health plans. Defeated: 4–9
Motion by Mrs. Lesko to amend the rule to H.R. 987 to make in order and provide the appropriate waivers to amendment #48, offered by Rep. Scalise (LA), which disqualifies states that do not have born alive protections from receiving funds authorized by the bill. Defeated: 4–9
Motion by Ms. Scanlon to report the rule. Adopted: 9-4
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