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Navigation: Home > News > Opinion > Umahi’s project supervision prowess, By Philip Nweze
Umahi’s project supervision prowess, By Philip Nweze
By News Express on 01/04/2017
Ebonyi State Governor, Engr David Nweze Umahi, is seen by many from different perspectives. While some see him as an ever-smiling and easy-going politician, others see him as a tough and principled administrator with very rigid stance on issues pertaining to governance. Needless to say, his principled stand has earned him friends and foes alike. His belief is that there is no place for excuses, especially in assignments that would lead to public good. He believes that leadership is not a popularity contest, but a call to duty.
Right from his first day at work, Umahi has kept his eyes on the ball. Not once has he lost sight of his governmental calling or task. He possesses a world-class brain and operates with the agility of a prized athlete. As a young man filled with life, Umahi is an unrepentant workaholic. If anyone is under the impression that a visit with him to any of the many project sites scattered around the state is a jolly ride, after all one was with the governor, such an individual is in for a big disappointment. As a former member of the Governor’s Press Crew, I have experienced the constant “terror” of moving with the governor on his ceaseless pilgrimages to project sites day after day. The experiment was always tough on all of us, especially the radio and TV reporters in the crew, who wrestle daily with the problem of finding a spare time to squeeze in their reports, as the governor oscillates between one assignment and another; sometimes up till midnight, and continues the same process the following day.
From all indications, the governor has the grace of excellent health. He looks very energetic and carries his frame swiftly. He is a sucker for hard work. And it seems that the secret of his many achievements lie in hard work, hard work and more hard work. He works like a human dynamo. From one project site to another, he matches on; leading the charge and never panting, in spite of the movement's energised pace. No one dares to drag else, you would be left behind. He is relentlessly demanding of his employees' time and commitment. He believes that every task should be done with every jolt of energy for outstanding result. He believes that hard work pays. And this is the story behind his consistent successes in the state.
Umahi is known to always make things happen. The energetic and committed leader visits up to seven project sites at different locations within the morning hours, before he resumes in the office, and may still inspect more before close of work daily. All the vehicles in the governor's convoy have one unique thing in common: that is, availability of torch-lights and umbrellas inside them. That is an emergency provision, should his surveillance trips to project sites spill into the night or incase of sudden surprises by rainfall.
Today, Ebonyi is home to numerous construction projects. The governor has devoted more energy to project inspection than any leader in history (of Ebonyi). The present administration in the state will not execute a single contract without holistic and pragmatic monitoring. The governor traverses the entire state day and night, to ensure all projects embarked upon by his administration will be executed to specifications and delivered on schedule. His approach to governance is a get-to-the bottom and pragmatic method, unlike some of his counterparts in the country, who after awarding contracts will go and relax, leaving the whole executing duties at the mercy of contractors. On assumption of office, he swung into action with construction of projects that seemed impossible in the state such as flyover, mega water schemes and street-lighting. He completed these within the shortest possible time.
The secret of avalanche of on-going developmental projects across the state now, despite the economic recession in the country, is hard work and commitment on the part of our governor who is “walking” round the clock to ensure quick and best delivery of all the projects. This has helped flush out the era of shoddy jobs, inflated contracts, over-drafting of invoices and award of contracts to relatives, which were the underlying cause for quick collapse of roads and other public infrastructure in the past. It was funny that road constructed by an administration before now do not last the period of that administration. The Ministry of Works turned into a major centre of fraud and corruption and yet, the then state governor seemed to have lacked the political will to probe into the debacle, due to fear of offending certain interests.
Governor Umahi’s ruthless approach to governance today has enthroned a new order. To him, governance is serious business and one only for serious minds. Unlike some states where EXCO members converge once a week in plush government houses annexe for few minutes’ deliberation and fat allowances, the Ebonyi State Executive Council meeting starts on Monday, and drags through Friday, often stretching into the wee hours of the night, on a daily basis. He understands that this is a period when citizens look up to their governments in exasperation and disappointment. He, therefore, believes that executive council members must be available any day and time as his first front-line of defence and tools for his rescue mission. By this he has instilled a strong work ethic in them, that could be described as the Umahi-style. By this they have become more positively attuned to the demands of governance.
One other thing that has been glaring since he took over is that the governor has also ensured that the state duties do not affect his spiritual life. He still attends the evening classes and prayer meetings that hold at the Christ Embassy church, at Mile 50, Abakaliki and still returns to his office late to continue work. His typical Sunday mornings commence with attending of church service together with his wife Mrs Rachel Umahi, and every available member of his family and still returns to his office in the afternoon to continue work. His healthy appetite to work is unbeatable. His energy is matchless and his leadership style is first class. A role model, a reference point and a mega star, he is simply an “idol” for present and future generation. Call him a human machine, and you would not be wrong.
Governor David Umahi is working! Ebonyi State is on the rise!
•Philip Nweze writes from Abakaliki.
Posted 01/04/2017 1:34:30 PM
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Let Us Try
Engineers build anything and everything the Guard needs. From surveying and bulldozing to framing and wiring, engineers take on construction and demolition projects of any size—from start to finish. These experts pave roads and build fortifications for hundreds of Soldiers. In combat, engineers use their skills to shape the battlefield, destroying obstacles and opening routes for troop movement.
Guard engineers also work around the globe to assist countries in need of hospitals, schools and running water. Stateside, these problem solvers are pivotal responders during natural disasters, as they clear roads or restore power to communities.
Job training for Soldiers in the Engineer career field consists of ten weeks of Basic Combat Training (BCT) plus 6 or more weeks of Advanced Individual Training (AIT) depending on your specialty. Training will range from basic construction, engineering and electrical principles to more specialized skills, such as masonry, plumbing and water purification, surveying, and operating heavy construction equipment.
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Sandy »
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OPEN SHELF
Value, Influence, Positioning: Advocacy by a New Name
From the OLA President
Value, influence, positioning. These three words framed the discussion at the OLA Advocacy Committee’s VIP Summit last February, and characterize OLA’s strategic approach to advancing the role of libraries. Old-style advocacy often constituted telling decision-makers what libraries needed from them. The new flavour of advocacy flips this approach to one that focuses on demonstrating the positive and unique impact of libraries on our constituent communities.
Value: Demonstrating Impact
Certainly we are all familiar with evidence-based practice, where the decisions we make are based on sound research and real evidence in practice. Applying that notion to advocacy puts the onus on us to demonstrate that what we do has a positive impact in the greater communities that we serve.
I will never forget my early shock therapy in this approach. I attended a session for school library leaders several years ago where respected scholar Dr. Ross Todd, in his inimitable, energetic style, admonished us to jump down off our soapboxes and start advocating with the evidence. As he subsequently made very clear in his Evidence-based manifesto for school librarians, that evidence needs to be about our impact on learning. We need to clearly understand our mission in terms of the larger goals of education, and be able to demonstrate our unique contribution to student achievement, well-being and personal and social growth.
I can’t tell you what a great impact his message made on my own thinking about demonstrating the value of libraries, no matter the sector. Our goals need to be aligned with those of the communities we serve, and we need to be able to tell our success stories in terms that are meaningful to our larger constituencies.
Influence: What We Do for You
As so many of us understand, it remains, however, a huge challenge to get the ear of the decision-makers, no matter how much we strive to align with their goals. This is one area where OLA is making great strides. Our approach is proactive in making strategic connections with the ministries and organizations that govern or influence our library sectors. The provincial inter-ministerial public library discussion forum at last year’s Super Conference extended the positive relationship already established between library organizations and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. It achieved its goal of helping officials from other key ministries realize the potential of working with public libraries to implement government goals, policies and programs.
Similarly, over the past year the Ontario School Library Association has made great strides in working with the Ministry of Education at the policy and program levels. There is an emerging sense that decision-makers in education have a new appreciation for the potential of the school library learning commons approach in advancing Ontario’s new vision for education.
Positioning: Building on Credibility to Advance Libraries
One of OLA’s key successes is in connecting library professionals across all sectors and specializations. Participants in the VIP Summit discovered that although our institutions’ missions may vary, our practice is built on shared values. American Library Association Past President Barbara Stripling describes this as an ecosystem of libraries, interdependent in how we influence people at various stages of their lives.
Library Day at Queen’s Park
We are pleased to announce that the Ontario Library Association is busy planning our first ever Day at Queen’s Park to be held Wednesday November 26th. Our goal is to position libraries’ positive impact on Ontario’s prosperity, sharing our message with politicians from all parties. Working with government relations consulting firm Impact Affairs, our key message will focus on the relevance of libraries to the Ontario government’s agenda. Barring any unforeseen changes to the government calendar, Library Day at Queen’s Park will take place late in November. We’ll be sharing further news about this most exciting initiative in future editions of Open Shelf.
I am very excited about this initiative, and see it as a huge step in OLA’s strategic priority of collaborating to extend libraries’ strategic voice. Our goal is that Ontarians view libraries as essential contributors to the economy, education, lifestyle and culture of their communities – the ultimate VIP approach.
Anita Brooks Kirkland is the 2014 president of the Ontario Library Association. With thirty years of experience in public education, Anita is now an independent consultant for libraries and learning. She is also a school librarianship instructor for the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto. Learn more about Anita at: www.bythebrooks.ca.
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Protecting the world’s oceans with open data science
What does an open source approach to environmental research look like?
14 Dec 2018 Julia Stewart Lowndes Feed
Patrick Nouhailler. Modified by Opensource.com. CC BY-SA 2.0.
For environmental scientists, researching a single ecosystem or organism can be a daunting task. The amount of data and literature to comb through (or create) is often overwhelming.
So how, then, can environmental scientists approach studying the health of the world’s oceans? What ocean health means is a big question in itself—oceans span millions of square miles, are home to countless species, and border hundreds of countries and territories, each of which has its own unique marine policies and practices.
But no matter how daunting this task may seem, it’s a necessary and vital one. So in 2012, the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) and Conservation International publicly launched the Ocean Health Index (OHI), an ambitious initiative to measure the benefits that oceans provide to people, including clean water, coastal protections, and biodiversity. The idea was to create an annual assessment to document major oceanic changes and trends, and in turn, use those findings to craft better marine policy around the world.
The first edition of the OHI uncovered critical information, like the state of carbon storage and the impacts of tourism and recreation. But as expected, it was a challenging undertaking. The 2012 OHI took 30 people three years to complete. We quickly learned that if we wanted to be more effective, we needed to find a better approach.
That’s where open science came in. By applying an open source ethos to recalculating our analyses each year, we were able to conduct better scientific research in less time. Indeed, by 2017, the OHI took one person just three months. And it was far richer than the previous reports: Along with results, we shared our methods, code, and data, and we developed a training program so others could build directly off our work, even if the context was different.
What does an open source approach to environmental research look like? First, it means embracing collaborative tools and workflows that are usually found at engineering organizations. No longer is the OHI compiled manually in offline spreadsheets or discussed in closed email threads (and then re-forwarded with the correct attachment). Instead, we now use R and RStudio when writing code and visualizing data. And we collaborate openly on GitHub. With these tools, we built the OHI Toolbox, which provides the OHI file structure, code, and more that is shared online at no cost. Progress and processes are now fully transparent.
These aren’t skills that are traditionally taught to researchers at universities, but they should be. Fortunately, more and more scientists are joining the open science community, which is now my focus as a Mozilla Fellow.
A critical part of working open is sharing data and code not only with your immediate colleagues, but with others across the globe who might learn from, adapt, and build on findings. By being fully transparent with our data, our research can be easily reproduced. That means OHI data and methodology is available to all. This has fueled our OHI+ program—using our open-source framework, independent groups can develop localized Ocean Health Index studies, incorporating and modeling what is important to people in their regions. Currently, there are about 30 OHI+ projects, ranging from Ecuador and China to Israel and the Baltic Sea.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is community—engaging with like-minded researchers around the globe who are also practicing open science. Here, we can share best practices, processes, and workflows. Community is one of the reasons we launched the OHI Fellows program, which provides graduate students in environmental science with open source training. Once their fellowship and work on the OHI is complete, they can take those open principles to their next institution or research endeavor.
The end result of all this is a more detailed, effective Ocean Health Index. But there’s a broader impact, too: By spreading open practices throughout the scientific community, we can accelerate research and make it more transparent and rigorous. This benefits all fields, from marine biology to neuroscience, from academia to government. And it benefits society at large—it means more breakthroughs and more public trust.
Julia Stewart Lowndes - I am a marine data scientist and Mozilla Fellow at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, working to increase the value and practice of environmental open data science by empowering researchers with existing tools and communities. I earned my PhD in...
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Joshua Pearce on 08 Feb 2019 Permalink
Don't forget to apply open source to scientific hardware as well - open source environmental hardware is growing rapidly see https://channels.plos.org/open-source-toolkit and https://www.journals.elsevier.com/hardwarex and http://www.appropedia.org/Open-source_Lab
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8 open source drone projects
Check out what's new in open source drone hardware, software, and related projects.
12 Feb 2018 Jason Baker (Red Hat) Feed
JanBaby on Pixabay. Modified by Opensource.com. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Editor's note: This article was originally published in December 2016 and has been updated to include additional information.
Over the past few years, interest in civilian, military, and commercial drones has grown rapidly, which has also driven the maker community's interest in open source drone projects.
The list of unmanned aerial devices (UAVs) that fit the moniker of drone seems to be constantly expanding. These days, the term seems to encompass everything from what is essentially a cheap, multi-bladed toy helicopter, all the way up to custom-built soaring machines with incredibly adept artificial intelligence capabilities.
Most people are looking for something in the middle. They'd like a flying vehicle that is large enough to support a decently long flight time, hold a camera or other data capture device, and perhaps be able to control some (or all) of its flight autonomously using pre-programmed coordinates or real-time data.
The premade devices in this space vary greatly in both price and build quality, and most of the ones I've seen use proprietary software and hardware. But you don't have to go this route! The drone-building community has created many software and hardware projects under open licenses that allow you to build, repair, customize, and experiment with your own drone, or to supplement the use of drones in some other way. Let's take a look at some of those projects.
Paparazzi UAV
Paparazzi UAV is a GPLv2 licensed project that combines both the software and hardware needed to build and fly an open source vehicle under open licenses. Its primary focus is autonomous flight, and it's designed to be portable to allow operators to easily take their devices into the field and program their flights across a series of waypoints. Source code and releases of the software components can be found on GitHub, and tutorials for adapting it to off-the-shelf or custom-built hardware can be found on the project's wiki.
ArduPilot
ArduPilot claims it's "the most advanced, full-featured, and reliable open source autopilot software available." That's probably not blowing smoke: it's installed in more than 1 million drones and other UAVs, including airplanes, helicopters, boats, and submarines, and it has a large number of contributors working on the project. Its features include advanced data-logging, analysis, and simulation tools, and it's supported by a broad ecosystem of third-party sensors, companion computers, and communication systems.
ArduPilot founded the Dronecode project (described below), but split from it in 2016 over disagreements around open source licensing; ArduPilot is licensed under GPLv3, which co-founder Craig Elder says leads to greater collaboration because all code changes must be openly published, unlike Dronecode's BSD license. ArduPilot's source code is available on GitHub.
Dronecode
The Dronecode project is a Linux Foundation-sponsored project working to build a common open source platform for UAV development. It's been through a lot of changes in the last few years, but today it serves as the governance structure for the components of the overall platform, where the project's actual development occurs. Those components include the PX4 autopilot flight control system, the MAVLink robotics communication toolkit, and the QGroundControl user interface for flight control, mission planning, and configuration, all of which have individual GitHub repositories.
LibrePilot
The LibrePilot software suite is designed to control multi-copters and other radio-controlled drones. The project's roots lie in the Open Pilot UAV software project, and its goals are to support research and development of software and hardware for vehicle control and stabilization, unmanned autonomous vehicles, and robotics applications. LibreProject's founders are committed to creating an open and collaborative environment, including working with similar projects. The main project is hosted on BitBucket and it's licensed under GPLv3.
Flone
Flone is a cool project that basically turns a smartphone into a drone. It combines a digitally fabricated airframe with software that allows an Android smartphone on the ground to control the one strapped onto the airframe via Bluetooth. It is licensed under GPLv3 and its source code resides on GitHub. English-speaking developers and drone enthusiasts should know that the project is based in Spain and most of the documentation and other materials are in Spanish.
OpenDroneMap
So you've used a drone to capture a bunch of overhead imagery of an area of interest. Now what? OpenDroneMap may be able to help. This software takes this aerial imagery and helps you process it into point clouds, digital surface and elevation models, or just orthorectify the imagery (in essence, line up the imagery to a known coordinate system for further analysis).
Grab the source or a beta release on GitHub under a GPLv3 license, as well as a sample data set, and see whether it's a good fit for you; the project's wiki has more information. OpenDroneMap is designed to be run in Linux and can be run with Docker to avoid needing the exact configuration environment the project was built for.
DronePan
DronePan is an iOS app (with an Android app on the way) that automates panoramic photography with DJI drones. As Preston Ward explained in an Opensource.com article, DronePan, "temporarily takes control of the [drone's] aircraft heading and camera angle. After a simple tap or two, DronePan begins shooting 15 to 25 photos automatically with the proper overlap required for an aerial spherical panorama. When the panorama is complete, users resume manual control and can fly to other locations to shoot more panoramas." DronePan is licensed under the GPLv3 license; you can access its source code on GitHub.
Drone Journalism Lab operations manual
One of the more interesting ways drones are impacting everyday life is in journalism, especially amateur investigative journalism, bringing an eye to the sky to document what's going on in the world around us. The Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exists to educate journalists about how drones can be used legally and ethically as a part of the journalistic process. To further that goal, the project has open sourced its operations manual, available on GitHub or as a PDF, under a Creative Commons license to bring best practices to any news organization hoping to use a drone to further its reporting capabilities.
This is definitely an incomplete list of open source drone projects; others you may want to check out include MatrixPilot and AdaPilot. Since we plan to add to this list, please let us know what other open source or open hardware drone projects are out there. Which ones are targeted towards relative beginners, and which ones are going to take more effort and commitment to put to use? Share your insights in the comments below.
Jason Baker - I use technology to make the world more open. Linux desktop enthusiast. Map/geospatial nerd. Raspberry Pi tinkerer. Data analysis and visualization geek. Occasional coder. Cloud nativist. Civic tech and open government booster.
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Craig Elder on 08 Dec 2016 Permalink
Hey Jason
I like your article and I would like to suggest some additions (it's the open source thing to do :)
Open Pilot / Libre Pilot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenPilot https://www.librepilot.org
MatrixPilot https://github.com/MatrixPilot/MatrixPilot
Are two open source autopilots that should be on your list. They are actively being developed and have made fantastic contributions to the open source
ArduPilot www.ArduPilot.org
You mention the split in Dronecode earlier this year. I was one of the founders of Dronecode and the Community Manager until the split happened. We created Dronecode to support ArduPilot and invited PX4 to participate after we started.
I'd like to suggest that you add ArduPilot to your list since it is also actively being developed and it is by far the largest Open Source autopilot for drones. You can read more here http://www.interdrone.com/news/craig-elder-talks-the-future-of-ardupilot...
Pedro Ângelo on 08 Dec 2016 Permalink
[Flone](http://flone.cc) is a great Open Source digitally fabricated drone project. It is probably not so well known because most of the documentation is in Spanish, although some English documentation exists in the project wiki.
SamBlay on 09 Dec 2016 Permalink
http://dji.droneinner.com/phantom-4-pro-phantom-4
Ray Brown. on 09 Dec 2016 Permalink
Good information about drones.
Riccardo on 13 Dec 2016 Permalink
OK, yet another UAV project, but a bit peculiar....
AdaPilot (http://adapilot.likeabird.eu/) is an open source project aimed to make a DO-178 certifiable (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DO-178B) control software for remotely piloted vehicles that is safety critical, powerful and flexible but also easy to extend. Development is done in Ada and SPARK, a subset of Ada suitable for formal checking (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARK_%28programming_language%29).
If you never used Ada or think it is too old, it is a nice occasion to be exposed to it... (and fall in love with it :-) )
Mark T. on 13 Dec 2016 Permalink
ArduPilot (also ArduPilotMega - APM) is an open source unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight controller, able to control multicopters, fixed wing aircraft and more. Ardupilot was started in 2007 by members of the DIY Drones community.
http://ardupilot.org/
http://diydrones.com/
Being open hw there are many manufacturers selling compatible APM boards, even complete drones ready to fly. Fully comparable to devices like DJI Phantom and perfect for DIY projects.
https://dronegarageblog.wordpress.com/cx-20-the-open-source-alternative-...
Volker Bernhard Duetsch on 20 Feb 2018 Permalink
I'm thinking about buying a DJI Mavic Air Fly More.
Any experience and recommendations? Any sources how to let fly fixed routes with python e.g. geocoder or something similar?
José SISA on 02 Mar 2018 Permalink
Hi to all Drone Guruz :-) ! first of all, i'm sorry, I'm a french guy, and, my english is ... horrible !
I'm looking to buy a drône, perhaps the Mavic Air Like.
But I'm looking for a program functionality I never read any where :
I would like to define à Volume, or cube, in which the drone can fly, but, it can't go out this volume.
for exemple volume : top 50 meters, bottom 5 meters side 100 meters
the drône stays inside. (of course with bateries good)
Why : well, for newbies like me, I'm afraid to break to ground my drône !
well, sorry again, i speak english like a spanisk cow ! thx for your help.
ayoub on 17 Mar 2018 Permalink
You are a distinguished writer..I enjoy reading your articles a lot
Monty Allan on 28 May 2018 Permalink
Just the fact that where and when I fly my drone is my business and not DJI's the FAA's or anyone else. As long as I follow the rules and dont hurt or injure anyone GTF out of my business. I dont want to come home and find something in my mail box like a ticket because I flew 5 minutes too late in the day or 50 feet over a national park boundary in BFNowhere. That's why I want open source no BS software.
Don YATES on 29 Dec 2018 Permalink
So to fly multiple drones in close formation ... any recommended open software?
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Outward, developed by Nine Dots Studio and published by Deep Silver, is a survival open-world RPG. In it, you play not as a chos...
Hands On: Outward
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Documentary Probes Search for Student Wrongly Accused of Marathon Bombing
Shafaq Hasan
April 15, 2015; Daily Beast
As the penalty phase of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial is underway, with the prosecution having just rested, a new documentary looks at the search for Sunil Tripathi, 22, the missing Brown University student who was wrongly accused in a social media firestorm of being involved in the Boston Marathon bombing.
Directed by Neal Broffman, “Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi” premiered last month in Atlanta and continues to be screened at film festivals around North America. It will have its international premiere this week at the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto. The documentary is a homage to those 12 hours Tripathi was incorrectly linked to the Marathon bombings and the apologies that came after discovering Tripathi’s story was a tragedy all its own. From the trailer, this documentary appears to be taking back a piece of Tripathi’s memory that was stolen in those 12 hours of irresponsible reporting.
Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi – Documentary Trailer from One Production Place on Vimeo.
According to director Broffman, the documenters’ connection with the Tripathi family was key to the 75-minute movie being made. Broffman and his wife, executive producer Elisa Gambino, had previously known Tripathi’s sister and had actively helped in the effort to find her brother before the Marathon bombings had even happened.
Going through a bout of depression, Tripathi had already been missing for a month—since March 16th—when Twitter users began comparing his face to the Tsarnaev brothers, initially labeled “Suspect #1” and “Suspect #2.”
Reddit threads starting popping up, crowdsourcing information and images to piece together how this happened. Individuals started connecting the dots between Tripathi’s mysterious disappearance and the timing of the bombings. It wasn’t long before someone fingered Tripathi on Twitter. “Oh my God. It was Sunil. I’m shaking. I cannot believe it.”
“@kmattio: Oh my god. It was Sunil. I’m shaking. I cannot believe it.”
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) April 19, 2013
The original Tweet has since been deleted.
Of course, it wasn’t Sunil. In a monumental failure of citizen and online journalism, within hours of the allegations emerging from Twitter and Reddit, mainstream media was hounding the Tripathi family on completely unverified information.
“I became concerned that this is how we as a society are communicating and sharing information,” Broffman said in an interview with the Daily Beast.
Days after the allegations surfaced, Tripathi was found dead in the Providence River on April 23rd in an apparent suicide. He had died a month before the crime for which he was accused.
Apologies soon started coming from some of the online instigators that pursued the allegations against Tripathi, like this one from Reddit, credited to user BR0STRADAMUS, from two years ago:
“Sunil Tripathi has been accused of being Suspect 2 in the Boston Marathon bombings for hours on Reddit and all over Twitter. His name has been trending for the past 4 hours. Many posts and tweets have been calling for his death or pain on his family. We did this. Maybe we didn’t mean to, or even want to, but we did. The downside of instant journalism is that we sometimes get things wrong. And sometimes media outlets can take this false information and run with it.”
According to Broffman and Gambino, all of the journalists and bloggers that had tweeted about Tripathi refused to be interviewed for the documentary. (One lone former Reddit general manager did speak to them. She said the situation could have been controlled.)
“We were primarily concerned with and reaching out and trying to have a conversation with journalists who had actually done something to advance this rumor that Sunil was somehow a suspect,” Broffman said.
According to Broffman, audiences’ reactions to the movie have been general discomfort and shock. “Does that translate into changing one’s behavior?” Broffman asked. “I would like to think it makes someone think twice before hitting that button or make a comment about somebody. Where are they getting that information?”—Shafaq Hasan
Shafaq Hasan is a Community Builder at NPQ. She is a graduate of Brandeis University where she majored in Art History and spent most of her time working in the office of the student newspaper as the Opinions editor, and later, as an Associate editor. As an undergraduate, she was also a research assistant for the Justice Brandeis Law Project at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism from 2011 to 2014.
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The Pause Is Real – Get Over It!
http://www.woodfortrees.org/plot/rss/from:2001/plot/rss/from:2001/trend
Whenever the pause in global warming is discussed, alarmists usually try to deflect attention by claiming it is the result of cherry picking the big El Nino year of 1998 as the starting point.
Step forward Mark Shapiro, who has either fallen for this propaganda trick, or is busy propagating it.
https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/satellite-temperatures-fall-again-in-march/#comment-41027
Although 1998 remains the warmest year on the satellite record, it has little effect on the trend since then, because it was followed by an equally cold, double La Nina in 1999/2000.
The UK Met Office were totally clear on this, in their report, “The recent pause in global warming: What are the potential causes”, published in 2013.
On Page 6, they state:
The start of the current pause is difficult to determine precisely. Although 1998 is often quoted as the start of the current pause, this was an exceptionally warm year because of the largest El Niño in the instrumental record. This was followed by a strong La Niña event and a fall in global surface temperature of around 0.2oC (Figure 1), equivalent in magnitude to the average decadal warming trend in recent decades. It is only really since 2000 that the rise in global surface temperatures has paused.
So let’s see what has happened to satellite temperatures since 2000:
There is actually a cooling trend. There were ENSO neutral conditions throughout 2001, which makes it a good place to start any comparisons. In contrast, last year had moderate El Nino conditions, which makes the declining trend even more remarkable.
Whether the pause began in 1997 or 2001, the fact remains that it is real, and not some statistical artifact. The logic of going back to 1997, is that this is the furthest you can go back to without finding a warming trend.
Mark Shapiro suggests that we should ignore the last 18 years with no increase in temperature, and instead focus on the rise since 1979. But nobody disputes the fact that temperatures rose from the late 1970’s to 1998, which was in large part due to the switch to the warm phase of the PDO, combined with the recovery of the AMO.
What clearly matters now though is the current pause, and what it tells us about temperature trends in the next few decades, particularly given the fact that the AMO has not begun to decline yet.
← Golly Ghosh! What Has She Been Smoking?
Cooling The Past In Holland →
The number of adverse commenters & organisations you shoot down in flames could itself contribute towards Global Warming.
Don permalink
If we look at RSS data c.1988 to present , 27 years, we see what? Statistically meaningless increase.
lvjcr08 permalink
A man was born in 1979. By 1997 he was 6 feet tall. Since 1997 he has remained 6 feet tall.
However based upon his growth trend I can expect him to soar to 8 feet tall shortly.
sarc/
agfosterjr permalink
Flashback: https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/the-truth-about-alaskan-glaciers/
Ron Clutz permalink
Look out when the AMO drops:
robinedwards36 permalink
For those who have access to (a) statistical software
(b) temperature data for European or Russian sites
(c) the know how to carry out regression analyses
I recommend downloading single site data from around 1950 to the present, for several sites. You don’t have to worry about GISS’ manipulations. Their arrogant and ignorant adjustments are of little consequence in the following operations.
Run a simple regression – to estimate the “trend” . It will almost certainly be a significant positive value. If you know how to assess statistical significance or, equivalently its probability, just do that. Remember that r-squared by itself tells you virtually nothing of value. It is its significance, or that of the regression coefficient that matters. Also, generate the fitted values for the regression.
Now, divide the data set into two segments, the first up to and including 1987, the second from there to the present. Now carry out the the above simple regression operations for both subsets.
Compare the equations with the single full period regression, and compare the fitted values at 1987 and 1988.
Now think about where the “pause” started. You are quite likely to find that before 1988 the regression slope was perhaps “significant” and positive. From 1988 onward the slope is likely to be indistinguishable from zero. In other words, after a longish stable period a step occurred at 1987, and since then there’s been no warming (or very little indeed).
Is this cherry picking? Yes, of course, but it is very well founded. It is easy to demonstrate that for these regions there was a step change. More detailed analyses, using data that removes the annual cycle, show that this change usually occurred within a month or two of September 1987.
The “significant” full period regression is simply the result of of a step change at 1987. It does NOT represent a gradual increase, something fundamental to the CO2 disaster theory. Climate tends to proceed via stable periods punctuated by step-like changes. I propose that it is currently impossible to forecast single site temperatures due to the apparently random occurrence of steps.
My belief is that “The Pause” in northern Europe and Russia began in 1987 or 1988. My guess for Europe is September 1987 and for eastern Russian sites up to a year later.
markwbell permalink
that’s when the PDO will rise, so not much should change.
We don’t know what the PDO will do, it’s based on the prevalence of El Ninos and La Ninas over decades. If we get a repeat of the 60’s and 70′, there’ll be more talk of ice ages again.
Both PDO and AMO will be cold during the 2020’s and 30’s.
Be aware as well that the AMO affects the NH more
mkelly permalink
If CO2 is the cause there should be no pause.
Will Janoschka permalink
Indeed. The past 17 years clearly demonstrate that increasing atmospheric accumulated CO2 levels does not contribute to any increase in surface temperature. This Coal is bad, must now be over!!!. It is clear that coal is merely trees that have caught fire yet. 🙂
AndyG55 permalink
I prefer to think of coal usage as returning carbon back into the shorter term carbon cycle from where it got accidentally sequestered.
The more carbon in the carbon cycle, the better for all life on Earth…
… because that is what life as we know it, is built around
daveburton permalink
Here are the two main satellite temperature indexes, graphed together:
http://www.woodfortrees.org/plot/rss/from:1997.0/plot/uah/from:1997.0/offset:1/
Neither of them show a clear long-term trend, either up or down.
If you do linear regression, you can detect a slight upward trend in UAH, while RSS looks flat:
http://www.woodfortrees.org/plot/rss/from:1997.0/plot/uah/from:1997.0/offset:1/plot/rss/from:1997.0/trend/plot/uah/from:1997.0/offset:1/trend
But in both cases, the apparent trend is much smaller than the error bars, which means there’s really no detected trend, either up or down:
RSS: http://www.sealevel.info/uyork_rss_1997.0-2015.3.png
UAH: http://www.sealevel.info/uyork_uah_1997.0-2015.3.png
(Source: http://www.ysbl.york.ac.uk/~cowtan/applets/trend/trend.html )
The 1998 El Nino caused a step of approximately 0.3ºC.
Without that step.. there has been NO WARMING AT ALL in the RSS data.
The Slight warming before is cancelled by the slight cooling after.
http://woodfortrees.org/plot/rss/from:1979/plot/rss/from:2001/trend/plot/rss/from:1979/to:1996/trend
Without the El Nino, UAH shows a very gentle trend of about 0.07ºC/decade.
The ONLY way any remotely interesting trend can be shown in either satellite record is to include the non-anthropogenic El Nino step.
ristvan permalink
Paul, there two metrics. 1. Zero (or negative) trend. Monckton at WUWT. 2. Zero statistically significant rising trend. McKittrick et. al 2014. For obvious reasons, the second metric is more robust. That avoids Dessler’s 2010 abomination finding positive cloud feedback, but with an r^2 of 0.02! But with either metric, the correct procedure is to work back from the whatever present. The present is NEVER a cherrypick. It is merely the point at which we have the most information to analyze.. Depending on temperature data set, either method now mostly falsifies GCMs using either the NASA 2009 (15 year) or Santer 2011 (17 years) criteria previously published. Marotzke’s recent revisionist effort to push beyond 18 years was shot down in mathematical flames by Nic Lewis at CA last month.
The best answer to Shapiro is he has got it backwards and is grasping the wrong end. Works for baseball, cricket, and hockey analogies to the correct statistical methods.
And would people please stop using the words “pause” and “hiatus”.
Both have implications that the slight warming trend might someday continue.
We don’t know that. Many real scientists are looking at cooling being more probable.
“Plateau” is a more appropriate word.
We don’t know if the rise will continue, or if we will decline into a valley
April 8, 2015 10:04 pm
AG55, you may be right, but that train left the station long ago. ‘Pause’ is the common/MSM discourse. Hiatus is IPCC AR5. Both ‘presume’ an eventual continued increase. That could happen, or it might not. Both terms suffice to falsify the IPCC CMIP5 models predicting doom. I prefer imprecise but popular/IPCC terminology that still wrecks CAGW conclusions. Verbal judo. Win the battles you can, not the ones you wished had been fought. IMO.
bobmunck permalink
Note that Global Warming is about increases in the net thermal energy stored in the Earth’s biosphere. Your discussion above addresses only the thermal energy stored in the atmosphere as measured by its temperature. The gasses that make up the atmosphere constitute only a very tiny fraction of the thermal energy storage of the biosphere.
Paraphrasing Mayer Amschel Rothschild: “Let me control the drawing of your trendline, and I care not how noisy and indeterminant your data may be.”
“ … the warm phase of the PDO, …”
The PDO index has + and – (plus & minus) numbers and gets referenced as warm or cold. This misses the nuance of the PDO and the index. Something did happen in the Pacific Ocean in the 1970s but the PDO was an after effect, not the cause. It has been reported that “ … the midlatitude atmosphere drives the ocean into a new state, …”. See:
http://horizon.ucsd.edu/miller/download/climateshift/climate_shift.pdf
Title: The 1976-77 Climate Shift of the Pacific Ocean
Oceanography – Vol. 7 No. 1 – 1994
A. J. Miller, Et al.
Andy DC permalink
The 1979 starting point is a bigger cherry pick than the 1998 starting point. 1979 represents the end of a long cooling trend that started around 1940. Much of the warming from 1979 to 1998 is merely a return to pre-1950 normals.
tom0mason permalink
Jack Broughton permalink
Apart from showing the obvious self-delusional aspect of climate modelling that the IPCC and many world opinion leaders rely on, this discussion seems to me to show that climate is even less clear a term than I had previously thought.
Over what timescale does weather variability become climate change; there are clearly a number of cycles going on but should climate change be defined in terms of decades, centuries or millennia: it clearly cannot be in years as the noise is so much larger than the measured values.
The variability makes the economics of investing massively with the aim of “avoiding climate change” even more foolish than they appeared to be.
I loved the ideas that coal is wood that has not yet been burned and that a 6′ person is in a growth pause.
Surely Paul you should be using the scientifically validated method of homogenization.
That is to say (or correctly presume) 2010 and the late 1990s peaks are outliers, and this original data must be erased and infilled with suitably averaged data from the periods before and after these events.
Please ensure that no reason or validated methodology is given for exactly how this was done as the ‘authority of science’ is all that is required for it to be used.
soulsurfer permalink
linear trends (ugh on none-linear data…) for RSS and UAH
RSS UAH
last 5 yrs -0.011 +0.012
last 10 yrs -0.000 +0.008
since ’98 El Ni -0.002 +0.009
last 20 yrs +0.003 +0.010
all data +0.012 +0.014
Interesting thing is the different trends, except for the entire data sets, and that UAH has similar trends for all different time periods.
If you use linear trends, they certainly shouldn’t be taken across the 1998 El Nino step.
If you split to before and after the El Nino on the two satellite data sets, you can see why RSS is -ve vs UAH +ve for the last 15 years.
They are actually coming closer together after different starting points and pre El Nino trends.
http://woodfortrees.org/plot/rss/from:1979/plot/rss/from:2001/trend/plot/uah/from:1979/plot/uah/from:2001/trend/plot/rss/from:1979/to:1996/trend/plot/uah/from:1979/to:1996/trend
Linear trends over a major step event… tells you nothing.. is meaningless.
HADCRUT is also dead flat since 2001
http://www.woodfortrees.org/plot/hadcrut4gl/from:2001/plot/hadcrut4gl/from:2001/trend
Statistically, my understanding is that neither the RSS fall nor the UAH rise would be regarded as statistically significant.
Also if you take UAH back to 2001 (rather than the big La Nina of 2000), the rising trend prior to 2000 virtually disappears.
http://www.woodfortrees.org/plot/uah/from:1979/plot/uah/from:1979/to:2000/trend/plot/uah/from:2001/trend
Paul, if you look around 1996, you can see where the El Nino started to effect the normal up and down of the pre-El Nino pattern. This is where the pre-El Nino trend should finish.
The El Nino should not be included in the pre-El Nino trend, because it is a single event disruption of the underlying trend, (which is basically zero)
Lane Core Jr. (@OneLaneHwy) permalink
We need to start calling to people’s attention that IPCC acknowledged the temperature plateau in AR5, in 2013:
“Regardless, all global combined LSAT and SST data sets exhibit a statistically non-significant warming trend over 1998–2012 (0.042°C ± 0.093°C per decade (HadCRUT4); 0.037°C ± 0.085°C per decade (NCDC MLOST); 0.069°C ± 0.082°C per decade (GISS)).”
http://ipcc.wikia.com/wiki/152.4.3_Global_Combined_Land_and_Sea_Surface_Temperature
In the PDF, it’s on p. 194 in Chapter 2 of WG1.
Herve D permalink
Rather than limit ourselves to a “Pause”, we shall not eliminate the possibility that it’s only a temporary stabilization before a 60-year long cooling, as it occurred in the past in similar situations…
Warmists propaganda (and declining weight) shall not restrain our thinkings…!
bobski2014 permalink
A little time ago Dr ~Jones at UEA suggested that (he and the other warmists) “needn’t” start worrying until a lack of temperature rise had manifested itself for 15 years. It was not explained why IPCC, DECC, Met Office, BBC, or any of the others should “worry” if the temperature did not rise, rather than be jubilant.
However, be that as it may – has anyone heard at all of his current level of concern ? Since his and their concerns are our imminent demise, are they now less worried, or more worried I wonder?
The Pause Is Real – Get Over It! | NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT | Cranky Old Crow
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Toll from Colorado wildfire raised to 248 homes
COLORADO SPRINGS ” The total number of homes destroyed by a two-week old wildfire in northern Colorado was raised to 248 on Sunday as residents of a subdivision near Fort Collins learned that 57 more homes in their neighborhood had been lost, authorities said.
Fire officials had previously said that 191 homes had burned, the most in state history. The High Park fire is the second-largest wildfire and among the most expensive in Colorado’s history. It has scorched more than 130 square miles and was just 45 percent contained on Sunday, The Denver Post reported.
With a total of eight fires burning, Colorado is having its worst wildfire season in a decade.
A fire near Colorado Springs erupted Saturday and grew out of control to more than 3 square miles early Sunday, prompting the evacuation of more than 11,000 residents and an unknown number of tourists. Authorities said Sunday that they were allowing about 5,000 of those residents to return.
Also on Saturday, a blaze destroyed structures near the mountain community of Estes Park, where many visitors stay while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday that 22 homes and 2 outbuildings had been burned.
“We’re used to flooding and tornadoes, nothing like this,” said Amanda Rice, who recently moved to the area from Rock Falls, Ill. Rice, her husband, four children and dog left a Manitou Springs hotel late Saturday.
Rice, scared when she saw flames, took her family to the evacuation center before she was told to go.
“It was just this God-awful orange glow. It was surreal. It honestly looked like hell was opening up,” Rice said Sunday.
With Colorado midway through its worst wildfire season in a decade, travelers have seen some of their favorite sites closed to the public, obscured by smoke and haze. Some travelers were awoken with evacuation orders.
Plumes of gray and white smoke poured from the mountains Sunday, obscuring at times Pikes Peak.
Families planning whitewater rafting trips or visits to the stunning red-rock formations in Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs were instead spending their vacations passing out bottled water and setting up cots in evacuee centers.
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Resources & Documents
Letter on Need for a Programmatic EIS for Expanded Plutonium Pit Production
Re: The need to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement in connection with plans to expand plutonium pit production at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina.
VIEW FULL LETTER – PDF
Study questions whether LANL, DOE can meet ‘pits’ production goal
Jay Coghlan of Nuclear Watch New Mexico said the report “makes clear that DOE is blowing smoke when it says that it will produce 80 plutonium pits per year by 2030 for new unneeded nuclear weapons. … They need to slow down, do it right and for sure do it safely. Above all the feds must concretely demonstrate a real need for expanded pit production before they fleece the American taxpayer of tens of billions of dollars.”
ARTICLE BY MARK OSWALD | abqjournal.com
SANTA FE – A recent study casts serious doubts on the potential success of any of the options considered by the U.S. Department of Energy for meeting mandates on the manufacture of plutonium cores for nuclear weapons – most of them involving Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The congressionally funded study also says that it would be “very high risk” to try to meet the nation’s ambitious goals for making bomb “pits” by installing more equipment and adding an extra work shift for a production “surge” at LANL’s existing plutonium facility, an idea that has been discussed.
Some of the risks cited in the report include whether there is the ability to stage, store and ship waste, and “the transport/transfer complexity of radioactive material.”
The study goes further and questions the overall plan to ramp up U.S. pit production, which is estimated to cost $14 billion to $28 billion, saying that “eventual success of the strategy to reconstitute plutonium pit production is far from certain.”
DOD Official Ducks Question of Plutonium Pit Assurance if Congress Allows Only 1 Site
BY EXCHANGE MONITOR
WASHINGTON – A senior Pentagon official declined to say here Wednesday whether he believes the Department of Energy can deliver nuclear warheads for next-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles on time if Congress does not fund both the plutonium-pit production plants the civilian agency wants to build.
“I’m aware of the issue, but I wouldn’t want to sort of step on my colleagues’ toes by addressing the details,” David Trachtenberg, deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, said following a speech at the Brookings Institution. “I’ll defer on that one, for the time being, at least.”
In an email, a spokesperson with DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) said the agency “is focused on the two-site approach for plutonium pit production that was endorsed by the Nuclear Weapons Council in May 2018.”
The Donald Trump administration’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review called on the NNSA to annually manufacture 80 pits — fissile nuclear-weapon cores — by 2030.
Feds stand by splitting ‘pit’ production between LANL, S.C.
“NNSA’s plans for expanded plutonium pit production is a house of cards waiting to fall down. First, we have an agency with a long track record of cost overruns and schedule slippages. Added to this is the lack of true mission need.
“Plutonium pit production is not being expanded to maintain stockpile safety and reliability. Instead it’s all about provocative new nuclear weapons designs that can’t be tested, or alternatively will push the U.S. back into testing with serious proliferation consequences.” – Nuclear Watch New Mexico director Jay Coghlan
BY MARK OSWALD | abqjournal.com
Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty
SANTA FE – Key federal agencies are standing by their plan split the work of producing the plutonium cores of nuclear weapons between Los Alamos National Laboratory and another site, a move that New Mexico’s congressional delegation continues to oppose.
But the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Safety Administration were not unequivocal in describing the potential success of a two-site plan for making plutonium “pits.”
“Indeed, no option is without risk,” said NNSA administrator Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty in a news release Wednesday.
The NNSA, which oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons labs, announced that a contractor has completed a study of options for pit production that was mandated by language added to a defense budget bill by New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich.
The two senators want all pit production — and the federal dollars and jobs that come with it — to remain at LANL and say turning a facility at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina into a second pit-production post will make the undertaking much more expensive.
NukeWatch Work Product
June 10, 2019 Press Release
Federal Government Meets Watchdogs’ Demand for Environmental Review of Expanded Plutonium Pit Production
In a victory for transparency and legal compliance by the government, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) today published a “Notice of Intent” in the Federal Register to complete environmental reviews on its controversial proposal to expand plutonium “pit” production for new and refurbished nuclear weapons.
Read/Download the Full Press Release HERE
June 4, 2019 Press Release
Noted Environmental Lawyers Warn Government Not to Expand Production of Plutonium Bomb Cores in Violation of National Environmental Policy Act and Public Review
On behalf of three public interest organizations - Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment and Savannah River Site Watch – attorneys for the law firm of Meyer Glitzenstein & Eubanks and the Natural Resources Defense Council recently sent a 16-page letter to Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The detailed letter warns the nuclear agency to not proceed with aggressive plans to expand plutonium pit production without first meeting its legal requirements for timely public review and comment under the National Environmental Policy Act.
May 31, 2019 Press Release
Last Wednesday, facility operations personnel entered a service room and noticed a leak emanating from a valve on the radioactive liquid waste (RLW) system. Upon subsequent visual inspection by a radiological control technician, RLUOB engineers believe that this valve, and 6 similar valves, may be constructed of carbon steel. The RLW system handles radioactive liquid waste streams from chemistry operations that include nitric and hydrochloric acids—carbon steel valves would be incompatible with these solutions. The suspect valves are also in contact with stainless steel piping, which would create another corrosion mechanism. RLUOB management plans to drain the affected piping sections and develop a work package to replace all of the suspect valves. They will also confirm the valve materials and if shown to be incorrect, investigate the cause of this failure in the design, procurement, and installation processes. The valves were installed in 2013 as part of a modification to add straining and sampling capabilities that were not in the included in the original design. [Please note that DNFSB reports are posted a few weeks later than dated.]
This immediately raises two crucial issues: 1) the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) plans for expanded plutonium pit production; and 2) the current attempt by the Department of Energy to restrict Safety Board access to its nuclear weapons facilities.
November 16, 2018 Fact Sheet
Plutonium pits are the radioactive cores or “triggers” of nuclear weapons. Their production has always been a chokepoint of resumed industrial-scale U.S. nuclear weapons production ever since a 1989 FBI raid investigating environmental crimes shut down the Rocky Flats Plant near Denver. In 1997 the mission of plutonium pit production was officially transferred to its birthplace, the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in northern New Mexico, but officially capped at not more than 20 pits per year. However, in 2015 Congress required expanded pit production by 2030 whether or not the existing nuclear weapons stockpile actually needs it. This will support new military capabilities for nuclear weapons and their potential use.
Read/Download the full fact sheet pdf HERE
For immediate release, October 31, 2018
Watchdog Groups Claim Nuclear Agency is Moving Forward to Manufacture New Plutonium Bomb Cores in Violation of National Environmental Law and Public Review
Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Savannah River Site Watch, and Tri-Valley CAREs sent a letter of demand to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to inform the government that its plan to quadruple the production rate of plutonium bomb cores is out of compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
NNSA’s premature plan to quadruple the production rate of plutonium bomb cores (“pits”), the heart of all US nuclear weapons, is out of compliance with requisite environmental law, the groups argue, as NNSA has failed to undertake a legally-mandated programmatic review and hold required public hearings.
View/Download the entire press release HERE
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Creator of the sonic screwdriver dies, aged 85
simon-on-the-river3
Filed to: Sonic ScrewdriverFiled to: Sonic Screwdriver
Sonic Screwdriver
Patrick troughton
Victor Pemberton
TIMESLIP
PESCATONS
Victor Pemberton - the man who created the iconic sonic screwdriver for Doctor Who - has passed away, aged 85. He is also one of the few production staff to have an acting credit on the show having being turned into a Cyberman in The Moonbase.
Pemberton wrote an assortment of radio serials, plays and soap opera episodes for the BBC before he became Assistant Script Editor on Doctor Who. A number of classic episodes fell under his purview, including Tomb of the Cyberman. He also wrote the decidedly creepy Fury from the Deep which stoked paranoia about North Sea gas conversion. This was the tale that introduced the sonic screwdriver which was used to undo screws on an inspection hatch. Cue really natty animation of screws removing themselves from the metal plate.
He returned to Doctor Who for an early spin off - a vinyl record, The Pescatons, an audio play that pitted Tom Baker’s Doctor and Sarah-Jane Smith against aquatic monsters. Previously, he wrote the closing episodes of ITV’s Timeslip, and created the paranoid Sunday afternoon spy thriller Tightrope, as well as contributing adventures to Ace of Wands. He also wrote extensively for Fraggle Rock and penned a series of romantic, nostalgia tinged novels.
http://www.victorpemberton.com/drwho.html
Doctor Who writer Victor Pemberton dies, aged 85
He invented the sonic screwdriver.
Recent from simon-on-the-river3
Touching the cloud
Zero-X is back with a bang
Klutz kake anyone?
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Soldiers Invade Different Parts of West Bank. Homes ransacked, several abducted
November 3, 2013 by occupiedpalestine 0 Comments
Sunday November 03, 2013 10:58 by IMEMC & Agencies
Follow @imemcnews
Homes Searched, Several Residents Abducted
[Sunday Morning November 3, 2013] Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded various districts in the occupied West Bank, broke into homes, kidnapped Palestinians, and installed several roadblocks before stopping and interrogating dozens of residents.
File – Safa News
Local sources have reported that several Israeli military vehicles invaded the eastern area of Nablus city, and were deployed around Balata and Askar refugee camps, east of the city, and the Amman Street.
The sources added that the invasion did not lead to clashes with local residents despite provocations from the military.
Furthermore, soldiers kidnapped one Palestinian identified as Saleh Younis Saleh, 19 years of age, at the Bissan roadblock, near the West Bank city of Jericho.
Saleh is from Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron. He was taken to the Huwwara military camp, near Nablus.
In The Hebron District, one Palestinian youth, identified as Mohammad Zqqout Al-Badawi, from the Al-Arroub refugee camp, was moved to a local hospital in the city after a number of soldiers assaulted him.
In addition, soldiers invaded the central West Bank city of Ramallah, searched several homes, and kidnapped one Palestinian.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers broke into the home of Khader Al-Froukh, and kidnapped his son Morad, 19 years of age.
Dozens of soldiers invaded the home and violently searched it causing excessive property damage. Soldiers also confiscated Morad’s personal computer, along with other computerized devices.
Two more Palestinians have also been taken prisoner in Ni’lin village, west of the city, media sources said.
On Saturday evening, soldiers kidnapped several Palestinians workers in Wadi Qaddoum, in Silwan town, in occupied East Jerusalem.
The army claimed that the seven are bearers of Palestinian ID cards, and that they did not obtain work and entry permits.
Eyewitnesses said that the soldiers broke into a home in the neighborhood, and kidnapped the seven before taking them to unknown destinations.
Also on Saturday evening, scores of soldiers invaded Osareen village, and Aqraba town, near Nablus, leading to clashes with dozens of local youths.
Eyewitnesses said that several soldiers surrounded Palestinians who gathered in Khirbit Taweel village, south of Nablus, and attacked them as they attempted to rebuild structures demolished by the military.
Still living in fairy-tale-land about Israel?
Time to wake up: The Map of the “Greater Israel” even is hammered on the currency:
All facts at Storify continuously updated. Read what Israeli ‘leaders’ have said and done even before (peace) talks and how their actions contradict the reality and ugly facts which they try to hide from you:
You can forget all details.
Save yourself time.
It is only about Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
Israel. Not looking for Peace. Nor Talks. But this…
The No-State Solution for Palestine
The facts. Mainly Israeli sources. Continuously updated
attack, Israel, israeli, Occupation, Palestine, palestinians, Violence, west bank
abductions, aggression, apartheid, Arrests, assault, attack, attacks, homes ransacked, israel, israeli, kidnap, occupation, Occupied Palestine, Palestina, palestine, palestinians, فلسطين, violent, west bank, חדשות, ישראל, أحداث, إسرائيل صهيونية, الضفة الغربية, خبر
Gaza’s power plant stopped working on Friday after consuming the last drop of fuel
#GazaUnderAttack | IOF raid in northern Gaza Strip
« Oct Jul »
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Nielsen says just under 20 million watched Grammy Awards
PASADENA, Calif. — Nearly 20 million people watched Childish Gambino and Kacey Musgraves earn four trophies each at the Grammy Awards, about the same audience as the annual music show had last year.
The Nielsen company on Monday estimated the Grammy audience size at 19.9 million. The 2018 audience of 19.8 million had been the Grammys’ smallest audience in a decade.
Alicia Keys hosted the awards show, which last nearly four hours.
The night had some strong performances, particularly by women. Cardi B, Brandi Carlile, Janelle Monae and Musgraves all had memorable turns onstage, with Dolly Parton and Diana Ross participating in their own crowd-pleasing tributes.
Still, the night had its share of bad vibes. Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar declined invitations to attend, and Ariana Grande pulled out following a dispute with producers. The Grammys also cut short the acceptance speeches of several Grammy winners, including Drake and Musgraves.
The Grammys at least stopped the steep audience erosion evident last year. The 2017 telecast was seen by 26.1 million people, with the show generally getting an audience of between 20 and 30 million the last decade.
CBS said that according to the media analytics firm Netbase, the Grammys drove more social media conversation than any awards show over the past two years.
Ottawa's Sandra Oh, Rick Mercer and Colm Feore named as laureates... Chelsea Handler in Ottawa Oct. 5 for cannabis 'town hall'
The little show that did: Schitt's Creek star shocked by Emmy noms 'rolling in'
Disney's new live-action Lion King prompts one mane question: Why?
Ottawa-raised filmmaker Tarek Mounib brings Free Trip to Egypt home
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May 20, 2015 Family History
The Value of Obituaries
Sometimes, when you’re wondering where that ancestor disappeared, an obituary will provide the answer. But not their obituary!
Relatives doing family history have asked why I have spent time researching branches of the family tree that are not my direct ancestors.
The answer is a bit convoluted .. just like the route to finding my direct ancestors.
Sometimes the trail for my family tree goes nowhere. But tracking the siblings of my ancestors may be a route around the roadblock that will lead right to my ancestor .. or to a cousin who may know other details I’m looking for about our common ancestors.
Case in point: the Wilsons of Aylwin, QC.
That’s the family of my great grandmother, Eliza Wilson. They are from Scotland, all the earliest records show this. But where in Scotland?
Her father, Robert Wilson, first appears in Huntley (near Carp, where Eliza is born), then Nepean, and finally Aylwin QC. Robert was a tanner, the likely reason for his early death.
When his wife, Annie Graham, remarries and ends up in Gloucester with her younger children and new husband, Eliza meets a next door neighbour .. and eventually marries John ‘Jake’ McEwan.
Some of her siblings seems to disappear. An obituary finally puts her brother William Wilson in Eastview (Ottawa). And her brother Robert?
Listed among the survivors is Robert .. of “Hokim, Wash.” That would explain why Robert disappeared completely. He was among those who headed to the United States during the logging boom of the early 1900s. US Census records subsequently show him first living in Wisconsin (where he marries) and then in Washington State, near Seattle. Thanks to a Google search, it was easy to find that he had lived in Hoquiam, Washington.
Obituaries prove the point that much of what appears in historic newspapers was really hearsay .. it was what the reporter heard them say! Important then not to get hung up on the mistakes, like Eliza McEwan becoming L (for Liza) McEwan .. but at the right address!
Are we a little closer to finding someone who knows the family origins in Scotland? Hopefully! I’m working on a Hoquiam Family Reunion for the Wilson descendants of Robert in May 2016 .. along with another group of Wilsons in the Hoquiam area .. possibly Robert’s uncle’s family?
AylwinHoquiamHuntleyMcEwanNepeanWilson
The Story of Dundas, 1784 to 1904
Finding Obituaries Online
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Adam Sandler pays tribute to late co-star Cameron Boyce
By Jaclyn Hendricks
July 7, 2019 | 2:13pm
Cameron Boyce and Adam Sandler in "Grown Ups 2" Columbia Pictures
Adam Sandler posted a heartfelt tribute to late Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce on Sunday following news of the 20-year-old’s death.
“Too young. Too sweet. Too funny,” Sandler, 52, began on Twitter. “Just the nicest, most talented, and most decent kid around. Loved that kid. Cared so much about his family. Cared so much about the world.”
Sandler, who played Boyce’s father in the “Grown Ups” films, also thanked Boyce for “all you gave to us.”
“So much more was on the way. All our hearts are broken. Thinking of your amazing family and sending our deepest condolences,” Sander concluded.
A spokesperson for Boyce’s family told ABC News that the “Descendants” star had “passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated.”
Disney star Cameron Boyce dead at 20
"He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure...
In addition to Sandler, Zendaya also shared a few words on her Instagram story Sunday, writing, “Absolutely heartbreaking, my heart goes out to his friends and family.”
“Descendants” director Kenny Ortega also honored Boyce’s memory in an emotional post.
“My Love, Light and Prayers go out to Cameron and his Family. Cameron brought Love, Laughter and Compassion with him everyday I was in his presence. His talent, immeasurable. His kindness and generosity, overflowing,” Ortega penned on Instagram. “It has been an indescribable honor and pleasure to know and work with him. I will see you again in all things loving and beautiful my friend. I will search the stars for your light. Rest In Peace Cam. You will always be My Forever Boy!”
Boyce portrayed Carlos, the son of Disney villain Cruella de Vil, in the “Descendants” franchise.
“From a young age, Cameron Boyce dreamed of sharing his extraordinary artistic talents with the world. As a young man, he was fueled by a strong desire to make a difference in peoples’ lives through his humanitarian work,” a spokesperson for Disney Channel told Page Six in a statement.
“He was an incredibly talented performer, a remarkably caring and thoughtful person and, above all else, he was a loving and dedicated son, brother, grandson and friend. We offer our deepest condolences to his family, castmates and colleagues and join his many millions of fans in grieving his untimely passing. He will be dearly missed.”
Filed under adam sandler , Cameron Boyce , celebrity deaths , tributes
Meghan Markle's estranged father Thomas addresses christen...
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How does aspirin crystallize?
When you get a headache, you probably reach for aspirin. What is giving researchers a headache is the question of the crystal structure of aspirin. Is there another form on top of the long-known one?
A team of scientists from Denmark, Germany, and India seems to have solved this controversial puzzle: yes, there is a second structure--but it does not exist as a pure form. "The two crystalline forms of aspirin are so closely related," explains the research team of Andrew D. Bond, Roland Boese and Gautam R. Desiraju in Angewandte Chemie, "that they form structures containing domains of both crystal types."
In 2004, computer calculations had indicated that while the long-known crystal structure of aspirin (form I) is definitely one of the most stable forms, another version might exist that is just as stable, though it had not yet been discovered--a clear challenge to researchers in the field. The difference between the proposed structures is slight: both have identical layers containing molecules grouped into pairs, but these layers are arranged differently in the two different structures. In 2005, researchers in the USA announced the discovery of the predicted structure (form II). But was this merely an artifact?
"We can now clear this matter up," say Bond, Boese and Desiraju, after very careful examination of aspirin crystals.
"Aspirin has a tendency to crystallize with an unusual intergrown structure. The same single crystal contains domains with both arrangements lying side by side." The distribution and ratio of the domains are variable but limited. Whereas a pure form I exists, it has so far only been possible to obtain crystals containing a maximum of 85 % form II. The ratio of the two domains within crystals produced under identical conditions seems to be roughly constant.
This discovery upends fundamental principles and requires new concepts: chemists previously understood "polymorphism" to mean that a molecule can take on one or another packing arrangement in the crystalline state; a single crystal of a specific chemical substance is either one polymorph or the other. Aspirin is the first case in which two different "polymorphic" structures exist in one single crystal. So is aspirin polymorphic or not? Should the definition of polymorphism be updated? Such questions are not just philosophical in nature, but could have tangible implications in patent law, because each polymorph of a compound is viewed as a separate patentable substance.
Citation: Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2007, 46, No. 4, 615–617, doi: 10.1002/anie.200602378
Source: John Wiley & Sons
Dynamic aspirin – molecular vibrations drive electrons over large distances
Citation: How does aspirin crystallize? (2006, December 22) retrieved 18 July 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2006-12-aspirin-crystallize.html
Aspirin tablets help unravel basic physics
Cholesterol crystals are sure sign a heart attack may loom
Is it possible to use food as medicine for a specific disease?
Screening of patients with rheumatism improves insight into cardiovascular disease
Visualizing the structures of molecules
Two-qubit gate: the speediest quantum operation yet
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Article Bulletin (5) Apply Article Bulletin filter
Weather (5) Apply Weather filter
(-) Remove Vol 62 (Special Issue) - 2013 filter Vol 62 (Special Issue) - 2013
5 contents match your search.
reconciling-worldviews.jpg
Reconciling Post-Positivist and Post-Modern Worldviews in Climate Research and Services
Weather, Climate, Climate services, Research, Environment, Partnership, Capacity development
Bulletin nº Vol 62 (Special Issue) - 2013
Publish Date: 1 June 2013
Climate change has evolved into an almost all-encompassing issue of this generation. What had begun in the realm of the physical sciences has now proved more complex than initially anticipated, and to be inherently tied to human lifestyles and decision-making.
reducing-managing-risks.jpg
Reducing and Managing Risks of Disasters in a Changing Climate
Weather, Climate, Climate services, Drought, Disaster risk reduction, Floods, Agriculture and food security, Water
Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a core priority of WMO and one of the four priorities areas to be addressed by the Global Framework for Climate Services. An analysis of 1970-2009 EM-DAT1 data reveals 7 870, reported disasters from climate, hydro and meteorological hazards, leading to the loss of 1.86 million lives and causing economic damages amounting to US$ 1.954 trillion (adjusted to 2011 US$ prices).
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Climate Services Can Reverse Downward Spiral - Case Study: Haiti
Weather, Climate, Climate services, Environment, Floods, Agriculture and food security, Natural hazards, Disaster risk reduction, Forecast, Data exchange
by Andrew Thow Climate services are a key to supporting Haiti’s effort to rebuild its country, after the devastating earthquake early this year.
59_2_issue_1_en.jpg
60 Years and Beyond
Weather, Climate, Climate services, Floods, Forecast, Research, Agriculture and food security, Capacity development, Data exchange, Disaster risk reduction
By any standards, the science of weather and climate has made outstanding progress. By the time WMO was created in the mid-20th century, scientists had just generated the first computer-based...
in-this-issue.jpg
Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services
Weather, Climate, Water, Climate services, Partnership, Observations, Environment, Satellite
In 2009 when world leaders from 155 countries agreed to establish a Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), a challenge was launched to both the scientific community and the users of climate services to galvanize collaborative efforts to develop effective climate services in support of decision-making.
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Current: The Wailers - Cyprus Avenue, Caroline St. - 24 Jul 2019 20:00
The Wailers
Cyprus Avenue, Caroline St.
Wed 24 Jul - 20:00
The legendary Wailers continue their quest to bring reggae to the forefront of the world's stage. Led by renowned bassist and founder Aston "Familyman" Barrett, and joined by original Wailers guitarist Donald Kinsey, The Wailers give audiences around the globe the opportunity to experience their unique and innovative sound. From 1972 to 1980, Bob Marley & The Wailers recorded, toured, and performed before countless millions worldwide. Since 1981, Familyman has carried on the mission to "keep The Wailers together" - just as Bob requested.
In tribute to the late co-founder and drummer Carlton ?Carly? Barrett, The Wailers present Familyman's multi-talented son, Aston Barrett Jr. It?s startling to witness how the young powerhouse delivers with his uncles inspiring landmark one drop drumming style. Also on stage is polished background singer Shema McGregor, daughter of I Three singer Judy Mowatt and Reggae pioneer Freddie McGregor.
Accompanying the legends and children-of-legends on stage are many other talented musicians: bass guitarist Owen Dreadie Reid, a former student of Familyman who also plays bass with Julian Marley?s Uprising band; front man Joshua David Barrett, Rastaman by lifestyle and culture, who delivers Bob?s powerful message of Jah love and unity through his performance and interaction with the audience; Andres Lopez on keyboards, who has performed with artists such as Alborosie, Lutan Fyah, and Anthony B.; and Anne-Marie Thompson, an experienced gospel singer. FOH/Sound engineer is Christian Cowlin, a Wailers Band veteran who has traveled the world with The Wailers for more than 20 years and who is responsible for the band's live sound.
Since Bob Marley?s untimely passing in 1981, Familyman vowed to keep a promise he made to his leader and friend that he would hold the band together and maintain the music?s quality, to ?keep me [Bob Marley] alive through music.The message is still Burnin?, the Exodus of Jah people continues, Uprising and Survival remain the call to fans. The incomparable Wailers are coming to Babylon by Bus, to rock the stage, to bring the magic and message of Roots Rasta Reggae. It?s a Rastaman Vibration: a slice of music history you must not miss. Legend.
The Midnight Rambles - The Oliver Plunkett, 116 Oliver Plunkett St. - 18 Jul 2019 12:00
Trad Session - Franciscan Well Brew Pub, 14B North Mall - 18 Jul 2019 15:00
The Lee Sessions - Sin É, Coburg St - 18 Jul 2019 18:30
The Lee Sessions - Dwyers Of Cork, 28 Washington St. - 18 Jul 2019 19:00
Seisiún 2019 with Ceolta Sí - Brú na Sí, Youghal - 18 Jul 2019 20:30
Youghal
Kerry Lane Music Session with Roy Buckley - The Cotton Ball Bar and Brewery, 18 Old Youghal Road, Cork - 18 Jul 2019 21:00
Kerry Lane Music Session with Roy Buckley - The Cotton Ball Bar and Brewery, 18 Old Youghal Road, Cork - 18 Jul 2019 21:00 (1)
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Rewarding Failure - Tommy Tiernan joins Pat Neary, Rody Molloy
Thread starter Lefournier
Lefournier
T. Tiernan shocked us with his insane anti-semitic rant (or comedic disaster) at Electric Picnic. As I highlighted here, the real issue is why anyone was laughing at this horror-story.
http://www.politics.ie/current-affairs/104483-tommy-tiernan-anti-semitic-highlighting-anti-semitism-26.html
Of course, no-one in RTE should have been surprised. He gets them into hot water every time they bring him on.
http://www.politics.ie/media/39889-gerry-ryan-slapped-bcc-again.html
So how does RTE react to Tiernan latest and greatest fiasco?
They reward him with a one-hour Christmas special
RTÉ schedule stuffed with Christmas cheer - The Irish Times - Thu, Dec 03, 2009
What could RTE possibly imagine will happen? Which aspect of Christmas will Tiernan transform with his incisive wit? The massacre of the innocents, perhaps?
Are we so shell shocked by child abuse, NAMA, FAS and all the rest that we will sit there at Christmas and take whatever Tiernan serves up to us?
OK, we can switch over to something interesting or amusing but what about that €160 I just paid RTE?
To compare a comedian to filth like Rody Molloy is frankly ridiculous. We were given no choice but to fund Molloy. you can turn Tiernan off and not buy his stuff. He is one of the couintry's most popular entertainers and RTE are well within their rights to show him. Had he been on the Beeb instead there'd be howls of derision as tens of thousands migrated over from RTE
We need to radically change every system that has enabled the wholesale destruction of the Irish landscape, rural and urban. There is no time for incremental step by step measures. The systems have failed utterly and the only hope for a real recovery requires the rule book to be torn up completely.
Tommy Tiernan suffers from the problem of not really being funny, so all he can do is have recourse to the cheapest of shock tactics.
The Caped Cod
Is there room on this humourless, self rightious band wagan for one more
"Arrr! Hang 'im from a try cause he made a joke I didn't like/get"
Annie get your pitch fork.
But lets not forget that Roberto Benini fùcker who made the film La Vie est Belle in which he clearly makes light of the camps. Who's up for a protest?
"Authority that cannot be questioned is tyranny and I will not accept tyranny, any tyranny, even that of heaven."
- Terry Pratchett
No one should be allowed on RTE unless everyone agrees with them all the time. Bring back Leave It To Mrs O'Brien I say.
I'm living in America, and in America, you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business. Now f***ing pay me.
TradCat
The problem is the forced subscription fee. Tommy Tiernan will be funded by people who can't stand him but who will go to jail if they refuse to pay. That's the problem and we need to get rid of the whole concept.
Squib
TradCat said:
Perhaps RTE should become "pay per view", then if the Irish public feel like watching gripping drama like Faircity then they can choose to pay. Also, the "stars" of RTE could then be paid an amount based on their viewership.
Thanks for actually reading my OP to its conclusion, TradCat, unlike Alonso. It's the licence fee and the concept of national broadcaster with a public service obligation that makes this decision not only unacceptable but a serious failure of public duty. I'd criticise TV3 if they did the same, but the remedy would be simply switching off.
RTE doesn't seem to care. They certainly don't care about their public service obligation as they have booked themselves another trip to the BCI with an entirely predictable and meaningless outcome.
Also, the key comparison I am making is not between Molloy and Tiernan, but between FAS and RTE i.e. rewarding failure. Indeed RTE are inviting further "failure" .
As for CapeCod comparing Tiernan's rant with Roberto Benini (sic) ....
Last edited: Dec 6, 2009
Lefournier said:
What's your point? That RTE should be strangled by faux outrage over something it shows just because it's paid for by the taxpayer? That's lunacy. Tiernan's show will be watched by thousands of his fans. More than will watch Nuacht, The Angelus, or tonight's offerings - The All Ireland Talent Show, A Little Bit Showband, Val Falvey, The Week in Politics, South Pacific, Dragon's Den Repeat, Deuce Bigalow.
All the while BBC retain Top Gear and Jonathan Ross, which are hugely popular shows that get them into regular trouble and stuff like the Thick of It in which people are regularly called c*nts and last week someone was labelled "a sack of cum" FFS!!!! Ooooh Points of View must've been inundated...
To ignore one of our most popular comedians because a few people find him offensive would be a serious dereliction of their public service duty.
(btw if you think his rant at EP was anti-semitic, then you either didn't see or read the entire piece or have very basic faculties of reason, understanding, logic and sense)
Reactions: truthisfree
advertismo II
Squib said:
Sadly, they are. But they've made a pig's ar'se of the ratio of budget/wages-to-popularity.
I'd like to see the idea of pay only for what you watch implemented, with an established amount of funding allocated to proper public service broadcasting, educational programming, etc.
I hate Tubridy. And Gerry Ryan.
They are insufferable c'unts.
Berlin's Pussy Club - Re-Opening Soon...
alonso said:
What's your point? That RTE should be strangled by faux outrage over something it shows just because it's paid for by the taxpayer? That's lunacy. Tiernan's show will be watched by thousands of his fans.
You could be RTE's spokesperson, Alonso. TT goes around trying to be the most offensive badmouth around but those who react to his provocations are written off as "faux outrage". And of course, anything that gets better ratings than the Angelus, Nuacht or other rubbish is above criticism. Talk about self-justifications.
All the while BBC retain Top Gear and Jonathan Ross, which are hugely popular shows that get them into regular trouble
Thanks for the examples, Alonso. What a contrast RTE makes with the BBC which heavily fined its most successful personality for a gaffe that simply pales alongside TT's behaviour. And the BBC action was criticised as inadequate but here in Ireland it's rewards all round for egregious behaviour.
btw if you think his rant at EP was anti-semitic, then you either didn't see or read the entire piece or have very basic faculties of reason, understanding, logic and sense
You might care to read the earlier thread before passing judgement.
skev
Lets check the ratings. If he gets a good rating then he deserved the one hour special and he might get another one. If he doesn't get a good rating then you won't see him again.
Personally I think RTE do a great job for 160 Euro. Great football, good new service, live rugby, Late Late show. They had the Sopranos before Channel 4. Live GAA, I don't like GAA but its our "national sport" and they do a great job covering it.
I would say for a tv station covering a country of 4 million they punch well above their weight. Is there any way of comparing them to the national broadcasters of similar sized countries?
And p.s. I think Tiernan is hilarious.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do
nothing"
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=106918322900&ref=ts
skev said:
p.s. I think Tiernan is hilarious.
I asked everyone on the earlier threads who made this claim to give me one example. I'm still waiting. At the heart of my issue with TT's rant is the laughter he got. What were the audience laughing at when TT talking about killing millions of j*wc*nts?
On your broader point, the concept of public service broadcasting is that some programmes which have a social value would not be made by a commercial broadcaster. That does not apply to popular comedy. Instead, our licence fees are rewarding a comedian who hasn't been funny in years but he relentlessly seeks controversy at any cost (to others).
Why don't RTE offer this prime opportunity to truly talented comedians like Dylan Moran or Jason Byrne?
I think Tiernan's pretty awful usually, but he's hugely popular with viewers and audiences. Nothing wrong with putting him on RTE, just one more thing on the channel I won't watch.
That's fine and if it was a subscription rather than a tax you would be happy to pay it no doubt. But those who don't agree with your assessment are forced to pay. That's the issue. If RTE was a subscription service they would eliminate the need for license inspections and would have to work a bit harder to keep their views and control their costs.
I don't agree that they provide a public service. They played no role in exposing the major scandals that rocked this country. They are the voice of the establishment and RTE only change when the establishment change.
They do provide sport but that would get covered anyway.
Roland The Gunslinger
South Park do it all the time,same for Family Guy,you seem to be focusing on just one aspect of TT's material.TT is no Bernard Manning.I wouldn't consider myself a TT fan but some of this material is funny,for example the gig he done in the states and the observations of Americans perceptions of the Irish and visa versa,or looking for the guy with one eye that he befriended when in lived in Africa.
Seriously now the concept of RTE being a public broadcasting service is a joke,TT to some with be a breath of fresh air and might be considered a slight reward for the garbage we have been paying for,for years.I know somebody else mentioned said garbage but Fair City deserves another mention and of course the most irrelevant,pointless show on RTE "The View".
What about Katherine Lynch ? no matter what you think about TT,she is just not funny,her material is terrible,tired, overused, stereotypes with unfunny material and RTE gave her own show.RTE dropped the ball big time with Father Ted and have never recovered from it
I would love to see more Dylan Moran on TV,absolutely brilliant comedian.
Originally Posted by hiding behind a poster It would be illegal, so it can't happen. :roll:
Roland The Gunslinger said:
South Park do it all the time,same for Family Guy,you seem to be focusing on just one aspect of TT's material.TT is no Bernard Manning.
South Park uses lots of foul language but they never did anything remotely like TT's anti-semitic rant.
I wouldn't consider myself a TT fan but some of this material is funny,for example the gig he done in the states and the observations of Americans perceptions of the Irish and visa versa,or looking for the guy with one eye that he befriended when in lived in Africa.
I found the Jokerman documentary of his US tour painful to watch. His material was simply not connecting with the wider US audience - and I kept wondering if Irish audiences simply had lower standards He did have some amusing us/them observations but nothing really original or memorable.
I sympathise with them..
sandar
the show will be watched bdceuawse it will be perceived as controversial, people like to laugh yes, and maybe tiernan wont deliver that, but they alsio like to be shocked or made indignant, to recat basically.
Thats what gets viewers, not pious nonsense
"Sometimes the best thing a government can do is simply get out of the way"-Vince Cable
No-one has made the obvious reply to those who think we're trying to ban TT from RTE.
The proper response to TT's behaviour would have been to invite him on the LLS and invite Alan Shatter and others on to challenge his behaviour. I suspect TT would run a mile because he knows hs "comedic stage" defence is total BS. So instead his friends in RTE not only let him off the hook, they give him a nice big Christmas bonus.
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The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire
A. Wess Mitchell
16 b/w illus., 3 tables, 17 maps
16 b/w illus. 3 tables. 17 maps.
forthcoming October 2019
The Habsburg Empire’s grand strategy for outmaneuvering and outlasting stronger rivals in a complicated geopolitical world
The Empire of Habsburg Austria faced more enemies than any other European great power. Flanked on four sides by rivals, it possessed few of the advantages that explain successful empires. Its army was not renowned for offensive prowess, its finances were often shaky, and its populace was fragmented into more than a dozen ethnicities. Yet somehow Austria endured, outlasting Ottoman sieges, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon. The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire tells the story of how this cash-strapped, polyglot empire survived for centuries in Europe's most dangerous neighborhood without succumbing to the pressures of multisided warfare.
Taking readers from the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 1700s to the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, A. Wess Mitchell argues that the Habsburgs succeeded not through offensive military power or great wealth but by developing strategies that manipulated the element of time in geopolitical competition. Unable to fight all their enemies at once, the Habsburgs learned to use the limited tools at their disposal—terrain, technology, and treaty allies—to sequence and stagger their conflicts, drive down the costs of empire, and concentrate scarce resources against the greatest threat of the moment. Rarely holding a grudge after war, they played the "long game" in geopolitics, corralling friend and foe alike into voluntarily managing the empire's lengthy frontiers and extending a benign hegemony across the turbulent lands of middle Europe.
A study in adaptive statecraft, The Grand Strategy of the Habsburg Empire offers lessons on how to navigate a messy geopolitical map, stand firm without the advantage of military predominance, and prevail against multiple rivals.
A. Wess Mitchell is a leading foreign policy expert who formerly served as US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. His books include The Unquiet Frontier: Rising Rivals, Vulnerable Allies, and the Crisis of American Power (Princeton).
"The story of the Habsburg Empire, which shaped key episodes of European history for several centuries, is one of endurance and finesse. A gripping and insightful work that yields lessons for statecraft in our own time."—Henry A. Kissinger
"A compelling and long-overdue analysis."—Richard Bassett, author of For God and Kaiser: The Imperial Austrian Army, 1619–1918
"This graceful account of Habsburg diplomacy . . . explains how the empire survived so long."—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs
"Mitchell's emphasis on geography harkens back to the great histories of Mommsen, Gibbon, and Braudel, and the great geopolitical works of Mackinder, Spykman, and Mahan."—Francis P. Sempa, Russell Kirk Center
"A stimulating and fascinating book that deserves to be discussed in detail. . . . The fun of Mitchell's book is that it is possible to open it on almost every page and tell students: 'Discuss.' That is no mean achievement."—Lothar Hoebelt, H-Net Reviews
Political Science - Geopolitics
Political Science - History & Theory
History - Military - Strategy
History - Europe - Austria & Hungary
Need textbooks? View our textbook site.
Teaching Professors: To request a print examination copy for course consideration, please visit: Ingram Academic. Inspection copies are only available to verified university faculty. Some restrictions apply.
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Good Samaritans rush to fallen motorcyclist’s aid in BKE accident
by Marilyn Peh on Jun 20, 2019 Share Tweet
Image Source: Facebook / Razali Raihayu
by Marilyn Peh on Jun 20, 2019
Traffic slowed to a crawl along a section of the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) on the morning of Jun 18, after an accident involving multiple vehicles.
As Razali Raihayu approached the accident site on his bike, he observed a fellow motorcyclist lying injured by the road shoulder.
The fallen motorcyclist, clad in a Republic of Singapore Air Force uniform, was dazed and appeared to be bleeding from his mouth. Razali promptly stopped his bike further up the road shoulder, and hurried to join several other road users who had come forward to help.
In footage captured by Razali’s helmet camera that he subsequently shared in a Facebook community group called Southern Vengers, Razali is seen by the motorcyclist’s side, helping to wipe blood from his face.
Razali told The Pride: “When I arrived, a Malaysian van driver was helping to manage the situation and ensure that nobody moved the victim. After he explained to me what had happened, I asked a few others to help form a safety barrier and guide traffic away from the victim before going to his aid.”
Despite being strangers, Razali, who is also Malaysian, noted that everyone came together to help.
“Regardless of nationality and race, everyone worked together. While I checked on the victim, others helped to take photos of the scene and pick up the victim’s belongings.”
She was hurt and bleeding in the MRT – then a kind stranger defied the bystander effect to help
Kind lorry driver gives taxi passenger stranded on the highway a lift home
Alerted by myResponder app, good Samaritan races to help cardiac arrest victim
The victim, whom Razali identified as Mr Adam, complained of pain in both arms. Razali, a certified first-aider, guessed that the victim could have broken his arms, and worried that he would choke on his own blood.
“I used my hanky and tissue paper to wipe the blood from his mouth, and someone passed me a brand new box of wet tissue after I ran out.”
Fortunately, an ambulance soon arrived and Mr Adam was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, conscious.
And although thankful that road users stepped up to help, Razali observed that while well-meaning, some offered incorrect advice that could have caused the victim more harm than good. He said: “Some people who arrived to the scene later barked instructions to me that were totally wrong, such as removing the victim’s helmet.”
So, hoping to raise awareness, Razali took the opportunity to remind everyone of a few dos and don’ts in his Facebook post, such as not removing the helmet of a victim or offering him water.
He stated that if the situation allows, the victim should not be moved. Instead, road users can try to form a protective barrier around the victim with their vehicles.
Razali also revealed that he was almost hit by a bus while trying to help the victim, as the bus driver drove very fast and close to the accident scene.
“Reminder to all drivers, please drive slowly when passing an accident scene and give ample space to us,” he said in his post.
As a seasoned motorcyclist who often rides from his home in Johor Baru to his workplace in Geylang, Razali shared that he has seen and responded to his fair share of accidents involving bikers. And in his experience, it’s not that people are unhelpful, but some who wish to help the victims may freeze as they are not sure what to do.
Hence, he encourages more people to pick up first aid, whether through Singapore’s SGSecure initiative or the SCDF’s Community Emergency Preparedness Programme, and to register as a volunteer on the myResponder app.
“There are so many ways available to us so that we can help one another. There’s really no reason for anyone to say that they don’t know.”
Opinion As an affluent Singaporean, being able to give back is my biggest privilege
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Type: Resolution Status: ADOPTED
Title: Authorizing Council's Committee on Health and Human Services to hold hearings to examine the possibility of the Department of Human Services creating objective guidelines and uniform reporting standards for personnel who are tasked with protecting children in Philadelphia from abuse while preventing the tragedy of unjustified family separations.
Sponsors: Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Taubenberger, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Parker, Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Domb, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Green, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Squilla
Attachments: 1. Signature18078700.pdf
Group by Date
Group by Action By
3/19/2019 0 Committee on Public Health and Human Services Not available Not available
9/13/2018 0 CITY COUNCIL Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar Pass Action details Not available
9/13/2018 0 CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED Action details Not available
Authorizing Council's Committee on Health and Human Services to hold hearings to examine the possibility of the Department of Human Services creating objective guidelines and uniform reporting standards for personnel who are tasked with protecting children in Philadelphia from abuse while preventing the tragedy of unjustified family separations.
WHEREAS, Child abuse is a very serious, deplorable offense that has no place in a just society; and
WHEREAS, Recent high-profile cases of child abuse have underscored the importance of protecting children from abuse; and
WHEREAS, While the balance is delicate between erring on the side of caution or deciding against reporting any level of suspicious activity, the bonds between family members-especially parent and child-are developmentally important, and should be jeopardized only under compelling circumstances based on evidence in the interest of protecting the child; and
WHEREAS, The lack of objective reporting standards and the risk of liability for mandated reporters incentivizes the reporting of all incidents as suspected child abuse, regardless of evidence; and
WHEREAS, Such policies have the adverse effect of causing a proliferation of reporting without adherence to standards, protocols, or guidelines regarding the merits of such reports; and
WHEREAS, A lack of objective guidelines and uniform reporting standards as to what qualifies as reasonable grounds for reporting incidents as possible child abuse opens the possibility of subjective reporting influenced by cultural or other biases instead of factual evidence; and
WHEREAS, Reports of suspected child abuse which are not backed up with any evidence but instead rely on the intuition of personnel who are incentivized to report all incidents while lacking established, objective criteria can cause significant risk and hardship for families subjected to unjustified separations; and
WHEREAS, Every effort is needed to ensure that ca...
Click here for full text
Legislation Details (With Text)
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The impact of a cash transfer programme on tuberculosis treatment success rate: A quasi-experimental study in Brazil
Carter, Daniel; Daniel, Rhian; Torrens, Ana; Sanchez, Mauro; Maciel, Ethel; Bartholomay, Patricia; Barreira, Draurio; Rasella, Davide; Barreto, Mauricio; Rodrigues, Laura; +1 more... Boccia, Delia; (2019) The impact of a cash transfer programme on tuberculosis treatment success rate: A quasi-experimental study in Brazil. BMJ Global Health, 4. e001029. ISSN 2059-7908 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001029
Use this Digital Object Identifier when citing or linking to this resource.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001029
Background Evidence suggests that social protection policies such as Brazil’s Bolsa Família Programme (BFP), a governmental conditional cash transfer, may play a role in tuberculosis (TB) elimination. However, study limitations hamper conclusions. This paper uses a quasi-experimental approach to more rigorously evaluate the effect of BFP on TB treatment success rate. Methods Propensity scores were estimated from a complete-case logistic regression using covariates from a linked data set, including the Brazil’s TB notification system (SINAN), linked to the national registry of those in poverty (CadUnico) and the BFP payroll. Results The average effect of treatment on the treated was estimated as the difference in TB treatment success rate between matched groups (ie, the control and exposed patients, n=2167). Patients with TB receiving BFP showed a treatment success rate of 10.58 percentage points higher (95% CI 4.39 to 16.77) than patients with TB not receiving BFP. This association was robust to sensitivity analyses. Conclusions This study further confirms a positive relationship between the provision of conditional cash transfers and TB treatment success rate. Further research is needed to understand how to enhance access to social protection so to optimise public health impact.
Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Medical Statistics
Published Version Download
Filename: e001029.full.pdf
Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0
Metrics & Citations
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The EU’s Policy on the Integration of Migrants
A Case of Soft-Europeanization?
Pierre Georges Van Wolleghem
Part of the Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics book series (PSEUP)
Pages i-xv
Setting the Scene: History of a Competence and Analytical Framework
Explaining the Genesis of a Policy
The European Integration Fund: Principles, Decision-Making and Output
Why Implement Without a Tangible Threat? the Effect of a Soft Instrument on National Migrant Integration Policies
Capacity or Preferences? Explaining the Implementation of the European Integration Fund
Conclusion: EU Integration Policy or EU Policy on Integration?
"Not only does this monograph provide an analytic account of the EU’s policy on the integration of migrants, it also tells us what the consequences of this policy are for Europeanization, multi-level policymaking and EU governance. A great one-stop-shop book for sociologists, political scientists, migration policy experts and those who want to understand EU governance from a fascinating angle."
—Claudio M. Radaelli, Director, Centre for European Governance, Exeter, UK
"Theory-driven, rich in detail and rigorous, this book is the most systematic analysis of the immigrant integration policy of the European Union, a significant contribution to the study of a policy of undeniable importance. "
—Fabio Franchino, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
" Amongst the many publications on international migration and migrant integration in Europe, this book is a unique example of policy analysis of that complex field. "
—Rinus Penninx, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This book addresses a timely, yet largely overlooked, issue in political science: the integration of migrants in a multilevel polity. In a context characterised by the increasing salience of migration-related questions, and despite the gradual construction of a European Union immigration policy over the past two decades, no competence was ever created on integration matters. The emergence of a consistent ensemble of soft instruments in this policy realm in the 2000s unveiled an original pattern of EU policy formation. Can there be Europeanization without an EU competence? That is the question this original piece of research tackles. It shows how the way in which the policy emerged at EU level affected policy outputs adopted thereafter throughout the policy cycle. Mixing qualitative and quantitative methods, it explains the development of the EU integration policy and examines its main policy device, the European Integration Fund, from negotiation to implementation.
Pierre Georges Van Wolleghem is Honorary Fellow at the Centre for European Governance, University of Exeter, UK. He currently works as a researcher for Fondazione ISMU and collaborates with various universities. Dr. Van Wolleghem’s research focuses on Europeanization and migration policies.
europeanization soft law multilevel governance third country nationals political community integration policy actor-centred institutionalism actor-constellations composite actor aggregate actor immigration policy security paradigm unanimity social inclusion paradigm bargaining European Integration Fund Implementation public opinion civil society organisations Asylum
1.Fondazione ISMU and University of MilanMilanItaly
Copyright Information The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019
Publisher Name Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
eBook Packages Political Science and International Studies
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2015 Resolution: RCA Policy Concerning Women Rabbis
2015 Resolution: ORA; Kayama; and, Illegal Halachic Remarriages
RCA Condemns ISIS Terror Attack in Paris
Published by RCA at October 31, 2015
Women Rabbis
Formally adopted by a direct vote of the RCA membership, the full text of “RCA Policy Concerning Women Rabbis” states:
Whereas, after much deliberation and discussion among its membership and after consultation with poskim, the Rabbinical Council of America unanimously passed the following convention resolution at its April 2010 convention:
The flowering of Torah study and teaching by God-fearing Orthodox women in recent decades stands as a significant achievement. The Rabbinical Council of America is gratified that our members have played a prominent role in facilitating these accomplishments.
We members of the Rabbinical Council of America see as our sacred and joyful duty the practice and transmission of Judaism in all of its extraordinary, multifaceted depth and richness – halakhah (Jewish law), hashkafah (Jewish thought), tradition and historical memory.
In light of the opportunity created by advanced women’s learning, the Rabbinical Council of America encourages a diversity of halakhically and communally appropriate professional opportunities for learned, committed women, in the service of our collective mission to preserve and transmit our heritage. Due to our aforesaid commitment to sacred continuity, however, we cannot accept either the ordination of women or the recognition of women as members of the Orthodox rabbinate, regardless of the title.
Young Orthodox women are now being reared, educated, and inspired by mothers, teachers and mentors who are themselves beneficiaries of advanced women’s Torah education. As members of the new generation rise to positions of influence and stature, we pray that they will contribute to an ever-broadening and ever-deepening wellspring of talmud Torah (Torah study), yir’at Shamayim (fear of Heaven), and dikduk b’mitzvot (scrupulous observance of commandments).
And whereas on May 7, 2013, the RCA announced:
In light of the recent announcement that Yeshivat Maharat will celebrate the “ordination as clergy” of its first three graduates, and in response to the institution’s claim that it “is changing the communal landscape by actualizing the potential of Orthodox women as rabbinic leaders,” the Rabbinical Council of America reasserts its position as articulated in its resolution of April 27, 2010… The RCA views this event as a violation of our mesorah (tradition) and regrets that the leadership of the school has chosen a path that contradicts the norms of our community.
Therefore, the Rabbinical Council of America
Resolves to educate and inform our community that RCA members with positions in Orthodox institutions may not
Ordain women into the Orthodox rabbinate, regardless of the title used; or
Hire or ratify the hiring of a woman into a rabbinic position at an Orthodox institution; or
Allow a title implying rabbinic ordination to be used by a teacher of Limudei Kodesh in an Orthodox institution; and,
Commits to an educational effort to publicize its policy by:
Republishing its policies on this matter; and,
Clearly communicating and disseminating these policies to its members and the community.
This resolution does not concern or address non-rabbinic positions such as Yoatzot Halacha, community scholars, Yeshiva University’s GPATS, and non-rabbinic school teachers. So long as no rabbinic or ordained title such as “Maharat” is used in these positions, and so long as there is no implication of ordination or a rabbinic status, this resolution is inapplicable.
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Echo Location: Karda Estra’s Weird Tales
Gothic horror, progressive rock and soundtracks create the scene of Karda Estra.
You can hear an audio version of this blog, including the Karda Estra zombie chant, here.
Richard Wileman
When English composer Richard Wileman was seeking a name for his Gothic chamber music project, he looked to the movies he watched as a kid.
Richard Wileman: I’m a fan of old horror movies and there is a Hammer horror film called Plague of the Zombies and there was a voodoo chant in that goes Karda Estra or Karda Nostra or something along those lines. And, it kind of stuck with me that I was looking for a project name that hopefully nobody else had thought of. And I thought “yeah, nobody has thought about that one” so I used that.
With Karda Estra, Richard Wileman has made albums based on Dracula, written homages to horror actor Peter Cushing and his new album is called Weird Tales, after the pulp horror magazine. But the music of Karda Estra isn’t necessarily macabre. In Karda Estra, Richard Wileman combines orchestral instruments, stacked choirs and the electric guitar. He spent his youth as a headbanger.
Richard Wileman: I learned to play guitar to Black Sabbath. I think I was in the Iron Maiden fan club when I was 14. I don’t think a log a lot of people who listen to Karda Estra can imagine that
Now in his mid forties, Richard Wileman is a genial looking man who appears more like a college professor than metal monster. Even though he’s left the heavy metal behind, its Gothic horror imagery remains in his music where he finds a certain beauty.
Richard Wileman: There is a lot of beauty, mystery, all these kind of delicate themes that are also present in something like a Mary Shelley in Frankenstein or Stoker, and kind of not just in the horror genre. There are themes that we all can think about, love, life and death and all this kind of stuff.
Richard Wileman is an eclectic musician and he tries to bring all of his influences to bear on Karda Estra. The result is, that like many of his inspirations that come from the netherworld, Karda Estra’s music lives between worlds.
Richard Wileman: I needed to create a world for myself where all my influences could be encompassed. I am interested in soundtrack music; I am interested in classical music, experimental music, all these different things.” including I really like lounge music and a lot of library stuff. So, really I created this musical project where any influence and anything that inspired me went.
The latest album from Richard Wileman’s Karda Estra is called Weird Tales on the Cyclops Record Label. I’ll have a fuller interview with Richard Wileman this Monday 8/24/09, on Echoes. This has been an Echo Location, Soundings for New Music.
http://kardaestra.50webs.com/
Plague 6305650632
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6305650632/echoes
Tags:Gothic Horror
← I Missed Woodstock
Echoes Top 25 for August: Bocast & MJCatalin top →
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We're blitzing about the release of THE MARINE'S RETURN by Rula Sinara!
Release Blitz for
The Marine's Return
By Rula Sinara
(From Kenya, with Love #6)
January 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming
He can’t be her hero…
But he made a promise to keep her safe
Wounded marine Chad Corallis just wants to be left alone. Until he discovers his best friend’s very pregnant widow is in danger. A dedicated nurse, she refuses to leave her Serengeti medical clinic when it’s threatened by poachers. Chad is honor-bound to protect her, but who will save him from falling for his best friend’s wife?
Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo
Special Note from the Author
Dearest Readers,
Thank you for joining me in celebrating the release of THE MARINE’S RETURN, the sixth and final book in my ‘From Kenya, With Love’ series for Harlequin Heartwarming. No words can express how much I have loved writing this series, from watching the children in the first three books grow up to face their own romantic hurdles in books 4 through 6, to endearing orphaned baby elephants and other captivating wildlife, to the famous, breathtaking setting of Kenya’s Serengeti ecosystem and Masai Mara regions.
The stories in this series take on issues such as ivory poachers, loss of loved ones, selective mutism, fracking and other environmental issues, human rights and those of a country’s indigenous people, man vs nature conflicts, education for young girls/women who have little access, medical care in rural populations and the life-changing challenges our war veterans face, from PTSD to physical injuries.
The books do stand alone, although readers who have been following the series have said that, since it has a rich family saga/miniseries feel and characters from the first books play significant roles in the later stories, reading them all makes for a deeper experience. For example, Pippa Harper, who everyone meets as a spunky, adorable four-year old being raised at a remote, rustic elephant rescue camp in the Serengeti by her single-mom wildlife vet in book 1 (THE PROMISE OF RAIN), is a young adult in book 4 (EVERY SERENGETI SUNRISE), gets her own romance in book 5 (THE TWIN TEST) and even plays a role as the series comes to a close in book 6 (THE MARINE’S RETURN). We also see Haki, a childhood friend of Pippa’s in book 1, and Maddie, a ten-year-old who can’t speak in books 2 (AFTER THE SILENCE), get their hero/heroine stories in EVERY SERENGETI SUNRISE. Mac Walker, a rugged bush-pilot with an Indiana Jones air to him is seen throughout the series and gets his own adventure in THROUGH THE STORM. And we first meet the hero of THE MARINE’S RETURN, Chad Corallis, as a rambunctious, hyperactive and very cute toddler who is clearly destined to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a marine (book 2). He does just that, but his future ends up coming to a dark stop and he’s faced with a challenge he’s convinced he can’t overcome.
But, despite the seemingly impossible romantic obstacles, heart-gripping situations and, even, danger in the books, there’s always the promise of a happily ever after in a Harlequin Heartwarming romance. I hope you enjoy the series and this final story! Be sure to also check out my novella (which is linked to this series), THE SWEETHEART TREE, in the anthology A Heartwarming Thanksgiving.
Although my ‘From Kenya, With Love’ series is coming to a close, I’m embarking on a new series for Harlequin Heartwarming that will take you from rescuing elephants in Africa to saving sea turtles along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My ‘Turtleback Beach’ series is set in a fictional beach town along the more southern Hatteras Island of the Outer Banks and the first book, ALMOST A BRIDE, which involves a runaway bride and an ex-military hero in the witness protection program, releases June 1, 2019.
Many thanks to all of my readers. I wish everyone a peaceful and happy New Year!
Rula Sinara
National and USA Today Bestselling author Rula Sinara lives in rural Virginia with her family and crazy but endearing pets. She loves organic gardening, attracting wildlife to her yard, planting trees, raising backyard chickens and drinking more coffee than she'll ever admit to. Rula's writing has earned her a National Readers Choice Award and HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, among other honors. You can discover more about Rula at her blog A Writer’s Rush, on Twitter, on Facebook as RulaSinaraAuthor or on her website www.RulaSinara.com, where you can also sign up for her newsletter.
Blitz Giveaway
1 WINNER WILL RECEIVE:
- Autographed print copies of the first three books of the ‘From Kenya, With Love’ series – The Promise of Rain (Mills & Boon Duo copy, including The Weather Girl by Amy Vastine), After the Silence and Through the Storm.
- A 15x15 canvas tote bag featuring the cover of Through the Storm.
- A 12x18 Harlequin Heartwarming tote bag
Open internationally
Ends January 6, 2019
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Social Care Service to Prisons within South Gloucestershire
Main contract details
Opportunity Id
DN400592
85000000-9 - Health and social work services
South Gloucestershire Council is seeking informal expressions of interest (EOI) in providing the Social Care services in the 3 prisons within South Gloucestershire. This EOI exercise will inform our decision as to whether a full open tendering exercise for the service is appropriate.
South Glou...der for this service, a full specification of the service required would be available together with indicative cost.
If you would like to express an interest in the possibility of bidding for this contract please email Kirsty.Eastham@southglos.gov.uk
Informal conversations are also welcome.
South Gloucestershire Council is seeking informal expressions of interest (EOI) in providing the Social Care services in the 3 prisons within South Gloucestershire. This EOI exercise will inform our decision as to whether a full open tendering exercise for the service is appropriate. South Gloucestershire Council currently commissions the provision of social care (including personal care) following a social work assessment, within the prisons in South Gloucestershire from an independent provider. The current contract is due to expire at the end of March 2020. We are required under contracting rules to consider if there are other potential providers, with the appropriate track record and experience, who would be in a position to bid for the service. The service that we currently commission, and are likely to continue, is a single provider, registered with CQC, and responsible for the provision of social care services to the three prisons based within South Gloucestershire namely HMP Ashfield, HMP Eastwood Park and HMP Leyhill. If we move to a tender for this service, a full specification of the service required would be available together with indicative cost. If you would like to express an interest in the possibility of bidding for this contract please email Kirsty.Eastham@southglos.gov.uk Informal conversations are also welcome.
Region(s) of supply
Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Care, Prisons, Domiciliary
Estimated contract dates
Expression of interest window
From 26/03/2019 16:00 to 07/05/2019 12:00
Login and register interest in this opportunity
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If you are not currently registered on the ProContract procurement portal, you can complete a simple registration process by clicking the following link - Register free
South Gloucestershire Council
Mrs Kirsty Eastham
kirsty.eastham@southglos.gov.uk
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Other Cast
Youtube – Interviews
Youtube – Cast Interviews
Kirk Acevedo and Noah Bean from Syfy "12 Monkeys" @ NBC Red Carpet | AfterBuzz TV Interview
AfterBuzz TV Host Jessica Carroll interviews Kirk Acevedo and Noah Bean from Syfy "12 Monkeys" along with Kirk's adorable daughter.
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DELOREAN LOVE at SyFy's "12 Monkeys" Q&A
Had a blast at an advance screening of Syfy's "12 Monkeys" at the Paley Center for Media!
Emily Hampshire, Terry Matalas (Co-Executive Producer), Travis Fickett (Co-Executive Producer), and Natalie Chaidez (Executive Producer / Showrunner) discuss their sci-fi fandoms... particularly someone's raging respect for a certain DeLorean...
Bringing 12 Monkeys to Television - NYCC 2014
12 Monkeys' co-executive producers Travis Fickett & Terry Matalas on adapting the time travel film.
Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas talk 12 Monkeys at NYCC 2014
Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas, co-executive producers, discuss Syfy's upcoming 12 Monkeys at New York Comic Con 2014.
12 Monkeys will air on Syfy in 2015.
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12 MONKEYS Q&A Panel (Syfy Digital Press Tour 2014)
Syfy EVP Bill McGoldrick moderates the 12 MONKEYS panel at the 8th annual Syfy Digital Press Tour. Panelists include stars Aaron Stanford ("Cole") & Amanda Schull ("Dr. Cassandra Railly) and Co-Executive Producer Travis Fickett.
For more coverage of the Syfy Digital Press Tour, check out NoReruns.net at http://noreruns.net/?s=syfy+digital+press+tour
12 Monkeys: Cole's Relationship With Cassie | SYFY
Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, and Noah Bean discuss the dymanic, seductive, and fateful relationship between Cassie and Cole in the show.
» 12 Monkeys premieres Friday, January 16 at 9pm|8c
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Based on the 1995 film directed by Terry Gilliam, "12 Monkeys" follows the journey of a time traveler from the post-apocalyptic future who is on a mission to eradicate the source of a deadly plague. The series stars Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Noah Bean, and Kirk Acevedo. Additional cast members include Tom Noonan as the enigmatic face of the Army of the 12 Monkeys, and Emily Hampshire as Jennifer Goines, a dangerous and unstable mental patient.
Get More of 12 Monkeys!
Visit: http://bit.ly/Visit12Monkeys
More About SYFY: SYFY brings you bolder science fiction, stronger drama, faster action, bigger adventure, deeper mystery, louder laughs and...well, you get the idea.
SYFY Imagine Greater with us!
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJPIr8AiO0qwClbzH3HAAVA
12 Monkeys: Cole's Moral Sacrifice | SYFY
The stars of 12 Monkeys -- Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Kirk Acevedo, Barbara Sukowa -- discuss the influence of fate and morality in the show.
An Exclusive Interview with the stars of Syfy’s ’12 Monkeys’ Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford!
Visit our website for more great entertainment news!
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The Daily Quirk caught up with the stars of Syfy's new drama 12 Monkeys, Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford, on the NBCUniversal Cable Upfronts red carpet where they shared what to expect from the show and their characters when 12 Monkeys premieres in early 2015. Watch the exclusive interview below for all the details… Read More: http://thedailyquirk.com/2014/05/18/video-an-exclusive-interview-with-the-stars-of-syfys-12-monkeys-amanda-schull-and-aaron-stanford/
Travis Fickett, Aaron Stanford & Amanda Schull Talk About Syfy's Newest Series, 12 Monkeys
NiceGirlstv.com had the honor of attending this years Syfy Digital Press tour. Take a look at the cast and co-creator talk about Syfy's newest thrilling series 12 Monkeys.
Valder interviews Aaron Stanford & Amanda Schull 12 Monkeys on SyFy
12 Monkeys - new TV series
Based on the classic blockbuster film, 12 Monkeys is now a thrilling and highly anticipated adventure series starring Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull.
The series tells the provocative story of a time traveler from a decimated future in a high-stakes race against the clock and premieres Friday January 16 on the SyFy Channel.
New Syfy Thriller '12 Monkeys’: Meet The Stars! | TODAY
Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford are two of the stars of the SyFy series “12 Monkeys” and they tell Hoda and Jenna that the new show will have great guest stars along with a little romance.
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Interview With Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull & Co EP Travis Fickett of Syfy's 12 Monkeys
Group panel interview with Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull and Co-Executive Producer Travis Fickett of Syfy's 12 Monkeys about the genesis of the show, their characters and more at Syfy Digital Press Tour 2014. Syfy Executive Vice-President of Original Content Bill McGoldrick kicks things off and then the panel takes questions from press participants.
Amanda Schull Pitches Syfy's '12 Monkeys' To Beyonce & Grandma | Entertainment Weekly
The star of SyFy's new show "12 Monkeys" explains why the series will appeal to a variety of very specific demographics.
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ConnTV Aaron Stanford & Amanda Schull Stars of Syfy's 12 Monkeys
The leading actor and actress of 12 Monkeys discuss the show that airs on Syfy Fridays at 9 pm EST.
Aaron Stanford & Amanda Schull - Syfy's "12 Monkeys" @ NBC Universal Winter Press Tour | BHL
Black Hollywood Live Host Megan Thomas interviews Aaron Stanford & Amanda Schull about Syfy's "12 Monkeys" at the NBCUniversal 2015 Winter Press Tour.
"12 Monkeys" airs every Friday @ 9/8c on Syfy!
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Aaron Stanford & Amanda Schull #12Monkeys at the NBC/Universal Winter TCA Press Tour #TCA2015
http://www.redcarpetreporttv.com
Mingle Media TV and Red Carpet Report host Kristina Rivera were invited to come out to cover the 2015 Television Critics Association’s Press Tour (TCA2015) for the NBC Universal TV show announcements, interviews with cast and creators at The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, CA.
NBC MIDSEASON PREMIERE DATES
· “The Blacklist,” Sunday, Feb. 1 following the Super Bowl. Moves to Thursday, Feb. 5 at 9 p.m.
· “Allegiance,” Thursday, Feb. 5 at 10 p.m.
· “The Slap,” Thursday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.
· “The Night Shift, Monday, Feb. 23 at 10 p.m.
· “Undateable,” Tuesday, March 17 at 9 p.m.
· “One Big Happy,” Tuesday, March 17 at 9:30 p.m.
· “A.D.,” Sunday, April 5 at 9 p.m.
· “Odyssey,” Sunday, April 5 at 10 p.m.
Get the Story from the Red Carpet Report Team - follow us on Twitter and Facebook at:
http://twitter.com/TheRedCarpetTV
https://www.facebook.com/RedCarpetReportTV
http://www.theredcarpetreport.com
http://www.youtube.com/MingleMediaTVNetwork
About The TCA
The Television Critics Association exists to serve its membership of full-time TV critics, most of whom do not live near the entertainment capitals of Los Angeles and New York. The twice-yearly TCA press tour, then, represents an unparalleled opportunity to gain access to the people who make television. The reporting our members do at press tour creates story material year-round as well as valuable face-to-face contacts with network executives, producers and actors. See more at their website at http://tvcritics.org
For more of Mingle Media TV’s Red Carpet Report coverage, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook here:
http://www.flickr.com/MingleMediaTVNetwork
http://instagram.com/theredcarpetreport
https://www.twitter.com/minglemediatv
http://instagram.com/minglemediatv/
Follow our host Kristina on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@KristinaRiveraa
Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas Discuss Syfy's 12 MONKEYS
Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas discuss 12 Monkeys at New York Comic-Con 2014.
Syfy's 12 Monkeys at New York Comic Con 2014: Interview with Terry Matalas
Terry Matalas talks about time travel and other shows that have inspired it.
Syfy's 12 Monkeys at New York Comic Con 2014: Interview with Travis Fickett - Part 2
Travis Fickett talks about casting for 12 Monkeys, the role of Aaron for Noah Bean, Aaron Stanford as Cole, and who else you can expect to see from the Nikita cast.
Syfy's 12 Monkeys at New York Comic Con 2014: Interview with Emily Hampshire
Emily Hampshire discusses her role as Jennifer Goines.
12 Monkeys @ New York Comic Con
12 Monkeys is one of the most anticipated new series from SyFy this season. We caught up with the cast while we were at New York Comic Con to get the scoop on what parallels we can look forward to and what they would go back in time to do.
Emily Hampshire discusses ’12 Monkeys’!
At New York Comic-Con, The Daily Quirk sat down at a roundtable with Emily Hampshire, who plays Jennifer Goines in Syfy's 12 Monkeys. In a very animated interview, she shared where she drew her original inspiration from when auditioning for her new role, and discussed the similarities and differences between the show and the movie version of 12 Monkeys… Read More: http://thedailyquirk.com/2014/10/18/video-emily-hampshire-discusses-12-monkeys-at-new-york-comic-con/
12 Monkeys: Aaron Stanford on Cole's Journeys - IGN Interview
We talk to the star of 12 Monkeys about the tricky time travel on the series and how far Cole goes to save the future.
Stars Watch Too: 12 Monkeys
Amanda Schull and Aaron Standford from Syfy’s newest hit drama, “12 Monkeys,” chat about their favorite shows to binge in the “golden age of television.”
Gold Derby Emmy Chat: Amanda Schull ('12 Monkeys') "The whole idea is insane to me!"
Actress Amanda Schull talks to Gold Derby editor Ralph Galvan about her role in the SyFy action series "12 Monkeys.".
Subscribe to Gold Derby's YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/subscribe_widget?p=GoldDerby
GoldDerby.com offers celebrity interviews and expert predictions to track who's ahead to win the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, "American Idol," "The Voice," "Survivor," "Amazing Race," "Dancing with the Stars" and more. Make your predictions and compete to win prizes and glory predicting all aspects of Hollywood competition.
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Saturn Awards 2015: Amanda Schull on '12 Monkeys' and the Sci-Fi Genre
At the 2015 Saturn Awards, actor Amanda Schull ('12 Monkeys'') talks with Fanboy Comics Managing Editor Barbra Dillon about her work on the series, her love of the sci-fi genre, and more.
For a list of the Saturn Award winners and more event coverage, please visit www.fanboycomics.net!
12 Monkeys - Amanda Schull Interview, Season 2
Amanda Schull interview on 12 Monkeys season two, her character's relationship with James Cole (played by Aaron Stanford), and where the story is heading in the new season. The interview took place at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con.
-Check out http://www.showbizjunkies.com
-Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/becmur
-Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShowbizJunkies
-Add us on Google+ at http://plus.google.com/+RebeccaMurrays
Todd Stashwick 12 MONKEYS Comic Con 2015 Interview
Join executive producers Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, and stars Aaron Stanford (James Cole), Amanda Schull (Dr. Cassandra Railly), Kirk Acevedo (Ramse), Barbara Sukowa (Jones), Emily Hampshire (Jennifer Goines) and Todd Stashwick (Deacon) of Syfy’s critically-acclaimed series as they dissect the mysteries of the first season and hint at the twists and turns coming in Season 2.
12 Monkeys, 12 Monkeys Season 2, 12 Monkeys Spoilers, 12 Monkeys Syfy, 12 Monkeys TV Show, 12 Monkeys TV Series, 12 Monkeys Season 2 Spoilers
Kirk Acevedo 12 MONKEYS Comic Con 2015 Interview
Emily Hampshire 12 MONKEYS Comic Con 2015 Interview
Barbara Sukowa 12 MONKEYS Comic Con 2015 Interview
Something missing that you think should be here? Something that you think should be removed? Just include the youtube link in a comment below, or send us a message and we will get onto it.
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Daily Archives: February 23rd, 2013
New Titles from Haymarket Books and Critical Sociology
February 23, 2013 – 4:56 pm
Posted in Books, Critical Education, Economic History, Education, Higher Education, Historical Materialism, Marxism, Marxist Analysis, Marxist Theory, Neoliberalism, Publishing & Publishers, Socialism, Sociology
Tagged Books, Cory Blad, Critical Sociology, Education, Employment, Higher Education, Knowledge, Labour, Marxism, Marxist Theory, Neoliberalism, Neoliberalism and Education, Society, Sociology, Tom Brass, Universities, Work
Haymarket Books is proud to announce the publication of the five latest titles in the Studies in Critical Social Science Book Series:
Labor Regime Changes in the Twenty-First Century by Tom Brass
The Age of Knowledge by James Dziash and Henry Etzkowitz
Neoliberalism and National Culture by Cory Blad
The Cuban Revolution as Socialist Human Development by Henry Veltmeyer and Mark Rushton
The Entropy of Capitalism by Robert Biel
This peer-reviewed book series, through the publication of original manuscripts and edited volumes, offers insights into the reality of 21st century Neoliberalism by exploring the content and consequences of power relationships under capitalism, by considering the spaces of opposition and resistance to these changes, and by articulating capitalism with other systems of power and domination—for example race, gender, culture—that have been defining our new age. For a full list of titles in the series visit www.haymarketbooks.org/category/scss-series
For review, desk copies, or to request examination copies, contact John McDonald, john@haymarketbooks.org, 773-583-7884, www.haymarketbooks.org
LABOR REGIME CHANGES IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
Unfreedom, Capitalism, and Primitive Accumulation
BY Tom Brass
“Tom Brass, one of the United Kingdom’s leading Marxist scholars has written a brilliant, theoretically informed, comprehensive critique of past and present, Marxist and non-Marxist writers of capitalist labor regimes and puts forth an alternative theoretical-conceptual framework”
— James Petras, Science and Society
This volume assesses the validity, through current economic developments, of different historical interpretations linking capitalism, unfreedom, and primitive accumulation. Conventional wisdom holds that Marxism takes its lead from Smith and others in viewing capitalism as based on free labor. Challenging this, it is argued that Marxism fully accepts the need, in certain contexts, for capital to exploit unfree labor.
Released January 2013
Trade Paper $28.00 | 314 pages | ISBN: 9781608462407
Click to buy and for more details: http://goo.gl/9wU5E
THE AGE OF KNOWLEDGE
The Dynamics of Universities, Knowledge, and Society
BY James Dziash and Henry Etzkowitz
This title emphasizes that the ongoing transformations of knowledge, both within universities and for society more generally, must be understood as a reflection of the larger changes in the constitutive social structures within which they are invariably produced, translated and reproduced. As the development of knowledge continues to be implicated in the habitual practices of the human social enterprise, visualizing these alterations requires the consideration of the social and materialistic contexts informing these transformations. This is necessary because the process of globalization has not only created new challenges for societies but has also unleashed a new political economy of knowledge within which different institutions mus re-affirm their identity and place.
Click to buy and for more details: http://goo.gl/1H9un
NEOLIBERALISM AND NATIONAL CULTURE
State-Building and Legitimacy in Canada and Québec
BY Cory Blad
This book argues that despite popular claims to the contrary, global capitalism requires state institutional authority, but the legitimation of this authority is incrasingly tied to cultural rather than economic means. Canada and Québec are presented as examples of how neoliberal states achieve integration wile relying on cultural legitimation to maintain social policies that mitigate social changes.
Click to buy and for more details: http://goo.gl/cc1p4
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION AS SOCIALIST HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
BY Henry Veltmeyer and Mark Rushton
This re-reading of the Cuban Revolution from the perspective of socialist-humanism engages unresolved issues in the notion of human development popularized by the United Nations Development Programme. UNDP and other agencies of international cooperation for devleopment give a human face to ta capitalist development process that is anything but humane. This titles argues that understanding Cuba provides an alternative model.
Click to buy and for more details: http://goo.gl/qDp6X
THE ENTROPY OF CAPITALISM
BY Robert Biel
Drawing on his experience in international systems and low-input agriculture, Biel explores the interactions of social and physical systems. In the process revealing the early twenty-first century as a period when capitalism starts parasiting on the chaos it itself creates, notably in the link between the two sides of imperialism: militarism (the ‘war on terror’) and speculative fiance capital.
Click to buy and for more details: http://goo.gl/fKFr7
HaymarketBooks
BOOKS FOR CHANGING THE WORLD
First published at: http://www.historicalmaterialism.org/news/distributed/new-titles-from-haymarket-books-and-critical-sociology
Cold Hands & Quarter Moon, ‘Stagnant’ at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLjxeHvvhJQ (live, at the Belle View pub, Bangor, north Wales); and at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkP_Mi5ideo (new remix, and new video, 2012)
‘Cheerful Sin’ – a song by Victor Rikowski: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbX5aKUjO8
Online Publications at: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=pub&sub=Online%20Publications%20Glenn%20Rikowski
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Tag Archives: John Bellamy Foster
LINKS Updae – 29th August 2011
August 29, 2011 – 10:18 am
Posted in Activism, Journals, News and Politics, Politics
Tagged Crisis, Ecology, Environmentalism, Fred Magdoff, John Bellamy Foster, Lalit de Klas, Libya, Links, Marxism, New Deal, Obama, Politics, Sam Williams, Socialism
LINKS UPDATE – 29th August 2011
What’s new at Links: Marxism & ecology, Markets and power, new ‘New Deal’? food sovereignty, Libya
Subscribe free to Links – International Journal of Socialist Renewal – at: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=343373
You can also follow Links on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LinksSocialism or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10865397643
Visit and bookmark http://links.org.au and add it to your RSS feed (http://links.org.au/rss.xml). If you would like us to consider an article, please send it to links@dsp.org.au
*Please pass on to anybody you think will be interested in Links.
Mauritius: Marxism, ecology and the contribution of John Bellamy Foster
By Lalit de Klas
June 2011 – Lalit [the revolutionary socialist party inMauritius] sees the natural universe, whether it be the air above us, the sea around us or the Earth we walk upon, and all that lives upon it, and even outer space, as being our collective heritage as human beings. We are part of it, and also the guardians of it. This natural universe, our Mother Earth, is now endangered.
Martin Hart-Landsberg: Market ‘outcomes’ and political power
“Now imagine if we had a state that engaged in transparent planning and was committed to using our significant public resources to reshape our economy in the public interest. … state planning and intervention in economic activity already goes on. Unfortunately, it happens behind closed doors and for the benefit of a small minority. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
Crises real and artificial, and why a new ‘New Deal’ is not feasible
By Sam Williams
August 21, 2011 — Since World War I, the maximum debt that theU.S. government could carry has been determined by law. Every so often as the maximum debt limit was approached, Congress routinely voted to raise the debt limit. But this year the Republican-controlled House balked. The Republican majority threatened to refuse to raise the debt ceiling unless the Obama administration agreed not to raise taxes on the rich and corporations or even close tax loopholes that have often enabled the rich and corporations to pay no taxes at all.
Fred Magdoff on ‘What every environmentalist needs to know about capitalism’
Fred Magdoff interviewed by Scott Borchert
August 24, 2011 — Fred Magdoff is co-author, with John Bellamy Foster, of What every environmentalist needs to know about capitalism. Bellamy Foster will be a featured international guest at the second World at a Crossroads: Climate Change – Social Change Conference, Friday, September 30 – Monday, October 3, 2011,MelbourneUniversity.
La Via Campesina: Food sovereignty now! (video)
August 7, 2011 — La Via Campesina: Food sovereignty now! from La Via Campesina
Watch at http://links.org.au/node/2464
Libya: NATO’s ‘conspiracy’ against the revolution; Who are the Libyan rebels?
The following article, reposted from Jadiliyya, was written before the entry of rebels intoTripolion August 20-21, signalling the looming collapse of the Gaddafi regime. It offers valuable analysis of the dynamics between imperialism and the rebel movement and the Libyan masses. It contends that the Western powers, in an attempt to control the uprising, rationed their military support to ensure that significant sections of the Gaddafi state would be retained in any post-Gaddafi regime.
Links seeks to promote the international exchange of information, experience of struggle, theoretical analysis and views of political strategy and tactics within the international left. It is a forum for open and constructive dialogue between active socialists coming from different political traditions. It seeks to bring together those in the international left who are opposed to neoliberal economic and social policies. It aims to promote the renewal of the socialist movement in the wake of the collapse of the bureaucratic model of “actually existing socialism” in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
ATTENTION: Sign up for regular “what’s new” announcement emails at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=343373
Follow Links on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LinksSocialism or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10865397643
Marxism 2011 Timetable
Posted in Activism, Communism, Conferences, Crisis, Economic History, Economics, Employment and Unemployment, Globalisation, Green Politics, History, Imperialism, Marxism, Marxist Analysis, Marxist Theory, News and Politics, Politics, Socialism
Tagged Alberto Toscano, Alex Callinicos, Andy Durgan, Antonio Gramsci, Arab Revolts, Ben Fine, Beyond Capital, Capitalist Crisis, Class and Capitalism, Communis, Conferences, Crisis, Crisis Theory, Danny Dorking, Economic Crisis, Economics, Feminism, gender, Gilbert Achcar, Global economy, Graham Turner, Guglielmo Carchedi, Istvan Meszaris, John Bellamy Foster, Judith Orr, Judy Orr, Kamal Abu Aita, Karl Marx, Laurie Penny, Marx, Marx's Ideas, Marxism, Marxism 2011, Marxism 2011 Timetable, Marxism and Crisis Theory, Marxism Conference in London, Marxist Analysis, Marxist Economics, Marxist Theory, Marxist Thought, Mireia Rosello, Nina Power, Omar Bargouti, Owen Jones, Panos Garganas, Peter Hallward, Peter Thomas, Political Economy, Revolution, Ronnie Kasrils, Sean Vernell, Sexism, Socialism, Socialist Workers Party, Stuart Christie, Student Protests, Student Struggles, Tariq Ali, Terry Eagleton, University Struggles, Women and Capitalism, Young People, Youth
Central London 30 June – 4 July
Final timetable out now: www.marxismfestival.org.uk/2011/timetable.html
Book online: www.marxismfestival.org.uk/2011/bookonline.html
New speakers and sessions now confirmed:
* Kamal Abu Aita of the Egyptian tax collectors’ union will join the general secretary of the PCS civil service workers’ union Mark Serwotka and striking workers at the opening rally, which takes place on the evening of a day of coordinated strike action by up to a million workers
* Panos Garganas of the Greek Socialist Workers Party will speak on “Greece & the Eurozone Crisis”
* Laurie Penny (Meat Market: Female Flesh Under Capitalism) will join Nina Power (One Dimensional Woman) and Judith Orr (Sexism and the System) to discuss “Women, Class & Capitalism”
*Mireia Rosello of the Spanish “indignados” movement will join Sean Vernell of the lecturers’ UCU union to speak on “Youth, Anger and Revolution in Egypt, Spain, Britain…”
* Omar Bargouti, Mohammed Tonsi & Wassim Wagdy will participate on the panel “Eyewitnesses to the Arab Spring”
* Gilbert Achcar (The Arabs and the Holocaust and The Clash of Barbarisms) will debate Simon Assaf on the Libyan intervention
* Owen Jones launches his acclaimed book Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class
* Terry Eagleton (Why Marx was Right) speaks on the Communist Manifesto
* John Bellamy Foster (The Ecological Rift) on “Marxism and Ecology”
* Tariq Ali speaks on “The Arab Intifada and American Power”
* Iain Sinclair (Hackney: That Rose-Red Empire) on “London and the Olympics”
* Graham Turner (No Way to Run an Economy) asks “Where is the Global Economy Going?”
* Peter Thomas (The Gramscian Moment) on “Gramsci and us: Building Socialist Hegemony Today”
* Danny Dorling launches Bankrupt Britain
* Alberto Toscano (Fanaticism: On the Uses of an Idea) on “University Struggles then and Now”
* Ben Fine (From Political Economy to Economics) on “Reading Marx’s Capital”
* Peter Hallward (Damming the Flood: Haiti, Aristide and the Politics of Containment) on “Marx against Fatalism”
* Owen Hatherley speaks on his book A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain
* Stuart Christie and Andy Durgan debate the Spanish Revolution
* Authors China Mieville and Max Schaefer discuss “Committed Fictions: Politics and Writing”
* Ronnie Kasrils launches The Unlikely Secret Agent
* Guglielmo Carchedi (Behind the Crisis) on “Marxism and Crisis Theory”
* Alex Callinicos (Bonfire of Illusions) on “Crisis and Revolution after the Arab Revolts”
* Istvan Meszaros (Beyond Capital) on “The Structural Crisis of Capitalism”
Join thousands of others at Europe’s biggest festival of radical ideas—featuring over 200 meetings, debates, film screenings, and musical performances.
For more go to: http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk
Centre for the Study of Education and Work – Update 8th May 2011
Posted in Activism, Books, Centre for Education and Work, Crisis, Ecology, Economic History, Economics, Employment and Unemployment, Globalisation, Neoliberalism, News and Politics, Politics, Privatisation, Radical Economics, Trade unions, Videos
Tagged Activism, Anti-Austerity, Austerity, Bianca Mugyenyi, Books, Capital and Its Discontents, Capitalism, Capitalist Crisis, Cars, Cars and Capitalism, Cars and Economics, Cars and Wars, CCTV, Centre for the Study of Education and Work, Civil Liberties, Crisis, CSEW, Cyber-Surveillance, Data-Mining, David Harvey, David McNally, Doug Henwood, Ecological Disaster, Ecology, Economic Crisis, Economic History, Ellen Meiksins Wood, Employment, Greg Albo, GTWA, Internet Activism, John Bellamy Foster, Labor, Labour, Leo Panitch, Mike Davis, Mother Jones, Mother Jones Video, Murray Dobbin, Music, New Books on Capitalist Crisis, No Future, Noam Chomsky, OISE, Ontario, Ontario Farm Workers, Peter Sawchuk, Privatization, Racism, Radical Economics, Radical Thinkers, Ron Deibert, Sam Gindin, Sasha Lilley, Security, Stop Signs, Street Nurse Cathy Crowe Toronto, Tariq Ali, Toronto, Trade unions, Unemployment, University of Toronto, Ursula Huws, Videos, Videos on Politics, Vivek Chibber, Wage Theft, Work, Yves Engler
DYING FOR A HOME: FIGHTING FOR OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS
Toronto Reference Library, Atrium
Yonge Street, north of Bloor
Join Toronto street nurse Cathy Crowe for a street-level perspective on the need for social housing and why we need social programs now more than ever. Crowe has been a street nurse in downtown Toronto for more than seventeen years and co-founded the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee. Music provided by the Common Thread Community Choir. Hosted by Councillor Adam Vaughan.
STOP SIGNS: CARS AND CAPITALISM ON THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL DECAY
Bahen Centre, Room 1200
40 St. George St., Toronto
In North America, human beings have become enthralled by the automobile: A quarter of our working lives are spent paying for them; communities fight each other for the right to build more of them; our cities have been torn down, remade and planned with their needs as the overriding concern; wars are fought to keep their fuel tanks filled; songs are written to praise them; cathedrals are built to worship them.
Drawing on their new book Stop Signs: Cars and Capitalism on the Road to Economic, Social and Ecological Decay, authors Bianca Mugyenyi and Yves Engler will describe how the automobile’s ascendance is inextricably linked to capitalism and involved corporate malfeasance, political intrigue, backroom payoffs, media manipulation, racism, academic corruption, third world coups, secret armies, environmental destruction and war.
To locate this discussion in the Toronto context, local activist Jordy Cummings will describe the work of the campaign for Free and Accessible public transit, which is being spearheaded by the Greater Toronto Workers’ Assembly.
COUNCILLOR JOSH MATLOW’S TOWN HALL DEBATE ON GARBAGE PRIVATIZATION
North Toronto Collegiate Institute, 17 Broadway Ave – SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
Councillor Josh Matlow will be holding a Town Hall debate on the garbage privatization issue which will be coming to City Council in mid-May, to ensure residents have an opportunity to become informed on both sides of this important issue. It will be moderated by TVO’s Steve Paikin and will feature Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, Chair of Toronto Public Works Committee and Hugh Mackenzie of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
For additional information, please contact Josh Matlow’s office at (416) 392-7906 or email councillor_matlow@toronto.ca
STOP WAGE THEFT! CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
7:00pm * FREE!
Beit Zatoun – 612 Markham Street
(Bathurst St. and Bloor St.)
Celebrate our shared resistance with performances by:
* Ruben ‘Beny’ Esguerra and New Tradition Drum and Dance live Afro-Colombian percussion
* Spoken word by Lishai
Hear from Workers’ Action Centre leaders on our fight to stop employers from stealing our wages.
Watch undercover footage of employers breaking the law, and see how workers are resisting through Bad Boss actions around the city.
Find Out how you can get involved!
Workers’ Action Centre is releasing a series of videos on wage theft. Watch the latest video at http://www.workersactioncentre.org
For more information: call Sonia at (416) 531-0778, ext. 221.
(UN)LAWFUL ACCESS: CYBER-SURVEILLANCE, SECURITY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
5:00pm- :00pm
Campbell Conference Facility
Munk School of Global Affairs, U of T
1 Devonshire Place
Join moderator Dr. Ron Deibert for an insightful and lively discussion into some of the most pressing social issues surrounding our rights and freedoms as cyber-surveillance becomes an ubiquitous part of our lives, on-line and off.
Digitally mediated surveillance is an increasingly prevalent, but still largely invisible, aspect of everyday life. As we work, play and negotiate public spaces, on-line and off, we produce a growing stream of personal digital data of interest to unseen others. CCTV cameras hosted by private and public actors survey and record our movements in public space, as well as in the workplace. Corporate interests track our behaviour as we navigate both social and transactional cyberspaces, data mining our digital doubles and packaging users as commodities for sale to the highest bidder. Governments continue to collect personal information on-line with unclear guidelines for retention and use, while law enforcement increasingly use internet technology to monitor not only criminals but activists and political dissidents as well, with worrisome implications for democracy.
Read more: http://www.digitallymediatedsurveillance.ca
NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE GTWA: IN THE SPRING OF 2011 WILL STRUGGLE BLOOM?
Steelworkers Hall
25 Cecil Street, Toronto.
East side of Spadina south of College
As we exit the elections and the capitalist class continues to consolidate itself the attacks against working people will come quicker and stronger. The need for an organized resistance is greater than ever.
The Greater Toronto Workers’s Assembly (GTWA) was formed to contribute to this resistance at a time when we saw the tip of the iceberg of the “austerity” program. Looking back less than two years later our success at doing this has been both limited and mixed despite some of our successes. We need to examine the current context, our project and the challenges we face. Do we have the capacity, will and discipline to take on these challenges? Can we overcome the divisions, pressures and practices that divide us? Will we be able to help the struggle bloom?
All members and supporters are welcome. Members and supporters are encouraged to bring guests as observers.
Read more: http://www.workersassembly.ca/node/150
ANTI-AUSTERITY STRUGGLES AND THE CANADIAN ELECTION
From The Bullet
The precise political outcome of the May 2nd election may well have the NDP make an unprecedented electoral breakthrough in Canada and Quebec. This would be a major step in its long desire to displace the Liberals as the other dominant national party, partly to become something more like the Democratic Party in the U.S. and partly to become the alternate centrist political option like the British Labour Party and the German SPD. This is already what the NDP is in Western Canada and Nova Scotia. This needs to be placed in the context of an international political conjuncture where ruling class forces have, paradoxically, gained strength and momentum over the crisis to date; and set against the enduring institutional characteristics of the Canadian political and electoral systems that, if anything, the political parties and campaigns have reinforced.
Read more: http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/496.php
ONTARIO FARM WORKERS ‘SHOCKED’ AS UNION BAN UPHELD
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a provincial ban on farm unions is constitutional, denying more than 80,000 Ontario farm workers the ability to unionize. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that a provincial ban on farm unions is constitutional, denying more than 80,000 Ontario farm workers the ability to unionize.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/04/29/supreme-court.html
MURRAY DOBBIN’S BLOG – A CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY. NOW WHAT?
There is no point dwelling on the obvious other than to simply reiterate it. The election of a Conservative majority government will usher in wrenching change in Canada and we will have to witness the worse that Stephen Harper has to offer. It remains to be seen whether or not Harper actually wants to stay around for another election to win it (and therefore not go too far in a first term), and solidify the dominance of his party as the new “natural governing party.” Or whether, as his personality disorder would suggest, he will in a spirit of vengeance against the country he detests, dismantle as much of the post-war social contract he can in four years of virtually absolute power.
Read more: http://murraydobbin.ca/2011/05/03/a-conservativ-majority-now-what/
From LBO News, Doug Henwood
Excellent collection of interviews … Perfect for teaching, or just reading. Order your copies here.
Sasha Lilley, Capital and Its Discontents: Conversations with Radical Thinkers in a Time of Tumult (PM Press, 2011)
Interviewees: Ellen Meiksins Wood, David Harvey, Doug Henwood, Leo Panitch, Sam Gindin, Greg Albo, David McNally, John Bellamy Foster, Jason W Moore, Ursula Huws, Gillian Hart, Vivek Chibber, Mike Davis, Tariq Ali, John Sanbonmatsu, Andrej Grubacic, and Noam Chomsky.
Through a series of incisive conversations with some of the most eminent thinkers and political economists on the Left—including David Harvey, Ellen Meiksins Wood, Mike Davis, Leo Panitch, Tariq Ali, and Noam Chomsky—Capital and Its Discontents illuminates the dynamic contradictions undergirding capitalism and the potential for its dethroning.
The book challenges conventional wisdom on the Left about the nature of globalization, neoliberalism and imperialism, as well as the agrarian question in the Global South. It probes deeply into the roots of the global economic meltdown, the role of debt and privatization in dampening social revolt, and considers capitalism’s dynamic ability to find ever new sources of accumulation—whether through imperial or ecological plunder or the commodification of previously unpaid female labor.
Read more: https://secure.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=267
VIDEO – ONLY KNOWN RECORDING OF MOTHER JONES
You have to see the only known audio and video recording of Mother Jones. On what is believed to be her 100th birthday in 1930, the legendary union organizer is still full of fire for worker justice.
Watch the video: http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/05/03/only-known-videoaudio-of-mother-jones/
Our major project is APCOL: Anti-Poverty Community Organizing and Learning. This five-year project (2009-2013), funded by SSHRC-CURA, brings academics and activists together in a collaborative effort to evaluate how organizations approach issues and campaigns and use popular education. For more information about this project, visit http://www.apcol.ca
END ***
Karl Marx’s ‘Grundrisse’ 150 Years Later
February 10, 2011 – 10:01 pm
Posted in Books, Communism, Economic History, Economics, Marxism, Marxist Analysis, Marxist Theory, Philosophy, Politics, Radical Economics
Tagged Alienation, Andre Todel, Books, Capital, Capitalism, Christoph Lieber, Contradictions, Crisis, David McLellan, Economics, Ellen Meiksins Wood, Enrique Dussel, Eric Hobsbawm, Global capital, Globalisation, Grundrisse, Historical Materialism, Hogyun Kim, Holger Politt, Immanuel Wallerstein, Iring Fetscher, Joachim Bischoff, John Bellamy Foster, John Milios, Kamran Nayeri, Karl Marx, Karl Marx's Grundrisse, Marcello Musto, Mario Tronti, Marx, Marx and Crisis, Marx on Crisis, Marx's Capital, Marx's Method, Marx's Theory, Marxism and Economics, Marxism and Philosophy, Marxist Theory, Michael Kratke, Moishe Postone, New Books on Marx, Pedro Ribas, Political Economy, Political science, Politics, Radical Economics, Richard D. Wolff, Richard Wolff, Rick Wolff, Samir Amin, Stanislav Hubik, Stuart Hall, Surplus value, Terrell Carver, Value, Zhonghu Zhang
KARL MARX’S ‘GRUNDRISSE’ 150 YEARS LATER – OUT IN PAPERBACK
Karl Marx’s Grundrisse
Foundations of the Critique of Political Economy 150 Years Later
Edited by Marcello Musto
Hardback 2008. Price: € 82.00, £70.00, $ 130.00, CAD$ 135.00
Paperback 2010. Price: € 27.00, £ 22.50, $ 32.95, CAD$ 35.00
Written between1857 and 1858, the Grundrisse is the first draft of Marx’s critique of political economy and, thus, also the initial preparatory work on Capital. Despite its editorial vicissitudes and late publication, Grundrisse contains numerous reflections on matters that Marx did not develop elsewhere in his oeuvre and is therefore extremely important for an overall interpretation of his thought.
In this collection, various international experts in the field, analysing the Grundrisse on the 150th anniversary of its composition, present a Marx in many ways radically different from the one who figures in the dominant currents of twentieth-century Marxism. The book demonstrates the relevance of theGrundrisse to an understanding of Capital and of Marx’s theoretical project as a whole, which, as is well known, remained uncompleted. It also highlights the continuing explanatory power of Marxian categories for contemporary society and its present contradictions.
With contributions from such scholars as Eric Hobsbawm, Moishe Postone, Ellen Meiksins Wood, Terrell Carver, John Bellamy Foster, Enrique Dussel and Iring Fetscher, and covering subject areas such as political economy, philosophy and Marxism, this book is likely to become required reading for serious scholars of Marx across the world.
1. Prologue
2. Foreword, Eric Hobsbawn
Part I. Grundrisse: Critical Interpretations
3. History, Production and Method in the 1857 ‘Introduction’ to the Grundrisse, Marcello Musto
4. The Concept of Value in Modern Economy. On the Relationship between Money and Capital in ‘Grundrisse’, Joachim Bischoff and Christoph Lieber
5. Marx Conception of Alienation in ‘Grundrisse’, Terrell Carver
6. The Discovery of the Category of Surplus value, Enrique Dussel
7. Historical Materialism in ‘Forms which precede Capitalist Production’, Ellen Meiksins Wood
8. Marx’s ‘Grundrisse’ and the Ecological Contradictions of Capitalism, John Bellamy Foster
9. Emancipated Individuals in an Emancipated Society. Marx’s Sketch of Post-Capitalist Society in the ‘Grundrisse’, Iring Fetscher
10. Rethinking ‘Capital’ in Light of the ‘Grundrisse’, Moishe Postone
Part II. Marx at the time of Grundrisse
11. Marx’s life at the time of the ‘Grundrisse’. Biographical notes on 1857-8, Marcello Musto
12. The First World Economic Crisis: Marx as an Economic Journalist, Michael R. Kratke
13. Marx’s ‘Books of Crisis’ of 1857-8, Michael R. Kratke
Part III. Dissemination and reception of Grundrisse in the world
14. Dissemination and Reception of the ‘Grundrisse’ in the world. Introduction, Marcello Musto
15. Germany and Austria and Switzerland, Ernst Theodor Mohl
16. Russia and Soviet Union, Lyudmila L. Vasina
17. Japan, Hiroshi Uchida
18. China, Zhongpu Zhang
19. France, Andre Tosel
20. Italy, Mario Tronti
21. Cuba and Argentina and Spain and Mexico, Pedro Ribas and Rafael Pla
22. Czechoslovakia, Stanislav Hubik
23. Hungary, Ferenc L. Lendvai
24. Romania, Gheorghe Stoica
25. USA and Britain and Australia and Canada, Christopher J. Arthur
26. Denmark, Birger Linde
27. Yugoslavia, Lino Veljak
28. Iran, Kamran Nayeri
29. Poland, Holger Politt
30. Finland, Vesa Oittinen
31. Greece, John Milios
32. Turkey, E. Ahmet Tonak
33. South Korea, Hogyun Kim
34. Brazil and Portugal, Jose Paulo Netto
Marcello Musto teaches at the Department of Political Science at York University, Toronto – Canada.
“Nothing Marx wrote has better illustrated the complexity of his thought and the enormous array of the world’s appreciation of it than the Grundrisse. This collection of essays gives one an indispensable entry into understanding better what Marx has to offer the world today and the social bases of the multiple Marxisms” — Immanuel Wallerstein, Yale University
“In this edited collection of essays by international scholars, Marcello Musto has helped to chart the recognition and influence of one of Marx’s most important, methodologically rich – and most neglected – texts: the Grundrisse. The volume is the fruit of many years of sustained and devoted scholarship, his chapter on the ‘1857 Introduction’ is one of the finest in the collection” — Stuart Hall, Open University
“Karl Marx’s Grundrisse is a magnificent volume, which also serves as a global map of world Marxist theory” — Fredric Jameson, Duke University
“Over the last two decades, Marx’s Grundrisse has increasingly been seen as the key text to the understanding his work. An up-to-date discussion of the Grundrisse is therefore much to be welcomed. And when it is of the consistently high quality that Marcello Musto has here put together, scholars of Marx can only rejoice” — David McLellan, Goldsmiths College, University of London
“Karl Marx’s Grundrisse represents a major resource for studies on Marx. It is a key text for understanding his critique of political economy; but also – and no less importantly – it makes visible the questions that Marx did not develop later in Capital, such as capitalism as a global system, ecology, and the contours of a post-capitalistic society. This volume is required reading for all serious students of Marx” — Samir Amin, Third World Forum
“At a time when Marx’s writings are once again attracting ever-wider circles of readers seeking to understand yet another global capitalist crisis, Marcello Musto has produced an edited volume devoted to Marx’s Grundrisse. The essays of interpretation as well as the studies of both the production of this great work and its reception across many different societies and social contexts make this book an especially timely and valuable contribution to Marx’s current ascendancy” — Richard D. Wolff, New School University, New York
Ecology and Socialism – Meeting in New York
Posted in Academic Stuff, Ecology, Meetings, Politics, Socialism
Tagged Chris Williams, Climate Change, Crisis, Ecological Crisis, Ecology, Ecology and Socialism, Economy, Environment, Global warming, Green Politics, John Bellamy Foster, Meetings in New York, Peak oil, Politics, Science, Socialism, Socialism in the United States
Ecology and Socialism featuring John Bellamy Foster and Chris Williams
24 October · 16:00 – 18:00
NYU Kimmel Center, rm 802
60 Washington Square
Around the world, consciousness of the threat to our environment is growing. The majority of solutions on offer, from using efficient light bulbs to biking to work, focus on individual lifestyle changes, yet the scale of the crisis requires far deeper adjustments. Time still remains to save humanity and the planet, but only by building social movements for environmental justice that can demand qualitative changes in our economy, workplaces, and infrastructure.
*** John Bellamy Foster’s most recent book, The Ecological Revolution:Making Peace with the Planet, is a collection focusing on the ecological crisis, and includes essays on global warming, peak oil, species extinction, world water shortages, global hunger, alternative energy sources, sustainable development, and environmental justice. Foster argues that we have reached a turning point in human relations with the earth, and that any attempt to solve our problems merely by technological, industrial or free market means, divorced from fundamental social relations, cannot succeed.
*** Chris Williams is a Long-time environmental activist and Vice President of the Union of Adjunct Faculty at Pace University, where he teaches course in energy and the environment, physics, and chemistry. He is also the chair of the science dept at Packer Collegiate Institute. His first book is Ecology and Socialism: Solutions to Capitalist Ecological Crisis.
Monthly Review 60th Anniversary Benefit Celebration
September 7, 2009 – 10:34 am
Posted in Journals, Marxism, Meetings
Tagged Class Struggle, Fred Magdoff, Grace Lee Boggs, Jeremiah Wright, John Bellamy Foster, Michael Tigar, Monthly Review, Robert McChesney, Socialism, Toshi Reagon
Monthly Review invites you to join us for our 60th Anniversary Benefit Celebration Featuring:
Grace Lee Boggs, John Bellamy Foster, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Robert W. McChesney, Michael E. Tigar, Fred Magdoff, and musical guest Toshi Reagon
7-9:30pm, Thursday, September 17, 2009
Doors open at 6:30pm
Reception with light refreshments to follow
New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street & Central Park West, New York City
Tickets $20 | $125 | $250
Pay what you can; we want to see you there. Book early; space is limited.
Click here to order tickets: http://www.monthlyreview.org/our-60th-anniversary.php Or call 212.691.2555
If you are interested in placing an ad in the program, please contact Scott Borchert at scott@monthlyreview.org for rates.
Keeping an independent socialist magazine and press alive for six decades is no small achievement, and in recognition of this we ask our friends and supporters to come together for an evening of speakers, reminiscences, music, and more.
We will look back on Monthly Review’s history as an uncompromising radical voice while we look forward to the future and our ongoing struggle for a global socialism in the twenty first century.
The Rouge Forum – Update 9th April 2009
April 12, 2009 – 10:34 pm
Posted in Conferences, The Rouge Forum
Tagged Al Sharpton, Banking Crisis, Capitalist Crisis, Communist Party of USA, CPUSA, Crisis, Economist, Financial Crisis, Fiscal Crisis, Goldman Sachs, Janet Jagan, John Bellamy Foster, Joseph Stiglitz, Lewis Corey, Meltdown, Rich Gibson, Rouge Forum, SemGroup, The Rouge Forum, Tom Suber, UFPJ, Unemployment, Walden Bello, Wall Street
A Message from Rich Gibson
For those teaching or learning about the current depression, here are some more good sources:
* Lewis Corey’s outstanding 1934 book, Decline of American Capitalism, is online free at: http://www.marxists.org/archive/corey/1934/decline/index.html
* How Goldman Sachs was at the Center of the Oil Trading Fiasco that Bankrupted SemGroup: http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0413/096-sachs-semgroup-goldman-goose-oil.html
* The auto crisis, likely leading to the bankruptcy of GM (and the end of retiree health benefits, etc.) but this is also an indicator of the power of finance capital over industrial capital and the shift to the corporate state as US society decays: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/business/31assess.html?_r=1&hp
* Stiglitz on State Capitalism as Robbing Workers: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/opinion/01stiglitz.html?_r=1&th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print
* Updated interview with John Bellamy Foster: http://democracyandclassstruggle.blogspot.com/2009/03/interview-with-john-bellamy-foster-of.html
* Bello’s Primer on the Meltdown: http://www.monthlyreview.org/mrzine/bello031008.html
* The Economist on the Huge Fraud Beneath the Fiscal Crisis: Missing the Deeper Fraud; Exploited Labor:
http://rawstory.com//printstory.php?story=15090
*Five Million Jobs Lost So Far This Depression: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/04/business/economy/04jobs.html
Current Developments:
* Centinela CalfiorniaTeachers Wildcat Strike: http://www.dailybreeze.com/latestnews/ci_12034343
* Al Sharpton and the Ruling Class: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/04/pols_press_part.php
* Labor Bosses Forge Unity Committee:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040703222.html The plum here is the dues from 3.5 million education workers, members of the National Education Association who will quickly learn that they are funding yet another layer of enemies.
Criticism of “Progressive” Warmongers:
The term “progressive” may have no meaning anymore. If it is Move.on, that means slavish support for the demagogue, Obama. If it is United For Peace and Justice, it means the same thing in shifty terms.
UFPJ’s recent Wall Street demos,
deliberately set up to counter demands from rank and filers to demonstrate on the anniversary of the war, failed completely. This is nothing to gloat about even though we said, years ago, that following UFPJ would do just this. Still, it is tragic.
Less than 10,000 people demonstrated, down from the one million who hit the streets six years ago. But numbers are not everything. UFPJ trumped that by teaching people nothing at all important about why things are as they are, what to do in order to develop grand strategy (peace, justice, equality, freedom, etc.) or strategy (how to understand specific local circumstances and to seek out choke points where people can use powerful direct action moves) and tactics (particular actions that link these three elements).
Why would that be? Because UFPJ is run by remnants of the Communist Party USA, people who have never sought to build a mass class conscious movement and who have always fought those who try. The current Rouge Forum News has a very fine article by Tom Suber about the wreckage that UFPJ leadership is creating. http://blogs.ubc.ca/ross/2009/04/rouge-forum-news-issue-13/
Let us be clear. The core issue of our time is accelerating color coded inequality met by the potential of organized mass class conscious resistance. Neither the CP nor UFPJ want any part of that.
Here is a sampling of UFPJ’s failures:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/04/content_11129335.htm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jPati7jbLo532dVb5D55XbX9T3bgD97B8IUG0
http://uk.reuters.com/article/marketsNewsUS/idUKN0335443120090403
The task at hand is ours. The $10.9 trillion dollars the corporate state just printed for the banks and insurance companies is going to come from the lives and labor of someone. Either it will come from the ruin of hundreds of thousand of poor and working people, or, if we fight back, it can come from the rich. Let them suffer and pay, as they should. The degree of the pain will be determined by the levels of our real resistance in schools, in communities, at work places, and in the military. When they say Cut Back; We should say Fight Back.
This is a critique from Antiwar.com: Progressive Warmongers:
http://original.antiwar.com/justin/2009/04/07/progressive-warmongers/
We note with sadness the death of a friend, Janet Jagan:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/30/janet-jagan-guyana-america-marxist
http://www.rougeforumconference.org/
Rich Gibson
The Rouge Forum: Apocalypse Now and Again
March 30, 2009 – 1:39 pm
Posted in News and Politics, The Rouge Forum
Tagged Anti-Capitalism, Bailout, Capital, Capitalism, Crisis, Economic Crisis, Financial Crisis, George Soros, Great Depression, John Bellamy Foster, Louis Fraina, Micawber, Obama, Obamagogue, Raya Dunayevskaya, Rich Gibson, Rolling Stone, Seattle, South Park on the Economy, The Rouge Forum, Unemployment, United for Peace and Justice, Wayne Ross
Update 30 March 2009
A reminder of the outstanding Rouge Forum Conference, Education, Empire, Economy and Ethics at the Crossroads, May 15 to 17, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at Eastern Michigan U. http://www.rougeforumconference.org/
This is the only education-based conference in North America that will seriously take up questions of economic collapse, perpetual war, and the booming rise of inequality and irrationalism–and what to do. Keynote speaker, Staughton Lynd, will address the question at hand: What is to be done?
A blast from the past sets up our current condition: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery.” Dickens speaking for Micawber in David Copperfield.
The Obamagogue: “But one of the most important lessons to learn from this crisis is that our economy only works if we recognize that we’re all in this together, that we all have responsibilities to each other and to our country.” March 24 2009.
Let us be clear: The Education Agenda is a War Agenda and agenda to mask class war, a war of the rich on the poor which the rich clearly recognize and the poor do not—yet. The most important less is we are NOT all in this together.
The core issue of our times is the accelerated rise of color-coded inequality met by the potential of mass class conscious resistance. The promise of perpetual war is every bit as real as it was with Bush. The same bankers who produced this very real economic crisis, collapse, are the bankers of the Obama regime. His transparent demagoguery has not worn out yet, but it may soon as the wars are lost and the economy spins into either deflationary chaos or the almost equally ruinous alternative: rampant inflation.
Here we see firms using bailout money to bribe the political class: http://www.newsweek.com/id/190363
Is it hard for liberals to hold up their notion of democracy inside what is now clearly a capitalist democracy, the former overwhelming the latter, while the near seamless merger of the corporations and banks with the political class is finalized? No it is not. Why?
Rolling Stone on “The Wall Street Revolution”: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/26793903/the_big_takeover/7
George Soros Sees No Bottom to World Financial Collapse
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE51K0A920090221
Quotes From the Great Depression–note the parallels
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/2009/03/great-depression-quotes-1929-vs-2008-1.html
Here are two pieces on what can happen if class conscious resistance does not begin to materialize:
* Fights break out at auto dealership as jobs are lost: http://www.freep.com/article/20090328/BUSINESS06/90328025/Fights+break+out+as+auto+dealership+closes
* Preparing for Civilian Unrest In America: Michel Chossudovsky: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12793
On the upside, resistance and red flags are flying in France: Academic and student anger grows; The nation’s universities continued to be disrupted by strikes and protests against proposed teacher training reforms last week, while university presidents called for a year’s delay in introducing the changes to allow time for reflection and consultation: http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20090320100214606
On the downside, because of grotesque misleadership from groups like United For Peace and Justice, the potential of a million people in the streets in the US six years ago opposing the wars, only 5-10,000 turned up on the anniversary this year:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/21/AR2009032101368.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Could sanity be peeping up in this mire of crises in the US ? Some districts are limiting homework
http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-homework22-2009mar22,0,5760396.story?track=rss
Wayne Ross and I have a piece under consideration at Z Mag: The Education Agenda is a War Agenda
http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/20965
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-border25-2009mar25,0,761284.story
Is it not odd that DHS is going right into Mexico? “Through “strategic redeployments,” the Department of Homeland Security plans to send more than 360 officers and agents to the border and into Mexico, Napolitano said. Costs across the board, totaling up to $184 million, will be revenue neutral, funded by realigning from less urgent activities, fund balances, and, in some cases, reprogramming, she said. ”
And is it not odd that troops are going to be sent to the US side of border areas to do police work???????
Two sources to add to John Bellamy Foster’s current book, “The Great Financial Crisis,” are classics:
Dunayevskaya: Outline of Marx’s Capital: http://www.marxists.org/archive/dunayevskaya/works/1979/outline-capital/index.htm This is a terrific teaching tool.
Lewis Corey’s (aka Louis Fraina) book, “The Decline of American Capitalism,” written in 1932, arranges an understanding of the present collapse in notable, prescient, detail. Only a very few reasonably priced books are left in print.
The Rouge Forum Blog is up and you are welcome to join it. http://therougeforum.blogspot.com/
And in hopes that this week we can leave ’em laughing:
South Park on the Economy:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/220760
SNL: Don’t Buy Stuff You Can’t Afford??!! http://consumerist.com/consumer/clips/snl-skit-dont-buy-stuff-you-cant-afford-252491.php
A modern, roaring, version of L’Internationale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx7A3UYKXj4
Thanks to Susan, Perry, Steve, Wayne, Amber, Doug S, Joe B, Kenny, Sherry, Matt, Victoria, Joe C, Adam and Gina, Bob, Victoria, Tommie, Michael, David, Sharon A., Della, Barbara, Faith, Denny, Jim B, Kim B, Gil, Ernesto, Angel, Jackie, Ann, Candy, GF, Peter, Ricky, Steve, Dennis, Kirk, TC, Bob S, John and Mary, Mary and Paul, and to adjuncts everywhere.
Good luck to us, every one.
(More news on those Seattle teachers who resisted testing their students next week).
Marxism 2009 – A Festival of Resistance
Posted in Conferences, Marxism
Tagged Alex Callinicos, Ambalavaner Sivanandan, Anticapitalism, Bernadette McAliskey, Charles Darwin, Chris Searle, Costas Lapavitsas, David Edgar, David Harvey, Eamonn McCann, Economic Crisis, Edward Carpenter, Evolution, Gary Younge, Ghada Karmi, Haifa Zangana, Imperialism, International Socialism, Islam, Istvan Meszaros, Jeremy Corbin, John Bellamy Foster, Karl Marx, Lenin, Mao, Mark Serwotka, Marxism, Marxism 2009, Michael Billington, Michel Rosen, Neoliberalism, Nick Broomfield, Obama, Palestine, Palestinian liberation, Pat Devine, Paul Golroy, Revolution, Sally Hunt, Sam West, Sheila Rowbotham, Socialism, Steven Rose, Tariq Ali, Terry Eagleton, Tony Benn, Trotsky, Zoe Williams
CAPITALISM ISN’T WORKING…
COME AND DISCUSS THE ALTERNATIVE AT…
Thursday 2nd – Monday 6th July 2009, central London
BOOK NOW TO GET £5 OFF YOU TICKET PRICE!
Online: http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk
Over 1,000 people have already bought tickets for Marxism 2009. We are now entering the last full week of the £5 discount on Marxism tickets: get yours now at: http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk or call us in the office on 020 7819 1190.
With the current £5 discount, prices are: Waged – £40, Unwaged – £27, HE student – £20, FE student – £10.
Remember, if you can’t afford to pay now but want to get the £5 discount you can register before 31st March and postdate your payment – just give us a call in the office: 020 7819 1190.
* Alex Callinicos vs Slavoj Zizek – a debate on “What does it mean to be a revolutionary today?”
* David Harvey on Marx’s Capital and debating Chris Harman on “The crisis of neoliberalism”
* Tariq Ali on Pakistan’s deepening crisis
* Terry Eagleton on “Socialism and culture”
* Sheila Rowbotham discusses pioneering gay rights campaigner Edward Carpenter
* Gary Younge speaks on Obama’s rise to power
* Ghada Karmi participates in a course of meetings on Palestinian liberation
* Michael Billington and Sam West take part in a tribute to Harold Pinter
* Bernadette McAliskey speaks 40 years on from her election to parliament and the Battle of the Bogside
* John Bellamy Foster takes part in a course on “Marx and Darwin” and speaks on Marxist ecology
Other participants include: Tony Benn, Paul Gilroy, Eamonn McCann, Mark Serwotka, Sally Hunt, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Nick Broomfield, Michael Rosen, Istvan Meszaros, Roy Bailey and David Ferrard, Pat Devine, Danny Dorling, Zoe Williams, David Edgar, Haifa Zangana, Steven Rose, Ambalavaner Sivanandan, Ben Fine, Ron Oppenheim and Natalie Adler, Jeremy Dear, Ludi Simpson, Leo Zeilig, Graham Turner, Chris Searle, Adam Tooze, Costas Lapavitsas, Omar Puente… and many more!
Courses and meetings include: Capital for beginners * The Marxist method * The economic crisis – causes, consequences and questions * Resistance and recession in Britain * The culture of crisis * The International Socialist tradition * 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet block – before, during and after * Islam and Islamism * Lenin and Leninism * Trotsky * Revolution and beyond * Racism, segregation and multiculturalism * British society today * The fight against fascism * Women’s liberation * LGBT rights * The US – then and now * China – from Mao to markets * Imperialism today and the “war on terror” * Pakistan * Voices from the Middle East * Palestine’s fight for freedom * Latin America * Africa * Climate Change – saving the planet * Darwin and Marx – evolution revolution * Education * Students and the struggle * Capitalism and the media
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Statement of Principles & Positions
Bylaws & Rules
History of the RLC
Join the RLC!
Charter Resources
2019 Biennial National Convention
Proposed Bylaws Amendments for 2019
2019 RLC National Convention Schedule
RLC-USA PAC
National Board Endorses Rob Maness
AustinSekel
Melbourne – the National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) has voted to endorse Rob Maness in his race for U.S. Senate from the state of Louisiana. Maness seeks to fill the seat held by Sen. David Vitter, who is retiring.
The son of Lennie and Master Sergeant (Air Force) Billy Maness, Rob Maness voluntarily joined the Air Force after high school and rose to the rank of Colonel. He retired in 2011 after 32 years. He and his wife Candy have five children, three of whom currently serve in the military.
Rob completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Tampa and holds Masters degrees from Harvard University’s Kennedy School, the Air Command and Staff College, and the US College of Naval Warfare.
“Col. Rob Maness has stood tirelessly for liberty in his fight for the U.S. Senate. There is no better fit than Maness, he stands in staunch opposition to the draconian Federal Reserve system and has the resources needed to win. We wholeheartedly support his campaign and ask all of our members to help him win,” said RLC Chairman Matt Nye.
Mr. Maness is a founding Board member of the Military Advocacy Project of Louisiana, Inc. He is a member of the St. Tammany Parish Republican Party Executive Committee, and serves as President of his local chapter of the Military Officer’s Association of America. He’s a Life Member of the NRA, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and the Military Officer’s Association of America. Mr. Maness has been endorsed by LA Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser, Dr. Ben Carson and several UFC legends, including Chael Sonnen.
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the Republican Liberty Caucus. The RLC is known for its unwavering commitment to liberty and there are few groups in the liberty movement that hold more sway than they do. As a United States Senator, my priority will always be to defend the Constitution and expand individual liberty at every turn possible. I will be a consistent voice for fiscal restraint, monetary reform and our civil liberties.”
To learn more about Col. Maness and his campaign visit http://www.robmaness.com/
rob maness
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9:30 am RLC FL Biennial State Convention @ Hilton Melbourne Florida
RLC FL Biennial State Convention @ Hilton Melbourne Florida
The biennial state convention of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida, for the purpose of electing officers and directors, amending the bylaws, and for the education, training and edification of our members. Lunch with KrisAnne[...]
6:00 pm RLC WA 4th Annual Constitution D... @ Howard Johnson Hotel Yakima
RLC WA 4th Annual Constitution D... @ Howard Johnson Hotel Yakima
Join us for our 4th Annual Constitution Day Dinner! We will again be honoring: The Constitution The Founders Our Veterans Doors will open at 6pm for a Social hour/Silent Auction Dinner at 7pm, followed by[...]
COUNTDOWN TO 2020
DAYS UNTIL 2020 GENERAL ELECTIONNovember 3, 2020
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The Republican Liberty Caucus is a 527 voluntary grassroots membership organization dedicated to working within the Republican Party to advance the principles of individual rights, limited government and free markets. Founded in 1991, it is the oldest continuously-operating organization within the Liberty Republican movement.
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Fossil Fuel Based Auto Industry Faces Alien Invasion; 440 Starship Model 3s Have Been Manufactured So Far, But that’s Just the First Wave
Some have conjectured that the only way to make sense of present politician resistance to climate change responses is that alien body snatchers determined to inject toxic climate warming gasses into Earth’s atmosphere have taken control of key world leaders. Given the nonsensical behavior and strange skin color changes seen in some of the world’s most powerful people, this supposition, though fanciful, has broad appeal.
But if the ‘bad aliens’ have taken the side of the fossil fuel industry, we should not also ignore the angelic race hailing from the Blue Star who have decided to come to the aid of humankind and life on Earth. For a secret weapon in the fight to save the world from climate disaster is now steadily being deployed. And the global fossil fuel based auto industry doesn’t even begin to have a clue as to what’s about to hit them.
(Blue Star alien spaceship? Smart, living renewable energy technology, wrapped in a car’s body? Warrior fighting global climate disasters? Or all of the above? Tesla’s Model 3 poses an out-of-context threat to the world’s fossil fuel based automakers. Image source: Clean Technica.)
Like the body snatchers, this weapon has also taken the form of something we humans see as normal and innocuous. It has come to inhabit mere automobiles. For beneath the metal hoods, glass windows and roofs, and sustainably designed interiors of seemingly familiar Tesla road vehicles resides the electrical beating heart of alien technology. A living, almost biological, smart-tech that is pulsing within the fixed metal, plastic, and glass forms we see across the world and on its streets and byways.
The tech possesses living characteristics in that it can change and grow. For after each Tesla is produced, the starship inside awakens, empowering these vehicles to transform in a very autobot-like fashion. Possessed of the much the same hardware as many ‘normal’ electrical vehicles, the smart, alien tech that runs the battery in the breast of each machine is capable of learning and improving. Vehicles coming off the lines with a mere 200 mile range may see improvements that jump it to 230 miles (see Your Tesla May Have Secret Powers). Starship Model 3s with stated 310 mile ranges may suddenly and unexpectedly stretch their legs to 334 miles. The cars may learn to accelerate better using the physical materials that they already possess. They may learn to charge faster. And sitting in their driveways at night, after drinking deep of afternoon solar panel trapped energy, they may dream strange dreams of a vital new world that beats back the oppression of global hothouse extinction even as they learn to cut off the choking fumes of coal-fired powerplants.
(Are we really living in a space opera? No. But the stakes are just as epic. Video source: Iscandar.)
But this starship — posing as automobile — counter-force faces a serious challenge. Earthling means of mass producing the new alien technology that will give each person the opportunity to possess a world-saving starship is presently struggling to ramp up to face down the dark forces of hothouse extinction. Tesla is, after all, just a flawed human-run company. And so only 440 of the cutting-edge Model 3 craft had been produced by the end of October.
Yet Tesla is moving forward despite all opposition. Though suppliers capable of producing alien level tech have sometimes proven unreliable, the company is determined to build the needed components for Blue Star spaceships in-house. And it aims to have this counter-force of Model 3s marching off assembly lines en-masse at the pace of 5,000 per week by early 2018. Though earlier ambitions of a large first wave of Model 3s were disappointed, the second wave is forming with greater mass than before.
The orange skinned, one eyed, fossil fueled political people eaters have, thus far, been unsuspecting of the Blue Star forces in their midst. Perhaps Tesla’s mighty struggle to produce these new craft will provide for them some foreshadowing of the death blow to their nefarious designs that is to follow.
by robertscribbler on November 10, 2017 • Permalink
Tagged Alien Invasion, Blue Star, Body Snatcher, climate change, fossil fuels, global warming, Human Hothouse, human warming, Model 3
Posted by robertscribbler on November 10, 2017
https://robertscribbler.com/2017/11/10/fossil-fuel-based-auto-industry-faces-alien-invasion-440-starship-model-3s-have-been-manufactured-so-far-but-thats-just-the-first-wave/
Climate Change Related Drought Bakes the Iberian Peninsula
Denial’s Grim Fruits — Actual Puerto Rico Death Toll Probably Near 500; May Climb to Over a Thousand
La Niña is now officially declared!
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/november-2017-la-ni%C3%B1a-update-she%E2%80%99s-back
Not very surprising tough, strong or very strong El Niños tend to be followed by a “double up” La Niña. Only case is the 1965/1966 El Niño that was followed by cool neutral conditions before a “double up” El Niño emerged in 1968-1970.
thnx to lmv at asif for text and link
Yep. And we’re getting the La Nina pattern with some of the usual climate change ‘forced variations’ in evidence.
La Niña doesn’t cry like she used to:
La Niña is here, but climate change means she’s not what she used to be.https://t.co/sTUAfyzTdy pic.twitter.com/StTrjvWSzc
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) November 10, 2017
Yeah, here in Minnesota they are predicting a ‘normal’ winter after three very abnormally warm ones. In past decades an El Nino would generally mean that we would be in for quite an anomalously brutally cold one. We’ll see. I just hope we don’t get deluges of rain on Christmas…that was really depressing last year.
Mblanc
or…mercy mercy me…
Steven Blaisdell
Yep, La Nina is officially here, and 2017 is predicted to be the third hottest year on record:
http://ane4bf-datap1.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wmocms/s3fs-public/ckeditor/files/2017_provisional_statement_text_-_updated_04Nov2017_1.pdf?7rBjqhMTRJkQbvuYMNAmetvBgFeyS_vQ
That’s the four hottest years on record in the past four years, all qualitatively hotter than all previous years. Who wants to bet that in 2018 there will be no significant drop in global temperatures as in past La Nina years? We are in a new paradigm, a new climate regime. There will be no respite. 2014-2017 is not an anomaly, it’s the new normal. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and predict that 2018 will be hotter than any year prior to 2014, and the next El Nino will bring even more paradigmatic change. The steady and unmistakable disappearance of “low” years since 1980, six uninterrupted years beginning 2010 of drastically increasing global temps, three successive record hot years, by huge margins, the past three years…data don’t lie. But the big, most important data might be the steady extinction of cooler years.
http://www.dw.com/en/cop23-high-time-to-curb-emissions-as-2017-to-become-hottest-year-on-record/a-41261753
To my knowledge, NASA is still tracking for second hottest. But it’ll probably be close with La Nina setting in.
I have a friend who is convince that ‘the singularity’ has already come and gone, and for some time now, some overarching robot mind has taken over humans society and made it work to the advantage of future machines but not for a very good future for humans (not a very good present for many humans already, of course).
These days it’s hard to write scifi that reality hasn’t already caught up with, or is about to.
Well, thinking machines are definitely here. The question is can we apply the right limits and use them for the good of us all? Or do we get into another real mess of unintended consequences on a similar scale to what we are seeing now with climate change. Hopefully we learn to be more alert to the human failures that inevitably get amplified by powerful technology if it’s not well regulated.
“…human failures that inevitably get amplified by powerful technology if it’s not well regulated. ” Indeed!
Why Is It So Hard to Fix the National Flood Insurance Program?
A tangle of politics and problems may force yet another delay in long-sought updates to the broke, beleaguered U.S. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Congress has the unenviable task of putting NFIP back in the black without raising rates too quickly on folks who can’t afford to leave vulnerable coastal homes. And the weather isn’t helping.
The NFIP was due for reauthorization in September, after several years of challenge in the wake of the enormously costly Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Then came Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria this year—which complicated matters further by adding another $10-plus billion to the program’s $25-billion debt.
https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/why-it-so-hard-fix-national-flood-insurance-program
With extreme weather events now x4 more likely than in the past, this is definitely an unenviable task. Think a major part will be looking at where we build and where, ultimately, we decide not to insure. The boundaries of the system have changed.
“Catastrophe modeler Air Worldwide estimates that the insured value of property in all counties along the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coast jumped from $7.2 trillion in 2004 to $10.6 trillion in 2012—”
That’s a very big Balloon Bouquet, & when they start popping, a lot of people are going to get thrown out of the basket
So not taking climate change into account is a systemic failure on the order of the financial collapse of 2008 or greater. Eventually, these losses come home to roost to dramatic systemic effect. In order to mitigate, you have to recognize systemic realities as is and start moving investment and capital flows in such a way as to enable resiliency.
John Oliver had a nice, entertaining introduction to this issue, though he did not put enough emphasis for me on how GW/SLR will make things ever more impossible with the program.
http://theweek.com/speedreads/733995/john-oliver-seagull-explain-why-americas-flood-insurance-program-needs-serious-reworking
They’ll need more defined zones and an understanding of moving zones over time and an understanding of potential for large outlier events.
Yeah, it’s the outlier events, becoming more and more common, that many people, even after this fall’s set of horrific cyclones, just don’t seem to get. They hear about sea level rise quantified in centimeters per year or decade, and it seems like a very gradual thing that is easy to plan around and that maybe people will react naturally to by moving away from areas as the sea gradually encroaches. They ignore both the perverse incentives in these programs, as well as the fact that gradual slr is just the platform on top of which ever more horrific storms will wreak sudden and sometimes total or near total destruction on location after location.
That was golden.
Off topic, Replying to Deb, that asked about respiratory masks a few posts ago:
I don´t remember what DT´s suggestion was, either, but I have a bit of experience with pollution-protection masks. I have a severe allergy to a extremely common substance (eugenol, which is added to cigarettes in order to better addict people… one of the 4500+ toxic substances in cigarettes), so I use air pollution masks daily (can´t get out in the street without them). I´ve tested quite a few, before deciding on using masks from Respro, in the UK (http://respro.com/pollution-masks). I´ve been using those for 3 years now.
They sell online worldwide (that´s how I can get those in Brasil) and do a very decent job of keeping chemicals out. They claim to filter about 80% of the pollution (the carbon-filter model), and it seems compatible with the results of wearing one. For me that means that I can walk right past someone smoking and have only a cough attack that lasts for a few minutes instead of needing to go to the hospital for IV corticoids and oxygen.
Most important, Respro masks are comfortable to wear for hours (though valves need to be changed if used for more than 2hs straight, as they get wet and stop working) and they can be used even during an asthma attack. There are agrochemical masks that filter quite more of the pollution (no reaction for the first 5 minutes of being around someone smoking), but they´re heavy and impede breathing during an asthma attack, so in the end, they don´t work as well.
greenl4l
Reblogged this on Green Living 4 Live.
But the problem is that climate change is merely a symptom of the problem and not the problem itself. Solving it, assuming that’s even possible, is not going to solve our problem.
Actually, no Paul. Solving climate change solves the climate change problem. And in order to solve climate change, we will be acting in a way that helps to solve the other problems. In other words, you’ve got it backwards. Action = the originator. Solution = progress. Climate change = existential problem of high importance.
Maybe you’re right Robert but once we solve the climate problem I just don’t see us suddenly stopping the industrial fishing of the seas, or the similar trawling of jungle and bush for animal products. Or the manipulation and dispersal of modified genes, or mining or deforestation or damming. It won’t stop the massive existential pressures on our wildlife. I won’t go on.
Apples and oranges, Paul.
Poor resource management in the form of over-use of renewable resources in a healthy world is far more easy to correct than in the context of climate change. We’ve dealt with the issue of poor resource management by bad actors or through neglect for some time. These are far more solvable than dealing with a mass extinction level event caused by climate change. Furthermore, an environmental movement enabled to prevent worst case climate change is an environmental movement far better enabled to prevent overfishing and other such issues.
To dig just a little deeper, shifting away from fossil fuel burning also helps to reduce a number of harmful externalities that impact resources. For example, substitution for plastics reduces harmful materials pollution and adding renewables reduces societal water use. Other climate change related adaptations such as shifting toward less meat intensive farming also increases the resource footprint. And permaculture type farming produces a fish crop as well as a vegetable crop, which can help reduce pressure on ocean fish stocks through demand competition.
The issue, Paul, is not so much single solution as it is broad based in that moving toward sustainability is a change in practices that has synergistic helpful impact. Renewables is just the tip of the spear in this regard, though it is a very important one.
Though I’ve been very patient with the mob of doomers that troll this site, it is not my duty to continue to convince those of you who are bound and determined to wallow in apathy. This blog has a mission. And it is not to provide a platform for a false equivalency based discussion between those who think the human race is doomed and those who do not. It is to produce impetus for action. So if you’re not on board, then I don’t really need you here.
Bob recently identifies a decline in insect population. As an example, the likely primary cause is overly prolific use of pesticides combined with specifically engineered plants to manage higher levels of these toxins. One sustainability practice related to climate change resiliency is moving a larger portion of farming indoors. This reduces a net need for pesticide use. Also various permaculture and natural farming practices aim to remove pesticide use. As with fossil fuels, we face entrenched industries that have a penchant for doing things a certain way that is presently rather harmful. So this effort is aimed at confronting systemic harmful behavior.
The climate issue is the primary focus of this particular blog at present. To shift the focus from this point in comments is drifting off topic. However, what we can say is that the model we are using for systemic transformation and confrontation of harmful actors can be duplicated. That what we are doing here enables that.
Paul, overfishing, overhunting and deforestation are also part of the climate problem. Stopping the use of fossil fuels is the primary action against climate change, and the most effective, but personally, I doubt that *only* that can be sufficient to keep heating under 2 degrees.
Can you really imagine keeping the world under 2 degrees in a scenario were the Amazon rainforest, the Asian Jungle, the Boreal forests and the rainforests of Congo had been burned, where mangroves have been destroyed, where whales & fish no longer sequester carbon to the ocean floor? Just stoping the source of extra carbon while destroying all the negative feedbacks that pull carbon away from the atmosphere won´t cut it.
But CAN we stop overfishing, overhunting and deforestation? Of course we can, if we want, it´s actually easier than stopping using fossil fuels, and it doesn´t require no technological miracle. For example, this study in Brasil estimated how much would it cost to stop deforestation (all of it) in the country (http://escolhas.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/171027_Relat%C3%B3rio-vFinalsite.pdf – it´s in portuguese). Talking JUST about cost (not considering any gains from keeping the forest intact as economic gains), using already tested extant policies, which are expected to give results as good as they´ve already showed (no gains in efficience for widespread use), the cost of deforestation zero in Brasil is a bit less than 1 Billion dollars/year. A lot for an individual, but normal flow of cash for a government (the problem is political will, not money).
There´s a population bomb still ticking, ok, but it has been slowly defused, as woman around the globe gain more say on their lifes. Fertility rates have fallen in most of the world, and they´ll keep falling, as long as woman keep gaining independence. It´s no coincidence that the countries where fertility rates are higher have the worst profile in woman´s rights, but the cultural change won´t stop at their borders. Population will grow for a few decades more, because of inertia, and things are going to get worst before they get better, but that problem has been correcting itself since the pill appeared.
We are looking in an abism? Yes, we are. But instead of gazing on it until becoming it, we can build a bridge to cross it. It does take a plural work, with many fronts to battle, opposed by a lot of big players, with no simple slogan-solutions being able to solve it all, but if it was easy, it wouldn´t be worthwhile.
Jeremy in Wales
Not as sexy as Tesla but Nissan Leaf worldwide sales as of June 2017 were over 260,000
https://newsroom.nissan-global.com/releases/release-d7e4ecd11a3301770049acecdc064855-nissan-leaf-charges-to-20000-uk-sales-as-the-all-electric-favorite-is-named-best-green-car-in-2017-driver-power-new-car-survey
with a new model onthe way
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/nissan/leaf/100743/new-nissan-leaf-2018-prices-specs-release-date
The world needs more than one super hero & I might just be able one day to afford a second hand one.
I saw this. Not as sexy as Telsa. But still sexy. I wonder if they’ll eventually catch up? Nissan Leaf is just one vehicle, though. Tesla is a total system.
Remember that Nissan is in alliance with Renault and that Carlos Ghosn is CEO of both so you also have the Renualt Zoe (cheaper than a Leaf). This also gives them scaling benefits and a head start on other car manufacturers.
So the Nissan-Renault alliance is great.
I guess I need to be a little clearer here.
Nissan and Renault are companies that have business models that are presently dependent of sales of ICE vehicles. The Leaf and the Zoe are excellent cars. Excellent electrical vehicles. The manufacturing and materials chains enabling their construction are also very helpful. This has effectively turned a fossil fuel based revenue dependent industry into an industry that’s dependent upon 10-15 percent renewable based revenue.
A decent start.
However, there are a few things that we need to look at when comparing Nissan/Renault with Tesla.
1. Tesla is systemically all-renewable. From feedstock to production chain, the entire industry is dedicated to selling batteries, EVs, solar panels and systems that integrate these three.
2. Tesla’s business model is based on selling first market EVs and then turning the after market batteries into storage systems that replace things like coal and gas plants. Nissan-Renault are just getting their feet wet in this area.
3. Tesla owns the charging stations. I’ll repeat this. Tesla owns the charging stations. I don’t see any other major automaker making a similar investment in charging infrastructure.
4. Tesla sells solar panels in addition to its grid storage based sales. This enables it to directly integrate solar to battery.
5. Because of all this, Tesla’s economic incentive is to lobby for renewable energy focused policy. In other words, no fossil fuel conflict of interest. No concern over stranded assets in the form of ICE only production lines and sunk investment into those lines making share holders weak in the knees or causing CEOs headaches about balancing capital flows.
So I guess what I’m saying is that what’s happening at Nissan and Renault is encouraging. But that they are not integrated renewable energy companies of a caliber equivalent to Tesla. Presently, on the level of western industries, no one is. Those attempting to compete on the level of vehicle production alone aren’t looking at the bigger picture. And even in that instance, many are far behind when it comes to producing an EV that is strategically designed to harness the various extraordinary advantages of all-electric tech.
While Tesla is a very interesting intergrated company based around the battery manufacturing giving a one stop shop for many applications, one company will not save the world. It may provide a model for other new companies but we also want old companies to change and if possible use assets that otherwise are stranded. We do not want large parts of the world to resemble Detroit with the huge waste of resources that represents.
Car companies have rarely been totally intergrated and support many parts manufacturers – an organism of sorts – and to my knowledge have not tried to own the fuel network on any scale. Yes, Tesla have to work in a different enviroment from the early 20th Century but chargers do not have to be provided by the car company, in Europe I would suggest that the biggest problem is the multitude of providers, apps, registration and payment difficulties. One App & payment options common to all charges would be a helpful innovation.
You will note that the battery is assembled by Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) – a joint venture between Nissan, NEC and NEC Energy Devices, at Zama, Japan. So hopefully they realise the potential as have Tesla.
Tesla have shown the World a different possibility, that we have to be grateful for, I agree. But we need competition and continued innovation – Lithium batteries may not be the last word in energy storage for example, in addition to being a fire hazard (remote but it does exist) and early problems in hot climates
http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-technology/potential-breakthroughs-in-battery-technology/155481/
https://www.wired.com/story/bill-joy-finds-the-jesus-battery/
So the problem Tesla might face is they have invested in the wrong technology or it comes to dominate when the world could have something far better. So we need lots of players ideally.
Tesla is a total system.
Yep, it’s the battery plants, when your car battery is spent , you put it in the garage , and it runs your house. No one understands , that running a washing machine , is a far lighter lift, than going 69 mph down the 405.
It’s a total solar package One has panels on their roof , it charges the “old car” batteries. They run your home. When you come hone at night they top off your car, or top off your house. Your car could be parked under an carport that has solar panels at work. It charges all day.
If Walmart did this in their parking lots , they would never be on the grid.
bobinspain
I’m not quite sure where this belongs, but it’s deeply worrying:
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/19/europe/insect-decline-germany/index.html
Hello, Bob. This is absolutely a concern. And it is likely related to combined factors that include climate change and pesticide use. We do need to look to care for living creatures withing natural systems more. I am of the opinion that to do this, human systems need to step back from encroachment on the natural world even as we look for better ways to farm and manage land.
A helpful point is that indoor vertical farming provides us with a means to harden societies to damages from climate change, to reduce encroachment, and to reduce harmful pesticide use. That’s just one example. But, in my view, an important one.
In any case, it is important to talk both about problems and potential solutions. If you only focus on an endless series of problems, then it becomes difficult to see a path forward.
Richard J
Tesla may be sexy, but it will have to increase it’s production by 3 or 4 orders of magnitude, to have much impact on fossil fuel use. Is there that much lithium or rare earth metals available? Even if so, I don’t see how it helps much, unless we move to almost exclusively wind, solar, or other renewable electrical generation. That seems very far away. So for now, I can’t see Tesla as much more than a rich man’s toy. I’ll keep driving my unsexy Prius. Not that I could afford a Tesla anyway.
As long as we are dreaming, my personal vision of an eco-friendly transportation system would involve conversion of some existing roads into railbeds for an electrified publicly owned passenger rail system, plus a network of foot and bike paths, and just plow up most of the rest. Driving a personal automobile could then become a felony crime, ecocide. In addition, all fossil-fueled aircraft and most ships should be recycled and replaced with a fleet of modern wind-powered passenger and freight vessels. It wasn’t so long ago that travel between seaports or continents was a matter of days or weeks, rather than hours. It certainly wouldn’t kill us to go back to that.
Oil and gas powered transportation must go away somehow, if we plan to leave an inhabitable world for our grandchildren.
Tesla started out producing less than 1,000 vehicles per year. It presently produces 100,000 vehicles per year. that is two orders of magnitude. Total global annual vehicle production is in the range of 80 million vehicles per year. Tesla does not need to produce all the world’s cars (2.8 orders of magnitude) to help to transform the auto industry. It just needs to provide enough competition to hit the major automaker profit margins and provide pressure for them to compete. This is happening now. It’s one of the reasons why we have vehicles like the Volt and the Bolt.
Government policy in the form of rising CAFE standards has also helped. But Tesla provides the high quality spoiler for ICE vehicles.
Tesla’s main advantage is that it is a vertically integrated renewable energy company. Other companies will need to adopt this business model or they will be unable to compete going forward. That’s the point you’re missing here. In other words, the reason why Tesla is sexy is because it is the trend setter.
On current tracking, Tesla is set to double vehicle production this year even in the event that it struggles ramping up Model 3 production. A vehicle that is easily capable of meeting 200,000 per year + sales on its own. And we could well see Tesla hitting near or above 300,000 vehicles per year in 2018. The U.S. EV market is set to double or triple as a result of both Model 3 and relatively high quality competing vehicles in 2018.
With China and India trying to duplicate Tesla’s renewable energy integrated business model on a national level, we are going to start seeing pressure on gasoline and diesel demand in the 2018 to 2020 timeframe. At first, this will be marginal. However, by the early 2020s, the prospects for continued demand growth considerably narrow.
As an automaker, who is leading this transformation process? Tesla. And it’s Tesla’s business model that people are now trying to duplicate and improve on.
As Robert mentions above, Tesla and Elon Musk’s goal was showing the world that personal electric vehicles were possible, affordable, and desirable. Not only did they achieve that objective, but along the way they kicked off the age of large scale Lithium Ion batteries production – there are 20 or so large battery manufacturing facilities under construction, are well on their way to overcoming to objections to residential PV (aesthetics), and have spurred an initiative where many world governments are considering a ban on Internal Combustion Engines. That’s a lot of progress in 5 -10 years.
I understand where you’re coming from with the statement that Tesla, up to the Model 3 has been a rich man’s car, but that was Tesla’s strategy. Build a highly desirable performance oriented electric car, sold a premium price and use the proceeds from that to build a more affordable car, the Model 3. Tesla was successful enough with that strategy to get the global automotive business to pivot to EV, across a broad range of price points.
As for the Prius, I rather like the car myself. My daughter has one. I never understood why Toyota invested so heavily in the car, and didn’t pursue adding a progressively larger battery pack as costs dropped, at least until very recently. Toyota had a 10+ year head start on more environmentally friendly transportation and squandered that lead. They could have been a contender.
This all cuts the need for poles and wires , and coal fired power plants.
Tesal
It’s not the cars , it’s the batteries.
Yep. It’s in the batteries, Bob. Batteries and panels. Poles and wires = optional now. Although given economies of scale, I still think that centralized plants will still be a thing. Big panel farms, big battery farms, big wind farms. So some poles and wires. But a lot of people at home will increasingly be enabled to cut the wire if they want to.
The Me Too Movement .
No one saw this coming , but it;s changing our world. And it’s 52 % of our world.
This all goes to back last fall, when the President of the United States said, “:You can grab them by the pussy”.
I guess we really haven’t been taken over by the Lizard People, but damn Trump gives a good imitation. Great article. Glad to hear that Tesla is up to 440 Model 3s.
The critics might as well shut up, I think. Tesla owners and prospective buyers are intelligent, patient people fully onboard with the overall stated goal of Elon Musk and Tesla – to fight global warming.
With half a million pre-orders, my money is on Tesla to succeed.
That demand backstop should be a sign of confidence for Tesla. I think the company should probably do its best to be methodical about the Model 3 launch, despite the high level of pressure. I suppose the one bit that does sometimes cut both ways for Tesla is its penchant to set ambitious goals. But it wouldn’t have gotten so far in the first place without that trait. People should realize this when criticizing Tesla. They’ve threaded this needle before, in other words.
I think we’ll probably have 1,000 to 3,000 Model 3s by end year. Not sure if they’ll make 5,000 per week by March. But even if its by May, it will be a hell of an achievement for a new auto company with a renewables only business model like Tesla.
https://cleantechnica.com/2017/11/10/senate-gop-tax-reform-plan-reverses-house-plans-hinder-renewable-energy/
“US Senate Republicans have put forward their own tax reform plan this week which, unlike the tax reform bill proposed by the House, does not take aim at renewable energy provisions such as the wind Production Tax Credit.”
So, if the Senate tax plan passes, we’re supposed to trust that the Senate Republicans would defend renewable energy when the House and Senate versions of the bill are merged?
I don’t think so.
The premise for the bill is about as nonsensical as you can get. If they actually wanted to close loop holes, they could have just worked with Democrats when Obama was President. This is all about a stealth tax increase on the Middle Class, attacking Medicare and Medicaid long term, attacking social security long term, and playing yet one more game of budget deficit chicken. Blowing another 1.7 trillion hole in the budget is not what we need. More income inequality is not what we need. Of course republicans are pushing this. Their ideology is what got us here in this giant mess in the first place.
The costs of war are 5.6 trillion thru 2018.
This of course is just costs for the USA. The folk getting bombed have their own costs. Imagine if this money had been used on educations, humanitarian purposes in the region, and the conversion of the region, the US and much of the rest of the world to renewables! What a horrific waste of opportunities, money, and of course lives.
Let’s remember on this day the folks who got enormously rich building and selling these bombs and other means of destruction, even as we mourn those on all sides who ended up having to fight these awful wars, and the even greater number of civilians whose lives have been obliterated.
http://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2017/Costs%20of%20U.S.%20Post-9_11%20NC%20Crawford%20FINAL%20.pdf
Thanks to sidd at asif for the link and some of the text
It’s all good for the pretence of GDP though.
I do wonder what the world would have looked like if we had spent the money instead on global renewable energy based economic development. Renewables removes power from the hands of bad actors — especially if its deployment is more equal and aimed at leveraging related increasing levels of employment. All those bombs dropped are little more than advertising leaflets for the next extremist uprising. One feeds the other.
An example of alternative use for that money: for the cost of a few warships, it would be possible to end slavery for good: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/oct/18/for-the-price-of-a-few-warships-we-could-end-slavery
Susan Anderson Behn
You have no idea I how pleased I was to see this post..have passed it on to the organizer of our local Canadian Electric Vehicle Organization, and expect to see you quoted in their next Newsletter….Lateral thinking is so often missing, glad to see that someone is taking this to the next level!
Thanks Susan. Sometimes, it’s helpful to step back and look at the big picture. I think one of the reasons why Tesla has gotten so far and had such an impact is due to its big picture focus.
Here’s something that I was not aware of…acidifying ocean water absorbs less CO2. Here’s an excerpt from the BIOACID (Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification) report “Exploring Ocean Change” report:
“By absorbing approximately 30 per cent of the human-induced carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted every year, the ocean slows down the increase of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and thereby mitigates global warming. But the more carbon dioxide is dissolved in seawater, the lower the ocean’s buffer capacity becomes, limiting its ability to take up more. Warming further increases the problem: with rising temperatures, seawater holds less and less CO2.”
The brochure, which covers many aspects and consequences of ocean acidification, is very detailed. It can be found here:
https://www.oceanacidification.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/BIOACID_brochure_e_web.pdf
We’ve been covering carbon sink saturation for the better part of five years here Paul. It’s one of the major reasons why transitioning to renewable energy based sources now is so important.
Thanks for this imaginative perspective on current affairs. Growing up I was an avid S.F reader and had a treasured list of contemporary authors. Even the most impressive Arthur C. Clarke novel could not compare to the magnitude of the current situation and the way we are tackling the juggernaut of climate change. Energy advances are moving fast, especially in the field of transport, at 70 it’s difficult to keep up with the changes.
Thanks for the “Scribbler” narratives which helps a lot.
Wonder if this following inhabitat subject is unreachable or will it lead somewhere useful in the not too far future.
Groundbreaking quark fusion generates 10 time as much energy as nuclear fusion
“Physicists at Tel Aviv University and University of Chicago have discovered that quark fusion could be an even more energy-packed reaction than nuclear fusion. Although the scientists were originally concerned about quark fusion’s potential destructive power and had considered keeping the discovery secret, they came to learn that the process, still theoretical, would most likely be safe for civilian use. “
https://inhabitat.com/groundbreaking-quark-fusion-generates-10-time-as-much-energy-as-nuclear-fusion/
A tune from the days I just read Science Fiction and the real world seemed so simple.
“But subsequent calculations showed that it would be impossible to cause a chain reaction with quarks because they exist for too short a period of time—approximately one picosecond—not long enough to set off another baryon. They decay into much smaller, less dangerous lighter quarks.
The researchers point out that their work is still purely theoretical. They have not tried to fuse bottom quarks, though they note it should be technically feasible at the LHC should others find doing so a worthwhile experiment.”
https://phys.org/news/2017-11-theoretical-quark-fusion-powerful-hydrogen.html#jCp
Still theoretical means that a lot of work will need to be done to see if this is an energy source that can be managed practically. Ironically, the lack of a chain reaction may, on net, make this a difficult energy source to manage. We’ll see. Years, decades or possibly never.
For now, though, we have a massively scaling renewable energy production base that is taking down fossil fuels as we speak.
And here’s a guy who is equipped to solve many critical problems we face, the type we need in abundance right now . . .
“What attracted me to the course was that it incorporated the latest cutting-edge techniques. I studied full-time for one year and found the programme really enjoyable. I learned about the geoscience behind climate change and renewable technologies that can be deployed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/nov/10/study-climate-change-masters-postgraduate-students
Interesting. Thanks so much for the link, redsky. Nice to see that some of Academia is starting to respond to the need for people versed in new energy and climate dynamics.
Shell has begun installing fast chargers at petrol stations. “Customer needs are changing” You can say that again!
https://.be/nst2RGtgzfk
Sorry. Try https://youtu.be/nst2RGtgzfk
Hah! Now this is an irony for me. Hopefully, for Shell, a mass add. And I wonder if execs are looking at Tesla’s massive charging station infrastructure and saying — ‘we are looking at loosing gas, do we want to lose the stations too?’
Exactly! But they have the inner city urban sites and in Europe many people have no detached house and drive on which to charge a car, you cannot have wires drapped over the pavement (sidewalk for americans). Also the petrol stations have shops attached which make the larger part of the profit on these sites. But this is still a boost for electric vehicles.
Believe it or not, but the snack food industry, concerned about the potential loss of sales, is encouraging the addition of EV charging stations to bolster their mini-mart sales.
http://news.usask.ca/media-release-pages/2017/u-of-s-research-reveals-controversial-insecticides-are-toxic-to-songbirds.php
“Studies on the risks of neonicotinoids have often focused on bees that have been experiencing population declines. However, it is not just bees that are being affected by these insecticides,” said Christy Morrissey, U of S biology professor.
Research led by Margaret Eng, a post-doctoral fellow in Morrissey’s lab, is the first study to show that imidacloprid (neonicotinoid) and chlorpyrifos (organophosphate) —two of the most widely used insecticides worldwide—are directly toxic to seed-eating songbirds. The paper, published in Scientific Reports, shows these chemicals can directly affect songbird migration.
“These chemicals are having a strong impact on songbirds. We are seeing significant weight loss and the birds’ migratory orientation being significantly altered,” said Eng, who also worked with colleagues from York University. “Effects were seen from eating the equivalent of just three to four imidacloprid treated canola seeds or eight chlorpyrifos granules a day for three days.”
I suspect you’re not surprised because you’ve seen this type of thing before Shawn.
EPA was going to ban these harmful chemicals before Pruitt stepped in. Just saying.
A yes, and then there’s this EPA nominee. ( Wish I knew how to embed videos here…)
You've got to be kidding me with this nominee. pic.twitter.com/85w8Ru2618
— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) October 4, 2017
And if you want to read more about Welrum’s “accomplishments” – like loosening regulations on workplace exposure to silica, or NOT promising to undo California’s auto emissions standards – the article is below.
Apparently industry groups are miffed that Scott Pruitt isn’t moving fast enough to dismantle the EPA mandate to regulate CO2 as a pollutant – despite this being the finding of the Supreme Court in 2007. I guess some business and corporate interests don’t feel they need to abide by Supreme Court rulings….
I honestly don’t know how some people live with themselves.
https://theintercept.com/2017/10/06/watch-a-top-epa-nominee-embarrass-himself-with-feigned-ignorance-of-basic-facts/
A new study finds that sulfur dioxide emissions in China fell by 75% since 2007, while India’s increased by 50%.
“The rapid decrease of sulfur dioxide emissions in China far exceeds expectations and projections,” said Can Li, the study’s lead author.
“This suggests that China is implementing sulfur dioxide controls beyond what climate modelers have taken into account.”
https://phys.org/news/2017-11-china-sulfur-dioxide-emissions-fell.html
It’s good to see that China is concerned about emissions. Overall, reductions in coal burning is combining to have a positive net effect. We may see some reduction in global dimming as well. But the net effect of reduced emissions will be very helpful overall.
Worth a read, all the way
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/11/10/16627256/conservatives-climate-change-persuasion
Towards the latter part
Sometimes the right strategy is to grab and own an issue, to exclude (not invite) the other party, to tie the issue to core coalition values and use the intensity to increase the political power of the coalition.
That’s what the right did with national security during the Cold War. They claimed the issue, associated themselves with it, commanded public trust on it, and — crucially — worked overtime to exclude the left from it, to make Democrats look weak and feckless. They didn’t beg Democrats to agree with their hawkishness. They dared them to disagree.
They made a fight of it, and they won. That’s why Democrats’ unofficial slogan for much of the ‘90s and early ‘00s was, “Hey, We’re Tough Too!”
The left has never been as good at unified aggression and probably never will be, for reasons Grossman’s book explains well.
But it may be time to face the fact that there is no magic message, no persuasive strategy, that can get us out of this mess. There’s no persuading the conservative base without conservative elites and there’s no persuading conservative elites as long as their material interests point the wrong direction.
It may just be that we’re not all going to get along — that the only way to move forward on this is to fight it out.
If that’s true, then what matters most on the left is not the breadth of agreement, but the depth. It is intensity that wins political battles. The only way Democrats can achieve progress on this is to intensify the fight.
Tepid “free market” messages, forever hoping to win over an unwinnable right, won’t do that. They do nothing to inspire those who already care and are primed for action.
Figuring out endless ways to avoid saying the words “climate change” won’t do that. Gimmicks don’t persuade or inspire; visible passion and conviction do.
For Democrats, raising intensity would mean making it a fight, staking a claim, defining the core values involved, telling vivid stories with heroes and villains and repeating them frequently. It would mean making climate change and clean energy tier-one priorities — organizing around them, talking about them at every opportunity, pushing them into the news and popular culture.
It would mean, rather than begging Republicans for assent or small scraps of policy assistance, doing everything possible to publicize their intransigence and make it core to their identity. Tie it around their necks every time a microphone appears; make them own it.
Reality still matters. What we have in the US is not a “difference of opinion” about climate change, it’s conservatives being mistaken about some very basic facts. They’re mistaken because they’ve been lied to and misled by leaders and influencers within their own tribe.
That’s the situation. But it’s not stable. The weather is only getting worse, young people are only getting more engaged, and clean energy is only getting cheaper. Climate change and clean energy will be winning issues in the long term.
Why not claim and own them while it’s still possible? Then the GOP’s motto in the 2020s can be: “Hey, We Like Clean Energy Too!”
In reality, Democrats probably don’t have the wherewithal to mount that kind of fight. But that’s the only thing that has a chance of breaking the stalemate. The quest to persuade US conservatives on climate change has been extraordinarily long, vigorous, and well-documented. It has also been largely fruitless. Perhaps it’s time for a little agonism.
Agrees with my experience. I have a 90 year old acquaintance who is beginning to have some cognitive issues, but who is still pretty functional. Recently she stated about the weather, out of the blue, “it sure seems warmer than it used to”. I then understood why persuasion has not proved a very effective strategy against climate deniers.
Saw this. Right on the money.
You need both breadth and depth. Depth touches the heart of the problem. Breadth moves both progressive democrats and moderate democrats together. We need both wings to fly. We need both Firebrands and more level headed Abraham Lincoln types. But the end goal, as ending slavery was for Lincoln, is ending the fossil fuel energy curse, inequality, and so many other ills that have been visited upon us by the inflicting on us of a very harmful set of ideologies and worldviews that by their very nature support harmful industries and hurtful governments.
In other words, we need to elect both the Northams and Clintons as well as the Bernie Sanders and Warren types. If we’re going to move forward on the Democratic side, we’ve got to do it together. This past 2017 election is a model in how that can be done. The 2016 election on how we should not operate.
Bernie failed when he made it about him. Clinton failed when she made it about her. They both failed when they failed to come together for the good of the party in a Clinton + Bernie ticket. Democrats failed when they let themselves be turned against one another by Russian agents and the right wingers who enabled them. And anyone who supported Jill Stein failed to realize that a vote for Stein was enabling Trump. Democrats failed to look at the election strategically and to realize that our friends in the party who we may disagree with somewhat were far more helpful than any republican. And in 2017, realizing these failures, we reversed all of that. The question is, can we carry this forward to 2018. We need to. We need to have fire in the belly. And we realize that we need both the clear and urgent repudiation of the failed republican policies as well as our unity to move forward. We need both wings of the democratic party, in other words, to fly.
The message, however, needs to be as deep as it is clear. In messaging, we should absolutely focus on depth. The issues we need to own are — real security (not fake security of a party that panders to and enables our enemies), energy independence and climate change response, and economic equality and justice for all.
As for the republicans… Yeah. I think there’s no way to reason with the party that is giving us climate change catastrophe, that gave us the great recession and that has now handed us Trump. How many grand failures does it take to realize that the republican ideology is bankrupt, ruined, corrupt, and a catastrophe on a mass scale?
Witchee
Lessons From Hurricane Harvey: Houston’s Struggle Is America’s Tale
The Texas city’s response to a powerful storm says much about polarized visions of the country and diverging attitudes toward cities, race, liberty and science.
“Three 500-year floods in three years means either we’re free and clear for the next 1,500 years,” as he put it, “or something has seriously changed.”
The problem is that hurricanes and floods, worsened by climate change, do not recognize political borders or county lines. Their toll is shared by everyone. The latest estimate from Moody’s puts recovery from Harvey at $81 billion, much of which will end up paid by taxpayers across the United States.
The Allen brothers were real estate swindlers from New York who founded Houston in 1836. After oil turned up beneath the muck and clay, they seemed like prophets.
“We ought to call federal flood insurance what it actually is,” as Phil Bedient, an engineer and colleague of Mr. Blackburn’s at Rice, put it. “It is subsidized floodplain development.” The Netherlands — the global gold standard for water management — does not offer a national flood insurance program for just this reason.
Houston and a thousand other cities had better realize now that it’s game time. It’s about survival now. And they need to plan for that.
Insurers warn climate change will hit policy prices and make some properties uninsurable
Bryce Davies, general manager corporate relations for insurance giant IAG, says the shift towards evaluating properties for their individual climate-change risk has already began, meaning homeowners with properties in flood plains and beachfronts could expect increases.
In the past risks were calculated across communities, with relative hazards spread across many households, meaning insurance costs were effectively lower for those most exposed.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/98797867/insurers-warn-climate-change-will-hit-policy-prices-and-make-some-properties-uninsurable
As you watch this More Mess unfold , remember the woman in question told 3 of her friends at the time. But not her mother, a completely logical thing to do if one is 14 forty years ago.
I think everyone needs to be clear that this kind of thing is unacceptable. From any side. It’s just unacceptable.
Poking the dragon .
That crude comment I made up thread, I do not regret. It should be said in it’s full wording.
Many thanks for RS letting it stand,
But things have changed .
“Why is this happening now? The geyser of women’s stories — and to a lesser extent, men’s — of celebrity assault began when the Bill Cosby case cracked the wall of silence and then Harvey Weinstein gave it another tap, the edifice topped and the torrent of pain and outrage roared through.”
Then think of “Women’s March” in January. 4 Million people showed up. Trust me we have awoken a sleeping dragon.
A very good op ed that I got the quote from =
STEINBERG: Today’s sins against women rooted in religion
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/sexual-harassment-assault-politicans-celebrities-organized-religion-women/
LOL. I try to be moderate in my moderation… It’s difficult sometimes. That particular comment was one I thought was rough but helpful.
In any case, we are reaping the whirlwind of systemic misogyny here. There’s a reason why my first fantasy story promoted feminist heroism. It was to empower a better worldview. A better way forward. To empower that. We need to confront the old world based abuses.
Trust me this is bigger than the Tet in 68′.
Women make up 52 % of the population.
If we are to survive they will turn the tide.
” President Donald Trump is set to meet Monday with the so-called “Trump of the East,” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, another controversial world leader known for his ultra-tough approach.”
The leader of the Free World shanks with a murder.
(Bob — I do not host links to Fox News or RT or Breitbart or such sources here)
There’s not a harmful dictator around that this guy doesn’t have some form of sick fascination with, is there? I wonder if they compare golden toilets?
John B. Goodenough, 94 year old inventor of the lithium ion battery, has an idea for a new battery. This is no joke. The new battery would use solid glass electrolytes. He and his collaborators are talking about 3-10 times the energy density of lithium ion batteries, no tendency to form short circuit creating dendrites as the batteries age, and over 1000 cycles in the first small devices already built. They are also talking about replacing lithium with sodium, which is much cheaper and more plentiful, and they are talking about fast charging times. They are talking about devices that have a large capacitance, kind of like a cross between a solid electrolyte battery and a capacitor.
https://news.utexas.edu/sites/default/files/styles/news_article_main_image/public/photos/goodenough_john_2015_in_his_lab31853_1.jpg?itok=lnrLYVrW
Would these batteries, if they work as well as it currently hoped, be good enough to totally drive internal combustion vehicles to extinction? Lithium ion batteries are good enough to do that, as Tesla is demonstrating. These new batteries would be more than good enough to drive a very rapid revolution, I think.
Johnny be good. He be more than good enough, if these batteries work as well as is hoped.
Rock on, Johnny B. Goodenough, rock on.
Link to University of Texas article on the new batteries:
https://news.utexas.edu/2017/02/28/goodenough-introduces-new-battery-technology
OK. So they need a battery platform to test this on and a scaling feedchain to make it work. If there are problems relative to lithium they’ll emerge in the first stage scaling. It would be helpful if a nascent automaker or EV manufacturer with small initial production goals served as the test platform for this. If these greatly heightened levels of quality can be achieved. It would be helpful to introduce such products to compete with traditional batteries.
I’m skeptical in the sense that lithium based batteries do keep improving. So there will be a race similar to what we see RE silicon vs thin film. However, if the physics of these new batteries is strong enough, they’ll win out against the mass production chain. Right now, we have lithium with rapidly increasing energy density, rapidly falling cost, and rapidly increasing charging times. So any new battery tech will have to hit a moving target to win.
Let’s try that image again:
Link to Goodenough et. al publication:
https://docs.wind-watch.org/braga2017.pdf
“Alternative strategy for a safe rechargeable battery
M. H. Braga,*ab N. S. Grundish,a A. J. Murchisona and J. B. Goodenough*
The advent of a Li+ or Na+ glass electrolyte with a cation conductivity si 4 102 S cm1 at 25 1C and a motional enthalpy DHm = 0.06 eV that is wet by a metallic lithium or sodium anode is used to develop a new strategy for an all-solid-state, rechargeable, metal-plating battery. During discharge, a cell plates the metal of an anode of high-energy Fermi level such as lithium or sodium onto a cathode current collector with a low-energy Fermi level; the voltage of the cell may be determined by a cathode redox center having an energy between the Fermi levels of the anode and that of the cathode current collector. This strategy is demonstrated with a solid electrolyte that not only is wet by the metallic anode, but also has a dielectric constant capable of creating a large electric-double-layer capacitance at
the two electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The result is a safe, low-cost, lithium or sodium rechargeable battery of high energy density and long cycle life.”
Tigertown
There have been multiple earthquakes all over the world in the last 24 hours or so. Decent magnitudes at that. Anybody know what is going on with this sudden increase in seismic activity?
Not sure anything is going on, that is out of the ordinary. The Iran/Iraq quake may have killed a lot of people due to poor or no building codes and masonry construction.
Still, global warming is shifting mass around. One effect I am worried about is the mass shift from poles toward the equator, as the ice caps melt and sea levels rise. This mass shift will want to slow the rotation of the earth, very slightly, due to conservation of angular momentum. So, like an ice skater spinning with arms extended, the equatorial regions will want to spin more slowly than the rest of the earth. What worries me is that the stresses might be applied unevenly. I’ve even speculated with no evidence whatsoever that these stresses might generate flood basalt eruptions.
There is an association between flood basalt eruptions and hyperthermal mass extinction events. I’ve speculated in the past that there might be a feedback loop built into some hyperthermal mass extinction events, with icecaps melting, shifting mass suddenly toward the equatorial regions, and those mass shifts applying stresses to the tectonic plates, leading to rifting events and flood basalt eruptions, and possibly geomagnetic reversals.
That is all speculation, though. What most people are worried about with earthquakes and global warming is isostatic rebound, as geological structures rebound from the weight of overlying ice sheets. I believe there is some evidence for isostatic rebound, with peer reviewed scientific papers claiming such effects on earthquakes in the past.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-glacial_rebound
My personal opinion is that we’ll eventually see a signal if we keep melting ice and if SLR continues to accelerate. Especially in areas that lose glaciers or along continental shelf slopes. Not clear as yet.
Moving mass from glaciers into the sea does change stresses to fault lines and volcanoes. This can increase frequency of seismic activity in regions where stress changes are great enough. A subject of controversy to be sure. But the very nature of climate change is geophysical change.
That said, we should be clear that the major global seismic monitors have not yet recorded an increase of note in volcanism or rate of earthquake generation. So though we can say that loads change, we have not observed an earthquake or volcano based increased rate of disasters similar to what we’ve seen in regard to extreme weather. That may change as time moves forward and with more severe movements of mass from glacial loss and sea level rise. We do need to be very serious about avoiding the worst of it for a number of reasons. Potential geophysical risk related to earthquakes and volcanoes being just one.
No sudden jump in seismic activity, see map below for significant earthquakes in last 30 days
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/#%7B%22autoUpdate%22%3A%5B%22autoUpdate%22%5D%2C%22basemap%22%3A%22grayscale%22%2C%22feed%22%3A%2230day_sig%22%2C%22listFormat%22%3A%22default%22%2C%22mapposition%22%3A%5B%5B-58.44773280389082%2C-335.03906249999994%5D%2C%5B82.40242347938855%2C145.1953125%5D%5D%2C%22overlays%22%3A%5B%22plates%22%5D%2C%22restrictListToMap%22%3A%5B%22restrictListToMap%22%5D%2C%22search%22%3Anull%2C%22sort%22%3A%22newest%22%2C%22timezone%22%3A%22utc%22%2C%22viewModes%22%3A%5B%22map%22%5D%2C%22event%22%3Anull%7D
Kassy
Carbon Emissions Had Leveled Off. Now They’re Rising Again
For a while it looked as if the world might be turning the corner.
But after a three-year stall in their growth, human-caused carbon-dioxide emissions have not, in fact, peaked, an international team of scientists announced this morning.
In 2017, global emissions of CO2 from fossil fuels and industry will once again rise by 2 percent, the scientists project, to a record 37 billion metric tons. Those emissions had increased by only a quarter of a percent from 2014 to 2016. Changes in land use, such as deforestation, will add around 4 billion metric tons of CO2 in 2017, bringing the global emissions total to an estimated 41 billion metric tons.
The resurgence tightens the time constraint on the world’s efforts to keep global warming from exceeding 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit)—a cap scientists increasingly believe is important to ward off climate change’s most catastrophic effects.
“What’s driving, really, the global trend is this pick-up in China,” says Corinne Le Quéré of the University of East Anglia, and the lead author of one of several new emissions studies released today. An unexpected rise in coal-burning in China—due in part to a summer drought that diminished the country’s rivers and its generation of hydropower—was the biggest contributor to the global surge in emissions.
Not Just the Chinese
But China’s shift didn’t happen in a vacuum. Its emissions rose just as the United States and European Union each saw their emissions decrease more slowly than expected.
In the U.S., higher natural gas prices led to a slight rise in coal burning, for the first time in five years, while oil use also increased. As a result, emissions that had been declining about 1.2 percent a year dropped less than half a percent. In the E.U., emissions dropped less than a quarter percent after a decade of annual declines topping 2 percent a year.
On the other hand, India’s emissions, which had been steadily rising about 6 percent a year, as the country industrializes and rapidly brings electricity to rural areas, are projected to increase by only 2 percent in 2017. That good news is also troubling, because it’s almost certain not to last.
With five of the hottest years on record all having come just since 2010, the big question is whether the renewed emissions growth is a one-time slip or the new normal.
“It’s hard to say whether 2017 is a hiccup on the way to a trajectory that eventually peaks and goes downward—or if it’s about returning to high growth,” Le Quéré says.
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/climate-change-carbon-emissions-rising-environment/
Jeff Boutilier
I wonder if they included all of the fires around the globe , British Columbia was a carbon bomb this year as well as many places globally , well documented here at the scribblers forum of course .
We are in the age where carbon emissions are starting to level off. Whether they continue to do so will depend both on policy and choices by businesses. The fact that we now have fossil fuel sympathetic regimes in the U.S., Australia, in parts of Europe, and in Canada combined with growing political aggression on the parts of petrostates like Russia should be cause for serious concern to those of us in the movement. We are going to have to redouble our efforts to support both helpful industry and policy.
That said, this movement is a somewhat expected blip in the longer term trend. Coal use did rebound somewhat following big losses in 2014-2016. The overall trend is down, though, despite Trump’s best efforts. This can change with major policy victories by fossil fuel industry. We need to ensure that this does not happen or that any damage is limited. Otherwise, we will keep growing emissions into the early 2020s. That would be very unhelpful.
Two points with regard to China – hydro production well down and so coal appears to have replaced that production, hopeful that is just weather variability –
“The main reason for the rise is an expected 3.5% increase in emissions in China, the world’s biggest polluter, where low rains have reduced low-carbon hydroelectric output and industrial activity has increased.” – guardian article today “fossil fuel burning set to hit record high in 2017 scientists warn”
The other reason is politics – Chinese Communist Party Congress 2017 – the party boosts the economy prior to congress and then afterwards suppresses industry –
https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2017/07/17/china-economic-growth-industry-2017/
https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2017/10/30/china-starts-the-biggest-shutdown-of-steel-factories-in-history/
Something positive –
15,000 scientists give catastrophic warning about the fate of the world in new ‘letter to humanity’.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/letter-to-humanity-warning-climate-change-global-warming-scientists-union-concerned-a8052481.html#gallery
https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-abstract/doi/10.1093/biosci/bix125/4605229?redirectedFrom=fulltext
A new, dire “warning to humanity” about the dangers to all of us has been written by 15,000 scientists from around the world.
The message updates an original warning sent from the Union of Concerned Scientists that was backed by 1,700 signatures 25 years ago. But the experts say the picture is far, far worse than it was in 1992, and that almost all of the problems identified then have simply been exacerbated.
Mankind is still facing the existential threat of runaway consumption of limited resources by a rapidly growing population, they warn. And “scientists, media influencers and lay citizens” aren’t doing enough to fight against it, according to the letter.
If the world doesn’t act soon, there be catastrophic biodiversity loss and untold amounts of human misery, they warn.
… Prof Ripple and his colleagues have formed a new independent organisation called the Alliance of World Scientists to voice concerns about environmental sustainability and the fate of humanity.
Fossil Fuel Based Auto Industry Faces Alien Invasion; 440 Starship Model 3s Have Been Manufactured So Far, But that’s Just the First Wave | Valoarea istoriei
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One Good Earl Deserves a Lover by Sarah MacLean
Setting: Regency
Lady Philippa Marbury is…odd.
The brilliant, bespectacled daughter of a double marquess cares more for books than balls, for science than the season, and for laboratories than love. She’s looking forward to marrying her simple fiancé and living out her days quietly with her dogs and her scientific experiments. But before that, Pippa has two weeks to experience all the rest–fourteen days to research the exciting parts of life. It’s not much time, and to do it right she needs a guide familiar with London’s darker corners.
She needs…a Scoundrel.
She needs Cross, the clever, controlled partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, with a carefully crafted reputation for wickedness. But reputations often hide the darkest secrets, and when the unconventional Pippa boldly propositions him, seeking science without emotion, she threatens all he works to protect. He is tempted to give Pippa precisely what she wants…but the scoundrel is more than he seems, and it will take every ounce of willpower to resist giving the lady more than she ever imagined.
I love Sarah MacLean. All her books thus have been sexy, witty, and surprisingly fresh in a genre that can seem very predictable at times. But I never expected how much I would love this book. To be honest, I came into this book with a lot misapprehensions because I thought the way that Philippa and Cross got thrown together was a bit cliche (Philippa’s sister and Cross’s friend are the heroes of the first book in the series) and I couldn’t really see how they would suit each other. A cold, calculating, rakish, gaming hell partner with a socially awkward bluestocking who wears glasses? Not really an ideal match at all!
But I should never have doubted Sarah MacLean’s talent for creating emotionally poignant stories with characters that have so many layers and who slowly reveal themselves to be so perfect for each other, you should never have doubted it in the first place. At least that was the case for me!
This was an amazing book and this was clearly one of Ms. MacLean’s favourites to write because of the amount of thought and downright awesome-ness that was just packed into it. The story was so well paced and flowed so well and yet managed to be unpredictable and fresh at the same time. I loved the way it was written and I honestly had the hardest time putting this down!
Despite not warming to Philippa in the last book when she introduced, I grew to adore this determined, logically based young woman. Sure she can be immature and naive sometimes but that’s part of the reason she is so endearing to the reader. And don’t get me started on Cross who turned out to be one of my biggest romance hero crushes ever! You gotta love a guy who has a thing for the wallflower 😛 I simply adored their scenes together and their love scenes literally had me fanning myself, they were sizzling with tension! I love how they didn’t jump right into bed either but held back-makes it all so much more exciting to read!
To sum it all up: A great plot with great characters and a romance you won’t soon forget! This is definitely one of my top picks for this year! Well done Sarah! Can’t wait for your next book! 😀
Sensuality Rating: Pretty hot (4/5)
Verdict: Just read it! You won’t regret this one!
on June 19, 2013 at 4:32 PM Comments (3)
Tags: avon romance, beautiful book covers, blonde, blue regency gown, book review, geek, girls with glasses, january 2013 book release, rake, Regency Romance, romance hero, romance novel, romance series
A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
Setting: Late Regency 1831
What a scoundrel wants, a scoundrel gets . . .
A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.
A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.
Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them . . . even her heart.
After very much mostly enjoying Ms. MacLean’s first series Love By Numbers, I figured I would enjoy her next series about four fallen aristocrats living in the underworld of London trying to find their way back to society. A great premise and something different from the usual ballroom and afternoon tea drama. I knew it would be good but not this good. Sarah MacLean has really outdone herself here! I’m so glad I read this book as I can safely say it is one of the best romances I have ever read! 😀
This is a story about two very different people who are thrown together and despite the odds end up falling in love.
The heroine is Penelope Marbury, the jilted fiance from Eleven Scandals to Win a Duke’s Heart who was described in a very unflattering light as ‘the grape’ by that book’s very feisty and scandalous heroine. A very odd choice for a heroine as there was nothing particular special about Penelope except that she is so proper and so perfect. But she really shines in this book and I admired the way MacLean pealed back the perfect, demure (dare I say dull?) exterior and revealed a woman of inner strength and selflessness. She ends being a heroine you quite admire, perhaps more than the usual daring, feisty heroines.
As for the hero, Bourne was not just your typical arrogant, rakish so called ‘bad’ hero with a heart a gold: he really was a scoundrel and he had real problems which took time to overcome, especially his desire for revenge. He was admirable, particularly for driving himself to make a good life for himself as part owner of The Fallen Angel gaming hell after he had everything taken from him.
It wasn’t easy liking these two protagonists and it says something that MacLean manged to make both way more than they first appeared and making us root for their happy ever after. They were amazing together and you really believed they were meant for each other. Putting their childhood letters in at the start of every chapter was a very nice touch and allowed us access to their past association. Alot of their scenes had me sighing and truly touched by the real emotions they held for each other. She had to come to terms with the fact he isn’t the man she used to know and he had to accept the fact that if he wanted a future with her, he had to stop his revenge. There isn’t an easy way out for these two but that makes the ending so much more enjoyable.
MacLean writes in a style that reminds me of Anna Campbell, particularly for this book with its dark undertones and focus on the characters’ feelings. Be warned, this is not a happy, light read. There are moments of lightness though, with lots of funny scenes with Penelope’s sisters and some great scenes between the four heroes of this whole series. I enjoyed the peek into the world of Regency gambling, rife with danger and risk.
I also loved the wit, humor and emotion in her writing. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I was surprised at how things ended up. What an amazing read! 😀
Overall, this book is a great example of what historical romance can be when done right. It is funny, deep, touching, romantic, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable! Some readers might be put off by how ‘prudish’ and ‘dull’ the heroine was at the start but stick with the book and I promise you’ll be surprised. It was a joy reading this book and I’m now very impatient to read book 2 and return to the world of The Fallen Angel!
Sensuality Rating: HOT!
Verdict: Absolutely brilliant. Highly recommended. You won’t be able to put it down!
Tags: avon, billiards, entail, ice skating, roulette, the fallen angel, wager
Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart by Sarah MacLean
Setting: Regency 1823
*Third in Love By Numbers trilogy*
She lives for passion
Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society’s rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London’s most practiced gossips…and precisely the kind of woman the Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.
He swears by reputation.
Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening–risking everything he holds dear–he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety.
She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion.
Click cover for excerpt and more info!
I loved Nine Rules, was disappointed with Ten Ways and really hoped that Eleven Scandals would show me once again why I loved Sarah MacLean. I’m very happy to say that this was a book that did credit to Sarah and I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, touching (and spicy!) opposites attract story! 😀
Juliana, the heroine, is the outspoken Italian miss who’s scandalous past makes her stand out among the English roses of high society. Readers who have followed the series from book one know just how outrageous she is with her impulsive speech and how lovable she is with her lack of knowledge of English phrases and her insecurity about fitting in. From book one, I wanted this spunky, yet secretly vulnerable heroine to get her own book and was so excited when this book came out!
Simon, our greatly esteemed duke is the perfect match for our feisty heroine and the sparks are there every time these two meet! He’s obsessed with propriety but secretly guards a hidden passionate nature to match hers 😉 It was hard liking this stuck-up, snobbish, self-righteous hero but thankfully he turned out ok in the end! So she’s too improper and he’s too proper-so you know these two have got things to teach other. A lot like Pride and Prejudice, the story features opposites who bicker and duel but end up learning things from each other and end up happily ever after. (Oh wait, that was a spoiler! :P)
And like Nine Rules, the story was unpredictable enough to keep a veteran romance reader like myself hooked. It had a couple of twists I generally didn’t see coming! I also love Sarah’s writing-witty, sophisticated and just so good that part of the pleasure of this book came from just enjoying her writing alone. Simon and Juliana were adorable together and I loved seeing them get their happily ever after! The only thing that could have been improved was seeing more of Simon’s transformation into a man Juliana could love. I felt that it kinda happened too suddenly, without much explanation.
In terms of plotline, the story was very character-driven and there was no external villain-instead the hero and heroine had to deal with their (at first) unwanted feelings for each other. The love scenes were pretty spicy, and were probably made more so by seeing such a proper, stiff hero succumb to his baser passions 😉 I also loved seeing the heroes and heroines from the other novels and how they were getting on. It’s always nice to see what happens after happily ever after. 🙂
So, if you’re looking for a well-written, fresh, witty, touching, spicy romance reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, pick this one up-you won’t regret it! Can’t wait for Sarah’s next book!
Sensuality Rating: Hot (Love scenes are pretty long and pretty explicit)
Verdict: A sweet, witty romance and a perfect ending to a good trilogy!
Rating: 4 and a half out of 5 stars
on September 19, 2011 at 9:47 PM Comments (2)
Tags: avon romance review, eleven scandals book trailer, eleven scandals to start to win a duke's heart review, pride and prejudice adaptation, pride and prejudice romance, sarah maclean book trailer, sarah maclean romance review
Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean
Since being named “London’s Lord to Land” by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St. John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps—only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met!
The daughter of a titled wastrel, Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though she is used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.
But the lady must be wary and not do anything reckless and foolish…like falling madly, passionately in love.
After reading and loving the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait for the second one, especially since I had kinda fallen for the hero as a secondary character in the first one. 😉 Nick seemed like an awesome hero and since I personally have a soft spot for kind, honorable heroes rather than the more rakish ones, I was just dying to read this one.
I wish I could say I loved it and that it was a worthy sequel but that would be a lie. There was so much promise for this one but somewhere along the way, the potential was lost in a predictable, cheesy, improbable and frankly quite dull novel. The beginning was funny, witty and promised another great read but once the hero/heroine met, things went downhill.
It was clear from the start that the hero/heroine were meant for each other which heightened my anticipation for when they met, but I was very disappointed. They just didn’t have enough chemistry! Nick who was a great secondary character in the first one, was just plain bland here. It was enough to put me off the ‘good’ hero for good, which isn’t right because I know from personal experience, if done right, they make awesome swoon worthy heroes. He had his moments though but he couldn’t save this book. Isabel was your typical independent, spunky heroine but that was about it. I tried to sympathize with her situation but I couldn’t help feeling that she really didn’t have much to complain about. I just couldn’t admire her all that much. The conflict was also not big enough to keep me hooked and I just struggled through the book, waiting for it too pick up which it never did.
The plot was also full of improbabilities. I mean more than 3/4 of the book took place in 4 days! 4 days and we have the heroine, who has been let down by every man in her life (and has some serious trust issues) completely falling for the hero. I mean really, realistically, it would take a much longer time for her to trust a man so absolutely. Isabel runs a house protecting young women which was a bit improbable but acceptable. What wasn’t was how she actually climbed on a roof to try to fix it, in full view of the hero. I just felt like banging my head on a wall, her behavior was so beyond what was acceptable.
And then after being let down the first half by the H and H, I waited to meet the characters from the first book and spend more time with them but even that was a letdown. The heroine didn’t even meet any of the previous characters! They all appeared for like two pages and were gone! The only light here was meeting the hero for the next book, who will prove interesting!
The love scenes were bland as well, and just seemed like copies of the love scenes in the first book-Looks like the brothers really are twins-they even have sex the same way!! :O I just found the scenes cheesy and unlikely as Isabel just seemed to jump right onto Nick’s lap without even the slightest consideration for propriety or even the smallest concern for her virtue.
Please, Ms MacLean, I know you can do much better than this! I’ll be reading your next book just because I have so much faith in you!
Sensuality Rating: Hot (Long and explicit scenes)
Final Verdict: Sorry to say, but you should skip this one and wait for book three!
Tags: good hero, isabel, ladies magazine, nick, nine rules to break when romancing a rake, pearls and pelisses, Regency Romance, Sarah Maclean, secret, sexy romance, ten ways to be adored review, trilogy, twin brother romance
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean
A lady does not smoke cheroot.
She does not ride astride.
She does not fence or attend duels.
She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen’s club.
Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she’s vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she’s been missing. But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.
If she’s not careful, she’ll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .
Click cover to order from Amazon
A book that starts with an adventurous list… What’s not to like?
I completely fell in love with this book from page one. Callie was such a great heroine and one with issues we all can relate to. She’s been a wallflower much of her life because she isn’t considered beautiful by society’s standards and yet she’s passionate, adventurous and so much more than anyone would have expected. I really related to her and rooted for her the entire novel.
Ralston on the other hand… Well, let’s just say he had me glued to the page, my cheeks aflame for much of the book. 😛
But it wasn’t just his obvious sexiness that hooked me, it was his ability to recognize Callie as worth so much more than his typical courtesans-to fall in love with her and see her for the true beauty she really is.
As for the rest of the characters, they were all easy to fall in love with as well-Callie’s sister and brother and Ralston’s sister and brother were all great; really fleshed out characters that are REAL.
The romance was spicy and well-written and it was clear that Callie and Ralston were well-matched. I love that in books when you can really see the connection between a hero and heroine and I could certainly see it in this one. I loved how Raslton was simultaneously irritated and bewitched by Callie-it made for some spicy interludes. The interactions between them were also so real you can almost imagine them taking place right in front of you.
The premise was unique and very well carried out-It wasn’t at all predictable in terms of what she would do to get the things on her list ticked off and more than that, the book was funny. I laughed several times throughout at the wittiness and the antics that the characters performed. Sarah Maclean has some serious talent and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with for the hero of her next book, Ralston’s twin brother, Nick!
Sensuality Level: Very, very spicy 😉 (Very explicit love scenes)
Verdict: It was fresh, witty, sexy and very romantic–Sarah Maclean is now on my favourite authors list!
on April 16, 2010 at 10:24 AM Comments (5)
Tags: callie, dance, duels, fence, gabriel, gamble, kiss, list, love, nine rules, partner, passionate, pistol, rake, regency, riding, romance, romancing, romantic, Sarah Maclean, sexy, smoke cheroot, wallflower
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samirdatar in Random thoughts, Talking about social issues July 6, 2011 July 6, 2011 359 Words
‘Foot in the mouth’ disease
Mr. Azad, this is a far bigger disease than the one you have quoted and then scurried around to retract! And everyone knows that for politicians, it is a chronic one. Our Prime Minister suffered from it too last week. Make a comment and then claim the next day that 1. Never said it or 2. Been misquoted.
I am not going to comment on homosexuality… I have absolutely no views or opinion on anybody’s sexual preferences. But I do have a view and an opinion on people like Mr. Azad and people like him who think they are the custodians of Indian culture and morality. Who gave you the power to be so? What are your credentials? If you ask me.. I believe that people who shout the most.. are the ones who have a lot to hide..
Politicians and moral gatekeepers… the world around you is changing. You surely need to get your head out of the sand and look around.. There are far bigger issues that ail us as a nation.. address them… what two people do in a closed room or wherever is none of your business. People have a life to lead.. let them.
If you really want to do something… then enrich their lives.. make it comfortable… worth living.
There is a lot you can do for the nation and its people.. do those things.
Mr. Azad probably felt that Mr. Sibal was getting more mileage in media and decided to get himself in the news.. Well you had your moment in the sun.
Now if you are over your disease, get around to the ensuring better health delivery system to the people. There are people who die every day due to poor or non-existent health facilities.. How about doing something for them? You are the health minister… right?
Indian Health Minister Sees Homosexuality as ‘Disease’ (censorshipinamerica.com)
India’s Health Minister: Gays are a Disease from the West (releasedorothy.wordpress.com)
India Health Minister Defends ‘Gay Disease’ Comment (towleroad.com)
India Health Minister Unsuccessfully Tries To Walk Back Gay Disease Comments (lezgetreal.com)
Being gay is a disease, says Indian minister (windsorstar.com)
I got a peeve against Colgate
Is this Automobile advertising?
One thought on “‘Foot in the mouth’ disease”
Kapil says:
seems Mr. Azad got a taste of taking it from the back side after this comment. I am sure by now he has realised it aint such a bad thing. Men have prostates after all.
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Tetris Hardcore Porn
In honor of 25 years of Tetris.
Labels: Geekery, Online Animation
Reservoir Dogs Take Manhattan
NSFW. Cap doffed to Darius Whiteplume.
Yo, Joe! Episodes 1-5
G.I. Joe: The Pyramid of Darkness
These are the first five episodes of the regular series G.I. Joe, but they're also a five-part miniseries, so let's just deal with them that way. Once again, I remember WGN aired these daily and then all together as a movie on the weekend. This was always my favorite of the miniseries, partly because of all the outer space stuff, and partly because it was so Shipwreck-heavy.
This opens pretty much like The Revenge of Cobra, only instead of escorting a laser core, the Joe team is escorting a space shuttle into launch position. The shuttle platform is moving surprisingly fast, too; in reality, it takes many hours. The Joes are cracking wise, but not as wise as in The Revenge of Cobra (where Flint opines "Remember, snake is sneak spelled sideways").
Well, it shouldn't be a surprise by now that Cobra immediately attacks in force. Just like before, we're seeing lots of new characters all over the place. The Cobra strike is led by Tomax and Xamot, the Crimson Twins, and they just creep me out. Seriously, you want to talk subtext? These twins not only finish each others' sentences, they also feel each others' pain--when one gets punched, the other feels it, too. Wow, that's just... wow.
Cobra Commander is watching the strike from a distance rather than leading it this time. Tomax and Xamot are trying to drag the shuttle away, which is going to take days... They're flying in those flight pods the Joes call "Trouble Bubbles," when a couple of new Joes fly up on jetpacks and take the fight to the twins. These are Alpine and Bazooka, two of my favorite characters, but the introduction of Alpine is kind of the death knell for Stalker as a character. More Joes are getting pushed into the background, some of them further than they have been already.
Well, now Destro leads a reinforcement squad of Rattler planes, but the Joe counterattack, led by Gung Ho, gets the advantage. The Cobra retreat is especially messy; Cobra Commander and the Crimson Twins are pretty much at the height of incompetence here, and Scrap Iron fouls things up even further. The Joes actually capture the Commander and the twins for a moment, but these gigantic Cobra robots save them.
Seriously, you're attacking a space shuttle platform, and you don't think the giant robots should have been in the first wave?
The robots head underwater, and Shipwreck, Snake Eyes, Roadblock and some others follow in those underwater SHARC jet things they've got. Shipwreck, by the way, has acquired a parrot named Polly, voiced by Frank Welker with a real smartass quality. Typically, Shipwreck is often frustrated with Polly; how come they're never friends in these situations? Meanwhile, Flint and Lady Jaye (oh, good, lots more of them) fly their Skystrikers into a city chasing after Destro, causing a lot of property damage to windows.
Underwater, Cobra Commander and the Crimson Twins escape. The robots sink Shipwreck and Snake Eyes who, unbeknownst to anyone else, escape into the Cobra complex. The rest of the Joes are forced to retreat. In the city, Destro escapes by flying into a hidden hangar placed in the office building of Extensive Enterprises. (I love the vehicles on G.I. Joe; they never have to gradually cruise or land like a real plane, they just come to a perfect stop).
Tomax and Xamot are actually the CEOs of Extensive Enterprises and, like most corporations in the eighties, are delighted to deal with international criminals. Turns out the Cobra attack was just a distraction to give Zartan room to get aboard and load some "special cargo." Hmm...
There are Joes onboard the shuttle, too. Breaker, Mutt (with Junkyard--first the dog gets to fly in an F-14 and now he's in outer space?), Steeler, and a new guy called Dusty notice the shuttle knocked out of its smooth launch by extra weight that hasn't been accounted for. There's also some guy called Sgt. Popper aboard who is obviously Zartan in disguise. They're headed for Joe Space Station Delta, where Duke and Scarlett (relegated to outer space this time? jeez!) guide them into the docking station.
Becca finds Dusty irritating. She calls him "the Matthew McConaughey one." Plus she thinks wearing desert camouflage on his face while piloting a space shuttle is pretentious. (I love Mutt, though; he's just cool.) He's all impressed with his luck for having command responsibilities on his first mission: "Too much!" While the mystery cargo bin is taken off by Mutt and Dusty, Sgt. Popper stays behind to lower another cargo bin and check inside; it's the Dreadnoks with a bunch of ATVs so, I guess, they can do motorcycle gang stuff in outer space. Seriously, the flight plan didn't account for one cargo bin, but it did account for the weight of the Dreadnoks and their ATVs? I guess I should just be impressed that the writer (Ron Friedman, same as the other two miniseries) thought about the weight issue at all. Science!
The unauthorized cargo contains these cute little furry creatures. Junkyard hates them right away, but Scarlett thinks they're most cutest things EVAR. It's Scarlett's girliest moment so far. Mutt finds a card from Cobra Commander calling the creatures a gift and giving them they very un-Cobra name "Fatal Fluffies." Who do you think picked that out? Cobra Commander? Destro? Major Bludd?
Then Zartan reveals himself and blows a whistle which causes the Fatal Fluffies to suddenly grow, Gremlins-style, into these extremely pissed off troll-things that look like a cross between the goblins from the Rankin-Bass Hobbit and Ewoks drawn by Rob Liefeld (who gives everyone big, bulging, engorged tits, even the men). Oh, and they breathe fire. And carry laser pistols. And, with the help of the Dreadnoks, they capture the Joes and the space station pretty handily. So, once again, for the third time in three miniseries, Duke is a prisoner. And now, so are Mutt, Steeler, Breaker, Dusty, Scarlett, and Rock 'n' Roll.
Hey, how are things going underwater? Shipwreck and Snake Eyes, with Polly and Timber in tow, get into a subway tunnel under Extensive Enterprises, and there are Cobras everywhere. Ship at least has the grace to say "Yeah, who'd notice a wet sailor with a parrot and a masked silent man with a timber wolf... I think we're in major trouble." They're not exactly inconspicuous. I can kind of understand Junkyard as a military dog, but what is the G.I. Joe policy on pets, anyway? Like Ship and Snake don't have enough to worry about without dragging pets along? (Of course, as a kid, I loved that they were off doing stuff with a wolf and a parrot, and that's really the point, isn't it?)
Oh, and if Shipwreck became, in the last miniseries, the Han Solo of G.I. Joe--and I maintain that he did--I love that this miniseries makes Snake Eyes his Chewbacca. You can bet that dynamic was at the forefront of my action figure adventures. They knock out a couple of Cobra Eels (the divers) and take their uniforms.
So, Flint recaps. In the last couple of hours, the shuttle was attacked, communication with Space Station Delta has been lost, two Joes are missing, and the captured Cobra leaders have escaped. Well, he's honest about the crappiness of the situation, I'll give him that. Conveniently, Zartan sends a transmission to let them know he's got the space station, then fires on the Joe HQ and nearly demolishes it. No one thinks to ask why G.I. Joe has a high-powered death weapon in outer space.
The new Cobra base is behind a waterfall; another building with giant snakes carved into it. Do they just have construction teams working constantly in several locations at once? Cobra Commander, pleased at the destruction of G.I. Joe, reveals his plan to the audience: the space station will use four cubes placed in strategic positions across the planet to create a zone that will dampen all electricity within it. It looks like a pyramid--hence, the Pyramid of Darkness--and without electricity to power factories, the world will fall into chaos and Cobra will reign supreme.
Well, it doesn't take a genius to guess that the Joes survived the explosion. Shipwreck and Snake Eyes, however, are about to be destroyed by an overly-complicated death trap and a robot (seriously, Cobra Commander should just stop it with the terrorist shit and build robots, he could make a fortune) because Ship's voice identification doesn't match Cobra's voice records. I mean, we're talking circular saw blades, spikes in the ground, the walls closing in. Crazy! The robot couldn't just shoot intruders? How much money does Cobra waste on this inefficient stuff? And they're saved by Polly, who says the passwords... somehow, Polly's voice is on file? Can you imagine the poor Cobra soldier who has that voice? The others must just rip on him all the time. (Becca reminds me that the voice sounds like Cobra Commander to the machine.)
Well, safely inside the base, they can see four enormous black cubes being constructed. Shipwreck places a homing device on one before being questioned by the foreman about Polly and Timber. Finally, someone notices, for crying out loud! I love Shipwreck's feint that the animals belong to Destro: "Hitler had a canary, Attila the Hun liked goldfish. What can I tell you?"
Flint establishes a temporary base on an aircraft carrier with the permission of Admiral Ledger. Ledger has the worst voice so far in the history of G.I. Joe. He sounds like a woman pretending to be an annoyed, gravelly-voiced man. If you've ever listened to Howard Stern and heard Robin doing that voice, you know what I'm talking about (remember the Match Game parody in Private Parts?). He also digs at Lady Jaye about women being bad luck at sea. I understand, Admiral; I don't like Lady Jaye, either. I love the exchange when she tells him it's an old Navy superstition: "Old Navy is what I am. I've been at sea for so long whales ask me for directions." Ah, traditional sexism.
The Joes pick up Shipwreck's homing beacon on a cube headed to the Devil's Playground, a volcanic area. So this is the treasure hunt this time around; the difference is that Cobra is trying to place something instead of recover or collect something, and the Joes are trying to stop them. Flint mobilizes a Joe team and gives Admiral Ledger (and the boys watching) a brief lecture about Lady Jaye being not just a lady, but also a teammate. Obviously, but I still don't like her.
On Space Station Delta, Zartan has cut off the gravity to keep the Joes off their feet and force them to work on the Cobra weapon. The Fatal Fluffies keep them in line with these electric whips and the Dreadnoks zip around on their ATVs like morons. Dusty justifies his place on the team by figuring out that he can send a message to the Joes, then acting crazy as a distraction to put his plan in motion. He forces his way to the gravity controls, switches the gravity back on (don't ask me the science of all this), escapes the Dreadnoks, and, with the great timing of Mutt on the gravity controls, and makes it to the control center where Duke is being held prisoner, but Dusty gets captured at the last second. You almost made it, Dusty. Good try. Not like Duke, who seems to just enjoy being taken captive now. Poor guy. Cobra Commander must have really messed up all the way back in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. I wonder if he's relieved or disappointed that there's not an Arena of Sport in space.
At the Devil's Playground, Destro is directing the cube installation. There's a fantastic moment when some of the corrosive liquid from a nearby pool splashes on to Destro's steel mask, and he just sands it off with a belt sander. Awesome. It's the little moments of humanity that make this work. (Look at the guy in the middle of the picture there. He's all like "Destro's an idiot. Why do we listen to this guy? Look at him with lava juice all over his face, man. Ass.")
Flint and Lady Jaye attack and are shot down. Who makes those Skystrikers, AMC? They shatter like Gremlins.
In the Cobra construction plant, Shipwreck and Snake Eyes find out about the Pyramid of Darkness and steal the laserdisc that programs the assembly line. They escape on a rail cart. On the Space Station, Dusty hatches another plan and another distraction. He tricks the Fatal Fluffies into fighting each other and then breaks into the communication lines, rerouting them (via a jumper cable!) so that the Cobra transmissions can be received on Joe frequency. Dusty and Mutt are captured, but the plan works and the Joes on the aircraft carrier learn that the second and third cubes are being installed at the City of the Dead (some kind of Mongolian temple) and the Mountain of Glass.
Roadblock decides it's time to retaliate. Some more new guys: Footloose and Airtight. I always loved Airtight when I was a kid (one of the action figures I still have, actually), and I can see why here. He's such a nerd, checking and rechecking his calculations on fuel consumption, very excited. Footloose decides to simply mellow out; he's one of those laid back hippie types. Roadblock gets them in line pretty fast. They're going to the City of the Dead. The mission to the Mountain of Glass is led by Alpine and Bazooka.
Back to Shipwreck and Snake Eyes: how the hell is that wolf pumping the rail cart? How? That's just... but...
Anyway, they escape and wind up in a bad part of town. Just like Flint and Mutt showed us in The Revenge of Cobra, Joes apparently turn into pussies when they're on the wrong side of the tracks.
So, for the Devil's Playground being volcanic, the liquid seems to be pretty harmless and not lava or anything. I mean, Flint and Lady Jaye fall in and they survive. When they fall in they aren't worried about melting or burning, they're worried about drowning. What is it? Is it just, like, mud? Even then, they're fine; Lady Jaye's javelins are like Green Arrow's arrows--all purpose, but also incredibly lame. She pulls one out that creates a bubble of air that not only lets them breathe, it floats them to the surface. There's some lame flirting on the part of Lady Jaye that's met with stammering from Flint, and this Archie Comics scene mercifully ends. I hate Lady Jaye; Scarlett's so tough, and Lady Jaye just craves the attention and acknowledgment. I'm just going to start calling her Not-Scarlett.
After all of the interesting, creative villains we've seen for Cobra, it's disappointing that the Cobra agent following Shipwreck and Snake Eyes is just some guy with a scar dressed like an undercover cop. He's got an almost-cool name: Colonel Slash. He tails them to the Snake Club (seriously, this Cobra underground society is getting way out of hand), where Ship and Snake see a singer named, in the lamest 80s tradition, Satin. She sings "The Cobra Who Got Away." Shipwreck is obviously very taken with Satin.
Way to be subtle. Seriously, Ship, keep in your pants.
No! Don't come on so strong, Ship! Gaah!
Satin informs Shipwreck that Cobra agents are closing in, so she pulls he and Snake Eyes on stage and they start dancing in the Vegas-style chorus line. It's hard to say who loses their dignity the most, but...
...I know it was the 80s, but Snake Eyes breakdancing? Can you imagine this happening now? If Snake Eyes pops and locks in the new movie, fans will tear down the rafters, they're so humorless. (And yes, that is Timber dancing behind him. There's apparently nothing this wolf can't do.)
Back to the Devil's Playground, which has nothing to do with rumspringa. The cuba has all of these mechanical arms it can use to defend itself, allowing Destro to escape after the installation is complete. First one down. The cube even has laser rifles it can use to fend off the Joes while it tries to squeeze Flint and Not-Scarlett to death.
At the Snake Club, Satin leads Shipwreck and Snake Eyes into a hidden passage. Polly says "'All the world's a stage;' William Shakespeare." Shipwreck answers "'Can it, birdbrain;' Shipwreck Delgado." I think this is the first instance of one of the Joes' real names being mentioned. (It's Hector X. Delgado, for the record.)
Tomax and Xamot are leading the cube installation at the City of the Dead. They arrive before the Joes do and hide behind the Guardians of the Dead, which are meant to evoke the Terracotta Warriors. The Guardians are awakened when Airtight steps on a certain stone, and the twins plan to wait until the Guardians destroy the Joes to place the cube.
Our old mate Major Bludd is in charge of the third cube at the Mountain of Glass, which is in the Antarctic or something. Again, Cobra is ahead of G.I. Joe and Alpine and Bazooka are attacked as soon as they're in range. Joe and Cobra are separated by a platform of ice, which Alpine breaks by yodeling because, quite frankly, Alpine's awesome (so is Bazooka, for that matter--Alpine is like the smooth Lando Calrissian of G.I. Joe, but I'm not sure what that makes Bazooka then. Nein Numb? Too insulting...). They cross the chasm with the Bridgelayer, driven by Tollbooth. Tollbooth only cameos whenever they need a bridge. I can just see the guy sipping coffee in his tank. "Oh, hey, Tollbooth, we need a bridge!" "Yo, Joe!" "Alright, thanks, Tollbooth!" "Alright, then." And then he goes back to sipping coffee and trying to finish The Sound and the Fury. He's got the time. Alpine and Bazooka climb the mountain with plans to attack Major Bludd from behind.
I don't know where Satin's hidden passage (that sounds naughty) leads to, but when we see Satin now she's in her dressing room. Col. Slash enters without knocking; she calls him a "maxi-jerk" (oh, you 1980s, you) and reminds him that Cobra Commander is her biggest fan. And she's got, like, this signed picture of the Commander. Which is weird, because Cobra Commander is beyond asexual. It's hard to imagine him romancing anyone who isn't Zartan. And even then, the Commander would be a bottom. Which, come on, it's hard being a terrorist despot bent on world domination, sometimes you want to give up a little power, right? Blows off steam. Plus, Zartan seems like pretty rough trade, and you know the Commander likes the whole English punk thing; and even then, Zartan is also kind of urbane. He's like Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but maybe he's a little more caring. And... anyway... moving on to something less subtextual...
Satin hands the guy in the sailor suit open at the chest with the pet parrot some disguises to get out with, and he immediately hands the dress over to the mute guy in the skintight black. Oh, Jesus. Let's go back to the Mountain of Glass.
Alpine's plan to attack Cobra's flank would have worked if Bazooka hadn't been so clumsy; he falls, knocks them down a slope, and the ice falling warns Major Bludd. The Joes at the City of the Dead fight the Guardians but manage to capture Tomax. And at the Devil's Playground, Flint and Not-Scarlett are freed. The cubes are energizing and the Pyramid of Darkness is nearly complete.
Bazooka has injured his leg, and Alpine tries to carry him, but they're attacked by Storm Shadow, who is so much of a badass that he doesn't even need to protect himself from the elements. He's just wearing his gi and commanding some Snow Serpents. There's some brief laser fire exchange, but Alpine and Bazooka start drifting away on an ice floe and are attacked by some hungry leopard seals. (The perspective on the leopard seals is as problematic as Ramar's in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero; sometimes they're huge, sometimes they look too small to be threatening.) But they're saved by a guy called Quick Kick.
Quick Kick and Storm Shadow fight; at first they're evenly matched, but Quick Kick actually manages to kick Storm Shadow's ass pretty, well, quickly. Quick Kick is, at his very core, a rip-off of Bruce Lee. And why not? Everyone had a Bruce Lee character at some point or another. He seems like a cool guy--he reminds me of my Uncle Del, who is Japanese but talks with an American accent--but he's actually quite obnoxious. Turns out Quick Kick--who is also so badass that he doesn't need to protect himself from the elements--is a Hollywood stuntman who was abandoned by his director while filming a commercial for Frozen Fudgies (not to be confused, of course, with Fatal Fluffies). There's an implication that the director left Quick Kick to freeze to death over money, but I think it's because Quick Kick is so irritating. He keeps breaking into all of these impressions of famous people--John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart; basically the impressions every guy thinks he can do really well.
Quick Kick, Alpine, and Bazooka hitch a ride underneath Major Bludd's HISS tank and simply let the Cobras take them to their secret base. Bazooka asks for a Frozen Fudgie (he simply says "Fudgie!"--that horrified Becca for a second), and we learn they're made with chocolate fudge, taffy, raisins and nut. They sound terrible, but Bazook likes 'em.
So, serious question about Bazooka: does anyone else think he's retarded? I kind of think he is. He's simple, childlike, makes a lot of childish mistakes, and doesn't say very much. I don't know, having worked in special education, he reminds me of a retarded kid. I don't think that lessens him--I love the guy. In fact, being retarded would kind of make him cooler. The retarded G.I. Joe.
Oh, by the way, Major Bludd has activated the third cube.
Back at the aircraft carrier, Roadblock reads Tomax his two rights--fists, that is. Roadblock totally wants to engage in some prisoner abuse to find out the location of the Cobra base. Tomax, however, blinds the Joes with some sort of device in his Cobra insignia and tries to escape. He nearly does, too, except that Roadblock is frigging awesome and recaptures Tomax with a minimum of effort.
Xamot, at a Cobra meeting, can feel everything that's happening to Tomax. Cobra Commander asks what's wrong with him and Destro explains about their creepy psychic bond. The Commander's reaction is priceless: "How revolting!" Tell me about it, Commander. Somehow, this allows Xamot to feel where they're holding Tomax--by the Sea of Lost Souls, where they're going to plant the fourth and final cube. Cobra Commander refuses to let Xamot run off to free his brother, but acquiesces when Xamot reminds him that Extensive Enterprises has funded the Pyramid of Darkness. Destro, ever the smartest guy in the room, knows that Cobra Commander plans to let the Joes capture both twins and be done with them.
By the way, the Baroness has finally shown up, into the fourth episode, to attend the meeting. Oh, Baroness. She's started listening to Destro when he talks about the Commander's incompetence.
So, if you thought a breakdancing Snake Eyes was the worst of it, here's something else exceptionally silly. Satin makes it to a Cobra checkpoint, claiming she's got a gig at the Cobra Temple. The guard orders everyone inside to come out. And, in nightmarish disguise, they do.
Now, Shipwreck looks like some kind of disfigured Muppet in this outfit, spouting all kinds of crazy shit about hip music and crap. It's like an awful, scarily accurate parody of how bad cartoons in 1985 were, especially ones like Jem that were supposed to be all rock-oriented.
How's this for loss of dignity? Snake Eyes in the worst parody of femininity I've seen this side of Coco. He reminds me of how my sister and her friends used to play dress-up and put on the gaudiest shit. A lot of girls in the eighties dressed like that and actually went out of the house. Ladies, did you learn nothing from the Runaways?
You think that's bad?
And this?
Yes, yes, look upon this horror. I guarantee you Shipwreck occasionally wakes up all sweaty and scared, unable to burn this image out of his brain no matter how much he drinks. No wonder he stopped palling around with Snake Eyes and started hitting so heavily on Cover Girl; he just wanted to get the image of Snake Eyes in a dress and wig out of his fucking brain.
And then they sing! And dance! And play the sax! Quick, somebody do something violent so we can move on!
That's better. They escape and we can all get out of here. Now let us never speak of this again.
Destro and the Baroness are going to oversee the installation of the final cube, and then...
...whoa! WHOOO, YEAH! Destro's gonna get it on with the hottest chick on this show! And apparently she likes the taste of stainless steel, so it's all good.
Anyway, Flint and Not-Scarlett lead a team to head off Cobra, but fail miserably, and the Pyramid of Darkness descends, turning off all of the electricity for what looks like everyone in the northern hemisphere. Xamot rescues Tomax and they get away in a raft pulled by sharks, which is pretty effing cool. Destro and the Baroness get away in an oar-powered Viking longboat, which is even cooler. Cobra's got style. Not to be outdone, the Joes harness these massive sails from... somewhere... and turn the aircraft carrier into a sailing vessel. The aircraft carrier has stopped because of the Pyramid--true to G.I. Joe form, the ship has just stopped. Not drifting. It just stops in the water.
Well, the Crimson Twins are merely creepy, not stupid; they know Cobra Commander has intended to leave them behind, so they enact their contingency plan. They fire a flare into the air, which is a signal to the Dreadnoks to take charge of operations on the space station--they even take Zartan prisoner! Which proves they have no loyalties at all. Except for the fact that they're pretty much always working for someone at Cobra...
Oh, and Satin drops off the boys. Shipwreck wants her to stay and help them fight--he's in love with her--but she's going to fight them her own way. Apparently, Cobra Commander framed her father and he never recovered. Plus, probably, she saw Shipwreck in that stupid hipster outfit and just can't look at him the same way anymore. At least they've still got that Cobra laserdisc.
Cobra Commander is, as usual, preening with anticipated victory, wondering how he's going to declare his ultimatum to the world (back to the camera, or close-up?), not considering for a moment that the entire northern hemisphere is now without power and the superpowers aren't going to be able to catch the broadcast. But the Crimson Twins walk in and tell him that they control Space Station Delta and, therefore, the Pyramid of Darkness. But they do offer to let Cobra Commander remain a figurehead of the organization if he cooperates. Cobra Commander is really, really pissed off.
Alpine, Bazoooka, and Quick Kick make it to the Cobra Temple and steal a transport plane; unfortunately, there are Cobras inside who attack them mid-air. Bazooka, still injured, is pushed into the controls and the plane goes into a dive. And when they're righted, the plane gets shot down. The three have to make it out in Trouble Bubbles, which I guess Quick Kick just knows how to operate, and then commandeer the helicopter that shot them down. And I guess this is all in the southern hemisphere, because otherwise this wouldn't work, right? Right? Actually, when they enter the Pyramid, the helicopter starts to die. Where they heck were they coming from?
Well, back at Joe HQ, everyone's trying to fix the place up (Gung Ho's grumbling about it) when the power surges back on and Cobra Commander appears via broadcast, introducing the world to the new supreme leaders of Cobra: Tomax and Xamot. They elbow the Commander into the background, leading Ace to quip "Looks like Cobra Commander's having a little power failure of his own." Hey, Ace? Try flying a plane that doesn't crash, and we'll let you have your little jokes, alright?
Anyway, yada yada yada, surrender to Cobra, ditto ditto. Their threat is that they'll increase the intensity of the Pyramid if the world doesn't surrender. I'm not sure what kind of threat that is, honestly. I mean, what will they do? Turn the electricity even more off? They really don't have any next level to go to. I'm not sure anyone even brings this up, and Stalker's right there. He's smart. I mean, Wild Bill, Ace, Cover Girl, Tripwire and Gung Ho aren't going to win any spelling bees, but come on, Stalk!
By the way, Shipwreck and Snake Eyes make it back to headquarters by riding cows. It almost makes up for the disguises. Almost. And they have the laserdisc with information on the cubes. Too bad there's no power...
The Dreadnoks, meanwhile, are throwing the whole thing in Zartan's face, playing the ultimatum video over and over to torture him with it. Mutt's had enough of their shit and commands Junkyard to grab the whistle that controls the Fatal Fluffies, which Torch has taken from Zartan. With the whistle, the Fluffies shrink back to their original size and the Joes capture the Dreadnoks. (By the way, Doc and Clutch are on board and have had, like, zero dialog.) (And look at Junkyard up there. Man, he looks really pissed off.) They free Duke and shut off the Pyramid. So I guess Quick Kick doesn't die this time.
Cobra Commander is livid. He immediately retakes control of Cobra from those Crimson Clowns and contacts Destro, who is still making out with the Baroness.
And then Destro's all "She's got something in her eye!" and Cobra Commander's all "Her eye, my eye!" The Commander wants Destro to scramble up to a mountain top and build a low-altitude version of the Pyramid before the Joes can mobilize. Shipwreck pops in the laserdisc and, via video conference, he and Flint analyze it. Apparently, there's a self-destruct mechanism for the cubes, but it's located in the Cobra Temple. And Destro gets that new Pyramid running right away.
But Alpine, Bazooka, and Quick Kick make it to Joe HQ just as their helicopter dies again, and they sure know where the Cobra Temple is. Alpine's a little too impressed with Quick Kick, introducing him as "star of stage, screen and regular on The Gong Show" and "stuntman extraordinaire." Ouch. And then, when he's telling his story to the Joes and Shipwreck asks him to "replay that part about the Cobra base," Quick Kick mimics the sound of a rewinding tape. Smurfing hell, this guy is obnoxious. Shipwreck leads the charge to mobilize, so I guess Quick Kick is in G.I. Joe now. What is the application process, do you think? Just like Shipwreck, now some stuntman can just walk in with his annoying impressions and be a Joe.
The Joes get to the Cobra Temple F-A-S-T, but it's cool that Shipwreck is leading the assault because, you know, the awesomeness. The Crimson Twins use the Cobra Dragon, a snake-headed cannon that emits waves of intense heat to disable the Joes, who start falling from heatstroke. Once again, Alpine saves the day with his yodeling, aided by Bazooka and Quick Kick, who bring the rocks raining down on the Dragon.
Cobra Commander and the twins escape in a Rattler plane, but Polly accidentally rests on the self-destruct lever and, to Shipwreck's delight, blows up the cubes. The Pyramid effects vanish, and Cobra Commander wonderfully cries out "I lost my cubes! My wonderful cubes, all gone! Now I'll never rule the world. I hate this job!" Flint and a squadron of Skystrikers chase after the Rattler, but they make it to the hidden hangar inside Extensive Enterprises; the two towers shed and reveal a rocket and gantry hidden inside!
While Duke rushes to rig a proton beam strong enough to destroy the rocket, Shipwreck and Snake Eyes head into the tower elevator and meet up with Satin again. She's already on her way to get her revenge on the Commander. When they get to the top, she corners him and jams his helmet into the control panel. After a brief fight, Ship, Snake, and Satin escape in Trouble Bubbles. The Commander's helmet is actually stuck to the control panel, but the twins free him and manage to fly off just before Duke's proton beam rushes down from space and destroys the rocket. At the same time, Zartan and the Dreadnoks manage to get into an escape pod and get away from the space station.
So, the Joes are victorious, Cobra is defeated, and Shipwreck gets the girl. And none of the Cobra leaders get arrested this time. In fact, they all meet up later on the subway in their own disguises...
Wow, this one looks like the cover of a crudely drawn adult novel. Let's just skip the lame banter between Flint and Not-Scarlett and fade out on this one. Destro the construction worker just somehow makes it all worthwhile...
Next week, I'll start on the regular series. I think I'll probably discuss a few at a time, probably not in as much detail as I've been doing. The regular episodes are less expansive than the miniseries, so there's less to talk about, unless something just hits me.
Once again, pictures from the indispensable JoeToonArchive.
Labels: Yo Joe
▼ 31 May - 7 June (19)
Musical Hits of the 80s the Ragtime Way
Memes of Love and Hate
David Carradine 1936-2009
TV Report: Jonas
TV Report: The Goode Family
Sorry to Spoil the Illusion
Hayden Throws Me an Early Birthday Party
The Health Report, Year 3: Week 25
Evaluating Disney: 1955
The New Doctor's Companion
Archie's Getting Married
70 Years of Batman
Song of the Week: "Nights on Broadway"
The A to Z Meme
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Swimming with SeaWorld’s Captive Dolphins
April 19, 2018 by At Large
By Nicole Hussey
Some years ago, I took a boyfriend to SeaWorld in San Diego. He had few wants in life and swimming with dolphins was on his bucket list, so I booked us an extravagant SeaWorld experience and we drove down from Los Angeles.
Keep in mind, this was before the release of Blackfish. It was back when everyone felt the way about SeaWorld that they do about zoos; you hate that the animals are trapped in these small spaces but you justify pushing aside that sick feeling because it’s a “learning and conservation center” or because you just really want to see those spectacular creatures up close regardless of their cages.
I had swam with wild dolphins a number of times and spent most of my life in the ocean so I was excited to watch my boyfriend experience the magic these animals had consistently shared with me. He was nervous.
When we first entered the dolphin swim center, we went through a brief class. The instructor told us not to make any sudden movements, not to touch the dolphins until prompted, and not to keep our heads underwater. Then, we changed into some spiffy used wetsuits and washed our hands. Next, we were led over to this heartbreakingly small tank and allowed to step into waist deep water.
Seeing the excitement on my boyfriends face bolstered my mood and I ignored the surroundings as the trainers told us to put our hands to our sides and stand perfectly still. Then a dolphin swam up to us. It was solely focused on the trainer and as we were prompted to touch it as it swam by, it barely grazed our hands. After this introduction, the brave participants were allowed to hold on to the dorsal fin and go for a mini-ride around the tank.
It was both the saddest and most wonderful moment I’ve had with these beautiful animals.
In my experience, wild dolphins are incredibly noisy and alert. They are always chirping, talking, and making sounds that carry for miles. Even when they weren’t bumping my surfboard or swimming along side me while I snorkeled, you could still hear their incessant echoing clicks and clacks. Those sounds illuminate the dolphins’ beauty and intelligence.
At SeaWorld, the water was silent.
When I was holding the fin of that dolphin, my head dipped underwater. I wasn’t quick to come up, as I was excited to hear those chirps I knew so well. But, there were no clicks. There was absolutely no verbalization between the two dolphins that were sharing the small tank and pulling humans through the water. In fact, the only time I heard the dolphins’ chatter at all was when they were commanded or rewarded for doing so by their trainer.
We finished up the experience with kisses from the beautiful dolphins and I followed my boyfriend out of the tank. His elation was palpable but I couldn’t match it. I was stunned at how incredibly different it felt to swim with captive dolphins. How they weren’t curious about us. How they didn’t talk and play. How they watched their trainers like their lives depended on it.
My boyfriend lost the pictures they took of us with the dolphins. Instead, there are just a few shots of them before we entered the tank and then after we left while they were being fed. I’m kind of glad the pictures are gone. I don’t like to think about how quiet it was that day.
Nicole Hussey lives in Los Angeles, and has spent her life traveling the world. She has written for the LA Times and the United Nations.
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Filed Under: Culture
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Sarah Ward says
Wild dolphins are not highly trained animals so of course they are not going to act exactly the same as domesticated dolphins. It’s no different to watching a highly trained German Shepherd Dog navigate a Schutzhund obedience routine. Their focus on the trainer never wanders for one second.
It is also very likely that dolphins used in swim with programs are chosen in part on their docile and quiet temperament.
Dolphin are not domesticated, no matter how much they are demoralized into obeying a trainer. They are wild at heart and captivity kills their spirits just as much as it kills their bodies.
Simon Ritchie says
SeaWorld needs to shut these cheap circus side shows down for good. Evolve.
Jennofur OConnor says
As long as people buy a ticket, dolphins will continue to suffer and die in cramped tanks. It’s that simple.
Thank you for sharing. It breaks my heart to think of the dolphins in the tanks at Sea World. I went as a kid before I knew better.
this is so sad to hear, it breaks my heart. this is one and only real thing on my bucket list is to swim with dolphins and of course i was never going to choose a captive place to go.
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Specific Covalent Labeling of Recombinant Protein Molecules Inside Live Cells
B. Albert Griffin*,
Stephen R. Adams,
Roger Y. Tsien†
B. A. Griffin, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093–0647, USA. S. R. Adams, Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093–0647, USA. R. Y. Tsien, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093–0647, USA.
↵†To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Science 10 Jul 1998:
DOI: 10.1126/science.281.5374.269
B. Albert Griffin
Stephen R. Adams
Roger Y. Tsien
Recombinant proteins containing four cysteines at the i,i + 1, i + 4, and i + 5 positions of an α helix were fluorescently labeled in living cells by extracellular administration of 4′,5′-bis(1,3,2-dithioarsolan-2-yl)fluorescein. This designed small ligand is membrane-permeant and nonfluorescent until it binds with high affinity and specificity to the tetracysteine domain. Such in situ labeling adds much less mass than does green fluorescent protein and offers greater versatility in attachment sites as well as potential spectroscopic and chemical properties. This system provides a recipe for slightly modifying a target protein so that it can be singled out from the many other proteins inside live cells and fluorescently stained by small nonfluorescent dye molecules added from outside the cells.
Attachment of fluorescent or other useful labels onto proteins has traditionally been accomplished by in vitro chemical modification after purification (1). Green fluorescent protein (GFP) from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria can be genetically fused with many host proteins to produce fluorescent chimeras in situ (2, 3). However, GFP is potentially perturbative because of its size (238 amino acids), can usually only be fused at the NH2- or COOH-terminus of the host protein, offers a limited variety of colors, and is of no assistance for spectroscopic readouts other than fluorescence. We therefore designed and synthesized a tight-binding pair of molecular components: a small receptor domain composed of as few as six natural amino acids that could be genetically incorporated into proteins of interest, and a small (<700-dalton), synthetic, membrane-permeant ligand that could be linked to various spectroscopic probes or crosslinks. The ligand has relatively few binding sites in nontransfected mammalian cells but binds to the designed peptide domain with a nanomolar or lower dissociation constant. An unexpected bonus is that the ligand is nonfluorescent until it binds its target, whereupon it becomes strongly fluorescent.
Our approach exploits the facile and reversible covalent bond formation between organoarsenicals and pairs of thiols. Trivalent arsenic compounds bind to the paired thiol groups of proteins containing closely spaced pairs of cysteines or the cofactor lipoic acid (4, 5). Such binding, which is responsible for much of the toxicity of arsenic compounds, is completely reversed by small vicinal dithiols such as 2,3-dimercaptopropanol [British anti-Lewisite (BAL)] or 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT), which form tighter complexes with the organoarsenical than do cellular dithiols (6, 7). If a peptide domain could be designed with even higher affinity than that of the antidotes for an organoarsenical ligand, the ligand could be administered in the presence of excess antidote and specifically bind the desired peptide domain without poisoning other proteins. To achieve this unusual affinity, we designed a peptide domain with four cysteines already organized to bind an organic molecule containing two appropriately spaced trivalent arsenics (Fig. 1). If the distance between the two pairs of cysteines matched the spacing between the arsenics, the two dithiol-arsenic interactions should be highly cooperative and entropically favorable. The four cysteines were placed at the i, i + 1, i + 4, and i + 5 positions of an α helix, so that the four thiol groups would form a parallelogram on one side of the helix. We chose acetyl-WEAAAREACCRECCARA-amide (8) as a model peptide for in vitro tests, on the basis of the known propensity of peptides of the form acetyl-W(EAAAR)nA-amide (9) to form α helices.
Synthesis of FLASH (20) and proposed structure of its complex with an α-helical tetracysteine-containing peptide or protein domain. Although the structure is drawn with thei and i + 4 thiols bridged by one arsenic and thei + 1 and i + 5 thiols bridged by the other, we cannot rule out the isomeric complex in which one arsenic links thei and i + 1 thiols while the other links thei + 4 and i + 5 thiols.
Fourteen biarsenical ligands were synthesized and tested for their ability to bind the tetracysteine peptide in the presence of a small excess of BAL or EDT (10), but the only successful ligand was 4′,5′-bis(1,3,2-dithioarsolan-2-yl)fluorescein, which may also be called FLASH-EDT2 [fluorescein arsenical helix binder, bis-EDT adduct (Fig. 1)]. FLASH-EDT2 was prepared in a single step by transmetallation (11,12) of commercially available fluorescein mercuric acetate, followed by addition of EDT to facilitate purification. The product was virtually nonfluorescent but became brightly fluorescent after addition of the tetracysteine peptide to displace the EDT. The excitation and emission peaks were 508 and 528 nm, respectively (Fig. 2), which are about 20 nm longer in wavelength than those of free fluorescein. The quantum yield of the FLASH-peptide complex was 0.49, whereas FLASH-EDT2 was ≤5 × 10–4 times as fluorescent. The small size of EDT probably permits rotation of the aryl-arsenic bond and excited state quenching by vibrational deactivation or photoinduced electron transfer, whereas the peptide complex may evade such quenching because its more rigid conformation should hinder conjugation of the arsenic lone pair electrons with the fluorescein orbitals. The equilibrium reaction FLASH-EDT2 + peptide ⇌ FLASH-peptide + 2 EDT favored FLASH-peptide at ≤10 μM EDT and FLASH-EDT2 at ≥1 mM EDT, so that labeling was reversed by millimolar concentrations of EDT (Fig. 2B). Monothiols such as 2-mercaptoethanol or glutathione were helpful to catalyze equilibration but did not compete themselves. The FLASH-peptide complex showed no sign of dissociation even when diluted to 1 nM in 5 mM 2-mercaptoethanol and left for weeks, which indicates that complex formation was essentially irreversible in the absence of excess EDT. The apparent pK a of the fluorescein chromophore in the FLASH-peptide complex was 5.4, so the fluorescence should not be sensitive to variations in cytosolic pH near 7.
Fluorescence of FLASH is induced by binding to a tetracysteine motif. (A) Fluorescence excitation (Exc) and emission (Em) spectra of 250 nM FLASH bound either to a model tetracysteine-containing peptide (20) in phosphate-buffered saline at pH 7.4 (solid lines) or to EDT at the same gain settings (dashed line, emission spectrum only). (B) Kinetics of binding of 1 μM FLASH to 10 μM peptide in the presence of 10 μM EDT and subsequent reversal by a higher concentration (5 mM) of EDT. The apparent fluorescence of FLASH-EDT2 ranged from 0.05% (A) to 0.5% (B) of that of the FLASH-peptide complex and might merely reflect trace impurities such as free fluorescein.
To test the membrane permeability of FLASH-EDT2 and the specificity of the FLASH-peptide interaction in live mammalian cells, we genetically fused the designed peptide (with the tryptophan changed to an alanine) to the COOH-terminus of a cyan mutant [enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP)] of GFP (13, 14) and transiently expressed this fusion protein in HeLa cells. ECFP was chosen as the host protein so that expressing cells could be distinguished from nonexpressing cells by ECFP fluorescence (Fig. 3) and because formation of the ECFP-Cys4 peptide-FLASH complex should be demonstrable by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from ECFP to FLASH. Before addition of FLASH-EDT2, some cells were brightly fluorescent at the ECFP emission maximum (480 nm) and only very dimly fluorescent at 635 nm, at which ECFP barely emits; whereas the other cells did not express ECFP. When 1 μM FLASH-EDT2 was added with 10 μM EDT, cells already expressing ECFP increased their fluorescence at 635 nm more than threefold, because of the long-wavelength tail of FLASH emission, whereas the fluorescence of ECFP at 480 nm declined by >70%, indicating FRET from the ECFP to the bound FLASH. The high efficiency of FRET showed that >70% of the intracellular ECFP molecules had directly bound FLASH and that the distance between the chromophores was <5 nm as expected from the protein dimensions (15). Cells not expressing ECFP were unaffected by FLASH-EDT2. After binding was complete, which required about 1 hour (Fig. 3B), removal of FLASH from the medium while maintaining 10 μM EDT had little effect, but 1 mM EDT largely reversed the effects of FLASH-EDT2 (Fig. 3, A and B). The controllable onset and reversibility of binding and labeling should prove valuable in many applications.
FLASH labeling of a tetracysteine motif appended to a GFP mutant in living cells. (A) Reversible intracellular labeling of a tetracysteine-containing peptide, AEAAAREACCRECCARA (8), fused to the COOH-terminus of ECFP (13, 14) and expressed in HeLa cells (21). Fluorescence images (22) were recorded before and after incubation with 1 μM FLASH-EDT2 and after treatment with 1 mM EDT. Excitation was at 440 ± 10 nm, and emissions were collected at 480 ± 15 nm (top row) and 635 ± 25 nm (bottom row). Comparison with a transmitted-light view (far left) shows that cells not expressing the fusion protein showed negligible fluorescence at either emission wavelength. Fluorescence images were taken at 4, 150, and 195 min. (B) Time course of intensities at cyan (circles) and red (squares) emission wavelengths for the fluorescent cell at the upper right, compared to the same measurements (up- and down-pointing triangles) on a nonexpressing cell. Excess FLASH and EDT were removed as indicated (washout), then the cells were incubated with the indicated concentrations of EDT.
The tetracysteine motif also worked when introduced into an endogenous α helix. The gene for Xenopus calmodulin (14) was mutated to replace four residues of the NH2-terminal α helix (Glu6, Glu7, Ala10, and Glu11) with cysteines. The cytosol and nuclei of HeLa cells expressing this mutant calmodulin became brightly fluorescent when treated with 1 μM FLASH-EDT2and 10 μM EDT (Fig. 4). Control nontransfected cells in a different dish showed dimmer staining, which appeared to be mostly mitochondrial. This background labeling could be somewhat further reduced by higher EDT concentrations, which would not interfere with FLASH labeling if the affinity of the tetracysteine peptide for FLASH could be increased by combinatorial optimization of adjacent residues.
FLASH labeling of a tetracysteine motif inserted within a protein. (Left) Fluorescence images (excitation 480 ± 15 nm, emission 535 ± 12.5 nm) of HeLa cells transiently transfected with a gene for Cys6,7,10,11-calmodulin, labeled 36 hours later with 1 μM FLASH-EDT2 and 10 μM EDT in Hank's balanced salt solution for 1 hour at 25°C, then washed free of excess dye just before imaging. (Middle) Nontransfected HeLa cells labeled and imaged under identical conditions. (Right) Nontransfected controls reimaged at 4.5-fold higher gain.
FLASH-EDT2 (1 μM) administered with 10 μM EDT had no detectable effect for up to 4 hours on the viability of HeLa cells and Jurkat lymphocytes assayed by propidium iodide exclusion; reduction of methylthiazolyldiphenyltetrazolium to the colored formazan (16); or ability to respond to muscarinic stimulation, assessed by activation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells and monitoring of the expression of a β-lactamase reporter (17). However, 2 μM phenylarsine oxide, which contained an equivalent amount of arsenic but lacked the EDT antidote, was quite toxic. Therefore, EDT seems necessary and sufficient to prevent FLASH-EDT2 from exerting acutely toxic effects (6, 7).
It is unlikely that every native protein that contains the core motif CCXXCC (8) will bind FLASH. The thiols must be able to reach an α-helical or other conformation able to form two pairs that grip the arsenics like pincers, yet the thiols must not be disulfide-bonded or tightly chelated to a metal. Endogenous competing proteins or ligands are clearly rare enough in mammalian cells to permit easy detection of transfected proteins over background (Figs. 3and 4). FLASH confers temporal control of labeling, which is particularly helpful in quantifying FRET because it enables donor emission to be compared in situ before and after labeling by FLASH acting as an acceptor (Fig. 3). Derivatives of FLASH that incorporate luminescent or magnetic resonance reporters, environmentally sensitive fluorophores or indicators, or photochemically reactive moieties should label proteins containing the CCXXCC motif and confer the appropriate spectroscopic properties. Immobilized FLASH analogs and tetracysteine motifs might complement systems such as biotin:avidin, glutathione:glutathione S-transferase, and nickel:polyhistidine for protein attachment and affinity purification (5, 18). FLASH dimers with two xanthene nuclei and four arsenics should induce homodimerization of peptides or proteins containing the tetracysteine motif in analogy to methods that rely on immunosuppressants binding to immunophilins (19). The new system combines high affinity and specificity, easy reversibility, easy modification of the ligand, small size of the peptide domain, physiological compatibility, and fluorescence indication that binding has occurred.
↵* Present address: Aurora Biosciences, 11010 Torreyana Road, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
G. T. Hermanson, Bioconjugate Techniques (Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1996).
R. Y. Tsien
, Annu. Rev. Biochem. 67, 509 (1998).
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J. L. Webb, Enzyme and Metabolic Inhibitors (Academic Press, New York, 1966) vol. III, pp. 595–819.
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C. Gitler
, Methods Enzymol. 233, 395 (1994).
V. P. Whittaker
, Biochem. J. 41, 56 (1947).
E. C. Webb and R. Van Heyningen, ibid., p. 74.
Single-letter abbreviations for the amino acid residues are as follows: A, Ala; C, Cys; E, Glu; R, Arg; W, Trp; and X, any amino acid.
G. Merutka,
W. Shalongo,
E. Stellwagen
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, Protein Expr. Purif. 2, 95 (1991).
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FLASH-EDT2 was synthesized by reacting 4′,5′- bis(acetoxymercuri)fluorescein (fluorescein mercuric acetate) with 20 equivalents of arsenic trichloride (caution: highly toxic!) and 8 equivalents of di-isopropylethylamine in dry N-methylpyrrolidinone with palladium acetate as a catalyst. After 3 hours at room temperature, the reaction was quenched in pH 7 buffer with excess 1,2-ethanedithiol. The product was extracted into chloroform and chromatographed on silica gel with a 1:9 mixture of ethyl acetate and toluene. Trituration with ethanol gave an orange-red solid in 37% yield. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (at 200 MHz, in CDCl3) peaks were as follows: δ2.3 (s, OH), 3.57 (m, -SCH2CH2S-), 6.60 (d, H-2'), 6.69 (d, H-1'), 7.19 (d, H-7), 7.66 (m, H-5,6), 8.03 (d, H-4). Electrospray mass spectroscopy in negative ion mode indicated a monoisotopic mass for the –1 ion of 663.0 daltons (theoretical value, 662.85). The extinction coefficient was 4.1 × 104 M–1 cm–1 at 507.5 nm at pH 7. The peptide Ac-Trp-Glu-Ala-Ala-Ala-Arg-Glu-Ala-Cys-Cys-Arg-Glu-Cys-Cys-Ala-Arg-Ala-amide was prepared by standard solid-phase methods and purified by n-butanol/water countercurrent chromatography.
ECFP (14) is Aequorea victoria GFP with mammalian codons and the following additional mutations: K26R, F64L, S65T, Y66W, N146I, M153T, V163A, and N164H (8). A gene encoding a fusion of the peptide Ala-Glu-Ala-Ala-Ala-Arg-Glu-Ala-Cys-Cys-Arg-Glu-Cys-Cys-Ala-Arg-Ala to the COOH-terminus of ECFP was created with the following primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR): 5′-GCCGAATTCTTAGGCCCTGGCGCAGCACTCCCTGCAGCAGGCCTCCCTGGCGGCGGCCTCGGCCTTGTACAGCTCGTCCATGCCG-3′. The resulting gene was inserted into the pcDNA3 vector (Invitrogen) at Hind III and Eco RI restriction sites. After amplification in DH5 bacteria, it was transfected into HeLa cells with Lipofectin (Gibco-BRL). The gene for Xenopus calmodulin was mutated to encode cysteines at residues 6, 7, 10, and 11 by PCR with the following primer: 5′-CGCGGATCCGCCACCATGCATGACCAACTGACATGCTGCCAGATTTGCTGCTTCAAAGAAGCCTTCTCATTATTC-3′, and inserted into pcDNA3 as described above.
Images of cells at room temperature were acquired with a cooled charge-coupled device camera (Photometrics, Tucson, AZ) controlled by Metafluor software (Universal Imaging, West Chester, PA).
Supported by NIH (grant NS27177 to R.Y.T. and a traineeship to B.A.G. from grant T32 CA09523) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. R.Y.T. is a consultant for Aurora Biosciences Corp. We thank L. A. Gross for mass spectra, A. Miyawaki for help with molecular biology, and T. Knapp for help with toxicity testing.
You are going to email the following Specific Covalent Labeling of Recombinant Protein Molecules Inside Live Cells
By B. Albert Griffin, Stephen R. Adams, Roger Y. Tsien
Science 10 Jul 1998 : 269-272
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Court Interpreters Office, SDNY
Requesting Interpreters
Team Interpreting
Interpreting Program
Interpreter's Oath
Interpreter Per Diem Rates
for CJA lawyers
for AUSAs
Spanish interpreter list
Guidelines for Contract Interpreters
Credentialing: An Overview
English <> Spanish Glossary
Requesting an Interpreter
This document describes procedures for requesting interpreters for each of the following groups:
Courtroom Deputies and Law Clerks
US Probation Officers
Assistant US Attorneys (AUSAs)
Courtroom Deputy Clerks and Law Clerks
Effective August 1, 2008, courtroom deputies -- or where there is no deputy, the judge's law clerks -- are responsible for notifying the Interpreters Office in timely fashion of the need for an interpreter in matters before the District Court.
The most convenient and efficient way to do this is via the Interpreters Office's request manager. Judges' staff are strongly encouraged to make use of this system whenever possible. Alternatively, or for late-emerging matters, please contact us at 212 805-0084 or interpreters@nysd.uscourts.gov.
The Interpreters Office's web-based request system is also available to USPOs, and we strongly recommend its use in all cases.
Assistant United States Attorneys
The Board of Judges' SDNY Clerk's Office Committee approved a policy, effective August 1, 2008, for ordering interpreters for in-court proceedings in criminal cases. The objective is to increase the efficiency of court operations and manage resources effectively.
The only events for which AUSAs will be responsible for ordering courtroom interpreters are:
new arrests (presentments)
detention hearings, or
matters referred to Magistrates Court
For new arrests, an AUSA should notify the Magistrates Clerk's Office as soon as he or she becomes aware that an interpreter will be needed, specifying the number of defendants and the language. Then the Magistrate Clerk's Office is expected to notify the Interpreters office. Nevertheless we strongly encourage AUSAs to notify us directly.
According to the practice in the SDNY, when a case is wheeled out to a District Judge, the AUSA contacts the judge's chambers to inform them that the judge has received a case, so as to schedule an initial pretrial conference. At that point the AUSA should also inform the courtroom deputy of any defendant who needs an interpreter, and of what language.
Once the case goes before the District Judge, the courtroom deputy (or law clerk) is responsible for scheduling interpreters for court proceedings before that Judge.
Note that interpreters for proffers or government witnesses are coordinated through your office.
Defense Attorneys (CJA or Federal Defenders)
It is not always possible to accommodate unscheduled interviews in the cellblock. The same interpreter who is covering the court proceeding may assist you so long as the office has been notified and there are no prior scheduling conflicts. In-court proceedings take priority. Interpreter assistance in the cellblock is provided to a maximum of 60 minutes per interview.
Email: please contact us if you do not know our nysd.uscourts.gov address, or use our contact page.
Interpreters Office • US District Court, Southern District of New York • 500 Pearl St • New York, NY 10007 | 212 805-0084
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How Shelfies Saves Thousands of Dollars Using Shopify Flow to Automate Custom Order Fulfillment & Fraud Prevention
by Nick Winkler
It’s a risk that stems from not taking risk ... and a solution that brings the future of commerce into the present.
When Nicholas Montgomery founded Shelfies, an on-demand all-over-print clothing and lifestyle platform, the business model underpinning the idea was to hold no inventory:
“There’s a lot of waste in fashion. Twenty to thirty percent of all of the apparel inventory made never sells. It’s bad for the environment and bad for merchants who have to slash prices to move the unwanted inventory.”
But many of the tasks required by Montgomery’s print on demand model are repetitive and time-consuming.
Especially since Shelfies offers custom-designed orders in which customers can put whatever they want on a garment.
Several times a day Vanessa Boyce, Shelfies’ Operations Manager, and a handful of other employees would open their Shopify Plus dashboard and manually hunt for custom orders to send to a designer who then creates a mock-up the customer must approve before manufacturing starts.
In Montgomery’s words:
It’s part of the job but I don’t want to be busy just to be busy. I want to be more productive and achieve something significant.
What choice does he have though?
Without a global team constantly checking for custom orders every few hours, the customer experience would suffer and this all-over-print company may have nothing to print at all.
The Accidental Success
Shelfies was founded almost by accident…
Unlike the handful of other ecommerce stores Montgomery had set up simply to experiment with and learn from, Shelfies took off immediately after it was launched in 2013.
“I had no idea Shelfies was going to be my 24/7 business,” Montgomery says. “It was a learning endeavor for me. I never thought it’d get this big.”
Shelfies is a multimillion-dollar, international business that sells into 40 countries and is building a global network of designers and printing facilities:
“Wow, people are really excited about Shelfies because they don’t want something that is mass produced and looks exactly like what everyone else is wearing. People want to express themselves with clothing and our print-on-demand model allows them to do that.”
However, Montgomery — who works with production facilities in several countries — must also be on guard for high-risk orders so he can quickly contact manufacturers and cancel the orders before production begins.
Even more important is catching high-risk custom designed orders before it’s too late.
“If we don’t catch fraud quickly and a custom order is produced we’re stuck with inventory we can’t sell,” Montgomery explains. “If we print a sweater with your face all over it, no one else is going to buy that so it’s a big loss for us.”
Whether it’s manually checking for unfulfilled custom orders every few hours or picking up the phone and calling printing facilities scattered across the globe in different time zones to stop a high-risk order from being produced, Montgomery suggests tedious repetitive tasks are costly on a variety of fronts.
“It’s not difficult work but it takes time that could be spent on more important tasks,” Montgomery says. “It costs us money to train people to do this kind of work and they still make mistakes which means we don’t catch all of the fraud.”
Besides being stuck with custom inventory it might never sell, Shelfies also pays a $15 bank chargeback fee on high-risk orders not caught in time.
Unless Montgomery could figure out a way to be in multiple countries at once while simultaneously monitoring each order as it’s placed …
This accidental success story may stall out.
Commerce on Autopilot
The digital equivalent of being omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent …
Is automating your ecommerce business.
It’s why Montgomery recently began using Shopify Flow, an automation platform that allows Shopify Plus merchants to customize unique backend business workflows and simplify processes so his team can focus on higher value tasks that drive sales.
Introducing Shopify Flow
With just a few clicks — and without any coding — merchants can now put many of the repetitive, manual, and time-consuming tasks on autopilot.
Flow positions merchants to get more done by simplifying tasks, driving efficiency, and experimenting for growth.
Already on Shopify Plus? Install Flow today
Recently, more than 500 of Shopify Plus’ high-volume businesses have used Flow to automate millions of triggers. Each one represents a task that would have otherwise been carried out by a person.
In the case of Shelfies, Montgomery and his team have created a handful ecommerce automation workflows, including the following:
Custom Order Automation
The workflow immediately identifies custom orders and automatically sends an email with the information necessary to initiate the design process. Instead of manually searching for unfulfilled custom orders, Flow automatically notifies the designer who can immediately begin working on the mockup that must be approved by the customer before production begins.
Besides freeing Montgomery to focus on higher value tasks, Shelfies’ custom order automation has also significantly improved the customer experience by reducing the turnaround time on custom designs from six hours to two:
We no longer have to hunt for custom orders. Flow tells us immediately and automatically begins the design process for us.
High-Risk Order Automation
The workflow immediately identifies orders flagged as high risk and automatically sends an email to the appropriate printing manufacturer requesting that production be halted and the order be canceled.
Prior to Flow, Montgomery had just a few hours to contact printing facilities in the U.S., U.K., and Canada to halt production on fraudulent orders.
If a high-risk order was processed while Montgomery and his team were sleeping and not canceled in time, Shelfies would absorb the entire production cost and chargeback fee.
Since using Flow to automate the task, Shelfies has saved thousands of dollars by automatically halting potentially fraudulent custom orders. According to Montgomery:
“It was frustrating because we work with manufacturers in multiple time zones which made it difficult to cancel high-risk orders before production had started.”
Shopify Flow does it automatically now which gives us peace of mind.
But don’t mistake a peaceful mind for one that’s not hooked on what’s possible in the future.
In fact, automation can be as addictive as a powerful drug. Once you have a taste, all you want is more …
Save Hundreds of Hours
SKUs are special to the Shelfies team …
Instead of assigning random identification codes to products as many do, Shelfies constructs SKUs in a manner that easily communicates product type, size, and other information pertinent to the fulfillment process.
“Our SKUs mean something,” Montgomery says. “It’s really valuable because it helps us improve our quality control and fulfillment.”
The problem is Montgomery and his team had to create custom SKUs manually…
It takes about four hours a week.
Automating the process, which Montgomery is already investigating, would save Shelfies hundreds of hours a year. Likewise, Montgomery is also interested in building future automated workflows designed to dramatically improve the customer experience:
Automated messages reminding customers they must approve custom order design mockups before production can begin
Immediately notify staff if an order from a third party hasn’t shipped within a certain number of days and proactively contact the customer to prevent customer service inquiries
Automatically include new products in appropriate collections to improve the customer’s shopping experience and eliminate the ten manual steps required now
“Shopify Flow is really powerful because it allows me to focus on growing the business I love and doing more of the things that are going to have a long-term impact. With Flow you’re able to focus on growing revenue but still improve the customer experience. That’s a multiplier effect and the kind of stuff that ripples across your business.”
Nicholas Montgomery, Founder of Shelfies
Ecommerce automation is finally available
Shopify Flow is the first ecommerce automation platform that reduces manual tasks, redudancies, and risk. Free your entire organization to focus on what matters. Growing bigger, faster.
Experience the future of commerce
Nick Winkler is a contributor to the Shopify Plus blog and founder of The Winkler Group, a strategic communications firm that provides content marketing services to the world's best-known brands, businesses, and marketers. Get more from Nick here.
Follow @thewinklergroup
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Boeing, DARPA will base the XS-1 experimental spacecraft on Cape Canaveral
Boeing, DARPA will base the XS-1 experimental spacecraft on Cape Canaveral when it starts testing in a few years.
The XS-1, known as the Phantom Express, will be launched vertically from an unspecified site at Cape Canaveral and land on one of the two runways there.
“Boeing” already has facilities at the Kennedy Space Center for the repair of the Air Force X-37B between launchers.
Last month, Boeing won the DARPA contract to develop a vehicle designed to demonstrate a reusable first stage, which, using a disposable top stage, could inexpensively launch average payloads.
Boeing’s Starliner launch abort engine suffers problem during testing
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Relativity to build launch site at Cape Canaveral
Relativity, the startup developing a small launch vehicle using additive manufacturing technologies, announced Jan. 17 it has won approval from the U.S. Air...
Postdocs at NASA’s Johnson Space Center latest to lose funding under shutdown
Four postdoctoral fellows at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will go without pay starting Friday as the federal government shutdown stretches into...
NASA selects nine companies for commercial lunar lander program
NASA has picked nine companies, ranging from startups to aerospace giants, to be eligible for future contracts to deliver payloads to the surface of the moon...
NASA to review safety cultures at commercial crew companies
NASA plans to carry out a review in the coming months of the safety practices at Boeing and SpaceX, an examination reportedly prompted by the actions of SpaceX...
NASA Seeks Information for Gateway Cargo Delivery Services
NASA will lead the development of the Gateway, a permanent spaceship orbiting the Moon, to serve as a home base for human and robotic missions to the surface...
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Soraya Stanley July 18, 2018
Well Versed
The role of Soundcloud in your career
Which streaming platform is the best one for you?
Finding out how and where to share your content on the major streaming services, is a real headache for independent musicians, which is why at Spinnup we do our best to take your distribution worries away. Our simple upload process and dedicated support team mean it’s easier than ever to share your content to stores, and earn money from your music being downloaded and streamed. For independent musicians, Soundcloud is often the first platform that is used to share music, and get it heard for free. But how do you graduate from Soundcloud to the big leagues, and what role should Soundcloud continue to play in your career?
In this article we’ll be outlining:
• The role of Soundcloud
• How to balance your presence on Soundcloud and the major music stores
Since its birth in 2007, Soundcloud has become one of the leading online music communities, one which completely disrupted the music industry. Soundcloud might be slowing in the press, but with over 175 million active and unique users, it is still an important platform that allows artists to independently promote their music, directly connect with their fan base, and get instant feedback from other passionate music lovers.
It is now a go-to music service for independent musicians, and rightly so, with many of the biggest artists of today owing their commercial success to the service. Artists from Post Malone, Snakehips, Chance The Rapper Kaytranada, to Lil Uzi Vert, all blew up from the Soundcloud community, and are paving the way for other upcoming artists to be discovered. But with the arrival of the other steaming giants like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Unlimited, and now most recently, YouTube Music, it’s hard for all of us to decide how relevant Soundcloud is in the midst of it all.
Luckily, we’ve come up with a tool kit, which breaks down how the different streaming services fit around your content, and how you can get the most from them.
1. Understanding the different platforms and fan bases
SoundCloud is a haven for upcoming artists, especially when it comes to releasing covers, and remixes of current hits and old-school classics. Despite the arrival of Soundcloud Go, the Premium tier, the platform still very much remains a tool of discovery for the unknown, and less so, for commercial artists and popular chart music. This is why Soundcloud is typically associated with select genres, like future beats, EDM, and Soundcloud Rap.
SoundCloud Rap is a niche sub-genre of Hip-Hop, inspired by 2000s emo and pop punk, and the latest variations of Trap. Yet we’re seeing as the other digital streaming partners like Apple Music become more invested in Hip-Hop with The A-List: Hip-Hop playlist, and Spotify, with Rap Caviar, the so-called ‘Soundcloud Rapstars’, are starting to phase out of the system and focus on paid music services. When you feel ready to take the same step up from Soundcloud, you can diversify your content across these digital partners by distributing your music with Spinnup, which can help you to open up your fan base, and give you a better chance of tasting commercial success.
But every platform has its purpose. If you’re serious about making a career out of your music, we recommend you think about putting more of your newer music on the major streaming platforms, and utilise Soundcloud as a place to catalogue more of your older material, remixes, and covers. It’s a great place to build a community and a fanbase, but it’s not where your career should live. Prioritising your content on the stores like Apple Music and Spotify gives your music legitimacy and also earns you money. At Spinnup we will help you get your music onto the best music services without ever signing over any royalties, you keep them all.
2. Avoid restricting all your content
Soundcloud has a huge online community, but doesn’t compare to the combined audience of total streamers for both Spotify, and Apple Music, that amounts to over 200 million subscribers that you can expose your content to. One of the biggest differences between Soundcloud and Spotify/Apple Music is that the latter has a stronger focus on Playlist Curation, which is based around tons of different themes, ranging from genres, to moods, seasons, noteworthy events, and more.
These streaming services have fundamentally changed how people listen to music and therefore how artists and songs break. Listeners now spend about half their time on Spotify listening to playlists (as opposed to albums), either of their own creation or curated by Spotify’s editors and other tastemakers. Tastemakers are popular users on Spotify who have playlists with a high audience.
Universal Music has their own brand of playlists under the name Digster, which has a range of playlists under its large umbrella, and in many markets. At Spinnup, if your tracks catch our eye, it’s not unusual for our local teams to pitch the track to the UMG playlist team, which could see your music being exposed to hundreds of thousands of new fans.
3. Baby, I Got Your Money
We all know that you’re not going to become overnight millionaires relying on streaming revenue alone, so it helps to maximise all efforts! For just a small annual fee per release we distribute your music to all the major streaming platforms (45 in total!), and see you keep 100% of your royalty payments.
With Soundcloud’s different subscription tiers, it can vary how much you can take back from your track streams, especially if you want access to certain level of data on your fan base, advertising revenue, and so on. This is great if you have a solid fan base on Soundcloud alone, but in most cases you’re freshly starting out and people are listening to your music for free. And always keep in mind that you don’t want to limit yourself to one platform.
Plus once you’ve uploaded your music through Spinnup and it’s live on the stores, you can access our in-house analytics tool to track your earnings, sales, streams, and social media, all included in your artist account! We believe unsigned artists deserve to get paid fairly and stay in control of their music. That’s why we make sure that all Spinnup artists keep hold of all of their rights, and can remove their music any time they want.
Armed with the low-down that we’ve provided you with today, start having a play on the various streaming platforms and see which one gets the biggest reactions from fans. Here at Spinnup we’re always on the lookout for fresh talent, so if you’re ready to get your music out there create your new release today!
Make Some Noise: How to Set Up a Recording Studio at Home
Five ways to get your mix sounding fatter
Finding Your Sound
A guide to live streaming for artists
The 10 best apps for songwriters
Spinnup’s Social Media Guide
How To Connect With Booking Agents and Managers
Adding a Human Touch to Electronic Productions
Networking: How to make meaningful connections in the music industry
The Ultimate Guide to Cover Art
All You Need to Know About Getting A Great Music Video
© Copyright 2019 Spinnup. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions
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NHL roundup: Flyers end 8-game slide
Reuters January 11, 2019, 9:30 AM UTC
NHL: Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers
Jan 10, 2019; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers forward Denis Malgin (62) and Edmonton Oilers forward Tobias Rieder (22) look for a loose puck during the third period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
James van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist, Travis Konecny scored a goal, and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the visiting Dallas Stars 2-1 on Thursday to snap an eight-game losing streak.
Philadelphia was 0-6-2 in its previous eight games.
Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made 37 saves to help stop the losing skid. Philadelphia has already played seven goaltenders this season, tying a National Hockey League record.
Jamie Benn scored the Stars' lone goal. Dallas' Anton Khudobin stopped 20 shots.
Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (SO)
Connor McDavid scored twice -- including a game-tying goal with eight seconds remaining in regulation -- in a three-point night and also tallied in the shootout to lead host Edmonton past Florida.
While Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid scored in the shootout, Oilers goalie Cam Talbot denied both Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov in the skills competition on top of providing a 27-save performance through overtime to give his team just its third win in 11 games.
The Oilers erased three deficits while also snapping a five-game, home-ice losing streak. Edmonton's Darnell Nurse and Florida's Frank Vatrano, Denis Malgin and Henrik Borgstrom had goals in regulation.
Capitals 4, Bruins 2
Alex Ovechkin scored two goals, and Nicklas Backstrom got the tiebreaker in the third period as Washington earned a victory at Boston.
The Capitals won their third in a row overall and their 14th straight over the Bruins. They also stopped the Bruins' five-game winning streak. Ovechkin, who leads the league with 32 goals, scored in the second period and added a long empty-net goal late.
Jakub Vrana also had a goal for Washington, which got 39 saves from Braden Holtby. Boston goalie Jaroslav Halak finished with 18 stops. Ryan Donato and David Krejci had the Bruins' goals.
Maple Leafs 4, Devils 2
John Tavares scored two goals -- including the 300th of his NHL career -- and had an assist as Toronto posted a win in Newark, N.J.
Ron Hainsey and Mitch Marner also scored for the Maple Leafs, who won all three of their meetings this season with the Devils. Marner, who scored his 16th goal this season into an empty net at 19:38 of the third period, also had an assist.
The Maple Leafs led 3-0 after the first period, but the Devils rallied on second-period goals by Blake Coleman and Brian Boyle.
Islanders 4, Rangers 3
Josh Bailey scored the game-winning goal with 1:26 left in the third period as the New York Islanders edged the host New York Rangers.
The decisive goal came on the Islanders' only shot of the third period, while the Rangers took 17 shots in the period. Mathew Barzal, Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee also scored for the Islanders, who have won seven of eight. Robin Lehner made 27 saves.
Ryan Strome, Kevin Shattenkirk and Jesper Fast scored for the Rangers, who have lost five straight and eight of 10 (2-6-2). Henrik Lundqvist recorded 16 saves.
Blue Jackets 4, Predators 3 (OT)
Artemi Panarin scored two power-play goals, including the game-winner 1:22 into overtime, to lift host Columbus past Nashville.
Boone Jenner also scored twice, Zach Werenski recorded two assists, and Columbus coach John Tortorella earned his 600th win -- the most ever by a U.S.-born coach and two more than Nashville's Peter Laviolette.
Nick Bonino, Viktor Arvidsson and Mattias Ekholm had goals for the Predators, whose three-game winning streak came to an end. However, Nashville earned at least one point for the seventh game in a row (5-0-2).
Lightning 3, Hurricanes 1
Brayden Point's power-play goal with 3:15 remaining led Tampa Bay to a victory against visiting Carolina.
The first two Lightning goals came on power plays in the final nine minutes, the first scored by Ondrej Palat. Point added an empty-net goal to cap a three-point night. Steven Stamkos had two assists for Tampa Bay, which has won nine of its past 10 games.
Justin Williams scored for the Hurricanes, his fourth goal in five games and the 300th of his career. The outcome snapped Carolina's season-best, five-game winning streak.
Blues 4, Canadiens 1
Oskar Sundqvist and Ryan O'Reilly each had two points, and rookie Jordan Binnington made 28 saves in St. Louis' victory over visiting Montreal.
After shutting out the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 7 in his first NHL start, Binnington turned in another strong outing against Montreal. Binnington now has a 1.59 goals against average over 188 minutes played this season.
Sundqvist recorded an assist and also notched his eighth goal of the season, coming while the Blues were short-handed 16:24 into the first period. Sammy Blais, Jay Bouwmeester and Robert Thomas also found the net for St. Louis.
Brendan Gallagher scored for the Canadiens.
Wild 3, Jets 2
Jason Zucker scored twice, and Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves as Minnesota kicked off a two-game homestand by clinging to a victory over Winnipeg in Saint Paul, Minn.
Dubnyk was especially strong during the third period, when the Jets registered 13 shots. By comparison, the Wild -- who have won four of five games -- didn't register a single shot in the final frame.
Jordan Greenway scored 5:40 into the game for Minnesota. Brandon Tanev and Mark Scheifele collected goals for the Jets.
Coyotes 4, Canucks 3 (OT)
Richard Panik's second goal of the game, at 4:10 of overtime, gave Arizona a victory at Vancouver. The Coyotes posted their second straight win following three consecutive losses. The Canucks took their third consecutive loss.
Nick Cousins and Conor Garland tallied for the Coyotes in regulation. Vinnie Hinostroza and Jakob Chychrun each posted a pair of assists, and Panik also had an assist. Arizona goaltender Darcy Kuemper recorded 33 saves on 36 shots.
Sven Baertschi led the Canucks with two goals, while Adam Gaudette supplied a single marker. Jacob Markstrom stopped 18 of 22 shots.
Sharks 3, Golden Knights 2
Melker Karlsson and Joonas Donskoi scored goals 39 seconds apart midway through the third period, and Martin Jones made 36 saves to pick up his 20th win of the season as San Jose rallied for a victory in Las Vegas.
Tomas Hertl also had a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who won their fifth straight game and seventh in the past eight to leapfrog the Golden Knights into second place in the Pacific Division. It also was the 1,000th win in franchise history for San Jose.
Jon Merrill and Tomas Nosek scored goals for Vegas, which had a seven-game winning streak snapped and lost in regulation at home for the first time since a 4-1 loss to St. Louis on Nov. 16. Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 24 saves.
Senators 4, Kings 1
Bobby Ryan and Chris Tierney scored second-period goals less than two minutes apart, and Tierney added a late empty-net goal as Ottawa won at Los Angeles.
After losing eight consecutive games, the Senators won back-to-back games in Southern California, ending their losing streak with a 2-1 overtime victory at Anaheim on Wednesday. Ottawa won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game winning streak from Nov. 27-Dec. 1.
Christian Wolanin also scored for the Senators. Goalie Anders Nilsson, acquired by Ottawa in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks last week, made 33 saves to pick up his second victory with his new team. Kyle Clifford scored a goal for the Kings, who lost for the fourth time in five games this month.
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Posts Tagged ‘Idea of India’
Reposing Hindu Identity in Requiem mass.
In British India, Hindu Identity was a thing to hide. For India’s oldest living people, being Hindu was once a hidden affair. As colonial subjects, Hindus learned to accept—or at least to not publicly contest—the basic premise of the British civilizing mission, which saw Indian culture and Hindu religion as vastly inferior to its European counterpart. For much of the colonial era, Hindus held their religion back from the public eye, submerging it in private rituals. Hinduism, after all, is a “myth”.
In the early 20th century, Gandhi was the first one, who tried to bring it to public life, posing it at par with Islam, in the context of botched Hindu-Muslim unity. The attempt, however, was quashed due to the staunch secularist (Nehruvian) doctrine of the First Indian P.M. Jawahar Lal Nehru.
For the next several decades, Nehruvian secularism dominated India’s intellectual life. Despite the vibrant practice of Hinduism in temples, daily life, and festivals, there was no appetite or courage shown by Hindus in public understanding of it.
Nehruvian “Idea of India” “An Imagined secular, pluralist polity that belongs to all Indians and not to any one group” (i.e. Hindu majority). India was created as pluralist opposed to Hindu majoritarian (particularistic) nationalism.
Indian secularism has gone down the drain due to the growing incidence of communal conflicts in various parts of India involving Hindu extremists; and particularly the occurrences of Godhra train burning and burning of thousands of Muslims alive in Gujrat; under the auspices of current P.M Modi, Hindu extremism has changed the Character of India forever to that of a Hindu–terrorist–state.
Particularism of “Hindutva” transformed by RSS into violent extremism.
BJP a subsidiary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for long has been calling on the Indian governments to recognize the special rights of the Hindu majority in a Hindu majority country.
Now with the advent of BJP’s rise to become India’s governing party, the idea of India is being redefined to mean a Hindu polity. Through acts of violence as well as words and laws, Hindu Extremists are pressing not whether the country’s political system should recognize Hindu identity, but the precise way in which it should be recognized.
This concept of Hindu majoritarianism or the pre-eminence of Hinduism has been in progress right from the time of Indira Gandhi down to Rajive, Vajpayee, Modi and is bound to perpetuate in more violence after the 2019 parliamentary elections, regardless of who wins or who loses. Muslims would, therefore, be naïve not to re-evaluate their position and prepare accordingly.
https://shakir2.wordpress.com/2018/04/02/indian-muslims-and-conquest-of-mecca/
A Burst of Hindu extremism; the rise of a Hindu Government espousing extremism; is a reactionary/retaliatory expression against centuries-old repression, caused by sustained, enduring and taxing dynastic subjugation by the kings, dukes, Rajas. It permeated through and through in Hindu psyche as an inferiority complex. They are now revolting against it by way of extremism.
This is best expressed by Hyderabadis; where everyone claims to be the descendant of a Nizam; as if all the courtiers and the ordinary subjects just vanished into thin air, at the end of Asaf Jahi Dynasty!
In an Indian concocted zeitgeist, a diverse collection of Indians, are now looking for an identity to arm themselves like that of an Anglicized elite. It simply expresses an ingrained psychological, cultural and religious inferiority, making them fit the famous proverbial expression: A Crow pretended to walk like a stark but forgot even his own.
At one hand, an Indian woman would take pride in having an affair with a white man, acting like a white woman and awkwardly using western slangs to fit in. On the other hand, a Gujrati man would be, walking in the winter, wearing a sleeveless sweater, socks and muffler but flip-flop underneath OR donned with a three-piece suit in a party but jogging shoes underneath. Come on, Give me a break!
India to an extent, nevertheless, is the beneficiary of this psychologically inert state. Indian Muslims have been force-fed the goodness of botched “secular-India”, due to which; despite once having been considered to be the best Muslim, they vitiated their religion and took pride in being called Indian instead. Result; despite facing sustained and designed discrimination and humiliation; never mustered the courage to embark on a resistance or separatist movement, like many others in 22 of the Indian states.
As stated earlier, firstly, Hindu’s psychological holdbacks would never allow them, despite, supposedly, having attained the Hindu majoritarian Identity, to equate with their counterparts in the global setting. Secondly, it is highly unlikely, given the internal and external dynamics, that India would ever become an economic power as wishfully hyped. Thirdly, Muslim-India sure had glorious past but it was neither Hindu-India nor Hinduism. Fourthly, Hindu majoritarian identity, admittedly, would prove to be elusive and imaginary for the winners and communal for the losers; at best, unless the balkanization of coerced-Indian-Union takes place.
Equating Diwali with Christmas and Ramayana with Bible is albeit euphoric but delusional.
Recognition of pre-eminence of Hindu majoritarian Identity, given the Punjab and Kashmir almost slipped out of Indian control, would simply spur the process of India’s balkanization. Many-other-among-the-equals would not allow the usurpation of their ancestral and birthrights to their land/country and assignment of it to Hindu-majority. They are already up in arms against the covert privileged Hinduism; the status being sought by Hindu extremist through the “citizenship amendment bill”, currently under consideration in the parliament. Passing it would justify forced conversion of non-Hindus—especially the Muslims to Hinduism. Hindu extremists’ rhetoric (foisted by RSS, BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Hindutva) has transformed into violent-activism. Godhra train burning and Burning-Muslims alive in Gujrat; under the auspices of Narendra Modi (P.M); and many subsequent lynching of Muslims and other minorities, all over India are barbaric examples of it.
The proponents of the Hindu majoritarianism ought to bear in mind that Hinduism does not brace a prospering future. Because, after all, it is a mythology carved out of monotheistic persuasion. Vouchsafed in Puranas and Vedas. Hence “Ghar Wapsi” (back to home) should be taken seriously by the Hindu majority, not by the Muslim and other minorities. Younger, educated generation, all across the world, is drifting away from the mythologies, philosophies and even interpolated (and abrogated) divine religions due to their human-adduced illogical and un-appealing contents.
https://shakir2.wordpress.com/2017/09/25/balkanization-of-india/
SAVE—-ROHINGYA, UGHER, PALESTINIAN AND KASHMIRI MUSLIM FROM STATE-SPONSORED GENOCIDE. RECLAIM—AFRICA— A MUSLIM CONTINENT. (Use and share this slogan as often as possible)
Tags:Anger, BJP, Burst of Hindu extremism, Butcher of Gujrat -Modi, Citizeship amendment bill, Coerced Indian Union, Common sense, Connectivity, Covert Privileged Hinduism, Diwali=Christmas?, Experiences, Godhra train burning, Gujrati man, Hindu Extremism, Hindu Inferiority Complex, Hindu Majoritarianism, Hindu Mythology, Hindu Nationalism, Hindu Polity, Hindutva, history, Hyderabadi experience, Idea of India, India, India Balkanization on steroid, Indira Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Modi, Mohandas Gandhi, Muslim Nivrette, Particularisation, Rahul Gandhi, Rajive Gandhi, Ramayana=Bible?, Re-evaluation by Muslims, religion, Revolting Hindus, RSS, socks muffler n flip-flop, thought, Young educated drifting away
Posted in Behavior, Blogroll, Current events., Hindu Extremism, Hindu Majoritarianism, POLITICS, PSYCHOLOGY., Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
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Tag: Bravo
The Fashion Show
May 22, 2009 ~ Shinichi ~ 1 Comment
For the past three weeks, I have been following The Fashion Show, Bravo’s slapped-together replacement for the recently departed Project Runway. It’s certainly a low-frills, bitchier show than it’s predecessor, especially with Isaac Mizrahi, who manages to make Michael Kors look like your nice gay uncle. That’s because he’s the other gay uncle, the one whose zingers really do sting. Like Kors, he is actually qualified to evaluate fashion as he has been in the industry for over 20 years. He judges the designs, but also gives some Tim Gunn-ish feedback when the designers are working. Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child fame, on the other hand, doesn’t fill Heidi Klum’s fashion icon shoes as she’s more of a self-styled fashionista who’s been to numerous shows. This is like throwing an armchair quarterback in to the game. As for the third judge, thankfully they did away with fashion editors (the Anna Wintour parody would have been too much) and go for fashion executive Fern Mallis. Unlike Project Runway, where the weekly walk was for the benefit of the judges, The Fashion Show’s designers’s models parade their designs before not only before the judges, but also industry people and an audience.
Continue reading “The Fashion Show” →
Project Runway, Season 5: Episode 1
July 18, 2008 ~ Shinichi ~ 2 Comments
Last season’s PR brought odd personalities such as the Björk Lady and Harry Potter, the talented winner. This season doesn’t seem to short of personalities. I can’t remember anyone’s names right now, but I’ll call one guy Tweaker Beck and another Rufus Wainright. Blue mohawk guy: Vivian or one his roommates from the Young Ones.
I’m not sure if this is going full circle to Season 1’s first challenge or if PR is on its last legs and grasping for straws, but the challenge is to go the grocery store and scoop up whatever materials they can. Austin Scarlet, winner of the Season 1 challenge with his corn husk dress, is back to judge the challenge.
Not surprisingly, a lot them grab table cloths and Tim Gunn bitches them out for it. The aging biker chick goes for the punk rock cliché of the garbage bag and tries to break it, only to fall flat like an inner tube with a hole in it. That would have been a great material for a dress. Rufus Wainright, on the other hand, is more innovative with a dress made of blue plastic cups.
Jennifer, one of the few names I’ve caught, uses material I would love to use: paper towels. It brings back memories of the tissue paper couture I did as a kid.
Tweaker Beck, well, makes a very tweaked out outfit. Michael Kors says it looks like a handiwipe gone wrong. As for Jerry the Asian guy, his outfit looked too nursey or as Kors said, just left the hospital. Needless to say, Jerry leaves the runway.
Korto is the only one who uses to produce to accessorize a tablecloth dress. Kelli, who looks a bit like Reese Witherspoon, wins by burning and staining her materials, creating a not-so-pretty but interesting effect.
Perhaps this season will be an interesting one, but it’s too early to tell. I wonder how much we’ll get to see Tim Gunn losing that cool, “Make It Work” demeanor. Even though that would overshadow Heidi and the designers, it would be checking out.
My one real gripe about watching PR – seeing all those commericals for “Date M Ex.” Jo and Slade, please go away. I guess Bravo/NBC takes care of their own when their music careers fail to take off.
Oh, there’s another gripe: PR’s Bravo website is badly organized. This must be one of Bravo/NBC’s retaliations for the show’s migration to Lifetime (a financially motivated move on Weinstein’s part).
Only two weeks away…
http://widgets.bravotv.com/o/4657041ec2a2cf53/486c74334793d1e5
Project Runway‘s final season on Bravo. It will definitely be a nice staple of this summer season on ShindoTV.
Then comes Eureka close to the end of the month.
Oh, and I promise to not post spoilers fresh after viewing the episodes of both shows.
Project Runway: Season 4 Finale Part 2
Here, you can see the designers go through casting drama.
http://widgets.bravotv.com/o/4657041ec2a2cf53/47d175fa70e323f2
Needless to say, Christian worked his Harry Potter magic, created some “fierce” ruffles, and had a winning collection. When Tim Gunn checked in on him a month before, he had some feathered leggings. For good or bad, he ditched the Big Bird pants, but he had some amazing garments that incorporated feathers on the runway. The hat on the first look and the feathers on the final gown added to the fantasy, couture aspect of his collection. Christian also retained the giant collar Tim Gunn had some concerns about. He had some bitchy model drama before the show (one complained about the shoes). Somehow, flats wouldn’t look right in the Spanish Renaissance inspired look.
Jillian had so many shapes and so much variety in her collection. On a creative level, this is great. She can conceive and execute many different looks. The one thing that was missing was cohesiveness, or what they like to call a “point of view.” Great work, though. I don’t doubt her phone will be ringing for days from potential clients.
While she wasn’t hemming things at the last minute (an 11th hour garment challenge would have killed her), Jillian tried to recast the models at the last minute as she didn’t pay attention to their heights. A short model in a long dress can be a nightmare.
Rami retained his signature of draping; however, he branched out with some very eclectic results. Some of his dresses were reminiscent of Chloe Dao‘s, including some extremely bold color choices (blue-green, magenta, blood red). He used draping techniques in newer ways, as to create blouses and dresses that didn’t look like they were made for Greek goddesses. The gold gown looked like it could be fantasy Grecian, but it also was reminiscent of a something a 1930’s starlet would wear. Weaving the fabric was an interesting touch, especially in the bodice of one gown. He was holding back in the walk-off between him and Chris March, as some of what he presented on Fashion Week was much more interesting.
The judge’s roller coaster of praise and criticism is a fun feature of this finale. This time, at least they’re not accusing someone of having the boobs in the wrong place. Victoria Beckham, the guest judge is wowed by Christian’s collection. Will we see her in one his creations in the future?
See the final collections.
Christian speaks!
Project Runway: Season 4 Final Collections (website)
Warning: This entry contains some spoilers.
I went on Project Runway‘s website, and found that they have posted a gallery of the final collections. Like a little kid before Christmas, I just couldn’t resist taking a peek. Unlike the coming episode, they show all five finalists’ collections go down the Bryant Park runway.
Last year, Tim Gunn declared the decoy practice was over. This time they returned to it with some byzantine twists.
Sweet P was one decoy. Since she didn’t make the cut to compete in the Fashion Week finale, she was perfect for throwing off the press during Fashion Week. However, a decision had to be made about which one would be another decoy and which one would actually compete regarding Chris March and Rami. Even though I still think decoying like this is a mindfuck, perhaps worse than the previous seasons, I am very happy for Sweet P and Chris March for getting to show at Bryant Park.
Sweet P’s palette is perhaps the most eclectic of the group. Gold, lavender, chartreuse, fuschia, and even some doses of black and white help shape her collection. She’s a lot more adventurous than her previous challenges, which I’m glad to see.
It is a shame that Chris March doesn’t get to compete in the finale. He makes some very odd, but great fabric choices in his gothic collection, and I’m not talking about the human hair weaves. That part is interesting, but he did think about patterns, prints, and textures in building these creations. The collection, as a whole, was cohesive and informed by a point of view. Adding to it, Chris March’s own ensemble was definitely something from earlier Tim Burton films, making him fit in with his own collection. Perhaps in the long run, he’ll get more opportunities for not winning.
I’ll reserve comment on the other three after the finale. I will say that Christian’s collection kicks ass.
Project Runway: Season 4 Finale Part I
February 29, 2008 ~ Shinichi ~ Leave a comment
Here is a teaser vid:
http://widgets.bravotv.com/o/4657041ec2a2cf53/47c848db398e19d4
Next week is the Fashion Week episode. This episode gives the expected preview of the finalists’ collections with drop-in visits from Tim Gunn, who gives his ever so thoughtful editing eye to garments the designers spent months working on. Also, we find see this limbo scenario unravel – will Chris March or Rami get to show in Fashion Week?
After Tim visits Rami in LA and Chris March in NYC, we see both their collections have promise. Rami does something not so drapey, but at the same time, his work is more constructed. Chris March’s collection is very gothic with a shocking twist – he sewed human hair extensions into some of his dresses. It strikes some of the judges as a bit creepy; however, it reminds me of some of those odd hairstyles that hair dressers, only it extends to the garment. There’s also a scene in Hedwig and the Angry Inch where Hedwig has a Cher/Tina Turner moment in blond dress to go with his very straight, long blond wig.
After they have the showdown at the end of the episodes, the judges still have a hard time deciding, but they ultimately decide on Rami. He is very talented, but his collection didn’t interest me as much as Chris March’s.
Now for the other finalists:
If anyone can make Big Bird pants work, it’s Christian with his Harry Potter magic. Tim Gunn, overall, is wowed, but he’s baffled by some items such as a gigantic, face-concealing ruffled collar (Late Renaissance), and a pair of feathered leggings. Somehow, it’ll all click.
Jillian, too, has a Renaissance inspired collection, with quite a dark palette. Will she put a little color into her revised collection?
I think Christian’s going to win this one, though the judges may have a hard time between him and Jillian.
Stay tuned for next week the Fashion Week finale.
Project Runway: Raw Talent
February 8, 2008 ~ Shinichi ~ 2 Comments
Here is this week’s episode, scientifically reduced to pill form.
http://widgets.bravotv.com/o/4657041ec2a2cf53/47ac0cbbd122bb3
This episode is indeed where no designer has gone before.
Has Project Runway ever gone camp, high or low? The personalities of some designers, past and present, have been campy, but Chris March is definitely an industrial strength dose. We all know about his drag queen portfolio and his penchant for outrageous, costumey things. He also, in a sweet way, has complimented the Bjork Lady in her oddness until her unfortunate, Hershey paved departure. We get a low dose of low camp with “the divas of the WWE,” and the guest appearance of Heatherette is the frighteningly kitschy fashion camp element in the judging.
Needless to say, Chris March embraces the challenge and wins. He discovers he and his model have a mutual love of leopard print and he creates a costume reminiscent of one worn by Shania Twain seven or so years ago in one her music videos.
Harry Potter, the runner up, obviously expected to win this week’s challenge. He makes a concerted effort to hide his disappointment to no avail.
There is a weird Tao of Steve in this episode, as some designers don’t embrace the challenge. Sweet P, who has managed to make some fabulous dresses in the past few episodes, tanks with her wrestling diva, whose thing is to wear a dress or coat that covers her body and she opens it to do “the reveal.” Sweet P picks a white iridescent fabric that could be easily in a Star Trek: TNG sickbay. The outer garment doesn’t effectively conceal the sexpot body, which makes it fall flat. If only Sweet P had access to the wedding dress Steven barely used for that fatal challenge, she probably wouldn’t have been on the chopping block this week.
Color choice is alway a tricky thing. Jillian creates something wrestling ring appropriate and sporty with blue, while Rami picks a bright bubblegum pink and Ricky goes for a bright orange. Richie Rich of Heatherette makes the comment that Rami’s outfit comes across as Paris Hilton wannabe was interesting, as everyone’s favorite heiress is one of their famous clients. While I’d love to take exception with Nina Garcia‘s aversion to orange, I have to agree with her. It’s a color I hate as well (I don’t own a single orange garment).
Every once in a while, the judges love to hone in on Rami and how he’s so un-American. Jee-zus, is that really a bad thing?
Some of the exit interviews, especially in the past few seasons, feel like they’re from the end of Waiting For Guffman or Best in Show. Victorya‘s declaration of having a long career in fashion and Ricky’s beaten down statement of uncertainty definitely strike me that way. Am I the only person having this reaction?
Now it’s down to five, which means the final fashion week episode isn’t too far away.
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Recommended Anime/Manga?
Post subject: Re: Recommended Anime/Manga?
Location: Joker Star Galaxy, Argentina
Then you should know nagano forbids anyone to touch his work ever again
There's an excellent interview on Forbes where the madman talks about his influence on the animu industry, that movie, how he saved gundam... and stuff like that, it's a good reading
https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarde ... r-stories/
KAI wrote:
Is it translated? cant find it anywhere.
Title is "Hakaiou ~GaoGaiGar vs Betterman~ the COMIC". See if that helps.
Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:54 pm
Golgo 13 Queen Bee - Complete trash.
Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust - Prefer it to the original tbh.
Steamflogger Boss wrote:
Re: Vampire Hunter D and Bloodlust,
I was praising Vampire Hunter D left and right but watching it with a couple buddies who hadn't seen it, earlier this winter, made me realize it may not be quite as solid as I thought it was. Sure has some charm for the ages, a badass setting and is forever a classic anime movie for us westerners, one of the first to break in our market and helped open the floodgates. But as a film, on it's own merits? Maybe not quite as hot as I was pimpin' it in my mind
My buds really weren't impressed with it and I think it's because the character acting and dialogues are kinda clumsy and "big"/over-exagerated and simple to a fault, even by animu standard (there's a word in french called "simplet" that means "overtly simple and dumb" and sometime just "dumb", and I think it really fits what I'm trying to say here). Came across as goofy sometimes, when it was not aiming for that at all, is my point I guess. That's what jumped at me during that rewatch. Other than that I like most other aspects of the film. Gotta love Amano designs and the setting(sci-fi vampires and mutants, are you kidding me?) and the basic plot, the events themselves and the action, are cool. I still like watching it every now and then but I think I'll be hesitant watching it with other people now, haha
Bloodlust I watched once about 3 years ago and I'm due for a rewatch. I remember liking it and feeling like it had held up better. My boy Kawajiri back at it again!
Last edited by FinalBaton on Thu May 02, 2019 5:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I would probably give the original a solid 6/10. Bloodlust is basically doing the same things (action movie, sick setting as you mentioned) but was more fun to me.
Vludi
I watched Bloodlust without watching the first movie . It was quite good for me, probably the best from that director.
1cc list | Replays
BryanM
I was praising Vampire Hunter D left and right but watching it with a couple buddies who hadn't seen it, earlier this winter, made me realize it may not be quite as solid as I thought it was.
Yeah, it's a product of its time and market, like Star Wars was. One of the few things where you could see a boob or a violent monster bloodbath on broadcast TV in those halcyon pre-internet days.
On the topic of art, it is pretty incredibly refreshing to see anything that isn't the standard Anime style. The other week I was staring at this desk in a Korean webtoon and was like "I love how shitty this desk looks!" Basic simple ruler work. Just the fact that Grimgar had water paintings for its background or that CGI cafe in Time of Eve are a great change of pace. And something as gruesome and unpleasant as How To Become A Demon Girl would never get to be mainstream.
The brutal, slightly abstract fantasy paintings of the Overlord books are far beyond the work that Madhouse could offer us:
BryanM wrote:
it is pretty incredibly refreshing to see anything that isn't the standard Anime style.
absofuckinglutely!
We talkin' moe blobs here?
Sword of the Stranger.
Not just the stuff where the main characters are all 13 and a half years old. Regular proportion stuff is pretty standardized too - the difference between Psycho Pass and Bleach are small differences in opinions on how pointy chins can be, what color hair people can have, and how big titties are allowed to be.
They all look like they can practically be a part of the same world. Which is funny in the Standardized Anime Universe. But just another example of boring bland homogenous commercialization otherwise.
Even the more normal-proportionned stuff I get tired of sometimes TBH.
Not a fan of either of those, but looking at them on google images, you are right.
I mostly watch older stuff. Recent "newer" watches include various new Lupin series, which are pretty stylized. Ancient Magus' Bride and Golden Kamuy which I have no idea if it looks like everything else. I haven't even really looked in to much if any other anime made in the last 5 years or so.
Read some more Tezuka manga:
Barbara: Crazy story of a famous writer (who is a sexual deviant) who picks up a bum girl that drinks like a sponge, who turns out to be something quite sinister.
Aiako: The story of a rural family in post-war Japan. Each member has serious issues, which makes the story quite ballsy. The story develops towards a quite cruel, if karmic, ending. If you don't like incest, keep away.
Alabaster: Another crazy ass plot only Tezuka could come up with. The first chapters consist on the protagonist Alabaster getting revenge for himself, then it focus on another girl with the same problem he has, and they end up taking on the world to remodel it as they see fit.
The Book of Human Insects: The main character is a huge manipulative bitch, and the men and women revolving around her are morons. The story is still worth reading, and the ending was actually quite surprising.
Tezuka wrote some good seinen stories. I think these are worth reading if you enjoyed works like Adolf and MW.
Took me longer than it should have, but I finished the Goku: Midnight Eye manga... and it was fucking awesome. The two OVAs are enjoyable, but sadly, they ran out of dough. Seemed to be a thing when the bubble burst. Anyway, would loved to have seen this run longer. I can't think of anything nearly as cool as this in recent days. (Please correct me if I'm wrong).
Mischief Maker
I'm busy watching the second season of one punch man on hulu and to be honest I'm underwhelmed.
Apparently the first season's animators didn't return and their absence is seriously felt.
A wealthy oligarch and two working-class dudes, one black one white, sit at a table with ten cookies.
The oligarch grabs nine cookies for himself then says to the white dude, "Watch out for that black dude, he wants a piece of your cookie!"
Location: プププランド
Mischief Maker wrote:
; ___ ;
~Imagination and memory are but one thing, which for diverse considerations have diverse names~
~*~*~*~*~*~* If there's a place that I could be ~ Then I'd be another memory *~*~*~*~*~*~
Always shitty when animation takes a nose dive in between seasons...
So I've been watching Kimagure Orange Road. It's goofy af but keeps me coming back. I couldn't tell you exactly why. It doesn't have me by the balls like Hana Yori Dango did and honestly the MC is an asshole. I assume he's going to inexplicably get the girl that he wants and not the one that has already announced her unrequited love for him in the end.
I was shocked when I checked the website for the real One Punch Man and saw there was finally an update after two freakin' years. So much better than what the Murata thing has turned into.
Read Worth the Candle and it's such a contrast to mass market content. Besides a heavy-helping of anti-wish fulfillment to balance things out a bit, there's actually stuff the author wants to talk about. Table top games with homebrew elements, growing up in a rural area, ridiculously broken+nonsensical and imbalanced skill systems, morality, a world created for one person, simulated worlds and the nature of being a simulant within one, SCP-like memes and threats, world-ending nightmares only held back by exclusion zones... the guy has lots of things he won't stop talking about until he's thoroughly explored them. An exert on one of the background horrors:
In brief, Captain Blue-in-the-Bottle was a powerful necromancer during the Second Empire, one who reached heights that no other necromancer ever had before, not even in Uther’s time. His particular brand of necromancy got excluded, leaving him as the sole practitioner, but as far as enpersoned exclusion zones went, he was pretty calm and relaxed, capable of making deals with those outside his realm. At the time, that included the Second Empire, and they invested money into the Captain’s lands, putting up factories which were staffed by zombies, the name given to special creations that would slowly decay over time, but could be directed toward simple work until that point, the pinnacle of mindless labor. The Captain’s realm took in raw goods and sent out finished ones, at a fraction of the price that anyone else could do the same work for, and he did it with branding and public relations, little stamps that said ‘zombie-made’ on plates, hammers, all kinds of things. The zombies were, per the Captain, ethically sourced, only taken from people who died naturally in his realm, which had a fair population of the living as well.
The only problem was, Captain Blue-in-the-Bottle had been lying, and the zombies weren’t fully dead at all. Instead, the person who died was locked into their body, fully able to feel everything that happened to them, but unable to take any action on their own. The ‘zombies’ would sit there doing assembly work, watching as their bodies slowly and inevitably decayed, unable to speak, unable to stop, watching their own demise at a remove.
Eventually, the truth came out, thanks to some investigative reporting and a few very specific entads that allowed the zombies to have a voice. It was a big, complicated mess, an atrocity committed almost entirely by one man, and it got tangled up in the burgeoning world economy and the complicated ethical positions of the Second Empire. The upshot was that ‘zombie’ became a dirty word, especially after Captain Blue-in-the-Bottle published a long screed about how people knew in their hearts, and didn’t care, and would continue to buy the products from his factories anyway. ‘Zombie’ had always been his word, with slightly cutesy connotations, pictured in his propaganda as dim-witted but loveable creatures. It was a lot less cute when you knew there were people trapped inside those bodies, forced into permanent labor as they watched their bodies degrade, feeling every single bit of their slow death. Captain Blue-in-the-Bottle had been wrong about people: they’d stopped buying his stuff, mostly through coordinated action and a stringent ban by the Empire of Common Cause, and he’d been stuck in his exclusion zone for quite some time, increasingly unhinged and severely unhappy.
The discomfort comes from the fact there have been billions of people who've lived their entire lives feeling just a few deviations away from this metaphor. It's not a fact anyone normal would want to pay money to be reminded of.
Never finished it, but now that it's been rescanned I may check it out. I always found this one a bit too cheesy at the time, but now that I'm a bit wiser and nostalgia has kicked in I might give it another go. It's 80's through and through.
FWIW, I know the final movie was always considered the gut-punch, while everything else was pretty light hearted. Never got that far though.
Fwiw the BD is excellent. I would not have expected it to look this good.
And yeah it's mega 80s which is probably part of the appeal for me. Love the goofing too, nice light pre-sleep watching.
cj iwakura
Location: Coral Springs, FL
FYI, Midnight Pulp somehow licensed a ton of old stuff, namely the fifth UY film for some reason.
https://www.midnightpulp.com/video/0154 ... er-dubbed/
蒼く咲く華 日は灯り 天に流れる | Kill The Past
scrilla4rella
Location: Berkeley, CA
I'm interested in checking this out as well. Without seeing any of the tv show I watched some of the movie back in the day (on VHS) and was all, 'fuck this shit!' but I keep hearing good things so I may give the show a try.
If you like awkward love triangles with 80s humor, then you will enjoy it lol.
My favorite character is the cat, I don't remember if I already mentioned that or not.
blackoak
I had a similar experience when I revisited it several years ago. Like you said it's the setting and monster design that really sparks the imagination. As a formative anime experience it was kind of neat too... the meandering nature of the plot doesn't hold up very well on repeat viewings but the first time I saw it, it was almost surreal, kind of a "wtf is happening" and unpredictable in a good way. I love that scene in the middle with the witch in the castle. My wife and I also still say "Oh my god a werewolf" to each other to this day.
Bloodlust I remember having awesome animation but being slightly ruined by the histrionic DUNPEAL!! female lead. Can't remember if I rewatched that with japanese VAs later...
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Bleh. I just canceled my hulu subscription. One Punch Man season 2 bites.
They delayed the release of this episode last week supposedly because of the french open, but rumors said they were using the extra time to punch up the animation quality. Well if they did, I couldn't tell. This was the big episode where Saitama finally starts taking on the rampaging monsters and almost all the action happened offscreen. And the weak animation robs the humor of its punch, too.
Not worth another month of hulu fees.
One Punch Man season 2 bites.
It really does. Even worse, it's just a regular fighting show now. I can't really see how they coud have maintained the central gag beyond 12 episodes but it's still disappointing.
Still keeping my CR subscription for Attack on Titan though, which still stoically delivers.
Currently playing: Yakuza 0
RiderKick
M.Knight wrote:
-Watamote : A comedy show about a weird and paranoid high school girl with lots of social anxiety. While the subject matter is rather serious and the depiction of her condition is pretty accurate, there are also a lot of funny situations that come out of it as she often gets herself in embarassing situations or overthinks what others think of her.
Ruldra wrote:
WataMote appears to be Pathetic Geek Stories: The Anime. I am ok with it existing.
From what I've seen of this show, Tomoko is a big selfish asshole and she totally deserves to be alone.
The manga continues after the anime ends, and hey, Tomoko develops immensely as the series goes on, even if she is still a pervert, she stops with any schemes to be popular, her judgement of others is way less harsh and she does become a kinder and nicer person, she even gets to become the beloved senpai to another girl.
Also, she gets to become friends with others and she acknowledges she used to be an asshole:
Still a pervert though, but she no longer calls everyone sluts or assumes everyone is talking about sex, nor does she think of others as stupid or beneath her, strangely enough, it was only after she improved as a person that she actually got some friends that didn't come from middle school.
Might have to check the manga out...
The anime is completely done right? I'm a lazy shit so I prefer watching.
Oh yeah, fun thing to note, Watamote ended up with only one season because it wasn't very popular, and the manga was selling awfully enough it was nearly cancelled, apparently what they changed it was the author starting to develop Tomoko more and more as a character, having her realize she wasn't the greatest person, and then giving her some actual victories and letting her gain some actual genuine friends, some people did get bored after she became a better person and stopped being a loner, but it seems to have paid off as people liked having a nicer main character and a bigger cast.
It helps that Tomoko is still enough of a pervert and just a bit of an asshole enough to be recognizable as Tomoko while being a whole lot better than she was at the start and giving her a few moments where she comes across as a decent person by herself, guess people just really hated her not winning anything or being so mean that people didn't care she was a loner.
A bit too little too late for anime adaptations though, things becoming better only actually happened after the anime ended so it's manga content only forever, guess the author should have done the changes just a tiny bit quicker.
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« The NYPS Blues
Fundamental Disrespect »
Occupying The Narrative
Published March 8, 2012 on Schools , on Society Closed
Tags: #Occupy, ABCD-F Act, ALEC, education reform, Hanna Skandera, NCLB, on Schools, Phi Delta Kappan, Politics, privatize public education, privatizing schools, public education, school reform, schools, social contract, Sussana Martinez, teacher unions, teachers
OK, folks, today’s assignment will be to explore the influence in your home state by an organization called ALEC, or American Legislative Exchange Council, and what to do about it.
Let’s begin with a little quiz:
1. Are you aware of the Washington DC-based organization, ALEC, which is funded by the largest corporations and wealthiest individuals in the U.S.?
2. Are you aware that ALEC exists to write what they euphemistically call “model legislation” to hand to your elected officials for them to introduce to your legislature for the purpose of passing business-friendly laws which will govern your life and the education of your children? No mention will be made that these new laws were created in Washington DC and not by your legislator.
3. Do you know that New Mexico’s ABCD-F Act is based on ALEC model legislation and that every bill having to do with education in the 2012 Legislature was originated by ALEC as “model legislation”?
4. Are you aware that the highly publicized Occupy-crashed banquet in Santa Fe was hosted by ALEC for sympathetic legislators?
5. Do you know about the all-expenses-paid sojourns at exclusive resorts to encourage legislators to introduce and pass ALEC-provided “model legislation”?
Does any of this trouble you? I hope so. It certainly bothers me.
A group of legislators in Wisconsin have now introduced a bill that would require that organizations which introduce legislation through compliant legislators register themselves as lobbyists. I would call it the “Truth in Legislating Act.” The story, reported in the Madison Capital Times on Feb. 17, quoted the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Mark Pocan: “ALEC is like a speed dating service for lonely legislators and corporate executives. … The corporations write bills and legislators sign their names to the bills. In the end, we’re stuck with bad laws and nobody knows where they came from.” It goes without saying that this form of legislative monkey business is patently dishonest and it seems to be endemic across the U.S. as legislators are wined and dined by ALECian lobbyists, fat-cat donors to their political campaigns who also designate individuals to be appointed to critical positions of authority (e.g. our very own Hanna Skandera) at the state level. This same pattern has been seen in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and other states, as well as New Mexico.
The authors, of a March 2012 Phi Delta Kappan article, Julie Underwood and Julie Mead, both of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wondered how such a consistent pattern of legislation could appear across the country. “How could elected officials in multiple states suddenly introduce essentially the same legislation?” they asked. Their conclusion after considerable research shows ALEC to be behind it. The UW-Madison professors, no fans of the organization’s motives, wrote that “ALEC’s positions on various education issues make it clear that the organization seeks to undermine public education by systematically defunding and ultimately destroying public education as we know it.”
For your edification, here is a list of New Mexico legislators with published ALEC ties:
Rep. Paul Bandy (R-3), ALEC State Chairman[140] and Guest at the December 2010 International Relations Task Force meeting[27]
Rep. Jimmie Hall (R-28)[19][141] and Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate
Rep. William Gray (R-54), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate
Rep. Nathaniel Quentin Gentry (R-30), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate
Rep. Rick L. Little (R-53), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
Rep. Alonzo Baldonado (R-8), ALEC Education Task Force Member
Rep. Dennis Roch (R-67), ALEC Education Task Force Member
Rep. Paul Bandy (R-3), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
Rep. Nora Espinoza (R-59), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member
Rep. Larry A. Larranaga (R-27), ALEC International Relations Task Force Member
Rep. William R. Rehm (R-31), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member
Rep. Anna M. Crook (R-64)[16], ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
Rep. James R.J. Strickler (R-2), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task ForceMember
Rep. Thomas A. Anderson (R-29), ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member
Rep. Dennis J. Kintigh (R-57), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
Sen. Kent L. Cravens (R-21)
, ALEC State Chairman, Public Safety and Elections Task Force member[142]
Sen. Sander Rue (R-23),[143] Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member
Sen. George K. Munoz (D-4), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
Sen. William E. Sharer (R-1)[16], ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member
Sen. Mark L. Boitano (R-18), ALEC Education Task Force Member
Sen. Vernon Asbill (R-34), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
Sen. Sue Beffort (R-19), ALEC Health and Human Services Task ForceMember
Sen. William H. Payne (R-20), ALEC International Relations Task Force and Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member
Sen. Rod Adair (R-33), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member
And here is a list of New Mexico legislation inspired by ALEC:
HB 386 (introduced 2/7/11) “Transparency in Private Attorney Contracts” is similar to ALEC’s “Private Attorney Retention Sunshine Act”
HB 318 (introduced 2/2/11) “Crime of Organized Retail Theft Act” is similar to ALEC’s “Organized Retail Theft Act”
HB 45 (introduced 1/10/11) “Eminent Domain Federal Property Condemnation” (Sponsor: Rep. Paul C. Bandy) is based on ALEC’s “Eminent Domain Authority for Federal Lands Act”
SB 324 (introduced 1/31/11) “Licensure of Secondhand Metal Dealers”[8] is similar to ALEC’s “Responsible Scrap Metal Purchasing and Procurement Act”
House Joint Memorial 24 (introduced 1/27/11), “Requesting Governor to Withdraw New Mexico from the Western Climate Initiative” is similar to ALEC’s “State Withdrawal from Regional Climate Initiatives”
HB 229 (introduced 1/27/11) “Parental Notice of Abortion Act” is similar to ALEC’s “Parental Consent for Abortion Act”
SB 195 (passed 2/17/10) “Sunshine Portal Transparency Act” is similar to ALEC’s “Transparency and Government Accountability Act”
HJR 5 (introduced 1/20/10) “Resolution to Allow Health Care Decisions” is based on ALEC’s “Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act”
HB 105 (introduced 1/19/05) “Income Tax Deduction for Organ Donation” is similar to ALEC’s “Organ Donation Tax Deduction Act”
This is a list of ALEC education “model legislation” which became bills introduced in the New Mexico Legislature.
ABCD-F Act — passed
Education Accountability Act
Having to do with schools, teachers and administrators:
Career Ladder Opportunities Act
Teacher Quality and Recognition Demonstration Act
+ Great Teachers and Leaders Act
A further report on legislation introduced by New Mexico legislators on behalf of ALEC can be found at: ALEC inspired bills in the 2011 legislative session.
How we deal with this legislative infusion for the benefit of powerful corporate and financial interests is a question that must be answered before our entire body of law has been replaced by laws written by those interests and for their benefit How do we deal with legislators who are willing to sell out their constituents in return for an expenses-paid trip to an exclusive resort or a fancy meal?
Strategy vs. Tactics
I think attacking ALEC, which has millions of dollars in its war chests donated by the largest corporations in the world, is a futile strategy. Also, attacking the legislators who so willingly surrender their responsibilities for paltry rewards—“atta boys” and banquets from ALEC and its sponsors—will not pay off; what will work is to identify them as such publicly.
Shouting and chanting and storming meetings are tactical; educating is strategic. It is imperative that the narrative high ground be seized, that the narrative be occupied and educative. There is no need to attack ALEC when simply pointing out to the public who they are, what they do, whom they have bought and the effect on people’s lives and well-being would be sufficient. Of course this will take patient, concerted and continuous effort to pull off, but then the 2012 legislative elections aren’t until November. There is hope. There is still time to organize and to keep the narrative going long enough and strong enough to occupy that narrative. And, it is much easier to address these issues from high ground than by slinging mud and thus alienating the public.
It must be realized, I believe, that the general public does not have the interest or faintest clue about the machinations and goals of ALEC. That sort of apathy illustrates the general reality gap between activists and Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public and, if the issues are polarized along political party lines, the gap gets wider. In any event, the ethical and moral issues here have nothing to do with party because there are ALEC toadies with outstretched palms on both sides of the aisle. They are neither Democrats or Republicans but ALECians.
The campaign against ALEC must always, I think, focus on the issues and the impact of those issues on the public For those whose support you seek, the story has to become their personal narrative. If you do this right, ALEC-free candidates will come looking for you. And when they seek your support it wouldn’t hurt to require a solemn pledge to not succumb to ALEC. Think of yourselves as educators, Occupy, and you are on the road to effecting significant social change. The only people you want to alienate are the ones you don’t like, not the ones whose support you need to create change. At all costs avoid becoming the narrative yourselves; remember, it’s not about you, it’s about the truth.
ALEC Exposed home page <http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed>
ALEC State Chairmen <http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_State_Chairmen>
ALEC model legislation <http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed>
ALEC model legislation – education <http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/Bills_Affecting_Americans%27_Rights_to_a_Public_Education>
list of politicians <http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Politicians>
New Mexico legislators w ALEC ties <http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Politicians#New_Mexico_Legislators_with_ALEC_Ties>
Originally appeared at The Light of New Mexico:http://www.thelightofnewmexico.com/
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Legends articles, Wookieepedia former featured articles, Articles to be expanded,
Pages needing citation
Domesticated creatures
Kowakian monkey-lizards
Outer Rim Territories species
Oviparous species
Reptilian sentient species
Semi-sentient species
Kowakian monkey-lizard
< Kowakian monkey-lizard
This article is about the creature from Kowak. You may be looking for the creature from Tenupe or the comic.
Semi-sentient[1]
Reptilian[1]
Average height
0.7 meters[1]
Yellow,[2] brownish yellow,[1] red,[3] green,[4] light blue[2]
Black, dark brown,[1] light brown,[5] orange,[6] green,[3] purple,[7] light blue[2]
Yellow[2]
Sociocultural characteristics
Kowak[1]
Rain forests[1]
Insects, worms and small rodents[1]
Picaroon C. Boodle[1]
Gibberous Crumb[8]
Salacious B. Crumb[1]
Eeetch[9]
Pilf Mukmuk[3]
Skreech[9]
Desann: "You look like nothing more than a Bantha herder."
Katarn: "And you look like an overgrown Kowakian monkey-lizard, so I guess looks don't count for much."
―Desann and Kyle Katarn[src]
Kowakian monkey-lizards were a bipedal reptilian species native to a jungle-like Outer Rim planet called Kowak. Although they had no established culture, Kowakian monkey-lizards were quite intelligent, and despite their silly, cruel nature, they were considered sentient by many sentientologists in the galaxy, although there was much debate over that designation. Standing roughly seventy centimeters tall, Kowakian monkey-lizards had small, spindly bodies, two large, floppy ears and a beak-like nose, with tufts of thick hair growing around their neck and on the tops of their heads. Some subspecies had long, prehensile tails.
Kowakian monkey-lizards were rarely found off their homeworld, although it was not uncommon to find a monkey-lizard in the service of a crime lord. One such individual was Salacious B. Crumb, a court jester on Tatooine for Hutt gangster Jabba Desilijic Tiure. Crumb perished along with his master when Jabba's sail barge was destroyed in 4 ABY. At least one Force-sensitive monkey-lizard was known to exist—a mutated Dark Jedi named Picaroon C. Boodle, who served under Jerec. Pic was ultimately killed by Rebel agent Kyle Katarn above the Sulon Star.
Biology and appearance Edit
A Kowakian monkey-lizard
Kowakian monkey-lizards were reptilian bipeds, with thin, almost twig-like limbs, and a small, triangular head atop slender shoulders. They had two large,[1] highly sensitive,[10] floppy ears, which curved backwards and narrowed into a thin, hairy point, and often had several small holes in them,[1] though not always.[5][6][11] Some monkey-lizards wore piercings in those ears.[2] In place of a nose, monkey-lizards had a wide, hooked, dark-colored beak, like that of a reptile,[10] which could be opened to reveal a large, toothless mouth.[5][6] In some specimens, that beak was a different color from the rest of the body, even having two shades, such as white and black.[2] They had two wild, yellow eyes, which were usually very close to each other,[5][6][11] although that feature varied.[1] Their skin color was typically a light brown or tan color, though some had red,[3] green,[4] blue, or yellow skin, or even a combination of two of those hues. A particular monkey-lizard might exhibit different-colored markings around the eyes.[2]
Each monkey-lizard had tufts of thick hair growing around their neck, resembling a ruff, on the tops of their heads, and at corners of their jawbones.[1] Some also had a tuft at the tip of the tail.[2] The color of that hair varied: it was usually black or dark brown,[1] though a lighter brown,[5] green,[4] purple,[7] as well as a slightly orange shade were also known to exist.[6] Kowakian monkey-lizards generally had long, thin tails,[1] though some variants of the species had no tail.[4] Their limbs ended in three spindly digits that sported sharp talons.[10] Immature monkey-lizards were once described by Darth Vectivus as being the "ugliest larvae in the galaxy".[12]
Society and culture Edit
"Swing it, little monkey-lizard!"
―Fode[src]
Monkey-lizards resided mainly in large tree nests, and enjoyed swinging through the green rain forests of Kowak. Their diet consisted largely of various insects, worms and small rodents. They ate quite regularly, as their small bodies required much nourishment. They were also scavengers, choosing to eat carrion instead of fresh meat or vegetables. Rotting flesh was quite unhealthy to eat, so many in the galaxy speculated as to why they chose it: theories included that they preferred to have others do their work, or they wished to avoid predatory animals.[1]
A group of Kowakian monkey-lizards.
Monkey-lizards were extremely destructive and curious, and loved to explore, rarely leaving the packs they moved around in for protection against predators. They often used their ceaseless, loud laughter to scare off any potential attackers. They traveled in groups, making as much noise as possible in an attempt to intimidate other creatures in the jungles. After finding a corpse, monkey-lizards spent time fighting over the food instead of sharing it. Kowakians were known to be extremely cruel and mean-spirited to both other monkey-lizards and to members of other species. They had a clear sense of mischief and humor, and were known to mock others, laugh at them, and even fling objects towards them simply because they found it amusing. They were able to perfectly mimic almost any language, and according to certain studies, communicate in those languages if they wished. Monkey-lizards were also known to laugh at appropriate times during conversations, and could often repeat back what they heard fairly accurately.[1]
Members of the species could attack even larger foes, like Humans, by climbing onto them; clawing, and biting. For instance, a monkey-lizard might latch on to a foe's face and scratch it, or the monkey-lizard might bite the opponent's leg.[2] Some even exhibited the ability to wield melee weapons in combat, such as knives.[13] Members of the species could move quickly, shambling about on all fours and climbing rapidly over intervening obstacles.[2]
The sentience of Kowakian monkey-lizards was a highly debated topic among the greater galactic scientific community. The issue was never officially decided, though many declared them sentient; they believed this as although monkey-lizards were cruel, they were also quite intelligent.[1]
Monkey-lizards had very little culture or structured society to speak of. They had a sort of hierarchical boundary within each group of nests, with the oldest female acting as leader. Each monkey-lizard was given a specific role: some were assigned to gather food, others would maintain the nest, while yet others scouted for predators. Nothing was known about how the monkey-lizards reproduced; in the wild, monkey-lizards usually chased away those who attempted to study them and their behavior, and those in captivity had to be separated from other members of their species due to the noise levels they exhibited when left together. Sentientologists estimated that monkey-lizards laid eggs as a group about once a year, with only a few of the eggs surviving to hatch.[1]
History Edit
Monkey-lizards played no real part in galactic society; they rarely left their homeworld and were considered too wild to be let loose in proper society. Various scientists had attempted to study them in the wild, but all of these attempts proved fruitless; the monkey-lizards did not take well to being observed.[1] A group of University of Coruscant zoologists once visited Kowak hoping to conduct a study on the planet's spindly inhabitants. The zoologists noted that at first the monkey-lizards were apprehensive towards them, and seemed to be trying to keep to themselves. After about a week of being watched from afar with macrobinoculars, the monkey-lizards began to wander into the group's camp, inspecting their equipment and looking around. The zoologists eventually began to offer the creatures some of their food; that was when the Kowakians's cruel streak emerged. They hid a snake in one of the zoologist's bags, destroyed their expensive equipment, ate all their food, played in their tents and even left barrels of water on top of branches, pouring their contents down on anyone who walked below. The zoologists had no choice but to leave the planet. The Shi'ido anthropologist Mammon Hoole included an entry on the species in his publication The Essential Guide to Alien Species.[11]
Kowakian monkey-lizards in the galaxy Edit
Ahsoka Tano: "You're not going to trust this…this…"
CT-7567: "Hutt Slime?"
CS-2207: "Kowakian monkey-lizard?"
―CS-2207 using the name of the species to insult Cad Bane —
Listen (file info)[src]
Pilf Mukmuk, pet of pirate Hondo Ohnaka.
Early on in the galaxy's history, Kowakian monkey-lizards were rarely, if ever found offworld. Despite that, they occasionally wandered onto a visiting ship and could end up almost anywhere.[1] For instance, the swamps of the planet Baroonda were home to a sizable monkey-lizard population.[14]
Later on, a large number of monkey-lizards were found in the galactic underworld, often tied to criminal organizations. That was due both to their ability to repeat things exactly as they heard them, as well as the fact that they made excellent spies. Although monkey-lizards were quite popular with some among the upper classes, who kept them as pets for their own amusement, they were usually frowned upon in civilized society; likely because it was impossible to train a monkey-lizard, regardless of the time and effort expended on the attempt, or even the method used. Monkey-lizards bought as pets were usually sold on after their owners realized that they couldn't control them,[1] although some could grow to be loyal pets, such as in the case of Eeetch and Skreech.[9] Their owners often complained of how they had a tendency to smash valuable items, deface art and furniture, and rummage through garbage compactors. Most people thought monkey-lizards were extremely obnoxious,[1] and it was considered an insult to call someone a Kowakian monkey-lizard.[15][1] Monkey-lizards who were taken as pets became extremely lazy, and they usually starved if returned to the wild.[6][5] The monkey-lizard Gibberous Crumb was raised by a Hutt, but was abandoned by its master and entered the care of the Oblee crime lord Nirama, who considered Crumb to be an annoyance.[8] The Hut, a hangout for Podracer pilots in the latter years of the Galactic Republic, had a house monkey-lizard who played instruments.[14]
During the Clone Wars, monkey-lizards named Pilf Mukmuk[3] and Pikk Mukmuk were part of a gang of pirates led by the Weequay Hondo Ohnaka,[2] who kept the creatures around due to his amusement at their penchant for laughing at inappropriate times.[16] Pilf Mukmuk was the most famous monkey-lizard in the galaxy at the time. Although he lived on the planet Florrum, Mukmuk used his small size to infiltrate secure locations, such as ventilation ducts. Indeed, on one occasion, Ohnaka had Mukmuk smuggle a sedative into the ventilation system of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's craft; the drug knocked them out.[17] Meanwhile, Muk Muk monkey accompanied Ohnaka to the planet Felucia on a mission to rob the local farmers of their valuable Nysillin crops. When Ohnaka met resistance from the locals and their Jedi and bounty hunter allies, Muk Muk monkey helped the pirate fight Anakin Skywalker by manning the WLO-5 speeder tank Skywalker and Ohnaka were standing on as they fought. The monkey-lizard's shots managed to kill the bounty hunter Rumi Paramita, but Skywalker was able to hold off the pirates until they escaped.[2] Ohnaka's gang sometimes staged fights between their pet monkey-lizards at their base on Florrum.[18]
Also during the Clone Wars, Togruta Padawan Ahsoka Tano encountered a monkey-lizard named Muk Muk Monkey, who was accompanied by a pair of Weequay outside a bar in Coruscant's slum district G17.[7][19] Another monkey-lizard engaged in a knife fight with a momong on the planet Zygerria when a group of Jedi and their clone trooper captain, CT-7567, arrived to investigate a kidnapped colony of Togruta.[13] Such encounters led the Jedi Master Yoda to declare monkey-lizards possibly the most annoying species in the galaxy, albeit one not to be underestimated.[17]
Salacious B. Crumb, Jabba's court jester
Salacious B. Crumb was a Kowakian monkey-lizard from Kowak, who served as Jabba Desilijic Tiure's court jester at his desert palace on the Outer Rim world of Tatooine.[20] Although he spoke in laughs and cackles, Crumb was in fact intelligent; his silly nature was something of a facade, and he was smart enough to survive in Jabba's Palace. Crumb came to be in Jabba's possession after he sneaked onto the Hutt's ship and attempted to steal his food. Jabba was amused by the tiny creature, and allowed him to live on the condition that Crumb had to make the Hutt laugh once a day.[21] Crumb stayed in the Hutt's citadel for over four years, creating havoc and becoming one of the most disliked members of Jabba's court. During his time there, Salacious liked to play jokes on visitors and court members; one example of these jokes was when Crumb led two professors into the rancor pit.[22] Crumb was present when Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker arrived in Jabba's Palace to negotiate the release of carbonite-encased Han Solo with the crime lord. The monkey-lizard was on board the Khetanna when it exploded[23] and died as the ship exploded during Skywalker's escape.[21][20]
In very rare cases, a monkey-lizard served as a mechanic or engineer; one such being once repaired Boba Fett's armor at a workshop in Ma'ar Shaddam. He was later killed by Risso Nu.[24] A Kowakian monkey-lizard also served as a companion of the famous pirate known as Reginald Barkbone,[25] and another was known to occupy StarForge Station.[26]
Brothers of the Sith Pic and Gorc.
Picaroon C. Boodle, or Pic for short, was the only known Force-sensitive monkey-lizard. Early in his life, he traveled the galaxy with a smuggler named Az-Iban; however, sometime during the reign of Emperor Palpatine he was quarantined on Eriadu after being suspected of suffering from Cyborrean rabies. He eventually came into Imperial custody, and because of his Force-sensitivity, he was used as a research subject by Imperial scientist Tuzin Gast. Pic, as well as a Gamorrean named Gorc, was a subject in the experimental Project Chubar. Eventually, the two creatures were transferred to the service of Dark Jedi Cronal, who wanted two Force-sensitive "animals" to run tests on. Cronal used Sith alchemy on the two "animals," until they became mutated Sithspawn, sharing each other's genes and personality, as well as having a link in the Force. The two mutants worked well as a team, and developed a friendship of sorts, with Pic looking out for the dim-witted Gorc's safety.[27] The two joined Jerec's group of Seven Dark Jedi, who aimed to discover the lost Valley of the Jedi. Kyle Katarn foiled the group's plans, killing Gorc aboard the Sulon Star. Pic was devastated by this, and attacked Katarn with his Sith dagger in a frenzy, before having his head bashed in by the Jedi.[4]
Master Qui-Gon, more to say, have you?
It is requested that this article, or a section of this article, be expanded.
See the request on the listing or on this article's talk page. Once the improvements have been completed, you may remove this notice and the page's listing.
Kowakian monkey-lizards first appeared in 1983's Return of the Jedi. Salacious Crumb, the sole monkey-lizard in that film, was portrayed by a puppet operated by Tim Rose.[20] His species was not revealed in the film; he was first identified as a Kowakian Lizard-Monkey in the 1990 reference book Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi also uses this species name; later works change the word order to "Kowakian monkey-lizard."
Several Star Wars works[source?] have creatures with a name similar to Salacious's, though it is unknown if they are Kowakian monkey-lizards. Dark Nest III: The Swarm War features monkey-lizards on Tenupe.
Wookieepedia has 25 images related to Kowakian monkey-lizard.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Galactic Strongholds
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire (Mentioned only)
Jedi Apprentice: The Deadly Hunter (Mentioned only)
Jedi Apprentice: The Evil Experiment (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: Anakin's Speedway
"Nomad"
Jedi Quest: The Dangerous Games (Mentioned only)
"Dining at Dex's" on Hyperspace (article) (content removed from StarWars.com and unavailable) (Mentioned only)
"Precipice" on Hyperspace (article) (content removed from StarWars.com; new link on Suvudu; backup link on Archive.org) (Mentioned only)
Shatterpoint (Mentioned only)
MedStar I: Battle Surgeons (Mentioned only)
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Shadow of Malevolence" (Gunship art only)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Rookies" (Gunship art only)
"Hondo Ohnaka's Not-So-Big Score"—Star Wars Insider 144
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Dooku Captured"
The Clone Wars: Switch
Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "The Gungan General"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Innocents of Ryloth" (Gunship art only)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Bounty Hunters"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Lightsaber Lost"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Lethal Trackdown"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Slaves of the Republic"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Escape from Kadavo"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Bound for Rescue"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "A Necessary Bond"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – "Missing in Action" (Mentioned in a poster)
"Power Down"—Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic UK 6.45
Open Aarms
The Last of the Jedi: The Desperate Mission (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: Underworld (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: Secret Weapon (Mentioned only)
The Last of the Jedi: Master of Deception (Mentioned only)
A Hunter's Fate: Greedo's Tale webstrip
The Force Unleashed novel (Mentioned only)
The Force Unleashed II novel
This Crumb for Hire
Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game
"Spare Parts"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 11
A Boy and His Monster: The Rancor Keeper's Tale
Rebel Force: Target (Mentioned only)
Rebel Force: Hostage (Mentioned only)
Rebel Force: Renegade
Death Troopers (Mentioned only)
Star Wars Missions 10: Showdown in Mos Eisley
The Rebel Thief
Galaxy of Fear: The Doomsday Ship (Mentioned only)
Galaxy of Fear: Clones
Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
Star Wars Adventures: Princess Leia and the Royal Ransom (Mentioned only)
Payback: The Tale of Dengar
Shadows of the Empire comic
Battle of the Bounty Hunters
The Gambler's Quest
Star Wars: Demolition
"Number Two in the Galaxy"—Star Wars Tales 18
That's Entertainment: The Tale of Salacious Crumb
"The One That Got Away"
Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi novel (First appearance)
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi junior novel
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 1: In the Hands of Jabba the Hutt
Taster's Choice: The Tale of Jabba's Chef
A Time to Mourn, a Time to Dance: Oola's Tale
Let Us Prey: The Whiphid's Tale
Old Friends: Ephant Mon's Tale
Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand 1 (Appears in flashback(s))
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi 2: The Emperor Commands
Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
X-Wing Rogue Squadron 4: The Rebel Opposition, Part 4
The Lost City of the Jedi (Mentioned only)
Mission from Mount Yoda (Mentioned only)
Queen of the Empire (Mentioned only)
Prophets of the Dark Side (Mentioned only)
Dark Forces: Rebel Agent (Retcon)
Dark Forces: Rebel Agent audio drama (Retcon)
Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (Retcon)
X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble (Mentioned only)
"Laughter after Dark"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 15 (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (Mentioned only)
Star Wars: Union (Mentioned only)
The New Jedi Order: Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (Mentioned only)
The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic I: Remnant (Mentioned only)
Legacy of the Force: Betrayal (Mentioned only)
Legacy of the Force: Exile
Millennium Falcon
Fate of the Jedi: Outcast (Mentioned only)
Fate of the Jedi: Allies (Mentioned only)
Fate of the Jedi: Conviction (Mentioned only)
X-Wing: Mercy Kill (Mentioned only)
Ambiguously-canon appearances Edit
"Lapti Nek": The Music Video from Jabba's Palace
Non-canon appearances Edit
Kowakian Monkey-Lizard (Picture only)
Always count your clones before take-off (Picture only)
"Best Birthday Ever"—Star Wars Tales 16
"Skippy the Jedi Droid"—Star Wars Tales 1
The Return of Tag & Bink: Special Edition
"Fortune, Fate, and the Natural History of the Sarlacc"—Star Wars Tales 6
Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi
LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (Nintendo DS only)
Sources Edit
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Pack: Jabba the Hutt Action Playset)
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Coloring Book (Max Rebo) (Picture only)
Return of the Jedi Monster Activity Book
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Coloring Book (1984) (Picture only)
Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi (As "Kowakian Lizard-Monkey")
Galaxy Guide 7: Mos Eisley (Picture only)
Star Wars Gamemaster Handbook (Picture only)
Star Wars Technical Journal of the Planet Tatooine (Picture only)
The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook (As "Kowakian Lizard-Monkey")
Star Wars Technical Journal (Picture only)
Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, Second Edition
Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition
The Essential Guide to Characters
Star Wars: Chronicles
The Official Star Wars 20th Anniversary Commemorative Magazine (Picture only)
The Far Orbit Project
Hideouts & Strongholds (Picture only)
Star Wars Encyclopedia
Star Wars: The Action Figure Archive
"Tim Rose: Looking for Mr. Ackbar"—Star Wars Insider 42
Star Wars: Power of the Jedi
The Essential Guide to Alien Species
Alien Anthology
The New Essential Guide to Characters
Ultimate Adversaries
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species
"Who's Who in Jabba's Palace"—Star Wars Insider 60
The Official Star Wars Fact File 50 (MAX3–6, The Max Rebo Band) (Picture only)
"The Ultimate Return of the Jedi Insider's Guide"—Star Wars Insider 67 (Picture only)
The Official Star Wars Fact File 73
The Official Star Wars Fact File 131 (MUS1–4, "Music and Musicians") (Picture only)
"The Dark Forces Saga, Part 5" on Wizards.com (original article link, backup link)
"Cularin at Night" on Wizards.com (original article link, backup link)
"All Comers" on Wizards.com (original article link, backup link)
"Ask The Master: Q&A"—Star Wars Insider 77
"Underworld Appendix: Swoops, Spice, and Wretched Rogues" on Hyperspace (article) (content removed from StarWars.com and unavailable)
Threats of the Galaxy (Picture only)
"Master & Apprentice"—Star Wars Insider 102 (Picture only)
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
Star Wars Galaxy Series 4 (Card: Amy Pronovost sketch card)
The Return of the Galactic Moon Festival on the official Star Wars Galaxies website (content now obsolete; backup link)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: New Battlefronts: The Visual Guide
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Official Episode Guide Series 1 & 2
Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Incredible Vehicles
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic UK 6.24
Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures – "Shop" (Set: Kowakian Monkey Lizard Holoprojector)
Salacious Crumb in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded (Picture only)
"Rogues Gallery: An Audience with Jabba the Hutt"—Star Wars Insider 134
The Essential Reader's Companion
The Creatures of Episode III on StarWars.com (article)
Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection
"Take a Tour of Jabba's Palace!"—Star Wars Magazine 2
Star Wars: The Card Game – Edge of Darkness (Card: Prized Possession) (Picture only)
Star Wars: What Makes a Monster?
Star Wars: The Card Game – Darkness and Light (Card: The Slimiest Scheme) (Picture only)
Star Wars: The Card Game – Darkness and Light (Card: Salacious B. Crumb) (Picture only)
Star Wars: The Card Game – Darkness and Light (Card: Prized Possession) (Picture only)
Star Wars: The Card Game – Between the Shadows (Card: Prized Possession) (Picture only)
↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 The New Essential Guide to Alien Species
↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11
↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Ultimate Adversaries
↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Alien Anthology
↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2
↑ 8.0 8.1 Open Aarms
↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures
↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Star Wars Character Encyclopedia
↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 The Essential Guide to Alien Species
↑ Legacy of the Force: Betrayal
↑ 13.0 13.1
↑ 14.0 14.1 Star Wars: Anakin's Speedway
↑ Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars: New Battlefronts: The Visual Guide, p. 107
↑ 17.0 17.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Comic UK 6.24, p. 21
↑ The monkey-lizard is unnamed in the episode, but
The Clone Wars Episode Guide: Lightsaber Lost on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link) lists the character as being portrayed by voice actress Jaime King, and
Jaime King and Meredith Salenger: Thick as Thieves on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link) suggests that the character is the monkey-lizard featured in the episode.
↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2
↑ 21.0 21.1 The Essential Guide to Characters
↑ Tales from Jabba's Palace
↑ Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
↑ "Number Two in the Galaxy"—Star Wars Tales 18
↑ The New Essential Guide to Droids
↑ The Far Orbit Project
Retrieved from "https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kowakian_monkey-lizard/Legends?oldid=8349153"
Legends articles
Wookieepedia former featured articles
Articles to be expanded
Legends articles with canon counterparts
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The Myth of Sisyphus
by Theater of the Absurd
© Copyright - Michael Neumeister & Patrick Curley / Theater of the Absurd (8718503560236)
Progressive Metal like no other band has ever played; complex, dramatic musical madness that can appeal to fans of old-school Prog Rock and Metal alike.
Genre: Metal/Punk: Progressive Metal
1. False Idols
2. The Lesser Gods
3. Trade Winds
4. Rising Tides in Still Water
5. For Nostalgia's Burden, Part I: Our Quiet Fears
6. For Nostalgia's Burden, Part II: In My Time of Solace
7. Black Wind from Mr. Takamine (Pat's Nap)
8. Changing Direction
Based in New York City, Theater of the Absurd have been pushing the boundaries of progressive metal since 2006. In 2013, the band's ardor and efforts bore fruit in the form of the acclaimed full-length album, The Myth of Sisyphus, mixed by legendary producer Jim Morris (Iced Earth, Savatage, Death) at Morrisound Recording. Though not a concept album, the lyrical themes on The Myth of Sisyphus offer an existential examination of contemporary society and inner struggle, conveyed through the medium of powerful and evocative avant-garde music.
The Myth of Sisyphus is replete with lush vocal harmonies courtesy of vocalist Chandler Mogel (Outloud) and guest female vocalist Kjersti Kveli, as well as blistering metal sections and complex melodic passages. Intricate piano runs, compelling bass lines, refined guitar work and monstrous drumming characterize this singular release that is perhaps best summed up by the term "drama metal", which was coined by the album's mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum (Cynic, Fates Warning, Asia). A must-buy for any fan of forward-thinking music.
"The instrumentation is excellent throughout the album and make no mistake this is not progressive metal by the numbers...Theater of the Absurd has released an excellent album and one that I recommend without reservation. Definitely a band to watch out for." --Sea of Tranquility
“If you take the style ‘Prog Metal‘ and change the word 'Prog' to 'Drama' you will get ‘Drama Metal,‘ and that’s what this music sounds like. It’s changing every few seconds and it throws you to different places: up, down and sideways”. --Maor Appelbaum
"It's difficult to describe what you find when you're listening [to "The Myth of Sisyphus"]; It is absolutely Progressive music; Prog Metal at times, occasionally Gothic, often, very melodic. It sounds good and never gets boring. Their own style, their own sound. My advice: listen!" -- Progpraat
"The whole event is very entertaining; the songs have enormous drive and are pleasantly complex, especially in the rhythm section: SO good!" --Ragazzi-Music
"The madness inherent in this record is...totally lucid and calculated, not a single note is out of place, everything is exactly where it should be and nothing is left to chance." --Metal.it
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A visitor walks through a Toyota showroom in Tokyo Friday, Aug. 3, 2018. Toyota Motor Corp. has reported its quarterly profit climbed 7.2 percent, helped by strong sales in the U.S. and other overseas markets. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Toyota logs record 1Q profit, cuts full year sales outlook
TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. has reported its quarterly profit climbed 7.2 percent, helped by strong sales in the U.S. and other overseas markets. The maker of the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models said Friday that its April-June net profit was 657.3 billion yen ($5.9 billion),...
FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2017, file photo, customers line up at a Taco Bell restaurant inside Miami International Airport in Miami. The parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut reported second-quarter results that beat Wall Street’s view, but a key sales metric failed to meet expectations. Sales at Pizza Hut restaurants open at least a year dipped 1 percent. KFC and Taco Bell reported a 2 percent rise in the metric. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
Yum profits strong in 2Q, some weakness in same-store sales
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The company that owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut is reporting healthy second-quarter profits, though sales at existing stores could create some unease. Shares slipped more than 2 percent before the opening bell Thursday. Yum Brands Inc. posted earnings of $321 million, or...
Analysts expect Tesla 2Q revenue gain but big net loss
Tesla's second-quarter revenue should grow by more than $1 billion as it delivered more Model 3 electric cars. But analysts predict it won't be enough to stop the company's net loss from rising dramatically when the Palo Alto, California, company reports earnings after the bell Wednesday. Analysts...
Ferrari profits rise in second quarter as sales grow
MILAN (AP) — Sports carmaker Ferrari on Wednesday confirmed its 2018 earnings forecasts after posting an 18-percent rise in second-quarter profits and a rise in deliveries. The sports carmaker also said it would go ahead with a new business plan presentation next month, led by its new CEO Louis...
FILE - In this Friday, April 13, 2018 file photo, Volkswagen logo is pictured in front of a company building in Wolfsburg, Germany. German carmaker Volkswagen reports second-quarter earnings on Wednesday Aug 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
Volkswagen sees profit rise but warns on protectionism
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Volkswagen said its net earnings rose 6.8 percent in the second quarter on record sales but warned that "growing protectionism" is a threat to the globally connected car industry. The automaker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, said Wednesday that profit rose to 3.31 billion ($...
In this May 31, 2018, photo, a customer enters the Apple store in New York. Apple made more money from higher priced iPhones in the latest quarter, even as unit sales were relatively unchanged. Shares of Apple rose nearly 3 percent Tuesday, July 31, after it reported fiscal third-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Apple shares rise on pricey iPhones; no tariff impact yet
Apple made more money from higher priced iPhones in the latest quarter, even as the number of phones it sold did not change much. The sluggish unit growth means Apple is no longer the second-biggest smartphone maker behind Samsung. Huawei took that spot, research firm IDC said Tuesday, with 54.2...
FILE- This June 25, 2018 file photo shows the New York Stock Exchange in New York. Stocks are opening broadly higher on Wall Street, Tuesday, July 31, 2018, as technology companies rise after a three-day losing streak. Industrial companies were also higher (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Health care and industrial stocks lead US indexes higher
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Tuesday following strong results from industrial and health care companies as well as a report that the U.S. and China are trying to restart trade talks. Small companies rallied. Bloomberg News reported that representatives of the U.S. and China are looking for ways...
In this Jan. 31, 2018, photo, shoppers standing on an escalator passes by the logo of Nintendo at an electronics store in Tokyo. Nintendo Co. said Tuesday, July 31, 2018, that its quarterly profit jumped 44 percent during the fiscal first quarter thanks to increased sales of Nintendo Switch game titles. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
Nintendo reports jump in earnings thanks to Switch
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Nintendo Co. said Tuesday that its quarterly profit jumped 44 percent in the fiscal first quarter thanks to increased sales of Nintendo Switch game titles. The Japanese maker of Super Mario and Pokemon games said its net profit totaled 30.6 billion yen ($274.9 million)...
An employee of Honda Motor Co. cleans a Honda car displayed at its headquarters in Tokyo, Tuesday, July 31, 2018. Honda profits jumped 17.8 percent in the latest quarter, driven by strong auto sales in North America and motorcycle sales in Asia, the company said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Honda profits jump on strong car and motorcycle sales
TOKYO (AP) — Honda Motor Co. profits jumped 17.8 percent in the latest quarter, driven by strong auto sales in North America and motorcycle sales in Asia, the company said Tuesday. The Japanese automaker reported profits of 244.3 billion yen ($2.2 billion) in the April-June quarter, up from 207.3...
BP gets Q2 boost from higher oil prices; earnings quadruple
LONDON (AP) — Energy giant BP says it is increasing its dividend for the first time in almost four years after second-quarter earnings quadrupled on higher oil prices and streamlined production. Underlying replacement cost profit jumped to $2.82 billion from $684 million in the same quarter a year...
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US8404779B2 - Tissue adhesive and sealant comprising polyglycerol aldehyde - Google Patents
Tissue adhesive and sealant comprising polyglycerol aldehyde Download PDF
Henry Keith Chenault
Actamax Surgical Materials LLC
2010-03-26 Priority claimed from US14/628,909 external-priority patent/USRE46234E1/en
2010-03-26 Application filed by Actamax Surgical Materials LLC filed Critical Actamax Surgical Materials LLC
2013-01-15 Assigned to ACTAMAX SURGICAL MATERIALS LLC reassignment ACTAMAX SURGICAL MATERIALS LLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
C09J—ADHESIVES; NON-MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF ADHESIVE PROCESSES IN GENERAL; ADHESIVE PROCESSES NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; USE OF MATERIALS AS ADHESIVES
C09J171/00—Adhesives based on polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Adhesives based on derivatives of such polymers
C09J171/02—Polyalkylene oxides
A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
A61L24/00—Surgical adhesives or cements; Adhesives for colostomy devices
A61L24/001—Use of materials characterised by their function or physical properties
A61L24/0031—Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
A61L24/04—Surgical adhesives or cements; Adhesives for colostomy devices containing macromolecular materials
A61L24/043—Mixtures of macromolecular materials
A61L24/046—Surgical adhesives or cements; Adhesives for colostomy devices containing macromolecular materials obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
C08G—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
C08G65/00—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of the macromolecule
C08G65/02—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of the macromolecule from cyclic ethers by opening of the heterocyclic ring
C08G65/32—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment
C08G65/321—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment with inorganic compounds
C08G65/323—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment with inorganic compounds containing halogens
C08G65/329—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment with organic compounds
C08G65/333—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment with organic compounds containing nitrogen
C08G65/33303—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment with organic compounds containing nitrogen containing amino group
C08G65/33306—Polymers modified by chemical after-treatment with organic compounds containing nitrogen containing amino group acyclic
C08G2650/00—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of the macromolecule
C08G2650/28—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of the macromolecule characterised by the polymer type
C08G2650/50—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain of the macromolecule characterised by the polymer type containing nitrogen, e.g. polyetheramines or Jeffamines(r)
C08L2203/00—Applications
C08L2203/02—Applications for biomedical use
C08L2666/00—Composition of polymers characterized by a further compound in the blend, being organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials, non-macromolecular organic substances, inorganic substances or characterized by their function in the composition
C08L2666/02—Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
C08L2666/14—Macromolecular compounds according to C08L59/00 - C08L87/00; Derivatives thereof
C08L2666/22—Macromolecular compounds not provided for in C08L2666/16 - C08L2666/20
C08L71/00—Compositions of polyethers obtained by reactions forming an ether link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
C08L71/02—Polyalkylene oxides
A tissue adhesives and sealant formed by reacting a polyglycerol aldehyde with a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is described. The tissue adhesive and sealant may be useful for medical and veterinary applications, including, but not limited to, wound closure, supplementing or replacing sutures or staples in internal surgical procedures such as intestinal anastomosis and vascular anastomosis, tissue repair, preventing leakage of fluids such as blood, bile, gastrointestinal fluid and cerebrospinal fluid, ophthalmic procedures, drug delivery, and to prevent post-surgical adhesions.
This application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 national state filing of International Application No. PCT/US2010/028833, which claims the benefit of and priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. Nos. 61/164,005; 61/164,007 and 61/164,012, all of which were filed Mar. 27, 2009. The entire contents of each of the foregoing applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to the field of medical adhesives and sealants. More specifically, the invention relates to a tissue adhesive and sealant formed by reacting a polyglycerol aldehyde with a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine.
Tissue adhesives and sealants have many potential medical applications, including wound closure, supplementing or replacing sutures or staples in internal surgical procedures, preventing leakage of fluids such as blood, bile, gastrointestinal fluid and cerebrospinal fluid, adhesion of synthetic onlays or inlays to the cornea, drug delivery devices, and as anti-adhesion barriers to prevent post-surgical adhesions. Conventional tissue adhesives and sealants are generally not suitable for a wide range of adhesive applications. For example, cyanoacrylate-based adhesives have been used for topical wound closure, but the release of toxic degradation products limits their use for internal applications. Fibrin-based adhesives are slow curing, have poor mechanical strength, and pose a risk of viral infection. Additionally, fibrin-based adhesives do not bond covalently to the underlying tissue.
Several types of hydrogel tissue adhesives have been developed, which have improved adhesive and cohesive properties and are nontoxic (see for example Sehl et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0119985, and Goldmann, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0002893). These hydrogels are generally formed by reacting a component having nucleophilic groups with a component having electrophilic groups that are capable of reacting with the nucleophilic groups of the first component to form a crosslinked network via covalent bonding. However, these hydrogels typically swell, dissolve away too quickly, or lack sufficient adhesion or mechanical strength, thereby decreasing their effectiveness as surgical adhesives.
Kodokian et al. (copending and commonly owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0078536) describe hydrogel tissue adhesives formed by reacting an oxidized polysaccharide with a water-dispersible, multi-arm polyether amine. These adhesives provide improved adhesion and cohesion properties, crosslink readily at body temperature, maintain dimensional stability initially, do not degrade rapidly, and are nontoxic to cells and non-inflammatory to tissue. However, the instability of oxidized polysaccharides in aqueous solution limits their shelf-life for commercial use. For example, dextran aldehyde undergoes hydrolytic depolymerization much more rapidly than its parent polymer, dextran (E. Schacht et al. J. Controlled Release, 1:33-46, 1984; Callant at al. Reactive Polymers, 8: 129-136, 1988).
Therefore, the need exists for a tissue adhesive and sealant that has the desirable properties of the hydrogel tissue adhesive described by Kodokian et al., supra, but that is formed using a polymer containing aldehyde groups that is more stable in aqueous solution than oxidized polysaccharides. The need also exists for a tissue adhesive and sealant that comprises a polymer containing aldehyde groups, which is more stable in aqueous solution than oxidized polysaccharides, and that has an adhesive strength that is similar to or greater than those of comparable formulations produced with an oxidized polysaccharide.
The present invention addresses the above needs by providing a tissue adhesive and sealant that is formed by reacting a polyglycerol aldehyde, which is more stable in aqueous solution than oxidized polysaccharides, with a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine.
Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention provides a kit comprising:
a) at least one polyglycerol aldehyde having aldehyde groups, said polyglycerol aldehyde having a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons; and
b) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group, wherein the multi-arm amine has a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a dried hydrogel formed by a process comprising the steps of:
a) combining in a solvent (i) at least one polyglycerol aldehyde having aldehyde groups, said polyglycerol aldehyde having a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons; with (ii) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine, wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group, said multi-arm amine having a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons, to form a hydrogel; and
b) treating said hydrogel to remove at least a portion of said solvent to form the dried hydrogel.
In another embodiment the invention provides a composition comprising the reaction product of:
b) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group, said multi-arm amine having a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a crosslinked hydrogel composition comprising:
b) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group, said multi-arm amine having a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons;
wherein said at least one polyglycerol aldehyde and said at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine are crosslinked through covalent bonds formed between the aldehyde groups of the polyglycerol aldehyde and the primary amine groups of the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a method for applying a coating to an anatomical site on tissue of a living organism comprising: applying to the site a) at least one polyglycerol aldehyde having aldehyde groups, said polyglycerol aldehyde having a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons; followed by b) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by a primary amine group, said multi-arm amine having a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons, or (b) followed by (a), or premixing (a) and (b) and applying the resulting mixture to the site before the resulting mixture completely cures.
As used above and throughout the description of the invention, the following terms, unless otherwise indicated, shall be defined as follows:
The term “polyglycerol aldehyde” as used herein refers to a polymer that comprises glycerol monomers connected by ether linkages and having 3 to about 170 aldehyde groups per molecule.
The term “ether linkage” refers to a chemical linkage of two substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl groups through an oxygen atom, (i.e., R—O—R′), is such that neither R nor R′ contain another oxygen atom attached directly to the carbon atom that forms the ether linkage. That is, the ether linkage is not part of an acetal, ketal, glycosidic, ester or orthoester moiety.
The term “equivalent weight per aldehyde group”, also referred to herein as “EW”, refers to the molecular weight of the polyglycerol aldehyde divided by the number of aldehyde groups introduced in the molecule.
The term “m·n” means the quantity represented by “m” multiplied by the quantity represented by “n”.
The term “water-dispersible, multi-arm amine” refers to a polymer having three or more polymer chains (“arms”), which may be linear or branched, emanating from a central structure, which may be a single atom, a core molecule, or a polymer backbone, wherein at least three of the branches (“arms”) are terminated by at least one primary amine group. The water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is water soluble or is able to be dispersed in water to form a colloidal suspension capable of reacting with a second reactant in aqueous solution or dispersion.
The term “water-dispersible, multi-arm polyether amine” refers to a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein the polymer is a polyether.
The term “polyether” refers to a polymer having the repeat unit [—O—R]—, wherein R is a hydrocarbylene group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms. The polyether may also be a random or block copolymer comprising different repeat units which contain different R groups.
The term “branched polyether” refers to a polyether having one or more branch points (“arms”), including star, dendritic, comb, and hyperbranched polyethers.
The term “dendritic polyether” refers to a highly branched polyether having a tree-like structure and a degree of branching as defined by D. Hölter, et al. (Acta Polym. 48:30-35, 1997) of 99.9-100% (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0045668).
The term “comb polyether” refers to a polyether having a main chain with multiple trifunctional branch points from each of which a linear arm emanates.
The term “star polyether” refers to a polyether having a central branch point, which may be a single atom or a chemical group, from which linear arms emanate.
The term “degree of branching” is defined by D. Hölter, et al. (Acta Polym. 48:30-35, 1997) and refers to the percent of branch points in a polymer, relative to the maximum number of branch points theoretically possible.
The term “hyperbranched” refers to a polymer that is highly branched, having a degree of branching as defined by D. Hölter, et al. (Acta Polym. 48:30-35, 1997) of about 10% to about 99.9%, more particularly about 20% to about 99%, and more particularly about 30% to about 70% (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0045668).
The term “primary amine” refers to a neutral amino group having two free hydrogens. The amino group may be bound to a primary, secondary or tertiary carbon.
The term “multi-functional amine” refers to a chemical compound comprising at least two functional groups, at least one of which is a primary amine group.
The term “crosslink” refers to a bond or chain of atoms attached between and linking two different polymer chains.
The term “crosslink density” is herein defined as the reciprocal of the average number of chain atoms between crosslink connection sites.
The term “% by weight”, also referred to herein as “wt %” refers to the weight percent relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion, unless otherwise specified.
The term “anatomical site” refers to any external or internal part of the body of humans or animals.
The term “tissue” refers to any biological tissue, both living and dead, in humans or animals.
The term “hydrogel” refers to a water-swellable polymeric matrix, consisting of a three-dimensional network of macromolecules held together by covalent crosslinks, that can absorb a substantial amount of water to form an elastic gel.
The term “PEG” as used herein refers to poly(ethylene glycol).
The term “Mw” as used herein refers to the weight-average molecular weight.
The term “Mn” as used herein refers to the number-average molecular weight.
The term “medical application” as used herein refers to medical applications as related to humans and animals.
The term “imine bond” refers to the carbon-nitrogen double bond depicted between the carbon atom labeled “C” and NHR5 in structure I below, in which R4 and R5 are each independently unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbyl groups. An “aminal bond” is either of the carbon-nitrogen single bonds depicted between the carbon atom labeled “C” and NHR7 or NHR8 in structure II, in which R6, R7 and R8 are each independently unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbyl groups. A “hemiaminal bond” is the carbon-nitrogen single bond depicted between the carbon atom labeled “C” and NHR10 in structure III, in which R9 and R10 are each independently unsubstituted or substituted hydrocarbyl groups.
The meaning of abbreviations used is as follows: “min” means minute(s), “h” means hour(s), “sec” means second(s), “d” means day(s), “mL” means milliliter(s), “L” means liter(s), “μL” means microliter(s), “cm” means centimeter(s), “mm” means millimeter(s), “μm” means micrometer(s), “mol” means mole(s), “mmol” means millimole(s), “g” means gram(s), “mg” means milligram(s), “wt %” means percent by weight, “mol %” means mole percent, “Vol” means volume, “v/v” means volume per volume, “w/w” means weight per weight, “Da” means Dalton(s), “kDa” means kiloDalton(s), the designation “10K” means that a polymer molecule possesses a number-average molecular weight of 10 kiloDaltons, “M” means molarity, “kPa” means kilopascal(s), “NMR” means nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, “1H NMR” means proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, “13C NMR” means carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, “ppm” means parts per million, “PBS” means phosphate-buffered saline, “MWCO” means molecular weight cut off, “psi” means pounds per square inch, “MW” means molecular weight, “FW” means formula weight, “MHz” means megahertz, “SEC” means size exclusion chromatography, “dn/dc” means the specific refractive index increment (i.e., the change in refractive index per change in concentration), “cP” means centipoise.
Disclosed herein is a hydrogel tissue adhesive and sealant formed by reacting a polyglycerol aldehyde with a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine. The polyglycerol aldehyde is more stable in aqueous solution than are oxidized polysaccharides, thereby making the tissue adhesive more practical for commercial use. The hydrogel tissue adhesive and sealant may be useful for medical and veterinary applications, including, but not limited to, wound closure, supplementing or replacing sutures or staples in internal surgical procedures such as intestinal anastomosis and vascular anastomosis, tissue repair, preventing leakage of fluids such as blood, bile, gastrointestinal fluid and cerebrospinal fluid, ophthalmic procedures, drug delivery, and preventing post-surgical adhesions.
Polyglycerol Aldehydes
Polyglycerol aldehydes are polymers that comprise glycerol monomers connected by ether linkages and having 3 to about 170 aldehyde groups per molecule. Useful polyglycerol aldehydes have number-average molecular weights of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons, more particularly about 1,000 to about 20,000 Daltons, more particularly about 2,000 to about 20,000 Daltons, and more particularly about 2,000 to about 10,000 Daltons; and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons, more particularly about 100 to about 2,000 Daltons, more particularly about 100 to about 1,500 Daltons, more particularly about 200 to 1,500 Daltons, more particularly about 100 to about 1,000 Daltons, more particularly about 100 to about 800 Daltons, more particularly about 200 to about 800 Daltons, and more particularly about 200 to about 400 Daltons.
In one embodiment, the polyglycerol aldehydes have the general formula:
wherein: A is either (a) a hydrocarbyl group derived by removing one or more hydroxyl groups from an alcohol or polyol containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 8 hydroxyl groups or (b) an oxahydrocarbyl or polyoxahydrocarbyl group derived by removing one or more hydroxyl groups from the reaction product of (i) an alcohol or polyol containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 8 hydroxyl groups and (ii) one or more cyclic ethers such as oxirane, methyloxirane, oxetane or oxolane, wherein the Mn of the reaction product is equal to or less than 5,000 Da; R1 is a hydrogen atom, a 1 to 8-carbon hydrocarbyl group, R2—O—[R3—CHO]p, or R3—CHO; R2 is a polymeric segment comprising 1 to 270 glycerol units connected by ether linkages; R3 is a hydrocarbylene group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms; n=1 to 8; m·n=3 to 170; and p=1 to 40. R2 may also comprise other monomers including, but not limited to, oxirane, methyloxirane, oxetane and oxolane.
In one embodiment, A in general formula (1) is CH3CH2C(CH2—)3, derived by removing the three hydroxyl groups from trimethylolpropane; R2 is a polymeric segment consisting of 1 to 60 glycerol units connected by ether linkages; R3 is —CH2—; R1 is a hydrogen atom, R2—O—[R3—CHO]p, or R3—CHO; m=1 to 30; n=3; and p=1 to 30.
Polyglycerol aldehydes may be prepared from polyglycerols, which are available commercially from companies such as Hyperpolymers GmbH, Freiburg, Germany. Additionally, suitable polyglycerols may be prepared using methods known in the art such as those described by Sunder et al. (Macromolecules 32:4240-4246, 1999); U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,765,082 and 6,822,068, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0120022. Typically, polyglycerols are a heterogeneous mixture having a distribution of different molecular weights, and are characterized by an average molecular weight, for example, the weight-average molecular weight (Mw), or the number average molecular weight (Mn), as is known in the art. Suitable polyglycerols have a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons, more particularly about 1,000 to about 20,000 Daltons, more particularly about 2,000 to about 20,000 Daltons, and more particularly about 2,000 to about 10,000 Daltons.
The core of the polyglycerol, represented by A in general formula (1) above, may be derived from an alcohol or polyol. Examples of suitable alcohols include, but are not limited to, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, tert-butanol, 2-methoxyethanol, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol and monomethyl ethers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(propylene glycol). Examples of suitable polyols include, but are not limited to, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,2-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, glycerol, trimethylolpropane, diglycerol, pentaerythritol, triglycerol, tetraglycerol, dipentaerythritol, sorbitol, mannitol and hexaglycerol. In addition, the core of the polyglycerol, represented by A in general formula (1), may be derived from an alcohol or polyol that has been ethoxylated, propoxylated or otherwise alkoxylated by reaction with one or more cyclic ether such as oxirane, methyloxirane, oxetane or oxolane. Ethoxylated and propoxylated alcohols and polyols are commercially available and methods for making them are well known in the art. They are sold, for example, by the Aldrich Chemical Company, Perstorp Polyols, Inc. (Toledo, Ohio), Spectrum Chemicals (Gardena, Calif.) and Wako Pure Chemical Industries (Osaka, Japan). They can be made according to methods disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publications 2004/0096507 and 2006/0135391 and
International Patent Application Publications WO 1986/002635, EP 0395316, WO 2003/027054 and WO 2006/106122. Alcohols and polyols that have been both ethoxylated and propoxylated by either random or block copolymerization are commercially available and methods for making them are well known in the art. They are sold, for example, by the Aldrich Chemical Company. They can be made according to methods disclosed in, for example, International Patent Application Publication WO 2004/076528.
Polyglycerol aldehydes may also be prepared from polyglycerols containing other epoxide monomers including but not limited to oxirane and methyloxirane. Polyglycerols containing other epoxide monomers can be prepared according to methods known in the art, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,765,082.
Polyglycerol aldehydes may be prepared by oxidizing suitable polyglycerols, which are described above, to introduce aldehyde groups using any suitable oxidizing agent, including, but not limited to, periodic acid, soluble or insoluble periodate salts, polymer-bound periodate, periodate salts adsorbed onto an insoluble carrier such as silica gel, lead tetraacetate, catalytic triphenylbismuth with N-bromosuccinimide or bromine and potassium carbonate (D. H. R. Barton et al. Tetrahedron 42:5627-5636, 1986; WO 2004/087634), N-iodosuccinimide, and oxygen with a catalyst such as dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II). For example, the polyglycerol may be oxidized by reaction with sodium periodate, as described in detail in the Examples herein below. The polyglycerol may be reacted with different amounts of periodate to give polyglycerol aldehydes with different degrees of oxidation and therefore, different amounts of aldehyde groups (i.e., different equivalent weights per aldehyde group). The degree of oxidation of the polyglycerol aldehyde may be determined using methods known in the art. For example, the density of aldehyde groups (mole equivalents per gram) may be determined spectrophotometrically (M. Sugimoto et al. WO 9901480) or by titration with silver oxide and potassium thiocyanate (J. A. Mayes et al. Analytical. Chemistry 36:934-935, 1964), sodium bisulfite and alkali (S. Siggia et al. Analytical. Chemistry 19:1023-1025, 1947) or hydroxylamine hydrochloride and alkali (H. Zhao et al. Pharmaceutical Research 8:400-402, 1991). Alternatively, the degree of oxidation of the polyglycerol aldehyde may be determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
Polyglycerol aldehydes may also be prepared by chemically modifying a suitable polyglycerol to append aldehyde groups covalently to the polymer using methods known in the art. For example, the hydroxyl groups of polyglycerol can be alkylated or acylated with compounds containing masked aldehyde groups. Examples of masked aldehyde groups include cyclic and acyclic acetals and thioacetals. Alkylating agents containing masked aldehyde groups include but are not limited to dimethyl, diethyl and other dialkyl acetals and thioacetals of 2-haloethanal, 3-halopropanal and 4-halobutanal and 2-(halomethyl)-, 2-(2-haloethyl)- and 2-(3-halopropyl) derivatives of 1,3-dioxolane, 1,3-dioxane, 1,3-dithiolane and 1,3-dithiane, wherein “halo-” is chloro, bromo or iodo. Acylating agents containing masked aldehyde groups include, but are not limited to, 3,3-dimethoxypropionyl chloride, 2-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)-, 2-(1,3-dioxan-2-yl)-, 2-(1,3-dithiolan-2-yl)-, and 2-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)acetyl chloride, and 3-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)-, 3-(1,3-dioxan-2-yl)-, 3-(1,3-dithiolan-2-yl)-, and 3-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)propionyl chloride. Once glycerol has been alkylated or acylated with a compound containing a masked aldehyde group, the aldehyde group can be unmasked by, for example, by mild acid- or metal-catalyzed hydrolysis of the acetal or thioacetal.
The hydroxyl groups of polyglycerol can also be alkylated or acylated with compounds containing functional groups that can be subsequently oxidized or reduced to aldehydes. Examples of functional groups that can be oxidized to aldehydes are carbon-carbon double bonds and primary alcohols. Examples of functional groups that can be reduced to aldehydes are carboxylic acids and esters.
Carbon-carbon double bonds can be oxidized to aldehydes by, for example, ozonolysis, dihydroxylation followed by glycol cleavage, and epoxidation followed by hydrolysis. Dihydroxylation of carbon-carbon double bonds can be achieved using, for example, osmium tetroxide, an osmate salt such as potassium osmate, or a permanganate salt such as potassium permanganate. The resulting glycols can be cleaved using, for example, periodic acid, a periodate salt such as sodium or potassium periodate, lead tetraacetate, catalytic triphenylbismuth with N-bromosuccinimide, N-iodosuccinimide or bromine, or oxygen with a catalyst such as dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II). Carbon-carbon double bonds can be epoxidized using hydrogen peroxide, alkyl peroxides such as tert-butyl peroxide, peroxycarboxylic acids such as meta-chloroperbenzoic acid, performic acid, peracetic acid, monoperoxyphthalic acid and magnesium monoperoxyphthalate, dioxiranes such as dimethyldioxirane and bis(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane, dioxygen with a suitable catalyst, iodosylbenzene, hypochlorous acid, a hypochlorite salt such as sodium hypochlorite, or potassium peroxysulfate.
Primary alcohols can be oxidized to aldehydes using, for example, pyridinium chlorochromate, dichromate salts such as sodium, potassium and pyridinium dichromate, (diacetoxyiodo)benzene, Dess-Martin periodinane, or a system in which dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is the ultimate oxidant, as in the Swern and Pfitzner-Moffatt oxidations. One skilled in the art recognizes that, at the time that polyglycerol is alkylated or acylated with a compound containing a primary hydroxyl group, the hydroxyl group may be masked or “protected” using any of a variety of groups known in the art, including, but not limited to, those described by Wuts and Greene (Greene's Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 4th Edition; Wiley, 2006; chapter 2). In particular, primary hydroxyl groups may be masked as benzyl or substituted benzyl ethers, tert-butyl ethers, silyl ethers, or tetrahydropyranyl ethers.
Carboxylic acids can be reduced to aldehydes using, for example, lithium tris-tert-butoxyaluminium hydride, diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H), thexylchloroborane-dimethylsulfide, 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane, or sodium hypophosphite and pivalic anhydride with palladium acetate-tricyclohexylphosphine as catalyst. Carboxylic esters can be reduced to aldehydes using, for example, DIBAL-H. Alternately, carboxylic esters can be reduced to the corresponding primary alcohol using, for example, lithium aluminum hydride, lithium borohydride, a lithium aminoborohydride such as lithium diethylaminoborohydride, zinc borohydride or sodium borohydride and then oxidized back up to the aldehyde as described above.
Examples of reagents that can be used to attach carbon-carbon double bonds to polyglycerol include, but are not limited to, allyl chloride, allyl bromide, allyl iodide, 3-butenyl chloride, 3-butenyl bromide, 3-butenyl iodide, allyl glycidyl ether, 4-pentenoyl chloride and allyl isocyanate. Examples of reagents that can be used to attach masked primary alcohols onto polyglycerol include, but are not limited to, 2-(trimethylsiloxy)ethyl isocyanate, 2-benzyloxyethyl isocyanate, 2-(benzyloxy)ethyl chloroformate, 2-(2-(benzyloxy)ethoxy)ethyl chloroformate, (2-benzyloxyethoxy)acetyl chloride, 1-benzyloxy-2-chloromethoxyethane. Examples of reagents that can be used to attach carboxylic acids or esters to polyglycerol include, but are not limited to, chloroacetic acid, bromoacetic acid, iodoacetic acid, methyl or ethyl chloroacetate, methyl or ethyl bromoacetate, methyl or ethyl iodoacetate, ethyl isocyanatoacetate and ethoxycarbonylmethyl chloroformate.
The amount of aldehyde groups incorporated into the polyglycerol may be determined using the methods described above.
In one embodiment, the polyglycerol aldehyde is hyperbranched, having a degree of branching of about 10% to about 99.9%, more particularly about 20% to about 99%, and more particularly about 30% to about 70%. Degree of branching may be determined by any of various methods known in the art, including but not limited to NMR spectroscopic methods. The degree of branching of a polyglycerol aldehyde may be determined by measuring the degree of branching of its precursor polyglycerol, before the precursor polyglycerol is oxidized or chemically modified, as described above, to introduce aldehyde groups, since oxidation and chemical modification of polyglycerol as described above does not alter the degree of branching of the polymer.
A method for determining the degree of branching of polyglycerols by 13C NMR spectroscopy has been described by A. Sunder et al. (Macromolecules 32:4240-4246, 1999). Alternatively, the degree of branching of a polyglycerol can be calculated from its number average molecular weight (Mn) and its equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety. The number average molecular weight can be determined by methods known in the art, including but not limited to SEC and NMR spectroscopy. The equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety can be determined, for example, by exhaustively oxidizing the diol moieties with sodium periodate and then titrating the resulting reaction solution for sodium iodate and residual sodium periodate, using a method such as, for example, that of R. Belcher et al. (Analytica Chimica Acta 41:395-397, 1968). For a given Mn, the theoretical equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety for several degrees of branching can be calculated to make a plot of degree of branching versus equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety. The curve that best fits the calculated points may be determined using nonlinear regression, and the resulting nonlinear regression equation may be used to calculate the degree of branching based on the Mn and the equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety of the polyglycerol of interest, determined as described above.
Water-Dispersible, Multi-Arm Amines
Suitable water dispersible, multi-arm amines include, but are not limited to, water dispersible multi-arm polyether amines, amino-terminated dendritic polyamidoamines, and multi-arm branched end amines. Typically, the multi-arm amines have a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons, more particularly from about 2,000 to about 40,000 Daltons.
In one embodiment, the water dispersible, multi-arm amine is a multi-arm polyether amine, which is a water-dispersible polyether having the repeat unit [—O—R]—, wherein R is a hydrocarbylene group having 2 to 5 carbon atoms. The term “hydrocarbylene group” refers to a divalent group formed by removing two hydrogen atoms, one from each of two different carbon atoms, from a hydrocarbon. Suitable multi-arm polyether amines include, but are not limited to, amino-terminated star polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated dendritic polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated comb polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated star polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated dendritic polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated comb polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated star polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, amino-terminated dendritic polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, amino-terminated comb polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, and polyoxyalkylene triamines, sold under the trade name Jeffamine® triamines, by Huntsman LLC. (Houston, Tex.). Examples of star polyethylene oxide amines, include, but are not limited to, various multi-arm polyethylene glycol amines, and star polyethylene glycols having 3, 4, 6, or 8 arms terminated with primary amines (referred to herein as 3, 4, 6, or 8-arm star PEG amines, respectively). Examples of suitable Jeffamine® triamines include, but are not limited to, Jeffamine® T-403 (CAS No. 39423-51-3), Jeffamine® T-3000 (CAS No. 64852-22-8), and Jeffamine® T-5000 (CAS No. 64852-22-8). In one embodiment, the water-dispersible, multi-arm polyether amine is an eight-arm polyethylene glycol having eight arms terminated by a primary amine group and having a number-average molecular weight of about 10,000 Daltons.
The multi-arm polyether amines are either available commercially, as noted above, or may be prepared using methods known in the art. For example, multi-arm polyethylene glycols, wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by a primary amine group, may be prepared by putting amine ends on multi-arm polyethylene glycols (e.g., 3, 4, 6, and 8-arm star polyethylene glycols, available from companies such as Nektar Transforming Therapeutics; SunBio, Inc., Anyang City, South Korea; NOF Corp., Tokyo, Japan; or JenKem Technology USA, Allen, Tex.) using the method described by Buckmann et al. (Makromol. Chem. 182:1379-1384, 1981). In that method, the multi-arm polyethylene glycol is reacted with thionyl bromide to convert the hydroxyl groups to bromines, which are then converted to amines by reaction with ammonia at 100° C. The method is broadly applicable to the preparation of other multi-arm polyether amines. Additionally, multi-arm polyether amines may be prepared from multi-arm polyols using the method described by Chenault (copending and commonly owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0249870). In that method, the multi-arm polyether is reacted with thionyl chloride to convert the hydroxyl groups to chlorine groups, which are then converted to amines by reaction with aqueous or anhydrous ammonia. Other methods that may be used for preparing multi-arm polyether amines are described by Merrill et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,986, and by Chang et al. in WO 97/30103.
The water-dispersible, multi-arm amine may also be an amino-terminated dendritic polyamidoamine, sold under the trade name Starburst® Dendrimers (available from Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, Mo.).
In one embodiment, the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is a multi-arm branched end amine, as described by Arthur (copending and commonly owned International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2008/066787). The multi-arm branched end amines are branched polymers having two or three amine groups at the end of the polymer arms. The multiplicity of functional groups increases the statistical probability of reaction at a given chain end and allows more efficient incorporation of the branched molecules into a polymer network. The starting materials used to prepare the branched end amines may be branched polymers such as multi-arm polyether polyols including, but not limited to, comb and star polyether polyols. The branched end amines can be prepared by attaching multiple amine groups to the ends of the polymer by reaction with the hydroxyl groups using methods well known in the art. For example, a branched end amine having two amine functional groups on each end of the polymer arms can be prepared by reacting the starting material, as listed above, with thionyl chloride in a suitable solvent such as toluene to give the chloride derivative, which is subsequently reacted with tris(2-aminoethyl)amine to give the branched end reactant having two primary amine groups at the end of the polymer arms.
It should be recognized that the water-dispersible, multi-arm amines are generally a somewhat heterogeneous mixture having a distribution of arm lengths and, in some cases, a distribution of species with different numbers of arms. When a multi-arm amine has a distribution of species having different numbers of arms, it can be referred to based on the average number of arms in the distribution. For example, in one embodiment, the multi-arm amine is an 8-arm star PEG amine, which comprises a mixture of multi-arm star PEG amines, some having less than and some having more than 8 arms; however, the multi-arm star PEG amines in the mixture have an average of 8 arms. Therefore, the terms “8-arm”, “6-arm”, “4-arm” and “3-arm” as used herein to refer to multi-arm amines, should be construed as referring to a heterogeneous mixture having a distribution of arm lengths and, in some cases, a distribution of species with different numbers of arms, in which case the number of arms recited refers to the average number of arms in the mixture.
Methods of Using the Hydrogel Tissue Adhesive
The hydrogel tissue adhesive disclosed herein may be used in various forms. In one embodiment, the polyglycerol aldehyde and the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine are used in the form of aqueous solutions or dispersions. Dispersion, as used herein, refers to a colloidal suspension capable of reacting with a second reactant in an aqueous medium. To prepare an aqueous solution or dispersion comprising a polyglycerol aldehyde (referred to herein as the “first aqueous solution or dispersion”), at least one polyglycerol aldehyde is added to water to give a concentration of about 5% to about 40%, more particularly from about 5% to about 30%, more particularly from about 10% to about 30%, and more particularly from about 20% to about 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion. Additionally, a mixture of at least two different polyglycerol aldehydes having different weight-average molecular weights, different degrees of aldehyde substitution (i.e., different equivalent weights per aldehyde group), or both different weight-average molecular weights and degrees of aldehyde substitution may be used. Where a mixture of polyglycerol aldehydes is used, the total concentration of the polyglycerol aldehydes is about 5% to about 40% by weight, more particularly from about 5% to about 30%, more particularly from about 10% to about 30%, and more particularly from about 20% to about 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion.
Similarly, to prepare an aqueous solution or dispersion comprising a water-dispersible, multi-arm amine (referred to herein as the “second aqueous solution or dispersion”), at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is added to water to give a concentration of about 5% to about 70%, more particularly from about 10% to about 50%, more particularly from about 20% to about 50%, and more particularly from about 20% to about 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion. The optimal concentration to be used depends on the intended application and on the concentration of the polyglycerol aldehyde used in the first aqueous solution or dispersion. Additionally, a mixture of different water-dispersible, multi-arm amines having different number-average molecular weights, different numbers of arms, or both different number-average molecular weights and different numbers of arms may be used. Where a mixture of water-dispersible, multi-arm amines is used, the total concentration of the multi-arm amines is about 5% to about 70%, more particularly from about 10% to about 50%, more particularly from about 20% to about 50%, and more particularly from about 20% to about 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion.
For use on living tissue, it is preferred that the first aqueous solution or dispersion and the second aqueous solution or dispersion be sterilized to prevent infection. Any suitable sterilization method known in the art that does not adversely affect the ability of the components to react to form an effective hydrogel may be used, including, but not limited to, electron beam irradiation, gamma irradiation, ethylene oxide sterilization, or ultra-filtration through a 0.2 μm pore membrane.
The first aqueous solution or dispersion and the second aqueous solution or dispersion may further comprise various additives depending on the intended application. Preferably, the additive does not interfere with effective gelation to form a hydrogel. The amount of the additive used depends on the particular application and may be readily determined by one skilled in the art using routine experimentation. For example, the first aqueous solution or dispersion and/or the second aqueous solution or dispersion may comprise at least one additive selected from pH modifiers, viscosity modifiers, anti-oxidants, stabilizers, antimicrobials, colorants, surfactants, additives that increase or decrease the rate of degradation of the hydrogel tissue adhesive or sealant, pharmaceutical drugs and therapeutic agents.
The first aqueous solution or dispersion and/or the second aqueous solution or dispersion may optionally include at least one pH modifier to adjust the pH of the solution(s) or dispersion(s). Suitable pH modifiers are well known in the art. The pH modifier may be an acidic or basic compound. Examples of acidic pH modifiers include, but are not limited to, carboxylic acids, inorganic acids, and sulfonic acids. Examples of basic pH modifiers include, but are not limited to, hydroxides, alkoxides, carboxylates, nitrogen-containing compounds other than primary and secondary amines, and basic carbonates and phosphates.
The first aqueous solution or dispersion and/or the second aqueous solution or dispersion may optionally include at least one antimicrobial agent. Suitable antimicrobial preservatives are well known in the art. Examples of suitable antimicrobials include, but are not limited to, alkyl parabens, such as methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben; triclosan; chlorhexidine; cresol; chlorocresol; hydroquinone; sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate; polyhexamethylene biguanide; antibiotics effective against bacteria, including aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamicin, streptomycin, amikacin and kanamycin, a cephalosporin such as cephalexin and cephtriaxone, a carbacephem such as loracarbef, a glycopeptide such as vancomycin, a macrolide such as erythromycin and rifampicin, a penicillin such as amoxicillin and ampicillin, a polypeptide such as bacitracin and polymyxin B, a quinolone such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, a tetracycline such as oxytetracycline and doxycycline, and a sulfonamide; antifungals such as ketoconazole, miconazole and amphotericin B; antivirals such as acyclovir or AZT; antihelminthics; and antiprotozoals.
The first aqueous solution or dispersion and/or the second aqueous solution or dispersion may optionally include at least one colorant to enhance the visibility of the solution(s) or dispersion(s). Suitable colorants include dyes, pigments, and natural coloring agents. Examples of suitable colorants include, but are not limited to, FD&C and D&C colorants, such as FD&C Violet No. 2, FD&C Blue No. 1, D&C Green No. 6, D&C Green No. 5, D&C Violet No. 2; and natural colorants such as beetroot red, canthaxanthin, chlorophyll, eosin, saffron, and carmine.
The first aqueous solution or dispersion and/or the second aqueous solution or dispersion may optionally include at least one surfactant. Surfactant, as used herein, refers to a compound that lowers the surface tension of water. The surfactant may be an ionic surfactant, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, or a neutral surfactant, such as polyoxyethylene ethers, polyoxyethylene esters, and polyoxyethylene sorbitan.
Additionally, the first aqueous solution or dispersion and/or the second aqueous solution or dispersion may optionally include at least one pharmaceutical drug or therapeutic agent. Suitable drugs and therapeutic to agents are well known in the art (for example see the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Physician's Desk Reference (Thomson Publishing), The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy 18th ed., Mark H. Beers and Robert Berkow (eds.), Merck Publishing Group, 2006; or, in the case of animals, The Merck Veterinary Manual, 9th ed., Kahn, C. A. (ed.), Merck Publishing Group, 2005). Nonlimiting examples include anti-inflammatory agents, for example, glucocorticoids such as prednisone, dexamethasone, budesonide; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as indomethacin, salicylic acid acetate, ibuprofen, sulindac, piroxicam, and naproxen; fibrinolytic agents such as a tissue plasminogen activator and streptokinase; anti-coagulants such as heparin, hirudin, ancrod, dicumarol, sincumar, iloprost, L-arginine, dipyramidole and other platelet function inhibitors; antibodies; nucleic acids; peptides; hormones; growth factors; cytokines; chemokines; clotting factors; endogenous clotting inhibitors; antibacterial agents; antiviral agents; antifungal agents; anti-cancer agents; cell adhesion inhibitors; healing promoters; vaccines; thrombogenic agents, such as thrombin, fibrinogen, homocysteine, and estramustine; radio-opaque compounds, such as barium sulfate and gold particles and radiolabels.
Additionally, the second aqueous solution or dispersion comprising the multi-arm amine may optionally comprise at least one other multi-functional amine having one or more primary amine groups to provide other beneficial properties, such as hydrophobicity or modified crosslink density. The multi-functional amine is capable of inducing gelation when mixed with an oxidized polysaccharide in an aqueous solution or dispersion. The multi-functional amine may be a second water dispersible, multi-arm amine, such as those described above, or another type of multi-functional amine, including, but not limited to, linear and branched diamines, such as diaminoalkanes, polyaminoalkanes, and spermine; branched polyamines, such as polyethylenimine; cyclic diamines, such as N,N′-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine, 5-amino-1,3,3-trimethylcyclohexanemethylamine, 1,3-bis(aminomethyl)cyclohexane, 1,4-diaminocyclohexane, and p-xylylenediamine; aminoalkyltrialkoxysilanes, such as 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane; aminoalkyldialkoxyalkylsilanes, such as 3-aminopropyldiethoxymethylsilane, dihydrazides, such as adipic dihydrazide; linear polymeric diamines, such as linear polyethylenimine, α,ω-amino-terminated polyethers, α,ω-bis(3-aminopropyl)polybutanediol, β,ω-1-amino-terminated polyethers (linear Jeffamines®); comb polyamines, such as chitosan, polyallylamine, and polylysine, and di- and polyhydrazides, such as bis(carboxyhydrazido)polyethers and poly(carboxyhydrazido) star polyethers. Many of these compounds are commercially available from companies such as Sigma-Aldrich and Huntsman LLC. Typically, if present, the multi-functional amine is used at a concentration of about 5% by weight to about 1000% by weight relative to the weight of the multi-arm amine in the aqueous solution or dispersion.
When the first aqueous solution or dispersion and the second aqueous solution or dispersion are mixed they react to form a crosslinked hydrogel comprising at least one polyglycerol aldehyde containing aldehyde groups; and at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group, and wherein the at least one polyglycerol aldehyde and the at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine are crosslinked through covalent bonds formed between the aldehyde groups of the polyglycerol aldehyde and the primary amine groups of the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine. The covalent bonds may be imine, aminal, or hemiaminal bonds.
The first aqueous solution or dispersion and the second aqueous solution or dispersion may be used to apply a coating to an anatomical site on tissue of a living organism. The two aqueous solutions or dispersions may be applied to the site in any number of ways. Once both solutions or dispersions are combined on a site, they crosslink to form a hydrogel which provides a coating on the site.
In one embodiment, the two aqueous solutions or dispersions are applied to the site sequentially using any suitable means including, but not limited to, spraying, brushing with a cotton swab or brush, or extrusion using a pipette, or a syringe. The solutions or dispersions may be applied in any order. Then, the solutions or dispersions are mixed on the site using any suitable device, such as a cotton swab, a spatula, or the tip of the pipette or syringe.
In another embodiment, the two aqueous solutions or dispersions are mixed manually before application to the site. The resulting mixture is then applied to the site before it completely cures using a suitable applicator, as described above.
In another embodiment, the first aqueous solution or dispersion and the second aqueous solution or dispersion are applied to the site simultaneously where they mix to form a hydrogel. For example, the two aqueous solutions or dispersions may be contained in separate barrels of a double-barrel syringe. In this way the two aqueous solutions or dispersions are applied simultaneously to the site with the syringe. Suitable double-barrel syringe applicators are known in the art. For example, RedI describes several suitable applicators for use in the invention in U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,125, (particularly FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, which are described in Columns 4, line 10 through column 6, line 47). Additionally, the two aqueous solutions or dispersions may be applied to the site using a dual-lumen catheter, such as those available from Bistech, Inc. (Woburn, Mass.). Additionally, injection devices for introducing two liquid components endoscopically into the body simultaneously are known in the art and may be adapted for the delivery of the two aqueous solutions or dispersions disclosed herein (see for example, Linder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,510).
In another embodiment, the first aqueous solution or dispersion and the second aqueous solution or dispersion may be premixed and delivered to the site using a double barrel syringe containing a motionless mixer, such as that available from ConProtec, Inc. (Salem, N.H.) or Mixpac Systems AG (Rotkreuz, Switzerland). Alternatively, the mixing tip may be equipped with a spray head, such as that described by Cruise et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,147. Additionally, the mixture of the two aqueous solutions or dispersions from the double-barrel syringe may be applied to the site using a catheter or endoscope. Devices for mixing a two liquid component tissue adhesive and delivering the resulting mixture endoscopically are known in the art and may be adapted for the mixing and delivery of the two aqueous solutions or dispersions disclosed herein (see for example, Nielson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,067; and Redl et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,055).
In another embodiment, the two aqueous solutions or dispersions may be applied to the site using a spray device, such as those described by Fukunaga et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,596), Delmotte et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,215) or Sawhney (U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,862).
In another embodiment, the two aqueous solutions or dispersions may be applied to the site using a minimally invasive surgical applicator, such as those described by Sawhney (U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,850).
In another embodiment, the hydrogel tissue adhesive of the invention is used to bond at least two anatomical sites together. In this embodiment, the first aqueous solution or dispersion is applied to at least one anatomical site, and the second aqueous solution or dispersion is applied to at least one of either the same site or one other site using the methods described above. The two or more sites are contacted and held together manually or using some other means, such as a surgical clamp, for a time sufficient for the mixture to cure. Alternatively, a mixture of the two aqueous solutions or dispersions is applied to at least one of the anatomical sites to be bonded using methods described above. The two or more sites are contacted and held together manually or using some other means, such as a surgical clamp, for a time sufficient for the mixture to cure.
In another embodiment, the hydrogel tissue adhesive disclosed herein may be used in the form of a dried hydrogel. In this embodiment, a dried hydrogel is prepared by combining in a solvent at least one polyglycerol aldehyde with at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine to form a hydrogel, and treating the hydrogel to remove at least a portion of the solvent to form the dried hydrogel. Suitable solvents include, but are not limited to, water, ethanol, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran, hexanes, polyethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof. If two different solvents are used, the two solvents are miscible with each other. In one embodiment, the solvent is water. The polyglycerol aldehyde and the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine may be combined in various ways. For example, the first aqueous solution or dispersion comprising the polyglycerol aldehyde and the second aqueous solution or dispersion comprising the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine, may be prepared and mixed as described above to form the hydrogel. The solutions or dispersions used to prepare the dried hydrogel may further comprise various additives depending on the intended application. Any of the additives described above may be used. The hydrogel is then treated to remove at least a portion of the solvent contained therein to form the dried hydrogel. Preferably, substantially all of the solvent is removed from the hydrogel. The solvent may be removed from the hydrogel using methods known in the art, for example, using heat, vacuum, a combination of heat and vacuum, or flowing a stream of dry air or a dry inert gas such as nitrogen over the hydrogel. The dried hydrogel may be sterilized using the methods described above. The dried hydrogel may be applied to an anatomical site in a number of ways, as described below. The dried hydrogel may be hydrated on the site by the addition of a suitable aqueous solution such as water or a buffer (e.g., phosphate-buffered saline) or by the physiological fluids present at the site.
In one embodiment, the dried hydrogel may be used in the form of a film. The dried hydrogel film may be formed by casting a mixture of the solutions or dispersions on a suitable substrate and treating the resulting hydrogel to form a dried hydrogel film. The dried hydrogel film may be applied directly to an anatomical site. Additionally, the dried hydrogel film may be used to bond two anatomical sites together.
In another embodiment, the dried hydrogel may be used in the form of finely divided particles. The dried hydrogel particles may be formed by comminuting the dried hydrogel using methods known in the art, including, but not limited to, grinding, milling, or crushing with a mortar and pestle. The dried hydrogel particles may be applied to an anatomical site in a variety of ways, such as sprinkling or spraying, and may also be used to bond two anatomical sites together.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a kit comprising at least one polyglycerol aldehyde and at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group.
In another embodiment, the kit comprises a first aqueous solution or dispersion comprising at least one polyglycerol aldehyde and a second aqueous solution or dispersion comprising at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine. Each of the aqueous solutions or dispersions may be contained in any suitable vessel, such as a vial or a syringe barrel.
In another embodiment, the kit comprises a dried hydrogel as described above. The dried hydrogel may be in the form of a film, finely divided particles, or other dried forms. The kit may further comprise an aqueous solution for hydrating the dried hydrogel. The dried hydrogel particles may be contained in any suitable container.
The tissue adhesive and sealant disclosed herein may be useful for medical and veterinary applications, including, but not limited to, wound closure, supplementing or replacing sutures or staples in internal surgical procedures such as intestinal anastomosis and vascular anastomosis, tissue repair, preventing leakage of fluids such as blood, bile, gastrointestinal fluid and cerebrospinal fluid, ophthalmic procedures, drug delivery, and to prevent post-surgical adhesions. In these applications, the polyglycerol aldehyde and the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine, or the dried hydrogel may be applied to the desired anatomical site using the methods described above.
The present invention is further defined in the following Examples. It should be understood that these Examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. From the above discussion and these Examples, one skilled in the art can ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various uses and conditions.
Highly Branched Polyglycerols
Highly branched polyglycerols having nominal molecular weights of 500 (PG-500), 2,000 (PG-2000) and 5,000 (PG-5000) were purchased from Hyperpolymers GmbH, Freiburg, Germany. Hyperbranched polyglycerols having nominal MW 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 were synthesized according to the method of Sunder et al. (Macromolecules 32:4240-4246, 1999).
Preparation of Dextran Aldehydes
Dextran aldehyde is made by oxidizing dextran in aqueous solution with sodium metaperiodate. D10-50, an oxidized dextran having an average molecular weight of about 10,000 Da and an oxidation conversion of about 50% (i.e., about half of the glucose rings in the dextran polymer are oxidized to dialdehydes) and an equivalent weight (EW) per aldehyde group of about 150, is prepared from dextran having a weight-average molecular weight of 8,500 to 11,500 Daltons (Sigma) by the method described by Cohen et al. (copending and commonly owned International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2008/133847). A typical procedure is described here.
A 20-L reactor equipped with a mechanical stirrer, addition funnel, internal temperature probe, and nitrogen purge is charged with 1000 g of the dextran and 9.00 L of de-ionized water. The mixture is stirred at ambient temperature to dissolve the dextran and then cooled to 10 to 15° C. To the cooled dextran solution is added over a period of an hour, while keeping the reaction temperature below 25° C., a solution of 1000 g of sodium periodate dissolved in 9.00 L of de-ionized water. Once all the sodium periodate solution has been added, the mixture is stirred at 20 to 25° C. for 4 more hours. The reaction mixture is then cooled to 0° C. and filtered to clarify. Calcium chloride (500 g) is added to the filtrate, and the mixture is stirred at ambient temperature for 30 min and then filtered. Potassium iodide (400 g) is added to the filtrate, and the mixture is stirred at ambient temperature for 30 min. A 3-L portion of the resulting red solution is added to 9.0 L of acetone over a period of 10 to 15 min with vigorous stirring by a mechanical stirrer during the addition. After a few more minutes of stirring, the agglomerated product is separated from the supernatant liquid. The remaining red solution obtained by addition of potassium iodide to the second filtrate is treated in the same manner as above. The combined agglomerated product is broken up into pieces, combined with 2 L of methanol in a large stainless steel blender, and blended until the solid becomes granular. The granular solid is recovered by filtration and dried under vacuum with a nitrogen purge. The granular solid is then hammer milled to a fine powder. A 20-L reactor is charged with 10.8 L of de-ionized water and 7.2 L of methanol, and the mixture is cooled to 0° C. The granular solid formed by the previous step is added to the reactor and the slurry is stirred vigorously for one hour. Stirring is discontinued, and the solid is allowed to settle to the bottom of the reactor. The supernatant liquid is decanted by vacuum, 15 L of methanol is added to the reactor, and the slurry is stirred for 30 to 45 min while cooling to 0° C. The slurry is filtered in portions, and the recovered solids are washed with methanol, combined, and dried under vacuum with a nitrogen purge to give about 600 g of the oxidized dextran, which is referred to herein as D10-50.
The degree of oxidation of the product is determined by proton NMR to be about 50% (equivalent weight per aldehyde group=150). In the NMR method, the integrals for two ranges of peaks are determined, specifically, —O2CHx- at about 6.2 parts per million (ppm) to about 4.15 ppm (minus the HOD peak) and —OCHx- at about 4.15 ppm to about 2.8 ppm (minus any methanol peak if present). The calculation of oxidation level is based on the calculated ratio (R) for these areas, specifically, R=(OCH)/(O2CH), i.e.,
% oxidation = 100 - 300 × ( R - 1 ) 3 + 2 × R
D10-20, an oxidized dextran having an average molecular weight of about 10,000 Da, an oxidation conversion of about 20% and an EW per aldehyde group of about 400, is prepared in a manner similar to that described above but using proportionately less sodium periodate.
Preparation of Eight-Arm PEG 10K Octaamine (P8-10-1):
Eight-arm PEG 10K octaamine (Mn=10 kDa) is synthesized using the two-step procedure described by Chenault in co-pending and commonly owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0249870. In the first step, the 8-arm PEG 10K octachloride is made by reaction of thionyl chloride with the 8-arm PEG 10K octaol. In the second step, the 8-arm PEG 10K octachloride is reacted with aqueous ammonia to yield the 8-arm PEG 10K octaamine. A typical procedure is described here.
The 8-arm PEG 10K octaol (Mn=10000; SunBright HGEO-10000; NOF Corp., 1000 g) is dissolved in 1.5 L of toluene under an atmosphere of nitrogen in a 4-L glass reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, reflux condenser and distillation head. The mixture is dried azeotropically by distillative removal of about 500 mL of toluene under reduced pressure (13 kPa, pot temperature 65° C.). The mixture is brought back to atmospheric pressure with nitrogen, and thionyl chloride (233 mL) is added to the mixture over 10 min, keeping the pot temperature below 85° C. After the addition of thionyl chloride is complete, the mixture is heated to 85° C. and stirred at 85° C. for 4 h. Excess thionyl chloride and most of the toluene is removed by vacuum distillation (2 kPa, pot temperature 40-60° C.). Two successive 500-mL portions of toluene are added and evaporated under reduced pressure (2 kPa, bath temperature 60° C.) to complete the removal of thionyl chloride. The pressure is reduced to 0.7−0.9 kPa, and distillation is continued with a pot temperature of 85° C. for 60-90 minutes to complete the removal of toluene. Proton NMR results from one synthesis are: 1H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 3.71-3.69 (m, 16H), 3.67-3.65 (m, 16H), 3.50 (s, ˜800H). While the product is still warm, it is dissolved in 1 L of de-ionized water and discharged from the reaction vessel.
The aqueous solution of 8-arm PEG 10K octachloride prepared above is combined with 16 L of concentrated aqueous ammonia (28 wt %) in a 5-gallon stainless steel pressure vessel equipped with a stirrer, and the atmosphere is replaced with nitrogen. The vessel is sealed, and the mixture is heated at 60° C. for 48 hours. The mixture is cooled to 40° C. and sparged with nitrogen (2 L/min) for 18-24 hours with dry nitrogen to drive off ammonia. The nitrogen flow is stopped, and the mixture is stirred under vacuum (2 kPa) for 2 hours at 40° C. The remaining solution is passed through 5.0 kg of strongly basic anion exchange resin (Purolite® A-860, The Purolite Co., Bala-Cynwyd, Pa.) in the hydroxide form packed a 30 inch-long×6 inch-outer diameter column. The eluant is collected and two 7-L portions of de-ionized water are passed through the column and also collected. The aqueous solutions are combined, concentrated under reduced pressure (2 kPa, bath temperature 60° C.) and then dried further at 60° C./0.3 kPa to give about 900-950 g of the 8-arm PEG 10K octaamine, referred to herein as P8-10-1, as a colorless waxy solid.
Preparation of Eight-Arm PEG 10K Hexadecamine (P8-10-2):
Eight-arm PEG 10K hexadecamine (Mn=10 kDa, average of 16 primary amine groups per polymer molecule) is synthesized using the two-step procedure described by Arthur et al. in co-pending and commonly owned Patent Application Publication No. WO 2008/066787. In the first step, the 8-arm PEG 10K octamesylate is made by reacting the 8-arm PEG 10K octaol with methanesulfonyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine. In the second step, the 8-arm PEG 10K octamesylate is reacted in water with tris(2-aminoethyl)amine to yield the 8-arm PEG 10K hexadecamine. A typical procedure is described here.
Triethylamine (8.8 mL) is added to a solution of 40 g of the 8-arm PEG 10K octaol (Mn=10000; SunBright HGEO-10000; NOF Corp.) in 200 mL of CH2Cl2 under a blanket of nitrogen. The mixture is cooled with stirring in an ice-water bath. Methanesulfonyl chloride (4.8 mL) is added dropwise to the stirred reaction mixture at 0° C. (CAUTION: EXOTHERM). When the addition of methanesulfonyl chloride is complete, the ice-water bath is removed, and the reaction is stirred at room temperature overnight. The reaction volume is reduced to 80 mL by rotary evaporation and transferred to a separatory funnel, where it is washed gently three times with 60 mL of 1.0 M aqueous potassium dihydrogen phosphate, once with 60 mL of 1 M aqueous potassium carbonate, and once with 60 mL of water. The CH2Cl2 layer is dried over of MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated by rotary evaporation to afford a syrup. Yield 85-90%.
A solution of 30 g of 8-arm PEG 10K octamesylate in 149 mL of water is added to a solution of 149 mL of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine in 149 mL of water, and the mixture is stirred at room temperature overnight. Aqueous sodium bicarbonate (10 wt %, 150 mL) is added to the reaction mixture, which is then extracted three times with 180-mL portions of CH2Cl2. The combined organic layer is dried over MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated by rotary evaporation. The resulting clear syrup is precipitated in 500 mL of ether and cooled in an ice bath. The white solid is collected by filtration and dried under high vacuum overnight. Yield 90%. The 8-arm PEG 10K hexadecamine product is referred to herein as P8-10-2.
Example 1 Synthesis of Polyglycerol Aldehyde MW 500
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 500 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 500 Da using sodium periodate, i.e.,
A solution of 1.90 g of sodium periodate in 15 mL of water was added to a solution of 1.00 g of polyglycerol PG-500 (Hyperpolymers GmbH, Freiburg, Germany) in 15 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 2 hours and then poured into 75 mL of methanol. After the precipitated salts had been removed by filtration, the filtrate was evaporated under reduced pressure to give the polyglycerol aldehyde product, which was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, methanol-d4).
Example 2 Synthesis of Polyglycerol Aldehyde MW 1,000
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 1,000 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 1,000 Da and a degree of branching of about 48% using sodium periodate. The degree of branching of the starting polyglycerol 1000 was determined using the 13C NMR spectroscopy method described by A. Sunder et al. (Macromolecules 32:4240-4246, 1999).
A solution of 2.52 g of sodium periodate in 20 mL of water was added to a solution of 2.09 g of polyglycerol 1000 in 10 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 2 hours, chilled to 0° C. and filtered to remove solids. Calcium chloride dihydrate (0.67 g) was added to the filtrate, which was stirred for 30 min and then filtered to remove solids, generating a second filtrate. To the second filtrate was added 0.5 mL of acetic acid and 3.4 g of potassium iodide. The mixture was stirred for 1 hour, diluted with 90 mL of acetone, and filtered to recover the precipitated polymer. The polymer was washed with a total of 250 mL of acetone, in portions, to remove the brown color of iodine. The polymer was dissolved in methanol, the solution was filtered and then evaporated under reduced pressure, and the residue was dried under vacuum. The yield of polyglycerol aldehyde product was 1.157 g (68%). The polyglycerol aldehyde product was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 2,000 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 2,000 Da and a degree of branching of about 51%. using sodium periodate. The degree of branching of the starting polyglycerol 2000 was determined using the 13C NMR spectroscopy method described by A. Sunder et al. (Macromolecules 32:4240-4246, 1999) and was also calculated from its number average molecular weight (Mn) and its equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety, as described above. Both methods gave comparable results.
A solution of 21.20 g of NaIO4 in 193 mL of water was added to a solution of 21.95 g of polyglycerol 2000 (Hyperpolymers GmbH) dissolved in 86 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for half an hour. Titration of an aliquot of the reaction mixture for iodate and residual periodate, according to the method of Belcher et al. (Analytica Chimica Acta 41:395-397, 1968), indicated that 97.5% of the periodate had been consumed and converted to iodate. The reaction solution was dialyzed (Spectrum Spectrapor 6 tubing, MWCO 1,000) for 2.5 days against 6, 7-L portions of deionized water, until treating a 1-mL aliquot of the dialyzate with 2 mL of 2.1 M chloroacetate buffer, pH 2.0, a pinch of potassium iodide and 6 drops of 1% starch gave no color. The solution in the dialysis tubing was frozen and lyophilized to give the polyglycerol aldehyde MW 2,000, which was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
Example 4 Synthesis of Polyglycerol Aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Da and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 200 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Da and a degree of branching of about 60% using sodium periodate and purified by dialysis, i.e.,
The degree of branching of the starting polyglycerol 5000 was calculated from its number average molecular weight (Mn) and its equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety, as described above.
A solution of 11.52 g of NaIO4 in 50 mL of water was added to a solution of 10.06 g of polyglycerol 5000 (Hyperpolymers GmbH) dissolved in 30 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 hour. Titration of an aliquot of the reaction mixture for iodate and residual iodate, according to the method of Belcher et al., supra, indicated that 74.9% of the periodate had been consumed and converted to iodate. The reaction solution was dialyzed (Visking Membra-Cel 3500/4, MWCO 3,500) for 2.5 days against 6, 7-L portions of deionized water, until treating a 1-mL aliquot of the dialyzate with 2 mL of 2.1 M chloroacetate buffer, pH 2.0, a pinch of potassium iodide and 6 drops of 1% starch gave no color. The solution in the dialysis tubing was frozen and lyophilized to give 4.89 g of polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200, referred to herein as PGA-5-200.
Size exclusion chromatography with multi-angle light scattering detection (SEC-MALS) [mobile phase PBS (10 mM phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), 0.5 mL/min, two TSKgel GMPWXL mixed-bed columns (TOSOH Bioscience LLC, Montgomeryville, Pa.), column temperature 30° C., dn/dc 0.124 mL/g] gave Mn 5,000, Mw 10,700 and Mw/Mn 2.1. The polyglycerol aldehyde was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
Based on the quantity of periodate consumed (FW of NaIO4 is 213.89) and the fact that each equivalent of periodate consumed results in the loss of an equivalent of methanol (FW 32.04) from the polymer, the equivalent weight (EW) per aldehyde was calculated as:
EW = mass of polymer mole equivalents of aldehyde = mass of original polyglycerol - mass of equivalents of methanol lost mole equivalents of periodate consumed = 10.06 - 0.749 × 11.52 213.89 × 32.04 0.749 × 11.52 213.89 = 217
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Da and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 400 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Da and a degree of branching of about 60% using sodium periodate. The degree of branching of the starting polyglycerol 5000 was calculated from its number average molecular weight (Mn) and its equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety, as described above.
A solution of 5.40 g of NaIO4 in 31 mL of water was added to a solution of 10.92 g of polyglycerol 5000 (Hyperpolymers GmbH) dissolved in 30 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for half an hour and then dialyzed (Visking Membra-Cel 3500/4, MWCO 3,500) for 2.8 days against 7, 7-L portions of deionized water, until treating a 1-mL aliquot of the dialyzate with 2 mL of 2.1 M chloroacetate buffer, pH 2.0, a pinch of potassium iodide and 6 drops of 1% starch gave no color. The solution in the dialysis tubing was frozen and lyophilized to give 4.28 g of the polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 400, which was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
Using the method described in Example 4, the equivalent weight (EW) per aldehyde group was calculated as:
EW = 10.92 - 5.40 213.89 × 32.04 5.40 213.89 = 400
SEC-MALS [mobile phase PBS (10 mM phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), 0.5 mL/min, two TSKgel GMPWXL mixed-bed columns (TOSOH Bioscience LLC), column temperature 30° C., dn/dc 0.124 mL/g] gave Mn 4,200, Mw 11,200 and Mw/Mn 2.6.
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Da and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 200 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 5,000 Da and a degree of branching of about 42% using sodium periodate and purified by a series of precipitations. The degree of branching of the starting polyglycerol 5000 was determined using the 13C NMR spectroscopy method described by A. Sunder et al. (Macromolecules 32:4240-4246, 1999). The polyglycerol 5000 was exhaustively oxidized, as in Example 4, to give a polyglycerol aldehyde having an equivalent weight per aldehyde of about 200 Da.
A solution of 50.00 g of NaIO4 in 450 mL of water was added to a solution of 50.00 g of polyglycerol 5000 dissolved in 150 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 hour. Ethylene glycol (3 mL) was added to quench excess periodate. The mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for half an hour, diluted with 2 L of isopropanol and filtered to remove precipitated salts. The mixture was concentrated by evaporating under reduced pressure to about 200 mL. Titration of an aliquot of the resulting mixture for residual iodate and periodate, according to the method of Belcher et al., supra, indicated the presence of 3.10 mmol of iodate and 0.135 mmol of periodate remaining in the product. Calcium chloride dihydrate (0.458 g, 3.12 mmol) and 500 mL of isopropanol were added to the mixture, which was then filtered through 20 g (2.5×0.875-inch pad) of Celite® 454 diatomaceous earth (World Minerals, Lompoc, Calif.). The mixture was concentrated by evaporating under reduced pressure, using additional water to ensure removal of isopropanol, and the resulting aqueous solution was lyophilized to give 46.4 g of the polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200, which was charcterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
SEC-MALS [mobile phase PBS (10 mM phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), 0.5 mL/min, two TSKgel GMPWXL mixed-bed columns (TOSOH Bioscience LLC), column temperature 30° C., dn/dc 0.124 mL/g] gave Mn, 2,460, Mw 8,580 and Mw/Mn 3.5.
Example 7 Synthesis of Polyglycerol Aldehyde MW 10,000, EW 200
The purpose of this Example was to prepare a polyglycerol aldehyde having an average molecular weight of about 10,000 Da and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 200 Da. The polyglycerol aldehyde was prepared by oxidizing polyglycerol having an average molecular weight of about 10,000 Da and a degree of branching of about 62% using sodium periodate. The degree of branching of the starting polyglycerol 10,000 was calculated from its number average molecular weight (Mn) and its equivalent weight per terminal diol moiety, as described above.
A solution of 45.37 g of NaIO4 in 400 mL of water was added to a solution of 40.37 g of polyglycerol 10,000 dissolved in 120 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 hour. Titration of an aliquot of the reaction mixture for iodate and residual periodate, according to the method of Belcher et al., supra, indicated that 82.8% of the periodate had been consumed and converted to iodate. Ethylene glycol (3 mL) was added to quench excess periodate. The mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for half an hour, diluted with 2 L of isopropanol and filtered to remove precipitated salts. The mixture was concentrated by evaporating under reduced pressure to about 230 mL. Titration of an aliquot of the resulting mixture for residual iodate and periodate, according to the method of Belcher et al., supra, indicated the presence of 1.89 mmol of iodate and 0.000 mmol of periodate remaining in the product. Calcium chloride dihydrate (0.279 g, 1.90 mmol) and 700 mL of isopropanol were added to the mixture, which was then filtered through 20 g (2.5×0.875-inch pad) of Celite® 454 diatomaceous earth. The mixture was concentrated by evaporating under reduced pressure, using additional water to ensure removal of isopropanol, and the resulting aqueous solution was lyophilized to give 35.8 g of the polyglycerol aldehyde MW 10,000, EW 200, which was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
Using the method described in Example 4, the equivalent weight (EW) per aldehyde was calculated as:
EW = 40.37 - 0.828 × 45.37 213.89 × 32.04 0.828 × 45.37 213.89 = 198
SEC-MALS [mobile phase PBS (10 mM phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), 0.5 mL/min, two TSKgel GMPWXL mixed-bed columns (TOSOH Bioscience LLC), column temperature 30° C., dn/dc 0.124 mL/g] gave Mn 4,610, Mw 8,510 and Mw/Mn 2.1.
A solution of 21.39 g of NaIO4 in 200 mL of water was added to a solution of 39.48 g of polyglycerol 10,000 dissolved in 120 mL of water, slowly enough to keep the reaction temperature from rising above 30° C. Once the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 hour. Isopropanol (2 L) was added, and the mixture was filtered to remove precipitated salts. The mixture was concentrated by evaporating under reduced pressure to about 200 mL. Titration of an aliquot of the resulting mixture for residual iodate and periodate, according to the method of Belcher et al., supra, indicated the presence of 0.329 mmol of iodate and 0.000 mmol to of periodate remaining in the product. Calcium chloride dihydrate (0.050 g, 0.34 mmol) and 500 mL of isopropanol were added to the mixture, which was then filtered through 20 g (2.5×0.875-inch pad) of Celite® 454 diatomaceous earth. The mixture was concentrated by evaporating under reduced pressure, using additional water to ensure removal of isopropanol, and the resulting aqueous solution was lyophilized to give 17.4 g of the polyglycerol aldehyde MW 10,000, EW 400, which was characterized using 1H NMR (500 MHz, D2O).
EW = 39.48 - 21.39 213.89 × 32.04 21.39 213.89 = 363
SEC-MALS [mobile phase PBS (10 mM phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), 0.5 mL/min, two TSKgel GMPWXL mixed-bed columns (TOSOH Bioscience), column temperature 30° C., dn/dc 0.124 mL/g] gave Mn 3,590, Mw 5,440 and Mw/Mn 1.5.
Examples 9 and 10 Stability of Polyglycerol Aldehyde MW 5,000 EW 200
The purpose of these Examples was to compare the stability of polyglycerol aldehyde, MW 5,000, EW 200, with dextran aldehyde D10-50 when stored in aqueous solution.
Aqueous solutions (25 wt % solids) of polyglycerol aldehyde, MW 5000, EW 200 (PGA-5-200) (Example 9), prepared according to Example 4, and dextran aldehyde D10-50 (Example 10, Comparative), prepared as described in Reagents, were incubated at 45° C. and periodically assayed for solution viscosity using a Brookfield viscometer. The molecular weight of the PGA-5-200 before and after aging at 45° C. was also determined by SEC-MALS. The viscosity results are summarized in Table 1. Whereas PGA-5-200 shows no loss of solution viscosity after 12 days, D10-50 shows second-order loss of solution viscosity with a half-life of 16 days. The Mw of PGA-5-200, determined by SEC-MALS, before and after aging in solution at 45° C. for 12 days was 9,300 and 9,600, respectively, again indicating that PGA-5-200 is stable when stored in aqueous solution.
Stability of Polyglycerol Aldehyde PGA-5-200 and
Dextran Aldehyde D10-50 in Aqueous Solution, 45° C.
Test Age, Viscosity,
Example Substance Days cP
9 PGA-5-200 0 8.0
10, D10-50 0 19.6
Comparative 6 13.9
Examples 11 and 12 Stability of Polyglycerol Aldehyde MW 5,000 EW 200
The purpose of these Examples was to compare the molecular weight stability of polyglycerol aldehyde, MW 5,000, EW 200, with that of dextran aldehyde D10-50 when stored in aqueous solution. Weight-average molecular weights (Mw) were measured by SEC-MALS.
Aqueous solutions (25 wt % solids) of polyglycerol aldehyde, MW 5000, EW 200 (PGA-5-200) (Example 11), prepared according to Example 4, and dextran aldehyde D10-50 (Example 12, Comparative), prepared as described in Reagents, were incubated at 40° C. and periodically assayed for weight-average molecular weight (Mw) by SEC-MALS [mobile phase PBS (10 mM phosphate, 2.7 mM KCl, 0.137 M NaCl, pH 7.4), 0.5 mL/min, TSKgel G5000PWXL and G3000PWXL columns in series (TOSOH Bioscience, 1 each), column temperature 35° C., do/dc 0.124 mL/g]. The results are summarized in Table 2. Whereas PGA-5-200 shows no loss of Mw after accelerated aging at 40° C., D10-50 shows an 11% decrease in Mw after 7 days of accelerated aging at 40° C.
Dextran Aldehyde D10-50 in Aqueous Solution at 40° C.
Test Age,
Example Substance Days Mw
11 PGA-5-200 0 10,700
7 nd*
12, D10-50 0 9,900
Comparative 4 nd
6 nd
*nd means not determined.
Example 13 Hydrogel Formation
The purpose of this Example was to demonstrate the formation of a hydrogel by the reaction of a polyglycerol aldehyde and a multi-arm PEG amine.
An aqueous solution (100 μL) of a 25 wt % polyglycerol aldehyde MW 1,000, prepared as described in Example 2, was stirred together with 100 μL of a 50 wt % aqueous solution of eight-arm PEG 10K octaamine P8-10-1, prepared as described in Reagents. The results of six replicate gelation time measurements (i.e., mean and standard deviation) are given in Table 3
Gelation Times for the Formation of a Hydrogel
Time to string formation 9.2 ± 0.8 sec
Time to fixed shape 24.5 ± 1.4 sec
Time to tack-free 38.2 ± 1.0 sec
The results in Table 3 demonstrate that a hydrogel is formed within a short period of time by the reaction of polyglycerol aldehyde MW 1,000 and multi-arm PEG amine P8-10-1.
Examples 14-16 Hydrogel Formation Measured by Oscillating Disk Rheometry
The purpose of these Examples was to demonstrate the formation of a hydrogel by the reaction of a polyglycerol aldehyde and a multi-arm PEG amine. The formation of the hydrogel was measured by oscillating disk rheometry.
About 1.6 mL of an aqueous solution of polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200 (PGA-5-200), prepared as described in Example 4, and about 1.6 mL of an aqueous solution containing eight-arm PEG octaamine P8-10-1, prepared as described in Reagents, were expressed from a 5-mL double-barreled syringe (Mixpac SDL X05-01-50M with plunger parts PLH X05-01-45M and PPD X05-01-02SM) through a 12-step static mixing tip (Mixpac ML 2.5-12-SM) onto the sample platform of a Model APA2000 rheometer (Alpha Technologies, Akron, Ohio). The two plates were brought together and values of storage modulus (G′) were measured about every 2 seconds for a total of 3 minutes. The value of G′ at 21 seconds was taken as a measure of speed of gelation. The results are shown in Table 4. Hydrogels having a range of acceptable mechanical properties can be generated by adjusting the concentrations and proportions of the polyglycerol aldehyde and the multi-arm PEG amine.
Rheometry Results of Hydrogel Formation
PGA-5-200 P8-10-1 G′ (21 sec)
Example (wt %) (wt %) (kPa)
Examples 17-24 In-Vitro Burst Testing of a Sealed Scalpel Incision
The purpose of these Examples was to demonstrate the burst strength of a seal of an incision in swine uterine horn using hydrogels formed from polyglycerol aldehydes and a multi-arm PEG amine.
Aqueous solutions of polyglycerol aldehydes, prepared according to Examples 3 through 5, were each loaded into one side of a double barreled syringe, as in Examples 14-16, and a 30 or 50 wt % aqueous solution of multi-arm PEG octaamine P8-10-1, prepared as described in Reagents, was loaded into the other side. A 12-step static mixing tip (Mixpac ML 2.5-12-LM) was attached to the nozzle of each syringe.
Fresh swine uterine horn, obtained from a local abattoir, was cut into 2 to 3-inch (5 to 7.5 cm) sections, and a 1-cm incision was made with scissors transverse to the lumen. A mixture of the two aqueous solutions described above was applied to the cut using a double-barreled syringe with mixing tip and allowed to cure for 1.0-1.5 min. The uterine horn section was then attached at one end to tubing connected to a syringe pump with pressure gauge. The uterine horn section was clamped shut at the other end, submerged in water, and purple-dyed water was pumped through the section at a rate of 10 mL/min. The pressure at which the seal burst and the mode of failure (cohesive versus adhesive) were noted. The results, given as mean and standard deviation, are summarized in Table 5.
Results of Burst Pressure Measurements
Polyglycerol P8-10-1 Burst Pressure
Example aldehyde (wt %) (wt %) (psi) Failure
17 MW 2,000 EW 200 50 1.3 ± 0.2 adhesive
from Example 3 (9.0 ± 1.4 kPa)
18 MW 2,000 EW 200 50 2.3 ± 0.4 cohesive
from Example 3 (15.9 ± 2.8 kPa)
For comparison, burst pressure measurements were made as described above using oxidized dextrans in place of the polyglycerol aldehydes. Specifically, an aqueous solution containing D10-20 or D10-50 (prepared as described in Reagents) was used in combination with an aqueous solution containing P8-10-1 PEG amine to seal an incision in swine uterine horn. The results are presented in Table 6.
Comparative Results of Burst Pressure Measurements
dextran Burst
aldehyde P8-10-1 Pressure
Example (wt %) (wt %) (psi) Failure
23, D10-20 50 2.6 adhesive
Comparative EW 400 (18 kPa)
The results shown in Table 5 demonstrate that hydrogel adhesives formed from polyglycerol aldehydes and multi-arm PEG amines exhibit burst strengths that are adequate for tissue adhesive, sealant and other in vivo applications. Comparison of the results shown in Table 5 with the results shown in Table 6 demonstrate that polyglycerol aldehydes, when combined with a water-dispersible multi-arm polyether amine, produce tissue adhesives with adhesive strengths similar to or greater than those of comparable formulations produced with an oxidized polysaccharide (Comparative Examples 23 and 24).
Example 25 Cytotoxicity Testing of Hydrogels
The purpose of this Example was to demonstrate the safety of hydrogels formed from a polyglycerol aldehyde and a multi-arm PEG amine in an in vitro cytotoxicity test.
Double-barreled 5-mL syringes and plunger parts, as in Examples 14-16, and 12-step static mixing tips (Mixpac ML 2.5-12-LM) were sealed in protective pouches and sterilized by autoclaving. An aqueous solution of 25 wt % polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200 (PGA-5-200), prepared according to Example 4, and aqueous solutions of 20 and 30 wt % 8-arm PEG 10K octaamine P8-10-1, prepared as described in Reagents, were sterile filtered (0.2 μm) and then manipulated within a sterile hood. The polyglycerol aldehyde solution was loaded into one side of a double barreled syringe, and the 20 or 30 wt % P8-10-1 solution was loaded into the other side. A 12-step static mixing tip was attached to the nozzle of each syringe.
Flat strips of adhesive hydrogel were extruded from each double-barreled syringe through the static mixing tip into the well of a sterile polystyrene culture plate. Using sterile technique, a 30 mg sample of each hydrogel was transferred into a 35 mm-diameter well of a sterile polystyrene culture plate and covered with 2 mL of Dulbecco's modified essential medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. The well was then seeded with 1 mL (50,000 to 100,000 cells) of an overnight culture of NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC; Manassas, Va.) and grown in DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. After 24 and 48 hours of incubation at 37° C., the cells were examined for cell rounding (indicating death), confluent coating of the well bottom, growth up to the edges of the hydrogel, and overgrowth of the hydrogel (indicating adhesion of cell cultures to the hydrogel). Tests were run in triplicate. Cells incubated in the absence of hydrogel served as a positive control for cell viability, and cells incubated in the presence of a 1 cm×1 cm strip of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) according to ISO 10993-5:1999 served as a negative control for cell viability. Hydrogels formed from both 25 wt % polyglycerol aldehyde plus 20 wt % PEG amine solutions, and 25 wt % polyglycerol aldehyde plus 30 wt % PEG amine solutions showed no sign of cytotoxicity toward NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts according to this assay. Cells formed confluent monolayers, comparable to the positive control that extended to, but did not overgrow the hydrogel samples. These results suggest that hydrogels formed from polyglycerol aldehydes and multi-arm PEG amines are safe for use in the body.
Examples 26-27 In Vitro Degradation of Hydrogels
The purpose of these Examples was to demonstrate the degradation over time of hydrogels formed from a polyglycerol aldehyde and a multi-arm PEG amine in an in vitro degradation test.
One barrel of a double-barreled 5-mL syringe, as in Examples 14-16, was loaded with a 20 or 25 wt % solution of polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200, prepared according to Example 4. The other barrel was loaded with a 25 wt % solution of a 5:1 (w/w) mixture of 8-arm PEG 10K octaamine P8-10-1, prepared as described in Reagents, and 8-arm PEG 10K hexadecamine P8-10-2, prepared as described in Reagents. A 12-step static mixing tip (MixPac ML 2.5-12-SM) was attached to each syringe. Hydrogel was extruded from each double-barreled syringe through the mixing tip into a Teflon® mold to create strips approximately 30 mm×7 mm×1 mm. Each strip was cured for 15 min before being removed from the mold. Each test strip was individually placed in a pre-wetted, tared stainless steel mesh (#400) cup, and the cup plus sample was weighed, placed in a 20-mL scintillation vial and covered with about 18 mL of Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (DPBS). The capped vials, each containing a test strip plus mesh cup, were incubated at 37° C. and 105 rpm in an orbital shaker. Periodically, each mesh cup with test strip was removed from its vial, patted dry with a paper towel, weighed, returned to its vial and covered with about 18 mL of fresh DPBS. Each vial was then capped and returned to the orbital shaker. Duplicate test strips of each formulation were run. The masses of duplicate test strip recorded at each time point were averaged, and the results are summarized in Table 7.
These Examples demonstrate that hydrogels formed from a polyglycerol aldehyde and multi-arm PEG amines persist in an aqueous environment for days but degrade over time.
Mass of Hydrogel Samples (% of original)
During In vitro Degradationa
wt % polyglycer-
ol aldehyde MW time, hours
Example 5,000, EW 200b 0 5 24 48 168 192
26 20 100 144 130 116 82 70
27 25 100 237 221 195 152 138
aMasses (% of original) are the mean of duplicate runs.
bWt % of polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200, in solution before being combined with PEG amine. Each hydrogel was formed by mixing the solution of polyglycerol aldehyde MW 5,000, EW 200, with a 25 wt % solution of 5:1 (w/w) P8-10-1:P8-10-2.
1. A kit comprising:
a) at least one polyglycerol aldehyde having aldehyde groups, said polyglycerol aldehyde having a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons the general formula:
wherein;
A is either (a) a hydrocarbyl group derived by removing on or more hydroxyl groups from an alcohol or polyol containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 8 hydroxyl groups or (b) an oxahydrocarbyl or polyoxahydrocarbyl group derived by removing or or more hydroxyl groups from the reaction product of (I) an alcohol or polyol containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 1 to 8 hydroxyl groups and (II) one or more cyclic ethers, wherein the Mn of the reaction product is less than or equal to 5,000 Da;
R1 is a hydrogen atom, a 1 to 8-carbon hydrocarbyl group, R2—O—[R3—CHO]p, or R3—CHO;
R2 is a polymeric segment comprising 1 to 270 glycerol units connected by ether linkages;
R3 is a hydrocarbylene group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms;
n=1 to 8; m*n=3 to 170; and p=1 to 40, wherein n, m and p are intergers; and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons; and
2. The kit according to claim 1 wherein the polyglycerol aldehyde is contained in a first aqueous solution or dispersion and the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is contained in a second aqueous solution or dispersion.
3. The kit according to claim 2 wherein the first aqueous solution or dispersion contains the polyglycerol aldehyde at a concentration of about 5% to about 40% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion.
4. The kit according to claim 2 wherein the second aqueous solution or dispersion contains the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine at a concentration of about 5% to about 70% by weight relative to the total weight of the solution or dispersion.
5. The kit according to claim 1 wherein the cyclic ethers are selected from the group consisting of oxirane, methyloxirane, oxetane and oxolane.
6. The kit according to claim 1 wherein in the general formula A is CH3CH2C(CH2—)3, derived by removing three hydroxyl groups from trimethylolpropane; R2 is a polymeric segment consisting of 1 to 60 glycerol units connected by ether linkages; R3 is —CH2—; R1 is a hydrogen atom, R2—O—[R3—CHO]p, or R3—CHO; m=1 to 30; n=3; and p=1 to 30.
7. The kit according to claim 1 wherein the polyglycerol aldehyde has a degree of branching of about 10% to about 99.9%.
8. The kit according to claim 1 wherein the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is selected from the group consisting of water dispersible multi-arm polyether amines, amino-terminated dendritic polyamidoamines, and multi-arm branched end amines.
9. The kit according to claim 1 wherein the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is a water dispersible multi-arm polyether amine.
10. The kit according to claim 9 wherein the water dispersible multi-arm polyether amine is selected from the group consisting of amino-terminated star polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated dendritic polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated comb polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated star polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated dendritic polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated comb polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated star polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, amino-terminated dendritic polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, amino-terminated comb polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, and polyoxyalkylene triamines.
11. A dried hydrogel formed by a process comprising the steps of:
a) combining in a solvent (i) at least one polyglycerol aldehyde having aldehyde groups, said polyglycerol aldehyde having a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons the general formula:
wherein:
n=1 to 8; m*n=3 to 170; and p=1 to 40, wherein n, m and p are intergers; and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons; with (ii) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine, wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by at least one primary amine group, said multi-arm amine having a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons, to form a hydrogel; and
12. The dried hydrogel according to claim 11 wherein said dried hydrogel is in the form of a film.
13. The dried hydrogel according to claim 11 wherein the process further comprises the step of comminuting the dried hydrogel to form finely divided particles.
14. A composition comprising the reaction product of:
15. A crosslinked hydrogel composition comprising:
16. The crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 15 wherein the cyclic ethers are selected from the group consisting of oxirane, methyloxirane, oxetane and oxolane.
17. The crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 15 wherein in the general formula A is CH3CH2C(CH2—)3, derived by removing three hydroxyl groups from trimethylolpropane; R2 is a polymeric segment consisting of 1 to 60 glycerol units connected by ether linkages; R3 is —CH2—; R1 is a hydrogen atom, R2—O—[R3—CHO]p, or R3—CHO; m=1 to 30; n=3; and p=1 to 30.
18. The crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 15 wherein the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is selected from the group consisting of water dispersible multi-arm polyether amines, amino-terminated dendritic polyamidoamines, and multi-arm branched end amines.
19. The crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 15 wherein the water-dispersible, multi-arm amine is a water dispersible multi-arm polyether amine.
20. The crosslinked hydrogel composition according to claim 19 wherein the water dispersible multi-arm polyether amine is selected from the group consisting of amino-terminated star polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated dendritic polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated comb polyethylene oxides, amino-terminated star polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated dendritic polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated comb polypropylene oxides, amino-terminated star polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, amino-terminated dendritic polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, amino-terminated comb polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide copolymers, and polyoxyalkylene triamines.
21. A method for applying a coating to an anatomical site on tissue of a living organism comprising:
applying to the site a) at least one polyglycerol aldehyde having aldehyde groups, said polyglycerol aldehyde having a number-average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 Daltons the general formula:
n=1 to 8; m*n=3 to 170; and p=1 to 40, wherein n, m and p are intergers; and an equivalent weight per aldehyde group of about 100 to about 3,000 Daltons;
followed by b) at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine wherein at least three of the arms are terminated by a primary amine group, said multi-arm amine having a number-average molecular weight of about 450 to about 200,000 Daltons,
or (b) followed by (a), or premixing (a) and (b);
and applying the resulting mixture to the site before the resulting mixture completely cures.
22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the cyclic ethers are selected from the group consisting of oxirane, methyloxirane, oxetane and oxolane.
23. The method according to claim 21 wherein in the general formula A is CH3CH2C(CH2—)3, derived by removing three hydroxyl groups from trimethylolpropane; R2 is a polymeric segment consisting of 1 to 60 glycerol units connected by ether linkages; R3 is —CH2—; R1 is a hydrogen atom, R2—O—[R3—CHO]p, or R3—CHO; m=1 to 30; n=3; and p=1 to 30.
US13/258,745 2009-03-27 2010-03-26 Tissue adhesive and sealant comprising polyglycerol aldehyde Active 2030-05-08 US8404779B2 (en)
PCT/US2010/028833 WO2010111594A1 (en) 2009-03-27 2010-03-26 Tissue adhesive and sealant comprising polyglycerol aldehyde
US13/258,745 US8404779B2 (en) 2009-03-27 2010-03-26 Tissue adhesive and sealant comprising polyglycerol aldehyde
US14/628,909 USRE46234E1 (en) 2009-03-27 2010-03-26 Tissue adhesive and sealant comprising polyglycerol aldehyde
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Owner name: ACTAMAX SURGICAL MATERIALS LLC, CALIFORNIA
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BHS Blogress Report: 2017, Week 6
Well, this was an improvement. I hesitate to say that things are looking up, but there’s no doubt they’re looking better. As you can see up there, I grabbed my second Patron, whose generous pledge has put me within striking distance of my first goal! That inspired me to get Chapter 2 of Soulsnatcher finished, and I’m particularly proud of the changes this one’s gone through as of the relaunch.
As you might also notice: I’ve made some adjustments to my Patreon’s reward tiers. The first tier now starts at $20 per chapter, which gets you acknowledgement in the future print editions of the Tasakeru books. I’ve also added the acknowledgement to the second tier, along with the free item of merch, for a $40 pledge. The third tier is now $80 for an acknowledgement, two merch items (with autographs and personal messages by request), and a private Q&A session with me in the format of your choice.
Of course, you don’t have to pledge $20 if you don’t want to… the minimum is $1 per chapter, and I’m sincerely grateful for any pledges at all, frankly. Since I can’t offer the kinds of incentives other Patreons do, I have to sell this thing on the merits of the work itself… it’s always nice to see somebody confirming that it does have merit.
So. KiraKira Precure A La Mode started yesterday. As I said in my status update and my Tumblr post on Sunday night: yes, it’s better than Mahou Tsukai, thank God, but at this early stage it’s also making some interesting departures from the standard formula… departures for the better, it looks like. Frankly, any improvements over MTPC are welcome. I’m so, so glad that Ichika/Cure Whip isn’t a personality-less cardboard cutout like Mirai/Cure Miracle, and that the episode’s fight scene was not only decently animated but clever, with some unexpected moves and neat camera angles that I wasn’t expecting. I also appreciated the return of two of my favorite Precure franchise running gags: accidentally jumping a thousand feet high when making the first dodge in Cure form, and the universe hitting the pink Cure in the face with random objects. Slapstick may not be the highest form of comedy, but it’s always encouraging to see it utilized well, and those two gags are so familiar to long-time fans like me that they were almost like an apology for the past year, like Toei was saying “We get it, we’re sorry, things will be better now.”
Yes, the dessert theming is pretty silly, but it manages to be silly in a charming way, rather than MTPC’s bland, generic cuteness. Believe it or not, the series with the sweets motif looks to be less sugary than its predecessor, if you’ll pardon the pun. Just in the first episode, there’s already been a surprisingly melancholy turn from Ichika, when she learns her world-traveling doctor mother won’t be able to make it home to share the shortcake she worked so hard on… now that feels real and compelling in a way that MTPC’s “all cute, all the time” aesthetic never did.
Look, I’m not expecting great art here. Precure, at its heart, is Power Rangers for girls: it’s a vehicle to sell toys and merch first and foremost, with everything else secondary. Despite that, though, the Precure franchise has managed to have moments of surprising depth, even beauty. The best of them have had fantastic character development in addition to the obligatory sparkly transformations, dramatic speeches and poses, and monster-pummeling fight scenes. I’ll take Madoka Magica (and, I’d argue, Cardcaptor Sakura, and most of most versions of Sailor Moon, with some well-known caveats) as the shining examples of what the genre can be… for Precure, I’ll settle for harmless fluff as long as it’s entertaining harmless fluff. Sometimes, as with Heartcatch and Go! Princess, it’s far more than that. It’s too early to tell whether KKPCALM (God, that acronym) will be one of the greats or just a fun way to spend each week, but I have my hopes up.
And that’s about it. I watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens again, with my mom this time, and… what else is there to say, really? It’s still a fantastic film, and for me it held up just as well the third time as it did the first two. I didn’t find out until about fifteen minutes in that Mom has never seen the original trilogy, though… so that’s one of my projects for the coming weeks.
Tasakeru Book III: Soulsnatcher, Chapter 2: COMPLETE!
Tasakeru Patreon: 2 Patrons (Reward Tiers Updated!)
Book II Appendix: 0.5 pages done
Shattered Skies Chapter 24: 4 pages done
(Originally posted on DA: http://tasakeru828.deviantart.com/journal/BHS-Blogress-Report-2017-Week-6-662046912)
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The White House and the Search for a Cost-Effective Climate Policy
Neil Bhatiya
As part of the Obama administration’s all-hands roll-out of the Environmental Protection Agency’s new power plant rules, the White House Council of Economic Advisers just released a report arguing that delaying comprehensive action to tackle climate change would cost significantly more than acting immediately.
“The Cost of Delaying Action to Stem Climate Change” looks at recent research trying to model the economic costs of different emissions mitigation pathways—how far and how fast we can achieve reductions in carbon dioxide concentrating in the atmosphere. The important topline finding is that every potential climate change policy in existence imposes costs.
Doing nothing will increase the costs of dealing with climate related disruptions—floods, drought, days of extreme heat. Waiting to act until some more optimal time in the future will avoid some immediate pain, but will result in more pain later—any future climate policy will have to be much more stringent in order to equal the reductions that a policy started now would achieve.
The dollar values of predicted climate change damage are quite stark. A 2-degree Celsius increase above pre-industrial levels would cost the U.S. economy $150 billion per year. A 3-degree Celsius raises the total annual cost to $200 billion. (A 2-degree increase is the limit established by the international community in setting goals for emissions reduction.)
The Case for Carbon Pricing
The report makes two additional points worth emphasizing. First, it contradicts an assertion made by some conservative policy analysts, who have written that the federal government’s emissions reductions goals are unnecessary to achieve climate goals.
For example, Jim Manzi has argued, a technology-centric policy, without a strict regulatory framework handed down from Washington, DC. would be sufficient. According to Manzi, if markets were allowed to work on their own, with only some direct investment by the federal government, we could achieve more economically appropriate carbon emissions reductions.
Leaving aside whether one should be satisfied with more modest climate goals, the report reiterates a point made often by economists interested in how to design climate policy: the need for a carbon tax.
Currently, the market places no price on carbon dioxide emissions, meaning that power plants that produce them do not have to pay for the damage they will cause in the future (those economically devastating climate disruptions). In order to make the kinds of changes necessary to price-in that climate damage, the government has to impose some cost signal. Only then will profit-maximizing companies seek the kinds of investments that will have benefits both to the climate and large and their bottom lines. As the report states:
Public policies that set out a clear and ongoing mitigation path providethat [market] confidence. Simply waiting for a technological solution, but not providing any reason for the private sector to create that solution [through a regulation or tax that imposes a cost on carbon dioxide emissions], not an effective policy.
Waiting Increases Costs
The second point the report underscores is that waiting too long for an international consensus before acting also imposes costs. No one is saying that United States should go it alone without expecting other nations to take steps. But it’s equally sub-optimal to wait for universal buy-in before acting.
Not only would action by the United States set an example for both developed and developing world nations to follow, it also would reduce costs over the long-term. According to the research compiled in the report’s analysis, unilateral action is less costly than doing nothing, even assuming there is a delay in other nations coming onboard.
And, as I wrote recently in The Week, recent polling suggest the American people understand this, and would be on board with unilateral American action as a start.
Reasoning with the Unreasonable
Whether this report will change any minds on Capitol Hill is an open question. Rational persuasion isn’t a live option for U.S. representatives who compare EPA pollution rules to economic terrorism.
As a Bloomberg editorial lauding the report makes clear, the uncertainty behind many of the assumptions of economic cost should give people enough intellectual ammunition to argue that we should start doing something now, for the sake of both cost efficiency and risk management. That very same uncertainty, however, means that is easy for dyed-in-the-wool skeptics to dismiss those very estimates as guesswork.
The path forward, then, is greatly dependent on the outcome of the EPA’s rules-making process, which is currently in its public comment period. The EPA has promised to work with states and grant them the greatest possible flexibility to meet their emissions reductions target, an attitude consistent with cost-effectiveness.
The framework of the new rules will no doubt face legislative and judicial challenges by vested interests in the forty-nine states to which they apply, whose focus on their immediate costs apparently outweighs any conceivable benefit. Today’s report makes clear that in the long-run, this attitude is fiscally insane.
Tags: council of economic advisers, climate change, economy, united states, epa, power plant rules
TCF World Podcast: Israel’s Global Security Industry
March 12, 2019 By Rohan Advani
TCF World Podcast: A New Progressive International?
January 29, 2019 By Thanassis Cambanis and Sam Adler-Bell
Commentary Middle East
Renewed U.S. Sanctions Unlikely to Isolate Iran
November 7, 2018 By Dina Esfandiary
Neil Bhatiya, Contributor
Neil Bhatiya is a fellow at The Century Foundation.
Report World
A Return to American Restraint Begins in Syria
July 10, 2019 — By Thanassis Cambanis and Michael Wahid Hanna
Taking on Turkey’s Authoritarian President
July 1, 2019 — By Selim Can Sazak
TCF World Podcast: Defining a Progressive Middle East Policy
June 17, 2019 — By Thanassis Cambanis, Michael Wahid Hanna and Daniel Benaim
The UN Made a List of Hospitals in Syria. Now They’re Being Bombed.
June 13, 2019 — By Aron Lund
The Logic behind Israel’s Democratic Erosion
May 29, 2019 — By Dahlia Scheindlin
TCF World Podcast: America’s Blind Spot on Palestine
May 28, 2019 — By Michael Wahid Hanna and Khaled Elgindy
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Research by Market - Media & Advertising Analyst - Matteo Marchello Geography - Guadeloupe Geography - Italy Geography - MEA Geography - Norway Geography - Poland Geography - World
James Allison (16)
Mediaset to shut down pay DTT service at the end of May
Matteo Marchello | May 01, 2019
Mediaset is to end distribution of its Premium subscription service on digital terrestrial TV (DTT) at the end of this month. The service, which now consists of TV series and movies, will available on demand via Infinity, the group's online platform. Currently, Infinity has 400,000 subscribers and offers two subscription tiers: a basic one giving access to the platform’s library (€7.99, $8.89 per month) and premium (€13.99 per month) which includes a subscription to sports service DAZN.
Significant expansion of Channels and Programming Intelligence
Matteo Marchello | February 15, 2019
Channels and Programming Intelligence has introduced a new methodology to estimate revenues from subscription on traditional platforms. The new approach, applied to an initial group of 22 countries will significantly increase the number of groups and operators covered from 38 to 136. The new groups covered from today include all major pay TV platforms, whether or not they operate their own channels.
European Football Rights 2018
Tim Westcott | Matteo Marchello | September 24, 2018
New deals for domestic rights to four of the five leading sports leagues in Europe were signed in the first part of the year. What were the outcomes of these auction rounds, and what do tell us about the state of play in the European sports rights market?
Online sport: evolution, not revolution
Audiences are increasingly viewing video content on demand and online—but sport remains embedded in the linear TV experience, aggregating mass audiences on broadcast TV and underpinning the value proposition of subscription. So how will sport—especially live sport—migrate online?
Sky and Perform win rights for Serie A for next three seasons
Matteo Marchello | June 14, 2018
After more than a year, Italy’s Lega Calcio Serie A has awarded domestic rights to the country’s top football championship for the next three seasons, with Perform Group entering the market for the first time alongside incumbent Sky. Perform, which operates the DAZN online subscription platform in five countries, won one of the two packages, comprising three live games on Saturday night and on Sunday lunchtime. It will pay €193 million per season from 2018/19 to 2020/21. Sky won two of the three packages on offer and will have the rights to seven games every week, paying €780 million a season. Mediaset Premium, which has aired Serie A since 2004 and held Champions League and Europa League rights for the last three seasons, was left with nothing.
Italian Serie A clubs cancel rights deal with Mediapro
Italy's top football clubs have decided to terminate the deal currently in place with Mediapro for rights to the next three seasons of Serie A, beginning in 2018/19. The full assembly of Lega Serie A - composed of all the teams in the Italian first division - agreed unanimously to end the deal. This move follows a ruling by the civil court of Milan (following appeal by Sky to clarify the boundaries of the intermediary call for bids) to suspend the contract, and the consequent decision by Mediapro not to provide warranties necessary to cover the amount established by the contract.
Sky Italia and Mediaset sign content-sharing agreement
Matteo Marchello | April 04, 2018
Sky Italia and Mediaset have reached an agreement which could prove pivotal for the future Italian television landscape. The agreement will become effective from 1 June and it represents the first step of a pacification process between the two main competitors in the Italian pay TV market.
Mediapro lands Serie A rights after long and difficult process
Italy’s Lega Calcio has awarded rights to Serie A for the 2018-2021 period to Mediapro. The Catalan company was the only bidder for the rights to the football league championship, agreeing to pay €1.05 billion ($1.3 billion) per season—just above the Lega’s asking-price. Mediapro will either sell the rights on—they are currently held by Sky and Mediaset—or could set up a channel on behalf of the Lega.
European telcos dial up investments in content
Tim Westcott | Seth Wallis-Jones | Matteo Marchello | August 01, 2017
European telephone companies are facing the need to find the right strategy to survive in a rapidly-converging world with fixed line revenues declining, threats from OTT services eating into their core voice business, and ARPUs hit by the commoditisation of broadband and TV distribution. Many European telcos have responded to the digitisation of TV by carrying video services over their networks. Others, like BT and Altice, have made a massive play in pay TV sports, while Orange and Telefonica are planning ambitious investments in original TV series.
Sky buys Champions League rights in Italy and Germany from 2018
Tim Westcott | Matteo Marchello | June 15, 2017
Sky has secured the rights to broadcast all the Champions League games for three seasons starting in 2018 in Italy, Germany and Austria.
Lega Calcio aims for wider pool of bidders with new Serie A rights tender
Italy's Lega Calcio Serie A has restructured its packaging of rights for the next TV contract with the aim of attracting bids from telcos and online platforms. As before, the packages, running from the start of the 2018/19 season for three years, include satellite and digital terrestrial (DTT) rights similar to those currently held by incumbents Sky and Mediaset, but these packages do not include online, IPTV or mobile rights.
Netflix Blazes Trail with ‘Global Local’ Production - February 2017
Tim Westcott | Matteo Marchello | February 08, 2017
A year on from its worldwide launch, Netflix has stepped up original productions, including new unscripted shows and films productions outside the US in an increasing array of languages.
Vivendi ups stake in Mediaset to 12% despite continuing dispute
Tim Westcott | Matteo Marchello | December 14, 2016
Vivendi has built up a stake of 12% in Mediaset and says it wants to increase its shareholding in the Italian company to 20% before Christmas. The two companies are already in dispute over their agreement for Vivendi to acquire pay TV business Mediaset Premium, announced in April this year.
World TV Production - 2016
Tim Westcott | Kia Ling Teoh | Matteo Marchello | October 27, 2016
Consumers have embraced internet-connected devices to view more programming online and on-demand. Linear TV companies are ramping up investments in content to stand out in a multi-platform world, while a spate of mergers and acquisitions has created ever-larger content-creating groups.
Vivendi and Mediaset in dispute over Italian pay TV deal
Tim Westcott | Matteo Marchello | August 01, 2016
Vivendi and Mediaset are in dispute over the terms of their planned share swap agreement which would have included the French media group taking full control of Mediaset's Italian pay TV business. The disagreement casts doubt over the two companies' stated objective to forge a southern European streaming alliance against Netflix.
European Football Rights Report - 2016
As a new four-year deal for TV rights to Germany's national football league is announced, this market monitor provides a wealth of detail to benchmark the Bundesliga against its European peers.
Italian competition authority fines Sky and Mediaset over Serie A rights deal
AGCM, the Italian competition authority, yesterday fined broadcasters Mediaset Premium and Sky Italia, rights dealer Infront and Italy's football league, the Lega Calcio for ‘anticompetitive behaviour’ concerning the allocation of football TV rights for the period from 2015 to 2018.
Vivendi and Mediaset form pan-European pay TV, streaming alliance
Tim Westcott | Matteo Marchello | April 11, 2016
France's Vivendi and Italy's Mediaset have unveiled a strategic alliance designed to create a southern European media powerhouse encompassing content creation, on demand streaming platforms and pay TV. According to a joint statement released on Friday, the two groups will combine leadership of their respective national markets by 'leveraging the production strengths and cultural affinities of Italy, Spain and France'.
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Former GA. Southern walk-on’s championship ring found at Glacier National Park
3 weeks ago Leave a Comment
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK — Dane Slaughter was about to leave Glacier National Park without his championship ring.
The former Georgia Southern walk-on long-snapper was at the park when he somehow misplaced his 2002 Southern Conference championship ring, one of the 10 championship seasons the Eagles had before leaving the SoCon and the FCS in 2013 for the FBS’ Sun Belt Conference.
It’s not clear when Slaughter lost the ring, but the Georgia Southern football community became aware of it’s absence on Thursday night.
Bryan Johnston, Georgia Southern’s associate athletics director, said he had just gotten off work and was sitting at his kitchen table. As he checked emails and social media, a message appeared on the Eagles Football Facebook page, which isn’t unsual.
“We get a lot of messages,” he said. “Some of them are obviously bots and you can tell when they’re not real. So, I don’t look at all of them real closely because I can tell pretty quickly if they’re real or not. “
But this one was different.
“This one stood out because it was very specific in the language,” Johnston said.
Photo courtesy of the Georgia Southern Twitter page
Johnston first put the message out to the Eagles Football Twitter page, asking for help locating the ring’s owner. Then, Johnston looked through the media guide from that year to try and locate number associated with the ring — No. 52.
“There was no No. 52 for that team,” Johnston said. “But on that roster was one of our current assistant coaches, Vic Cabral. I called him and asked if he remembered him.”
Cabral reached out to teammates and discovered the number and the ring belonged to Slaughter. But no one had his contact information. So, Johnston put out a second update.
UPDATE: The Power of #EagleNation come through. The ring belongs to Dane Slaughter, a LS on the 2002 team. If anyone knows how to reach him, please have him contact us at GSEagleswin@gmail.com and we can give him the Glacier phone number. https://t.co/zHtXQ1p0gz
— Ga. Southern Football (@GSAthletics_FB) June 27, 2019
The emails flowed in with some saying they emailed Slaughter themselves.
ONE MORE TIME: we have been in contact with Dane who is still IN Glacier National Park. He has the contact information to the lost and found office. Looks like this one has a happy ending. Case closed! https://t.co/xetnbejtal
The next morning, Johnston woke up to more emails. But one of them was from Slaughter himself, saying he was still in Glacier Park and was about to leave. Johnston gave Slaughter the woman from the Lost and Found desk’s number and Slaughter had his ring once more.
“Talk about the power of social media,” Johnston said.
FTFP championship ring, college, college football, football, georgia southern, SoCon, Southern Conference
Oh, For God’s Sake Ep. 4: Kitchen Nightmares is peak TV
Other Stories: I used to be a theater kid
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How To Be More Satisfied With Your Life – 5 Steps Proven By Research
By Eric Barker
I’ve posted a lot about the research around how to be happier. But being satisfied with your life is something a little different.
Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow, gave a TED talk where he explained the two pretty well:
Happiness is being happy in your life. We experience it immediately and in the moment.
Life satisfaction is being happy about your life. It is the happiness that exists when we talk about the past and the big picture.
There’s plenty of information about the former — but what about the latter?
What can we do to not just be happy in the moment, but to feel satisfied with our lives?
Here’s are five things research says can make a difference for you:
Having a lot of close friends boosts life satisfaction by nearly 20%.
Via 100 Simple Secrets of the Best Half of Life:
Having more close friendships was associated with a 19 percent greater life satisfaction and a 23 percent greater sense of optimism. – Richburg 1998
In fact, having a better social life can be worth as much as an additional $131,232 a year in terms of life satisfaction.
Like your neighbors? That’s a double digit boost in life satisfaction too.
Positive feelings about neighbors have been found to be associated with a 16 percent greater life satisfaction and a 25 percent lower likelihood of experiencing feelings of loneliness. – Prezza et al. 2001
Why does religion — any religion — make people so much happier?
It’s the friends that a religious community provides. A group of ten supportive friends seems to be the magic number.
Via The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More:
After examining studies of more than three thousand adults, Chaeyoon Lin and Robert Putnam found that what religion you practice or however close you feel to God makes no difference in your overall life satisfaction. What matters is the number of friends you have in your religious community. Ten is the magic number; if you have that many, you’ll be happier. Religious people, in other words, are happier because they feel connected to a community of like-minded people.
But it’s not all about what you get from friends; giving is extraordinarily powerful too.
Are you mentoring a young person? It’s 4 times more predictive of happiness than your health or how much money you make.
Age, income, and health are four times less likely to predict whether a person is happy than is whether the person feels he or she is having a positive effect on a younger person. – Azarow 2003
(More on how to make and keep friends here.)
Have A Life Story
Research shows that meaning in life comes from the stories we tell ourselves about our lives.
Ever tried writing that story down? People who do are more than 10% happier with their lives.
People who wrote about the history of their lives were 11 percent more likely to feel happy with their lives and 17 percent more likely to feel optimistic about the future. – Yamada 2000
Knowing your family tree gets you a bump in satisfaction as well.
People who were interested in their family and ethnic histories were 6 percent more likely to feel satisfied with their lives. – Mowrer and McCarver 2002
Children who know the stories of those who came before them have higher self-esteem and a sense of control over their lives.
Marshall and Robyn asked those questions of four dozen families in the summer of 2001, and also taped several of their dinner table conversations. They then compared the children’s results to a battery of psychological tests and reached some overwhelming conclusions. The more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem, and the more successfully they believed their families functioned.
(More on how to shape the story of your own life here.)
Have Goals
People with goals are nearly 20% more satisfied with their lives.
People who could identify a goal they were pursuing were 19 percent more likely to feel satisfied with their lives and 26 percent more likely to feel positive about themselves. – Krueger 1998
Those who are passionate about something score higher across the board on positive psychological indicators.
Via Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined:
Elderly individuals who were harmoniously passionate scored higher on various indicators of psychological adjustment, such as life satisfaction, meaning in life, and vitality, while they reported lower levels of negative indicators of psychological adjustment such as anxiety and depression.
Goals doesn’t mean you need to win an Oscar or make a million dollars.
A consistent amount of minor success produces much more satisfaction than occasionally bagging an elephant.
Via The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People:
Life satisfaction is 22 percent more likely for those with a steady stream of minor accomplishments than those who express interest only in major accomplishments. – Orlick 1998
Not seeing the success you’d like? Don’t give up. Having grit was associated with more life satisfaction.
The capacity to continue trying despite repeated setbacks was associated with a more optimistic outlook on life in 31 percent of people studied, and with greater life satisfaction in 42 percent of them. – Meulemann 2001
(More about setting goals the right way here.)
Money Isn’t The Answer
The more materialistic people are, the less satisfied they are with their lives.
Among participants in one study, those whose values were the most materialistic rated their lives as the least satisfying. – Ryan and Dziurawiec 2001
Spending more money on gifts made holidays less enjoyable.
Among parents studied, greater expenditures for family gifts actually reduced satisfaction with family holidays by 2 percent. – Kasser and Sheldon 2002
Having meaning in your life increases life satisfaction twice as much as wealth.
Those with a modest income who felt there was meaning in their lives were twice as likely to experience life satisfaction as were those who were wealthier but who felt that their lives lacked a sense of meaning. – Debats 1999
(More on the things proven to increase happiness here.)
Keep Growing
No, I don’t mean eat more cookies.
Have you seen changes in what you believe over the past few months? That’s a good thing.
People over forty who could identify at least one change in their viewpoints or behavior in recent months were 8 percent more likely to feel hopeful about the future and 5 percent more likely to say they were generally in a good mood. – Grossbaum and Bates 2002
Older people who continue to read and learn are much more satisfied with their lives.
People over the age of fifty who said they continued to learn about topics that interested them were 18 percent more likely to feel satisfied with their lives and 43 percent more likely to feel vital. – Helterbran 1999
Keeping an open mind pays huge dividends as the years go by.
Via 100 Simple Secrets of Happy Families:
Studies focusing on the ability of people to maintain happiness as they age reveal that an openness to change in both family life and work life is associated with a 23 percent greater likelihood of maintaining high levels of life satisfaction. – Crosnoe and Elder 2002
But don’t change everything — maintaining strong core values is important.
A willingness to compromise on trivial matters was associated with 62 percent more positive social relations, but a willingness to compromise on matters of values and personal vision was associated with 34 percent less life satisfaction. – Bargdill 1998
(More on how to make sure you never stop growing and learning here.)
Sum Up
Keep in mind the 5 ways to increase life satisfaction:
I really think that fifth one is key. If you can’t learn, you can’t improve.
As the Stoic philosopher Seneca once said:
As long as you live, keep learning how to live.
Join 45K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here.
Here are the things proven to make you happier
What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?
4 Lifehacks From Ancient Philosophers That Will Make You Happier
This piece originally appeared on Barking Up the Wrong Tree.
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Cambodia'Cambodia Is Not a Dustbin.' More Plastic Waste to Be Sent Back to the U.S. and Canada
IranThe U.S. 'Shot Itself in the Foot' by Pulling Out of the Nuclear Deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Says
COMPARECARDS
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6:02.14 p.m. Tactical Police Officers converge on the house where 19-year-old Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was hiding at the time of his capture in Watertown, Mass., April 19, 2013.Sgt. Sean Murphy—Massachusetts State Police
6:02.14 p.m. Tactical Police Officers converge on the house where 19-year-old Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar
Sgt. Sean Murphy—Massachusetts State Police
See the Final Moments Before Boston Bombing Suspect Was Arrested
TIME Photo
Sgt. Sean Murphy visited TIME in December 2013 to discuss the photographs he made during the dramatic capture of suspected Boston Marathon Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on April 19, 2013, in one of the first interviews since he retired from the force. As the bombing suspect's trial on 30 criminal counts begins in Boston this week, relive the final moments of the manhunt that led to his arrest. The full interview can be read on TIME LightBox.
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The Bachelor Watch: Fantasy Suites Are Ja-Makin' Ben Crazy
ABC/Craig Sjodin
By Melissa Locker
Welcome back to The Bachelor, where Sunday School teacher Ben is about to spend three nights with three different women. Ben says he has strong feelings for Caila, Jo Jo and Lauren B. and each of the women swear have strong feelings for Ben and don’t think it’s possible that Ben’s having the same feelings for two other women.
For this installment of Fantasy Suite, the traveling harem heads to Jamaica. Ben thinks Jamaica could be a really great place to fall in love and while he was totally paid to say that, it doesn’t make it any less true. As they all contemplate their future in the Fantasy Suites (will someone finally turn down the opportunity to turn down Chris Harrison’s indecent proposal?), Ben wanders the island in flip flops while Jo Jo, Lauren B. and Caila stand on their balconies in their satin robes and stare off into the middle distance, as per Bachelor tradition.
Here’s what happened on The Bachelor:
Fantasy Suite One: Ben had a great hometown date with Caila where they played house and ate Pinoy food, but with the specter of Fantasy Suites looming, everyone’s getting a wee bit self-conscious. Ben isn’t sure he’s going to be able to get beneath Caila’s surface, if you know what he means. (No idea if that is a euphemism or not.) They float down a Jamaican river in a companionable, if somewhat awkward silence. Ben eventually notes that Caila’s not herself today, and as everyone knows on The Bachelor, each girl is one off-day from a tear-stained limo ride. Caila claims she’s just “overthinking enjoying the moment.” Girl, chug your coconut and brush off your Dostoyevsky and you will know that “to think too much is a disease” especially on The Bachelor.
At dinner, Ben talks about Caila in the third person until she breaks and admits that she was a little weirded out that her boyfriend had two other girlfriends. To make up for her moment of doubt, she tells him she’s in love with him. That earns her a kiss and an invitation to the Fantasy Suite. Caila strips down to her swim suit and they retire to the bedroom as fireworks go off. No, really, there were fireworks outside. (That wasn’t a euphemism or a metaphor.) The next morning, they wake up together and Caila has perfect hair and makeup. Ben then calls her an Uber before his next date.
Fantasy Suite Two: Ben has missed Lauren B. since he saw her in Portland last week. To prove that he takes their relationship really seriously, he takes Lauren to go rescue baby sea turtles and help them on their journey to the sea, which is a beautiful metaphor for their love or something. After every baby turtle is taken care of, Ben admits to Lauren that her sister made him cry and she smiles like that happens all the time (which it probably does.) Much like Caila before her, Lauren is determined to tell Ben that she loves him, but first she has to survive a reggae concert helpfully supplied by the Jamaican tourist board.
At dinner, she tells him that he is the man of her dreams, but she just can’t quite get the words out. Ben hands her Chris Harrison’s golden ticket (not a euphemism) anyway and when they retire to the Fantasy Suite, Lauren finally tells him that she’s in love — and then Ben boldly reciprocates. That probably should have been in all caps, because is he allowed to do that? Has any other Bachelor used the L word on a date? Is he in love with Jo Jo, too? They wake up the next morning and Ben brings her breakfast in bed, kisses the woman he loves on her cheek, and heads out for his next overnight date.
Fantasy Suite Three: Ben takes Jo Jo to a beautiful waterfall and they strip into swimsuits and dive in, which is probably a metaphor for love, but even the producers can’t bring themselves to say it out loud. At least we now know Jo Jo is willing to take risks and make herself vulnerable (jumping into a waterfall in a bikini is not for the faint of heart.) After she rearranges her swimsuit, Jo Jo tells Ben that she loves him and then BEN SAYS IT TOO. Ben! What! Are! You! Doing!?
“I don’t know how you can be in love with two women, but I am,” shrugs Ben, who may be using his overwhelming love as a way of rationalizing back-to-back-to-back nights in the Fantasy Suite. Jo Jo interviews that she now knows that Ben is going to be her husband. Doesn’t he know that it’s going to be so much worse when he dumps her? Or Lauren? Does he know he can’t marry two women in this country? Doesn’t he know that Jo Jo’s brothers will drop kick him if he breaks her heart? Jo Jo spends the rest of their night talking about how glad she is that he loves her and he spends the rest of the evening slowly back pedaling by questioning whether or not her family will support them as a couple, not financially. (Jo Jo’s mom is probably drinking wine straight from the bottle again while watching this episode).
The Cut: Now that Ben has said the L-word to two out of three of his girlfriends, it’s clear who is going home. Ben had an “amazing overnight date” with Caila, but he’s not in love with her. He just can’t get there with her (not sure if that’s a euphemism or not) and has to say goodbye, but he’s not looking forward to it. In case this episode wasn’t awkward enough, the producers let Caila go on and on about how much she loves Ben and then drop her off at Ben’s hotel for a surprise visit.
Ben does not look happy to see her, but just makes the plunge. “It’s really hard to say goodbye to you,” says Ben, but he’s going to do it anyway. Caila rolls her eyes and says, “I’m going to go because there’s no reason to stay. ” She’s strong until he hugs her goodbye and then bursts into tears. She gets in the limo to drive off into the sunset, but then changes her mind, because she wants answers. Ben doesn’t really have any, but just keeps saying, “I’m really going to miss you, Caila.” She flips her hair one last time and cries in the limo all the way back to her hotel. At least her hair still looks good.
The Rose Ceremony: Despite the fact that Caila is already gone, they host a Rose Ceremony. Jo Jo and Lauren walk in to the mansion, and each tell Chris Harrison that their overnight was great, that they told Ben they loved him, and he reciprocated. Chris Harrison does a mostly admirable job of not smirking or glowering while clearly planning who he should fire. The producers then leave Jo Jo and Lauren to stand next to each other for an awkward amount of time. Ben finally shows up and hands each of them a rose and is minutes away from asking them both to join a new religion (and new reality show) and be sister wives. As they toast each other, Ben voice overs that he is in love with two women. Hopefully whichever of these women he does marry will show this clip to him during every single one of their fights for the rest of their lives.
Next Week: The women tell all!
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SPN Finale - second post - Swimming through the ashes of another life...
demondean — (no subject) [+1]
14 May 2010 @ 07:57 am
SPN Finale - second post
Okay, after finally gathering my thoughts a bit, I need to get some things out
Let’s start with the ugly, yes? Sooo... something’s just not sitting right with me. :-/ Don’t get me wrong, it was an okay episode bordering maybe even on good… but it was def. not THE best episode ever and if this would have been the SERIES finale I’d be pissed A LOT. No, REALLY. Ending the show with Dean/Lisa (WTF) and Sam being dead would have made the last few years more or less a waste of time, yes? I didn’t know if I would have been able to stomach that. So, if this was really all Kripke’s five year plan? NO, thank you. Making Sam “the bad guy” and then killing him off, while Dean goes to Lisa and cries his eyes out? Yeah, Kripke… that was WEAK.
Basically they pulled a mirror thing… starting out with Sam and his girlfriend living a normal life… and over the five years ending it with Dean in Sam’s shoes.
So… EVEN MORE HURRAYS for a sixth season!! Now Sera… go and fix this, and get Lisa out of the picture, please? Wouldn’t it be perfect to spin the season one picture even farther… Kill Jessica Lisa (and if I ask nicely maybe Ben, too?) and the boys go hunt the thing that killed them. *LOL* Though, don't ask me about originality, okay?
Okay, since I have that out of the way now… a few things:
+ I cried a few times. Esp. the saying goodbye scene killed me. I’m always so emotional with stuff like this. THOUGH I’m sad that we didn’t see the reappearance of the amulet!! Come on, Sammy… Giving Dean his amulet back would have been such an epic scene. *sigh*
+ Sam as Lucifer was pretty effing awesome!!! I LOVED the Samifer vs. Sam scene and the use of the mirrors!! Oh Jared, you did an outstand job there.
+ Carry on my wayward son!! <333 Always one of the greatest moments in a season finale!! Though I’m wondering, with the “actual story” being told, will they use the song next year as well? Hmmm….
+ So… the Impala saved the day… or well, sort of… lol (Uh, to all my Buffy fans on my flist… yellow crayon anyone?) But I guess they needed to trigger Sam’s emotions somehow. I loved the flashback scene there…. and that they ended it with the brotherly hug back from season two *heart*
+ But really, what else does it take besides the actual apocalypse to make them hug? At least in the season finale with Sam pretty much sacrificing himself I would have expected one last goodbye hug. :-/
+ Assbutt!! LOL Yeah, that pretty much stands for itself.
+ Though, gotta admit... this whole "kill Cas... bring him back. Kill Cas, bring him back" is starting to get ridiculous! God doesn't care... and yet he always tends to bring Cas back? SO WHY THE FUCK DONT YOU WORK YOUR MAGIC ON GABRIEL AS WELL??? GAH
+ Chuck… well, so, was he God? Or just a prophet after all and his zapping out kinda thing was just to portray the end of the Sam and Dean story?
+ Speaking of… LOVED the Sam and Dean moment at the beginning of the episode. <33 Thank you Dean!! I wanted to hear that for so long now. *happy sigh*
Yeah… so overall… it was an okay-finale but honestly… I did not have the OMFG feeling at all :-(.
At the end… I do believe it was Sam. Kripke said the mythology will come to an end in the season finale… ergo… Lucifer is dead. trapped.
But I guess now Sam saw that Dean was happy with Lisa (which, honestly, I STILL DON’T GET) and he will just walk away and leave him alone!! WHICH IS WRONG!! BUT I’M SURE IT WILL HAPPEN!!
On the end note: Sam saved the world!! \o/ But man, this whole thing could have had way more potential… *shakes head* I can’t put my finger on it… but yeah.
But they stayed true to one thing (which pretty much was the theme of the last years...) the brothers would do anything to save each other... even if it means to die and be tortured for all eternity. Because that's what the Winchester brotherly love is all about!! <33
/off to finally read my flist and other reactions...
Tags: episode 5x22, supernatural
demondean on May 16th, 2010 12:00 am (UTC)
I am on a bitch mode about this EP cause god-damn -- the logic just isn't there for me. After Sam jumped into the cage I was actually waiting for Dean to beg him to take him with him into it. Or just jump himself. Or kill himself after realizing Sammy was gone. Or really going on a mission to hunt down God. Or what ever. Not just the crappy ending we got. :/
tinkabell007 on May 17th, 2010 11:13 pm (UTC)
Uh well... see it that way: He kept his promise to Sam.
Sam telling him to live a normal-apple-pie-life was sort of his dying wish. So Dean wants to honor it and respect it. It basically is the last gift he gives to Sam.
(I still don't like the Lisa and Ben idea btw lol But I just want to understand Dean's actions.)
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TransferWise News
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Barclays leads the way for transparency
TransferWise content team
Banks and brokers have been misleading us about the true cost of making international payments for decades. We think that needs to change, and today we’ve seen an important step forwards.
In January we wrote to the CEOs of the major UK banks asking them to voluntarily uphold the EU’s second Directive on Payment Services (PSD2). The directive mandates transparency in foreign currency transactions and states that the customer must know the real cost of transferring money abroad - far removed from the customer experience today.
We didn’t have much luck. Most of the banks either didn’t reply or sent one line responses. So you can imagine our surprise when we spotted an addition to Barclays online banking.
Not only has Barclays switched to a live exchange rate, the bank has explained that it adds a margin of 2.75% to that rate and that they ‘may’ make money on that. It’s a momentous step, the first time a bank has admitted to customers that they take a fee in the exchange rate as part of the payment flow. Nice one Barclays.
Is this really transparency?
It’s a vital step forward, but it doesn’t equal complete transparency. The message is only available if you choose to click for extra information. Moreover, when you click through to the payments summary, Barclays states the fee for the transaction is £0 if you’re happy with a slower delivery time.
Huh? They just told us they make money in the exchange rate. In the first screenshot, for a £1,000 into euro transaction with a standard Barclays account, the rate mark-up equates to a fee of over €30.
We know from YouGov research that almost three quarters of people who regularly make international transfers can’t figure out the cost of a transaction by comparing exchange rates. The fee has to be stated separately to avoid confusion.
Barclays is showing the banking sector the way forward. The FCA could make an even bigger difference by mandating that others in the sector follow suit.
But even that is not enough. We’re calling on Barclays to take their efforts further and quantify their exchange rate mark-up as an upfront fee. With a host of fintech current accounts gathering momentum, and the upcoming launch of our own Borderless account and debit card, 2018 will be the year we see strides in consumer uptake of fintech. Barclays, there has never been a better time to take the lead in delivering transparency.
TransferWise is the smart, new way to send money abroad.
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Why Akume And Ortom Should Shut-Up!
By Comfort Obi
Former Governor of Benue state and now, the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District, George Akume and, the incumbent Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom are disgracefully tearing at each other.
*Comfort Obi
In the face of the sufferings of Benue people – economic, physical, emotional – Akume and Ortom are dancing naked in the market square. They are telling the people why both of them should be spat on the face. The irony: Both see themselves as leaders of their people.
My sincere advice to them: Shut-up and hide your faces in shame! While Benue is burning, you are playing Rome’s Nero.
I was their fan.
A few years back, I took to Akume when a friend of mine, and former Managing Director of the defunct Nigeria Airways, the polished and urbane Chief Agom, a Benue indigene, was killed while in the same car with then Governor Akume. They were on their way from Makurdi to Abuja when alleged daring armed robbers, operating along the highway, shot the Governor’s vehicle and killed Agom who was sitting by Akume’s side. I watched Akume weep like a baby, thereafter, as Agom’s bullet-riddled, lifeless, body was stretched out. He was, to me, all human that day. And even though I never really met him, my admiration of him stuck until he started playing god, politically.
For Governor Ortom, I loved his grass to grace story. He was not ashamed of his background and never sexed-up his less than tidy beginning. He was a motor park tout (Agbero), a bus conductor and, a bus driver. He also tells you he got a couple of his educational qualifications by Correspondence. Not many Nigerian big men and women remember where they came from once they become Very Very Important Personalities (VVIP). For that, I admired Ortom no end until he mis-spoke, in a very degrading manner, during an interview he granted in 2015 after he decamped from the then ruling PDP to the APC.
*Gov Samuel Ortom and Sen Goerge Akume
Denied of the PDP governorship ticket, Akume, who was the APC leader in Benue then, offered him the APC ticket if he decamped. He did, and Akume kept his words, thus becoming Ortom’s political godfather. Oh, how Nigeria politicians like to be called godfathers!
There was nothing wrong in Ortom finding succor in the arms of the APC then. But, there was everything wrong in his choice words in the interview he granted. He told the Reporter that he was conversant with the PDP rigging machine, and knew how it won its elections and would, therefore, check-mate the party. Meaning: Ortom acknowledged that he was a party to electoral fraud. In more civilized countries, that statement would have marked his end politically, or worse, seen him behind bars. I was shocked he could say something like that just to run down a party which, by the grace of God, made him who he is today.
Using the PDP platform, Ortom became a Local Government Chairman, the party’s National Auditor, and later, a Federal Minister. I found it odd that he could forget all that so easily. But you know, most Nigerian politicians are shameless and have no ideology. They hide their shamelessness by telling you “In politics, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.” Please, interpret that interest to mean their selfish interest in capital letters. (For the records, Akume was also a governor under the PDP for eight years!) If anybody had told Ortom then that in 2018, he would go back to his vomit, as have a good number of his compatriots, he would have said an emphatic “God forbid.” So, now, he is back to the PDP.
After that interview, I lost interest in Ortom. But I took notice of him again when Herdsmen began to deal with Benue state. I identified with his pain and helplessness and confusion and tears. He spoke up courageously against the Federal Government’s seeming I don’t-care-attitude towards the massacre of his people – and, that, without minding that he is a member of the ruling party, the APC. He blamed the massacre on the Federal Government. And, at a point, accused the FG, almost, of conniving with the Herdsmen who were sending his subjects to early graves. He also refused to spare the leadership of the Military and the Police. And at a point, pointedly accused their leadership of planning with Herdsmen to kill him.
Not that he had a choice, but I was relieved, for him, when he quit the APC. He had fallen out with Akume, his godfather, who according to Ortom, was already shopping for his replacement, over which he, Ortom, declared himself partyless. But most important, Ortom, as a former motor park tout is smart. He knows that remaining in APC would amount to a political suicide. He knows that Benue people, unless a miracle happens, may never vote APC in 2019 because of the Herdsmen issue. So, smartly, he jumped ship and went back to his vomit.
But since then, Akume and Ortom have been insulting us with their pronouncements. In their bid to destroy each other, they have given us no breathing space. And in doing so, they have told us in no uncertain terms what a deceit they both are. And what co-conspirators they are in covering up for each other to the shame of Benue people.
For me, this came to a head on Sunday, September 9, when Akume alleged that his godson, Ortom, the governor of Benue state, has been parading a fake PhD certificate. Speaking in Makurdi at an APC caucus meeting, as published in the newspapers of Tuesday, September 11, Akume said: “Ortom said he has a PhD from the Commonwealth University of Berlin, but there is nothing like Commonwealth University.” Then he flaunted his own qualifications. “At least, I am a graduate of the University of Ibadan where I bagged my first and second degrees. I am also a fellow of the institute of Management and I have honourary PhD from the University of Jos.”
But I need to find out if Akume prefixes his name with Dr. You know, in Nigeria, when one is given an Honourary Doctorate from a University, often bought, or given in anticipation of money and other forms of favours to the university, one begins to prefix one’s name with “Dr”! Even illiterates do that – leaving those who actually read up to PhD level at a loss whether to prefix their names with “Dr” or write PhD after their names. But I digress.
So, what did Ortom do when Akume accused him of parading a fake PhD?
Surprise, surprise. Instead of forcefully defending his “PhD,” thus protecting his integrity, he reciprocated in kind. He called Akume a Drunk.
Responding through his Adviser on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, Ortom said: “Akume is not an accreditation authority, and he cannot speak on that. In any case, that has no basis because PhD is not a pre-requisite for governorship. So, it is a diversionary tactic.” Then, he gave Akume the upper-cut: “Everybody knows that he is a drunk. What he said stems out of his drunkenness. He is not someone to be taken seriously.”
True?
Just look at these guys, our leaders. So, both knew each other’s very dark sides and covered up till now. One, the governor, is allegedly parading a fake certificate, and the other, the Senator, is an alleged drunk. And these are those moulding the character of our youths, our future leaders. They are their role-models. They are those calling the shots in Benue State.
The questions are: When did Akume know that Ortom is parading a fake PhD certificate? And why did he not speak up until now? It is easy, of course, to dismiss it as bad belle, which really it is, but does Ortom have a PhD or not? If not, why is he flaunting it? What value does it add to him? He requires only a School Certificate to be a governor. His Media Adviser missed the point when he said “PhD is not a pre-requisite” to be governor. Correct. But, if his Principal does not have it, why add it? If he does not require it to be governor, why parade it? It is dishonest. And a mark of inferiority complex.
Since his media adviser has danced around the allegation, instead of giving us a direct answer, I submit that we are entitled to the truth. Governor Ortom should clear the air. And there is a consolation here for Ortom: If his PhD is not fake, he has a good reason to sue Akume for everything he has got. If, however, it is fake, he should drop the PhD quickly and apologise to his people and the academic community.
For the records, if Akume’s allegation is true, Ortom is not the first, nor would he be the last to flaunt fake certificates. We have a couple of high profile politicians in this country, parading fake certificates – academic and none academic –still calling the shots. And even though the truth is public, it is business as usual. But we can start somewhere.
Not less serious is Ortom’s allegation that Akume is a drunk. It is important because here is a man who was a state governor for eight years and, if whispers from the National Assembly is anything to go by, he had aspired, and is still aspiring to be the Senate President. Given this allegation, it will be interesting to know, during his years as a governor, which decisions he took while allegedly drunk and, those he took while sober. These are the two leaders – an alleged drunk and, an alleged fake PhD holder – bequeathed on Benue people by an untidy electoral process which is incapable of either confirming people’s certificates or investigating their life style.
If these two men were not now quarrelling over spoils of office, nobody would have seen their under-belly. It says something about our political leaders. We know them only when they fall out with each other, particularly, when a godson falls out with a godfather. It is a big problem.
Most times, political godfathers never give their political sons a breathing space. Anyone they install, they find faults with sooner than later. And I have two good examples here – former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Since Obasanjo left office, none of his successors, to him, has been any good. Incidentally, he helped install them. Late President Umaru Shehu Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan. And now, President Muhammadu Buhari. For Tinubu, according to well reported stories, he had problems with his hand-picked successor, Babatunde Fashola and now, he is having problems with another of his hand-picked governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.
Something must be wrong somewhere. Is it a question of both men being control freaks or, a question of their political sons deliberately denying them of the respect, rights and privileges they ought to accord them as former leaders and their acclaimed political godfathers? We need a research to know the answer and, to ultimately solve the problem. In not a few states, the problems between political godfathers and their political sons have stalled developments and, endangered lives. What is wrong with our leaders?
But back to Akume and Ortom. Both owe Benue state explanations and apologies for their utterances and bad behaviour. The people cannot have an alleged drunk and an alleged fake certificate holder as their leaders and not be ashamed.
I am, on their behalf.
*Obi is the publisher of The Source magazine (Email: comfortobisource@gmail.com; comfort@thesourceng.com
Labels: All Progressives Congress(APC), Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, Comfort Obi, Former Gov George Akume of Benue, Fulani Herdsmen Genocide in Benue State, President Muhammadu Buhari
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Conflicts of Interest, England, Global Business / Banking / The 1%, Global Economics, Money, Money, Money, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Trade War, Wales — November 23, 2018
Most Black Friday ‘deals’ cheaper at other times, says Which?
Shoppers are being warned to do their research ahead of Black Friday after it emerged that nearly nine in 10 “deals” available last year had been even cheaper at other times.
Consumer group Which? tracked the prices of 94 popular products, including TVs, cameras and fitness trackers, on offer over Black Friday 2017 from six months before until six months afterwards. It found 87% of the items were cheaper at other times of year and nearly half were cheaper in the six months after Black Friday.
Alex Neill, the managing director of home products and services at Which?, said: “The results of our investigation will disappoint many who are expecting nothing but bargains this Black Friday.
“While retailers are bombarding us with promises of great discounts and time-limited sales, it’s clear that not all deals are as good as they might appear. To bag a bargain, do your research and don’t get carried away by the hype when shopping in the upcoming sales.”
Black Friday, a day of pre-Christmas discounting borrowed from the US, is officially on 23 November, but several major retailers including Amazon, Argos and Currys PC World have already begun their sales campaigns. Although some chains, including Marks & Spencer and Asda, have stepped down their involvement in recent years, Black Friday has become a near fortnight-long £10bn shopping extravaganza, largely online.
Online transactions are expected to rise by 4% for this year’s Black Friday, although that is a lower pace of growth than recorded last year amid signs that shoppers are becoming wary that “bargains” offered may not be as attractive as they look.
Which? analysed deals at leading retailers Currys PC World, Amazon, John Lewis and Argos. It found a 60-inch 4K LG TV, advertised at £799 by Amazon on Black Friday, was £50 cheaper on at least 62 occasions after Black Friday and dropped a further £150 for at least four days at the end of December and beginning of January.
A Sony Cyber-shot HX60B Superzoom compact camera was advertised as £189 (save £10) on Black Friday by Currys PC World, was found to be £10 cheaper at least 27 times in June and July 2017 and £10 or more cheaper at least 43 times in the six months following Black Friday.
Amazon told Which?: “We offer many thousands of incredible deals around Black Friday representing millions of pounds of savings for our customers across a vast selection of products.”
Curated from Most Black Friday ‘deals’ cheaper at other times, says Which?
Banking and the 1% Consumer affairs Global Business UK news
Murdoch Sky bid: government faces urgent question
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An Urgent Message to Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Japan
Something is rotten in the state of US education
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Universal Xperience
Those Who Say It Can't Be Done Are Interrupted By Those Doing It
Entertainment, Music
Beth Griffith Performs at HAL Awards Surrounded by Motown Royalty
Posted by universalxperienceblog on September 24, 2017 October 1, 2017
On the heels of releasing her debut album FREE, recording artist Beth Griffith performs music from FREE with two special performances in Beverly Hills, California at the annual tribute to ‘Heroes and Legends (HAL) Awards Scholarship Gala celebrating 28 years. The two-day weekend is Saturday, September 23rd at Hard Rock Café Hollywood for the ‘Legends of Souls Concert’ at 8:00p. Then on Sunday, September 24th Beth performs a very special tribute to Paul Riser who earned the title of ‘Motown’s Brilliant Arranger.’ He was one of the key creative master minds behind ‘The Sound of Young America.’
Beth recently released her highly anticipated debut album, FREE on the television morning news show called, ‘Live In The D’ which airs on WDIV Channel 4. What seemed like a dream finally realized for Detroit recording artist Beth Griffith, is actually a remarkable tribute to her passion, strong work-ethic and God-given talent.
Beth is known for her impeccable work as a background vocalist touring with award-winning recording artists like Anita Baker and KEM. Music and signing are not just her passions. Beth was made for this and literally has music in her blood. She is the daughter of Motown Funk Brother Pianist, Johnny Griffith.
The HAL Scholarship Award Gala occurs at the world-famous Beverly Hills Hotel located at 9641 Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Red Carpet and Silent Auction starts at 4:30p, Awards Dinner starts at 6:00p with the Awards Ceremony starting at 7:00p. This year’s 2017 HAL Award honorees are: Bill Withers, Chris Tucker, The Honey Cone, Inez Foxx, Paul Riser, Evelyn Champagne King and Dominique Dunn.
The HAL Awards creator is celebrated songwriter, and Motown Alumna, Janie Bradford. She is dedicated to awarding scholarships to performing arts students who have maintained at least a 2.0 grade average and who show promise in the area of performing arts. Bradford says, “The scholarships provide the financial assistance these students need to continue their education. We leverage celebrities from across the globe to inspire and mentor these students to follow their dreams. It’s a star-studded Hollywood event with purpose.”
For tickets and details visit http://www.halawards.com or call 310-274-1609.
Beth is managed by Courtney Benjamin Entertainment Group and welcomes interview opportunities through her publicist, Cheryl Patterson of Universal Xperience, 915.270.9766 and universalxperience@gmail.com.
DISCOVER BETH GRIFFITH
Known for her outstanding work with Whitney Houston in the movie ‘Sparkle’ (2012) Beth was excited and humbled to be selected as the stand-in actress and body double for Houston.
In 2016, Beth appeared as a guest vocalist on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ – Season 22, ‘Icons Night’ which aired on ABC. She paid tribute to icons Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston.
Beth is nominated for a 2017 ‘Best In Black Detroit Award.’ Her fans/supporters voted her on the ballot as a nominee for ‘Best Local Singer.’ The ‘Best In Black Detroit Award’ is sponsored by the Michigan Chronicle. Vote Beth to win through October 16, 2017. Click VoteBeth2Win to cast your vote. Go to the Leisure/Entertainment category then Best Local Singer.
As an accomplished singer, Beth was a background vocalist for multi Grammy Award recording artist Anita Baker. Currently, Beth is a background vocalist for Grammy Award Nominated KEM (Promise to Love).
“It seems surreal to be out in front like this because I’ve performed and recorded as a background vocalist for over 10 years,” says Beth. “The music on my album FREE chronicles the ups and downs of relationships. FREE feels good and relates to anyone who has loved and knows that while loving and receiving love is joyous, it also takes work and perseverance, to say the least.”
While FREE features a hand-picked production team, Beth’s debut album has some heavy hitters at the helm which include, Grammy-nominated Michael J Powell and Eric Bluetooth Griggs. Powell is best known for his work as producer for eight-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist Anita Baker. He also helped produce albums for Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight.
FREE is released on Anise Records and is available for download on digital music platforms like iTunes and Amazon. For a short period of time you can listen to FREE on bethalwaysings.com.
DISCOVER JOHNNY GRIFFITH
In 2103, Beth was honored to represent her father, Johnny Griffith as the legendary Motown Funk Brothers received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Some of the celebrities in attendance were Stevie Wonder and Ray Parker Jr. They joined surviving Funk Brothers – Jack Ashford, Joe Messina and Eddie Willis in the star-studded ceremony.
The Funk Brothers was a 13-member studio band of highly-talented musicians. Johnny Griffith is noted as one of the few classically trained musicians who worked at Motown with music degrees from Wayne State University and University of Detroit Mercy. “Johnny had a very beautiful touch, very melodic…. especially when he did a ballad, this guy was just incredible,” said Jack Ashford.
Beth GriffithEntertainmentFreeMotownMusicPaul Riser
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Recent content by Catenary
Metrolinx: Presto Fare Card
Ottawa's solution of equipping the gates with 2D scanners and having transfers on the buses print out with a timestamped QR code looks more and more reasonable all the time.
Post #8,001
Forum: Transportation and Infrastructure
General cycling issues (Is Toronto bike friendly?)
That's been there for over a year now - it's just as bad in the summer when it isn't covered in snow.
Ottawa's single-use and limited-use media, such as transfers and day passes, are not contactless/RFID. They are just printed QR codes on paper, and every fare gate has a 2D scanner to validate them. On a bus, they are visually inspected. This system works well for Ottawa, as the buses were...
King Street (Streetcar Transit Priority)
Duplicate bicycle signal heads are not required by regulation, but are listed as a "should" in OTM book 12A. Your design might work well with a white bar transit signal atop the regular yellow signal, and then the two bike signals.
Ontario Northland and the End of the Northlander
The Ontario Northland buses are dispatched from North Bay, so the bus would go back to the garage upon arrival in North Bay on Friday. If they didn't add a corresponding southbound schedule Friday morning to ferry the bus down to Allandale, then they're deadheading a bus down from North Bay on...
It could have been whipped up really quickly: why else would they wait until August to roll it out, and only a week or two before it started? Southbound, it seems that there is quite a buffer between the bus arriving and the train departing, to deal with the variability in highway travel...
Moose Rail (National Capital Region)
I'm a little late to this conversation, but I think I'm the person you're referring to on SSP. I doubt that a new signal system will come soon, but I know that there is a desire to move dispatching in house. The line is currently dispatched by RailTerm, who is also the dispatcher for VIA...
The Future of Bombardier
I believe their maximum capacity was 4 planes/year. If you drove past the hangar when the doors were open, there was often two planes in different states of assembly. Bombardier actually contracted the assembly work out to another company that staffed the facility. The order book was empty when...
The TTC is replacing the existing onboard CAD/AVL system with one from Clever Devices, the same vendor OC Transpo uses that integrates the PRESTO functions into the driver's screen. It makes sense to wait until this system is installed to integrate it, rather than try and hack the readers into...
Ottawa is trialing a PRESTO and Multi compatible farecard integrated into the U-Pass this summer. I have some suspicions that the card is based on the Multi system instead of the PRESTO system, but nothing would stop the TTC from doing something similar in a stopgap situation.
TTC: Cherry Street reconstruction and streetcar trackage (City of Toronto/TTC, U/C)
They aren't upside down, they're the wrong signs. Flipping them over wouldn't change the direction the lines point, the signs need to be entirely replaced.
TTC: Other Items (catch all)
The new ones were purpose built, but they're still built in Germany, based on DB specifications. The paint is almost the same as DB, the seats are the DB patterns, and although the buttons don't say "Bitte Drucken" anymore, there are a number of German labels inside and outside the trains. Most...
New GO Train Control+Signalling (PTC, CBTC, ETC) -- Safety & Subway-Like Frequency
I wonder if the STO is also Federal. They operate more buses in Ottawa than OC does in Gatineau, but somehow I doubt they are federally regulated. It should be noted that signalling on most of the Trillium line is now CTC, upgraded when the service was increased in 2013. I am unaware of any...
Anything that meets your requirements is probably so expensive that you wouldn't want to ride it in winter anyways. Semi-disposable winter beaters are unfortunately the way to go.
It should be noted that all of OC Transpo's operations, including the buses are federally regulated. For example, AODA doesn't apply to OC Transpo, though they follow it in spirit.
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Houston Dallas
Talk Strategy
Talk Creative
Talk Digital
Talk Web
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Talk Traditional
Direct Mailers
Amazing Lash Studio Dallas
Neighbors Emergency Center
Wallis Bank
ZT Corporate
Google Premier
Versa Giving
CORPORATE CASESTUDY
ZT CORPORATE REBRAND
ZT Corporate, formerly known as ZT Wealth, is a world-renowned company that offers vital money management services as well as unique investment opportunities for valued stakeholders. Since their establishment in 1997, they’ve diversified their ventures and expanded into a vast array of industries, including healthcare, car dealerships, franchise restaurants, and real estate. However, an expansion of this magnitude welcomed a new set of challenges. The ZT brand struggled to unite its entities under one flagship corporation. The public viewed ZT Wealth as a premier wealth management company, but that identity did not serve their future ambitions. ZT needed an umbrella corporation—a solid foundation to unify their brand and create a vehicle for future endeavors.
When ZT approached us to undertake a brand refresh, we knew we needed a comprehensive plan to rein in their entities under one brand while maintaining their well-known identity. Together, we worked diligently to achieve the following objectives.
While their original name, ZT Wealth, is known the world over for offering first-rate money management services, it did not fully capture the grand essence of everything they offered. ZT wanted a name that would speak to their vast investment opportunities. In addition, the letters Z and T were initially abbreviations of the founder’s names, and he selflessly requested that the meaning of the letters be changed to reflect the values of the company.
The ZT Wealth logo was well-known throughout countless industries, but our design team needed to develop a new and iconic representation of the company—a logo that’s both distinguishable from competitors and telling of the brand’s purpose and values.
A logo wasn’t enough—we needed to fully reimagine the ZT brand with a vast array of brand assets to further establish their new visual identity. With the development of new colors and other visual anchors, we wanted to make sure audiences instantly recognized the ZT brand.
A well-executed tagline offers valuable insight into a brand’s mission and vision. Armed with a plethora of industry research, our copy team was tasked to carefully craft a new tagline, capable of resonating with audiences far and wide.
In the digital age, websites are an invaluable asset, easily allowing audiences to find and connect with brands. To ensure our client was well-represented online, our creative and development teams took it upon themselves to create a dazzling interface worthy of the ZT name.
In many ways, the results speak for themselves. Our creative and strategic teams redefined the ZT brand and expanded upon their legacy to grant them the platform and exposure they needed to implement future ambitions. Complete with a new logo, name, tagline, brand assets, website, and an engaging announcement trailer, the ZT brand has never looked better.
As previously mentioned, the founder of ZT Corporate sought out a name that represented the company’s values rather than his direct name. Furthermore, the company needed a name that was not limited to their money management ventures. The solution was Zenith Trust Corporate or ZT Corporate for short. ‘Zenith,’ meaning “the time at which something is most powerful or successful,” offers insights into the company’s prosperity in a sleek and memorable way. And to further facilitate long-lasting partnerships, it felt natural to couple the word with ‘Trust,’ a core value of the company. The word ‘Corporate’ also seemed fitting since it positions the company in a manner that allows them to expand into various industries.
THE TAGLINE
Dynamic Partnerships. Infinite Opportunities
ZT Corporate prides themselves on their trustworthy partnerships and boundless investment opportunities. This tagline perfectly encapsulates that sentiment by providing verbiage that fortifies their commitment to investors.
Featured with crisp lines and powerful imagery, the ZT Corporate logo serves as the cornerstone visual asset of the brand. The letters Z and T are arranged in a fashion that speaks to the name, Zenith Trust, which can be seen in the iconic peak or mountain-like formation.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO
Revealed at the 2017 Toast to Living Well Gala, this engaging announcement trailer made by our creative team recounts ZT Corporate’s history and sets the stage for their future vision and ambitions.
Services*
SELECTSTRATEGYTRADITIONALCREATIVEDIGITALWEBPUBLIC RELATIONSUNSUREALL OF THE ABOVE
5444 Westheimer Rd., Suite 200 Houston, TX 77056 (832) 831-7590
325 St. Paul St., Suite 3100 Dallas, TX 75201 (214) 253-2699
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MELTON CITY (3)
Mid-Twentieth Century (1940-60) Austerity (1)
Other - Military (1)
Postal and Telecommunications (1)
Results filtered by: 1940 - 1969 Melton City
HO49 - Former Army Radio Station, Diggers Rest
107 - 207 Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road DIGGERS REST, Melton Shire
The former Army Radio Transmitting Building, at 107-207 Diggers Rest -Coimadai Road at Diggers Rest, is significant for its association with the US presence in Australia in 1942; with…
Melton City
HO81 - Coronation Tree
Hannah Watts Park High Street MELTON, Melton Shire
The Coronation Tree in Hannah Watts Park, High Street Melton, is of heritage significance as the expression of the Melton community's celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953,…
HO92 - House, 160 Station Street, Melton
160 Station Road MELTON, MELTON SHIRE
The house at 160 Station Road, Melton South, is significant as a highly intact and substantial local example of a postwar waterfall Bungalow style. The house was built in the 1950s for Ted…
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Sunflower Public House
phoneCall Sunflower Public House
emailEmail Sunflower Public House
linkVisit the website for Sunflower Public House
A simple corner pub free of gimmicks or themes, and music is very much part of its life.
The Sunflower is instantly recognisable by the security cage on its front door, a relic from 1980's Belfast. While the cage is no longer needed for security reasons, it has been kept and preserved as part of the city’s social history.
Sunflower Public House opened in December 2012 on the corner of Kent Street and Union Street, a site on which a public house has stood for over 100 years.
Music is very much part of the pub's life: traditional, Appalachian and gypsy swing sessions feature weekly in the bar while folk and bluegrass are regularly featured upstairs. The upstairs room is also home to the monthly Sunflower Comedy Club which attracts big names from the Irish and UK comedy circuits.
Hearty bowls of stew are served on Fridays and Saturdays with fresh wheaten bread, which go hand-in-hand with pints of locally brewed ale from Hilden Brewery.
The pub's clientele is also a rich tapestry of Belfast life: arts students and professionals, backpackers and apartment dwellers, gay and straight, young and old. It is a melting pot of city centre life.
Live Music Schedule
Thursday: Gypsy swing sessions with Manouche from 5.30pm.
Friday: Trad session with Lonesome George and Friends from 6pm.
Saturday: Appalachian music session with Ragged and Rough from 8pm.
Sunday: Trad session with Lonesome George and Friends from 7pm.
BT1 2JG
Great range of craft beers
Folk Club every Thursday at 8pm
Traditional music sessions every Saturday and Sunday 7pm
Hearty Irish stew served Fridays and Saturdays
Open mic night every Tuesday at 7pm
email sunflowerbelfast@gmail.com
link http://www.sunflowerbelfast.com
Current Opening Hours
Albany Belfast
Based on the elegant sophistication of Old School America, indulge in a wide range of dishes and drinks…
Located on Bradbury Place, in the heart of Belfast's Queen's Quarter, Alibi offers the very best in liquor,…
Babel Rooftop Bar and Garden
Babel is a rooftop bar, garden and kitchen complete with panoramic city views across Belfast.
Belfast Empire
A converted church in the heart of Belfast, The Empire hosts regular Music Hall gigs and comedians from…
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The New Model for Building Brands – London Event Recap
By Vivaldi, March 7, 2019
We live in a world of challenged attention, from listening to phone calls whilst browsing social to watching TV whilst tracking football scores. We know we do it and that your customer does the same. Cutting through all which is competing for our attention, whether that be the news, other brands or even friends and family, is too difficult and expensive to be the core of your brand-building strategy.
While some brands choose to shout louder, talk for longer or speak more often, we believe the real answer is a new paradigm for growth.
This was the premise for the event ‘The New Model for Building Brands’ that took place with over 60 senior client side marketers last week at The Swan at Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank where Vivaldi’s founder and CEO Erich Joachimsthaler gave a masterclass in what brands need to do to operate under this new paradigm.
Erich’s talk, in fact the subject of his forthcoming book, was focused on the new era of building brands, an era that turns the focus from brands living in the insulated ivory towers that the ‘World of Walls’ created to an age driven by the ‘World of Webs’ in which brands must build interactions with customers to help re-discover, re-define and re-assert themselves as one of the most powerful drivers of future growth.
Joachimsthaler kicked off by talking us through the 4 eras of branding, starting with the ‘Era of Logic’, a time when communications were ‘needs’ orientated, focused on building awareness and image – think Ivory soap. He moved on to the ‘Era of Emotion’ which was focused on what brands stood for, using differentiation and emotion to create value – cue the MadMen era. The ‘Era of Experience’ followed this where brands sought to improve lives and solve customer problems – e.g., jobs to be done – and ended with the current ‘Era of Exponentiality’ with a focus on transforming expectations of the value that brands deliver.
The evolution was brought to life through a surprising example: the company that has outperformed all but one of the so-called “FANG” stocks over the past decade – Dominos. The pizza behemoth’s progression from the old model to the new model was exemplified through the ‘eras’ from the Era of Logic and the ‘30 minutes or its free’ (along with anecdotes about hiding from delivery drivers) to sponsorship of ‘March Madness’ in the ‘Era of Emotion’ to the advent of ‘pizza profiles’ allowing customers to save their favourites in the ‘Era of Experience’ to the most recent campaign ‘Anyware’ allowing customers to order their favourite pizza from virtually any platform which perfectly shows the ‘Era of Exponentially’.
At the heart of this progression is the principle of listening to your customers, leveraging their data and facilitating interactions and participation to dynamically learn through action. Principles that Joachimsthaler clearly defined into 4 areas that form the new model for building brands.
With the sound foundation of theory clearly established, it was time to see what this means in reality. Featuring a fascinating mix of more established digital businesses (Skyscanner and Deliveroo), a more traditional business (Hyundai) and a recent start up, a business lending platform coming from within a traditional business (Esme) the panel passionately debated each of the principles and the extent to which they applied to their reality.
Perhaps the most compelling example of the 1st principle of ‘Establishing a direct connection with consumers’ was given by David Pugh, Marketing Director of Hyundai, whose recent work establishing the ‘Click to Buy’ offering for the Korean car brand has created the perfect platform to help interact with, learn from and create connections with the car buying consumer.
As a start-up coming from within the firmly established finance brand of RBS/Nat West, the 2nd principle of ‘getting consumers participating in value creation’ is at the heart of the proposition of Esme. Veronika Lovett, Esme’s founder and CMO spoke about how their business’s success or failure is built on speed, agility and an absolute focus on being service led, principles that many finance brands aspire to, but few attain. Anecdotally – recently funding a business in 29 minutes and helping an 80 year old fishmonger borrow money for cash flow purposes are testament to their success.
Joachimsthaler’s 3rd principle of ‘building interactions beyond your portfolio of products and services’ and the 4th principle of ‘creating a virtuous cycle leading to connected commerce’ were hotly debated by Deliveroo and Skyscanner, whose absolute focus on the consumer is at the heart of their work in technology development, business integration and evolution of their offering. Frictionless automation of systems and associated logistics work has propelled Deliveroo to employ over 30k drivers across 200 cities delivering from over 35k restaurants. Similarly Skyscanner’s seamless search, shopping and booking experience has driven them to become the No. 1. Global travel metasearch site firmly becoming the traveller’s favourite.
The number and variety of questions that followed the panel session perfectly reflected the interest the new models had piqued in the audience and the conversations went on into the late morning. It was perfectly summed up by one of the senior marketers in attendance who expressed how inspired they were and left saying, ‘I am going back to think about my not-being-defined-obsessively by my competitors and start to really get to know my customer and my new competition.’
We’re holding similar talks in NY, Chicago, LA, Munich, Dusseldorf and Hamburg in the next few months. If you want to hear live how Vivaldi uses the 4 principles to work with clients ‘to write the next chapter’ in their businesses, contact us at hello@vivaldigroup.com to get more details.
Voices of Vivaldi
Erich Joachimsthaler, Ph.D.
Erich is a rare combination of consultant, entrepreneur, academic, researcher, author and positive contrarian. Over the last eighteen years, Erich has led Vivaldi in helping companies build strong brands, find innovation and new growth opportunities and realize them in today’s digital age.
Building a Better Business: Using Social Currency to Grow in Today’s Hyper-Connected World
Vivaldi Social Currency
It’s a Brand-New World When It Comes to Building Brands
Vivaldi Brand Strategy
Our Seminal Work on Innovation, Revisited 10 Years Later
Vivaldi Innovation
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Posts tagged with "expedition"
North Pole Pop-Up Bar
A pop-up bar will open at the North Pole and offer free gin for life
Finnish Arctic Blue Gin is opening the northernmost pop-up bar “Arctic Bar” at the North Pole on April 17th. Any explorer courageous enough to reach it will earn free gin for life.
Situated at N90°E0°, the Arctic Bar will be open for one day on the 17th of April and gift anyone who shows up a lifetime supply of award-winning Arctic Blue Gin. The Arctic Bar will be the northernmost bar in the world, topping the Bar in Hotel Tulpan in Svalbard, Norway.
Why the North Pole?
“To survive here, you need to be a little mad, and quite a lot tougher. Just like the wild bilberries we season our gin with, that fight their way through the frozen earth just to survive. It’s not easy, but you can truly taste their zest for life.” says Mikko Spoof, Co-Founder and Brand Director of Arctic Brand Group.
“And just like the bilberries, our ideas have to fight through a dark and frosty element to survive.” Continues Mr. Spoof, “We believe actions are more impactful than words in telling stories. That’s why we will open a bar at the North Pole. The customers can enjoy free gin during the pop-up day and even better than that: they will get a lifetime supply of Arctic Blue Gin delivered to their front door. ”
The Finnish expedition will ride on the North Pole for a week in very harsh conditions. The thickness of the ice may vary from a few centimeters to a few meters and the temperature can even drop down to -40°C/F.
The expedition to N90°E0° will start today as Mikko Spoof and other three mad explorers embark on an adventure with the beloved gin to open a bar amongst polar bears, walruses, and seals. If you find yourself at N90°E0° on April 17th, you will get a free supply of Arctic Blue Gin for the rest of your life, or at least as long as the bilberries survive and are not extinct due to climate change.
The team is headed by the experienced polar expert and photographer Poppis Suomela. Photographer Valtteri Hirvonen and director Otso Tiainen will also join the extreme trip and film a short documentary on the effects of global warming.
About Arctic Brands Group
Arctic Brands Group is a high-quality artisan spirits company founded in 2017 and merged with Chevaliers Holding Ltd Hong Kong in 2018. The company has produced its first double gold award winning spirit the ARCTIC BLUE GIN. The products of Arctic Brands Group are based on the unique Finnish nature and its pure raw materials. Domestic blueberries, fresh spring water and Nordic plants give Arctic Blue the unique, sophisticated blueberry, juniper, spicy and coniferous taste. Arctic Blue Gin is already exported to over ten countries.
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This entry was posted in Spirits and tagged 360, 360 Magazine, Arctic Bar, Arctic Blue Gin, bilberries, Chevaliers Holding Ltd Hong Kong, expedition, Finland, Finnish, free gin, frost, gin, gin for life, harsh, Hotel Tulpan, ice, Mikko Spoof, N90°E0°, north pole, Norway, Otso Tiainen, pop-up bar, Poppis Suomela, survival, Svalbard, Tara McDonough, Valtteri Hirvonen, Vaughn Lowery on April 11, 2019 by wp360mag.
Wild Women Expeditions: Morocco
Wild Women Expeditions, the leader in women-only adventures, takes immersive travel to another level with new-for-2019 itineraries of 10 and 15 days that delve into the Berber culture of the women of Morocco.
Some 30 percent of Moroccans speak Berber; the national language is Arabic. The Berber culture originated along the Nile, spreading into today’s North Africa that includes Morocco. Morocco is known for being one of the most progressive states in the Middle East and North because of its support for women’s rights. Despite these advancements, women’s education in Morocco still lags behind and over 80% of women are illiterate.
Berber women of Morocco will help to unravel their story and culture on women-only trips across Morocco, enroute sharing such secrets as how to maneuver the labyrinth of a medina (old city), find their way into the wilderness of the Rif mountain range and learn the art of making tagine.
By casting Moroccan women as, among others, drivers and guides for these trips, Jennifer Haddow hopes that both guests and locals will be empowered. She is the owner of Wild Women Expeditions that pioneered worldwide women-only travel.
“Wild Women Expeditions gives our guests the opportunity to empower themselves amongst other women, connect with the natural world and make a positive impact in the communities we explore,” says Haddow.
She notes that Berber women in Morocco, as are women in many other cultures, are too often cast as the memory keepers. “As travelers we love when they share their traditions in colorful ways. But this sharing can be a double-edged sword for women who may be left out of leadership opportunities in the tourism industry,” said Haddow. “On our Morocco tour we put the stories of women in the spotlight while empowering them with opportunities to benefit from tourism and play a leading role.”
Wild Women Expeditions tours in Morocco will help dull this sword and empower women by…
• Working with a female Berber entrepreneur who owns the transportation company for these tours and who hires female drivers;
• Engaging Berber Moroccan women as tour leaders are hiring female guides;
• Supporting trek guide training for Moroccan women;
• Visiting women’s cooperatives where locally made items are sold;
• Basing in a riad in Marrakech that employs women trained by the Amal Centre for disadvantaged women (http://amalnonprofit.org/);
• Conversing over a women-hosted dinner in Casablanca through Al Hidn, an association that empowers illiterate widow women in rebuilding their lives through a series of educational programs as well as providing them with financial and educational support to keep their kids in school;
• Supporting the Henna Café, a social enterprise project for women in Marrakech;
• Using accommodations that reflect the company’s commitment to women’s empowerment, such as the Kasbah Toubkhal that co-founded the Education for All program for girls’ education (an additional 5% of the revenue from a group stay here is donated to this local project);
• Being mindful of the environment – through women – with an overnight at an eco lodge owned by a local woman and part of an ecotourism initiative focused on empowering local women in the Riff.
The 10-day itinerary, Medina to Mountains of Northern Morocco, begins with a welcome dinner at Rick’s Café (from the movie Casablanca). The days that follow blend mosques, medinas, handicraft workshops, horseback riding and hiking in the Rif Mountains, a hammam (spa) and a world-famous botanical garden. The $3,495 rate includes accommodation for nine nights, all meals, private vehicle, driver, English-speaking guide and local guides, airport transfers.
The 15-day program, Mosaic of Wild Morocco, focuses on Morocco’s wild beauty from the dunes of the Sahara to the Atlas Mountains and on to the beaches of the Atlantic. Trekking by camel, dining with nomads, sleeping under a canopy of stars in Sahara luxury dune camp, draping the body with flowers of henna, chattering with Barbary macaque and indulging in a hammam are just a few of the many experiences in store. The nearly all-inclusive rate of $3,995 includes guided horseback riding, cycling and trekking, plus in-home meals with Berber families and cooking demonstrations.
This entry was posted in Travel + Food and tagged 360, 360 Magazine, art, culture, expedition, itinerary, Madison Smushkevich, Medina, middle east, Morocco, Mosaic, North Africa, Rif Mountain, travel, Vaughn Lowery, Wild Women Expeditions on December 13, 2018 by wp360mag.
Two Wild Women Expeditions
The trail blazer of women-only travel has created two itineraries where few travel. On five departures in 2018, Wild Women Expeditions immerses women in the physically challenging, poignantly stunning landscape of Newfoundland in the remote northeastern corner of Canada.
Two distinct, week-long adventures engage guests on Newfoundland’s western shore, separated from Quebec by the Gulf of St. Lawrence that eventually pours into the North Atlantic.
This is home turf for Wild Women Expeditions that offers more active travel departures for women only than any other tour operator in the world. The company was founded in Newfoundland and maintains its headquarters here. Owner Jennifer Haddow grew up near Gros Morne National Park where many of the itineraries’ activities take place.
“This is a place of stark ancient beauty, where the ground beneath your feet tells the story of Earth’s geological history. It’s also a place where icebergs stroll up and down coastal waters and where fjords claw their way into the interior,” explained Haddow, noting that few other adventure travel companies offer tours here.
Indigenous peoples predated the Vikings who arrived some 1000 years ago. England first raised a flag on the North American continent in the late 16th century in what came to be called Newfoundland. Fishermen soon discovered some of the Atlantic’s most productive waters here. The park’s Long Range Mountains testify to this once geologically charged world rife with volcanos and glaciers. These mountains are part of the Appalachian chain rising from Georgia through Maine.
“Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is as important to Plate Tectonics Theory as Ecuador’s Galapagos Archipelago is to the Theory of Evolution,” Haddow added. “The challenges of this environment become metaphors for the challenges faced by the women who choose to travel with us.”
Hiking first through a barren landscape, women discover where the peridotite ends and ancient oceanic crust begins. They hike through a boreal forest to the rugged coastline where pillow lava and sea stacks dominate the shore. They move to the rich marine wonderland of Bonne Bay and a landlocked lake before summiting Gros Morne Mountain in a hike of up to 10 hours.
Following are two 2018 Wild Women Expeditions’ itineraries in Newfoundland. Daily challenges reflect the company’s philosophy that women can discover and build on their own inner strengths by mastering hurdles in the safe company of other women.
Newfoundland Gros Morne Multi-Sport Adventure is a seven-day hiking and kayaking expedition in one of the wildest places in Canada. In 2018 there are three departures: July 21-27, Aug. 11-17 and Sept. 8-14. The $2,695 CAD per person rate includes professional local female guides, all meals, six nights shared accommodation in oceanside cabins, fully outfitted sea kayak day trip on Bonne Bay, guided hikes, ground transportation, park pass and Western Brook Pond Fjord boat tour.
Guests walk on rugged trails over the Earth’s mantle that supports little to no vegetation, explore fossil remains, visit an artsy village, kayak in a sheltered fjord, witness Minke whales, eagles, terns, and kingfishers in the bay and on land; caribou, Rock ptarmigan and Arctic hare. There’s also time to relax on a boat tour of a land-locked fjord accessed through bogs and limestone ridges. For trip details see http://wildwomenexpeditions.com/trips/newfoundland-multisport/.
Icebergs and Arts Adventure is an eight-day wilderness immersion with a hefty dollop of culture on two departures in 2018: June 3-10 and July 6-13. The per person rate of $2,695 CAD includes professional female guides; all meals; seven nights shared accommodation in an authentic house and suites, a wilderness lodge and seaside cabins; guided and fully outfitted sea kayak day; guided hikes and interpretive walks in Gros Morne National Park and along the Great Northern Peninsula; Western Brook Pond Fjord boat tour and iceberg and whale watching boat tour; interpretive tour and lunch at the French Shore Museum in Conche; and a visit to L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Viking history comes alive.
At Port aux Choix National Historic Site guests hike to Philips Garden to explore the ancient remains of one of the largest Dorset Paleoeskimo settlements in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. They also visit the Myra Bennett Heritage House, the home of a nurse known along the 200 miles of coast simply as “the nurse.” This remarkable woman brought her life-saving skills to what was then an isolated, rugged Great Northern Peninsula. See: https://wildwomenexpeditions.com/trips/newfoundland/
“Canada is a country designed for adventurers. For women who want it all, Canada delivers the goods,” said Haddow. “We’ve been trailblazing outdoor adventures in Canada for over a quarter of a century. Increasingly women want to feel the freedom of connecting with wild space in its finest form. In Canada are some of the wildest and grandest natural treasures on the planet.”
Wild Women Expeditions’ Canadian programs are prototypes for the baptism-by-wilderness experiences that Haddow’s team arranges in 26 countries this year. These journeys reflect that…
Women need opportunities to just be themselves, together;
The wilderness helps women connect with elements of their psyche that may be lost in the daily hustle and bustle;
Pairing women and wilderness often encourages women beyond their comfort zones, leading to increased confidence;
These ingredients can be transformational, perhaps leading to answers to the question that Poet Mary Oliver poses: What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
About :
Founded in 1991, Wild Women Expeditions is the world’s largest women-only travel company. Its initial focus was on canoeing on remote Ontario waters. Through an unwavering focus on Canada, one of the wildest, most pristine countries in the world, Wild Women Expeditions became Canadian experts in a pioneering niche that introduced small groups of women into wilderness settings. Even though the company now hosts guests all over the world, it retains a national focus with more trips and more women-only, backcountry camping adventures in Canada than any other women’s travel company in the world.
Follow Wild Women Expeditions on Social Media:
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged 360 Magazine, accommodation, adventure, Appalachian chain, art, Arts Adventure, Atlantic, Austin, Australia, Austria, beach, beauty, Bonne Bay, boreal forest, Boston, California, Canada, Cape Town, caribou, challenge, Chicago, China, coastline, Conche, creative, culture magazine, Dallas, design, Detroit, discover, Dorset Paleoeskimo, earth, edgy fashion magazine, England, environment, expedition, Expeditions, explore, Facebook, Fishermen, fjords, forest, freedom, French Shore Museum, Georgia, girl, girls, glaciers, Global Society, Great Northern Peninsula, GRL PWR, Gros Morne National Park, Gulf of St. Lawrence, heritage, hiking, history, holiday, holiday season, holidays, Iceberg, INSTAGRAM, international, itineraries, Jakarta, Japan, Jennifer Haddow, Johanessburg, journey, kayaking, landscape, lifestyle, lifetime, London, Los Angeles, L’Anse aux Meadows, L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, maine, Melbourne, Miami, Milan, mountain, multi sport, Myra Bennett, Myra Bennett Heritage House, nature, Netherlands, new orleans, New York, Newfoundland, North america, North Atlantic, ontario, outdoor, Paris, Philadelphia, Philips Garden, Phoenix, photography, photooftheday, planet, Quebec, reasure, relax, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Seattle, social media, Southern California, strength, stunning, summer, Sweden, Sydney, Toronto, tour, tourism, travel, travel agency, trip, Twitter, Two Wild Women, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, vacation, Vancouver, Vaughn Lowery, vegetation, Vikings, village, volcano, Washington D.C., Western Brook Pond Fjord, wild, woman, women, Women only, wonderland, worldwide on April 5, 2018 by wp360mag.
Natural Habitat Adventures
Get Wild This Green Season with Natural Habitat Adventures
From taking in lush, tropical landscapes to viewing new animal births during the Great Migration, discover where the grass grows greener around the globe.
Rainy season brings out a special bounty of nature encounters from flourishing flora to new fauna. Ecotourism leader Natural Habitat Adventures proves it’s easy to be green with trips to see some of the most incredible wildlife spring into action around the world. From experiencing sea turtles nesting and spotting whales along Costa Rica’s south Pacific coast to taking in breathtaking views of huge herds making a great circuit across the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania, see where the grass grows greener this season with Natural Habitat Adventures:
Natural Jewels of Costa Rica
10 Days | From USD$5,495
NEW! Green Season Departure: Aug 4 – 13, 2018
In July and August, “green season” is a time of new birth and plentiful transitions among Costa Rica’s lush rainforests, mist-veiled mountains, wild beaches and active volcanoes, containing some of the greatest biodiversity on Earth. Enjoy peak turtle season in Tortuguero, when Pacific green sea turtles settle into their annual nesting pattern. On the new green season departure, Nat Hab makes an extended boat expedition in search of whales, particularly humpbacks, and dolphins during time exploring around Isla del Caño. In Monteverde’s cloud forest, resplendent quetzals and three-wattled bellbirds feed on abundant ripe avocados at this time of year, creating some of the best opportunities to encounter these threatened species in the wild. Nature is especially lively during the green season—the extra moisture tends to animate more birds and mammals in the canopy, as well as frogs, interesting insects and nocturnal wildlife.
Botswana’s Green Season Photo Safari
10 Days | From USD$11,795
Green Season Departures: November 2018 to March 2019
Botswana’s prolific wildlife is legendary, so it’s no wonder that it is a top destination for photography-focused African safaris. There’s nothing like seeing it during the “green season,” when intermittent rains bring dramatic skies, new grass and new animal life. Join accomplished photographers and naturalist guides on an adventure designed to reveal Botswana’s abundant wildlife and staggeringly diverse ecosystems, from the fossilized salt pans of the Kalahari Desert to the emerald marshes and sprawling channels of the Okavango Delta. Photograph wildlife in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve as it bursts to life during brief summer rains: where lush grasses lure throngs of wildebeest, springbok, gemsbok and other prey, while the region’s legendary black-maned lion, cheetah and other predators follow in close pursuit.
The Great Tanzania Migration Safari
8 Days | From USD$9,995
Green Season Departures: Dec 2018 to March 2019
On Africa’s Great Plains, each year, boundless herds of wildebeest and zebra traverse the Serengeti in search of new grass that sprouts with seasonal rains, and to birth their young. Lion and cheetah lie in wait, finely tuned hunting machines ready to stalk and take down the weakest members of the herds. In the center of the world’s greatest ancient migration route, wildlife lovers will join a small-group safari led by expert expedition leaders to witness a primal spectacle as the drama of predator and prey unfolds before them. Enjoy unparalleled seclusion, comfort and vintage safari atmosphere at Natural Habitat’s remote private camp, immersed in the wonder of one of the world’s truly epic wildlife events.
About Natural Habitat Adventures
Natural Habitat Adventures has been a leader in responsible adventure travel and ecotourism since 1985. From polar bear tours in Churchill to small-group Galapagos cruises, from Alaska grizzly bear adventures to African safaris, our journeys, led by professional naturalist guides, reveal the planet’s most extraordinary nature destinations. As the world’s first 100-percent carbon-neutral travel company—and the conservation travel partner of World Wildlife Fund—we offer eco-conscious expeditions from Antarctica to Zambia with a multitude of adventures in between. For more information, visit nathab.com.
This entry was posted in Travel + Food and tagged 360 Magazine, active volcanoe, Africa, Alaska, animals, Antarctica, archeology, asia, atmosphere, august, Australia, beach, biodiversity, Boston, Botswana, breathtaking, California, camp, Canada, Cape Town, carbon-neutral, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, challenge, cheetah, Chicago, China, comfort, Costa Rica, culture, culture magazine, Dallas, destinations, discover, Discovery, earth, eco-conscious, ecosystem, ecotourism, edgy fashion magazine, epic, europe, events, expedition, explore, extraordinary, fauna, flourishing flora, free time, Galapagos, Great Migration, Great Plains, green season, grizzly bear, guide, holiday, holiday season, international, into the wild, Isla del Caño, Jakarta, Japan, Johanessburg, journey, July, Kalahari Desert, landscape, legendary, lions, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Miami, Milan, Monteverde, mountain, museum, Nat Hab, natural habitat Adventures, Natural Jewels, nature, Netherlands, new orleans, New York, Okavango Delta, pacific, Paris, photography, photooftheday, pictorial, planet, predator, private, professional, rainforest, safari, San Francisco, search, Seattle, Serengeti, Serengeti Plains, sightseeing, Southern California, spring, summer, Sweden, Sydney, Tanzania, tortuguero, travel, travel agency, trip, tropical, USA, vacation, Vaughn Lowery, Viewing, vintage, Washington D.C., wildebeest, wildlife, World Wildlife Fund, worldwide, Zambia, zebra on March 22, 2018 by wp360mag.
Natural Habitat Adventures Announces New Galapagos & Machu Picchu Trip Linking Two South American Icons in One Seamless Journey
Natural Habitat Adventures, the world’s leader in nature-based travel, introduces a new 15-day expedition that pairs Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands with Peru’s Machu Picchu.
“These are two of South America’s quintessential destinations,” says Natural Habitat Adventures founder and president Ben Bressler. “This is a rare opportunity to combine two coveted UNESCO World Heritage Sites in one exclusive itinerary, traveling in a small group with top guides and unprecedented access.”
Galapagos & Machu Picchu: Icons of Nature & Culture combines two of Nat Hab’s most popular trips on a single itinerary. A week of live-aboard Galapagos exploration by private chartered yacht is followed by a land-based journey to Machu Picchu and the Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley.
This comprehensive itinerary adds time for more exploration, circumventing logistical hassles of trying to piece together distinctly different destinations. A professional naturalist Expedition Leader leads guests from start to finish on a rich, interpretive dive into the natural and cultural history of these diverse locations. Small groups ensure a personalized experience.
The trip begins in Quito with a transfer to Ecuador’s Andean Highlands. During a 2-night stay at the deluxe Hacienda Zuleta, guests are immersed in 400 years of colonial history, enjoying locally grown food from the 4,000-acre estate as they look for rare spectacled bears, pumas, condors and owls in habitat protected as part of the estate’s conservation mission.
After a flight to the Galapagos, guests explore the islands aboard the Ocean Spray, a 113-foot luxury motor catamaran. With just 16 passengers accompanied by two Expedition Leaders, this is the best guide-to-guest ratio in the islands. Travelers split into smaller groups for daily snorkeling, panga excursions and walks among iguanas and boobies. Guests also have the option to overnight at Nat Hab’s exclusive private Tortoise Camp, sleeping in a raised canvas safari-style tent or treehouse while ancient tortoises roam freely on the grounds.
On the final leg, travelers fly to Cusco for a 5-day discovery of ancient Inca civilization. Luxurious accommodations include Palacio del Inka in Cusco, the award-winning Sol y Luna boutique hotel in the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, set among orchid gardens along the Urubamba River.
Four departures, capped at 16 travelers each, are offered in 2018: March 29-Apr. 12, June 7-21, Aug. 2-16 and Nov. 8-22. The per-person double rate is $12,995 ($2000 single supplement). Included are activities, accommodations, land transportation as detailed in the itinerary, round-trip train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, airport transfers when using Nat Hab’s preferred hotels, snorkeling gear and wetsuit, all but two meals from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on Day 15, guiding by Natural Habitat Adventures’ professional Expedition Leaders, most gratuities, taxes and service charges. Internal airfare and park fees are not included.
For complete details please see: http://www.nathab.com/galapagos/machu-picchu-galapagos-adventure/
For information about all of Nat Hab’s trips, including descriptive itineraries, availability and reservations, call 800-543-8917 or visit http://www.nathab.com/. Click HERE to order a copy of the new 2018 catalog.
Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet’s most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab’s itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from “typical.” Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders, and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world’s best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world’s wondrous natural places. Nat Hab has donated more than $2 million to WWF and will continue to donate 1 percent of gross sales plus $100,000 annual through 2018 in support of WWF’s mission.
This entry was posted in Travel + Food and tagged 360, 360 Magazine, bears, Diana Macaraeg, ecotourism, Ecuador, excursions, expedition, exploration, explore, Global Society, hacienda zuleta, hiking, iguanas, Incas, Machu Picchu, natural habitat Adventures, New Galapagos, Peru, Puma, snorkeling, travel, travelers, UNESCO, Vaughn Lowery on October 4, 2017 by Pitch360.
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Similis In Terra - Part Five - Random Musings
Similis In Terra - Part Five
Similis in Terra – Part 5/5
The parking lot light cast an orange glow across the bed as Jensen studied Jared’s sleeping form. He couldn’t help running his hand gently through the other man’s hair, stilling as Jared shifted, curling himself more tightly around Jensen’s body.
Jensen’s thoughts were whirling. Chris had told him that he was setting himself up for heartbreak, and he was probably right. But Jensen couldn’t seem to care. He’d needed Jared and not just physically. Needed his smile, his laugh, his ability to eat mass quantities of candy. Jensen smiled at the thought of Jared with a mouthful of gummi worms. It really didn’t matter, he realized. It was just Jared. He needed Jared.
And leaving Jared was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever have to do. There had to be a way to come back. Chris and Steve were smart – if anyone could find a way for him to return, they could. He’d nag them until they did.
He sighed and felt Jared stir against him again.
“Shh.” Jared’s voice was soft in the darkness.
“What?” Jensen looked down to see a smile on Jared’s face, his eyes still closed. Jensen felt him press a kiss against his body.
“Stop thinking so loud,” Jared mumbled, rolling over and taking Jensen with him. He found himself tucked into Jared’s embrace as he rearranged Jensen into the little spoon. Jensen smiled as Jared’s lips feathered against his temple and heard Jared whisper, “Sleep.”
Closing his eyes, he let the doubts melt away and drifted off, feeling contented for the first time in what seemed like forever.
The next morning came too early in Jared’s opinion, but the way he woke up cancelled out the early hour. Jensen was nestled against his back, his erection thrusting gently against Jared’s ass. He moaned as Jensen kissed the spot right behind his ear.
“Morning.” Jensen’s hand caressed his chest, stopping once, twice, to tweak a nipple into a tight point before continuing its journey to Jared’s cock. Jared arched lazily into Jensen’s hand as he slowly jacked him to full hardness.
“Feels so good. Right there.” Jared lost himself in the sensation of Jensen’s fingers wrapped around him, squeezing tightly, his thumb caressing the head.
Jensen’s tongue licked the shell of his ear, sending shivers down his body. “You’re beautiful, so hard for me like that.” Jensen pulled away slightly and Jared felt him press his shoulder to the bed. “Wanna ride you.”
In a fluid motion Jensen was above him, straddling his hips. His eyes, heavy lidded with want, stared into Jared’s as Jensen kissed him, his tongue begging for entrance past Jared’s lips.
“Can I ride you, Jared?” Jensen’s words, breathed into Jared’s mouth, had his cock hardening even more.
“Oh God yes.” Jared fumbled for the lube. “Gotta get you ready first.”
“No you don’t.” Jensen’s hand stilled his. “Couldn’t wait. Needed you so bad.” He slipped back a bit and Jared felt his dick slip in between Jensen’s ass cheeks. The slick had him sliding against Jensen’s hole, slight friction sending spirals of want throughout Jared’s body.
“Did you…?” Suddenly it clicked. Jensen had opened himself up for him already. “Jesus…” Jared moaned at the thought of Jensen prepping himself while Jared slept.
“Had to.” Jensen gasped and ground down onto Jared’s erection. “Wanted to be ready for you.”
“Need a condom.” Jared fumbled for the package on the nightstand.
“No. Just you. Please.” The wrecked look Jensen gave him took Jared’s breath away. “I just…I just need to feel you.”
Jared reached up for Jensen’s face and brought him down to kiss him gently. He knew what Jensen wasn’t saying. Placing kisses against his jaw, Jared whispered, “Okay.”
“Help me.” Jensen raised up slightly to position himself as Jared held the base of his cock steady. He nudged the head against Jensen’s lube-slicked hole and hissed in pleasure as Jensen slowly lowered himself onto Jared’s length.
It felt incredible. Hot, tight, wet. Alive. Jared whimpered at the sensation of Jensen sinking down on him, pausing repeatedly to tease him as he clenched his muscles around Jared’s cock. Jared’s bare cock.
Jared wanted to bury himself balls-deep and instinctively began to thrust up, but Jensen stopped him with a touch, laughing quietly when Jared growled in frustration.
“My speed this time.” Slowly moving again, Jensen inched down, down until finally Jared got what he wanted.
“God, Jensen, you feel so good around me.” Jared moaned, the pressure against his balls making his dick harden even more.
Then Jensen began to move. All Jared could do was watch. And feel.
Jensen was beautiful in the morning light. Eyes closing, he slowly undulated his hips, drawing Jared deeper inside him as Jensen chased his need. Droplets of sweat began running down his chest, hanging temptingly on a nipple before dropping fire-hot onto Jared’s skin.
Running his hands over Jensen’s body, Jared lost himself in the planes of Jensen’s chest, the hardness of his biceps. He took Jensen’s hand and brought it to his lips, feeling the calluses on his finger pads, kissing the broken skin across his knuckles, breathing unconscious “I love you’s” into Jensen’s palm.
Jensen responded with breathy whimpers and “Oh God’s” as Jared gathered his feet under him and thrust in time to Jensen’s movements. Time stopped as they rocked together, feeding off each other’s desire as their arousal spiraled higher and higher.
Jensen whispered, “Right there, please right there,” as Jared found his prostate. “Oh God, touch me. Need you to touch me.”
Jared reached down and took Jensen’s cock in his hand, stroking his thumb over the tip.
Keening, Jensen threw his head back and ground himself down onto Jared. “Harder, stroke harder,” as he began whipping his hips faster.
Jared gathered the beads of pre-come and slid his hand up and down Jensen’s cock. “Like that?”
“God yes. Feels so good.” Jensen rolled his hips as Jared pumped him, rubbing his thumb across the bundle of nerves under the head. “So close, Jay…”
“Want you to come for me, Jen. Wanna see you fall apart.” Grabbing Jensen’s hip in one hand, Jared began thrusting harder into him as he sped up his strokes. “Yeah, see it in your face. C’mon, come for me…”
Eyes wide open, locked on Jared’s, Jensen came with a shout, ropes of semen splattering across their bodies. The edges of Jared’s vision became white as Jensen’s muscles clenched, seizing him, claiming him. Jared followed him over the cliff, pounding out his orgasm as he shot deep into Jensen, filling him.
Jensen collapsed on top of him, both of them panting. As they lay together, sated and sticky, Jensen whispered softly, “I love you too.”
A short time later, they were sprawled out on the bed, Jared’s head tucked into Jensen’s shoulder. Jared picked up the necklace that Jensen wore.
“Where’d you get this?” He examined the brass figurine. It looked like a face with bull horns on the head.
“Chris gave it to me after a pretty hairy assignment.” Jensen chuckled, running his hand lightly down Jared’s arm. “Said it was a good luck charm to keep me out of trouble.”
“And has it?” Jared knew the answer but wanted to hear Jensen say it.
“Hell no!” Jensen laughed. “But Chris also told me I was bull headed and that’s why it fit me.”
“Chris is right.”
“Are you calling me stubborn?” Jensen rolled Jared on his back and looked down at him with a smile. His face morphed into a thoughtful expression. “Hey, sit up for a minute.”
Jared scooted into a sitting position. Jensen sat up next to him and unhooked the necklace.
“I want you to have this.” He placed it around Jared’s neck, closed the clasp, and settled the figurine in the center of his chest.
“No, Jen, I can’t take this. Chris gave it to you.” Jared raised his hands to remove it, but Jensen gave him a quick hard kiss.
Pulling back, he said, “Please. I want you to have it.” Jared watched him duck his head and blush. “It’s kind of a promise, okay?”
“A promise?” Jared was confused.
“Yeah.” Jensen face lifted and he met Jared’s eyes. “I’m gonna come back, Jay. I don’t care how I have to do it, but I promise I’ll figure out a way to come back here.”
“Jen…I…” Jared didn’t know what to say. So he spoke with his heart. “I love you. Come back to me,” he murmured softly, pressing his lips to Jensen’s and drawing him back down to the bed.
The only sounds in the room were the slow squeak of bedsprings and quiet declarations of love.
The rest of the trip to Roswell was without incident. Which bothered Jensen to no end. He felt prickles throughout his shoulder blades and a nagging sensation that something wasn’t right.
He kept checking the rearview mirror until Jared told him to stop it or he would dump him out on the side of the road.
“Jen, we’ve got the timepiece. We’re gonna know if Sheppard gets close.”
“I know.” Jensen sighed in exasperation. “But there’s something off. I can just feel it. This is too easy.”
“Tell you what.” He saw Jared glance at him. “You can keep looking in the rearview mirror if you do one thing for me.”
“What’s that?”
Jared held his hand out. Jensen felt himself blush as he linked his fingers with Jared’s and registered the slight squeeze.
“What are you looking forward to doing once you get home?” Jared’s voice was subdued. Jensen knew that he was trying to find ways to connect them after Jensen went through the portal.
“Well, nagging Chris is usually my favorite pastime, so I’ll be doing a lot of that. I have a really good reason to now.” He brought their hands up for a quick kiss. “Other than that, probably researching the information we have on your world so I won’t feel like such an idiot when I get back. Oh, and catching a football game or two.”
Jensen was satisfied to hear Jared laugh.
“Boy, you’re gonna be boring.”
“Well, what are you gonna be doing?”
Jared sighed. “Look for a job once I get back home. Since SOMEONE burnt down my warehouse, I’m unemployed. Play with the dogs. Jerk off to thoughts of you.”
“I thought that was a given.” Jensen winked at Jared making him laugh again.
“Well you’ve ruined me for anyone else.” Jared paused. “You know, I could sell my story to the National Enquirer. ‘Man has sex with alien’.”
“Nah, from what I saw at the Wal-Mart that’s too old school. It’d never sell.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Just have to keep you for myself then.”
“Works for me.” Jensen leaned back in his seat and put their hands on his leg. They were quiet for a moment.
“You can check the rearview mirror now.”
“Oh thank you!” He heard Jared chuckle as he surged forward to see if anyone was behind them. “You are a pain in the ass, you know that?”
“Yeah, but I’m your pain in the ass.”
“Yes, yes you are.”And I love you was unspoken but clearly heard.
They arrived in Roswell about noon. Jared was surprised to find that it was bigger than he imagined. For some reason he’d always thought of the town as mostly desert, but it actually had trees and grass. And aliens. Lots and lots of aliens.
As they drove through the city, it seemed like every store window and building had a little green man in it. Or a big grey one. Even the streetlamps had alien heads on top of them.
Jensen laughed in disbelief. “This is nuts. What’s with all the little green men?”
“It’s Roswell’s claim to fame,” Jared replied, steering the bus around a group of tourists with alien helium balloons. “Back in the 40s, I think, something crashed here. The Army said it was a flying saucer, then came back and said it was a weather balloon.” He shrugged. “But you know how conspiracy theorists are. The government must be hiding something, so aliens must exist.” He waved a hand at the tourists. “And capitalism being what it is, this town’s economy is taking advantage of that.”
He grinned at Jensen. “If they only knew I had a real live alien in my vehicle.”
“Hey, don’t lump me in with those little green guys.” Jensen smiled back, his protest half-hearted.
“Okay, so now that we’re here, how do we find the portal?” Jared found an empty parking space and pulled in.
“Chris said he would be able to determine the coordinates once we got here. Let me contact him.” Jensen pressed the button.
“Hey, dude. I’m assuming you’re there?”
“Yeah, you got our info?” Jensen made a gesture for a pen and paper. Jared turned and grabbed his bag. Digging around, he found a receipt and a Sharpie.
“Yup, just came through. Your coordinates are 33° 23' 37.2948'' N, 104° 31' 22.3032'' W.”
Jared watched Jensen scribble them down onto the receipt. “Got ‘em.”
“Okay, when you get there, the timepiece will start beeping. When you hear one long tone, that’ll mean you’re right at the portal. Press the black button and it’ll activate the portal. If all goes well, you’ll step through and be home. But make it quick. You’ve got about thirty-five minutes before the deadline.”
“Can’t wait to see your ugly mug. Just be safe.”
“You know I will. And I expect you to have a beer ready when I get there.”
“A boatload, dude.” Chris signed off.
Jared listened to their conversation with a heavy heart. Home. Jensen was almost home. Where he would be safe.
Jared looked at Jensen out of the corner of his eye. He knew Jensen had to get home to stay alive, but it was not making things easier. He fought back tears and focused on the promise Jensen had made in the hotel room.
“Hey.” Jensen’s voice was soft. “Look at me.” Jared felt fingers on his chin as Jensen turned his face. “I’m coming back, okay?”
Jared took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.” Jensen leaned in gave him a soft kiss.
“So let’s figure out where these coordinates are in this town.”
Jared pulled out his phone and typed in the numbers Jensen read off the receipt. He snorted when the address came up.
“You have got to be kidding me! It’s like I’m in the X-Files.” He held up the phone so Jensen could see the screen.
Google Maps had the coordinates listed as the International UFO Museum and Research Center.
“Really?” Jensen’s pure disbelief had Jared snorting again.
“I would not make this up.” Jared put the bus into ‘drive’ and backed out of the parking spot. “Let’s go visit the aliens.”
Sheppard watched the two men pay their admission to the museum. He had to chuckle at the irony of the location. A portal to another world in a museum about aliens. It was definitely amusing.
He sighed and brushed at a spot on his jacket as he waited for them to enter the building. It was a shame that blood was so difficult to get out of wool. He’d had no choice but to kill those dim-witted policemen back at the jail. Stupid gits, thinking they could simply arrest him and lock him and his men behind bars. Amazing what a concealed laser could do.
At least he’d gotten the location of that pain-in-the-ass Ackles out of the debacle. The bar fight called in over the radio had led them right to the little shit and his buddy, and gave his men plenty of time to place a GPS tracker they’d managed to steal from one of the police cars on the undercarriage of that awful thing they were riding in.
They cruised behind that purple monstrosity, just out of range until they’d reached this idiotic town with its little green men and flying saucers.
Sheppard had left the tracker in their car. No need to let Ackles and that yeti know how close they were. He checked his gun and signaled to his men.
Time to finish this.
Jared didn’t know whether to be amused or appalled at the museum displays. Everything from saucer crashes to multiple alien autopsies in glaring color. Tall grey aliens, short green aliens. He’d had no clue that there were that many different kinds.
The timepiece began beeping as soon as they had entered the museum. They followed the sound throughout the displays.
“Please don’t let the portal be one of the autopsy displays,” Jared heard Jensen mutter. “They’re just creepy.”
“No shit.” He leaned into Jensen to look at the timepiece. “Any closer?”
“Yeah, I think it’s right around this display.” Jensen hurried past a group of Greys standing in front of a silver spaceship. Which pretty much described every exhibit in the place, Jared thought.
The beeping resolved into one long tone as they approached an exhibit of a large spaceship. The sign in front of the display read ‘Photo Opportunity’ and explained that patrons could enter the craft and take pictures with the alien.
“Looks like this is it.” Jared saw another sign – Exhibit Closed – and pulled it in front of the entrance. “I guess you should press the button.”
“Yeah.” Jensen was standing in front of him. “I guess I should.”
Neither man moved. Jared saw the stricken look in Jensen’s eyes and knew his expression was probably a mirror image of the other man’s.
“Jen…” He wrapped his hands gently around Jensen’s face and kissed him. Pulling back, he whispered, “You need to go.”
“I know. But I don’t want to.” Jared felt a single tear trickle down his thumb. “God Jay, I don’t want to.” Jensen turned his face towards Jared’s hand and placed a kiss on his palm.
Jared could feel tears running down his own face and didn’t care that he was crying. “You tell Chris that he’d better find a way for you to get back or I’ll come over there and kick his ass, okay?” He let out a hoarse laugh.
“Yeah, I’ll let him know.” Jensen wiped his face and nodded, stepping away with a small smile. Jared watched him compose himself with a deep breath. “Okay, let’s do this.”
When Jensen pressed the button, the interior of the spaceship lit up with a teal glow and a soft hum. Jared could feel the energy pulsing through the air.
Jensen put his hand on the necklace that he’d given Jared. “My promise, okay? I will be back.”
Jared nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He had fallen so hard and so fast for the man standing in front of him that it took his breath away. I love you, he thought brokenly. So much.
Jensen met his gaze. “I know,” he replied to Jared’s silent words and kissed him softly. “I love you, too.”
“Well now would you look at that? The Commander’s found himself a sweetheart.” Sheppard’s sneer had them springing apart, Jensen reaching for his laser. “Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn’t do that, Commander. My boys have their weapons pointing right at your buttercup. Wouldn’t want them to get a twitchy finger, now would you?”
Jared saw that he was right. There were two little red dots bouncing slightly on his chest.
Jensen slowly raised his hand. “Okay Sheppard. My hand’s off my gun. Tell your goons to lower theirs and we can talk about this like rational people.”
Sheppard laughed. “Oh, Commander, you are such fun. What makes you think I’m rational?” Jared watched him walk over to Jensen and backhand him. Jensen fell to his hands and knees.
“No!” Jared launched himself at Sheppard but was brought up short when one of Sheppard’s men grabbed his arms. He found himself overpowered. All he could do was watch helplessly as Sheppard continued his assault on Jensen.
“Do you EVEN understand how pissed off I am?” Sheppard ground his heel into the top of Jensen’s hand. Jared winced at Jensen’s moan of pain. “I’m stuck chasing you around this piss-ant of a world you dumped us in. I can’t just up and kill you because, ironically, you’re my only way out of here. I haven’t slept for three days, I’ve eaten crap food and I’ve had to follow that horrendous purple eyesore you’ve been riding in.”
Sheppard removed his foot from Jensen’s hand and took a breath. “I’ve been almost set on fire, manhandled and arrested.” He kicked Jensen in the ribs. “I am the farthest thing from rational! Now give me the damn timepiece!”
Jared struggled futilely. Jensen was curled up on the ground in agony and there was nothing he could do. He watched as Jensen used the exhibit to help himself stand. Clutching his ribcage, Jensen took a few steps toward Sheppard, the look on his face chilling.
“No?” Sheppard began laughing. “I don’t think so, Commander. How about ‘yes’ or my associate will do extensive damage to your darling moose there?”
“You leave him out of this.” Jensen’s voice was dark.
“Oh, but I’m afraid I can’t, Commander. It’s called leverage. You give me the timepiece and I don’t hurt him. You don’t and, well…” A gesture and throbbing pain hit Jared as one of Sheppard’s thugs began to punch him.
He couldn’t defend himself as the blows rained down. He felt blood stream from the cut on his eyebrow, his lip swelling from another punch.
“Okay!! I’ll give you the timepiece! Here!” Through bleary eyes Jared saw Jensen hold out the item to Sheppard.
“No.” he whispered. All he could think of was Jensen dying because he didn’t make it back in time. He had to do something.
Using the leverage from the man holding him, Jared reared up and kicked his assailant, shoving him into Sheppard. The suddenness of the move surprised his captor and Jared broke loose. Whirling around, he decked the other man, sending him crashing unconscious into the wall, his laser skittering across the floor.
He heard a grunt and turned just in time to see Jensen fly through the air and knock over the alien statue. Sheppard’s goon was after him in a flash but Jensen evaded him by rolling between the stanchions.
Jensen rose unsteadily to his feet. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead and Jared could see he was weaving from the pain of his ribs. His attacker grinned and moved in to strike.
A piercing siren cut through the air and had them all instinctively covering their ears.
“What the hell?” Sheppard’s shout was barely heard over the noise.
“Jensen, look!” Jared gasped. He gestured to the portal.
The soft teal glow had turned to a throbbing red. Light spilled out of the door in angry waves, syncopating with the wailing of the alarm.
“What’s happening?” Jensen sidestepped his pursuer, grabbed him and threw him into the side of the neighboring exhibit.
Jared’s blood ran cold when he realized what the change in portal color meant. “You’re running out of time! The portal’s gonna close! Go!”
“But Sheppard –.”
“I’ll take care of Sheppard! Go!” Jared scrambled for the abandoned laser as Jensen ran for the portal. Waves of light pulsated through the room, moving faster and faster. Jared could feel them on his skin.
Jensen was at the door when Sheppard shot him.
Seconds froze, the space between them echoing through Jared’s mind.
Tick.
The laser bolt leaving the gun.
Jensen, lurching forward, gracefully, like a dancer.
Blood bursting crimson from his side, matching the color of the portal’s glow.
His body, slumped in the door frame, unmoving. Halfway home.
“NO!” Jared screamed as time accelerated to normal. “No…” he sobbed.
Spinning around, he aimed the laser at Sheppard and pulled the trigger. The bolt sent Sheppard crashing to the floor, blood spilling from the wound at his temple. Dropping the laser, Jared stumbled towards Jensen’s still form.
The portal pulsed once in a massive outpouring of light and sound as Jared’s world went black.
ROSWELL, NM (AP) - Authorities are still investigating the explosion that occurred yesterday at the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell, New Mexico.
According to witnesses, at approximately 3:15 p.m., a loud siren-like sound was heard and a glowing blue light appeared moments before the explosion that rocked the Museum, killing two and injuring several others.
Those injured were taken to nearby Roswell Regional Hospital where their condition remains unconfirmed. The names of the deceased have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
Military officials have denied any involvement in the incident, stating that they had no aircraft in the vicinity at the time of the explosion.
The day was beautiful. Misha insisted on an afternoon outing to Byrd Park. He claimed it was a team building exercise but Jared knew better since they were the only two employees attending. They picked up the dogs, Sandy and Genevieve on the way.
It was either an excuse to play hooky or an intervention.
Jared was hoping it was the former. He’d had enough of his friends’ well-meaning efforts at helping him recover from the events in Roswell this past year. He knew they had his best interests at heart but they just didn’t get that it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be happy – it was that he couldn’t be.
Not since Jensen.
Jared’s hand unconsciously played with the necklace as he thought about the man he’d lost – his green eyes, his freckles. The way they’d kissed…
“You’re doing it again.” Misha put the bus into Park and killed the engine.
“What?” Jared looked over at his friend.
“Losing yourself.” Misha glanced at Jared’s hand and he realized he was holding the necklace again. “You always do that when you’re thinking of him.”
“I do not.” Jared knew he was lying but he put up the defense anyway.
“Yeah, you do.” Genevieve’s voice floated softly from the back seat. “You get a faraway look on your face and you hold on to his necklace.”
Jared’s throat tightened and he fought the sob that welled up. “I need to get out.” He opened the door and slid out of the bus. He found a nearby picnic table and sat down, breathing heavily as he tried to get his emotions under control.
He knew his behavior wasn’t fair to his friends and they worried about him. They’d been there for him during his recovery in the hospital. Through the subsequent military investigation that ended with a final report of ‘Explosion Due to Natural Gas Buildup’. Through the six months of rehab, encouraging him, supporting him, demanding that he get better when all he wanted to do was die.
He’d taken Misha’s standing job offer simply because he had no desire to actively look for employment. Surprisingly enough, he’d enjoyed it, finding an unknown talent for event planning.
In the days After Jensen – that’s how he thought of them – he slowly healed his body and mind and closed off his heart. But still the dark moments hit him. Like now.
“You okay?” He felt Misha sit next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. “We didn’t mean to push.”
“I know.” Jared sighed. “And I’m sorry I wigged out there for a moment. It’s just hard, you know?” He looked at Misha. “I’m fine and then something triggers my emotions. Like this picnic. I was afraid you guys were staging an intervention.”
Misha chuckled. “Nope, no intervention today. At least not like you’re thinking. This afternoon is simply about enjoying the day.” He hopped off the picnic table and grinned at Jared. “C’mon, let’s help the girls with the food and see how badly I can burn the burgers.”
The afternoon flew by. Jared had to admit that he was having a good time. Misha only burned two hamburgers. He claimed he did it intentionally so he could feed them to the dogs. They played a fast-paced round of Frisbee golf that Jared won, even though Sandy accused him of cheating when he ‘accidentally’ kicked the Frisbee against the tree.
After cleaning up, the four of them and the dogs sprawled out on the blankets that the girls had packed. Fed, tired and slightly tipsy from the beer, Jared stretched out with his head on Genevieve’s lap.
“You better?” she asked, playing with his hair.
“Yeah, I think I am. At least for now.” He grinned at her. “You sure this wasn’t an intervention after all?”
“Not intentionally, but if it helped that’s good.” She smoothed a lock of hair off his forehead. “Anything to put a smile back on your face.”
“You just love me for my dimples.”
Her retort was cut short by the ringing of Misha’s phone.
“Crap, it’s the office. Let me get this.” Misha stood and headed to the picnic table.
Jared lazily watched him. Suddenly, Misha straightened and began talking rapidly, waving his hands around excitedly and staring at Jared. He ended the call and began texting. Hitting the last button with a flourish, he bounced back to their group.
“What was that about?” Jared was curious to know what had him in such a good mood. “Everything okay at the office?”
“Everything is better than you can imagine.” Grinning, Misha flopped down next to him, grabbed the beer Jared was holding and took a swig.
“Hey, that’s mine!” Jared rescued his beer. “So what’s going on?”
“A special project that I’ve been working on for a while has finally grown legs.” Misha looked like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. “That’s what the call was about.”
“What’s the project?” Jared was interested. Misha rarely kept him in the dark about new products, stating that his opinion was the only reasonable one in the company.
“Not ready to share quite yet.” Misha put a mysterious note in his voice. “But trust me, you’ll be involved, and fairly soon.”
Jared smiled and shook his head. Sometimes Misha liked to play games. This seemed to be one of those times. “No problem, just let me know when you want me on board.”
“Oh, you’ll know.”
“Whatever, dude.” Jared closed his eyes and listened to his friends talking over him. He patted the ground next to him and Sadie moved closer for petting and scratching. Slowly his breathing deepened and he felt himself drifting off.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep when Sandy nudged him. “Hey sleepyhead. Misha needs you to haul the cooler to the car.”
Jared groaned. “What, he can’t do it himself?”
“He’s got the food and Gen and I can’t carry the cooler – too heavy.”
“Oh alright, you weaklings.” Jared stretched and stood up. Grabbing the cooler, he made his way to the bus. Misha had opened the back and he hoisted it into the vehicle. After shifting it to fit better, he opened the lid and dug through the ice to grab a beer. Twisting the top off, he tilted it up, closed his eyes, and took a long swallow.
“You’re more gorgeous than I remember.” The voice was soft and familiar.
Jared froze. He was imagining things. That voice wasn’t real. Hadn’t been for almost a year. He kept his eyes closed as he tried to convince himself that it was a figment of his imagination.
“Not gonna offer me one, Jay? I travelled a long way to get here and could use a drink.”
Slowly Jared turned toward the voice and opened his eyes.
Jensen was leaning against the side of the bus grinning at him, emerald eyes flashing. Dressed in jeans, black t-shirt and a leather jacket, the fading light of the day tipping his hair molten gold, he quirked an eyebrow at Jared. The beer bottle slipped unnoticed from Jared’s hand, thudding to the ground in a spray of liquid.
“Jensen?” The word barely made it past his lips. He was afraid to breathe for fear that Jensen wasn’t real. That he would disappear as soon as Jared moved.
“In the flesh.” Jensen pushed himself off the edge of the bus and walked towards Jared. Slowly sliding his arms around him, Jared heard him whisper, “God, I’ve missed you.”
That one phrase opened the floodgates. Jared wrapped himself around Jensen and buried his face in Jensen’s neck. His voice choked with tears, he gasped, “You’re real, you’re here,” over and over.
“Yeah, I’m real and I’m here – and I really need to kiss you right now.” Jared felt Jensen’s hands on his face, his lips slanted against his, and lost himself in the sensation he never thought he’d feel again.
He let Jensen take control, reveling in the fact that he was here. He opened up for him, Jensen’s mouth sucking his lower lip, teeth grazing, nipping, coaxing Jared’s tongue to dance.
His taste – whiskey smooth, overlaid with the essence that was purely Jensen. Jared moaned as he molded their bodies closer. Breaking away, he placed kisses over Jensen’s eyes, his cheeks, before resting their foreheads together.
“How?” he whispered.
“Chris found a way,” Jensen said simply.
“When – when did you get here?” Jared leaned back and looked at him.
Jensen rubbed the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly. “Um, you know that 5.6 earthquake this morning?”
“That was you?” Jared threw back his head and laughed. “Way to make an entrance.”
“Tell that to the homeless man I scared the crap out of when I got here.” Jensen smiled, cupping his hand around Jared’s neck and kissing him again.
Jensen’s other hand reached for the necklace Jared was wearing. “You kept it,” he whispered in between kisses.
“Always.” Jared captured Jensen’s mouth, encouraging him to take the kiss deeper.
Jared leaned into Jensen, lazily swirling his tongue around Jensen’s when a thought struck him. Pulling back, he looked at Jensen. “Wait, how did you know where to find me?”
“Remember the night in the bar when you showed me Misha’s herbal energy drink can?” Jared nodded. “I figured if anyone knew where you were, it’d be him. So I went to the nearest store, told them I was new in town and lost my phone, gave them the name of the company and called Misha.”
“You called Misha…” Jared was floored.
“Yes, he did.” Jared whirled around that the sound of Misha’s voice and saw his friends standing there with broad grins on their faces. “Welcome to the secret project, Jared.”
“Huh?” Jared was at a total loss as to what Misha meant.
“The secret project was you. I had a feeling that your business with Jensen wasn’t done and I always believed he’d made it through the portal, despite what it might have looked like.” Misha reached down to pet Harley. “I left specific instructions that if a Jensen Ackles called that they were to patch him through to me no matter where I was.”
“So when I called, they put me through to Misha and he sent a car to get me.” Jensen’s fingers linked with Jared’s. “Brought me here.”
Jared’s eyes welled up with tears as he reached out to hug his friend. “Thank you, Misha.” Turning back to Jensen, he placed a soft kiss to his temple. Then asked the question that he was afraid to hear the answer to.
“So how long can you stay this time?”
“This time?” Jensen’s brow furrowed. “Jared, I’m not going back. I’m here for good.”
“Wait. I thought it was dangerous for you to be here.” Jared shook his head, confused at Jensen’s words.
“Not anymore.” Jensen was practically bouncing. “Steve figured out that the timepiece itself was creating the anomalies that caused the physical damage to the test animals. As long as the traveler didn’t have the timepiece they wouldn’t experience the damage.” He smiled. “So Chris opened up a portal, I put in my resignation, and came here.”
Jensen leaned in to Jared and kissed his jawline. “I’m here for good, Jared,” he said again.
“Really. And I’m going to need someone to show me around. Oh, and a job.” Jensen chuckled. “I’m kind of unemployed.”
“I can help with that.” Misha’s voice cut in. “I need a head of security and I’ve heard you’re good with laser guns. It’s yours if you want it.”
“Can I think about it?” Jensen leaned in to Jared. “Right now I just want to go home.”
Home – Jared realized Jensen was talking about his home. Their home now. He smiled and hugged Jensen.
“Yeah, I think we can make that happen.”
Neither men saw the figure watching them from the forests edge.
He hissed in anger, hands clenched in fists as he observed them embrace.
"Well, well, well, Commander, looks like you managed to find your way back after all." Unconsciously, Sheppard stroked the jagged scar that lined the left side of his face.
"What a shame your reunion will be so terribly short. But I've been patient. It'll just make the end so very much sweeter."
He slipped back into the shadows.
Fin…?
Go to Masterpost
theatregirl7299 on January 31st, 2014 12:42 am (UTC)
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
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Movie Review: Churchill (2017)
For a British voter and cinemagoer, it is a singular experience to see a film about Winston Churchill in the aftermath of a general election. The film is especially distinctive in 2017, as the British government displays all manner of contradictions and at times inadequacies, whereas Churchill, both the film and the legend of the man, are concerned with a time of unity and alliances. And yet, Jonathan Teplitzky’s film features far more disagreement and conflict among the architects of D-Day than one might expect, and presents a surprising picture of a Prime Minister often held up as the “greatest Briton of all time.”
With a reputation like that, one might reasonably expect that the film Churchill would be hagiographic, presenting Winston (Brian Cox, “Morgan”) as the only man who knows what is right and that his strategic brilliance is what ensures the success of the Normandy invasion. Pleasingly, Teplitzky’s film does not fall into these traps. While Winston is presented as honorable, loyal and committed to serving the needs of Britain, especially when it comes to preventing the deaths of British soldiers, he also appears impotent and not nearly as commanding as he possibly believes he should be. Strategic meetings between Winston and the military high command, led by General Dwight Eisenhower (John Slattery, “Spotlight”), highlight the Prime Minister’s attempts to influence Operation Overlord, with suggestions of alternative attacks and changes to the Normandy invasion. These sequences and those that surround them are enjoyable pieces of political drama, Winston butting heads with the generals and only submissive to King George VI (James Purefoy, “High-Rise”).
At many a turn, other forces within the political-military structure — both British and American — overrule Winston, turning him into a wounded lion who rages at his wife Clemmie (Miranda Richardson, “Testament of Youth”) and secretary Helen (Ella Purnell, “Wildlike”). Yet despite his frequent angry expostulations, Winston always remains sympathetic, not because of the historical adulation that the actual figure holds, but because within the film he remains understandable and relatable as a man carrying the weight of the world. In an early sequence on a beach, Winston imagines the waves turning red, and he frequently frets over the inevitable casualty rates of the invasion. Yet he does his duty with unflappable resolve, and the viewer is never likely to doubt that this leader would put himself on the line if it would help save others.
Much of the sympathy for Winston can be credited to the performance of the masterful Brian Cox. Cox captures the iconic growl, a constant but never overstated limp, hunched shoulders that express Winston’s burden, as well as an expression of utter indomitability, yet one that does not succeed in hiding fear and doubt behind the fierce eyes. The military leaders who circumvent Winston powerfully convey the sense that they must work with this irascible and belligerent politician, and despite the risk of becoming caricature still come across as human. As Clemmie, Richardson is superb in conveying the weariness of a long-suffering wife who supports the Prime Minister, even if as a couple they are distanced, which recalls a similar couple in “Lincoln.” The other performers are also very fine: James Purefoy makes King George VI his own, avoiding comparisons with Colin Firth’s Oscar-winning portrayal in “The King’s Speech,” while Ella Purnell gives Helen a tremulous sense of the British people, in thrall to the icon of Churchill but deeply affected by the constant threat to loved ones. Helen has perhaps the most moving moment in the film when she bursts out in terror about the forthcoming attack and what it might mean, which reawakens sympathy and compassion in Winston. This gives voice and image to those for whom the War was fought — those at home who looked to Churchill for guidance, courage and strength, and the difficulties that Winston faces in providing these.
The problem with Churchill is its repeated return to the ongoing argument about how best to conduct the Normandy landings. Despite Winston’s various tactics, the film does become repetitive as he makes an attempt to influence strategy but is then thwarted, tries again, and is thwarted, while Eisenhower, Clemmie and even King George demonstrate frustration at this man they must work with no matter how difficult he becomes. This repetition is disappointing because the political machinations of Alex von Tunzelmann’s script are engaging, and might have been more so with some variation.
Where the film excels, however, is in Teplitzky’s steady assembly of the Winston Churchill icon. The characteristic black suit and bowler hat takes time to appear, although the almost absurdly long cigars are ever present. In a wordless scene as Winston returns from another unsuccessful meeting, some children see him passing and make the victory sign that the Prime Minister made famous, which he returns in a weary yet heartfelt manner. The period detail is handsomely crafted, with costumes and sets creating a strong sense of time and place. There is a frequent use of crossfades that create differences in scale: Close-ups of Winston’s face fade over tiny figures walking through imposing landscapes, and these moments emphasize the film’s conceit of small men in great events. Winston Churchill does not come across as the great man praised by historical propaganda, but as a man involved in great events that rises to the challenge of being what is expected of him, even when he has little control over those expectations. As a result, Churchill works as an assembly of iconicity, as well as a powerful character study slightly different to widely accepted history.
Movie Review: Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
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Tagged: England, government, politics, true story, WWII
Movie Review: Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
'Movie Review: Churchill (2017)' has no comments
Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG
Director(s): Jonathan Teplitzky
Actor(s): Brian Cox, Danny Webb, Ella Purnell, James Purefoy, John Slattery, Jonathan Aris, Julian Wadham, Miranda Richardson, Richard Durden, Steven Cree
Writer(s): Alex von Tunzelmann
Producer(s): Claudia Bluemhuber, Nick Taussig, Paul Van Carter, Piers Tempest
Studio(s): Cohen Media Group, Salon Pictures
Release Date(s): US: June 2, 2017 | UK: June 16, 2017
IMDb Info: Churchill
Official Page: Churchill
Home » Reviews » Movie Review: Churchill (2017)
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Legends of Tomorrow Pilot part 1
Let it Rip
Legends of Tomorrow marks a landmark in DC comics history as it tries to do something that few have attempted; create a superhero ensemble show. Shows have tried with various degrees of success but not on he level that is show is attempting. DC has already has had success with its flagship shows Flash and Arrow so it is only natural to want to build off of that. Legends of Tomorrow is essentially a spinoff of a spinoff which takes the B players from both Flash and Arrow and attempts to make them ahem “Legends”( pun intended). Think of Legends of Tomorrow as more Guardians of the Galaxy than Avengers.
The moment the show starts we get a bleak glimpse into the future in which Vandal Savage rules with an iron fist. This is also were we get our first look at Rip Hunter as he is on the hunt to find a team in the past to defeat Savage. I enjoyed the fact that the show got straight to business introducing us to the major players of the show. This was very useful for those who may not watch Flash or Arrow to help them become invested into the plot. Each character has there own motivation for joining the team but Ray Palmer’s was the most simple yet heartfelt.
Speaking of Ray Palmer, he is the heart of the show. As a man without a destiny he is the perfect character for a show like this. He adds not only a sense of hope but adds humor and a human element to the cast. Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell also excel in there roles as there goals are not necessary in line with the others. The other cast members are fine but don’t necessarily stand out. It will be very interesting to see how the cast grows into there roles and what characters will stand out.
The special effects of the show are excellent for a CW tv show. This especially can be said the Rip Hunter’s time machine; Equipped with Gideon. The ships A.I which is very similar to the A.I from a certain popular marvel movie works very well for the show. The first time we see the team team up while not on the level of the avengers is certainly a cool moment. While there are some scenes that don’t work ( the bar scene was completely unnecessary) the show overall works as it will appeal not only to fans of DC comics but fans of shows like Firefly or Dr Who. While the show has its faults I am impressed with what I have seen so far.
Author Delvin CoxPosted on January 22, 2016 January 22, 2016 Categories DC, Entertainment, Legends of Tomorrow, Superheroes, The Flash, Tv shows
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Gov. Oyetola directs LGC chairmen to suspend Dubai trip to attend workshop
by The Eagle Online
in Politics
Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun has ordered council chairmen in the state to suspend their planned foreign trip to Dubai for a workshop.
The directive is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo by Adeniyi Adeshina, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor.
According to Oyetola, although the trip was approved in 2018, embarking on same this time is not auspicious.
The governor said though it was desirable to continue to expose government officials to capacity building, the financial situation in the state at present did not permit such.
Oyetola, however, assured pubic officers in the state that they would continue to be given the benefit of training at the appropriate time as the financial situation of the state permits.
The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the 68 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas were billed to travel to United Arab Emirates for a 10-day workshop.
It was also gathered preparations for the foreign trip started during the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, but was delayed till now due to lack of funds.
Meanwhile, some Local Government workers in the state have commended the governor for suspending the foreign trip.
A Senior Local Government staff in one of the Local Government Areas who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the directive of the governor suspending the trip, was commendable.
He said the Local Government Chairmen were only interested in using the trip to enrich their pockets and not for any serious workshop.
He said: “I wonder why they have to travel to Dubai for a workshop when the same workshop can be organized here.
“I personally commended the governor for giving the directive and I hope the money for the trip will be used to do something meaningful.”
Tags: Adeniyi AdeshinaDubaiGboyega OyetolaLGC chairmenOsun State
Gov. Bala Mohammed appoints four senior advisers
PDP Governors’ Forum condoles Makarfi over father’s death
Gov. Makinde pledges improved security in Oyo
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Are The Flaming Lips Releasing a 30th Anniversary Chocolate Skull with Edible Goo Brain and Colored Vinyl This Month?
TheFutureHeart 10 Nov 2013 25 Nov 2013 All Posts
UPDATE – It’s confirmed: The Flaming Lips are re-issuing their 1984 debut EP on November 29th, the same day they release the 12″ split EP with Tame Impala Peace and Paranoia at indie record stores, Peace Sword on vinyl and CD, and their Stone Roses tribute album The Time Has Come To Shoot You Down…What A Sound. The 30th anniversary edition of their debut EP will be pressed mostly on translucent green and red 12″ vinyl but a subset of about 100 will be special designs by New Fumes – packaged in a plexiglass box with the skull and brain previewed below. The Lips are also commemorating their 30th anniversary with 7″s of their first and second demo tapes. The latest details on all three 30th anniversary vinyl issues are here, but you can get a pretty good idea of the packages just by scrolling down and glancing over the pictures in this post.
The Flaming Lips turned 30 this year and to celebrate they’ve played a few career-spanning sets featuring songs they haven’t performed in years – or in some cases, ever (“Bag Full of Thoughts,” “Love Yer Brain,” “Unconsciously Screamin’,” “You Have To Be Joking,” “Moth In The Incubator,” “Riding to Work in the Year 2025”). There’s also been talk of a special reissue this year to commemorate the anniversary. With just seven and a half weeks left in 2013, if it’s coming, it’s coming soon. Which isn’t to say it is coming. To be clear, there have been no announcements of new releases after the Peace Sword EP vinyl and CD issue on Black Friday (November 29th). But there’s been several signs all pointing to the suggestion that not long after that a 7″ of their second demo tape – possibly as part of some sort of skull – will be up for grabs.
Let’s piece this together one by one…
1 – A 30th Anniversary Release Has Been Planned Since 2012
For over a year Wayne Coyne has indicated that The Flaming Lips are planning a 30th anniversary special re-issue of some sort. Want proof? Below is the “drippy skull lamp” he was working on in early October 2012. Flaming Lips projects since Embryonic are typically created fast. Their 24 hour song “7 Skies H3” for instance was made from scratch in a couple of weeks. What does it mean that the gestation period of the 30th anniversary skull (or whatever it will be) is so long?
Making 30th Anniversary first EP eggs in the eyes drippy skull lamp! http://t.co/Ja35RusT http://t.co/zgLOEDGz
— Wayne Coyne (@waynecoyne) October 12, 2012
2 …and more recently they’ve been working on this…
Fast forward eleven months to this September and Wayne was working on a “white chocolate, colored vinyl, plexiglass box, edible brain, 100 copies of exclusive vinyl (yet to be determined)” package to be “available for Halloween and Record Store Day,” according to Daniel Huffman. Which is another way of saying the plans were still being formed and it wasn’t decided yet exactly what would be on the vinyl or when it would be released. It still hasn’t been confirmed what it will be, though we can cross Halloween off the list of possible release dates. But does that mean it will be out Record Store Day by default? Maybe. Maybe not.
Makin cool package for record store day!!! http://t.co/gOLVrvhmm3
— Wayne Coyne (@waynecoyne) September 11, 2013
….Record Store Day white chocolate life size human skull in pink mold … http://t.co/7XWdhYWJOV
…gold tooth … http://t.co/nIoYckFyQP
edible glitter in plasma goo… http://t.co/lNaUaIx9dc
A couple of weeks later Wayne was interviewed by Brenna Ehrlich, a journalist with a history of getting Wayne to break news. In March 2011 she was the first to report the Lips plans to release the now infamous initial Gummy Skull. That September she broke the 24 hour song story. Last year she was the first to interview Wayne about the Heady Fwends blood vinyl and first to reveal details of the 24 hour tour, which she also coordinated for the O Music Awards. This September she was the first to ask Coyne about Instagram banning his old account. In that same discussion he slipped news of a release implied to be out sometime after Thanksgiving. “We [are] going to try to reissue our record that came out in 1984,” Coyne said. Brenna mysteriously followed Wayne’s quote by stating the reissue “will come in a Plexiglass container complete with a life-sized human skull and brain made of chocolate. Coyne also mentioned something about fireworks.”
Fireworks? Oh nevermind about that. Could it be Daniel’s remark about a possible Halloween release of the chocolate skull and brain vinyl package was accurate – just pushed back a month to the most wonderful time of the year? Could it be by Record Store Day he didn’t mean the main date that comes every April, but rather the smaller Black Friday incarnation?
brain goo…. http://t.co/Pq0DWgZxXK
….glitter in the injury.. http://t.co/8JKW4tj5NB
Playing with chocolate! https://t.co/ys4owbel0b
— Daniel huffman (@NewFumes) September 14, 2013
Crazy white chocolate brain (with wound) and hard candy record sleeve waynecoyne #rsd #theflaminglips… http://t.co/fs5ba3iU5U
3 – The Search For A Rare 1983 Cassette
At around the same time as the chocolate skulls and goo brains pictured above were being designed the Lips searched for a rare 4-song cassette they recorded in 1983 – even asking fans for help in the effort. No reason or further explanation was given however. Could it be they needed to find this tape to remaster it for a 7″ vinyl package to be issued alongside the chocolate skull Wayne mentioned to Brenna, to be out after Thanksgiving?
Hey!!! I need your help!!!!we are lookin for a 4-song cassette that we recorded in 1983… ????? http://t.co/tdx7F5iua1
Found the cassette tape!!!!!!! Thanks everyone!!!!!yessssss!! http://t.co/nCZECtyMoo
4 – The Case of The Hacked Twitter Account
Two weeks ago the Lips’ twitter was hacked. No big deal really, this happens frequently (see Britney Spears tweeting “Glory to Satan” or Lady Gaga “giving away” free iPads for example). In the short amount of time the hacker had control of the Lips’ account a band break up announcement was tweeted, followed by “just joking.” From his personal account Wayne confirmed the feed had been “hijacked,” followed by the Lips jokingly tweeting “that last announcement was a bit premature” (since they hadn’t broken up). The hacker’s tweets were deleted and end of story. Yep, no big deal.
Except this is precisely the type of no brainer click bait music “news sites” rely on for traffic. Surely far more people knew about the Lips’ hacked “breakup” tweet from the reports on msn, mashable, uncut, rollingstone, buzzfeed, yahoo, thisisfakediy, thelineofbestfit, and spin than from actually seeing it live on twitter. Even theguardian got in on the action. The entire episode was over within a half hour. It was a complete non-story, but anything involving the possibility of a break-up is tantalizing… and so one quickly thrown together report after the next about the Lips not breaking up was published. What all of them missed is that something did actually come out of this: a previously unseen logo for their 30th anniversary included in the real tweet that followed the fake hacker tweets. Now why did the Lips just happen to have that design on hand within minutes of getting hacked? Could it be because it’s artwork for upcoming releases?
The Flaming Lips twitter has been hijacked!!!!
https://twitter.com/theflaminglips/status/393502420904329216
5 – Add It Up
Last week the logo popped up again, this time in a plexi-gass case (that fits the description Huffman and Brenna both gave back in September) along with a Fuck You Frog auctioned for Box of Stars’ Sparklehorse tribute/ benefit (the graphic used for the auction is below). Also in that case: the Lips’ “second cassette demo on 7″ vinyl.”
So it’s confirmed – the Lips are making at least one 7″ of their second demo tape. But making only one copy doesn’t make sense.
Why not make 2000 of them and issue some with the frogs. Why not release 30th anniversary items with those white chocolate skulls? I mean, who wouldn’t want a goo brain for Christmas? The stocking stuffer potential is unlimited!
Could it be the skull first tweeted about in 2012 morphed into the chocolate skull and edible brain with multi-color vinyl package Huffman and Coyne were working on in September? And that it’s the same as the re-issue he mentioned to Brenna coming after Thanksgiving? And it will be issued alongside the frogs and the cassette the Lips were searching for with the 30th anniversary logo they had handy when they were hacked?
We’ll know soon enough…
1983, 30th anniversary, chocolate skull, Flaming Lips
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I really hope this comes out!
10 Nov 2013 at 10:48 PM
Love all of this. Thanks for putting the (apparent) pieces together.
Pingback: Flaming Lips 30th Anniversary Releases | The Future Heart
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The Dark Knight of Florida’s Slaughter Underworld
Richard Couto with Freedoms Flight. Photo courtesy of ARM.
The October slaughter of Debbie Stephen’s Grand Prix show jumping horse Phedras de Blondel shed a national spotlight on Florida’s dirty secret: the lucrative business of black market horse meat.
Crimes once limited to illegal slaughterhouses have now expanded to private stables. Horses are being stolen from backyards and slaughtered by the roadside, others being filleted in their own pastures. There are estimates that around 30,000 horses are killed each year in the state, their meat catching between $4 and $40 per pound.
Richard “Kudo” Couto has taken it upon himself to be defender of these animals, liberating many from a horrific end. He’s the founder of the Animal Recovery Mission, known as ARM, a non-profit “dedicated to eliminating severe animal cruelty operations worldwide.” ARM’s mission “is to be an uncompromising defending force for the welfare of animals in addition to putting an end to and preventing pain, suffering and torture inflicted as a result of inhumane practices.”
Given his dedication to the cause, it may come as a surprise that Couto never saw himself working as an animal defender. Growing up in Rhode Island he had dogs, cats, and horses, frequently taking rides on the beach in the evening, developing a close to bond to the animals. “Growing up as a child I gained a lot of not just love for animals but respect, actually more than people. That was instilled in me by my family and my mother,” say Couto.
Couto began his career working in Boston’s business world before he moved west and took up sailing, at one point training for the America’s Cup. Motocross was also a passion for the thrill seeker, but a broken neck and ensuing brain surgery prompted Couto to leave the sport.
A move to Miami would eventually prove fateful for Florida’s horses. Couto worked as a real-estate developer, making a hefty profit. “I was living the life every single guy would want to live in Miami. But once I had the money and cars and house, the things people strive and work for in life, it began weighing hard on my conscience to do something more with my life, to live more of an ethical lifestyle. I didn’t know what that was but always had it in the back of my mind,” said Couto.
In an effort to give back, Couto began donating money to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Florida. Curious where his money was going, Couto visited the SPCA and was immediately “reeled back in” to the horse world. He began doing more hands-on volunteer work, cleaning stalls and helping around the property.
During one of his visits to SPCA, a report came in about an abused horse on a slaughter farm, so Couto rode along with the investigator. “We got to a very rural part of Miami, near the everglades, where there was a farm with thousands of animals in a really decrepit situation,” says Couto of the farm. “I asked the cop I was with what the place was, it was so awful. She said it was a slaughter farm. I asked if that was even legal and she said no. So I kind of laughed and said ‘okay, we’re closing it down today, right?’ She shrugged her shoulders and said ‘we don’t do that kind of work.’ When I asked who does she laughed, shrugged her shoulders, and walked away.”
Though the farm wasn’t shut down that day, a chestnut thoroughbred that’d been tied to a palm tree awaiting slaughter was rescued. Upon researching his lip tattoo, an identification given to all racehorses, Couto was shocked to learn the sickly looking horse was Freedom’s Flight, a descendant of Secretariat and had once been a racehorse worth a small fortune. “That didn’t matter to me, a horse is a horse, an animal is an animal, but it raised my eyebrows that a horse worth so much could end up at an illegal slaughterhouse. An underground, uninspected operation ten minutes from downtown Miami,” said Couto.
Freedom’s Flight
Couto discovered there was an epidemic of illegal slaughter taking place that had grown into a multi-million dollar industry. The farm where Freedom’s Flight was discovered was one of 800 known illegal slaughterhouses and had been in operation for over 40 years.
Outraged by the situation, Couto became a board member of the SPCA. Investigations were launched that began drawing the interest of Floridians, enraging citizens and damaging the tourism industry. “Once the issue hit the news it quickly became the number one news story in Florida. People really wrapped their arms around it,” said Couto. As the media coverage expanded and investigations deepened, slaughter farm owners started hitting the SPCA volunteers with death threats, even threatening the lives of their animals. But that wasn’t the only hurdle, said Couto, “Politicians started getting involved because it was starting to hit the tourism industry hard. They threatened to stop the SPCA funding.” The physical and financial threats became too much for the SPCA to handle and Couto was forced to stop the investigations.
Not one to accept defeat, Couto founded the Animal Recovery Mission as a means to crack down on the illegal slaughter of horses. “I never created ARM because I wanted to. I created ARM at a later date because I had to. It had consumed my life and there was no turning back. Making a dollar had little meaning to me anymore, I just wanted to do something special for the animals,” Couto said of his decision to launch ARM.
ARM has grown into three divisions: ARM Investigations, ARM Conservation, and ARM Sanctuaries. Though the organization has expanded dramatically there are just 5 full-time employees and 10 part-time employees. “We just work our assess off,” says Couto of his staff’s dedication, “we pride ourselves on getting as bloody and muddy as we can because that’s where the crimes are being committed.”
Couto has at times come under fire for his choice of hires. Unlike many animal welfare groups he doesn’t require his recruits to be vegan or vegetarian. “I get their way of thinking but I don’t hire for that. I hire an investigator to get footage and bring us the worst possible crimes on tape in the animal world so we can bring them to law enforcement,” says Couto.
Many of Couto’s investigators are ex-military that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Even guys out of Iraq and Afghanistan need special polishing for animal cruelty. They’re very well supplied with information, training, and the latest, most up-to date equipment that I can possibly offer them,” says Couto of his investigators. “When you get hired at a legal slaughterhouse if your camera is seen or ID blown you may get a black eye or a lawsuit. If you get caught in our operations you’ll have a gun or machete pulled out and you’ll be killed. Period,” says Couto of the high-risk operations. “A few weeks ago we had guns put to our heads and were searched for wires. If we had cheap cameras we’d be done with.”
Couto (left) during a raid
Couto’s investigators have obtained footage of animals being boiled alive, some with meat hooks driven into their legs as they’re hung upside down and skinned alive. Other footage shows animals dying slowly over 20 minutes, leaking blood where dull blades have been plunged into them. It’d be tough work for anyone to handle, but Couto’s investigators are there to do a job. “Different investigators handle it differently. It’s almost like being in a warzone and having to capture atrocities on film. You’re concentrating on getting the right shot. You’re thinking: is my cover being blown? Should I be using my backup camera? At the time you’re not in reality, you’re thinking about things other than the animal,” says Couto.
Animal cruelty that results in death is the only felony to animals in Florida, so it’s vital that investigators film till the animal’s dying breath of animal to collect sufficient evidence for prosecution.
“The hardest thing for our workers to do is go into the editing room and review the footage. The have to get screen shots and slow motion of these horrific crimes. The animal screams are important to the jury and final breaths are important, so the editing is the hardest part,” states Couto.
Such high-risk work and top-shelf technology require significant resources. Couto initially funded ARM himself, but the non-profit now relies on the support of donations. Whole Foods, the Houston Rockets, and Bob Barker are all major supporters of the non-profit, along with smaller donors who support the organization’s efforts.
Since it’s founding, ARM has closed over 135 illegal slaughterhouses in the United States and conducted animal rights investigations in India, Nepal, Mexico, and Vietnam. Couto has come under fire for conducting operations internationally, his detractors claiming he should focus all his resources in the United States. “80% of our time and resources are spent on cases in the U.S. But animals suffer in Nepal or Vietnam just as they do in the U.S., so if we can help there then we will. Borders mean nothing to us,” says Couto.
ARM made headlines back in October when, along with the Palm Beach County sheriff’s department, they raided three illegal slaughterhouses in the county. “That was our first operation there and I was surprised at the amount of enforcement that we got. There were SWAT teams, a bomb squad, special weapons units, and 150 uniformed officers. It was monstrous,” said Couto of the raids.
Couto on site at the Garcia raid
Over 750 animals were seized and 8 individuals arrested. 300 of the animals now reside at ARM’s new sanctuary, others taken in by Animal Control of Palm Beach, an organization that Couto says, “is an amazing division with a beautiful farm and great set-up.”
Unfortunately, not all sanctuaries are able to handle a high volume of animals on a last minute basis. This prompted Cuoto to create the ARM sanctuary. For the safety of the animals, the sanctuary’s location is undisclosed; but the property is up and running with 2 vets and 4 vet techs working around the clock to care for the animals rescued in Palm Beach, ensuring the rescued animals are rehabilitated and given a proper home.
Despite 5 months of undercover work and, according to Couto, “evidence handed to prosecutors on a silver platter,” the accused have accepted comparatively light plea deals and have been released on bail. Palm Beach County prosecutor Judy Arco defended the deals by stating there was insufficient evidence of horse slaughter. Couto countered by making public a document from Elisa Technologies that tested and verified that meat found on the Rancho Garcia property was in fact horse meat. Couto also claims there is video evidence of horses being slaughtered on these properties but the State’s Attorney remains silent on the issue.
In 2010 Governor Charlie Christ signed into law “The Good Horse Slaughter Act”, a bill largely prompted by the work of ARM and Luis Garcia. The bill “prohibits the mutilation or killing of any horse, and forbids the transport, distribution, sale, and purchase of horsemeat for human consumption. Violators face felony mandatory minimum penalties of $3,500 in fines and one year in prison, and maximum penalties of five years in prison and $5,000 in fines for each offense.”
It’s the strongest animal cruelty law in the history of the United States, but prosecutors must first choose to file the requisite charges.
As for the gruesome killing of Phedras de Blondel, no arrests of have been made. Couto, who has consulted on the case, cannot disclose much as the case is ongoing, but stresses the difficulty of catching perpetrators of these crimes. “You need to find the meat in their house or find them in possession of a bloody instrument. It’s very hard to catch them breaking into barns at night and it’s a big concern of mine,” says Couto.
Debbie Stephens, Freedom's Flight, horse slaughter, Judy Arco, Kudo, Loxahatchee slaughter raids, Phedras de Blondel, Richard Couto
Christina Steinhaus
I will help in any way you need.
Thanks so much for reading and taking an interest in what’s going on in Florida. Please continue to follow the issue and help shed light on what’s happening to these animals – we’ll be doing everything possible to keep up with the latest and hold accountable those committing atrocities. If you’re interested in contacting or donating directly to ARM you can get more information at http://www.animalrecoverymission.org. Thanks again for reading!
-Ashley @ Inside Rein
Texomamorganlady
These people are true heroes.
Janyse Madsen
My heart hurts now. Tweeted link to article
Patty Delorenzo
Who and what kind of demonic evil lets this go on for over 40 yrs in the state of Florida or anywhere else for that matter? I’m appalled & sickened by this story! Everyone should be & all authorities: shame! Shame! Shame on you for not doing anything to stop this earlier & hold all those accountable! I’m discusted!
Everyone needs to listen to this man! I have been following him for a year, he is the animals crusader. The illegal slaughterhouses he has shut down in south fla. is amazing. The work he and his team does is nothing short of miraculous
Thank you so much for standing up for these animals. You are making a difference and I will help in anyway possible. I will share this story as well so we can continue to get the word out there. This has to stop! There aren’t enough words to thank all of you for what you are doing. Keeping you in my prayers and ask God to keep you safe.
Western dressage rider
FINALLY. I feel as tho I’ve found someone I can stand behind and support, believe what he says, and send my hard earned money to and even put them in my will.
I too am appalled. This is the year 2015 and we are no longer “supposed ” to be barbarians. But, apparently civilization and rational thinking and benevolent behavior has left many in the dust. Truly disgusting. Thank you for this article on this warrior of a man who is doing such great things with his money, his time, and his life. He will get my money and my support. I’m just as disgusted at some of the pansy asses who pretend to do the dirty work. They can’t hold a candle to Couto.
jo macarthur
Incredible work incredible supporters. I am ashamed by World Horse Welfare who by their title purport to have world welfare at their heart they do not instead they sit on every equestrian table going along with… rather than fighting for…. keep goig ARM we need the outspoken those that do as well as say!
Pat Fiorentino
Thank you for your work to save our animals from evil people.
I support your efforts 100%.
Have your tshirt and it is a conversation starter making people aware. I ask others to purchase and let’s get the word out!
Don’t know where that first line stating Awaiting moderation came from….. Ignore please.
Hi everyone, thanks for reading and commenting. Disregard “awaiting moderation.” I have to approve comments and sometimes it takes a minute or 2. I approve them all so speak freely!
Idk where the “awaiting moderation” thing came from either. Ignore.
He is truly an amazing person standing up for those who don’t have a voice!
Thank you for saving and protecting one of God’s most beautiful creatures
Sume
It probably won’t happen, but complete property forfeiture might be a good addition to the “mandatory minimum”. Basically, anything related to the crime (including the property the operation was run on and any equipment/vehicles used) is seized. Items could then be donated to charities or sold to the public and funds used in a VERY specific manner not just “general expenses” bit, say, equipment for future raids, donated to ARM, etc..)
Palm Beach County prosecutor Judy Arco should be removed from her job. As should Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Samantha Schosberg Feuer . They are shameful examples of people who are obviously terrible a their jobs. How could you let such dangerous men who are capable of so much violence free to go back into society?
Bj ehrhardt
Thank God for these men and ARM This discussing abuse to animals need to stop. Obviously the penalties in this country are not strong enough to stop these sick killers . I will help in any way i can , ! bj
karen fritz
Thank you so much for your cause. Do you have a site to take donations?
The website doesn’t work??
The website is down at this time. ARM is aware so hopefully it will be fixed soon. I’ll reply here in the comments section when it’s up and running. Thanks for reading!
-Ashley @ The Inside Rein
The link for their website is not working. 🙁 Keep up the good work, and hopefully the website will work soon.
ARM’s website is up and running again. If you’re interested in donating or getting more info about the organization you can visit: http://www.animalrecoverymission.org
Anyone who is cruel to an animal shows the whole world exactly his/her character, heart, credibility, and inner soul – i.e. Inner demons – and how insane and inhumane they can be. If you can be cruel and horrible to an animal, how do you treat your fellow human? These people deserve nothing but the most severe punishment.
Thank god these animals have people like you, I can’t get my head round people that can cause so much pain, suffering and cruelty they have no empathy for life. I have worked in the racing industry in the UK for many years and also spent time working for a trainer in Florida and these athletes end up in these barbarians hands, I believe the racing industry should do more and take responsibility for these horses once there career has ended. Even if this means euthanised in a dignified manner . I have bought from meat markets and re schooled so many horses over the years to give them an opportunity of a future and I have so much respect for what you doing. Kind regards Victoria
Erin Gilmore
COURT DATES RELEASED.
Below is a list of the court dates for the individuals charged with multiple third degree felonies in the Loxahatchtee Illegal Animal Slaughterhouse case. This is a positive step in the right direction, to be followed by the enforcement of maximum penalties if we as a community continue to make our voices heard. Take note of these dates, protests will be organized:
Orlando VazquezGuzman (Paso Fino)
Charged with Florida Statue 500.451 Felony: one count of Health-Safety – SELL BUY POSS TRANSPORT HORSEMEAT WO STAMP
Brief Motion Hearing 12/3/15 @8:30am, courtroom 11F
Jorge Garcia (Rancho Garcia)
Charged with four Florida Statue 828 Felonies: two count of CONSERVATION-ANIMALS – TORMENT DEPRIVE MUTILATE KILL, two count of CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING
Arraignment Hearing 12/10/15 @ 8:30am, courtroom 11E
Rafael Ramirez (Rancho Garcia)
Charged with Four Florida Statue 828 Felonies: 2 counts of TORMENT DEPRIVE MUTILATE KILL, 2 counts of CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING
Jose Pena (Medina Farm)
Charged with Two Florida Statue 828 Felonies: 1 count of TORMENT DEPRIVE MUTILATE KILL, 1 count of CAUSE CRUEL DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING
Arraignment Hearing 12/17/15 38:30am, courtroom 11E
Jose Reyes and Monieram Rathibhan do not yet have court dates.
Thanks for providing this information!
– Ashley @ The Inside Rein
Rachel doolittle
It’s not good enough we need to do more I will stand for the right of horses in this state or country
The LAW doesn’t scare them it just a slap in there faces !!!!
A criminal will do anything for money it will never stop until in We inforce the LAW !!! You need to treat these criminal the same way they been treating these animals they have no humans right or integrity no feelings they are not humans
It makes me sick and angry it’s a horrible world we leave in when is it going to stop when money is not an issue its all about the money and greed nothing but greed !!
ARM’s Richard Couto Launches Investigation into Trainer Accused of Waterboarding Horse |
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Lincoln shopping centre evacuated after fire
Fire fighters attending the fire at Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln.
The Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln was evacuated while Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue tackled a fire on the premises.
Three appliances were in attendance at the fire, which started at around 10am on Tuesday, September 3.
The fire was in the lift motor room on the second floor of the building, and was triggered by a smouldering expansion joint in an old lift shaft.
The shopping centre was evacuated while fire fighters attended the incident. They extinguished the fire and will reinspect later in the day.
The road was closed between St Swithin’s Square and Saltergate during the operation.
Waterside reopened to the public at around 12.20pm.
Roy Greening, General Manager at Waterside Shopping Centre, thanked customers and staff at the centre’s retailers for their co-operation.
“Public safety is paramount,” said Roy. “We called the fire brigade following a fire alarm activation and smoke being spotted in an old lift shaft area and the power in the centre was turned off as a precaution.
“The smouldering joint and surrounding area was made safe in just a few hours and we were given permission to reopen the centre.
“We have stringent and well rehearsed safety procedures in place for incidents like this and thankfully, we don’t have to use them very often at all but I would like to thank everyone for the calm way in which they left the centre this morning and also the fire brigade for their swift response.”
Part of Waterside Shopping Centre is one month into an 18-month redevelopment project worth £9 million, which will also bring retailer H&M in the city, and Next back on the High Street.
Staff and shoppers at Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln have been evacuated while the fire is being tackled.
The High Street entrance to Waterside Shopping Centre has been temporarily closed.
3 crews attending Waterside Centre, Lincoln – smouldering joist in lift motor room. Premises has been evacuated. More info as we have it.
— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) September 3, 2013
We are now open, and it is business as usual.
— Waterside Shopping (@WatersideSC) September 3, 2013
Fire at Waterside Centre, Lincoln, now extinguished and will be reinspected later. Centre now fully reopen to the public.
Lincoln celebrates heritage with open days
Is your right to justice being eroded away?
3 bedroom Link Detached to let
1 bedroom Park Home to let
2 bedroom Mid Terraced Bungalow to let
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Aadhaar Not Needed For Opening Bank Accounts, SIM But Mandatory For PAN Card: SC Verdict
The Logical Indian Crew
September 26th, 2018 / 1:07 PM
Image Credit: Amarujala
A five-judge Supreme Court bench on September 26 upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, however, it has struck down multiple sections of the Aadhaar Act as unconstitutional. Justice AK Sikri while reading the judgement said, “Aadhaar gives dignity to the marginalised. Dignity to the marginalised outweighs privacy.” He also observed that Aadhaar fails only 0.232% and dismantling it now would mean disturbing 99% of the population who have already been enrolled.
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and said that it empowers the marginalised sections of the society. However, it ruled that the Aadhar is not mandatory for school admissions and mobile phone connections
Read @ANI story | https://t.co/j7g8i0LkOv pic.twitter.com/byvG4xOo8v
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 26, 2018
Reportedly, Justice Sikri pronounced the judgement on behalf of himself, the CJI and Justice Khanwilkar while Justice Chandrachud and Justice A Bhushan have written their individual opinions. While the majority judgement upheld Aadhaar, Justice Chandrachud while reading his judgement held that the passage of the Aadhaar Act as a Money Bill is a fraud. Justice Chandrachud is the only dissenting judge who pronounced the Aadhaar Act to be unconstitutional.
Which sections of the Aadhaar act have been struck down?
The five-judge constitution bench has struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 which previously allowed private entities to use Aadhaar number for verification purposes.
The bench has also struck down a clause which allowed the Aadhaar governing body, UIDAI, to share data with specially authorised officers in the interest of national security. Justice Sikri also stated that Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than six months, whereas the act allows the storage of such data for up to five years.
What’s valid and what’s not?
The Supreme Court has upheld section 139AA of the Income Tax Act which mandates the linking of Aadhaar to PAN cards. However, it has said that the administration cannot make Aadhaar compulsory for school admission, and the requirement of Aadhaar by statutory bodies such as CBSE, NEET has also been struck down. It also said that linking of Aadhaar card with mobile numbers is unconstitutional.
#CORRECTION: Supreme Court on #Aadhaar: Aadhaar is NOT mandatory for UGC, NEET & CBSE examinations. (Original tweet will be deleted) https://t.co/KaCTudDHtb
— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2018
Some Key points from the SC majority Aadhaar verdict
Here are some of the key takeaways from today’s verdict which was pronounced by Justice Sikri:
The government needs to ensure that no illegal migrants get Aadhaar.
Asks Centre to introduce strong data protection laws soon
Aadhaar not mandatory for opening bank accounts
The bench stated, “minimal demographic & biometric data of citizens are collected by the UIDAI for Aadhaar enrolment. Aadhaar number given to a person is unique & can’t go to any other person.”
He also said, “There is a fundamental difference between Aadhaar card and identity. Once the biometric information is stored, it remains in the system.”
Also Read: 6 Years, 26 Judges And At Least 27 Petitioners: Here’s A Look At Aadhaar Case Timeline
Written by : Sromona Bhattacharyya
Edited by :
Transgenders Recognised As Independent Gender In PAN Application Form, To Have PAN Access
Karnataka: Aadhaar Project Director’s SIM Disabled Due To Aadhaar Issues
Bengaluru Police Finds Aadhaar-Based Discrepancy In The Issuing Of SIM Cards
RBI Clarifies It Is Mandatory For Bank Accounts To Be Linked With Aadhaar Under Money Laundering Act
UIDAI Publicly Lies About “Mandatory” Linking Of Aadhaar With Mobile SIM, Misquotes SC Order
Birth Certificate No Longer Mandatory For Passport; PAN, Aadhaar To Serve As Valid Proof
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Amazon is building a range of Prime Air delivery drones for various environments
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal — in Insider
Credit: Amazon
In an interview with Yahoo’s David Pogue, Amazon’s vice president for global public policy Paul Misener shared some details about the company’s Prime Air drones which it will use to deliver packages over ranges of 10 miles or more in under 30 minutes.
In November, the company showed off a prototype drone that could carry a payload of up to five pounds and fly at altitudes under 400 feet.
Misener explained that Amazon is working on a range of drones for various kinds of environments:
We have different prototypes we’re working on simultaneously — different kinds of drones for different kinds of delivery circumstances. Our customers in the United States live in hot, dry, dusty areas like Phoenix, but they also live in hot, wet, rainy environments like Orlando, or up in the Colorado Rockies.
Likewise, obviously, our customers live in a wide variety of buildings. Some live in rural farmhouses, some live in high-rise city skyscrapers, and then everything in between, in suburban and exurban environments. We want to be able to serve all of those customers. And it may take a different kind of a drone to best work in each one.
As for apartment buildings, Misener said that Amazon might need to rethink its designs:
We’re working on it. And again, it might be changing the design of the drones, so that they better serve that kind of an urban environment.
He also explained the company’s “sense and avoid” technology that helps drones prevent collisions:
These drones are more like horses than cars — and let me explain why. If you have a small tree in your front yard, and you want to bang your car into it for some reason, you can do that. Your spouse might not be happy with you, but you can do it.
But try riding a horse into the tree. It won’t do it. The horse will see the tree and go around it. Same way our drones will not run into trees, because they will know not to run into it.
Misener noted the regulatory challenges involved in introducing these drones in countries across the world. Amazon has proposed a multi-tier airspace to separate drones from other types of aircraft, in which manned vehicles would fly above 500 feet and drones would operate between 200 and 400 feet.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Amazon permission to test its commercial drones in April 2014, but is yet to firm up regulations concerning their use.
Misener said that if the FAA can’t implement its rules by the time the company’s drones are good to go, Amazon is prepared to launch Prime Air in other countries that are ready for it.
Last March, The Independent reported that UK transport minister Robert Goodwill said he had been approached by Amazon executives to test Prime Air drones in the country.
Goodwill added that the government is “working with Amazon and working on the whole issue of drones… We’re meeting with the British Airline Pilots Association and we’re both keen to innovate.”
➤ Amazon Reveals Details About Its Crazy Drone Delivery Program [Yahoo Tech]
Read next: Why you may want to include password retrieval instructions in your will
AmazonAmazon PrimeTech
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The Monsters of Galloway: The Vampires of Wigtown: Part 4: The Blue Devil
It had been 5 long torturous days for Linda. She had seen one of her best friends, slaughtered in the streets in cold blood and another dragged from the cage they had stuffed him in and torn to pieces. She knew that any minute she could be next. Now and again, Linda actually almost welcomed her death so that she would be free of this nightmare, but then she thought back to how they killed Stephen and she began to tremble in fear.
The Vampires had taken Stephen and Linda to their lair, an underground cave system beneath an old mansion that was by a cliff edge over a beach.
The Vampires kept the other unfortunate souls they had snatched off of the streets and in the countryside in cages which were at the top of the cave system. In the lower levels of the system however lived the Vampires ruler. The Blue Devil.
The Blue Devil as he was known was a member of a different breed of Vampires to those who had captured Linda . His breed were known as the Kelad. They were all but extinct. In fact the Blue Devil was the last of his kind. They were among the strongest breed of Vampires. None of the Melesk could possibly hope to challenge the Blue Devil in a fight. He ruled by force and was a viciously cruel leader.
The Blue Devil was not part of the war between the Vampires and the Mermaids. In fact he didn’t even come from the ocean. His home was much further away than that.
All of the Blue Devils minions despised him. If given the opportunity they’d have brutally murdered the beast, but ultimately they all to the last were too terrified to lift a finger against the monster. Well that is except for one of them. Barek.
Barek had been a high ranking Vampire who had sought to overthrow the Emperor of the Vampires under the sea. Vampires were always such backstabbing, selfish, power hungry little roaches that they regularly betrayed each other.
The last Emperor that Barek had fought with was himself a usurper. The only way a Vampire leader was ever able to maintain power was through fear. Sadly for the Emperor he was not quite as cruel as The Blue Devil and therefore wasn’t able to hold on to power in quite the same way. He had to deal with constant attempts to seize his throne and as a result under his rule the empire weakened which was one of the reasons it ultimately fell.
Barek had been on the cusp of taking control when the Vampires were finally banished from the sea. He had still managed to take control of a small group of Vampires that had fled to Galloway. Unfortunately for him a few months later the Blue Devil arrived in Galloway and took control of the Vampire population. Barek had hoped to take over a small town and turn its population into the Vampires food source. It was of course a massive comedown from wanting to rule a massive empire, but it was his best option for now.
He wanted to emulate the Demons that had taken over Port Logan. However The Blue Devil ruined these plans. None of the Vampires really knew just what it was he wanted. He was always working on some massive spell in the deepest, darkest caverns of the cave.
The Blue Devil simply used the Vampires as a means to an end. They brought him humans to keep his strength up, anything he needed for the spell, and guard his base. He wanted the Vampires to keep as low a profile as possible as he did not want any disturbances to his spell.
Barek still feared the Blue Devil, but unlike all of the others he actively made plans against the monster. He knew that the monsters key weakness was gold. Any weapon made of gold, provided it could pierce the Vampires heart would instantly destroy the Blue Devil. Furthermore a weapon made of gold could also leave scars and injuries that would never heal.
Barek had managed to forge a weapon of gold from some of the treasure he had stolen from the Emperors palace just before it was raided by the Mermaids after the Emperor had been killed.
Barek finally decided that tonight he was going to kill the Blue Devil. It took a lot for any Vampire to muster up even the tiniest bit of courage as they were all such pathetic cowards. Still Barek used his fear of living under the Blue Devil to motivate him to try and slay the monster. The Blue Devil did not tolerate any kind of failure. He would often maim his followers if they failed or worse throw them into the pit where his vile pet, the Selectros lived.
The Selectros was a monster that had originally belonged to the Emperor of the Vampires. It was a gigantic Jellyfish like Demon. It had a massive brown shell, with huge long sprawling tentacles that emerged from under it. It also was capable of spraying a large green webbing that it would use to trap its prey. The Demon would then tear its victims apart slowly, before it ate them.
They were among the most feared monsters in the entire ocean. Vampires and Mermaids alike lived in absolute terror of the beasts. This creature however had been tamed by the Emperor, who used to feed it Mermaids. The monster actually had loyalty to the Emperor, but sadly it was only to the Emperor and not his subjects.
After his death it went on a massive rampage throughout the city. The monster was eventually driven out to the surface by the Mermaids, where it wandered the countryside feeding primarily on any stray Demons for a few weeks. It preferred the taste of supernatural creatures flesh as that was all it had ever eaten under the ocean. Ironically the Selectros helped to curb the Demons population in Galloway for a while.
The monster resided in a large cave by the beach and would emerge only at night to hunt for Demons. The beach its cave existed in would of course later be cut off to the public by Rentros.
Eventually however when the Blue Devil arrived in Galloway he made his base of operations just above the cave the Selectros lived in. It was the perfect base as the cave system he and his minions lived in was too small for the Selectros to enter, so they were perfectly safe. Added to that the Selectros itself served as a perfect guard dog for the base too.
The Blue Devil was in the middle of casting some spell. Barek still had no idea what it was. The Blue Devil had spent virtually his entire time in Galloway in the cave working non stop on this spell.
That was the only thing Barek regretted about the Blue Devils impending death. Now he would never know just what he was doing.
The Blue Devil noticed Barek enter the room.
“Well? You would dare to disturb my work? Speak! This had better be important.”
All the courage Barek had spent ages working up faded almost instantly. He seemed so pathetic and unimpressive compared to Devil who towered over him and whose voice was so loud and booming it practically knocked Barek off his feet.
Still Barek didn’t want to back down. Holding the gold knife behind his back, Barek said
“We’ve all had enough of your leadership. The rest are such a pathetic, spineless bunch they won’t say, but I will. I despise you. We once ruled the seas and now look at us? Skulking beneath an old mansion, doing all the dirty work so you can tinker about with magics down here? Forget it! I’m not serving you a second longer!”
The Blue Devils face filled with rage.
“You are nothing but a little stain compared to me do you understand! You talk of some pathetic tin pot empire where you ruled over fish! You couldn’t even begin to comprehend the power I seek, nor what I have already done to get it! ”
Before the Blue Devil could finish his grandiose speech, Barek ran at him. He hoped that he could catch the Blue Devil off guard but the Devil reacted fast and struck Barek.
With one hit he sent Barek flying across the room and over the edge of the pit where the Selectros lived. Barek managed to grab onto the green webbing near the top. He could hear the monster roaring below as its tentacles began to reach out to grab him.
Still he held onto his gold knife. That was his lifeline, if he lost it, then he would have no chance.
The Blue Devil wandered near the pit laughing at Barek. “If you don’t want to follow me that’s fine. You can always die!”
Barek however acted quickly. Pulling out his knife he struck the Blue Devil in the leg. The Blue Devil screamed in agony, grabbing his leg as his flesh began to sizzle and boil in reaction to the gold.
Barek tried to stab the Blue Devil again, but it managed to grab his hand. The monster then slowly began to crush Barek’s arm which its inhuman strength allowed it to do effortlessly.
Barek dropped the knife but he quickly caught it in his other arm. He was able to let go of the webbing as ironically the Blue Devil himself was now holding Barek up over the pit.
Barek slashed the Devel across the stomach causing it to drop him, but Barek managed to stab the wall with his gold knife. Before the Selectors’s tentacles could grab him, Barek hurled himself out of the pit with his demonic strength, still clutching the knife and jumped over the Blue Devil. The Blue Devil was overwhelmed with the pain and before he could do anything in retaliation, Barek slashed him across the face. The monster doubled back in pain to the edge of the pit. Seizing his chance Barek rammed into the Devil and sent him tumbling into the Selectros’ pit below.
He watched as the tentacles enveloped his former leader and pulled him below, seemingly to his death.
Barek couldn’t believe it. “He’s gone. I did it. I really did it.” He began to laugh hysterically. Oh the irony of the Blue Devil who always went on about gaining ultimate power over all of creation ending up as nothing more than a snack for a Selectros. “I hope you enjoy your future as Demon shit” Barek yelled down the pit before he took off to inform his followers of the wonderful news.
Little did he know the Blue Devil was not dead yet. The Selectros had managed to catch him off guard when he was still in agony but now that he had regained his composure the Selectros was discovering that the Blue Devil was a much less easy meal than a Mermaid.
Barek made his way to the room with the cage of humans where all the Vampires were sitting. They were waiting to be told which of their captives they could feed on and which ones where for their master.
As soon as Barek entered still holding his gold knife, dripping in blood most of the Vampires realised what had happened and were giddy with delight.
“Our former leader is no more. In fact right now he’s probably making his way through the digestive system of his former pet” Barek said whilst smiling. “We are free my friends. No more hiding in caves, no more doing errands for a blue moron. Now we will have all the helpless, vulnerable humans we want.”
Barek and the rest of the Vampires suddenly looked at the humans locked in their cages. Linda kept her cool. She knew that her only chance was to try and attack the Vampire when it was opening the cage.
Linda was the last to be pulled out of her cage. She had seen the others try and fight only to be hopelessly overpowered.
The Vampires would always leave one victim until last so that they could see what was in store for them.
When the Vampire finally came to open the door, Linda tried to punch and kick the monster as hard as she could. It made no difference. The Vampire laughed at Linda’s attempts to defend herself. It threw her from the cage and onto the ground below. It then jumped on her and started scratching her with its talons.
Linda did not give up however. Even with the pain she was in and the stench from all the Vampires in the room that just made her want to vomit, she kept trying to struggle free from the monster.
In the long agonising fight Linda managed to grab a small rock on the floor. She started hitting the Vampire in the face frantically without even looking. She managed to get a lucky hit in and struck the Vampire in the eye. The monster winced back in pain and Linda wasting no time kicked the beast in the chest with both feet sending it backwards.
She then scrambled to her feet and ran down the corridor as fast as she could. She didn’t know where she was going, she just had to get out of here.
The other Vampires were too busy finishing their kills, whilst the Vampire she had hit was still in pain so Linda was able to get a head start on the Vampires. Not that it mattered much anyway as Linda soon got lost in the maze like corridors of the caverns. She ran about desperately trying to find a way to escape. Meanwhile she could also hear the Vampires in the distance screaming with bloodlust. She was sure any minute, that she would turn a corner and come face to face with the stinking monsters, when suddenly the screaming stopped.
She was so sure the Vampires were chasing her, but now she began to think that they had left to go hunting. She tread very carefully through the caves constantly ready to run at the slightest noise. After feeling like she had been walking through those damp, musky, smelly caverns for hours she suddenly came across the exit.
It was a thin ladder leading to a small hole which in turn led to the mansion above the caves. Linda began to climb it but as she reached the top she suddenly felt something grab her foot.
The force was tremendous. Even greater than the Vampires that had abducted her.
It pulled her down instantly, slamming her to the ground. When Linda came too she saw an immense, hideous, blue skinned monster standing over her.
“Who are you? Little girl?” It bellowed.
Lindsey McIntosh
Previous PostThe Monsters of Galloway: The Vampires of Wigtown: Part 3: The Dark Secrets of GallowayNext PostThe Monsters of Galloway: The Vampires of Wigtown: Part 5: The Sacking of Wigtown
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Slushy Guts - A Host Of Freakish Others Revolving In The Future EP
Ugh. Cats on record covers is so 2010. To be honest, Stephen Keane and his rotating band of musicians (a trio featuring Sophie Brown and Gerry Burgess here) were probably unaware that cats had been featured on covers at all (Best Coast and Klaxons spring to mind), let alone be worried about what other people are doing. Slushy Guts exist on the periphery of even the alternative music world, and this new EP is further evidence. You will have noticed that it's called 'A Host Of Freakish Others Revolving In The Future', which is a bit of a mouthful, so it would be better condensed down to the initials 'WTF'. Naturally this set of songs is a lo-fi affair, but perhaps not in the regular sense. It's not sparingly produced, it's just kind of... recorded. So the "lo" bit doesn't really fit, which I guess would make this EP come under the new genre of "fi".
There's brief hope at the start of 'ALAS!' that proper songs might be on their way, but by the end of four minutes of half-spoken talking in some kind of tune (singing would be pushing it) and with what sounds like a kid they've dragged in off the street bashing about on some boxes with some sticks, that hope is pretty well totally diminished, only to be given a brief reprise when someone manages to get an electric guitar working. There's melody at the beginning of 'The Shape Of My Face Does Sometimes Change' but little else happens except for the vocals joining in and that kid with his boxes again; 'Just Drinking More Peaceful Then' is like a demo that was recorded on a child's tape player, possibly while drinking. Out of all the songs called 'Wolves In Space/Alturistic Therianthropes', Slushy Guts' version is probably my favourite, random collections of noises accompanying a song with absolutely no direction takes some skill. Hold up! 'WTF' does contain something akin to a song after all! It's called 'More-Days/Moretimes' and we've included it below. Confusingly (as if the rest of the EP wasn't anyway) we finish with another track called 'ALAS!', and this is downbeat and has the feel of a closing chapter. It also shows a worrying temptation to veer towards proper songs again though. Whatever the hell lot just was, we kinda liked it.
A HOST OF FREAKISH OTHERS REVOLVING IN THE FUTURE 10" EP by Slushy Guts
Slushy Guts' website
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SNL's Trump will end the shutdown for a 'hamberder'
live from new york
Saturday Night Live returned from a holiday hiatus with Alec Baldwin as President Trump playing Deal or No Deal to end the partial government shutdown, as "a TV game show with women holding briefcases" is the "only format [he] can understand."
SNL's Trump gives an overview of the plan the real president proposed earlier Saturday, but host Steve Harvey (Kenan Thompson) has an array of alternative deals from congressional leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Kate McKinnon) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Alex Moffat). Trump cannot be tempted by their pitches, but when a Clemson University football player shows up with some "hamberders," he's ready to talk.
Watch the full sketch below. Bonnie Kristian
As everyone knows by now, on Sunday Trump tweeted that four Democratic congresswomen of color should "go back" to their "crime infested" home countries. Three of the women were born in the United States, and the fourth arrived as a refugee from Somalia and is now a naturalized citizen. "If their country is broken and crime infested, that's on you," Meyers said. "Trump accidentally burned himself. It's like if someone said, 'Man your parents must have really screwed you up,' and that someone was your mom."
Most of Meyers' ire went beyond Trump to Republican lawmakers who are bending over backwards not to comment on the situation, and he played a montage of some senators who fled to elevators to avoid having to speak to reporters. He also singled out Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, who was a congressman during the Obama administration. In the new book American Carnage, author Tim Alberta writes that in 2016, Mulvaney said Republicans would not let "Donald Trump dismantle the Bill of Rights," and bristled at the idea that their constant pushback against Obama was racist, saying they would treat a president of their own party the same way. That's just not true, Meyers said, as Republicans "are literally hiding in elevators to avoid criticizing Trump." Watch the video below. Catherine Garcia
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Almie Rose
Let's watch Lost tonight. You can be my black John Locke tonight. My book is available here.
How To Take Something That Isn’t A Big Deal And Make It The Biggest Deal In The World
Take the worst possible outcome and imagine it until it feels inevitable. Make that your reality.
By Almie Rose, 30 Apr 2013
Dominos Pizza, Please Stop Emailing Me
“We’re tossing Thursdays into the Mon-Wed $7.99 Large 3-Topping carryout mix!”
‘Splash’: The Craziest Television Show Ever Made
And you may ask yourself, well, “How did this show get here?”
Critiquing Wes Anderson’s Movie Posters
Here are my smart critiques that I think would really help Wes Anderson and his movies and I’m pretty sure he would agree with me I have a really good eye for art and design.
Why Dick Van Dyke Is Your Dream Man
He dances like Bambi figuring out how to walk and then getting its legs slashed in half and then saying, “Fuck this, I’m not done” and then building new legs and walking on those better than his natural legs.
By Almie Rose, 7 Apr 2013
How To Marry Paul McCartney
Wait until he’s vulnerable. This will take about 3 – 5 years. After that, he will most likely be divorced. After that, you have a three-month window to pounce.
By Almie Rose, 26 Mar 2013
5 ‘Seinfeld’ Plots Killed By The Internet
JERRY: You’re going to shut down some poor girl’s Tumblr? GEORGE: IT’S ALL I GOT, JERRY! ALL I GOT.
How To Get A Musician Boyfriend
3. Be famous.
Top 5 Most Condescending Things You Can Say To Someone
“It’s gonna be okay.” Oh, is it? Is it, future wizard? Of course you can say it’s okay, you’re not the one sobbing in a bar singing “Drops of Jupiter” at karaoke night, are you?
By Almie Rose, 1 Mar 2013
The Top 10 Hottest Babies
This baby was so hot that even David Bowie wanted him. If David Bowie wants to kidnap you, say yes. Parents need to educate their children on the dangers of being kinapped by anyone but David Bowie.
By Almie Rose, 9 Oct 2012
About Almie
Hi, I can’t do 3rd person, it’s too weird. I’m Almie. I also write for Hello Giggles my own blog, Apocalypstick. I was drunk when I wrote this. We’re going to need a bigger vodka.
Almie’s Book
Contact Almie
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Freezing Point / Freeze
Freezing Point / Freeze is the process of changing a liquid to a solid. The temperature at which a liquid solidifies under any given set of conditions. Pure water under atmospheric pressure freezes at 0°C or 32°F.
The process of changing a liquid to a solid. The temperature at which a liquid solidifies under any given set of conditions. Pure water under atmospheric pressure freezes at 0°C or 32°F.
In physical science, freezing or solidification is the process in which a liquid turns into a solid when cold enough.
The freezing point is the temperature at which this happens. Melting, the process of turning a solid to a liquid, is almost the exact opposite of freezing.
All known liquids undergo freezing when the temperature is lowered enough, with the sole exception of liquid helium, which remains liquid at absolute zero and can only be solidified under pressure.
For most substances, the melting and freezing points are the same temperature, however, certain substances possess differing solid-liquid transition temperatures.
[edit] Also See
Eutectic system
Felt air temperature
Snow temperature gradient
Water Vapor
Phase change
Snowmaking system
[edit] Reference
Wikipedia Freezing [1]
Return to Snow and Weather Glossary, Working with Snow, Freestyle Skiing
Retrieved from "http://wiki.fis-ski.com/index.php/Freezing_Point_/_Freeze"
Categories: Freestyle Glossary | Working with Snow and the Weather | Weather | Snow | Freestyle Course Preparation
This page was last modified 19:47, 6 February 2012.
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Yakov Gakkel
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. (February 2012)
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Yakov Yakovlevich Gakkel (Russian: Яков Яковлевич Гаккель) (July 18, 1901, Saint Petersburg — December 30, 1965, Leningrad) was a Soviet oceanographer, doctor of geographical sciences (1950), professor, director of the geography department of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, son of scientist Yakov Modestovich Gakkel.
Yakov Gakkel participated in numerous Arctic expeditions, including the ones on icebreakers Sibiryakov (1932) and Chelyuskin (1934). He was the first one to create a bathymetric map of the Arctic basin.
Yakov Gakkel was awarded two orders and several medals during his scientific career. In 1966, one of the mid-oceanic ridges was named after him.
This article includes content derived from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969–1978, which is partially in the public domain.
Polar exploration
Research stations
Farthest North
Barentsz
North Magnetic Pole
J. Ross
J. C. Ross
Polaris expedition
C. F. Hall
Bessels
British Arctic Expedition
HMS Alert
HMS Discovery
Lady Franklin Bay Expedition
Greely
Nansen's Fram expedition
Johansen
Sverdrup
Amedeo
Andrée's Balloon Expedition
S. A. Andrée
F. Cook
SS Roosevelt
Sedov
Wisting
Riiser-Larsen
Airship Italia
ANT-25
Chkalov
Baydukov
Belyakov
Drifting ice stations
Papanin
Shirshov
E. Fyodorov
Krenkel
NP-36
Badygin
USS Nautilus
USS Skate
Plaisted
NS Arktika
Barneo
Mir submersibles
Sagalevich
Chilingarov
Pytheas
Naddodd
Garðar
Ingólfr
Norse colonization of the Americas
Gunnbjörn
Snæbjörn galti
Erik the Red
Christian IV's expeditions
J. Hall
Lindenov
C. Richardson
Danish colonization
G. Corte-Real
M. Corte-Real
Frobisher
Bylot
I. Fyodorov
Gvozdev
HMS Resolution
J. Cook
Clerke
HMS Griper
HMS Hecla
HMS Fury
Hoppner
Crozier
Coppermine Expedition
Dease
HMS Blossom
Beechey
Franklin's lost expedition
HMS Erebus
HMS Terror
Collinson
Rae–Richardson Expedition
J. Richardson
McClure Expedition
HMS Investigator
HMS Resolute
Kellett
Bellot
Inglefield
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Related to Yakov Gakkel
Yakov Smirnoff
Yakov Naumovich Pokhis, better known as Yakov Smirnoff, is a Soviet-born American comedian, actor and writer. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in Ukraine, then immigrated to the United States in 1977 in order to pursue an American show business career, not yet knowing any English. He reached his biggest success in the mid-to-late 1980s, appearing in several films and the television sitcom vehicle What a Country!. His comic persona was of a naive immigrant from the Soviet Union who was perpetually confused and delighted by life in the United States. His humor combined a mockery of life under communism and of consumerism in the United States, as well as word play caused by misunderstanding of American phrases and culture, all punctuated by the catchphrase, "And I thought, 'What a country!'"
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Charges dropped against woman accused of assaulting Conway
Updated: April 15, 2019 10:43 AM CDT
In this Feb. 22, 2019, fjle photo, counsellor to the U.S. president Kellyanne Conway speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington. Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Prosecutors have dropped a criminal case against a Maryland woman who was charged with assaulting White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway during a confrontation last year at a restaurant in a Washington suburb.
A trial for Mary Elizabeth Inabinett, 63, of Chevy Chase, was scheduled to start Monday morning in Montgomery County, Md. Instead, a county prosecutor asked a judge to dismiss the charges.
Police had charged Inabinett last November with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
Conway told police she was attending a birthday party with her teenage daughter at a Mexican restaurant in Bethesda, Md., last October when she felt somebody grab her shoulders from behind and shake her. The woman who confronted Conway yelled, “Shame on you” and “other comments believed to about Conway’s political views,” according to a charging document prepared by Montgomery County police.
Conway wasn’t injured, the document says.
Montgomery County prosecutor Kathy Knight said Inabinett sent Conway a letter apologizing for the incident.
“She has apologized for choosing this time and place to vent her political views,” Knight said. “That was inappropriate.”
Knight noted Inabinett had never been arrested for a crime before.
Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office said dropping the charges is “the best resolution for this particular set of circumstance.”
Maraya Pratt, an attorney for Inabinett said she couldn’t immediately comment.
In a CNN interview earlier this year, Conway said she was standing next to her middle school-aged daughter and some of her daughter’s friends when the woman began shaking her “to the point where I thought maybe somebody was hugging me.” She said it felt “weird” and “a little aggressive,” so she turned around to face the woman.
“She was just unhinged. She was out of control,” she said. “Her whole face was terror and anger.”
Conway said she told U.S. President Donald Trump about the incident “long after” it happened. She said Trump asked her, “Are you OK? Is your daughter OK? Are the other girls OK?”
The restaurant’s manager told police the woman who confronted Conway had to be forcibly removed from the premises. Conway told police the woman yelled and gestured at her for 8 to 10 minutes before she was escorted out of the restaurant. Conway’s daughter provided officers with a short video clip and photograph of the encounter.
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'Blood bricks': How climate change is trapping Cambodians in modern slavery
By Holly Robertson
Updated October 16, 2018 11:13:21
Photo: Researchers estimate that tens of thousands of Cambodians are trapped as bonded labourers in the brickmaking industry. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
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Map: Cambodia
Climate change is forcing Cambodian farmers off their lands and into the clutches of a predatory brickmaking industry where a lifetime of debt bondage awaits them and their children, according to a study released today.
The poorest, most indebted farmers are entering brickmaking as bonded labourers
Many take their whole families, meaning child labour is endemic in the industry
Factory owners keep children or the elderly as "de facto hostages" when workers want to travel
Researchers from Royal Holloway at the University of London have for the first time drawn a clear link between climate change and modern slavery in Cambodia's brickmaking industry, where indebted former-farmers are putting their families' lives on the line to make so-called "blood bricks" that feed the country's construction boom.
"The impact of climate inducing [people] to migrate is something that we see across a lot of industries, but the debt bondage is something unique to the brick industry," researcher Laurie Parsons told the ABC.
Video: Cambodian brick workers become virtual slaves (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti) (The World)
It's really striking, it's extremely widespread. It isn't something that just happens in some factories — it happens in every factory."
Cambodia is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with unseasonable drought and unpredictable rainfall increasingly forcing farmers to search for jobs in cities.
Dr Parsons said that transplanting — a cost-effective, traditional farming method of moving rice between fields — relied on rain falling predictably during two peaks of the year, which used to occur with regularity.
Photo: Most Cambodian farmers primarily cultivate rice, a pursuit the researchers say has become precarious in part due to climate change. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
"Now the rainfall comes in one large lump and [even] less predictably within that, [so] it's necessary to do different kinds of farming that require a lot more money," he said.
"This means that every farmer risks not only not having a good crops, but of being bankrupt every time they farm."
Many, burdened by spiralling microfinance debt and hounded by loan sharks, are now turning as a last resort to brick factory owners, who buy up their debts and put them to work until they can pay off the money.
The only problem is, few people ever can or do pay off the loans.
One woman, who was identified only as Achariya in the report to protect her identity, said that she was told to take over her parents' debt when she reached adulthood.
"My debt keeps on increasing now that I have a husband and children," she said.
"In the future, my children will do the same, sign their thumbprints to take my place."
'It's a place where people go and don't come back'
Photo: Brick-moulding machines like this one present a serious danger of limb loss, but workers have little choice but to use them. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
"Brickmaking is very difficult and physically demanding work — it tends to be something the poorest people do," Dr Parsons said.
"It's very much a last resort.
"Nobody wants to work in the brick industry; everybody knows it's a place where people go and they don't come back."
Whole families work on the brick kilns — a dirty, low-paid, and physically dangerous job — to create construction materials for some of Phnom Penh's most luxurious developments.
Photo: Children that grow up in the brick factories can also end up taking on their parents' debt when they reach adulthood. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
And when they want to travel home for a special occasion — such as a wedding or a funeral — it's common for one family member to stay behind at the factory.
"In some cases you see family members being kept as de facto hostages, often a child or an elder member," he said.
"A few family members will be allowed to leave while the other ones are kept back, sometimes in the kiln owner's house."
Photo: It is commonplace for children to live in brick factories with their parents, who are often working to pay off thousands of dollars in debt. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
The new research estimates that tens of thousands of people across the country could be affected.
Dr Parsons' research team spent months talking to families who had entered the notorious industry, with many sharing harrowing tales of loss and hardship.
Photo: Many of the workers have lived most of their lives in the brick factories — and their children face a similar future. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
Cambodia has enacted legislation prohibiting the use of child labour and forced labour, and is also a signatory to relevant international laws.
But Dr Parsons said authorities did not enforce the laws in the brickmaking industry as it "isn't seen as a priority".
The ABC sought comment from the Government and contacted a spokesperson, but no comment was provided.
Amputated limbs and life-threatening illnesses
Photo: Brick kilns are notorious for the pollution they emit into the atmosphere, a situation that is worsened when they burn rags for fuel. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
Brickmaking — particularly using the rudimentary kilns most commonly employed in Cambodia — comes with major health risks including the possibility of amputated limbs from the dangerous machinery and life-threatening respiratory illnesses developed from noxious gases released into the atmosphere, which also contributes to environmental degradation.
"One of the things we see in brick kilns is that a lot of people simply drop dead at a relatively young age, in their 30s and 40s and 50s," Dr Parsons said.
"There was a woman who lost her husband to that kind of sudden death; she lost her brother and her child had an accident a couple of years ago where he fell underneath a stack of brick and broke his back.
"Just talking to her and seeing how she was able to cope and maintain dignity, that was something I found quite amazing."
And amid all this pain and suffering, Dr Parsons said, brick kiln owners generally don't think there's anything wrong with what they're doing.
Photo: In many rural villages, families are just one illness away from having to enter brick work due to unsustainable debt. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
As kiln owners buy the finished bricks on a piece-rate basis from workers, they believe they are removed from any responsibility for the production process.
"This is one of the reasons child labour is so endemic, because they don't buy the bricks from the child, they buy them from the head of the family, usually the father," Dr Parsons explained.
"And whether their wife is involved or their children are involved in making the bricks, that's not the brick kiln owner's problem, as far as they see it.
"They just provide the equipment."
Photo: Most of the so-called "blood bricks" are used in luxury construction project in Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. (Supplied: Royal Holloway, University of London/Thomas Cristofoletti)
Topics: climate-change, human-rights, manufacturing, air-pollution, agriculture, health, cambodia, asia
First posted October 16, 2018 10:58:08
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Australia's cricket selectors have agendas, says Ed Cowan, amid punishing series against India
By Tom Wildie
Updated January 06, 2019 21:57:29
Photo: The national selectors have copped plenty of criticism amid a damaging and gruelling series against India. (AP: Rick Rycroft)
Map: Sydney 2000
Former Test opener Ed Cowan says there needs to be an overhaul to Australian cricket's national selection panel, with more current or recently retired players involved in the process.
Ed Cowan says Australia should model its national cricket selection panel on England's, using out-of-contention players
Cowan says the likes of George Bailey and Cameron White should be on the selection panel
Comes as Nathan Coulter-Nile questions his omission from Australia's ODI side in a World Cup year
Australia's current selection panel consists of Trevor Hohns, national coach Justin Langer, and former Australian captain Greg Chappell.
Speaking on ABC Grandstand on day four of the fourth Test against India, Cowan said he wanted to see something similar to England's selection panel, which appointed recently retired batsman James Taylor as a selector last July.
"I hope there is an overhaul," Cowan said.
"They [England] have a chief selector and one other off-sider of which is James Taylor — a recently retired player who knows each and every player in the county system inside and out.
"Their mental ability, their technical ability, their skills, what they bring into teams. At the moment, we're almost two generations past that.
"The demands of the game are changing, and at the moment I think we've got selectors with agendas."
Photo: Ed Cowan played the last of his 18 Tests during the 2013 Ashes tour. (Action Images: Jason Cairnduff )
Cowan believes Australia cricket would benefit from having players not in selection contention as part of the panel.
"Cameron White should be a national selector. I said that to [former high performance coach] Pat Howard last year," he said.
"George Bailey should be a national selector. Or one of those two, who are not going to play international cricket again, but they have their finger so close to the pulse.
"They're on the field the whole time, they're seeing things and they're smart enough and they're interested enough to not have the natural bias towards people in their team.
"I think we miss a trick by appointing two people well and truly out of the game."
Coulter-Nile questions his omission from ODI team
Cowan's comments followed criticism from dumped paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile, who said the communication regarding his non-selection in the upcoming One Day series against India was "poor".
Photo: Nathan Coulter-Nile (right) says back pain should not be enough reason for an axing from the ODI side. (AP: Rajanish Kakade)
"I didn't take [the news] the best, to be honest," Coulter-Nile told ABC Radio.
"I think it was communicated to me really poorly."
In naming the 14-man squad for the three-match series, Hohns said the 31-year-old wasn't picked on the advice of medical staff after experiencing back pain.
"I won't go into it, but I don't think soreness is really any excuse for not playing cricket," Coulter-Nile said.
"In fairness, I hadn't had a [back] scan yet. I had had back soreness and back history, but I hadn't had a scan to see what was wrong. I had one when I got home and it was all clear."
Coulter-Nile played in the Perth Scorchers' loss to the Brisbane Heat on Saturday night, and finished with figures of 3-25.
Topics: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, australia, nsw, india
First posted January 06, 2019 21:27:51
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Blaming this weakened Australian side or the MCG pitch is glossing over India's brilliance
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Tired Australia flounders in the field, but opportunity awaits in Melbourne
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Social media sources
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M-360 is a web-based tool from M-Brain Norway that lets users search across a wide variety of sources. It can be used to monitor and analyse topics, organisations, and people in real-time and it's used by those working in public relations, information, business development and journalism. In the first part of our product review, we look at the company and product, value, who it competes with, and future development plans.
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Opoint Technology's M-360 is a web-based tool from M-Brain, a Finnish information services, technology and advisory company. It is one of the world's leading media monitoring products and allows subscribers to search across a wide variety of sources by crawling and indexing over four billion...
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With the advent of 24-hour news and social media, it's become even more important for businesses to stay current. There are now more outlets and channels to satisfy our desire for real-time information. Social media platforms that allow us to distribute and share content easily and speedily, also allow for commentary and engagement. Allowing this engagement and even fostering it, must be balanced with the challenges that are inherent with viewing news or information through a social lens.
The secret to self-service success
As our use of technology has increased, so too have our expectations. We expect more autonomy with our tools, both in the personal and work sphere. This article looks at self-sufficiency, and explores customisation, source selection and immediacy and offers some tips on how to work better with vendors to incorporate self-service tools into the organisation.
News literacy - are we battling an age of misinformation?
How can organisations educate their staff so that they can distinguish between facts and social media speculation, identify a reliable source and whether there is a trade-off between the currency of news and its accuracy? Business information consultant, Colin Smith, discusses the importance of news literacy in the age of misinformation and what the various news aggregation platforms are doing to help identify inaccurate news.
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Did enviro groups just make a deal with the devil?
Bryan Farrell May 19, 2010
Nine environmental groups have agreed to end their boycotts of 21 forestry compa nies in exchange for a commitment to suspend logging and road building immediately on nearly two-thirds of Canada’s forests, stretching from British Columbia to Newfoundland. According to The Guardian:
The immediate gains include an end to highly destructive logging in the last remaining expanses of intact forests, protection for the remaining woodland caribou, whose population has shrunk to 36,000, and preservation of an important resource in fighting climate change. Scientists believe that the soil and trees in Canada’s coniferous forests store up to 20bn tonnes of carbon.
Unfortunately, we can’t expect that logging companies are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. So what’s the rub? According to Avrim Lazar, president of the Forest Products Association of Canada, which represents the companies:
“We know that tomorrow’s markets are going to be judging forestry products on their environmental credentials. Having the environmentalist community on our side means that we are getting a huge branding advantage.”
Such bluntly opportunistic wording reminds me of how the World Wildlife Foundation came to the aid of IKEA when it was facing bad PR, as detailed in a recent great story by The Nation about the corruption of major conservation groups:
When it was revealed that many of IKEA’s dining room sets were made from trees ripped from endangered forests, the World Wildlife Fund leapt to the company’s defense, saying–wrongly–that IKEA “can never guarantee” this won’t happen. Is it a coincidence that WWF is a “marketing partner” with IKEA, and takes cash from the company?
If we are to learn from this story, we must buffer our excitement over the news of this environmental victory with a commitment to make sure it isn’t later corrupted by corporate power.
Bryan Farrell
Bryan Farrell is a Waging Nonviolence co-founder and editor. He also hosts and produces WNV's podcast, We Are Many. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Nation, Mother Jones, Slate, Grist and Earth Island Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bryanwith2eyes.
Tags: Animal rights, Boycotts, Canada, Climate change, Land rights
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pv says:
On the other hand, those running these corporations are likely to never actually care about the environment (certainly not against their profits). Offering a sort of tradeoff (you do something concrete and substantial for the environment, we give you environment credibility) might be an effective tactic to make those running corporations actually do something concrete and substantial.
This is not to deny the concerns you express; I would certainly expect such corporations to exploit that credibility (which is why, even after such tradeoffs, vigilance must remain constant, as your last sentence suggests). But it may be environmental credibility is the best “commodity” environmentalists can offer an entity that is only concerned with commodities and not actual good.
Toban Black says:
Here a write-up that offers some critical perspective on the deal –
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/3444
Vancouver Media Co-op says:
The VMC recently got a hold of the “confidential” agreement and published it on its website
Also a response from First Nations and environmental activists that don’t agree with the deal
Disillusionment and disappointment with Aung San Suu Kyi
Kirsten Han
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Javier Gárate
How Bernie Sanders can harness the kind of momentum transforming British politics
‘I never want anyone else to go through what I did’
<p>Nine environmental groups have agreed to end their boycotts of 21 forestry compa<a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-logging-20100519,0,7009830.story"></a>nies in exchange for a commitment to suspend logging and road building immediately on nearly two-thirds of Canada’s forests, stretching from British Columbia to Newfoundland. According to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/18/canadian-logging-campaigners" target="_blank"><em>The Guardian</em></a>:</p> <p>Unfortunately, we can’t expect that logging companies are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. So what’s the rub? According to Avrim Lazar, president of the Forest Products Association of Canada, which represents the companies:</p> <p>Such bluntly opportunistic wording reminds me of how the World Wildlife Foundation came to the aid of IKEA when it was facing bad PR, as detailed in a <a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/wrong-kind-green" target="_blank">recent great story by <em>The Nation</em></a> about the corruption of major conservation groups:</p> <p>If we are to learn from this story, we must buffer our excitement over the news of this environmental victory with a commitment to make sure it isn’t later corrupted by corporate power.</p>
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°F, knots
°C, m/s
°C, km/h
°C, mph
°C, knots
Show Charts Only
WeatherSpark.com
Average Weather in January in Waynesboro Pennsylvania, United States
Daily high temperatures are around 39°F, rarely falling below 25°F or exceeding 55°F. The lowest daily average high temperature is 39°F on January 21.
Daily low temperatures decrease by 3°F, from 27°F to 25°F, rarely falling below 11°F or exceeding 40°F. The lowest daily average low temperature is 25°F on January 29.
For reference, on July 21, the hottest day of the year, temperatures in Waynesboro typically range from 68°F to 86°F, while on January 29, the coldest day of the year, they range from 25°F to 39°F.
Average High and Low Temperature in January
Average High and Low Temperature in January in Waynesboro18152229112233445566778899101011111212131314141515161617171818191920202121222223232424252526262727282829293030313110°F15°F20°F25°F30°F35°F40°F45°F50°F55°F60°F65°FDecFebJan 2139°FJan 2139°F25°F25°FJan 140°FJan 140°F27°F27°FJan 3139°FJan 3139°F25°F25°FJan 1139°FJan 1139°F26°F26°FLowHigh
The daily average high (red line) and low (blue line) temperature, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted lines are the corresponding average perceived temperatures.
The figure below shows you a compact characterization of the hourly average temperatures for the quarter of the year centered on January. The horizontal axis is the day, the vertical axis is the hour of the day, and the color is the average temperature for that hour and day.
Average Hourly Temperature in January
Average Hourly Temperature in January in Waynesboro18152229112233445566778899101011111212131314141515161617171818191920202121222223232424252526262727282829293030313112 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AMDecFebfreezingfreezingvery cold
frigid 15°F freezing 32°F very cold 45°F cold 55°F cool 65°F comfortable 75°F warm 85°F hot 95°F sweltering
The average hourly temperature, color coded into bands. The shaded overlays indicate night and civil twilight.
Ruse, Bulgaria (4,963 miles away) and Tbilisi, Georgia (5,758 miles) are the far-away foreign places with temperatures most similar to Waynesboro (view comparison).
The month of January in Waynesboro experiences essentially constant cloud cover, with the percentage of time that the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy remaining about 54% throughout the month. The highest chance of overcast or mostly cloudy conditions is 55% on January 12.
The clearest day of the month is January 31, with clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy conditions 47% of the time.
For reference, on January 12, the cloudiest day of the year, the chance of overcast or mostly cloudy conditions is 55%, while on September 4, the clearest day of the year, the chance of clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy skies is 66%.
Cloud Cover Categories in January
Cloud Cover Categories in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310%100%10%90%20%80%30%70%40%60%50%50%60%40%70%30%80%20%90%10%100%0%DecFebSep 466%Sep 466%Jan 147%Jan 147%Jan 3147%Jan 3147%Jan 1145%Jan 1145%Jan 2146%Jan 2146%clearmostly clearpartly cloudymostly cloudyovercast
0% clear 20% mostly clear 40% partly cloudy 60% mostly cloudy 80% overcast 100%
The percentage of time spent in each cloud cover band, categorized by the percentage of the sky covered by clouds.
A wet day is one with at least 0.04 inches of liquid or liquid-equivalent precipitation. In Waynesboro, the chance of a wet day over the course of January is essentially constant, remaining around 21% throughout.
For reference, the year's highest daily chance of a wet day is 38% on June 16, and its lowest chance is 20% on October 20.
Over the course of January in Waynesboro, the chance of a day with only rain decreases from 14% to 10%, the chance of a day with mixed snow and rain remains an essentially constant 5% throughout, and the chance of a day with only snow remains an essentially constant 5% throughout.
Probability of Precipitation in January
Probability of Precipitation in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310%5%10%15%20%25%DecFebJan 2820%Jan 2820%Jan 122%Jan 122%Jan 1121%Jan 1121%snowmixedrain
The percentage of days in which various types of precipitation are observed, excluding trace quantities: rain alone, snow alone, and mixed (both rain and snow fell in the same day).
To show variation within the month and not just the monthly total, we show the rainfall accumulated over a sliding 31-day period centered around each day.
The average sliding 31-day rainfall during January in Waynesboro is essentially constant, remaining about 1.6 inches throughout, and rarely exceeding 3.2 inches or falling below 0.3 inches.
The lowest average 31-day accumulation is 1.5 inches on January 24.
Average Monthly Rainfall in January
Average Monthly Rainfall in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inDecFebJan 231.5 inJan 231.5 inJan 11.7 inJan 11.7 inJan 311.6 inJan 311.6 inJan 111.6 inJan 111.6 in
The average rainfall (solid line) accumulated over the course of a sliding 31-day period centered on the day in question, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted line is the corresponding average liquid-equivalent snowfall.
We report snowfall in liquid-equivalent terms. The actual depth of new snowfall is typically between 5 and 10 times the liquid-equivalent amount, assuming the ground is frozen. As with rainfall, we consider the liquid-equivalent snowfall accumulated over a sliding 31-day period centered around each day.
The average sliding 31-day liquid-equivalent snowfall during January in Waynesboro is essentially constant, remaining about 0.7 inches throughout, and rarely exceeding 2.1 inches or falling to 0.0 inches.
Average Monthly Liquid-Equivalent Snowfall in January
Average Monthly Liquid-Equivalent Snowfall in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310.0 in0.5 in1.0 in1.5 in2.0 in2.5 in3.0 inDecFebJan 10.6 inJan 10.6 inJan 310.8 inJan 310.8 inJan 110.7 inJan 110.7 inJan 210.8 inJan 210.8 in
The average liquid-equivalent snowfall (solid line) accumulated over the course of a sliding 31-day period centered on the day in question, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands. The thin dotted line is the corresponding average rainfall.
Over the course of January in Waynesboro, the length of the day is increasing. From the start to the end of the month, the length of the day increases by 44 minutes, implying an average daily increase of 1 minute, 28 seconds, and weekly increase of 10 minutes, 18 seconds.
The shortest day of the month is January 1, with 9 hours, 25 minutes of daylight and the longest day is January 31, with 10 hours, 9 minutes of daylight.
Hours of Daylight and Twilight in January
Hours of Daylight and Twilight in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310 hr24 hr4 hr20 hr8 hr16 hr12 hr12 hr16 hr8 hr20 hr4 hr24 hr0 hrDecFebnightnightdaydayJan 19 hr, 25 minJan 19 hr, 25 minJan 3110 hr, 9 minJan 3110 hr, 9 minJan 169 hr, 42 minJan 169 hr, 42 min
The number of hours during which the Sun is visible (black line). From bottom (most yellow) to top (most gray), the color bands indicate: full daylight, twilight (civil, nautical, and astronomical), and full night.
The latest sunrise of the month in Waynesboro is 7:31 AM on January 5 and the earliest sunrise is 12 minutes earlier at 7:19 AM on January 31.
The earliest sunset is 4:56 PM on January 1 and the latest sunset is 32 minutes later at 5:28 PM on January 31.
Daylight saving time is observed in Waynesboro during 2019, but it neither starts nor ends during January, so the entire month is in standard time.
For reference, on June 21, the longest day of the year, the Sun rises at 5:42 AM and sets 14 hours, 59 minutes later, at 8:41 PM, while on December 22, the shortest day of the year, it rises at 7:28 AM and sets 9 hours, 21 minutes later, at 4:49 PM.
Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight in January
Sunrise & Sunset with Twilight in January in Waynesboro18152229112233445566778899101011111212131314141515161617171818191920202121222223232424252526262727282829293030313112 AM2 AM4 AM6 AM8 AM10 AM12 PM2 PM4 PM6 PM8 PM10 PM12 AMDecFeb7:19 AM7:19 AMJan 315:28 PMJan 315:28 PM7:31 AM7:31 AMJan 14:56 PMJan 14:56 PM7:29 AM7:29 AMJan 165:11 PMJan 165:11 PMSolarMidnightSolarMidnightSolarNoonSunriseSunset
The solar day over the course of January. From bottom to top, the black lines are the previous solar midnight, sunrise, solar noon, sunset, and the next solar midnight. The day, twilights (civil, nautical, and astronomical), and night are indicated by the color bands from yellow to gray.
We base the humidity comfort level on the dew point, as it determines whether perspiration will evaporate from the skin, thereby cooling the body. Lower dew points feel drier and higher dew points feel more humid. Unlike temperature, which typically varies significantly between night and day, dew point tends to change more slowly, so while the temperature may drop at night, a muggy day is typically followed by a muggy night.
The chance that a given day will be muggy in Waynesboro is essentially constant during January, remaining around 0% throughout.
For reference, on July 28, the muggiest day of the year, there are muggy conditions 50% of the time, while on January 24, the least muggy day of the year, there are muggy conditions 0% of the time.
Humidity Comfort Levels in January
Humidity Comfort Levels in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%DecFebJan 10%Jan 10%Jan 310%Jan 310%Jan 110%Jan 110%Jan 210%Jan 210%drydry
dry 55°F comfortable 60°F humid 65°F muggy 70°F oppressive 75°F miserable
The percentage of time spent at various humidity comfort levels, categorized by dew point.
This section discusses the wide-area hourly average wind vector (speed and direction) at 10 meters above the ground. The wind experienced at any given location is highly dependent on local topography and other factors, and instantaneous wind speed and direction vary more widely than hourly averages.
The average hourly wind speed in Waynesboro is gradually increasing during January, increasing from 7.5 miles per hour to 8.0 miles per hour over the course of the month.
For reference, on February 26, the windiest day of the year, the daily average wind speed is 8.3 miles per hour, while on August 1, the calmest day of the year, the daily average wind speed is 4.7 miles per hour.
Average Wind Speed in January
Average Wind Speed in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310 mph2 mph4 mph6 mph8 mph10 mph12 mph14 mphDecFebJan 17.5 mphJan 17.5 mphJan 318.0 mphJan 318.0 mphJan 167.8 mphJan 167.8 mph
The average of mean hourly wind speeds (dark gray line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.
The hourly average wind direction in Waynesboro throughout January is predominantly from the west, with a peak proportion of 47% on January 16.
Wind Direction in January
Wind Direction in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310%100%20%80%40%60%60%40%80%20%100%0%DecFebwestsouthnortheast
northeastsouthwest
The percentage of hours in which the mean wind direction is from each of the four cardinal wind directions, excluding hours in which the mean wind speed is less than 1.0 mph. The lightly tinted areas at the boundaries are the percentage of hours spent in the implied intermediate directions (northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest).
Definitions of the growing season vary throughout the world, but for the purposes of this report, we define it as the longest continuous period of non-freezing temperatures (≥ 32°F) in the year (the calendar year in the Northern Hemisphere, or from July 1 until June 30 in the Southern Hemisphere).
The growing season in Waynesboro typically lasts for 7.0 months (214 days), from around April 6 to around November 6, rarely starting before March 20 or after April 23, and rarely ending before October 20 or after November 23.
The month of January in Waynesboro is reliably fully outside of the growing season.
Time Spent in Various Temperature Bands and the Growing Season in January
Time Spent in Various Temperature Bands and the Growing Season in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310%100%10%90%20%80%30%70%40%60%50%50%60%40%70%30%80%20%90%10%100%0%DecFeb0%Jan 160%Jan 160%Feb 20%Feb 2freezingvery coldcoldfrigidcool
The percentage of time spent in various temperature bands. The black line is the percentage chance that a given day is within the growing season.
Growing degree days are a measure of yearly heat accumulation used to predict plant and animal development, and defined as the integral of warmth above a base temperature, discarding any excess above a maximum temperature. In this report, we use a base of 50°F and a cap of 86°F.
The average accumulated growing degree days in Waynesboro are essentially constant during January, remaining within 5°F of 5°F throughout.
Growing Degree Days in January
Growing Degree Days in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310°F5°F10°F15°F20°F25°FDecFebJan 10°FJan 10°FJan 3110°FJan 3110°FJan 114°FJan 114°FJan 218°FJan 218°F
The average growing degree days accumulated over the course of January, with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.
This section discusses the total daily incident shortwave solar energy reaching the surface of the ground over a wide area, taking full account of seasonal variations in the length of the day, the elevation of the Sun above the horizon, and absorption by clouds and other atmospheric constituents. Shortwave radiation includes visible light and ultraviolet radiation.
The average daily incident shortwave solar energy in Waynesboro is gradually increasing during January, rising by 0.6 kWh, from 1.9 kWh to 2.6 kWh, over the course of the month.
Average Daily Incident Shortwave Solar Energy in January
Average Daily Incident Shortwave Solar Energy in January in Waynesboro1815222911223344556677889910101111121213131414151516161717181819192020212122222323242425252626272728282929303031310.0 kWh0.5 kWh1.0 kWh1.5 kWh2.0 kWh2.5 kWh3.0 kWh3.5 kWh4.0 kWh4.5 kWh5.0 kWhDecFebJan 11.9 kWhJan 11.9 kWhJan 312.6 kWhJan 312.6 kWhJan 162.2 kWhJan 162.2 kWh
The average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground per square meter (orange line), with 25th to 75th and 10th to 90th percentile bands.
For the purposes of this report, the geographical coordinates of Waynesboro are 39.756 deg latitude, -77.578 deg longitude, and 692 ft elevation.
The topography within 2 miles of Waynesboro contains only modest variations in elevation, with a maximum elevation change of 338 feet and an average elevation above sea level of 689 feet. Within 10 miles contains only modest variations in elevation (1,759 feet). Within 50 miles contains very significant variations in elevation (2,454 feet).
The area within 2 miles of Waynesboro is covered by cropland (81%) and artificial surfaces (19%), within 10 miles by cropland (57%) and trees (38%), and within 50 miles by trees (49%) and cropland (45%).
This report illustrates the typical weather in Waynesboro year round, based on a statistical analysis of historical hourly weather reports and model reconstructions from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2016.
Temperature and Dew Point
There are 3 weather stations near enough to contribute to our estimation of the temperature and dew point in Waynesboro.
For each station, the records are corrected for the elevation difference between that station and Waynesboro according to the International Standard Atmosphere , and by the relative change present in the MERRA-2 satellite-era reanalysis between the two locations.
The estimated value at Waynesboro is computed as the weighted average of the individual contributions from each station, with weights proportional to the inverse of the distance between Waynesboro and a given station.
The stations contributing to this reconstruction are: Site R (45%, 13 kilometers, east); Hagerstown Regional Airport (45%, 14 kilometers, southwest); and Fort Ritchie (10%, 16 kilometers, southeast).
All data relating to the Sun's position (e.g., sunrise and sunset) are computed using astronomical formulas from the book, Astronomical Tables of the Sun, Moon and Planets , by Jean Meeus.
All other weather data, including cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and direction, and solar flux, come from NASA's MERRA-2 Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis . This reanalysis combines a variety of wide-area measurements in a state-of-the-art global meteorological model to reconstruct the hourly history of weather throughout the world on a 50-kilometer grid.
Land Use data comes from the Global Land Cover SHARE database , published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Elevation data comes from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) , published by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Names, locations, and time zones of places and some airports come from the GeoNames Geographical Database .
Time zones for aiports and weather stations are provided by AskGeo.com .
Maps are © Esri, with data from National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA, METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, and iPC.
The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data is prone to errors, outages, and other defects. We assume no responsibility for any decisions made on the basis of the content presented on this site.
We draw particular cautious attention to our reliance on the MERRA-2 model-based reconstructions for a number of important data series. While having the tremendous advantages of temporal and spatial completeness, these reconstructions: (1) are based on computer models that may have model-based errors, (2) are coarsely sampled on a 50 km grid and are therefore unable to reconstruct the local variations of many microclimates, and (3) have particular difficulty with the weather in some coastal areas, especially small islands.
We further caution that our travel scores are only as good as the data that underpin them, that weather conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable, and that the definition of the scores reflects a particular set of preferences that may not agree with those of any particular reader.
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Interactive Map » © Esri, et al.
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My skeertuig is vol palings!
http://www.toptwenty.co.za/places/STILBAAI/Tourism-Bureau/
One of the favourite tourism attractions in Stilbaai are the eels of Palinggat Homestead, residence of the Stilbaai Tourism Bureau.
For more than 125 years these freshwater eels have been living in the spring and, for reasons known only to the Palinggat eels themselves, the mature eels depart for the ocean off Madagascar to spawn and only a handful of the offspring return while the mothers simply vanish.
Female eels lay some 10 million eggs but most of the larvae don’t survive. Those that do are washed towards the African coast by the currents and only a few hardy survivors find their way to Palinggat bringing with them the mysteries of the deep.
Biologists have no concrete proof as to why this happens, but every morning at 11 o’clock visitors are treated to a rare sighting of the elusive eels when they are fed chicken livers donated by the OK in Stilbaai.
In case you are wondering about the headline on this article, the answer goes back to the 1970s when famous British comedy group Monty Python featured a skit about an invented rude and wildly inaccurate Hungarian/English phrase book. This included a wacky scene with John Cleese as a Hungarian, trying to buy cigarettes at a tobacconist and consulting his phrase book.
“My hovercraft is full of eels”, was what he came up with.
This led Omniglot, the online encyclopaedia of writing systems and languages, to translate the phrase into dozens of languages, the first entry being Afrikaans: my skeertuig is vol palings.
While the eels of Palinggat are no laughing matter and there are apparently no hovercraft in the vicinity, a visit at feeding time is a must and costs just R12. It is difficult to see the eels at other times because they hide in the crevices under the rocks in the pond.
But when the chicken liver juices escape into the water the eels energetically appear for their special treat. Their regular diet consists of tadpoles and crabs which live in and around the Palinggat pond. Eels source their food by their acute sense of smell and also touch so at chicken liver time at Palinggat they come within touching distance of the hand that feeds.
Palinggat Homestead itself is a historical site. It was first constructed in 1809 and rebuilt after a fire in 1814 by Andries J de Jager, whose initials are above the entrance. It became home to the Stilbaai Information Centre in 1992.
And, just in case you might want to impress a visitor from Kazakhstan inexplicably visiting Stilbaai with your linguistic abilities, the translation in Kazakh is: Menïṇ äue hegïz kemecï žylanbalyķpen toltyrylḡan (according to Omniglot, not Monty Python!).
The eels are fed:
Mon-Fri: 11h00
Sat: 11h00
Pub Holidays: 11h00
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Articles are written by independent contributors and the views expressed in this article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Top Twenty.
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HomeBooksContemporary Fiction
In The Garden Of The North American Martyrs: Stories
by Tobias Wolff
192 pages3 hours
Among the characters you'll find in this collection of twelve stories by Tobias Wolff are a teenage boy who tells morbid lies about his home life, a timid professor who, in the first genuine outburst of her life, pours out her opinions in spite of a protesting audience, a prudish loner who gives an obnoxious hitchhiker a ride, and an elderly couple on a golden anniversary cruise who endure the offensive conviviality of the ship's social director.
Fondly yet sharply drawn, Wolff's characters stumble over each other in their baffled yet resolute search for the "right path."
Publisher: HarperCollinsReleased: Oct 13, 2009ISBN: 9780061868221Format: book
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Writings from The New Yorker 1925-1976
E. B. White
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Announcing Our Spring Issue
In The Garden Of The North American Martyrs - Tobias Wolff
I wake up afraid. My wife is sitting on the edge of my bed, shaking me. They’re at it again, she says.
I go to the window. All their lights are on, upstairs and down, as if they have money to burn. He yells, she screams something back, the dog barks. There is a short silence, then the baby cries, poor thing.
Better not stand there, says my wife. They might see you.
I say, I’m going to call the police, knowing she won’t let me.
Don’t, she says.
She’s afraid that they will poison our cat if we complain.
Next door the man is still yelling, but I can’t make out what he’s saying over the dog and the baby. The woman laughs, not really meaning it, "Ha! Ha! Ha!," and suddenly gives a sharp little cry. Everything goes quiet.
He struck her, my wife says. I felt it just the same as if he struck me.
Next door the baby gives a long wail and the dog starts up again. The man walks out into his driveway and slams the door.
Be careful, my wife says. She gets back into her bed and pulls the covers up to her neck.
The man mumbles to himself and jerks at his fly. Finally he gets it open and walks over to our fence. It’s a white picket fence, ornamental more than anything else. It couldn’t keep anyone out. I put it in myself, and planted honeysuckle and bougainvillea all along it.
My wife says, What’s he doing?
Shh, I say.
He leans against the fence with one hand and with the other he goes to the bathroom on the flowers. He walks the length of the fence like that, not missing any of them. When he’s through he gives Florida a shake, then zips up and heads back across the driveway. He almost slips on the gravel but he catches himself and curses and goes into the house, slamming the door again.
When I turn around my wife is leaning forward, watching me. She raises her eyebrows. Not again, she says.
Number one or number two?
Number one.
Thank God for small favors, she says, settling back. Between him and the dog it’s a wonder you can get anything to grow out there.
I read somewhere that human pee has a higher acid content than animal pee, but I don’t mention that. I would rather talk about something else. It depresses me, thinking about the flowers. They are past their prime, but still. Next door the woman is shouting. Listen to that, I say.
I used to feel sorry for her, my wife says. Not any more. Not after last month.
Ditto, I say, trying to remember what happened last month to make my wife not feel sorry for the woman next door. I don’t feel sorry for her either, but then I never have. She yells at the baby, and excuse me, but I’m not about to get all excited over someone who treats a child like that. She screams things like "I thought I told you to stay in your bedroom!" and here the baby can’t even speak English yet.
As far as her looks, I guess you would have to say she’s pretty. But it won’t last. She doesn’t have good bone structure. She has a soft look to her, like she has never eaten anything but donuts and milk shakes. Her skin is white. The baby takes after her, not that you would expect it to take after him, dark and hairy. Even with his shirt on you can tell that he has hair all over his back and on his shoulders, thick and springy like an Airedale’s.
Now they’re all going at once over there, plus they’ve got the hi-fi turned on full blast. One of those bands. It’s the baby I feel sorry for, I say.
My wife puts her hands over her ears. I can’t stand another minute of it, she says. She takes her hands away. Maybe there’s something on TV. She sits up. See who’s on Johnny.
I turn on the television. It used to be down in the den but I brought it up here a few years ago when my wife came down with an illness. I took care of her myself—made the meals and everything. I got to where I could change the sheets with her still in the bed. I always meant to take the television back down when my wife recovered from her illness, but I never got around to it. It sits between our beds on a little table I made. Johnny is saying something to Sammy Davis, Jr. Ed McMahon is bent over laughing. He is always so cheerful. If you were going to take a really long voyage you could do worse than bring Ed McMahon along.
Sammy, says my wife. Who else is on besides Sammy?
I look at the TV guide. A bunch of people I never heard of. I read off their names. My wife hasn’t heard of them either. She wants to know what else is on. "‘El Dorado,’ I read. ‘Brisk adventure yarn about a group of citizens in search of the legendary city of gold.’ It’s got two-and-a-half stars beside it."
Citizens of what? my wife asks.
It doesn’t say.
Finally we watch the movie. A blind man comes into a small town. He says that he has been to El Dorado, and that he will lead an expedition there for a share of the proceeds. He can’t see, but he will call out the landmarks one by one as they ride. At first people make fun of him, but eventually all the leading citizens get together and decide to give it a try. Right away they get attacked by Apaches and some of them want to turn back, but every time they get ready the blind man gives them another landmark, so they keep riding.
Next door the woman is going crazy. She is saying things to him that no person should ever say to another person. It makes my wife restless. She looks at me. Can I come over? she says. Just for a visit?
I pull down the blankets and she gets in. The bed is just fine for one, but with two of us it’s a tight fit. We are lying on our sides with me in back. I don’t mean for it to happen but before long old Florida begins to stiffen up on me. I put my arms around my wife. I move my hands up onto the Rockies, then on down across the Plains, heading South.
Hey, she says. No Geography. Not tonight.
I’m sorry, I say.
Can’t I just visit?
Forget it. I said I was sorry.
The citizens are crossing a desert. They have just about run out of water, and their lips are cracked. Though the blind man has delivered a warning, someone drinks from a poisoned well and dies horribly. That night, around the campfire, the others begin to quarrel. Most of them want to go home. This is no country for a white man, one says, and if you ask me nobody has ever been here before. But the blind man describes a piece of gold so big and pure that it will burn your eyes out if you look directly at it. I ought to know, he says. When he is finished the citizens are silent: one by one they move away and lie down on their bedrolls. They put their hands behind their heads and look up at the stars. A coyote howls.
Hearing the coyote, I remember why my wife doesn’t feel sorry for the woman next door. It was a Monday evening, about a month ago, right after I got home from work. The man next door started to beat the dog, and I don’t mean just smacking him once or twice. He was beating him, and he kept beating him until the dog couldn’t even cry any more; you could hear the poor creature’s voice breaking. It made us very upset, especially my wife, who is an animal lover from way back. Finally it stopped. Then, a few minutes later, I heard my wife say, Oh! and I went into the kitchen to find out what was wrong. She was standing by the window, which looks into the kitchen next door. The man had his wife backed up against the fridge. He had his knee between her legs and she had her knee between his legs and they were kissing, really hard, not just with their lips but rolling their faces back and forth one against the other. My wife could hardly speak for a couple of hours afterwards. Later she said that she would never waste her sympathy on that woman again.
It’s quiet over there. My wife has gone to sleep and so has my arm, which is under her head. I slide it out and open and close my fingers, considering whether to wake her up. I like sleeping in my own bed, and there isn’t enough room for the both of us. Finally I decide that it won’t hurt anything to change places for one night.
I get up and fuss with the plants for a while, watering them and moving some to the window and some back. I trim the coleus, which is starting to get leggy, and put the cuttings in a glass of water on the sill. All the lights are off next door except the one in their bedroom window. I think about the life they have, and how it goes on and on, until it seems like the life they were meant to live. Everybody is always saying how great it is that human beings are so adaptable, but I don’t know. A friend of mine was in the Navy and he told me that in Amsterdam, Holland, they have a whole section of town where you can walk through and from the street you can see women sitting in rooms, waiting. If you want one of them you just go in and pay, and they close the drapes. This is nothing special to the people who live in Holland. In Istanbul, Turkey, my friend saw a man walking down the street with a grand piano on his back. Everyone just moved around him and kept going. It’s awful, what we get used to.
I turn off the television and get into my wife’s bed. A sweet, heavy smell rises off the sheets. At first it makes me dizzy but after that I like it. It reminds me of gardenias.
The reason I don’t watch the rest of the movie is that I can already see how it will end. The citizens will kill each other off, probably about ten feet from the legendary city of gold, and the blind man will stumble in by himself, not knowing that he has made it back to El Dorado.
I could write a better movie than that. My movie would be about a group of explorers, men and women, who leave behind their homes and their jobs and their families—everything they have known. They cross the sea and are shipwrecked on the coast of a country which is not on their maps. One of them drowns. Another gets attacked by a wild animal, and eaten. But the others want to push on. They ford rivers and cross an enormous glacier by dog sled. It takes months. On the glacier they run out of food, and for a while there it looks like they might turn on each other, but they don’t. Finally they solve their problem by eating the dogs. That’s the sad part of the movie.
At the end we see the explorers sleeping in a meadow filled with white flowers. The blossoms are wet with dew and stick to their bodies, petals of columbine, clematis, blazing star, baby’s breath, larkspur, iris, rue—covering them completely, turning them white so that you cannot tell one from another, man from woman, woman from man. The sun comes up. They stand and raise their arms, like white trees in a land where no one has ever been.
Hunters in the Snow
Tub had been waiting for an hour in the falling snow. He paced the sidewalk to keep warm and stuck his head out over the curb whenever he saw lights approaching. One driver stopped for him but before Tub could wave the man on he saw the rifle on Tub’s back and hit the gas. The tires spun on the ice.
The fall of snow thickened. Tub stood below the overhang of a building. Across the road the clouds whitened just above the rooftops, and the street lights went out. He shifted the rifle strap to his other shoulder. The whiteness seeped up the sky.
A truck slid around the corner, horn blaring, rear end sashaying. Tub moved to the sidewalk and held up his hand. The truck jumped the curb and kept coming, half on the street and half on the sidewalk. It wasn’t slowing down at all. Tub stood for a moment, still holding up his hand, then jumped back. His rifle slipped off his shoulder and clattered on the ice, a sandwich fell out of his pocket. He ran for the steps of the building. Another sandwich and a package of cookies tumbled onto the new snow. He made the steps and looked back.
The truck had stopped several feet beyond where Tub had been standing. He picked up his sandwiches and his cookies and slung the rifle and went up to the driver’s window. The driver was bent against the steering wheel, slapping his knees and drumming his feet on the floorboards. He looked like a cartoon of a person laughing, except that his eyes watched the man on the seat beside him. You ought to see yourself, the driver said. He looks just like a beach ball with a hat on, doesn’t he? Doesn’t he, Frank?
The man beside him smiled and looked off.
You almost ran me down, Tub said. You could’ve killed me.
Come on, Tub, said the man beside the driver. Be mellow. Kenny was just messing around. He opened the door and slid over to the middle of the seat.
Tub took the bolt out of his rifle and climbed in beside him. I waited an hour, he said. If you meant ten o’clock why didn’t you say ten o’clock?
Tub, you haven’t done anything but complain since we got here, said the man in the middle. If you want to piss and moan all day you might as well go home and bitch at your kids. Take your pick. When Tub didn’t say anything he turned to the driver. Okay, Kenny, let’s hit the road.
Some juvenile delinquents had heaved a brick through the windshield on the driver’s side, so the cold and snow tunneled right into the cab. The heater didn’t work. They covered themselves with a couple of blankets Kenny had brought along and pulled down the muffs on their caps. Tub tried to keep his hands warm by rubbing them under the blanket but Frank made him stop.
They left Spokane and drove deep into the country, running along black lines of fences. The snow let up, but still there was no edge to the land where it met the sky. Nothing moved in the chalky fields. The cold bleached their faces and made the stubble stand out on their cheeks and along their upper lips. They stopped twice for coffee before they got to the woods where Kenny wanted to hunt.
Tub was for trying someplace different; two years in a row they’d been up and down this land and hadn’t seen a thing. Frank didn’t care one way or the other, he just wanted to get out of the goddamned truck. Feel that, Frank said, slamming the door. He spread his feet and closed his eyes and leaned his head way back and breathed deeply. Tune in on that energy.
Another thing, Kenny said. This is open land. Most of the land around here is posted.
I’m cold, Tub said.
Frank breathed out. "Stop
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The Department of Neurology at Acibadem City Clinic Cardiovascular Center facilitates the latest diagnosis and treatment of various diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, with emphasis on the following major diseases:...
Assoc. Prof. Marko
Klisurski
Clinic/Department: Neurology
Specialty: Neurology
Interest in non-invasive diagnosis of the brain aneurysms and changes in hemodynamics in ischemic attack by trans-cranial color-coded duplex sonography
Scientific interest in common and/or differential diagnosis of MS and other Neuromyelitis optica diseases.
More than 60 publications and 1 monograph in Bulgarian and foreign newsletters
Many participations in professional seminars and conventions in Bulgaria and abroad
Foreign Languages: English, Russian, German
Membership in scientific societies:
Member of the European Neurological Society (ENS)
Member of the Bulgarian Scientific Association of Neurology and Ultrasound in Neurology
Member of the European Society of Neurosonology and Cerebral Hemodynamics (ESNCH)
Member of the World Stroke Organization
Member of the International Healthcare Association
Medical University, Sofia - Assistant in Neurology University Multi-profile Hospital (ISUL) – Sofia
Working and training under Professor Dr. G. Ladurner at the Christian Doppler Klinik in Salzburg, Austria
Working and training under Professor Dr. G. Seidel at the Neurology Clinic in Lübeck, Germany
Specialty in Neurology, University Multi-profile Hospital (ISUL), Sofia
From 2012 to present Dr. Klisurski is a Neurologist at Acibadem City Clinic Cardiovascular Center, Sofia.
In 2012 he was an Associate Professor at the Department of Neurology at the Medical University.
From 1999 to 2012 he was a Senior Assistant in Neurology at the University Multi-profile Hospital (ISUL), Sofia.
From 1990 to 1999 Dr. Klisurski was an Assistant in Neurology at the University Multi-profile Hospital (ISUL), Sofia.
Assoc. Prof. Marko Klisurski
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Twitter Under Federal Investigation For Shutting Out Developer Community
By Shea Bennett
Twitter’s developer community is huge. How big? Recently it was reported as being as large as 900,000 apps over 600,000 developers making about 13 billion API requests each and every day.
As I said: huge.
But things quickly change. Earlier this year, a series of strategic moves saw Twitter acquire some important third-party clients and re-brand them as official products, whilst flat-out blocking those of competitors, which began to unsettle the development industry. When the company then started telling developers that they should no longer be building apps that mimic the Twitter experience, things got really edgy. After all, they protested, many had invested time and resources into building a business that fundamentally depended on Twitter.
Relations soon reached a boiling point. And now, US regulators have begun an investigation into whether Twitter has unfairly disadvantaged those businesses and developers who had come to rely on the platform, and what, if anything, should be done about it.
Some history. In February Twitter first rocked the developer world by suspending several clients from rival Ubermedia, including Twidroyd and the app that was then known as UberTwitter. The suspension lasted for three days. Ubermedia made some requested changes – which included getting rid of the ‘Twitter’ part from UberTwitter (it was renamed UberSocial) – and their uptime privilege was resumed.
Twitter continued to clamp down on third party apps, and over time has begun to acquire those that might have presented a threat to their control. This began with the purchase and assimilation of Tweetie back in April 2010, which was renamed into the official Twitter For iPhone app, and recently included TweetDeck, although it remains to be seen what they’ll do with that.
Twitter has every right to push its official range of clients,
but must it be at the expense of everybody else?
Then, in March, Twitter really put the screws on developers by eliminating all doubt about how that relationship is going to move forward. A message from platform lead Ryan Sarver got right to the point:
“Developers have told us that they’d like more guidance from us about the best opportunities to build on Twitter. More specifically, developers ask us if they should build client apps that mimic or reproduce the mainstream Twitter consumer client experience. The answer is no.”
And if all that wasn’t monopolistic enough, last month Twitter announced the launch of its own internal photo-sharing service, which could very well mean the end of once-popular image uploaders such as Twitpic and yfrog.
So, here’s the big question that developers want answered: is the door to Twitter still open, inasmuch as there will always be plenty of slices of bread to go around and a place for everybody at the table (albeit with certain restrictions)? Or is that door rapidly closing, with less and less opportunity available for those who want to build third party apps that depend on Twitter’s data?
We should know soon enough, as this week the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has begun to hold meetings with developers to investigate the way that Twitter manages its relationships with those businesses that have wanted to use the network’s ecosystem to build apps and provide services.
So far Twitter has declined to comment, but those impacted by the platform’s decision process and the regulator’s actions have said a few words. UberMedia were amongst the first to be approached by the FTC, and have stated that they “intend to fully comply with their request for information”.
Loic Le Meur, the outspoken founder of Seesmic, said on Tuesday that “the opportunity around Twitter is not open” and that Seesmic had begun to inch away from its original focus on Twitter as a result.
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← The persistence of crisis: Work harder or fight back
An ad hominem attack against Thomas Friedman →
The real digital change agent
Posted by Jason Mittell | March 7, 2013 | 0 responses
Over the past few years, many of the most prominent American universities, including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and Duke, have joined to embrace a game-changing approach in opening up their previously closed academic resources. Leveraging the revolutionary potential of digital technology to provide access to the world\’s best faculty members, this new method of dissemination takes what were once exclusive, limited-access, high-priced resources and puts them online for anyone to learn from, freely. Despite its somewhat goofy acronym, this new model has been embraced, sometimes in the face of faculty objections, because of its democratizing, globalizing potential, as well as its effectiveness in improving an institution\’s reputation for innovation and excellence.
I am, of course, talking about Coapi.
If you haven\’t heard of it, the Coalition of Open Access Policy Institutions, which now comprises more than 40, began in 2011 as a way for colleges to coordinate and advocate for open-access policies, which typically require that all faculty journal publications be made available freely online, whether on a personal Web site, institutional repository, or discipline-specific public archive. Such reforms tend to be driven by a few faculty and staff members (usually librarians and technologists), with a ground-level commitment to open access, who manage to persuade their administrations and colleagues—and by the federal government, which just required that publications from federally supported research be made available freely online.
Odds are that you haven\’t read much about Coapi as a revolutionary, democratizing force within higher education, especially compared with its high-profile contemporary, MOOCs (massive open online courses). While it\’s quite rare to read about open-access policies in the popular news media, celebrations of MOOCs as the Great Revolution About to Overturn Higher Education As We Know It litter newspapers\’ opinion pages—for instance, Thomas Friedman\’s recent celebratory gloss in The New York Times.
I am wary of such boosterism, and I view MOOCs with the measured skepticism expressed well by the University of Virginia\’s Siva Vaidhyanathan, who has written that MOOCs are \”like fancy textbooks. They are all about the mass market and not the rich connectivity that established online courses offer their limited collection of students.\”
But I am fascinated by the contrasting rhetoric between the rapid-boil fervor over MOOCs and the barely simmering apathy for open-access policies, especially at the institutional level. MOOCs are often touted in university news releases as being motivated by the desire to increase access to work of faculty freely across the globe. The MOOC leader Coursera\’s own mission is to \”empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in.\”
But fewer than 20 percent of the American institutions that have formed partnerships with Coursera are also members of Coapi. That seems downright hypocritical to me, as opening access to faculty research would help level hierarchies and tear down boundaries between academics and the public, between major research universities and less-wealthy institutions, and between the developed and developing worlds. Access to the average journal article might do little to change the world. But making the bulk of scholarly research freely available could transform the possibilities of educational uplift, scientific discovery, and public engagement with academic work.
Why this disconnect between the rhetoric of MOOCs and open-access policies? Bryan Alexander, a senior fellow at the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education, explores some potential explanations, including MOOCs\’ relative novelty and their top-tier-university cachet. But the obvious answer is, as it nearly always is, money. For many institutions, MOOCs are viewed as a potential revenue stream, higher education\’s business model of the future. Of course, here in the present, MOOCs require investing expensive technological and labor resources to create experiments of questionable educational value to be given away. I\’m no economist, but that plan seems to violate some basic business principles.
As Georgia Tech\’s Ian Bogost recently pointed out, MOOCs are a gamble suited to the elite institutions that can afford the risk, not to the public universities already stuck in a spiral of inadequate budgets and underprepared students. If MOOCs catch on, as their boosters predict, they may have major unintended consequences that undercut our core understanding of teachers, students, and courses. Middlebury College\’s Alison Byerly has pointed out that MOOCs could easily disrupt the tuition-revenue stream that colleges already have. MOOC instructors\’ \”best students may e-mail them with questions, seek their advice on further study, ask for recommendations or job referrals, perhaps even travel to campus in hopes of meeting them,\” she writes. \”To ignore such requests would go against the grain of a lifetime of membership in the academy, where \’paying it forward\’ requires helping your students as your professors helped you. But responding to even 1 percent of those taking a MOOC could mean interacting with 1,000 students.\”
In contrast, open-access policies could actually be economically beneficial in the here and now. By requiring institutions to make the output of their salaried researchers freely available, those policies undercut the exclusive rights and restrictive access of commercial publishers that notoriously charge those same institutions outrageous fees for journal articles. Open-access measures might force commercial presses to negotiate more-reasonable subscription rates or shut down journals that exist only to pad out subscription bundles (and faculty CVs), and to allow libraries to cut subscriptions to journals they subscribe to only so faculty can have access to their own writing. Open access is not the panacea for all of higher education\’s woes. Alas, there isn\’t one. But it does offer some opportunities to lower costs and to broaden the reach and impact of research.
Think about it. Universities pay their faculty to write and publish, then must pay commercial entities to sell those publications back to them. Universities also pay their faculty to teach, then charge students for access to that pedagogy (in most cases, charging only a fraction of the cost). The rhetorics of those two models tend to be reversed when discussing digital transformations. Why is it that the most business-minded people in academe, the boards of trustees and CFOs, seem to be enamored of giving away the resource that they actually charge for now, while being mostly indifferent to giving away the resource they are now paying for (twice)?
MOOC mania has gained momentum, I believe, because it entails opening up the previously noncommercial realm of teaching, at both public and nonprofit private institutions, to venture capitalists and start-ups looking to build company value. Most MOOCs strive to transform the realm of the classroom into the realm of the textbook, shifting educational interactions into a packaged, scalable domain that can be more easily marketed and branded. Would anyone be shocked to read in the next few years a headline like \”Pearson Acquires Udacity\”? The noncommercial practice of teaching gets rebranded and hyped into terms easily celebrated by Thomas Friedman and his business-minded readers, and potentially capitalized upon by profiteers.
An unlikely source offers a useful way of understanding the contrast between MOOCs and open-access policies. Fifty years ago, the film critic Manny Farber drew a lasting metaphor between \”white elephant art,\” which boldly announces itself with grand ambitions, prestige, and hype (think of many Oscar-nominated Hollywood films), and \”termite art,\” which appears below the radar and quietly accomplishes its more modest aesthetic goals with longer-lasting impact (think of some independent award winners at the Sundance Film Festival). MOOCs are white-elephant reforms, touting their revolutionary potential through bold claims and loud (and potentially hollow) rhetoric, often coming from the top down. Open-access policies are termite reforms, creating modest but long-lasting change beneath the surface, burrowing through traditional practices without proclaiming their own grandeur.
Thomas Friedman, venture capitalists, and boards of trustees like white elephants. They\’re easy to describe, fit within broader logics of commerce and reform, and since everyone else notices them, it\’s hard not to talk about them. As an academic (and a film viewer), I\’m more interested in the termites, looking at how faculty members change systems through incremental steps and measured reforms like making our publications accessible.
The industrious academic termites are persuading one another of the value of open access to combat the misconceptions and fears discussed by Dan Cohen, of George Mason University. In reviewing a survey on faculty attitudes toward publishing, he comments that \”we professors care less about sharing our work—even with underprivileged nations that cannot afford access to gated resources—than with making sure we impress our colleagues.\” We need to change this attitude to show that sharing our research will help sustain higher education and impress our colleagues.
I\’m skeptical of the white elephants touting the kind of openness and access backed by the profiteers. As termites, we must band together to make enough noise about that other kind of openness to be heard over the elephants\’ trumpeting.
Author BIO: Jason Mittell is an associate professor of film and media culture at Middlebury College, and writes the blog Just TV.
Tags: Digital Change Agent
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Freecharge makes video out of mean customer reviews
By Saumya Tewari , afaqs!, New Delhi | In Digital
Reminding us of the famous Jimmy Kimmel's 'Mean Tweets' series, online recharge platform Freecharge, in its latest video, says that it is listening to each and every customer feedback.
A negative consumer review in the digital world can go viral and tarnish a brand's equity. Online companies are always on their toes, addressing consumer complaints and working towards user retention. Freecharge recently created a digital campaign on 'Customer Reviews' featuring its employees, highlighting some of the negative reviews it received on social media platforms (Facebook and Twitter) and app stores.
The video is cleverly executed, in the style of popular American entertainer Jimmy Kimmel's famous 'Mean Tweets' series, where celebrities read rude comments made by viewers on Twitter.
The two-minute-long video begins with a text slide stating, "we searched the internet to see what our customers are saying about us and we found out lot of positive reviews and some negative reviews. Employees from various teams including finance, user retention and customer support, were amused and surprised at how creatively consumers were bashing Freecharge on these platforms."
An employee named Sharat (from finance) says, "You're stealing my recharge and making TV ads. I will complain to Star Sports."
Another one says, "I was going to rate Freecharge for clean UI and ratings, but they spammed me for ratings!" to which Deepak (from user retention) responds, "We are just trying to get a good word out from you, but looks like we've crossed the line."
The company's in-house social media team spent hours collating interesting feedback for the video. While some of it could have been just trolls, others seemed genuine. The video ends with a message from the company that goes - "we're listening and we're working on it..."
Speaking about the campaign, Ashish Virmani, AVP - marketing, Freecharge, says, "We track consumer feedback on social media, app store and consumer complaint emails to improve our product. We stumbled upon really interesting and creative feedback and we decided to create humorous content around it."
Virmani says almost all the company's functions are customer-facing ones, so user feedback impacts employees directly, which is why they decided to shoot the video with the employees.
"Internally, there will be a far greater connect about consumer issues, also, in turn, our users will get to know that all of our teams work in tandem to create a experience for them," he adds.
Freecharge offers prepaid mobile, DTH and internet data card recharges. In the online mobile recharging space, it competes with players like Paytm, Rechargeitnow and mobikwik. Interestingly, telecoms like Vodafone, Airtel and Tata Docomo also have their own online recharging platforms.
Follow Saumya Tewari
Ashish Virmani
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FreeCharge: Value for Money
FreeCharge creates Emotional Atya-Charge
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